Loved by a Soldier: A Military Romance Collection

by Alison Mello

  Summer swiveled around with her hands on her hips. “How dare you, Rafe Bryant? I loved you. I never stopped loving you. Do you think if you lost a leg it would have made a difference? Am I that shallow? You never believed I loved you, did you?”

  His eyebrows furrowed, but she continued. “You never gave me a chance to prove my love, because every time our relationship hit a bump, you bailed.”

  Summer couldn’t believe the fury that spilled forth, but after months of feeling lost, frustrated, alone, and confused, it gushed like a ruptured artery. Summer advanced, and Rafe stood his ground as she stabbed her fingertip in his chest. “I loved what’s inside here,” she said with tears in her eyes.

  “Look, this is between you two. I’m going inside,” said Gabriel. Neither of them replied as they stared daggers at each other. “Okay then. For what it’s worth, Summer, I’m sorry. If I thought at the time your being there would help my man, I would have made him see that, but we’re wired different than most men. We’re extremely fucking stubborn, and we’re used to shutting off our emotions to deal with pain. To survive. I would do whatever this man asked of me. Do you understand? We all would.”

  Summer shot her glance to Gabriel, and he gave her a wide smile. She understood Rafe shared a brotherhood and eternal bond with the others. It stemmed from their military days where their survival depended upon trusting each other. But they weren’t fighting a war any longer, and he needed to let her in.

  “Don’t kill each other, okay? Rafe, remember you have a speech to give and that Markham wants pictures, so don’t mess with his face, Summer. Aim for something lower,” he said with a snigger. With that, Gabriel marched away.

  When she moved to twist back, intent on physically hurting the man in front of her, Rafe caught her around the nape of her neck and kissed her hard, stealing her breath. Drawn into him, she couldn’t help but soften in his arms, but she struggled to break free. Eventually, he let her go, and her anger receded a little as he dipped his head and held her hand in his.

  “I had osteomyelitis in the femur, and the doctors weren’t sure if the antibiotics would work. They mentioned I may need an amputation. Shit, I could cope with that, Summer. Niall manages—I damn well know I would—but I didn’t want you to feel obligated toward me because I know you, and you would have stayed with me without question. I couldn’t do that to you. Not after everything you have been through. I didn’t think I deserved you. The more I thought about whether our relationship would work, the more the odds stacked up against us. I’m not good at sharing what’s inside my head. I’ve told you, but you’re a distraction for me, Summer, which is a huge fucking problem because with you, I feel everything. Sometimes, I’m not in control when I should be.”

  Summer trembled hearing his words. Was he shutting her out again, giving excuses as to why their relationship would never work between them? She had heard enough. With all her might, she snapped her hand away and stepped back. Raising her hand, she thumped him hard against the chest repeatedly until exhausted. He stood, stoic like a granite pillar, taking everything she gave.

  Taking a deep breath, she ranted. “You do not get to decide what is best for me, damn it. I love you. You’re always in control. You take what you want, but it’s what I want too. You never hurt me. You get angry, but it’s nothing I can’t handle, Rafe. I would rather you be angry than absent. You healed me when nothing else in my life came close. When I was at the hospital recovering, the nurses told me a man visited every day. My father wouldn’t say who, and for the longest time, I thought it was Jake, but it was you. Why did you leave? And what promise did you make? I needed you—no one else, just you. I lost…our baby…” Her voice broke as she trembled.

  Rafe wrapped his arms around her back, holding her tight, and kissed the top of her head as she fell apart.

  “Shh, I know, baby. The doctor told me. I’m sorry for everything. I fucked up, getting to the restaurant late, losing my cool with the waiter and upsetting you. There’s not a minute that I don’t go over inside my head how I could have changed the events that night. If I could go back, not drink that second beer, but Niall announced we had the contract and money for STEPS. I rushed to the restaurant to share that news with you, but I shouldn’t have let it get that far.”

