Danger Zone: Tales of Military Passion

by Marie Harte

  Besides, he had nothing to offer her but himself. And since that hadn’t been good enough for Maria, whom he’d loved, he didn’t feel like opening himself to that kind of hurt again.

  Losing Maria had been painful, and he hadn’t felt for her with the same intensity he felt for April. His few relationships in the years since amounted to no more than sexual liaisons with women he liked as friends and little else. Dating wasn’t easy while being gone on deployments either. Yet he could totally see himself committing to his sexy major, wanting to wait for whatever time they could spend together.

  Making love with her was only the start of the wonders they shared. He loved her laugh, her smile, the way she left piles of stuff all over the place. She didn’t have the same level of tidiness he did, but she tried by stacking things.

  They both liked sports, the same kinds of movies, and ice cream—a must in his book. The sex was mind-blowing. He’d never been so compatible with anyone else.

  He had a feeling he wouldn’t find anyone as compatible after her, either.

  If he’d thought she felt more than just like for him, he might have ponied up to how he felt. But he wasn’t sure, and he hated not knowing. A simple conversation could clear everything up, but it could also ruin what they had left. Was it worth it? Was he such a pussy he couldn’t fight for what he wanted?

  He continued to dither over that question, but he had time, so once again he put off confronting his answer.

  Thorn took her hand in his and rubbed it, wanting to offer comfort. “April, I’m going to give you some advice.”

  “Oh God, shoot me now.”

  He smiled. She was such a smartass. “Life is full of possibilities. You can’t close yourself off to any of them to make someone else happy. You have to do what’s right for you. In the end, your mom is living her own life. You have to live yours, not hers.”

  “Great speech. Would you mind coming home with me to tell her that?”

  “Sure.”

  She blinked and sat up. “Really?”

  “Uh, well, if you want me to.”

  She stared at him.

  “You’re making me nervous.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah. When you get that look in your eye, I know better than to screw with you.”

  She leaned forward and pulled their joined hands to her lips. She kissed the back of his hand, and he felt the caress all the way to his toes. “I sure hope you don’t mean that literally.”

  His growing arousal turned to steel in his shorts. “Of course not. When have I ever said I don’t want to do you?”

  “Ah, Marine romance. So sweet.”

  He shook his head. “You know, you think too much. You need to fuck and relax.”

  “Words of wisdom from Gunnery Sgt. Thorn.” She chuckled, then gave an oof as he dragged her over his shoulder and carted her back to his bedroom.

  “No more thinking, unless you’re giving serious consideration to my sexual request from the other day.” He set her on her feet and proceeded to strip her naked.

  “You mean, the part about you taking my virgin ass? That consideration?”

  “Yeah, that one,” he said thickly, dying to get inside that part of her.

  “Consider this your reward. I let you do me, you take my mind from my interview and my mother.”

  He froze. “Interview?”

  “Yeah. A placement company set me up with an interview in Raleigh on Monday morning.”

  “Near your parents. Nice.” No, it sucked. Shit. She was seriously getting ready to leave him.

  “Hey. You okay?”

  “I didn’t realize you were job hunting too, is all.”

  She bit her lip. “Part of me doesn’t want to go.”

  “So don’t.”

  “But I have to. I need to keep all my options open. The Marine Corps is over for me.”

  “So you move on?” He grew annoyed. “Just like that?”

  “Um, yeah?” She stood there stark naked, tempting him.

  Tell her how you feel, dumbass. No, you’ll only confuse her. She needs to go and make her own decisions. “Well then, I wish you luck.” He didn’t want their last time to be forgettable. “I think we need to celebrate.”

  “We do?” She blinked. “You’re all for me moving on?”

  “I’m all for you being happy.” Even if it fucking kills me. I won’t hold you back. “But you’re not leaving yet.”

  “No, not yet,” she said quietly.

  An animalistic urge to show her what she’d be missing drove him to take charge more so than usual. “Come here.”

  She took a step closer.

