Page 71 of Adoring Delaney

“Are you gonna keep them?”

“Yep.”

“You’re a weirdo.”

“Shower,” he growled.

“Fine,” I huffed and started to walk away but stopped to glare at him over my shoulder when he swatted my ass.

“When we get home tonight, I’m gonna finish doing all the things I’d planned on doing last night before you were a bad girl and started playing with yourself. That stunt earned you a nice long spanking.”

“And you think that’s a punishment?” I smiled.

“It will be when I tie your hands behind your back and toy with you until your ass is red, your pussy’s drippin’, and you’re cryin’ for release.”

“Thought you wanted a shower,” I grumbled.

“Yeah, Laney baby, and I’ll make sure you get an orgasm or two to tide you over.”

His smile was wicked, his shirtless chest sexy, and voice gravelly.

Good God, I was a lucky woman.

“Don’t keep me waiting, Sailor,” I sassed and strolled to the bathroom, leaving Carter roaring with laughter.

I didn’t turn to watch. I was too anxious to get into the shower, but I did pause and let the sound perpetrate. I locked it deep and knew if I gave him the chance, I’d have a lifetime of this.

21

Breakfast had gone as I knew it would—Logan trying his best to charm Delaney. I found that I didn’t care my friend had been innocently flirting with her all through breakfast. Not when I’d had the pleasure of sitting next to her ,watching her smile and hearing her laugh.

Damn, she was gorgeous.

Everything about her pure beauty.

Her embarrassment had waned at the mention of Logan’s sisters, and the bond that had started continued to grow. Both of them ganged up on me when they could.

Their jabs were met with half-assed protests. I gave zero fucks they were having fun at my expense. I was happy Logan had kept talks about our deployments to a minimum and instead focused on the team antics.

We’d spent hours at the café, then since we were already on Atlantic Avenue, near 38th Street, Logan had suggested we take a walk down the boardwalk and show Delaney the Naked Warrior Monument.

I had mixed feelings about this. Not because I didn’t want Delaney to see it but because I had friends who were honored on the wall surrounding the statue. Gold stars that weren’t simply tokens—they were great men who’d answered the call and in doing so had given their lives.

I’d visited the memorial many times over the years since it had been erected, and each time I was left with a hole in my gut. I didn’t want this trip to be about sadness and sacrifice. I wanted to see Delaney smiling and happy. However, as soon as Logan had told her about the statue, she insisted we make the trek.

The atmosphere changed as soon as her tear-filled eyes read the inscription, and by the time we’d left, she, too, had felt the gravity of service.

Thankfully Logan was with us, and he had an uncanny ability to make those around him happy. Which knowing how he was raised was a goddamned miracle. Earlier when he’d told Delaney about his sisters and skimmed over why there was an age gap between them, I was happy Laney hadn’t gone any deeper. Logan’s father didn’t leave, his mother had killed him in self-defense. It was a topic that was never talked about. He’d told the story once and made it more than clear it was never to be discussed again. None of the team ever talked about it, not even amongst ourselves.

Now after spending the day with Logan tagging along with us, we were sitting in the restaurant bar waiting on the rest of the guys to show up. Delaney was squirming in her seat, obviously anxious to meet the rest of my friends.

“You got sand in your panties, girly?” Logan was immediately commenting about her movements.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk about my woman’s panties,” I grunted.

“See? He’s easy to rile up.” Logan chuckled.

“Just a little nervous,” she admitted. “I’ve never met Carter’s friends.”

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