Cinderella's Sweet-Talking Marine Read online

  “You shouldn’t have said it at all.” Ellie’s voice vibrated with anger.

  “Let me explain. Please. Hear me out.”

  Her look warned him that he’d better talk fast so he did. “A little over a year ago I inherited a lot of money from my wealthy oil baron grandfather. I thought he’d disinherited me years earlier. He never really forgave my mom for marrying an unknown Marine from Chicago named Kozlowski. And he never approved of my brothers and me joining the Marine Corps instead of his oil company down in San Antonio. Anyway, I’ve got all this money that I did nothing to earn.”

  “Then give it to a charity.”

  “I’d rather give it to you.

  “And I didn’t mean to imply that you had to do anything to earn it,” Ben quickly clarified before her mind went down that path. “I’m just trying to help out here.”

  “Don’t. I’m not your responsibility. So thanks, but no thanks. I’m not accepting money from a stranger.”

  “If you get to know me better than I won’t be a stranger.”

  “It won’t change my mind.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “You’re incredibly stubborn.” Her voice reflected her exasperation.

  “So are you.”

  “Exactly. So don’t go wasting your time thinking you can change my mind.”

  “Spending time with you is not a waste.”

  “It is if you think you can change my mind.”

  “Let me be the judge of that.”

  “You haven’t talked much about Johnny,” she noted, changing the subject abruptly. “Is that because you think that talking about him will upset me?”

  It upset Ben. Not that he mattered in this equation. Keeping his promise to his buddy by looking after Ellie was the only priority here. Nothing else was relevant. Not the fact that he was attracted to Ellie, that she made his heart beat faster, that the flash of her smile made him want to kiss her. All those things were totally irrelevant.

  Telling himself that didn’t make the feelings disappear. Reminding himself to stay focused, he belatedly answered her question. “I didn’t want to say anything to upset you more than I have.”

  “My brother loved being a Marine. He loved being part of a team that way. I know Marines are a tight-knit group and Johnny had never been part of something like that before. I just wanted you to know that. I can’t talk about it much right now. The wound is still too fresh.”

  Ben nodded. He understood better than she could possibly imagine. “Wound” was an accurate description.

  In the Marine Corps he’d been trained that pain was weakness escaping the body. But what about guilt? That showed no signs of leaving him. Instead it haunted him, darkly gnawing away at his insides.

  “I understand that it’s too soon,” he said quietly, “but we’ve got time. I’m not going anywhere. Like I told you earlier, I’m based near here at Camp Lejeune. I really want to get to know you and Amy better. With that in mind, how about we get together tomorrow?”

  Ellie shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “What are you afraid of?”

  “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  “We’re all afraid of something.”

  “Even a big bad Marine like you?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Fine. Then what are you afraid of?”

  “Snails,” he said promptly. “They give me the creeps.”

  “Snails?”

  “Hey, they’re all slimy and stuff.”

  “They live in a shell.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe I should have said naked snails then.”

  “You’re afraid of naked snails?”

  “Affirmative.”

  “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “No. So what are you afraid of?”

  “Not naked snails, I can tell you that much.”

  “Go ahead, make fun of a guy after he’s bared his heart to you.”

  “You didn’t bare your heart, just your phobias.”

  “Hey, I didn’t say it was a phobia,” Ben protested. “Just that I’m not fond of naked snails.”

  “Oh, so now you’re backpedaling, are you? I believe the actual comment was that snails give you the creeps.”

  “They do. That doesn’t mean I have a phobia about them. A phobia would be the fear of running across naked snails everywhere I go. Usually the subject doesn’t come up that often. Unless I’m at a French restaurant. Getting back to you, you never said what you’re afraid of. Come on.” His sensual mouth quirked with an intimately teasing expression that made her heart skip. “There must be something?”