  “Not close enough.” He yanked her to him and kissed her, bruising her mouth with the roughness of his possession.

  But that same fire that drove him seemed to have surged inside her as well, because she gave back as good as she got. She ravaged him, nipping with her teeth and sucking his breath away.

  Then her hand snagged down his shorts and wrapped around his cock.

  “I want you in me,” she whispered. “Deep inside me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Until you’re coming so hard.”

  “So far up your ass you can’t breathe without feeling me,” he growled. When he moved to strip out of his clothes, she stopped him.

  “Let me, Sir.” She winked.

  He rubbed his erection. “Get to it then, girl.”

  She took off his shirt and slowly worked his shorts and briefs down, kneeling as she slid her cheek down his chest and belly, past his erection and thighs. After he stepped out of his clothes, she prodded his legs apart then started kissing her way up from his ankles.

  His breath came faster as he watched her rub her breast with one hand while running her other hand up his legs. She paused between his thighs, weighing his balls in her hot little palm.

  He groaned and shifted on his feet. His cock pulsed with need, and her mouth was so close…

  She knelt, watching him, and massaged his sac. She kissed his inner thighs up to his balls and sucked the taut globes. Then she took the tip of his cock in her mouth and licked his slit.

  “Jesus, that’s good, baby.” He groaned, in lust and in love with her. So hard, so ready to take her and never let her go. Her enthusiasm had him near climax in moments, so he pulled back. “Not yet,” he rasped, hoarse. “Get on the bed.”

  He moved to his nightstand and withdrew some much needed lubricant. “Watch me,” he ordered and drizzled a good amount over his cock. Then he lubed his fingers, ready to play with her. “Put your ass at the edge of the bed.”

  She scooted toward him, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. “But I’ll get your sheets dirty.”

  “Sheets wash.” He tugged her closer, so that her hips rested on the very edge. “I’m going to fuck you facing you. But we need to get you ready. Nice and slick, so it doesn’t hurt as much.”

  “Oh, make it hurt. Just a little,” she said on a breath.

  “I will.” He smiled. “Don’t you worry.”

  He leaned down and kissed her clit, sucking her sweet flesh and sliding his already lubed fingers inside her pussy. She was deliciously wet, so hot and tight he had to tamp down his excitement for fear he’d come on the first thrust. After bringing her to the edge of orgasm and backing off, he slid his slick fingers from her pussy down to her tight little hole.

  Grabbing the lube, he drizzled more lubricant over her crack and saturated his fingers. Then he slowly pushed his forefinger past her anus.

  “Oh, that feels…strange.”

  With his other hand, he rubbed her clit, pleased when she rocked against him.

  He slid his finger deeper into her ass. As slick as he was, it didn’t take much for him to push past her slight resistance. “You feel so damn good.” He couldn’t wait to take her there. His dick was like a spike, ready to sink fast and drive deep.

  “More,” she whispered, her gaze on his. Her golden hair fanned out around her, and her eyes seemed imposs
ibly bright, the blue-green color mesmerizing.

  “Everything,” he whispered back, wanting to give her so much pleasure she’d never forget him. So much enjoyment she’d cancel her stupid interview and stay with him forever.

  He pushed more of his finger inside her, and once seated fully, let her adjust to the feel of him there, up her ass. He leaned forward to kiss her pretty breasts, her throat, her mouth, and pumped his finger in short bursts. Then he added another, stretching her with care.

  She moaned, begged him for more, and sucked his tongue into her mouth, trying to take control.

  He pulled back to warn, “No, baby. I’m in charge.”

  “I know,” she whispered back, her expression one of joy and amazement.

  They ate at each other, and then he couldn’t take any more. He withdrew his fingers and positioning his lubed cock at her hole. Then he lifted her hips for a better angle and pushed. She jerked, so he slowed down.

  “God, you’re huge,” she moaned and arched up, taking more of him. “So good.”

  In slow, agonizing increments, he penetrated the tight sheath that had never before been taken.

