Off Base

“So I’ll take you home. I’m sober enough now.”

She arched an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“A sober Cullen never would have—”

He laughed roughly. “Oh, you’re going to blame what happened on the alcohol?” He snorted, draping his wrists over his knees. “That’s original, Huntley. The beer lowered my inhibitions? Really? I wouldn’t have touched you otherwise?” He rubbed at his lips, tasting her there. “You go ahead and tell yourself that if it makes you feel better.”

Her chest lifted on a sharp inhale, her full breasts pressing against the cotton of her blouse, and he suddenly regretted that he had not gotten her naked while he had the chance. He could have satisfied his curiosity after all these years.

It had always been there, buried beneath the surface. Sure, he treated her like she was one of the guys. Just another pal. It was the only way a friendship between them could work. But tonight he had crossed the line. It wasn’t irreparable, however. They hadn’t fucked. Not even when she had quivered under him in surrender, her tight heat milking his fingers, her soft little sounds driving him wild and inviting him to take her.

He had stopped even though it killed him. Even though he had wanted to drive deep inside her until he couldn’t remember his own name. Until he forgot the guilt eating at him.

This was salvageable. He could forget what they had done, the way she felt. The way she tasted … like honey and butter on his tongue.

“What am I supposed to think, Cullen?” she demanded. “This was a difficult night for you. I was a welcome distraction. And combined with alcohol …” She shook her head, her mane of dark blonde hair tossing around her shoulders. “It explains a lot about what happened between us.”

He resisted insisting what happened between them had been coming from day one. Ever since Beck demanded he come and meet his sister and help her move in. He was screwed the minute she stepped outside her house. Dressed in blue jeans and a Georgia State University sweatshirt, she was your squeaky-clean girl next door. Her long blonde ponytail bounced as she jogged down the steps to greet them. He had hesitated behind Beck, taking in her makeup-free face.

When she turned those blue eyes on him he felt like someone punched him in the gut. She was sweet and i

It dawned on him that she was giving him a way out. An excuse to pardon tonight’s actions. They could get beyond the fact that he had felt her up like she was some girl in the backseat of his high school Bronco and pretend this never happened.

A horn honked outside.

She bolted for the door. “I’ll see you at the ceremony tomorrow.”

He lunged after her, stalling her at the door with a hand on her arm. “I’ll walk you out.”

She opened her mouth like she wanted to protest, but he didn’t stick around to hear it. He opened the door and strode outside, heedless that he was barefoot. He released a sigh of relief at the sight of the driver. A harried-looking woman, not a day younger than sixty, sat behind the wheel. She jerked her chin at him in greeting.

He opened the door for Huntley, feeling safer knowing she was in the cab with the older female rather than some strange man.

She paused before ducking in. “See you tomorrow?”

He nodded. “Sure. Tomorrow. Thanks for babysitting me.”

She averted her gaze, nodding. “No problem. That’s what I’m here for.”

That’s what I’m here for. To babysit him? He swallowed a growl. She probably wasn’t talking about letting him feel her up.

His gaze crawled over her face and hot color suffused her cheeks. He knew she was remembering it all in that moment. His mouth on her, his fingers. His dick stirred. Hell. How were things ever supposed to go back to normal between them now when all he wanted to do was follow through on where his mouth and fingers had been?

Because there was no other choice. They were friends and he needed to make sure they stayed that way.

“See you tomorrow.” He nodded.

She slammed the door shut behind her and the car pulled away from the curb. He watched the taillights fade down the street and turn the corner.

He stared, peering unseeingly into the night for several moments before returning inside to his empty house. Empty bed.

Pulling the sheets up to his waist, he closed his eyes and tried to pretend like he couldn’t still smell her all around him. When he took himself in hand and started stroking, he told himself it was a simple release he was after and it had nothing to do with her specifically. He clung to that lie until the moment he climaxed and it was only her face in his mind.

Chapter Five

Huntley picked up Beck and took him to an early di

“Mom wants you to come home,” he a

She nodded, finishing her juice in a long sip. “I know.”

And by everyone he meant everyone. They had aunts, uncles and cousins by the truckloads. Everyone also meant Jackson. Her ex kept up with her online and via text. He liked to call her between his breakups and remind her that once upon a time they had pla

“I know.”

“So why don’t you then?”

“I like my job.” That was one reason.

“And that’s enough to stay here? Even if our entire family is halfway across the country? Are you dating anyone? Last time we talked—”

“No. I’m not seeing anyone.” An image of Cullen’s face hovering above her in the near dark of his room flashed through her mind and sent a warm blast of heat through her.

“Then think about it, Huntley. You shouldn’t be here all alone without any family around you.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to remind him that she had Cullen. She wasn’t alone. Beck himself had appointed him as her watchdog, after all, but then she stopped herself. She didn’t have Cullen. No one had Cullen. And after last night, he’d probably treat her with the cool distance he treated every one-night stand. He’d be Sullen Cullen, even to her.

“Hey, you okay, Hunt?”

She forced a bright smile. “Sure. Now, let’s go get you that medal.” She reached across the table and dusted a speck of lint off his dress uniform shoulder. “I’m proud of you, you know.”

He gri

She rolled her eyes. “Seventeen minutes.”

“I’m still older.”

“Keep lording that over me.” Smiling, she looked out the diner window. “This place feels like home now.”

She didn’t want to go back just to get sucked into that world again. She liked what she had here. She winced, realizing a lot of her life here was wrapped up in Cullen, and if she wanted things to return to normal, she needed to clear the air between them and put last night behind them for good.