Saved by the Marine

Chapter 7

When she turns to look at me. I shift on the spot, trying to find a bit of comfort from the constraints in my jeans.

I’ve seen many beautiful women. f****d a couple of them, but she was different.

It’s hard to miss her green eyes. They draw you in like a siren. She has golden hair pulled back in a bun with some tendrils framing her face. She has defined cheekbones and a button nose that is peppered with freckles. My eyes fall to her full lips that I’m dying to taste.

She’s a natural beauty that has me captivated. I realise that I’m just staring at her, grinning like I creep.

Trying not to scare her away, I finally speak.

“Hi Rose, it’s a pleasure to meet you at last.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too. So you’re the famous grandson. Al’s told me a lot about you,” she replies with a smile, showcasing her dimples.

“Hopefully he hasn’t muddied my name too much” I joke, knowing full well that Pops wouldn’t say anything of the sort. He always shows me off. It feels so good seeing the pride he has when he introducing me to anyone.

Pops and Burt make an awful attempt at excusing themselves. It’s honestly shameful.

I can tell she isn't comfortable with this situation. She offers me a coffee and hurries behind the counter. Grateful for the offer of a coffee as I haven’t had one yet today.

I can’t help but stare at her tight, perky ass when she turned her back to me. Judging by her physique, she must work out because she’s in really good shape. She’s wearing jeans that hug her ass like I could only dream of doing. She has on a long sleeve top with a high neck that’s also figure hugging. I can see she has a petite waist and a more than generous pair of t**s. This woman could wear a trash bag and make it look good.

She blushes when I pay her a compliment, saying how Pops didn’t do her beauty justice. God, she’s so f*****g cute.

She mentions my retirement. I’m not going to get too heavy with the details of why I retired from the marines. It would turn this light-hearted exchange into a very morbid one. Instead, I tell her that I was in need of a change. Informing her of my carpentry career that I’m starting. I don’t want her thinking I’m a jobless bum. I want her to like me and know that I have got my s**t together.

Mentioning her little girl, I see her burst with pride. She shows me a picture of who I now know as Cici and she’s her mother’s double, all except that her daughter being a brunette. Blessed with the same green eyes and dimples.

Thankfully, she agrees to give me her number. I have to see Rose again. I come up with the fact that I need help decorating and furnishing the place, which isn’t that far from the truth. Pops had suggested that she could help with that area of things. He really wants this to work between me and Rose and now so do I.

She gives me a piece of paper with her name on. I’ll guard this little scrap of paper with my life.

I have an appointment at my new place with the realtor to get my keys, so I know I need to get going, but I wish I could stay longer.

I let her know I needed to go. I made a joke about Pops, making her laugh and it’s the best sound. I feel like a schoolboy with a huge crush on the popular girl who rewarded my joke with a giggle.

I throw back my coffee and tell her I’ll call her soon. It’ll probably be too soon to call her when I get to my truck, but I would if I thought it wouldn’t creep her out.

I’ll come up with an excuse about paint color schemes and hold off calling her till tomorrow.

I shout my goodbyes to Pops and Burt, who I know have been listening this whole time. I could see their shadows in the doorway. They’re definitely not as inconspicuous as they’d like to think.

I can’t help but get one last look at her before I leave.

This is crazy. I’ve never felt this way before when meeting a woman. I’ll do whatever it takes to make her mine.

*Rose’ POV*

After giving Bert and Al a good talking to, I began setting up for the lunchtime customers that’ll be soon coming in.

Once the lunchtime rush was over, it was time for me to collect Cici from pre-k. I can’t wait to see my sweet girl.

I get to school and head to her classroom. I can see through the door that she’s sitting on a beanbag looking through a book.

She looks up at the sound of the door as I open it. Her little face lights up upon seeing me. She tries to get up as quickly as she can. Her legs and arms clambering around. It’s far from graceful as she tries to stand from the beanbag but is so cute. I knelt down with my arms open wide as she runs into me. Squeezing her in a tight hug as I stand. Her teacher comes over to update me on my little one’s day whilst giving me a piece of artwork she’d created. It’s a picture of me, her and Tyson, our dog.

“Wow Miss Cici, this is incredible.” I say, looking at the drawing she’s made.

“Really?! You love it?” she’s questions in excitement.

“Absolutely. When we get home, it’s going straight onto the refrigerator.”

She gives me a big smile and wraps her arms around my neck for another cuddle.

We say goodbye to the teacher and begin our walk home. I have a car, but I prefer to walk when I can, especially on a beautiful day like this.

As I put my key in the front door, I hear the familiar sound of Tyson barreling towards the front door with his booming bark, as if to announce our arrival.

I got Tyson when I was pregnant. I was so anxious all the time and I felt that having a big dog would make me feel better. And it did.

Tyson was an English Mastiff. He's very well trained as a protection dog. He was a really big boy. It was like living with a small pony. As big as he is, he is very gentle with Cici. When we’re through the door, he sits wagging his tail, waiting for his usual hug from Cici. He’s such a wonderful dog. A big giant cuddly bear. He’s the perfect balance of loyal companion, being cautious around strangers.

We settle in for the afternoon. We play in the garden, have dinner followed by a bath and then bed.

I lay in bed thinking about Austin and wondering if it is worth taking a shot with him. Before I realised, I’d drifted off to sleep