Collateral Damage

Honor hid a wince but quickly focused on the heart of the matter. “Us,” she repeated, wanting to be clear on what that meant exactly. She held her breath as she awaited his answer.

“Yeah, us,” he said, leaning forward to rest his thick forearms on the scarred wooden surface of the table. He lowered his voice to an intimate murmur. “Unless I’ve been reading you completely wrong for the past five months and you don’t want there to be an us.”

She couldn’t deny it so she shook her head. She wanted him more than anything, even with the impending shit-storm their being together would cause in her family. “I’ll tell them.” Eventually, if things really did progress from here. “But how’s this going to work, anyway?” She glanced around to make sure no one was listening and immediately felt stupid because Liam would never talk about this with an audience. “I mean, you and me? We’ll both be over here for months yet.”

His expression softened, his lips twitching in a little smile. “Where there’s a will there’s a way, sweet pea.”

The endearment made her heart flutter and sent a rush of warmth through her. She adored this man and she wanted him all to herself. As in exclusive, every other woman on the planet off limits to him. If she was being honest, someday she wanted a ring, a home, the vows and a family with him. He couldn’t know all that though, because she’d never told him. Did he have any idea how hard she’d been falling for him this whole time?

She glanced away. “It’s go

“Yeah,” he acknowledged. “You’re worth it though.”

At that she looked back up at him, got lost in his eyes as he gazed across the table at her. Liam smiled and picked up his water, his throat working as he swallowed the rest of it. Then he stood, still watching her. “Guess I’d better let you get back to work.”

Oh, work. Right.

Honor scrambled to her feet and adjusted her cap before rounding the end of the table and following beside him back up the boardwalk. What she wouldn’t give to be able to reach out and link their hands together right now.

She walked slowly, hating for her time with him to end. There was so much left unsaid, so many things to be nailed down between them and she was afraid to ask, afraid that what she wanted was too much to demand of him.

“When will I see you again?” she asked finally. They e-mailed each other all the time and talked over the phone when they could but even then they had to be careful with what they said. Man, Honor would have given an entire year’s salary to be alone with him in total privacy for a few minutes right now.

“I’ll come down whenever I can. When your deployment’s done I’ll likely still be stateside, so we’ll be together then for sure.”

She almost groaned aloud, tortured at the prospect of having to wait that long. Months more before she could act on her feelings? Months more before she’d finally feel his naked body against her, inside her? A man like Liam wouldn’t be hard pressed for female attention, no matter where he was. Who was to say he’d still want her when she got back home?

Seeing her deflated expression, he gave an exaggerated sigh. “Such a doubter.” He reached out and caught her wrist, winding his long fingers around it, sending sparks dancing up her arm. “Come here.”

Before she could protest or ask what he was doing he’d tugged her off the boardwalk and around the corner into a small alcove made by some pallets of water and other supplies set against the back of a storage shed.

“Liam, what—” The breath halted in her throat when he suddenly backed her up against the wooden wall, their bodies only inches apart. They were hidden from view of anyone walking past, the shadows giving them extra concealment. He was so close she could feel his body heat and the intent, hungry look on his face set her heart careening in her chest.

Holding her gaze, Liam took her face in his hands and eased his thumbs across her cheeks. The caring, protective gesture made her tingle all over and set off a delicious curling sensation in the pit of her belly.

He stared directly into her eyes as he spoke. “Would I have flown down here today to see you for half an hour, on three hours’ rest, if you didn’t mean the world to me?”

Speechless with building desire, Honor shook her head.

“No,” he confirmed. He shifted the brim of her hat upward to better see her face and leaned in even closer, until his scent filled her nose. Warm, clean male, a hint of salt she wanted to lick from his skin. “Whatever we have to do to make this work, we do it. Because goddammit, Honor, I can’t hold back a day longer.” Sliding his hands around to cradle the back of her skull, he bent his head and brought his mouth down on hers.

Her entire body lit up. She barely withheld a moan and grabbed hold of his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles as his tongue sank into her mouth. Her body arched automatically, desperate for the feel of his weight and hard frame against her. Her nipples to the point of pain, the thick length of his erection pressed to her belly igniting an explosive throb between her legs.

She kissed him back with all the longing and desperation she’d kept locked inside her these past five months. The consequences didn’t matter, military or family, she didn’t give a damn. All that mattered was him, this, him finally claiming her as she’d always wanted.

Liam made a low sound of approval at her reaction and changed the kiss, softening it from demanding into something far more destructive as he began seducing her with his lips and tongue. No longer taking, he gave.

His tongue stroked the roof of her mouth, caressed hers with silky glides that made her head spin. Honor widened her stance, needing him closer and he immediately settled his hips between her thighs, pressing and rubbing that tantalizing bulge against her aching center.

She was reeling from the feel and scent and taste of him. She’d known it would be like this between them when they finally crossed the line from friends to lovers. Hot and explosive and so damn sweet she wanted to cry from the rightness of it.

Gentling the kiss, Liam cradled her face between his hands once more and dropped little nuzzling kisses across her cheeks, the bridge of her nose. “We’ll find a way,” he whispered. “We belong together.”

They did; she’d known it from the start. She was elated that he knew it too.

Dizzy with longing, she nodded and tried to catch her breath while her heart hammered against her ribs. Her legs were unsteady from that potent kiss, her fingers still digging into his shoulders. When he lifted his head she gazed up into his eyes. The desire and the fierce determination written there gave her the courage to tell him the truth.

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” she whispered back. She’d been pining for him for months, falling more and more for him, and couldn’t keep it all inside anymore.

“I know. Me too.” Searching her eyes for a heartbeat, a sexy smile curved his lips. “I promise I’ll make sure I’m worth the wait.”

“I’m tired of waiting,” she muttered. This time she grabbed him by the back of the head and kissed him, sliding her tongue in to taste and tease until he gently set her away from him. He was breathing fast, his eyes alight with raw male hunger. She loved knowing that she affected him just as much as he did her.

“So we’re both all in,” he murmured.

The finality in his tone made her shiver. He wanted this to work as much as she did. “Yes,” she said, her answer immediate.

Liam straightened and started to pull away but drew his thumb along her jawline for a moment, as if he couldn’t bear to stop touching her. “I’ll come see you as often as I can.”

“You’d better.”

Gri