Oceanside Marine (Kendall Family Book 4) Read online

  Oceanside Marine

  Book Four in the Kendall Family Series

  Jennifer Ann

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of writer’s imagination or have been used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. Namely: Ocean’s Eleven, Uber, Christian Louboutin, Cheetos, Pinterest, Jockey Underwear, Prada, Rolex, Jimmy Choo, Hulk, Jetta, Sixteen Candles, Rocky Balboa

  OCEANSIDE MARINE (KENDALL FAMILY #4)

  Copyright © 2017 Jennifer Naumann

  All rights reserved.

  Cover designed by Najla Qamber Designs

  Model image © Lindee Robinson

  ISBN: 978-1544816326

  ASIN: B06XHXN7CN

  For all the amazing Marines in my life.

  You truly are one of a kind.

  Oorah.

  Chapter 1

  Braden

  It’s hard as shit to hold back a sigh when I catch sight of a hot little blonde with killer blue eyes slinking my way. Fingertip held between teeth that glow abnormally white under the bar’s black lights, apple red lips curled at the edges with a smirk, there’s no mistaking her mission. Barely dressed even by Vegas standards, her outstanding curves stretch the satiny silver dress to its limits. Sweetheart shaped face, thick hair the color of sunshine tumbling past a large rack, tanned legs leading down to strappy heels, she’s a perfect 10. For as much as I pay attention to trends and social media, she could be a fucking celebrity.

  Several years back my hands would’ve been all over her tight body. In record time I would’ve had her up to my hotel room to fuck six ways from Sunday. Those were the days when I couldn’t wait to visit this city where my choice of single women flowed like the champagne in the highly coveted VIP lounges.

  But things have changed. I’m not as interested in having meaningless flings, even if she looks like one of the centerfolds from the magazines I’d hide under my mattress back when I was a horny teenager that didn't know what to do with a real woman. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve stumbled into a little responsibility since serving time as a Marine, or if it’s because I’ve stood on the sidelines as my siblings settled down one-by-one with someone they thought to be their soul mate. Either way, it’s annoying as hell that I can’t seem to relax and have a good time like the old days.

  “Hey there, gorgeous,” the blonde slurs, draping herself over my shoulder. Her breath reeks of whisky and her eyes are heavily lidded. Even back in the day I wouldn’t have gone for a girl this bombed. “Why’s a handsome guy like you sittin’ at the bar all by yer lonesome?”

  I’m not about to go into the details with a drunk stranger on why I’m hiding out from my family and their significant others. I came to Vegas to surprise my middle sister Sofia for her birthday, only she’s the one who dropped the surprise, announcing she had tied the knot with her boyfriend shortly before me and the rest of our siblings arrived. Within minutes I realized it was going to royally suck being one of four single people in a group of fifteen.

  “Just havin’ a drink,” I tell the blonde. “You here alone?”

  She searches over her shoulder, swaying a little. “My squad’s around here somewhere.”

  Among the ringing and electronic melodies of slot machines, the upscale casino buzzes with the excitement of hundreds of gamblers and partygoers. It’s not the environment for a hot young woman who’s clearly past her limit to be wandering alone with an eyeful of skin for every jackass to see. If I had a damn jacket, I’d slip it over her shoulders.

  I swipe my umpteenth vodka sour from the bar-top and throw a few bills out for the bartender before slipping my arm under the girl’s elbow.

  “How about I help you find them?” I suggest.

  “But I’d rather be alone with you,” she whines, tripping on one of her heels.

  With a grumble, I brace her against me before she lands on her face. “Maybe another time, sweetheart.”

  By the time we find “her squad,” I’m practically carrying her around. Most of her friends aren’t any better off, so I pick the most sober-looking one in the group to pull aside.

  “It’s time to call it a night before someone ends up doing something they’ll sorely regret,” I say, praying she’s smart enough to listen.

