Forever Curves - Piper Sullivan Page 0,17

I’m saying.”

“All right, fine. Then let’s just say my luck hasn’t run out.”

“Yet,” my so called best friends said at the exact same time, with entirely too much amusement.

“You never know,” Miles said with a shrug. “Maybe Brenna is that woman for you. I was there for your first meeting, remember?”

How could I forget? The woman was such a spitfire, I wanted to take her home right then and there. But she shot me down. Hard. “I remember. It’s just chemistry.”

“That’s how it starts. Fucking chemistry,” Liam grumbled with a smile on his face. “Next thing you know, you’re married and painting a second nursery. It’s exhausting and amazing, but maybe you don’t want all that.”

He was taunting me, I knew that, but a small part of me could admit to a certain amount of envy that Miles and Liam seemed so damn happy. They were settling down and having enough babies to populate our own Navy someday, but I couldn’t deny they seemed happy. Really, really happy.

“You guys in the matchmaking business now?”

“Nope,” Liam said as he stood and clapped his hands together. “Just trying to help you avoid the same mistakes that almost cost us our women. Do what you want.” With those parting words, Liam ambled out of Miles’ office, but I was pretty sure I heard a muttered, “Idiot,” before he disappeared down the hall.

“He’s got no tact, but Liam’s not wrong. Don’t run because you’re used to running, Grant. That’s all. Oh, and don’t forget the booze. I’ll email you the address and order form. Thanks.”

“Right.” After all this talk of love and family, I was ready to burn off the nervous energy and I had just the way to do it. Our newest class of security trainees had arrived this morning and I was the first to get my hands on them. I found the group of elite retired military officers from all branches, and I had a brand new course designed to push them to their limits.

“All right men, who’s ready to sweat?” This was my favorite part of the business. Sure, the corporate clients were great and provided an obscene amount of revenue, but training these guys, this was where I thrived. They all knew how quickly any scenario could become life and death, and the only way to cure that was to be prepared. For anything. “I said, who’s ready?”

Loud whistles and applause went up and I grinned. Enthusiasm was another key factor and I didn’t let my guys get away with half-assing their training. It was physically and mentally grueling, and by the end of the day I was just as exhausted as they were, but it was that happy, almost rewarding kind of exhaustion that meant sleep was hours away.

And since I was recharged and wide awake, there was just one place I wanted to be. The Big Tease.

Brenna

“All right now, Shirl. I’m gonna need you to promise me that you won’t get it in your head ever again to do this on your own.” Shirl was another of my elderly regulars, and she was an old school southern belle who believed in getting a cut and curl every other week. She didn’t even check her mail unless she wore full makeup and a nice outfit. She opened her mouth to give another excuse and I aimed a long, hot pink nail at her. “If you can’t afford it, come to me and we’ll work something out. I heard you make a killer enchilada pie.”

That took all the wind out of the old woman. “The trick is jalapeno and adobo peppers. Plus ketchup, but that’s our little secret.”

I nodded, unable to stop the smile that spread across my face at this stubborn woman. She’d come into the shop almost two hours ago, head looking like a blueberry. Now it was closer to lavender, which I was taking as a win.

“Your secret is safe with me, as long as I have your word than you’ll leave the dye jobs up to me. Because I can’t have people thinking I did that to your hair!”

Shirl nodded with a sheepish smile and she reached out her soft wrinkled hand to pat my cheek. “You’re such a good girl, Brenna. I hope you can make it work with that handsome military boy. He’s big and strong and gorgeous, just what a girl like you needs.”

“A woman doesn’t need a man, Shirl. She has one because she wants him.”

She rolled her brown eyes skyward.