For Love or Duty

By Beth Rhodes

Growing up the proverbial military brat, Valerie Standish has shed her old ways. Yet, she's been around long enough to recognize that familiar arrogance when Kevin Morgan walks through the door. This time she is drawn to the persistent captain like she hasn't been to any man before, making it harder to keep her promise—never get involved with an officer. 

Kevin doesn't have a problem with her unwillingness to commit long term. He isn't quite ready to settle either. For years, he's worked hard to earn a promotion to Major. He wants one last fling before tying himself to a wife for the rest of his life. 

But time proves them both liars as they begin to fall for each other. Neither is prepared for the ache of betrayal as they come face to face with the truth about one another. 

Will either of them be able to walk away unscathed or have the trenches of love already been dug?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Beth Rhodes
• Release date: Sep 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386696841

Beth Rhodes

Country music Love Junkie. Boxing and low-carb Health Addict. Birdwatcher. Garden Grower. Adorer of God and His son, Jesus. Married to my own soldier Hero. T1D Warrior. Add six children. My Life.

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For Love or Duty

By Beth Rhodes

http://www.authorbethrhodes.com

Copyright 2012 Beth Rhodes Books

Cover Art by Elaina Lee of For the Muse Designs

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

For the man who inspires every hero I write, thank you for all your love and encouragement.

And for the best group of friends a writer could have, I love you Passionate Critters.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

About the Author

Chapter One

Tall. At least six feet. Light brown hair with streaks of blonde from the Spring sun. Blue eyes. Familiar, like the boy next door. The man who stepped down from the over-sized pick-up truck had been coming into the convenience store every week for about two months.

Valerie Standish—store clerk extraordinaire—admired the relaxed fit of his jeans, the tight T-shirt stretched over well-defined muscles; even the combination of work boots and ratty, old baseball cap added to the All-American package, part red-neck and definitely work driven.  

But it was his eyes, their blue rivaled a Colorado sky. They didn’t warm, nor were they particularly friendly, but when he laughed, they transformed the hard planes of his square unsmiling jaw into a face meant to seduce. Not me, she thought when he came through the front door. He took the side aisle back to the beer cave and disappeared into the refrigerator.

She sighed, a familiar chord resonating through her gut like nerves on a first date. Down, girl.

When a young woman with a cute, chubby little boy on her hip set a half-gallon of milk and small container of baby formula on the counter, Valerie straightened and pulled the lighter display away from the edge where the baby could reach it. End of the month. Those last few days before the first of the month, when state allowances had run out and needs still had to be met.

I need a carton of Lights, too. The woman’s voice broke as she hesitated over the request.

Valerie asked for I.D. with an inward grimace. But she’d done her share of smoking years ago and could hardly judge. There you go. All together, that’s forty-eight dollars and ninety-seven cents.

I really need to quit. She blushed.

Valerie gave her attention to the boy, tickling him under his chin before taking the money and making change for the fifty. It took me twelve years to quit.

What is this, AA for smokers? It’s my turn. Get the hell out of the way, a raspy, slurred voice growled.

Val looked up in annoyance. Rough customers in the store were not unusual. She had no patience for them.

The poor mother, on the other hand, jumped as if she’d been hit and took a step out of the man’s way.

You’ll wait your turn, sir, and do so without name calling. Not recognizing him as a regular, Valerie forced a smile.

With a tighter grip on the boy, the customer gathered her belongings.

This man was big, even bigger than Blue Eyes. But where Blue Eyes was hard, this jerk had a lousy beer belly around his middle. His face sagged, as if he’d spent too much time at the corner bar. Mean, that was her first impression of him.

You have a good weekend, hon. Valerie offered the farewell, not wanting to rush now that she knew The Jerk didn’t like waiting. Working here did not mean she had to tolerate meatheads.

The boy cooed to Valerie and she smiled back.

As they left, Valerie eyed The Jerk. He stank of desperation. His eyes touched her, making a slow wander down her figure, but they were lifeless and dull.

Now, this is more like it. Open the drawer real slow and keep your hands where I can see them.

The pulse in her throat bumped against her skin. Her nerves clamored against her stomach walls. Okay. Mean might have been too mild.

She froze when the guy laid a small gun on the counter in front of her and covered it loosely with his big, grubby hand. Her gaze flew to his, her mind to the man in the beer cave. Was he still there? Had he left when she wasn’t looking?

That’s right. No one’s here to save your sweet rear.

She opened her mouth, a curse on her tongue.

His hand came out of nowhere and slammed against her jaw, knocking her into the cigarette shelves. Her head rang, but she kept her feet under her. The store was quiet. No one remained to help her.

Righting herself, she took a deliberate step up to the counter, and her foot connected to the button flush against the floor. A signal to the world outside. Her only hope. With shaking hands, she punched in a total for the cash register.

Her ear ached something fierce and her jaw throbbed, but Valerie wasn’t about to die for the job. She pulled the measly bit of cash from the drawer. Here. Take it and go, okay?

The Jerk grinned and ran the edge of the gun down the side of her breast. Keep being good and maybe Randy will give you a prize.

She backed up and a sound of repulsion escaped.

The man’s face grew red, and his thumb released the safety.

You don’t want to do this, she whispered.

Hey Randy. Long time no see.

Valerie almost peed her pants when Randy turned to look at the newcomer, and the gun in front of her wavered.

The beer guy hadn’t left.

A mixture of relief and panic swelled against her breastbone. Please don’t do anything stupid.

Blue Eyes dropped a six-pack on the counter hard enough to make the bottles rattle.

If you’ll wait a minute while I’m taking care of this gentleman, she forced from trembling lips, it’ll only be a minute.

Blue Eyes’ smile was easy going, as if he didn’t notice the gun or the man with the handful of cash next to him. "Sure, no problem. Randy and I go way back. How’s your sister doin’ anyway, Randy? What’s