Barefoot Bay: When You Touch Me (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free Page A

but neither had wanted to burden their parents with college expenses.
    Army and then college. That had been Sam’s plan. He would learn a skill, come back home, go to college to expand on that knowledge and get a job that paid well. But Sam’s plan careened off course somewhere, and he made the decision to become a career Army man. The bombing had derailed that plan, and he had been medically retired against his will. Twelve years of planning had swirled down the drain. Now he was trying to figure out Plan B. College was still an option for him, but it added another level of frustration to his already frustration-filled life.
    “When do you ship out?” he asked Drew.
    “Three weeks,” Drew replied. “Mom’s not real excited about it, especially after what happened to you. But she’s holding it together pretty good.”
    Drew had twelve months to go until he mustered out, and every day Sam prayed his brother stayed out of harm’s way. As injuries went, Sam had been lucky. His limbs were all intact and his vision and hearing were still good. The shrapnel wound by his left eyebrow had healed leaving only a faint scar thanks to some skilled suturing by one of the field doctors. He had endured months of painful physical therapy for a badly torn left rotator cuff, but he still had somewhat limited range of motion. Further therapy should remedy that, and maybe this massage stuff would help, too.
    The injury that bothered him most was the scarring from deep second degree burns across his upper back. The area was sensitive to the sun – another reason he wasn’t happy about being at the beach – and the skin was still tight, which added to movement issues with his right shoulder. Maybe this massage therapist could relieve some of the tightness there, too. He would just grit his teeth and bear the discomfort. Hadn’t he done his share of that already? The tattoo he had been so proud of – a small eagle on his left upper back with the inscription Don’t Give Up Until You’ve Truly Tried stretching across to the other side – had been partially obliterated by the scars. The ink, which had once been a symbol of his strength was now a reminder of his weakness.
    “I’ll be back home before you leave, so I’ll help you deal with Mom. You’ll be fine over there. Just be careful. And pay attention,” he advised his brother. “Always pay attention.” His hand clenched and unclenched at his side.
    “I will,” Drew assured him. “But enough of the pep talk. Tell me about this Casa Blanca place you’re at. Is it nice?”
    Nice? After twelve years of Army barracks?
    “Man, it’s way, way beyond nice. It’s downright fancy-ass. It’s decorated like some exotic country, and the villa I’m in—”
    “Villa? You’re staying in a villa? Like that movie mom loves so much where the lady buys a house in Italy?”
    “Even fancier. Way fancier. You wouldn’t believe the money people throw around here. I saw two Rolls Royces in the parking lot today. I have my own private pool, two bedrooms and a living room. And the tub is big enough to snorkel in. The food I’ve had so far has been better than anything I have ever eaten.” Sam took a breath. “But don’t tell Mom I said that. You know how we’re always bragging about her cooking.”
    “Best cook in Madison County, North Carolina. Cross my heart, Sam. I won’t say a word. How is the beach?”
    Sam shook his head. Damned sandy, that’s how it was. But why let his sour opinion make him sound ungrateful? As Julia had pointed out…. No…Jillian. That was her name. She had reminded him that someone was laying out a lot of money for him to be here.
    “Gorgeous beach,” he said, which wasn’t really a lie. “Palm trees and little tiki hut things where you can get out of the sun. All I have to do is wave my hand and I have a fresh drink right away.”
    “Oh man, it sounds like paradise. You’re one lucky bastard, you know that?”
    Lucky? Hell no. He had been in