Page 64 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
She tugged on his jeans, peeling them down from his chiseled waist. Even in the dark she could see the defined ridges of his abs and hip bones. She wanted to take her time, to trace every beautiful line of definition with her fingers and tongue. “Take these off,” she ordered.
He cocked a sideways grin. “Public exposure is where I draw the line, sweetheart.” He sat up and unzipped his jeans just enough to free himself for her. Her dress was up around her waist. If someone came along, it’d be easy to push it back down and cover herself.
Making love with her clothes on—that was another first for her.
“Okay.” She lay back on the tailgate and smiled up at him, hoping no one saw, but enjoying the thought that someone might. She closed her eyes as he pushed his way inside her. After a moment, she forced her eyes open, meeting his gaze above her. Behind him was a black sky, accented by small, white stars. Time seemed to disappear as they clung to one another under those stars; as she stared into his eyes, falling a little deeper with every second that passed.
Somewhere in the distance, she heard a helicopter flying toward the airfield. Lawson didn’t flinch. His eyes stayed on her as he pushed deeper. He was focused on her, a man on a mission.
She pulled him closer. He’d opened up to her tonight. What did that mean, she wondered, trying hard, and failing, not to believe it meant everything.
Chapter 18
Lawson awoke to the sound of screams in his head. He sat up and looked at Julie, lying in the bed beside him. She didn’t stir. Good. He didn’t want to answer a bunch of questions about what he’d been dreaming about, not that he’d get dressed and leave her this time. No. She’d proven to him that she wouldn’t think less of him for having nightmares, or for struggling with what he’d been through.
Massaging his hands over his face, he tried to wipe away the images of one Marine’s bloody leg dangling off him like a broken tree branch. At least Rogers had lived. That’s what everyone always said. But with what repercussions?
“Hey.”
Lawson turned toward Julie’s voice behind him. Her eyes were still only half open, but a dreamy smile creased her face. He’d put that smile there. That was something to be proud of.
“Hey, yourself.” Leaning in, he kissed her, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him back down on the bed.
“Don’t even think about rushing off on me this morning,” she said, running her hands over his back. “I’m not done with you yet.”
His lower part went on alert at the sound of that. “Oh, yeah? You’re becoming one bossy yoga instructor, you know that?”
She laughed, wiggling under him as he kissed the crook of her neck and started to make love to her again. He’d lost count how many times they’d had sex over the last twelve hours. Twice on his tailgate last night and at least that many times after they’d returned home.
Twenty minutes later, Julie’s stomach rumbled as she lay beside him in a boneless puddle.
“Hungry?” he asked, unable to keep his hands from touching her silky skin.
“Starving.”
He kissed her cheek. “Me, too. Let’s go have breakfast at the twenty-four-hour diner.”
She lifted her brows. “This early? People will know we spent the night together.”
“What people and why do I care?” He kissed her again, on the mouth this time. “I want people to know that I won over a girl like you.”
Dr. Pierce’s words poked at his memory. He’d made a lot of progress, but she’d told him in no uncertain terms what she thought about him getting involved with someone. It was risky. He didn’t want to hurt Julie the way her ex had. She deserved better than that.
But he’d let Julie into his inner world last night, and she hadn’t thought any less of him. He had taken Dr. Pierce’s advice; that had to count for something.
Thirty minutes later, Julie winked at him across the table. “Gee, I wonder what made me so ravenous this morning.”
“At the rate we’re going, I have a feeling you’ll be ravenous again by lunch,” he teased, lowering his voice for only her to hear.
The waitress walked up and looked between them. She was a cute woman who was usually on shift when Lawson dined. “Well, this is a first. You brought a woman with you this time.”
He nodded. “I did. Fine food deserves fine company.”
The waitress agreed. “Your usual?” she asked.
“Always the Seaside Special for me,” he said.
The waitress nodded. “And for you, dear?” she asked Julie. “You want the same?”
