Officer Breaks the Rules by Jeanette Murray

Author:Jeanette Murray [Murray, Jeanette]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781402265433
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: 2013-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Jeremy stood and faced the CO, doing his best to slide a folder over his notebook casually without looking down. In a long list of people Jeremy didn’t want to see, the colonel was at the top. All this afternoon needed was for his dad to show back up and he’d have the trifecta of people he preferred to avoid. “Sir. What can I do for you?”

Blackwater edged into the room and wandered around, taking in the bare walls. “Did you leave your diploma back at home with your father?”

“Hmm? Oh, no, sir. I have it. Just never felt the need to bring it in.”

Blackwater’s mouth tightened a little, then relaxed. “How are things in your neck of the woods?”

Warning yellow lights flashed Caution in his mind. The CO was a man of authority over his career. And Jeremy’s duty was to follow his orders. But Jeremy also knew the man was a sneak and had no problems prying into the personal lives of his Marines. Not with friendly concern, but out of some odd sense of satisfaction when he could shape the Marine’s life. Like some weird omnipotent puppeteer, wanting control over everything.

Tim ran into the same problem last year but handled it with much more diplomacy than Jeremy would ever be able to manage. “Things are fine.”

“I notice you’re always one of the last to leave the office for the day.” Blackwater started staring, unapologetically, at the papers covering Jeremy’s desk. As if he had the right. “No family to run home to, correct?”

“That’s correct, sir,” he replied through clenched teeth. He fought the urge to yank everything away from the man’s gaze. Thank God he didn’t have anything personal…

His notebook. Fuck. Waiting until the man’s eyes were averted to a far corner of the desk, he glanced down to make sure it was fully covered by a file.

It was. Barely.

The CO picked up a form and started reading without another word.

Go right ahead, sir. What’s mine is yours, apparently.

“I’ll admit I probably stayed at the office a little later than I do now, back in my young, pre-family days.” Blackwater set the sheet back down and walked to the other corner of his desk to pick up something else. “No thoughts of settling down?”

And how is this any of your business? “No. No thoughts at all,” he lied. No practical thoughts anyway. Just a fantasy that would stay just that. Fantasy.

“A good Marine has something back home worth fighting for. I believe your father knew that.”

“My father…” Had his dad actually gone to the CO with his concerns? No. He wouldn’t have. Despite his own concern, even Jeremy knew his father wouldn’t go that far.

“I knew him, once upon a time. We crossed paths at a few points in our careers, though we never served directly together. Had his work cut out for him, raising you alone after his sweet wife died.”

Sweet wife. That’s my mother you’re talking about. Jeremy bit his tongue to keep from cursing.

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