neck so he could watch her.
Her tongue laved him, lapping at his erection as if it were the best lollipop she’d ever tasted. Testing flicks, deep strokes—by the time the last speck of sugar was gone his control was about to snap with it.
With a rushed, “I’m sorry,” he flipped their positions and slammed home inside her. He couldn’t wait, hadn’t the strength to hold back for her this time. But as his body raced toward orgasm his mind registered the signs of her impending release.
He thrust into her, one, two, three more times before throwing his head back with abandon. His body emptied into hers with a force and completeness he’d never experienced before. It was mind-boggling how utterly consuming his need to possess this woman was.
Collapsing to the bed beside her, Chase rolled them both on their sides, tucked her into the curve of his body and wrapped his arms tight around her. His last thought before sleep stole over him was that he wished he didn’t have to leave her. Not now when he’d finally found her again.
LAST NIGHT she had not been herself. And it had felt utterly fantastic.
Rina had spent her entire life being the good girl, the “never do anything wrong” girl, the “never step out on a limb or take a chance or do something fun and spontaneous” girl. Her life was mapped out, every decision carefully made. At least every one before tonight.
She’d worked hard to fast-track her career. To be the best of the best in her field. To eventually achieve her goal of being in the Pentagon public affairs bureau. She’d worked hard to live down deficiencies—hers and her mother’s.
But last night…she’d felt amazing and…free.
Now she needed to go.
Chase was leaving in three—no two—days for Iraq anyway. It wasn’t like this was going anywhere. It had been fun. And amazing. And the best sexual experience she’d ever had.
But she couldn’t stay and watch him pack up and leave.
It was over. And she needed to get out of here.
Quietly gathering her clothes, Rina fought the fierce edge of a blush as her eyes landed on the dresser and the half-demolished wedding cake sitting on top of it.
What had possessed her?
She had no idea but Chase hadn’t seemed to mind. In fact, he’d seemed to like every last moment. A thrill shot through her body, a mix of remembered pleasure and awakened knowledge.
Rina ignored it, but she couldn’t ignore the urge to take one more look at him, sound asleep and sated in the bed they’d shared. The white sheet draped across his body, revealing the strong curve of his back and the tight indent at his hip. One long, muscled leg stuck out from the covers tangled into a knot around him. One arm was tucked beneath the pillow, bunching it to his cheek. The other was flung over the space she’d occupied just minutes before.
Six years ago she’d have killed for a single night with Chase Carden. It had lived up to every last fantasy she’d created in her mind. Surpassed them all, actually.
But now it was over.
Picking up her purse, she spied the pictures lying beneath. Reaching inside, she drew out the last one, the one of their kiss, and left it there.
In two days Chase would leave for Iraq. And as soon as she walked out that door she would go back to the perfect, ordered life she’d built for herself.
Last night had been a dream. But now it was over.
At least that’s what Rina thought. Until one week later when their marriage certificate arrived in the mail.
3
Present
DAMN. He was here. And she was not ready for him.
Not that she ever would have been. If eleven months wasn’t long enough, a couple more weeks probably wouldn’t have helped.
Rina had no idea what to say to him. Her husband. The word rolled around inside her brain, pinching at the corners. How was she going to tell him?
Her eyes followed Chase as he crossed the room. How had this happened?
Oh, she knew the answer. She’d been blinded by lust and intoxicated by alcohol and hadn’t paid attention. Some joke.
Eleven months had given her plenty of time to come to terms with the situation and formulate a plan to fix the problem…
She’d done research, had even begun to fill out the annulment paperwork, but something had stopped her. The memories had stopped her. And the fact that her attorney had advised her that things would go more smoothly with her husband’s cooperation.
Her husband, who had no idea they were married. Well, he was back in her life now. Home. In Las Vegas. Part of her squadron. Safe.
No thanks to his stupid heroics that had almost gotten him killed. Every time she thought of it the center of her chest started to ache.
So she wouldn’t think of it. He was here now. She had to figure out how—and when—to tell him he was married.
Somehow, telling him about this disaster in a letter hadn’t seemed right. Nor had calling him halfway around the world to drop a bomb of a whole different sort than he was used to. The kind of shock she had to deliver deserved face-to-face time.
Yes, she’d been slightly concerned that her husband might meet another woman in the eleven months he’d been gone but, considering he was in a foreign country fighting a war, Rina had figured that possibility was pretty slim.
She covertly watched as Chase met the other officers. He moved with a familiar, well-oiled grace—precision-timed movements he’d honed with hours in the sky. From a safe distance in the corner she let her eyes wander across his body. It was good to see him…whole.
Not that she’d ever tell him that.
The last year of her life was supposed to have been amazing. She’d landed one of the most coveted assignments in the air force. The competition was fierce for each position within the squadron. It had been the culmination of years of work. Her father had been so proud of her.
She should have been ecstatic. Instead she’d spent the past eleven months living in fear—that Chase would die, that someone would discover their marriage, that her entire world and the career she’d spent her life building would be snatched out from under her.
Their one stupid mistake could cost her everything. If anyone in the air force found out that she and Chase were married—and by Elvis!—and hadn’t informed their superior officers, hadn’t filed necessary paperwork…they could be accused of fraud, demoted, asked to resign their commissions.
Not to mention she’d look like a complete idiot. That would do wonders for the reputation she’d built as a level-headed, competent officer.
At the very least they’d receive a formal reprimand in their files which would kill any forward momentum their careers had. Being stationed in Timbuktu wasn’t her life’s dream.
