Page 116 of Maddox

I hoped to hell it did.

“You’re so infuriating,” she purred, panting as she tried to push up from the couch.

“Yep. The sooner you realize that as well as you will follow my rules, the better.”

“I’ll get you for this.”

“Mmmm… I can’t wait to see you try.”

After four more in rapid succession, I pulled her up, spinning her around once again. Her face was flushed, her lips pursed together.

With the heated shimmer on her face, I knew she was without a doubt the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.

Exhaling, I cupped her face, taking the time to brush my thumb back and forth across her chin. When I rolled the rough pad across her lips, she grabbed the thick digit with her mouth, sucking as a child would with a pacifier.

I was completely mesmerized by the look in her eyes, the intense twinkle sparking another wave of desire.

She certainly knew best how to turn me on.

After popping my thumb from her mouth, she pressed her hand against my chest. “Thank you for caring about me,” she whispered.

“Always. I’ll do everything in my power to protect you.”

“I know.” She wrapped her arms around me, pressing her face against my chest. As I stroked her hair, I realized what a precarious position we were truly in.

Precautions would need to be taken, including enhancing my level of security. I had a bad feeling the shit was about to hit the fan.

This time it was possible I wouldn’t be able to save her.

We regrouped by the fire and I grabbed a shirt, enjoying the sight of her still wearing mine. With drinks in our hands, we sat quietly, doing nothing more than enjoying the quiet before the storm.

She nuzzled closer, saying nothing while resting her head on my chest. I aimlessly stroked her hair, feeling a sense of home that I hadn’t before. I’d lived in several locations since I’d left theNavy, some little more than the place to store what few material items I owned. Hell, I’d gone out to eat more than I’d ever cooked a meal.

Unless I could consider microwave food cooking.

I closed my eyes, envisioning the years I’d savored while serving the military. I’d been a different man during the timeframe, enjoying the camaraderie and the tight organization. When I’d gotten out, I’d had no clue what I’d wanted to do with the rest of my life. With no purpose, multiple years had faded into oblivion.

Purchasing the ranch could be considered some early midlife crisis. I scrubbed my jaw, realizing I’d allowed a scruffy beard to grow, barely remembering the last time I’d shaved. Maybe I would keep the beard. Just to please and/or spite her.

She moaned softly as she snuggled even more tightly against me. With her, everything felt different, the past truly becoming an entirely different vision.

“When you’re in any branch of armed services, you instinctively become close to your unit. Men and women who are trained to protect and serve while falling on their swords if necessary. You innately know you’d die to keep them safe. Kage was like that. We were buddies, along with a man named Stone Bellows. Three musketeers determined to take on the world. We were young. We were eager and we were hotblooded.” I laughed softly as I remembered the good old days and a photograph I’d purposely refused to look at in years.

“Why does that not surprise me?” she asked softly as she lifted her head.

“Uh-huh. I was different then.”

“I can only imagine. I bet you were hell on wheels.”

Laughing, I took a sip of my drink. “Absolutely. Gray had his hands full. But we were tough and we took our missions seriously. During one of them, I didn’t believe the intel we were given. I had a feeling the situation we’d been thrust into was a trap. I relayed that to the commander, but he insisted the information received was from a qualified source. We were to capture the leader of a brutal band of insurgents that had not only attacked our base, killing several of our men, but had also destroyed several villages full of innocent people.”

“My God.”

“Yeah, it was extremely disturbing, which is why we were so determined to hunt the man down. We thought he was cornered in a bunker. Instead, a trap had been laid, but we realized it too late. Instead of following through with direct orders, I followed my gut. I wasn’t there to back up Kage as he went into a building where we thought the leader was holed up sleeping. I’d heard a noise. The building was wired. We lost a couple good men and everyone blamed me. Including Kage.”

“Oh, no.” She pressed her hand against my chest, kneading my muscles. Her touch was comforting, but the pain of remembering was difficult.

More so now for whatever reason.

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