Falling for Her Soldier by Ophelia London Read Free Book Online

think I could get serious with someone in the military. I know that’s awful to say, and it’s not even about living the military life; I wouldn’t mind traveling, actually. But after what happened with Sam, I don’t think I could handle it…the worrying when he’s deployed, thinking about how he’s constantly in harm’s way. Even with my brother, it scares me to death.”
    She paused, automatically thinking about Charlie. With a guy like that, the man who saved her brother’s life, a man she knew had to be brave beyond anything imaginable, would she feel more assured?
    “I know,” Jane said, lowering her fork. “That scared us all. But Sammy’s okay.”
    Ellie nodded, feeling tears behind her eyes for too many reasons.
    “Sweetie.” Jane touched her arm. “We’re not talking about Sam now. Or loser-ass Drew, or about marrying you off to the nearest airman bound for Fort Bragg. We’re talking about having a good time.”
    “I will,” Ellie assured her, toying with her fork. “In twenty-four days. Now if it were someone like Charlie Johansson”—she couldn’t help grinning—“that’s a different story.”
    “Ahh, the mystery pen pal.”
    Ellie picked up the apple slice and slid it into her mouth, chocolate melting down her throat. “He’s not a mystery,” she said around chews. “I just haven’t met him yet.”
    “But if he’d asked you out today instead of Hunter, you would have broken your strike?”
    Ellie had to think for a minute. “No,” she said, licking a blob of chocolate off her fingertip. “But it would’ve been much more of a struggle. So I guess it’s a blessing Charlie’s not around.”
    …
    Charlie didn’t hear his cell at first. He was driving, jamming out to “Suspicious Minds,” the song his drill sergeant used to play to get them fired up before a long march. The flashing face caught his attention and he reached for his phone on the passenger seat, checking the caller ID first, then he clipped on the Bluetooth.
    “ Little sister, don’t you…little sister, don’t you …” he crooned, mimicking another Elvis song.
    “Where are you?” Tess asked, ignoring the serenade.
    “On my way home,” Charlie said. “Why?”
    “Okay, good. Jack and I are heading to your place. How far are you?”
    “Almost there, maybe three minutes.”
    “We’re, like, one away. Is the key under the brick?”
    “Do not break into my apartment, Tess,” Charlie warned, although with his sister, he knew he was wasting his breath. “You can wait three minutes.”
    “My overstuffed womb is housing a future football player who is currently tackling my bladder. That cannot wait three minutes. And I wasn’t going to break in—Jack was.”
    “Tell your football coach husband I can still bench-press more than he can.”
    Charlie smiled as his sister relayed the information.
    “He says he’s shaking in his boots.”
    Charlie laughed. “Two minutes now. Can you wait?”
    “That one right there, Jack. No, that one. Does it look like I can bend over comfortably? Just pull back the brick.”
    Charlie shook his head, giving up. “I expect dinner on the table when I arrive.”
    “Hey Charlie.” It was Jack now. Tess must have passed off the phone to her husband while she rushed inside his place to…well, to do whatever eight-months-pregnant women did. Charlie didn’t want to know.
    “Hi, Jack. What’s going on?”
    “Oh, you know. She’s a bear and eats everything in sight, but she’s never been sexier.”
    “Gross. That’s my sister,” Charlie said as he turned onto his street. He heard Jack laugh before hanging up.
    The TV was on when Charlie walked through his front door. “Honey, I’m home.”
    “Food’s on the way,” Tess said from the couch. Jack was next to her, flipping through the channels. Her feet were on his lap.
    “You look cozy,” Charlie said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
    “We were house hunting,” Jack said.
    “You’re thinking of moving