Promises to Keep (21 page)

Jack
stood, put his blanket around Laura, and tucked it in, over her shoulders like
a shawl. "Now, why don't you go back to bed? I'll keep watch."

"Through
closed eyelids, like you were a second ago?" She giggled. "Or do you
think that wall-bending snoring of yours will scare him away?"

"C'mon,
I don't snore." Jack scooped up the pillow and tossed it at her.

She
dodged it easily.

"Here's
the thing, Jack." Laura let the blanket fall from her shoulders and sat
down beside him, leaning into him. "I’ve had enough quiet time by myself.
I thought I needed that, but I was wrong. I really don't want to be
alone."

"Are
you sure? I don't want to take—"

"Please
don't say no."

He
looked down at her and felt his lips curl up in a roguish smile. “I’d never say
no to you, Laura.”

Laura
picked up his hand and pressed it against her cheek. "I want a warm,
living person sleeping next to me, Jack. Not only sleeping, either. I want to
be with you. There was a frigging murder at my place. I’m pretty freaked out, you
know?”

He
nodded but said nothing. Carefully and gently took her palm from her face,
pressed a kiss into it, and put it on her knee.

“We
walked right into where he was killed,” she said, her voice beginning to rise
to a high, anxious pitch. “I feel awful, I feel so damned guilty—but you know
what? Part of me is relieved and that makes me feel even worse. Jack, it
could've been me. Don't you see? It could've been me lying there with my throat
cut in a pool of my own blood—” She shook her head. “You must think I'm
terrible."

"No.
Not at all. I think you're human, Laura. I'm so glad it wasn't you. Ron would‘ve
been glad it wasn’t you, too. He felt protective. I understand that. I feel the
same way."

A
few tears started to roll down her cheeks. “Thank you.” She sat back, her whole
body tense, her nerves and muscles on edge.

“I’ve
always known I was going to die someday—everyone knows that. It’s just a thing.
But yesterday… when I saw Ron dead—” He watched her throat move as she
swallowed hard.

Laura’s
eyes were big and haunted. Jack had an overwhelming urge to pull her into his
arms, but he stopped himself from doing so. He’d done this dance many times
before with panicked soldiers. She was telling him her fears and purging ugly
images. It needed to flow from her, to get out.

He
didn’t want to interrupt that.

Pulling
her on to his lap where he could hold her and soothe her would only be a
distraction. Right now it was his job to shut up and listen.

She
inhaled deeply. “…I realized death could happen soon. Like at
any time
.
I was so scared. I don’t want to die—I don’t want to be alone Jack. I just need
to feel alive. I need to feel
something.
Something strong—anything but
fear, guilt, shame and terror…”

"I
understand, Laura. That’s a normal reaction—Jesus, I sound like a professor—but
what you’re feeling is a common response to something like this. People witness
death and they want to do something life affirming. You see it in the middle of
war or disaster—it's a way to comfort each other."

Laura
put her hand on his and laced his fingers with hers. Bringing it to her lips
for a soft kiss, she guided both hands back to her thigh.

"Really?
Is that what you soldiers did, when you had to have your life... affirmed?"

Jack
smiled and squeezed her hand. "Well, we didn't necessarily have sex with
each other, if that's what you mean. Although there were a lot of goings on in
the dark corners of camp. We have girls out there as well, you know. Guys too,
I guess. I didn't ask and nobody told."

“Lots
less girls than men, I bet.”

Jack
laughed. “Let’s just say female soldiers are
really
popular over there. They’re
pretty amazing, women who are Marines. I have no idea how they manage to put up
with all of that relentless male attention.”

“Really?
What, are men always trying to get them into bed?”

“Sure.
Given basic human biology, I’m sure some succeed, too.”

Laura
frowned, thinking this over.

“Once,
I saw something scrawled on a toilet door. It said,
Enjoy it while you can
girls! I am, cuz soon I’ll be back in the States, where I’ll be ugly again.”

“That’s
terrible!”

“That’s
life.” He shrugged. “Life often isn’t fair.”

