Page 14 of Clear Blue Sky

That should scare him enough to make him want to run.

He’d come to Lake George to learn how to keep his past where it belonged. He understood the move had been more about hiding from it than accepting it. He believed the longer he lived away from having the triggers of the past in front of his face, the more likely they wouldn’t affect his daily life.

That hadn’t been true so far.

But being with Brandi—opening to her—a few pounds lifted off his shoulders.

He dabbled kisses on her neck and nibbled on her ear.

Her heels dug into the back of his knees, and she dragged her fingernails across his shoulders. Her hips rolled against his, encouraging him to go faster, harder.

Rolling over to his back, he gripped her hips. Their eyes locked gazes and everything he’d ever worried about in life got lost in her sweet blue-green orbs. His breath caught in the center of his chest.

“Yes, Nelson,” she whispered as her body convulsed. Her orgasm coated him like the sun’s rays reaching down from the sky and spreading across the lake.

His climax exploded, slamming into her like fireworks.

She collapsed on top of him with a big sigh, kissing the center of his chest.

Running his fingers up and down her spine, he stared at the ceiling fan as it slowly turned in the moonlight filtering through the sliding glass doors. This had become home. A place he could put down his own personal roots. His two feet. Having been in the military, home wasn’t something he ever thought about. It was a distant concept that he never thought he needed. He went wherever his CO told him to. Wherever the mission demanded.

Brandi rolled to her side, dropping her arm and leg over his body.

He pulled the covers up and kissed her forehead.

Last weekend, she was already out of his bed and getting dressed by now. Other than that one night, one of them always made the decision that long awkward pauses after sex would never happen.

Lifting her chin, he kissed her sweet lips.

She rested her head on his shoulder and chuckled. “Are we really going to try this long-distance thing?”

There was no doubt he liked Brandi. More than any girl he’d met in a long time. And hell, he’d been the one to bring all this up, but he’d had an ulterior motive.

The damn fucking book.

“I want to but are you sure you do, considering all that I told you about not being a long-haul man?”

She palmed his cheek. “All I ask is that you don’t see anyone else and that you’re honest with me. If something changes and you want this to end or you find that you’re interested in someone else, you need to tell me.”

“That works in reverse.” He arched a brow. “You can’t disappear on me again.”

“Point taken.”

“I guess I got myself a girlfriend.” His brothers were going to have a field day with this one.

And Marcus was going to have something to say about it too when he found out, especially because Nelson didn’t mention it during their conversation.

Well, it wasn’t any of Marcus’ damn business.

However, now that he and Brandi were official, he needed to decide if he should tell her about his connection to Marcus or not.

“Good night, Brandi,” he whispered.

“Sleep well.”

3

“Thanks for meeting me so early.” Nelson leaned against his Jeep. It was rare he went outside of his family for advice or help. However, in this instance, his brothers had agreed Marcus couldn’t be trusted.

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