  There were plenty of things. Of being a single mom responsible for a five-year-old daughter. Of what would happen to Amy if anything should happen to Ellie. Perry would be useless and his mom not much better. The thought of her daughter having to go into the foster care program the way Ellie and her brother gave Ellie nightmares more nights than she cared to admit.

  Because she knew from personal experience how quickly lives could change. Their dad walked out shortly before Johnny had been born and died shortly thereafter in a fire. They’d been raised by a single mom. When Ellie was seven her mother died in a car crash, killed by a drunk driver who crossed into her lane of traffic. The head-on collision killed her mom instantly.

  There were no relatives to take them in so they’d gone into the system. The only good thing had been that, thanks to a compassionate caseworker, she and her brother had been allowed to stay together.

  That was one of the reasons why the failure of her marriage had hit Ellie so hard. Because she’d desperately wanted to have a family, to have some security. To have someone to share the good times and the bad times with.

  A tiny voice in her head wondered if having Ben in her life might not be a good thing. Marines had a reputation for being responsible. Maybe he would be dependable. Maybe he would be there for Amy should anything happen to Ellie. Yeah, right. She’d only known the guy a few hours and already she was turning him into a knight in shining armor despite her protests that she didn’t need rescuing.

  “Forget what you’re afraid of,” Ben said. “Tell me what makes you happy?”

  “That’s easy. My daughter.”

  “What else?”

  “Chocolate. Dark chocolate.” The rebellious thought crossed her mind that a sexy Marine like Ben might make her happy, but she quickly wiped it from her memory bank. She didn’t believe in the happy endings found in her daughter’s fairy tale books. Ellie knew from bitter experience that they rarely existed in the real world.

  “Come on, girlfriend, give me all the details.” Latesha made the demand as she and Ellie sat at a table, refilling paper napkins in the metal dispensers that went on every table. Al’s Place was temporarily empty. A fellow waitress and friend, Latesha was slightly older than Ellie and a whole lot more outrageous. “I want every single itty-bitty juicy detail.”

  “There aren’t any.”

  “Puhlease.” Latesha rolled her brown eyes in disbelief. “You take off last night with Mr. Too Yummy For Words hot on your trail. So come on…” She scooted her chair closer. “Tell me what happened.”

  “Nothing happened. He took Amy and me out to dinner last night.”

  “And…?”

  “And he took us home again.”

  “And then…?”

  “And then he told Amy a really clever bedtime story.” The first thing Amy had asked Ellie this morning was where Ben was and when he was going to tell her more about Sir Goodknight and Lady Blush.

  “What about you? What kind of bedtime story did he tell you?” Latesha’s grin was wicked.

  Before Ellie could answer, Cyn joined them. In her mid-twenties, Cyn had a fondness for anything black or purple. She also loved silver jewelry with a Celtic design. With her blond hair and green eyes, she looked nothing like Latesha, but the two shared the same personality type. Cyn perched on the edge of the table. “What are you two talking abo
ut?”

  “Ellie was just going to give me the juicy details about her night with Mr. Too Yummy For Words.”

  Ellie frowned. “His name is Ben and he didn’t spend the night.”

  “I hate it when they take off after getting what they want,” Cyn noted.

  “It wasn’t like that,” Ellie vehemently denied.

  “Then tell us what it was like,” Latesha said.

  “I’m trying to, but you keep interrupting me.”

  “I wasn’t interrupting you, that was Cyn.”

  “It was not. You’re the one who keeps talking.”

  Ellie cleared her throat. “Hello? Earth to girlfriends. Listen carefully.”

  “Yeah, Cyn, listen carefully.”

  “She was talking to you, Latesha.”

  Ellie sighed in exasperation. “I’m talking to both of you. Or trying to. Ben and I did not sleep together.”

  “Define sleep together,” Latesha said.

  “I mean we didn’t…you know.” Ellie waved her hand.

  “Why not?” Cyn demanded.

  “Because I just met him and because I’m a mother with a young daughter.”

