Love of a Marine (The Wounded Warriors Series Book 2) by Patty Campbell Page A

grow up to be a beach bum.”
    “What this world needs is more beach bums and fewer combat troops. He’s a good kid. He’ll choose his path. You’ve done a great job.” He loaded the chest into the van through the open back doors. “You kids be sure and fasten those seat belts. Amber, hook Queen’s harness to the ring or she’ll slide around on that slick upholstery.” To Graciella he said, “Sorry. This heap’s not very fancy, but it gets the job done.”
    “You have it for work, right?” Was he worried she’d think less of him because he drove a utility van? “Doesn’t need to be fancy, just reliable.” He opened the passenger door and held it while she climbed in. “Thank you, Cluny.” He’d avoided touching her. She was disappointed because even the brush of his hand warmed her in places she’d ignored for so long she’d forgotten the sensations. What happened to not wanting more than friendship from him?
    He held a strong, callused hand out to her. “Give me your keys and I’ll get the blanket and umbrella from your car.”
    How would his hand feel on her bare skin? She blinked. “I’m glad you remembered. Between my front door and here I’d already forgotten about it.” She dug in her bag and found the keys.
    He winked and smiled, sending her heart racing. “Be right back.”
    She needed to tread carefully here, very carefully. “You kids all buckled up?”
    They nodded and grinned back at her. Both of them had a hand on Queen’s neck. She’d have sworn the dog smiled.
    Cluny tossed the blanket and umbrella in the back of the van. “All set? Did anybody forget anything? Last minute pit stop before we go?”
    “Get in, Uncle Cluny. We’re ready. We can pee in the ocean.”
    Graciella grinned at Amber’s comment. “Why not? The fish pee in there.”
     
    * * *
     
     
    Her lighthearted comment wasn’t missed by Cluny. Graciella’s mood was nothing like yesterday when she’d dismissed him so abruptly. He was curious about Krystal Jefferson and the tension between the two women, but for now he’d avoid the subject and leave her to tell him what she wanted him to know. He wouldn’t do anything to change her happy mood.
    Amber and Santos talked about baseball. Cluny had encouraged her to join the park league he coached during the summer. Both boys and girls were welcome on the city park teams, and the emphasis was on fun and teamwork. A natural athlete like her father, Amber took to most sports, but she’d been nagging Dwayne to pay for gymnastics camp.
    “I told my daddy I wanted to learn gymnastics. He told me it cost too much, but if I got mostly A’s in fifth grade he’d pay for gymnastics camp next summer.”
    “Don’t you get A’s now?” Santos wondered.
    “A’course. I get rill good report cards already. I heard him tell Mom having babies cost a lot of money. I bet that’s the rill reason.”
    Cluny glanced at Graciella. She smiled and pressed her lips together.
    He nodded to the distance. “What a sight!” The slopes in front of a hillside home up ahead flared with breathtaking amethyst of blooming ice plant.
    Graciella gasped. “When we drove this way a few days ago it had barely started blooming. It takes my breath away. Santos, look to the right. Isn’t that something?”
    “It’s the exact same color as your new bathrobe, Mama.”
    Cluny’s heart raced at the thought of how she’d look in that robe with her smoky golden complexion and brown eyes. Chances were he wouldn’t have that pleasure anytime soon, if ever. He needed to get a handle on his attraction to her. The last thing he wanted to do was rush, scare her off before they had a chance to get comfortable with each other. He wasn’t sure how far he wanted this to go.
    Fifty minutes after they left her apartment, he turned into the large parking area at Zuma beach behind a lifeguard tower. “OK, troops, let’s figure out how to get all this stuff to a good spot without making two trips.”
    He