The Sweetest Warrior

By K.L. Robinson

The Sweetest Warrior is the first novel in the Chain of Command series. Best friends,Jesse Morgan and Jake Kirkpatrick are raised in the same family after Jake's parents are killed. When Jake returns home on leave, his shocking admission will shake the very foundation of Jesse existance. Will Jesse risk losing her best friend for a chance at love? Will their family accept them as a couple?

• Language: English
• Publisher: K.L. Robinson
• Release date: Oct 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301676248

K.L. Robinson

K.L. Robinson makes her home in North Carolina. She and her husband of twenty-nine years share their home with Happy a thoroughly spoiled, American Eskimo dog. When she's not writing, Ms. Robinson enjoys reading romantic fiction, travelling and cooking. The Sweetest Warrior is her second novel and her first attempt at electronic publishing.

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The Sweetest Warrior

Published by K.L. Robinson

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 K.L. Robinson

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Chapter One

Jesse was bent over the island in her shop trying diligently to concentrate on the detailed scrolls of the wedding cake she was decorating. It was difficult to work from the grainy thirty-five year old Polaroid picture, but this was a project that demanded perfection. She had been planning her parent’s anniversary party for six months. Sneaking the lone picture from their wedding out of the house to duplicate their wedding cake for the party was, well, the proverbial icing on the cake. Despite her determination her mind wandered back to the scene at dinner last night. Family dinners when Jake was deployed were never fun. Her father, brother and sister didn’t approve of her bakery. They were military through and through and dinner conversation revolved around deployments, strategy, and war. Even her mother, a thirty five year Army wife, listened with interest although she rarely contributed an opinion. Jesse’s work was dismissed as a hobby. No one had even asked about the party. She had long ago accepted that she was different from the rest of the family but it still stung. She brushed back a tear that threatened to spill down her cheek and forced her attention back to the task at hand.

The cake she worked on was old fashioned, three tiers of sponge cake with white icing covered in delicate scroll work displaying a tiny bride and groom on top. Jesse thought it was beautiful in its simplicity. Nothing like the massive detailed creations currently the rage with fondant and bold colors and masses of flowers or initials or worse yet the huge theme cakes. Not that she would ever voice that opinion aloud. Wedding cakes were one of the staples of her bakery and business was good. It was spring and wedding season was just starting to get into full swing. Last Christmas had been her best ever and she hoped by June she would be able to hire an assistant. Still immersed in the decorating, Jesse missed the tinkling bells of the old fashioned door chime in the showroom of the bakery.

Jake Kirkpatrick stepped into Jesse’s bakery; Just Desserts, and inhaled deeply. Closing his eyes he took in the scents that he always associated with Jess, scents that meant he was home. Cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and chocolate mixed with the fresh yeasty smell from the baked items. The bakery was filled with cupcakes and scones and éclairs artfully displayed on antique serving trays and cake stands in pretty pastel shades behind the glass cases. The walls were a delicate aqua shade and the massive original trim in the historic building that had once been a post office was painted a brilliant white. Dainty ice cream parlor tables and chairs were repainted in the same shade of aqua. The floors were the original tiny white and black octagon tiles. Behind the counter were jars filled with vanilla beans, dried lavender, raw sugar and other spices. Old fashioned crystal chandeliers were suspended above the display cases and a big brass antique cash register sat on the counter. The whole effect was so calming; Jake felt the fatigue draining from his body and anticipation of seeing his best friend fill his soul.