  Once the girls have taken off for the exit, I consider calling it a night. I’ve had my share of drinks, and I don’t feel like pissing away on gambling the little amount I’d saved aside for this trip. But as I head for the elevators, I spot a group of older yuppies in suit jackets surrounding a woman like a pack of fucking vultures just waiting to sink their beaks into her creamy skin. Then the woman turns, and I realize it’s her.

  Katie Walker.

  Excitement flickers in my gut. When I first met my brother-in-law’s older sister, I was amused by her spitfire personality long before I admitted to myself that I found her maddeningly attractive. Despite being a tiny little thing, probably not weighing much more than a hundred pounds, she’s bold as hell and refuses to take anyone’s shit. After I learned she was in her early thirties with two teenage sons, I was blown the fuck away. I’d figured she was five years older than me, tops.

  Though I was only twenty at the time, I never gave two shits about the age difference, probably because she’s too young to be my mom. Plus she doesn’t act like any other moms I’ve ever been around. Over the years I started crushing on her. Hard. She’s a fucking riot, and I get a major charge out of messing with her until she’s flustered. There’s nothing better than hearing her spew fragmented sentences back at me and seeing her beautiful face turn a bright shade of pink.

  With every family event that brought us together, I’d find something new to like—especially the way she can fill out a bikini, giving a whole new definition to the term “MILF.” Last summer when I stopped by their place in the Hamptons, I found her lounging by the pool and got my first Katie-induced hard-on. Those womanly curves of hers…plump ass, full tits…they’re not something I’ve found on any of the twenty-something girls I’ve hooked up with. And it was the first time I had seen her blonde hair dyed chestnut brown. The way it highlights the sharpness of her cheekbones and the sparkle in her eye drives me fucking insane.

  If it weren’t for the fact that she’s family in a complicated sort of way—though thankfully not by blood—I would’ve fucked her six ways from Sunday. Instead I spent that night in the Hamptons beating off to the imagery of her sprawled out naked on her bed in the next room.

  A primal urge to protect her rattles me to the core as I stalk over to where the men have her cornered.

  “Braden!” she calls, waving her hand high over her head like I could possibly not see her twenty feet away. Fucking great. She’s probably shit-faced too.

  Once I’m at her side, she hooks her thin arm through mine. The warm, sweet smell of her skin and whatever fruity shampoo she uses immediately grabs my cock’s attention almost as much as the bird’s eye view of her cleavage pushed-up more than usual inside a slinky blue dress.

  Small beads of sweat spring into place along my hairli
ne. Why am I suddenly so damn nervous?

  “Guys, this is my sister-in-law’s baby brother,” she announces to the group, dusting her fingertips over my chest. Though my balls draw tight from her touch, I cringe with her use of the word baby. Is that seriously how she sees me? “Braden, meet…” closing her eyes, she points at each of the men as she rattles off names, “…Eric, Andrew, Zac, and…Davey?”

  “Close. It’s Davis,” the last douche corrects her with a chuckle.

  Katie lifts a fist, hissing, “Yes! Davis! Right! I knew it was something like that!”

  The Davis guy sizes her up like he’s going to get lucky. I want to rip his damn throat out when I notice he’s wearing a fucking wedding band. How did she meet up with these clowns?

  “Where’d the others go?” I whisper, possessively pulling her into my side. It takes a surprising amount of strength to resist inhaling her delicate scent like some kind of psycho. The fact that I can’t get my hands to stop shaking makes the temptation a little less.

  Katie lets out a little snort that’s cute as shit. “Well…the newlyweds disappeared again—doubt we’ll see much of them while we’re here. Charlie took Evelyn up to their room because the baby keeps kicking her ribs, James and Sharlo couldn’t stand being away from Franklin any longer, and your other two siblings were talking about hitting a nightclub with Nolan’s friends. I think we’re the last ones standing.”

  Though slightly annoyed to hear that Angelina and Hunter ditched me, in their defense I was trying to lay low and had purposely isolated myself.