  Rafe eased her away from his chest, and she studied his tight and pained expression. “None of which matters now. Seeing you in the hospital, tiny, lifeless, and pale, I wished it was me. I blamed myself. I promised myself if you lived, I would let you go. You deserved a better man.”

  Summer tilted her head up and saw tears in his eyes. She blinked at his exposed emotion. Rafe spread his hand over her belly and massaged her through the material, warming her abdomen. Her gaze lingered there, touched by his tenderness.

  “I love you more than life itself. You’re everything to me. I want babies with you, Summer. I want to give you the world, the moon and stars, but you don’t know me, not really.”

  The depth of sincerity behind his declaration speared and squeezed her heart until it hurt. Summer caressed his cheek with her palm, smoothing the prominent bone there and loving the feel of him. She wished they were anywhere but here. In that moment, knowing Rafe loved her, nothing else mattered. They would make it work between them.

  “Yes, I do. And nothing will change the fact that I love you. I’m not going anywhere.”

  CHAPTER 18

  Rafe

  Gripping her hand tight in his, Rafe escorted Summer inside to the warmth of the reception and introduced her to several members of the teams gathered there, the Wounded Warrior project CEO, and the governor of New Hampshire, both who helped raise the extra one hundred thousand dollars needed for the center. He needed to find Markham as the media followed close on his tail, and he wanted to get the speeches over with. This social event, dressed in a suit like this, wasn’t him, and he needed to steal Summer away and give her the much-needed attention she craved and he needed. Fucking her for the rest of the night, weekend, and the rest of his life, if he was lucky. He stroked the soft skin on her lower back, aching for more and knowing she was equally affected.

  Whether Summer realized it or not, after the declaration outside, he wasn’t letting her go. Ever. He had given her the chance, but now, as he stared at her small hand clasped in his, no matter what happened, he wasn’t letting go again. A Navy SEAL didn’t automatically choose to fight in an adversarial situation; training kicked in to undertake a risk assessment. If there was no alternative, a SEAL would strike before the enemy had the chance to fight back. He had killed men in hand-to-hand tactical combat, striking the trachea with force, lay on his belly to wait for his target before taking the kill shot only when he knew without doubt he could accomplish the task, and fired from a building a distance of eight hundred yards away to kill the target, been beaten to a pulp, shot in the arm and leg, receiving a head trauma after the explosion that ended his career. But the training he learned would serve him for the rest of his life.

  The training had given him life skills he knew would make STEPS a success. He visualized it and was prepared to give his all to help the center be everything he imagined it could be. With Summer right at his side. Before he took another step inside the doorway of the large dining room that was set up for the speeches and dinner, he paused. Summer stopped and frowned at him as he pulled her left hand close to him. They stood tucked in the corner, in the quietest position possible right now. She tilted her head to the side as he dug inside his top pocket and pulled out the ring he had kept all this time. The platinum band sparkled with the row of square-cut diamonds, and he bent on one knee before her as she covered her lips with her hand.

  “Take me as I am, Summer, for better or worse. If you walk away, you’ll take my heart with you, and I’ll never survive without you. Marry me.”

  Summer panted and despite trying to control her tears, she couldn’t. She nodded as they slipped down her cheeks. Taking her nod as acceptance, he slipped the ring on her finger, dete
rmined that it would never be removed again. He was in this relationship for the rest of his life. She leaned down, but he stood and wrapped his arms around her. Claps sounded around them, but he was oblivious of everyone except the beautiful woman in his arms.

  “I don’t want to wait any longer. You’re the only one I want. When we take our vows, this time, it will be forever, Summer. I promise. I love you.” As she lifted her head up, he brushed a soft kiss over her sweet lips, but a slap on his back brought him back to reality.

  “Congratulations, you two, but Markham is shitting a brick in there. Come on!” Niall said.

  Rafe cricked his neck and held Summer’s hand, not willing to let go of her yet. “We’re almost ready. Summer, you might want to make a trip to the ladies’ to freshen up.” He brushed a tear away from her eyes. A wide smile curved across her lips, and he couldn’t help himself. He dipped close to her silky waves that fell down her back, covering some of her flawless skin that kept him in a constant state of arousal.

