Chapter One

      “Discipline is a critical part of being a Marine and of succeeding in life. Without discipline there’s chaos. Marines do not like chaos.” U.S. Marine Captain Rad Kozlowski narrowed his eyes, his stare drilling into those few who dared look him in the face. “Chaos indicates a lack of discipline. A lack of willpower. These are not things that will be tolerated in the United States Marine Corps. I want to make that perfectly clear.”

      Rad paused for emphasis. “But for those few who can make the grade, the reward is great. Not the financial reward. I’m not talking about money here.” He had an expressive voice and he made good use of it. His inflection was powerful, his delivery one step below barking orders. “I’m talking about being part of a brotherhood with values like honor, courage, commitment. The United States Marine Corps is not for everyone. Because only a few have what it takes to be part of this elite fighting force. Understood?”

      The fifth-grade class at Kennedy Middle School nodded solemnly.

      “Uh, thank you, Captain Kozlowski.” Mrs. Simpson, the teacher who’d organized the event, sounded a tad nervous. “We appreciate you coming in today for our Career Day and speaking to the class.”

      “No problem, ma’am. I was glad to do it.”

      Not true. Rad hadn’t joined the Marine Corps to speak to a bunch of rug rats. But when duty called, he always answered. Even when he thought it was dumb and a waste of his time.

      “Does anyone have any questions for Captain Kozlowksi? No? Well, then, Captain, thanks again.”

      Rad recognized his cue to leave and headed for the nearest exit. He left the gymnasium by a side door. Once out in the Carolina sunshine of a late September day, he paused a moment to take a deep breath.

      He smelled her perfume a second before he saw her. The long-legged blonde wearing a red dress. She’d stood at the back during his presentation.

      “Congratulations, Captain.” Her mocking comment was not intended to be a compliment. “You managed to scare a bunch of ten-year-olds. Does that make you happy?”

      “Deep-dish pizza and cold beer make me happy, ma’am.” Sexy blondes like her also made him happy. Rad completed a quick visual check of her assets—long golden hair gathered up into a ponytail, lush lips, high cheekbones that gave her a ritzy look, big green eyes.

      She was tall, just a few inches shorter than his six foot one height, and the dress she wore displayed an incredible pair of legs. A breeze lifted the hemline, granting him a tempting glimpse of her tanned thighs.

      Oh, yeah, blondes like her definitely topped his list of things that made him happy. Maybe this day wasn’t a total waste after all.

      Rad flashed her a smile.

      She tossed him a dismissive look laced with disapproval. “Don’t you think you were a little intense in there?”

      “Marines are intense.”

      “And competitive.”

      “Affirmative, ma’am. And your interest in all this would be?”

      “I’m a bookseller.”

      “A bookseller named…?”

      “Serena. Serena Anderson. I spoke earlier this afternoon for the Career Day event.”

      “I’m sorry I missed it.”

      “So am I. Maybe then you would have done your speech differently.”

      “I doubt that, ma’am.”

      “You could have been a little more approachable.”

      His smile widened. “I can be very approachable when the situation warrants it. Like now. How would you like to discuss this further over a cold drink?”

      “I wouldn’t like that at all.”

      “Why not?”

      The sexy Marine clearly wasn’t accustomed to having his invitations turned down, Serena noted. He might have intimidated the entire fifth-grade class, but there was no way he was going to steamroller over her.

      True, he’d made Serena’s heart beat faster without even trying and now that he was trying, well…He was good, she’d give him that. The gleam in his brown eyes let her know this was a man used to having his way with women.

      She could understand why. He was the kind of man who got noticed. And not just because of the impressive Marine dress blue uniform he was wearing, or the confident way he carried himself. Living as she did so close to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, she’d seen plenty of Marines.

      But this one was different.

      He’d gotten under her skin.

      At first she’d told herself it was because of the way he’d talked to the kids as if they were recruits in his command. He was definitely a man accustomed to giving orders and having them instantly obeyed.

      Serena was definitely a woman who didn’t respond well to being bossed around. She’d experienced enough of that to last her a lifetime.

      Maybe she wouldn’t have reacted so strongly were it not for the fact that her goddaughter Becky was in that group he’d just spoken to. And his forceful voice had made the shy Becky almost dive under her chair in the back row. Serena had been standing directly behind her at the time. Only Serena’s soothing hands on the little girl’s trembling shoulders had kept her in her seat.

      So Serena had waited out here to confront him, to tell him that kids needed special care.

      Instead of agreeing, he’d stuck to his guns.

      That figured. How like a man, especially a bossy man.

      “You’re not married are you?” he suddenly asked, his gaze sliding to her left hand.

      “Absolutely not!”

      So the blonde had a thing against marriage. Rad could relate. He was no big fan himself. Despite the fact that his two older brothers had gotten tied down with wives, Rad was in no hurry to surrender his freedom. He was in a hurry to get to know her better, however. “What’s the problem then?”

      “There are too many for me possibly to go into them all.” Her voice was tart.

      “Pick just a few then.”

      “You know the things that work for you as a Marine? Traits like being arrogant and bossy?”

      The seductive bookseller was trying to push his buttons. He wondered why. “We prefer to think of those traits as confidence and leadership.”

      “These are not traits I respond well to.”

      “And why is that?”

      His direct gaze and calm question flustered her. “I’ve got my reasons, okay?”

      “Okay. When you know me better, you can tell me what they are.”

      She blinked at him, her dark eyelashes fluttering against her creamy skin. Not that he was a guy who normally noticed a female’s eyelashes, but she had such great eyes. And legs. And breasts.

      The sizzle of attraction was strong. Stronger than he’d felt in a very long time. And it wasn’t one-sided. Despite her words, the lightning flashes of chemistry were definitely reciprocated.

      Like now, when her gaze got all tangled-up with his. The male-female message was there. The awareness, the temptation. The sparks, the struggle. She licked her lush lips before finally looking away.

      “I’m not going to get to know you better, Captain.”