  “Let’s blow outta here,” I suggest with a dip of my chin. I swallow several times, nearly choking on a bundle of nerves. What is it about Katie that’s knocking me off my usual game?

  “Hold on, junior,” the guy named Andrew says, holding a hand up as if he can actually stop me. “We were having a conversation with the lady. Just because it’s past your bedtime doesn’t mean you have to ruin our fun too.”

  My eyes skate down to the silver band on his ring finger. Katie may have me flustered as shit, but standing up to worthless pricks is something I can do with my eyes closed. I meet his gaze with my jaw set. “Consider it a favor to your wives that I’m taking her away from you assholes.”

  The man’s upper lip curls with a snarl. “You want to go, punk?”

  “Only if you don’t let me and my friend walk away.” He’s a fairly big dude, but I outweigh him in muscle and determination. No way I’m leaving Katie alone with any of these losers.

  His buddies shuffle in closer, looking ready to fight. I square my shoulders, ready to take every last one of the fuckers. Collectively, they could probably kick my ass. But I’m a good twenty years younger than them, and they all look to be in shit for shape. I’ll take my chances.

  Katie swivels around, lodging herself between us. One of her small hands presses over my heart. “Okay, okay. Enough with the testosterone-fueled showdown. Everyone put their dicks away and take a nice, deep breath.” She turns to the graying pricks. “Gentlemen, it was fun conversing with you, but I’m most definitely not interested in messing around with anyone who has a wife waiting back home, so I’m going to leave now. And I would suggest you do the same before you do something you’ll regret with some other unsuspecting woman. What happens in this city may stay in this city, but crabs don’t.”

  Snickering under my breath, I hook my arm around her neck in a way I hope feels nothing more than friendly to her. As we start to walk away, I hear one of the yuppies call her a bitch. I spin around, ready to lunge for them when Katie hauls me back by my arm.

  “They’re not worth it,” she warns with a stern look. “And I’m not spending my first trip to Vegas bailing you out of jail.”

  I toss a scowl in the direction of the old dudes. “Watch your mouths, fuckers.”

  “So eloquently put,” Katie cheers on mockingly, slipping her hand down to wrap around mine.

  My brain becomes mush with the connection of her warm skin as she pulls me away. Suddenly I’m ten years old again, fantasizing over my music teacher, Mrs. Elberts. Only Katie isn’t married and I’m an adult man who knows a thing or two about satisfying a woman. I haven’t hooked up with anyone since the redhead I met in Kansas while riding motorcycle cross-country last summer, and Katie seems like she’d be a hell of a good time in bed.

  So what’s stopping me from taking her up to my room and sinking my tongue inside of her until she screams my name? I mean aside from the fact that I’m intimidated as hell by the idea. But our siblings wouldn’t have to know…unless Katie decided to tell them for whatever fucked-up reason. Considering my brother-in-law puts serious time in at the gym, it’s probably not a scenario I want to put myself in.

  We’re a good hundred yards away from the men before I’m able to think coherent thoughts that don’t involve my dick. I stop and turn to Katie, grinning. “This really your first time here?”

  “Yes. And you can stop looking at me like you’re soooo worldly. I didn’t get out much because I was raising two men not all that much older than you. How many times have you been here?”

  Making a point of looking somber, I shrug. Maybe she’ll take me seriously for once if I stop giving her shit about everything. “Enough times to know my way around. It was little more than a five-hour road trip from base when I was stationed at Pendleton.” Feeling a jolt of insecurity, I stuff my hands into my jeans. “So…you haven’t seen the fountain at Bellagio?”

  Excitement ripples through her pretty blue eyes, making them light even more than usual. “Oooo, is that the one they show at the end of that really good movie with Pitt and Clooney? You know, that one where a whole bunch of smooth criminals rob the casino while there’s a fight going on, and Julia Roberts switches sides to be with Clooney?”