  He constantly monitored her reactions, moving slowly, then more rapidly when she adjusted.

  As slick as she was, it didn’t take long before she encouraged his thrusts. His desire grew, especially when she rocked under him and gripped his forearms.

  “Fuck, yes.” He tried to be gentle, but the need to pound inside her grew. So hard he hurt, he had to end this. To cement their ties and jet deep inside her. “Come for me, girl.”

  He rubbed her clit while he took her. Pounding in her ass and circling the tight knot between her thighs, it didn’t take him long before he had her crying his name and clamping down around him. No longer able to hold back, he quickened his strokes and poured into her on a moan. He leaned down to kiss her while he emptied his seed, and for a moment it felt as if they shared the same breath, the same heartbeat.

  When he lifted up, they stared at each other, and he lowered to kiss her again, tenderly.

  “You’re amazing,” she said and hugged him. “That was so good. I heard it hurts, but it only pinched a little in the beginning. You feel so full inside me.”

  “Yeah.” He leaned up on his elbows over her and swallowed the knot of emotion choking him, knowing this might be one of their last times together. Finally withdrawing, he left to clean up and returned to tend to her. April stared at him and remained still while he cared for her. Then he tossed the dirty cloth to the floor and joined her in bed. He spooned her, holding onto something precious soon to leave him behind.

  If only she’d tried harder to be who she wanted instead of who she was supposed to be.

  If only he wasn’t such a pussy and had just told her the truth before she’d made a decision to leave.

  He slid into a fitful sleep, missing her before she’d gone.

  THE NEXT MORNING, Thorn was in a foul mood.

  “What crawled up your ass and died?” April asked.

  But her snark didn’t make him laugh. Instead, he glared at her and drank more coffee while she sat across from him munching on a banana. Even the sight of her lips over the fruit couldn’t turn him from his anger.

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Bull. What’s wrong?”

  What’s wrong? Could she really not know how much he’d miss her when she left? “I just don’t get why you don’t stand up to your mother and have a frank conversation. What is so hard about telling her what you want and don’t want?”

  “I don’t know what I want. Haven’t you been listening to me?”

  “I try, but you’re not making much sense.”

  “Then let me say it in small words, so you can understand.”

  “April.”

  “Bobby,” she taunted, but by saying his name, she added another layer of intimacy between them, an intimacy she’d crush with the distance of a new job. “I’m going on this interview. Then I’m going to stop home and see Mom and Dad. I’ll be back Tuesday.”

  “Should I wish you good luck?” he asked.

  “Why wouldn’t you?” Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll tell you why. Because you don’t want me to go.” She sounded surprised by the revelation.

  And that annoyed the fuck out of him. “Of course I don’t want you to go. How can you be so stupid?” He barely refrained from a blond joke.

  “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe because you never said two words about how you feel about me?”

  They stared at each other, angry, emotional, neither backing down.

  “Yeah? Well you never said how you feel about me either.” Great. Now he felt like a six year old pointing fingers.

  “What? So I need to say it first? Are you that insecure you can’t just tell me how you feel?”

  “Are you?”

  She gaped. “Oh my God. You’re scared.”

  “Fuck.” He ran a hand over his head and wished he’d stop acting so unlike himself. But damned if he could get himself to admit the truth—that he loved the hell out of her. It was like Maria all over again. If he told April how he really felt and she didn’t feel the same, he’d alienate her forever. Fortunately he’d known about Maria’s longtime crush, so he’d kept his deeper feelings to himself, holding onto the friendship. But with April, he had no idea how she felt.

  “You know, this just figures. I finally find a guy I really like, and he’s a coward.”

  “Hey.”

  “Oh please. Fine. You want to know how I feel? I’m scared and angry and confused about life, but I somehow fell in love with you. But apparently you’re too big a pussy to commit, so I’m moving on while I can. Giving up my life for a man is just the kind of thing my mother would do anyway. So thanks but no thanks.” She blew out breath and stormed to the closet to grab a bag.