Laura
stared at him, her mind clearly stuck on the thought of women who were
considered ugly and the constant petty, disheartening trials that they’d have
to endure throughout their lives.

He
knew he’d upset her.

She’d
seen a good friend dead, literally killed at her doorstep—brutally murdered.
Covered with her neighbor’s blood, Laura had realized how close she’d come to
death herself. Yet, she still had the ability to feel sorry for some unknown
female Marine who’d been born unattractive.

For
such a strong, no-nonsense sort of girl who somehow dragged herself up from a
garbage heap—Laura sure was softhearted.

Jack
loved that about her. She talked tough, but behind all of her bluster was
innate kindness.

He studied
her, taking in her silky golden hair, her strong chin, firm lips and angular
jaw. Such stubborn, masculine features on such a sweet, feminine body. There
was so much natural goodness radiating from her.

His
eyes focused on her face and a warm sense of happiness flowed right through him.

Maybe
life wasn’t always fair, but there were countless joyous moments. Moments of
warmth, of love and human connection. Times just like now, where a man could sit
with an amazing, beautiful woman—and feel
so damned grateful
to be
alive.

"And
you, Jack?” Laura finally said quietly. “Did you find yourself a little soldier
girl and go off into the bushes?" She pulled his hand even higher until it
rested at the top of her thigh, his fingers curled across her hip.

"Not
me, I’m sorry to say. Officers are supposed to have a little restraint."

Her
expression was intense—her green eyes were dark and dilated with need. "I
don't want you to show any restraint, Jack. Not with me. Not tonight."

His
response was instant and automatic—with an offer like that, she didn’t need to ask
him twice.

His
body swelled with primal energy. When he swept her up in his arms like a bride
crossing the threshold, Laura gave a little shriek of surprise. Winding her
arms around his neck, she laughed as he carried her into the bedroom.

Jack
wasn’t laughing.

Swirling
anger and a sense of powerlessness had filled him ever since he’d seen Ron
lying dead. Death was so final, so unexpected and close. It was bad enough in a
war zone.

He’d
come back to the United States, but the war, like an evil shadow, had followed
him home. Jack hated seeing Laura upset, but what could he do about it?

What
he wanted to do was kill someone.

More
specifically, he wanted to kill Jonah.

Failing
that, he wanted to fuck Laura senseless. Jack didn’t want soft and loving—he
didn’t want sweet. Not right now. Just then, he wanted to fuck her over and
over again until he fell into a blissful state of unconsciousness. And when he
woke up he wanted to fuck her some more.

His
voice came out deep and low. “Do you have any idea of just how much I want
you?”

He
had the satisfaction of watching as she caught her breath. “No,” she breathed.
“How much?”

“I
can’t tell you that,” he said quietly. His lips curved in a teasing smile. “I’m
going to have to show you.”

Jack
stood her up at the foot of the bed and pulled that large, loose T-shirt up
over her head, tossing it on the floor. It was as he suspected—nothing on
underneath. Curves, breasts and an enticing triangle of blonde hair between her
legs—not to mention that single-minded, lustful expression of hers.

For
a moment, he lost the ability to speak or move, just from the captivating sight
of her. A vision of throwing her up against the wall, slamming into her, and
taking her hard and fast flew through his consciousness—but he couldn’t do
that.

Laura
didn’t need that right now.

“My
God, the look on your face,” she said with a smile, while placing her hands on
his chest. “You sure know how to make a girl feel wanted.”

“You’re
so beautiful,” he said as he pulled her into his arms, crushing her to him.

Laura
moaned as his mouth met hers. She twined her arms around his neck and they
pressed the lengths of their bodies together, her breasts, warm, silky
softness, pushing into the hardness of his chest.

Such
sweet lips. The scent and sight of her filled him. The solid length of his
erection pressed up against her sex while his hands went to her buttocks, bringing
her hard against him.

Pulling
one of her legs up by the thigh, Jack pulled her into him—he had to get closer.

Tongues
entwined, Laura gasped into his mouth, murmuring his name as her body shuddered
with pleasure.

