Below the Belt(48)

“I’ll just wait at the table. Can I get a glass of water?” Her mother was still watching her, as if concerned for her welfare.

“Sure. Great. I’ll just . . .” Marianne’s eye caught on one more wrapped condom on the floor, and she snatched it up too. “I’ll . . .” Damn, another. And another. She sucked at life. “I’ll be back.” There was no way she was playing Find The Condoms on the floor of her apartment while her mother watched. Resigned, she tossed the lot of them in the fruit bowl next to the apples and left her plate in the sink before rushing to the bathroom.

“Is he at least cute?” her mother called out as she reached the bathroom door.

“Cute? No,” she said after a second’s hesitation. “He’s sex in shorts.”

Her mother’s airy laugh followed her through the closed door.





CHAPTER


14


The instant Brad hit the parking lot of the BOQ, his phone beeped with a text.

Mom stopped by. Surprised me. She’s taking me shopping. Feel bad for me. I should be home by six.

So there went his plans to take a quick nap and head right back over to her place. With a sigh, he put the phone in his pocket and headed inside.

He passed by Higgs on his way into his room. The man’s laundry basket was filled to the brim.

“Heading to the Laundromat. Wanna grab a load and come with?”

Brad shook his head. “I’m doing it tonight.”

“Better with company to keep you from going nuts sitting there.”

He debated a minute, then held up a finger. He changed quickly from the clothes he’d worn to the late-night workout into cargo shorts, a polo and running shoes, then grabbed his sunglasses and met Higgs at the door. “I’ll keep you company.”

“Just bring your laundry, man. If you’re going to be sitting there, then you might as well be productive.”

“I’m doing it tonight,” Brad repeated, and closed the door to their joined rooms behind him. This was as good a time as any to try out the whole disclosure thing. “I’m doing them over at Marianne’s place.”

“Marianne’s place, huh?” Higgs’ voice took on a speculative, teasing tone. “So it’s like that.”

“It is.” He waited for Higgs to load the basket in the back of his car and get behind the wheel. “And it’s not just sex. We’re . . . dating,” he decided on. It sounded a bit high school, but what else could he call it? “So we’re not sneaking around.”

“Anymore. You forgot that important word. You’re not sneaking around . . . anymore.”

“Shut up,” he muttered, much to his roommate’s delight. “I wasn’t sure how to handle it. But we’re just going to be upfront and go from there.”

“Mature,” Higgs said with a nod as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Not as much fun, though. There’s something about sneaking around, even if you don’t really have to, technically. Adds to the excitement, you know? It’s like, pseudo role-playing.”

“I don’t need to know about your role-playing.” Brad held up his hands in an effort to make it stop. “Really, I don’t.”

“Ah, you don’t know what you’re missing. But anyway, she’s cool. And you could probably be cool, if you let yourself. She must see some redeeming qualities in you, so hey.” He shrugged his shoulder and grinned. “Mazel tov.”

“Gee, thanks. Your blessing means the world,” Brad said dryly.

“This doesn’t explain the real question, though.”

“What’s that?”

“Why are you coming with me to the Laundromat when you could be spending an entire Sunday with the hot trainer?”

“She’s out with her mom.” Unfortunately. Otherwise, his plans would have been just that.

“So I’m second place in the company department.”

Brad scoffed. “To Marianne? Hell yeah.”

Higgs laughed. “Beat out by a pair of breasts. The world has become a sad place.”

“Higgs, the day a pair of breasts don’t beat you out, the world has taken a turn for the worse.”


*

MARIANNE set her bag down in her office and watched as the Marines stretched on the mats. She’d been at her supervisor’s office early that morning to explain her relationship with Brad, and had prayed that meant she wasn’t about to get canned.

On the contrary, her supervisor had been welcoming, and said as long as she treated him the same as the others, there wouldn’t be a problem. He thanked her for the honesty up front, and that was all.

For something she had been dreading for two days, the process had been relatively painless.

Now she had to handle the real problem: introducing the poor guy to her parents.

That, however, could wait. At least until they were more settled, and probably not until the tryouts of this team had concluded.

What if he doesn’t make it?

The small voice had a chill running down her spine. If he was cut, he’d head straight back home to his home base. That was across the country. How the hell would they get to know each other from across the country?

Borrowing trouble. That’s all she was doing. There was no point in wishing for or worrying about things that would work themselves out later.