  Latesha reached for another pile of paper napkins. “That doesn’t mean you can’t be attracted to a sexy bad-boy like Ben.”

  “If you don’t want him, can I have him?” Cyn asked.

  “Forget it,” Latesha said. “I have dibs on him. I talked about him first.”

  “Look at her face.” Cyn pointed at Ellie. “She wants him for herself.”

  Ellie felt herself blushing. “I do not!”

  “Puhlease.” Latesha shook her head. “You should have seen your expression.”

  “You’re imagining things,” Ellie retorted.

  “I’d like to imagine a few things about that hotshot.” Cyn’s smile was dreamy.

  “He’s a Marine.” Ellie wasn’t sure why she told them that. Maybe it was with the hope that they’d show some respect. She should have known better.

  “Whooohoo!” Cyn just about smacked her lips. “I do enjoy a man in uniform.”

  “Yeah, and you enjoy them even better out of uniform,” Latesha retorted. “We heard that when you were dating that cop.”

  “Well, it’s true. What else do you know about this Ben? He’s not married is he?”

  Ellie shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “What?” Latesha’s eyebrows rose. “That’s the first thing you check out, girlfriend.”

  “He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.” Ellie tried not to sound too defensive but she wasn’t sure how successful she was.

  Cyn waved her words away. “That doesn’t always mean anything. Guys have been known to take off their wedding ring when they enter a place like this.”

  “Ben wouldn’t do that.” Ellie’s voice was firm.

  Cyn immediately picked up on that. “Oh, so you already know that much about him, huh?”

  “He was a friend of my brother’s.”

  Cyn’s expression turned from teasing to compassionate. “Did he come to offer his condolences?”

  “He came to offer me money.”

  “What?” Latesha and Cyn exclaimed in unison.

  Ellie hadn’t meant to say that, it had just slipped out. “Never mind…” Ellie grabbed several napkin dispensers and tried to make a quick getaway.

  Latesha tugged her right back into her chair. “Forget it, girlfriend. You’re not leaving until you tell us what you meant by that.”

  Ellie was saved, if you could call it that, by the appearance of their boss. JayJay Lange was the proverbial school yard bully all grown up. Cyn had described him as a cross between a rabid raccoon and a devious weasel. He did have sunken eyes, a thin frame, and a skinny dark mustache. He also had a mean streak a mile wide.

  “I’m not paying you girls to sit around and gossip,” JayJay growled from the door that led to his office in the back. “Cyn, you’re not even scheduled to work today. What are you doing here?”

  She bounced off the table. “I came to pick up my check.”

  “Well, then get in here and sign for it,” JayJay ordered. “You other two, get back to work.”

  “Yes, master,” Latesha muttered under her breath.

  “What did you say?”

  “I said, yes, Mr. Lange.” Latesha picked up the tray filled with the napkin dispensers that she’d refilled. “Later,” she murmured to Ellie, the look in her eyes making it clear that she intended to follow up on this.

  Ben walked into Al’s Place a little before six that night to find the place fairly crowded already. He had no trouble finding Ellie. She was standing at the bar, waiting for Earl to fill a drink order. Her short denim skirt hugged her bottom and showed off her long legs. She was wearing a black tank top. She had her hair in the braid she’d worn last night when he’d taken her out to dinner.

  He remembered brushing his fingers across the velvety soft skin on her nape when he’d helped her into her jean jacket.

  She turned from the bar and almost rammed into him.

  “Steady.” His hands had automatically gone to her shoulders to steady her, but stayed after she regained her balance. Touching her set off internal land mines, making him want to tug her into his arms and kiss her.

  “Sorry about that.” She expertly maneuvered the tray filled with drinks against him and gained her freedom.

  Watching her walk away he was struck again by the graceful way she moved. The sway of her hips wasn’t deliberately sexy but it made his blood hot anyway.

  “Enjoying the view?” Earl the bartender asked him.

  Instead of answering, Ben took a seat at the bar and helped himself to a few salty peanuts before ordering a beer.

