What Part of Marine Don't You Understand? (The Challenge Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

service, but kept his profile inactive. He didn’t trust himself alone much less with some random woman. When he’d broached the subject of enlisting Madame Eve’s services with Doc, he received a cautious approval to consider the idea.
    Of course, a one-night stand with a stranger is not asking Naomi out on a date . He leaned away from the computer. One night, no strings, some fun and a trial run to see if he could survive an evening out with her. If he completely tanked it with the stranger, then no harm and no foul.
    And if he didn’t screw it up and got laid, would he be able to look Naomi in the eye and ask her out? It seemed strangely disloyal to be even considering the idea.
    You met her a few days ago and can’t say more than fifty words to her, so how is it disloyal ? He couldn’t answer his own question. So he continued to stare at the TV screen and let the game distract him again.
    At halftime, he pulled Madame Eve’s site up and read through the agreements. He logged into his profile, but after filling in the data, he couldn’t hit enter. His heart rate picked up and his breathing grew shallow. Jethro whimpered and crawled across the sofa and pushed his way into Matt’s lap.
    Hugging the dog, he chuckled. “Yeah, maybe not ready for that yet, huh?”
    Jethro licked his face and they settled together to watch the game, but he didn’t close the laptop or the browser window.
    He really wanted to ask Naomi out on that date.
     
    ***
     
    Five songs written and she had a theme. She was scoring an album about Marines. And it had nothing to do with the beautiful blond who ‘happened’ along every time she sat outside composing. Of course, I’m not going out there every day to see him either . Unfortunately, steady rainfall trapped her inside for the day. The constant spatter against the window offered an interesting juxtaposition to the song she worked on.
    Her cell phone rang and she checked the incoming caller ID. Hitting answer with one finger, she chose the speakerphone option. “Hello, Charlie, you are live with a dedicated audience of one.” She grinned at her own cleverness.
    “Bratling, why aren’t you with Mom in Canada?” The second of four brothers, Charlie was the Batman to her Robin.
    “Because it’s cold as hell up there, and I didn’t feel like meeting all of Aunt Josie’s eligible, but completely underwhelming, brood of possible dates.” She’d made that mistake right after college. Her mother spent six weeks with her sister every year and for the last four, Josie seemed to have made it her mission to marry Naomi off.
    Charlie laughed. “I dunno, I thought the botanist had potential.”
    “If I were a butterfly, he would have stuck it to me every day. Other than that, I don’t think he realized I was even alive.” She suppressed a shudder and leaned forward to add a notation to the last bridge of music.
    “Nice. Brent said you were in Texas. What’s in Texas?”
    “Mike’s Place—the recovery center? I came down to do a report for Congressman Lazy Bones, and it’s pretty damn inspiring. They let me take an apartment for as long as they don’t need it for a real person. I’m trying to score this album. What’s up?”
    “You’re really going to do it then? Release an album?”
    “No, I’m going to record one. Regina Records is fronting the studio time and a producer so I can record it.” Her stomach erupted with nerves every time she thought about it. Dreaming of getting her songs out there and being heard on the radio had long been reserved for wishful thinking. If her dream actually happened—she had no idea what she would do.
    “You’re going to be great, brat, you don’t know how to be anything else.”
    Pride flooded her at the encouragement. “Thanks, Charlie. Let me ask you something—”
    “No, you cannot have my Mustang. When I get home, I want it in one piece.”
    She stuck her tongue out though he couldn’t see her. “I don’t want your stinky,