Page 61 of The Soldier

I don’t miss her eyes taking in my bulging bicep.

Hashtag, not sorry.

“It’s twice the size of you, don’t be ridiculous.” She props out a hip.

“Andddd, it begins again. Do not fucking kill one another.” Ryder waves out a hand and walks off.

I stare down at Trina and she finally breaks, muttering as she walks to her car. “Fine. No talking.”

I stare at the small blue Toyota and scrunch my face.

“How the fuck did Ryder fit in there?”

“Just get in, unless you want to walk?”

“No thanks. I just walked hundreds of miles across—”

I stop talking.

Shit.That was nearly a big fucking slipup.

I toss my bag in the back seat and climb into the passenger seat. Trina gets behind the wheel and my eyes slide over her body. She must have come straight from work as she’s wearing a tight black skirt and blush-pink silky blouse. I can see the curve of her breasts and hint of cleavage.

Oh yeah, these are the soft curves I’ve been dreaming about for days.

“Eyes on the road soldier,” she says, but there’s little heat in her words. In her eyes...

“Why? I’m not driving.” I smile and turn to look out the windshield.

After a few minutes as we head toward my home, Trina finally breaks the silence and glances at me briefly. “So, are you okay?”

I swear this woman is going to give me whiplash.

“I am now.” I nod.

Does she realize I mean now that I’m with her? She won’t. While I was shocked to see her at the hospital and I’m still not clear what she knows, the fact she came with Ryder to pick me up says something.

Something she is not willing to admit out loud.

Trina bites her bottom lip, holding back from asking more questions or saying how she feels. I know what it feels like to worry about my buddies in the forces. I can only imagine how it feels to be on the sidelines with almost no information and fretting.

Whatever this is between us, and despite it being new, that doesn’t mean her worry isn’t valid.

Yes, we have sexual chemistry that’s off the charts, but I’m beginning to think there is much more going on between us. That she’s here right now with me confirms it.

At least in my mind.

I reach out my hand, place it on her thigh, and squeeze. She does a double take at me and slows for an intersection.

“Hey,” I rasp. “It’s okay to be worried. I don’t know what the team told you, but I am fine.”

“They said you were shot. That’s notfine.”

Fair call.

Trina tries to push me my hand away, but I grab her fingers, and her eyes lock with mine.

“They didn’t tell me a single thing, Marshall. Nothing. Do you know how that feels? You kiss me then go to some dumb country and get shot? What if you’d died? I can’t yell at you if you’re dead.”

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