Jack
swept her up into his arms again and placed her in the middle of the bed. Laura
needed him, and he never did anything impulsively. Jack was always a man with a
plan.

“I’m
going to kiss every single inch of your body,” he told her.

“You
won’t get any complaints from me,” she giggled.

He began
at her face, peppering her eyes, nose and cheeks with kisses and moving to her neck,
her throat and behind her ears. All the while his hands caressed her, throat,
breasts, nipples, stomach and hips.

Hands,
teeth and tongue, Jack started at the top and worked his way down. Licking,
stroking, nibbling and sucking—like a hungry man, Jack feasted. He was starving,
but only for her.

Every
time Laura responded or made a sound of pleasure, a whimper, moan or sigh, he
spent more time, concentrating his focus on that area. He’d told her he wanted
to
show
her just how much he wanted her, and that was exactly what he intended
to do.

Her
scent alone was a potent aphrodisiac. Jack had to wonder, if she smelled this
good, what would she taste like?

Aching
with need, the thought of tasting her made him even harder. Spreading the
sensitive tissues of her sex, Jack licked and Laura moaned loudly. She was red,
swollen and flushed. As he laved between her legs, her hips instinctively bucked
with arousal.

“Oh,
God, Jack. That feels amazing,” she gasped.

“You
taste fantastic. Mmm.”

Every
cell in his body, every part of him wanted to bury himself inside of her, slam his
body inside of her and lose himself. Forget death and mistakes and remorse and regrets.
Forget fear and unhappiness.

Forget
everything.

His
need was so great that his body ached for her.

Concentration,
that’s the key to control,
he thought.

Carefully
keeping her wet folds apart, he put two fingers inside of her while circling
her clit with his tongue. He altered the rhythm and pressure of his licks,
moving from slow to fast, measured to erratic and firm to soft.

Laura
particularly relished firm, fast flicks using the flat of his tongue. If her
sweet sounds of arousal were anything to go by—that was what she liked best. She
also enjoyed having t
he pad of his thumb
manipulate the sensitive nerves of her clit, while he fingered her throbbing core.

Soon
his every touch caused a wild response. To his great satisfaction, Laura became
quite vocal and the muscles of her inner channel spasmed, gripping his fingers
tightly.

Somehow
managing to pull his hair, despite its short length, Laura’s shuddering breaths
almost sounded like sobs.

Did
she just climax?

He
wasn’t certain—if not she was pretty damned close. He scissored his fingers
within her, massaging her on the inside. Once more he paid attention, noticing
what she liked, and doing it again.

Taking
her clit inside of his mouth, he gently suckled it.

“Hmmmm,”
he growled, long and low with his face pressed hard against her.

To
his surprise—and his great pleasure, Laura’s whole body tensed—then she
exploded. Body trembling and head thrashing, he had no doubt that she came, and
came
hard.
This time he was sure, as her silken channel rhythmically
pulsed down on his fingers.

“Ah,
ah, ah, yes, God yes!”

Jack
was so aroused and pleased with the result, he repeated the entire technique once
more, until she climaxed again.

Hearts
pounding, skin misted with sweat, they panted breathlessly. Not from exertion,
but from fever pitch excitement.

Now
it was his turn, but he’d make sure she came again too.

Jack
climbed up her body, kissing her all the way back to her mouth. Laura smiled at
him with heady feminine allure. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, her
green eyes dilated and heavy-lidded and her entire body flushed. A satisfied,
wanton woman.

“You’ve
never looked so beautiful,” he murmured.

Chuckling,
she said, “Oh? Just keep up the orgasms and I’ll stay that way.”

“Anytime.”
Jack grinned.

He
positioned himself to enter. Recalling how tight she’d been earlier, and not
wanting to hurt her, he slowly pushed himself inside of her.

They
both gasped and panted as he did.

“So
good,” she said with a deep sigh.

“Yes,”
he bit out hoarsely, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Now,
if he could just maintain his self-control, everything would be fine. What he
wanted to do—what he ached for, was just let go.

Unfortunately,
he couldn’t do what he wanted.