  Really good movie? I fucking love Ocean’s Eleven. Could it be possible that I’ve found a woman who would be open to watching something other than romantic comedies or sappy love stories? Reason 1001 why I really dig this chick.

  “Yeah, that’s the one,” I answer, snickering.

  “Oh my god! Yes, please!” With a short shriek, she tugs me along. “I didn’t want to say anything to the others, but I was hoping after I came all this way I’d at least get to do a little sightseeing. I mean this is perfect. I didn’t want to spend the entire weekend looking at the inside of this casino!”

  Though her enthusiasm is contagious and I burst out laughing, for the first time I can remember I’m scared shitless about being alone with a woman. She’s seriously messing with my ego.

  Watching Katie’s face as the geysers danced along to classical music turns me on in ways I can’t begin to explain. It’s probably because of the way she doesn’t feel a need to censor herself or act cute the way girls my age often do. Yet somehow it makes her seem so much younger. Her facial expressions are epic, made even more charming by the fountain’s flashing lights. Damn, she really is one sexy woman.

  A few times she grabs my arm while bouncing on her toes. By the third song she seems to have completely sobered up. She links our arms together and leans against my shoulder, quietly appreciating the display. I’m busy trying to calm my dick that can’t get past the warmth of her soft curves. It’s probably a perv move, but I lean in to inhale her like a flower, closing my eyes when filled with her exotic perfume. There’s no shame in enjoying the hell out of the moment while I can. Too soon she’ll be headed back to Brooklyn and I’ll return to Oceanside. It’ll almost be a full month until we’re together again for James and Sharlo’s wedding.

  By the time midnight comes around and the fountains go dark, I’m not ready to call it a night. And it’s all I can do not to take her in my arms to absorb the beautiful smile pressed to her sweet lips. “That was fucking epic, Braden. You sure know how to entertain a girl.”

  Wishing I had the balls to tell her there are other ways I’d rather be entertaining her, I lick my lips instead, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. Jesus, it’s like I’m t
hirteen again. “Wanna grab a bite to eat? I know this great cafe that’s open all night. It’s probably no more than a twenty minute walk from here.”

  Eyes narrowed, she tilts her head. “What’s going on with you? You’ve become all serious and…I don’t know…subdued. What happened to the smart-assed kid that drove off with my son’s motorcycle last summer? Is everything okay? Because if you want to talk about something, I’m known for giving out stellar advice.” Then her mouth twists with a thought. “Hold on…is there a new lady friend in the picture? Is that why you’re so different?”

  When her eyebrows wiggle suggestively, an unexpected bolt of anger rips through my gut. Every damn time she makes me feel young I want to do everything in my power to prove to her that I’m a man.

  “That kid grew up,” I grunt, dragging my eyes away from her face. “And I’m not seeing anyone.”

  “Well in that case, you should plan to stay an extra day after your brother and Shar’s wedding. My boys will be home, and I’m sure their single friends will be hanging around all weekend because last I heard, none of them signed up for J-term. A few of the girls Allen hangs out with are seriously adorable. I think one is trying to make it as a model in Manhattan.”

  Now she wants to set me up with one of her kids’ friends? I twist my fingers in my shortly trimmed hair, ready to yank it out. I’m a dumbass for thinking she’d ever see me as anything other than Evelyn’s baby brother.

  “So you hungry or what?” I snap, drawing my gaze back to meet hers.

  “Holy shit, Braden. It’s the middle of the night! I can’t pull all-nighters like I could in my twenties!”

  What the hell? Why is she so damn determined to point out that she’s older?

  Done with this shit, I force a yawn. “On second thought, I’m too tired. Let’s head back.”

  I spin around, walking off at a fast clip. I hear Katie’s hurried footsteps hit the pavement behind me as she struggles to catch up. Good. Serves her right. Even though she’s hot, the woman can be as infuriating as shit.