Wyne and Dine (Citizen Soldier Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

urged.
    “Yeah, we want the scoop,” Kerri
said, gathering close, along with a nodding Shayla.
    Darn. She knew when she was busted.
“It’s nothing really.” She sat back in her chair and petted Marlow, her dad’s
black cat currently curled up on her lap. “I’m just pretending to be his
girlfriend while we’re at Colonel Dankirks this weekend.”
    A dawning lit Brandi’s eyes,
turning them the same shade as her namesake. “To keep Mrs. Dankirk at bay.”
    “Exactly.”
    “Do you have to share a room?”
Shayla smiled.
    “I-I don’t know. Maybe.” She hadn’t
even thought to ask. Something fluttered in her belly, but Lea wasn’t sure if
it was excitement or dread. It would suck to be so close to the man and not be
able to be close to the man.
    “Probably,” Brandi answered. “I
went there once with Ed, and each of the couples had their own room.”
    The fluttering increased to double
time in her stomach, robbing her of breath. She would be sharing a bedroom with
Ben the whole weekend. What should be considered a dream come true left her
worried.
    “I’m not gonna make it.” She palmed
her face.
    “What do you mean?” Kerri asked.
    She dropped her hands and shook her
head. “I don’t think I can be cooped up with the man that long without, you
know, touching him.”
    Jordan shrugged. “Then don’t.”
    This turned Lea’s nervousness into
laughter. “Don’t share a room? I don’t think I can request another.”
    “No, I mean don’t resist touching
him,” the brown-eyed, long brown-haired beauty clarified.
    “Easy for you to say. You’re
competent and gorgeous. Did I mention gorgeous? I’m just…” She paused to wave
at her average body. “…boring me.”
    Brandi narrowed her gaze and shook
a finger at the screen. “You are far from boring, Lea Gablonski. And you’re
practically the fantasy of every soldier in that armory.”
    Now she was laughing outright. “You
are so full of shit, Brandi.”
    “I’m serious. You forget I’ve been
around those soldiers. They were always talking about you with your silky, dark
hair, light blue eyes and killer body.” Her friend was laying it on thick.
“Half of them think you should be modeling next to Gwen.”
    That sobered Lea up real fast.
“What?” She blinked, but her friend’s smug face didn’t change. “They did not.”
    “Yes, they did. Including my
brothers.”
    “Why wouldn’t they?” Kerri frowned.
“You’re so beautiful. It’s time you believed it. Because, trust me, once you
believe in yourself, the world changes for the better.”
    “Amen.” Shayla nodded, brilliant
smile lighting her happy face.
    “So, you’re saying Ben thinks I
should be a model?”
    “Something like that. I doubt he’d
want you to be, though. He just agreed you’re beautiful enough to model.”
    Ben thought she was beautiful…
    A rush of warmth settled over Lea,
leaving her feeling all kinds of tingly.  Then reality set in. “Too bad he
thinks of me as his little sister.”
    “Then this weekend is the perfect
time to change his outlook.”
    “Change? How?”
    “I have one word for you,” Jordan
cut in, that mischievous grin consuming her gaze. “Negligee.”
    “Negligee?” Her heart dropped to
her ribs and rolled around. “I-I don’t own any.”
    “Buy some,” Brandi stated with the
bridesmaids all nodding in agreement.
    “I can’t do that. It feels
dishonest. Like entrapment or something.” Besides, she didn’t have the guts.
What if he turned her down? She’d die. Simply die. No, she couldn’t do it.
    Could she?
    As she silently argued with
herself, the girls discussed what style and color would work best for her. It
was all too surreal. Time to change the subject.
    “So, back to the cakes,” she said,
regaining her best friend’s attention. “They were all excellent, but…”
    “The chocolate one, right?” Brandi
eyed her closely.
    Lea slapped a hand on her chest and
moaned. “It was orgasmic. Jill mixed in