  “And while you’re in there, I think it’s only fair play that you remove your panties, Summer, and give them to me. I’m about to deliver an important speech, in front of hundreds of people, when all I can think about is how to get you out of that dress and make sweet love to you all night long.”

  Her gorgeous mouth opened, and her cheeks flushed, but he knew how his words stimulated her need for him. A short nod in his direction told him Summer would comply. He kissed her lips before releasing her. Nicki appeared, and he nodded at her before leaving with Niall.

  ***

  Summer

  “Oh my God. Summer, your ring!”

  Summer stood, unable to take her eyes off the provocative man even when he strolled away with his back to her. Rafe loved her, and this time they would get married properly. It seemed like a dream come true at last. Nicki lifted her hand, and finally she switched her attention back to her best friend as she examined her ring that sparkled with all the diamonds.

  “It’s my ring—the one from before. Rafe kept it.” Tears formed, but she sniffed, not wanting to cry despite the emotions swirling around inside her.

  “Isn’t that bad luck?” Nicki raised an eyebrow.

  The feeling of walking on air vanished, and the fear that seemed to always be on the fringe hovered as she studied Nicki, not wanting to think too hard about her statement.

  “Are you having a good time, Nicki? Did Niall look after you?” Changing the subject seemed better than facing the uneasy feeling that prickled.

  “Yes, he’s such a charmer and interesting to talk to. More serious than I thought. Now, Gabriel, on the other hand—very sexy, Summer, and so funny.”

  Judging by the smile on her friend’s face, she obviously was more attracted to the man who had cut her down and ripped her heart out when Rafe had been in the hospital. Even though Gabriel had explained, and she understood, the sensation that these men could act decisively without emotion was alarming. It enabled them to hide like the camouflage they used to wear, not letting their feelings be shown. These men wore a mask even when not fighting a war, and a need to protect her friend filled her.

  “Nicki, just remember these men have served in the worst circumstances. All I’m saying is they come with their own set of rules. I’m telling you this because loving them isn’t easy. You have to accept them as they are.”

  She didn’t know Gabriel as well as Niall and hardly knew Chayton, the quietest in the group at all, but she knew the loyalty, commitment, and perseverance they demonstrated as a Navy SEAL would spill over into how they cared for those they loved.

  “Look, I need to go and freshen up before the speeches. Want to come?” Summer stared down at her ring as the diamonds glittered. Her stomach tightened. She wanted Rafe any way she could have him. She would make their life together work.

  Fifteen minutes later, with a fresh coat of Red Diva lipstick, she glided arm in arm with Nicki into the busy dining room area that was the size of a school gymnasium, studying the clusters of men dressed in dark dinner suits and women who sparkled with glitz and glamor under the bright overhead lights. The multiple round tables all converged around a small square area at the front, where a band was set up, playing popular recent hits. The sight was like stepping back into her parents’ realm. Her panic must have shown on her face as Nicki clutched her arm.

  “Hey, are you all right?”

  Servers walked around carrying trays of champagne and platters of hors d’oeuvres, and her stomach growled.

  “All that’s missing is my mother.”

  “I know, right? But hey, this way neither of us has to cook, and we have a ride home.”

  “Good point. Let’s grab the men and go eat.”

  Nicki laughed, and Summer navigated her way to the front table where Rafe had instructed her to find him. There were twenty round tables covered in crisp white linens, each with settings for eight people. Crystal glasses, a full set of silver cutlery with names above the plates, and red roses in glass lanterns as centerpieces finished the table. Rafe stood, surrounded by several equally impressive men as a reporter chatted with the group and a photographer snapped pictures. Summer pressed her legs tightly together. She had removed her panties as per Rafe’s intoxicating request, but standing under the fluorescent light made her feel wicked and exposed. A kiss to her cheek brought her out of her dream-like state.

  “I want you to meet our investor, Mr. Markham, but first, I want to know if you have my gift.”