When Jesse didn’t appear, Jake followed the sound of her insensible muttering to the kitchen. Out of habit Jake moved stealthily through the space not wanting to disturb her concentration. The tiny, auburn haired woman was bent over the cake on her work table, her curvy backside presented to him in a pair of well worn blue jeans. Jake watched her work and wondered with amazement why it had taken him so long to figure out that he not only loved her, he was in love with her. She had been his best friend for almost twenty years, and probably the main reason he was able to live a normal life after the trauma of his childhood. Yet he’d never thought of her as anything but a sister until this last deployment. Somewhere in the midst of the death and destruction, the bitter cold and loneliness, he had begun to think about Jesse as a woman and it was fucking difficult to reconcile his wet dreams with the fact that she was as much his sibling as Jenna and Jordan Morgan and that he considered her parents his own. At night in the dark he would wake from dreams where he was exploring her porcelain skin with his hands and his mouth. He knew that her generous breasts would fill his large hands and his sleep was vividly filled with him burying himself deep in her hot, willing body. Now, watching her, he knew that the reality would be far better than any fantasy he could ever create. Quietly, he gave the same greeting he used every time he returned from deployment, Hey Red, long time – no see. He stepped back slightly and opened his arms.

Jesse dropped the icing bag and whirled around in surprise. As late as two days ago they had been unsure that he would be able to be home for the party. Instantly, she launched herself at Jake, who caught her easily. Her tiny frame no challenge for the six two, two hundred pound Special Forces soldier. Jesse wrapped her legs around his waist and framed his face with her hands. She studied his handsome man in front of her. His dark hair was perfectly maintained with a military haircut. His beautiful brown eyes and easy smile softened the hard lines of chiseled face. Once she was satisfied that he was really home, she kissed both his cheeks and buried her face in his chest. She hugged his neck so tightly Jake wondered if he would be able to breathe. While her head was bowed he buried his face in her hair and inhaled the unique scent that was Jesse. In his thirty two years he had slept with a lot of women, women who wore expensive perfumes that smelled of flowers and citrus but nothing smelled as good to him as the sugar and spice that enveloped Jesse. With an awareness he’d not had before, he savored the feel of her full breasts pressed into the wall of his hard chest, the feel of her tight bottom against his forearm as he supported her weight easily. And when his erection swelled in response to her closeness, he was grateful his arm kept her from realizing what her sweet body was doing to his.

When Jesse lifted her face, tears filled her eyes. Jake used his free thumb to cup her cheek and brush the tears away. Happy tears? he questioned. Jesse nodded and visibly gathered her control.

In a family of stoic military people, Jesse saved her bubbly enthusiasm for Jake. She began to ask him questions in her rapid fire way, peppered with observations, too excited to wait for his answers. When did you get in? How long can you stay? The party is tomorrow, it’s all coming together so well. Do you have to go back to Afghanistan? You can stay with me, Jenna and Jordan are already home and Great Aunt Lucy is staying with Ma and The General. Are you tired? Are you hungry? Did you bring me a present? Finally she ran out of breath and leaned back to smile at him.

Jake leaned forward and kissed her forehead. As always he paid close attention to her rambling questions because he knew she would want answers to them all. In order and with no need to clarify he said, Four am this morning. Ten days. I have no doubt the party will be the social event of the year. Yes, but this should be my last tour to that God forsaken region. Yeah, Ma already told me to bunk here, she has a house full. Exhausted. Starved. A present? I was in a war zone woman! A present she asks! but his grin told her that he had not forgotten. He swung them around and reached for his ruck sack on the counter where he sat it when he’d entered the kitchen. He moved to the island and cautiously sat her away from the cake she was decorating. He leaned against the cabinet between her legs careful to shield his erection from her. Before he opened his bag he complimented her on how accurately she had recreated her parent’s original wedding cake.

It turned out great, Red. How you managed to duplicate the details is beyond me. But I knew when you set your mind to it, it would be perfect. She smiled at the praise. She could always count on Jake to notice details. No one else in the family had asked about the party including her mother. Once she was given the task of planning an event that would host family and important military and political contacts for The General, the project was put out of everyone else’s mind. As much pleasure as she got from planning the party it still hurt that she had no one to share her excitement. Emailing Jake in Afghanistan was reassuring but to have him home would make the successful party so much more satisfying. Reaching into his bag, Jake pulled out a brown paper wrapped parcel and handed it to Jess. He waited patiently while she carefully untied the string and unwrapped a delicate, ornate glass bottle. Pulling the stopper, she dipped her nose to the opening and inhaled deeply. A smile spread across her face revealing her perfect white teeth.

