Off Base

Beck felt Ke

He felt raw and ripped open after hurting Cullen, knowing it would be a long time coming before he could move forward. If words existed that would ease what Cullen was feeling, he’d go after him. But he knew from experience, Cullen had already shut the world—including him—out. Huntley would shift the focus. Tomorrow, once they’d gotten their heads together, he’d find a way to set healing in motion for Cullen.

Right now, though? Right now, he needed Ke

Starting now.

Beside him, she crossed her legs, treating Beck to a glimpse of her smooth, i

Okay…starting now.

Ke

Dammit. Starting now? Right.

“Where are you going to take me?”

The way she purred the double-meaning question meant she knew all about his agony—and enjoyed it. “Somewhere public where you can’t tempt me.”

“Aw, that’s no fun.”

He threw his arm over the passenger seat, backing her car out of its spot. “We’re having a conversation, Ke

“Yes, I got that.” She rubbed her cheek against his bicep. “How about this? I’ll take you somewhere private—” Her hand came up when he attempted to interrupt. “Now hear me out. I promise not to touch you until the conversation portion of the evening has been completed to your satisfaction.”

“I know when I’m being patronized.” She gri

Ironically, his words made her smile waver. “Take a right turn out of the parking lot.”

Beck ignored the pang in his middle and followed her directions. If he let her reticence bother him, they’d have another scene like that morning, which would only damage his cause. Fortunately, when they reached the checkpoint leading onto base and the soldiers on patrol reacted with shock to see Ke

They’d only been on base two minutes when she pointed through the windshield. “See the brick building up ahead? Turn in there.”

“The physical therapy center?” He slowed the car down. “It’s not open at night.”

“I know.” She sent him a sly look. “I have keys.”

Of course she did. “How’s that?”

Her voice turned solemn. “After my father’s heart attack, I brought him here for therapy sessions. He thought it made him look weak, so I brought him during off hours. Sometimes he’d just swim, which didn’t require the doctor.” She shrugged. “They forgot to take the keys back.”

Beck’s mind was busy cataloguing what she’d revealed, not just about her relationship with the lieutenant general, but simply by the sad way she spoke about him. So busy, a slightly more pressing detail occurred to him only after they’d parked the car in the deserted lot. “And what are we doing here?”

Ke

With a fortifying breath for what he was about to face, Beck climbed out. “I hate surprises.”

She stopped short at the bumper. “Me too. Maybe we have something in common after all.” Before he could address her implication that they only had one thing in common, she sailed toward the building. “Anyway, turnabout is fair play, since you surprised me the day we met.” With a jingle of her keys, the center’s door swung open. “I’m merely returning the favor.”

“You were surprised?” Beck asked, following her into the darkened lobby. “I expected a wet-behind-the-ears new recruit to pick me up. Instead, I get you.” He couldn’t resist skimming her body with a heated look, noticing the way her nipples beaded under his regard. Stop staring or you’ll fail. “In terms of surprises, I won the day.”

“You might have me there.” She gazed up at him from beneath her eyelashes. “Considering the way it ended and all.”

The memory of Ke

He smiled when she nearly dropped the keys. “You got a thing for my shampoo, True Blue?”

“I’ve got a thing for just about every part of you.”

“Well, then.” She nudged open the door and flipped on the overhead light. “That bodes well for tonight’s plan.”

Beck’s gaze sca

Nice try, thinking about the new showers and sturdier tables. Anything to distract him from Ke

“I reckon you think this is fu

“Yes.” She hooked her fingers in the sides of her skirt and turned, giving him a mind-blowing view of her partially naked body. “I love testing you. I love it even more when you give in.”

The skirt hit the floor and Beck heaved a breath, reeling at the speed of which his body reacted. He’d seen her without clothes, but she’d been up close. From a distance, he could take her all in at once. Words hadn’t been invented yet to describe her curves, the angles of her hips and tits. In a word, she was devastation. And she’d just declared war.

“Get in,” he croaked, crossing to the control panel on the wall.

Watching him curiously, she stepped into the warm tub and sank beneath the surface. When Beck turned on the bubbles a second later, obscuring her luscious body from his view, she nodded. “Well played.”