  Lowering his head, despite the important men who stood around him, he sealed her lips with a gentle kiss, and she wanted more. A flash of light bulbs blinked around them, and she stiffened as he broke away.

  “Here? You want me to give you them here in front of everyone?”

  The act of handing over her underwear seemed ridiculous, but she opened her shallow purse and pointed it at him to show him what lay inside. Rafe smirked, grabbed the scrap of red lace in his hand, and stuffed it inside his top pocket in a way that no one else noticed. That suggestive act alone made her squirm, and a ravenous need for him heated her flesh as her breathing hitched, knowing he knew exactly how to play her. Rafe leaned in close and brushed his thumb over her nipple as she gasped and dipped her head low.

  “I know what your body craves. I always have. And I hunger for you too. Let’s get this performance over with as quickly as possible because I intend to show you what it is to be mine. I think you need reminding.”

  His erotic and silky words played over her senses, weaving a magical spell that was intoxicating and annoying. Rafe captured her hand and stepped forward, but Summer froze, unable to move. Facing her was Matt, the young man who assaulted her all those months ago and the police hadn’t been able to find. She blinked. Maybe she was wrong. But as the youthful man with soft features twisted around, the smile on his face vanished. His eyes widened and leveled on her, displaying the dreadful truth. She gripped Rafe’s sleeve, digging her nails in the fine material as a wave of bile rose in her mouth.

  “Summer, what is it?”

  She blinked to stay focused, not wanting to make a scene even as her palms grew clammy. She needed to tell him, but how could she? How would Rafe react? This was an important night for him, for STEPS, and for all his friends. Remembering the teachings in her yoga class, she let her mind tune into her breathing to adjust the fast pace.

  Slow long breath, breathe, focus.

  She wouldn’t put his success in jeopardy. Instead, she pressed her lips tight and squeezed his hand.

  “Well, this must be the lovely Summer Hamilton. I’ve heard so much about you, young lady. And this is my son Matthew. Come on, son. Come forward.”

  A rotund man with thin gray hair and round-rimmed glasses pointed at an attractive young man with a neat crew cut and a dimple in his cheek as he smiled. Rafe extended his hand, and Matt shook it. His smile widened at the plight of her situation, and she tightened her hold on Rafe’s arm as he swept his look back at her. Matt stepped closer and off
ered his hand for her to shake, but her heart hammered inside, and goose bumps crawled over her skin, making her shiver with cold.

  “Summer, are you sure you’re okay?”

  The room swirled, and perspiration made her hands clammy. She ground her teeth to get control and blinked for a moment to right the view in front of her.

  I can do this.

  “Let me get you some water.”

  The voices around her grew quiet until she only heard Rafe’s voice, and she nodded.

  “Baby, I’m here. You’re okay. Breathe. Do you need to leave?”

  His warm callused hand smoothed over her cheek, and the swirling slowed. Gabriel appeared at her side, along with Nicki, who wrapped her arm around her shoulder. Inhaling and exhaling, she steadied her breathing until she could talk.

  “No, I’ll be fine. I’m sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to apologize for. Come on, sit here,” Rafe said, and she sat down where he directed her, and he handed over a glass of water. Nicki sat down next to her.

  “Will you be all right? I have to give my speech. It won’t take long,” he said.

  “Go. Nicki is here.”

  Summer watched as Rafe moved to the front where the others stood by the microphone, and she turned to face Nicki.

  “Do you need to leave? We can go,” Nicki said.

  Summer stared back at Matt, who had the decency to walk away and was seated across the room. But a sinking sensation clawed at her belly. She sipped on the water and stared at the glass. Would he be part of Rafe’s work? If he was, how the hell would she deal with this?

  “It’s him, Nicki.”

  “Who?”

  “The man who attacked me. It’s Mr. Markham’s son. What should I do?”

  “You need to tell Rafe.”

  The lights dimmed, and all the members of STEPS stood in a row. Each man said a few words, and finally Mr. Markham grabbed the mic.