  He watched in shock as she stuffed her things into it. “Wait a minute.”

  “No. I’m not waiting. I’m finally taking charge of my life. And if it’s a mistake, at least I have the courage to be wrong. I’m smart. I’ll learn and recover.” She sighed as she dressed. “Let’s be honest, Bobby. We don’t really know each other that well. This thing between us is probably just the newness and the hot sex. It’s not love.”

  “Not love?” he yelled. “What the fuck is it then?”

  “Who the hell knows? I’m probably confusing an endorphin rush from my many orgasms with love anyway. Tell you what, champ. I’ll go to my interview, spend some time with the folks, and let Mom browbeat the hell out of me. While I’m gone, try to figure out what you really want. Because it doesn’t seem to be me.”

  “That’s not true.”

  To his shock, she marched over to him, dragged his head down to plant an angry kiss on his mouth, then left, slamming the front door behind her.

  A whirlwind of passion, surprise, and intensity, there and gone in seconds.

  He sank back on his bed and stared at the empty doorway. “What the fuck just happened?”

  Chapter Eight

  ‡

  THE INTERVIEW MONDAY went well. April had put off her trip to her parents’ until after she’d visited with TrexAmD. Hell, they’d even put her up in a swanky hotel. So she’d stretched out her time and used the next few days to simply relax.

  Her following trip to see the folks seemed more pleasant than it had been in ages. Her mother had apparently gone to counseling—at her father’s insistence—since Jane’s visit. Problems between her parents had come to a head, and her father had tired of Mona’s complaints.

  “Go, Dad,” April murmured as she sat on their back porch and stared out at the wooded backyard.

  April now had choices. The interview with TrexAmD—a global company—was a success. They liked her, a lot. She could start a position in the low six figures. And holy crap, that was a lot of money for a woman previously making low wages despite her rank. Thank you very much, Uncle Sam. But she’d never done her job to get rich, but for the satisfaction of a hard day’s work
.

  Surprisingly, she could see herself working for TrexAmD. The thought of heading to Europe to oversee their branch in England would be amazing. At least, her mother had gone on and on about it. But for once, April agreed with Mona.

  Thoughts of her mother inevitably led to thoughts about other loved ones. April felt like a moron because she couldn’t stop thinking about Thorn. About Bobby.

  She’d totally fallen, no question in love with him, after a bout of anal sex. What did that say about her that she used carnality as a basis for emotional staying power? Yep, she was definitely a perv.

  Except the call to her sister had showed her how she really felt about things. Jane had a great way of understanding and pointing out April’s fears and desires, so April could see the truth beyond the veil of self-lies Jane liked ripping away.

  “You love him, dimwit,” Jane had said on the phone last night. “It’s so plain to see it’s not funny.”

  “Yeah? Well I told him that after we’d had the best sex of my life. Then the dickhead just watched me leave.”

  “He didn’t say anything?”

  “Not even after I accused him of being scared of me. I might have called him a pussy too.”

  Jane started laughing.

  April cut her off. “Hello? Not funny. My love life is gone. I miss the arrogant musclehead. And I just got the dream offer of a lifetime. So why am I not happy?”

  “You say they have places all over the world, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So why not take the job, give yourself some time to see if you’re still ga-ga for Gunny, then make a decision? I mean, you’re acting like you’re married to your job if you take it. Relax, Sis. This isn’t the Marine Corps. You can quit if you don’t like it.”

  “Actually the contract locks me in for six months, at which time I can revisit my employment without any penalties.”

  “Huh?”

  “They’ll pay to move me wherever I go.”

  “Oh man. And you mentioned Europe? I might be a pregnant loser getting married to a jarhead, but hey, I can visit you over there, can’t I?”

  A loser. Ha. Though Jane spoke tongue-in-cheek, because April knew her sister was truly happy, April thought Jane was living the life April secretly wanted. How screwed up was she that she wanted to dump a great opportunity for a man? “Am I dumb for wanting Thorn more than I want this job?”