  “I checked you out with a few of my devil dog buddies who are still in the Corps.” Earl placed a coaster in front of him and then set the mug of beer on it. “They tell me you’re on the up and up. A good guy. I sincerely hope that’s right.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because as a former jarhead I’d hate to have to fight a fellow Marine, but I will if you mess with Ellie. I wouldn’t take kindly to the possibility of you upsetting her again as you did last night.”

  “Her brother was a close friend of mine.”

  “I know that. I know you were there when he was killed by friendly fire. Died in your arms, so I hear.”

  “You heard right.” Ben’s voice was bleak.

  “I’m trusting that you’re not here to seduce her while she’s still grieving for her lost brother.”

  Ben’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “And I’m trusting that you’re mistaken in saying that to me.”

  Earl backed up, but not much. “I may be. I want your word, as a Marine, that you aren’t here to hurt Ellie.”

  “You have my word. I’m here to help her, but she’s too stubborn to let me do that.”

  “She’s not the only one. Her friend Latesha is even more stubborn than Ellie.” Earl nodded at the tall woman serving drinks nearby.

  Ben fell quiet as he watched Ellie quickly disperse her order and return to the bar where he waited.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  “What, no hello?” he teased her. “No, glad to see you?”

  “What are you doing here?” she repeated.

  “I came to see if you and Amy would like to do pizza and a video tomorrow.”

  She placed another set of drink orders with Earl before answering Ben. “I’m working until midnight tomorrow.”

  “How about Sunday? Are you working then?”

  “She’s off Sunday,” Earl answered on her behalf.

  “Outstanding. Then how about pizza and a video Sunday night?”

  Ellie watched him suspiciously. “Why?”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not going to change my mind. I already told you that.”

  “I know you did. It’s just pizza and a video. Like I said, I’d like to get to know you better.”

  Ellie saw the e
vil eye that JayJay was sending her way. “Okay. I’ll see you Sunday. You’d better leave now.”

  “Why? I’m a paying customer.” He lifted the beer that Earl had served him.

  Ellie took the tray refilled with new drinks. Then she warned Ben, “If you stay you have to promise me you won’t make any trouble.”

  “I promise.” He crossed his heart with his fingers, drawing her attention to his navy blue T-shirt and how well it fit. The wicked gleam in his light hazel eyes made her heart beat faster. But she refused to give in.

  “I mean it. I can’t afford to lose this job.”

  Ellie walked away before Ben could remind her that she could afford to lose this no-good job, if she’d only stop being so stubborn and accept his offer. But she was stubborn. She probably needed to be to survive what she had.

  He hated to think of her or her little girl doing without when that was so easily changed. The money meant nothing to him. But it could make a world of difference to her and to Amy. He just had to convince her of that fact. But first he had to get to know her better before he could figure out the best way to get her to see reason.

  So here he was, nursing a beer while he watched Al’s Place fill up with a few women and a lot of men. The pool tables located at the back were soon obscured by the crowd and the smoke. He eventually moved from the bar to a tiny table, where he was served another beer by Latesha.

  “You gonna sit there all night?” Latesha demanded an hour later.

  “Probably.” He gave her three twenties as a tip. “Unless you have a problem with that?”

  “Not me. But my boss JayJay Mean-as-a-Snake Lange over there isn’t too pleased.” She tilted her head toward a skinny guy near a door marked Office. “He heard about you making trouble last night.”

  “All I did was stop some rowdy from pawing Ellie.”

  “That rowdy was one of JayJay’s best friends.”

  “I don’t care if he was the president’s best friend, that’s no excuse for manhandling a woman.”

  “So you knew Ellie’s brother?”

  He nodded.

  “She told me that you offered her money.” Latesha narrowed her brown eyes at him. “Ellie isn’t that kind of girl. So maybe it would be best if you took your cute self out of here and didn’t do anything to make Ellie’s life any more difficult than it already is.”