Rose water, she squealed. Damascus Roses, oh Jake it smells like heaven and the bottle is so beautiful. I can’t wait to use it. Oooh Baklava! Jake could see the wheels already turning in her busy mind planning the sweet confection. It still amazed him that something that literally cost him the change in his pocket in a street bazaar would bring such happiness to her.

In his fourteen years in the service Jesse had, with few exceptions, never failed to send a care package to him, Jordan, Jenna or her dad when they were deployed or stationed away from North Carolina. It was her routine to go to church on Sunday, have family dinner with whichever members were home and then bake late into the night so that she could mail a box to each of them on Monday morning. If Jake had brought her something special, cinnamon from China, vanilla from Madagascar or cocoa from Holland it was the primary ingredient in her creation that week. The men in his unit had made fun of him when he first started looking for spices for his fourteen year old foster sister back home, but once the boxes of homemade bake goods started to arrive he would have endless suggestions from the guys about what to buy next.

Jesse recapped the bottle and set it on the counter. I know just where I want to display it out front. Thank you, Jake. She hugged him again and then pushed him away, deftly jumping down from the countertop. You go upstairs and take a shower. I will clean up my tools and then I will make you some breakfast. You can sleep for a couple hours and then go see Ma and the rest of the family, OK?

Sounds like a plan, Red. He gathered up his bag and moved to the narrow stairs that had been added when the post office had been remodeled to add an apartment upstairs in the attic. He could hear Jesse humming all the way up the stairs and he knew she was as happy to see him as he was her.

Jesse heard the water running in the guest bathroom as she entered her sunny little kitchen. She pulled out two cast iron pans. In one she put a generous helping of butter and started heating it to sear a T Bone she had in the refrigerator. She peeled three large potatoes and sliced them with an onion for the second pan. In a non-stick skillet she cracked three eggs to fry and put four slices of bread in the toaster on the counter. She set the table with a pretty placemat and silverware and put a large dinner plate in the oven to warm while she cooked. She decided against coffee since Jake had travelled all night and made a large glass of chocolate milk instead. When the food was done and Jake still hadn’t appeared, Jess tapped on the bathroom door. Jake opened the door, with only a cotton towel draped around his waist, chest bare and hair still damp from his bath. Jesse’s mouth went dry, heat flushed her cheeks and she had to tear her eyes away from the hard lines of his chest and the narrow hips that barely held up the towel covering his muscled thighs. She forced her gaze back to his face, licked her lips and cleared her throat once, and then twice, um, breakfast is ready. She was not used to seeing Jake half naked and it was playing havoc with her emotions. She was having trouble concentrating, trouble catching her breath and damn she could feel wet heat pooling between her legs.

Jake felt a tiny twinge of guilt when he saw the look at Jesse’s face. He could have told her he would be right out and dressed before going to the kitchen. Satisfaction won out over the guilt when he realized that for the first time Jesse might see him as something other than a brother. As much as he relished her eyes on his body, he told her I’ll be out in two minutes, just let me throw on my clothes and he shut the door between them. Jesse backed away from the door and fled to the kitchen.

In the bathroom Jake pulled on a pair of button fly Levi’s and purposely left the top button undone. He toweled dry his hair, put on deodorant and was about to put on his t shirt when he decided to carry it with him. In his bare feet he walked silently to the kitchen. He watched unseen as Jesse held the freezer door open and fanned herself with the cold air. As much as the sight pleased him, Jake would never intentionally embarrass Jesse, so he backed up silently and called to her from the hall what’s for breakfast, Red? Jesse slammed the freezer door shut and began loading the warm plate with steak and eggs and fried potatoes as Jake entered the room. She started the toaster and put his milk on the table. When she turned around she saw Jake pulling on his t shirt. His arms over his head gave her an unobstructed view of the exposed muscles of his chest. She had the almost irresistible urge to reach out and run her palms from his flat stomach to his shoulders. She wondered what he would taste like if she followed the same path with