Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
“So damn sweet.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “I’m going to miss you while I’m gone.”
“I’m going to miss you, too.” I gave him a quick peck on the lips before scrambling off the mattress.
“I wish I had enough time to take you home myself.” A muscle jumped in his jaw.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “I haven’t bothered with a car since my apartment is less than a mile from the bank, so I’m used to taking the bus or a rideshare.”
“I have a better idea.” He got up and strode over to the dresser. Grabbing his keys, he turned toward me and pressed them into my hand. “Take my SUV. It’ll just sit in a parking lot while I’m gone, and I like knowing you have a vehicle to get wherever you need to be if I’m not around to drive you.”
I stared down in shock at the keys he’d given me. “I don’t know.”
He kissed me breathless again before whispering, “Please, Cora. Do this for me.”
My heart melted at his plea. “Okay.
“Take all the shit in my fridge home with you, too.” I was about to protest when he added, “You’d be doing me a favor since I usually throw it all away before I leave. It fucking sucks to come home to rotten food.”
I laughed and shook my head. “When you put it that way, how can I say no?”
He flashed me a triumphant grin before patting my butt and nudging me toward the door. “I’ll help you pack it all up once I have everything I need to bring with me.”
Less than twenty minutes later, he pulled to the side of the road near the entrance to the base. After he climbed out of the truck, I slid over to the driver’s side. He gave me one last kiss before shutting the door. I rolled down the window while he grabbed his bag from the back seat. “Bye, Huntley. Be as safe as you can be for me.”
His voice was fierce as he corrected, “Not goodbye, gingersnap. I’ll see you later.”
I held on to his vow as I watched him walk through the security gate, a lone tear sliding down my cheek as I sent up a little prayer that he’d come back to me soon.
8
Huntley
Six weeks. What should have been a quick, in and out mission went FUBAR the first day. We spent weeks cleaning up the mess while trying not to get ourselves killed.
Six long fucking weeks since I’d seen or held my girl.
The debriefing nearly did the job of our enemies for us by killing me with boredom and the need to be on the move. Afterward, I couldn’t get my ass off the base fast enough.
I threw Deacon a deadly glare when he chuckled for the fifth time while giving me a ride to Cora’s place. “I’m going to knock that smirk off your face if you don’t stop, D.”
“I can’t help it. You’re really whipped for this girl, aren’t you?”
“You say whipped. I say devoted to the woman of my dreams.” I tossed him my own smirk this time. “I can’t wait until this happens to you. I’m going to enjoy every second of rubbing it in your pretty-boy face.”
Deacon snorted. “The rest of us aren’t as gooey inside as you, Huntley.”
I rolled my eyes and ignored him the rest of the way.
When he finally pulled up to Cora’s duplex, I didn’t even wait for the car to stop before I jumped out. Deacon had obviously anticipated this reaction because my duffel came sailing out the door right behind me.
I slammed it shut, grabbed my bag, and waved at Deacon as I jogged up the walkway to the front door.
When I was standing in front of it, I paused. I didn’t want to freak Cora out with my intensity, so I took a few deep breaths to calm down. That was the last of my patience. I rang the doorbell twice, then waited and waited and waited before anxiously knocking on the door. Or maybe it had only been a few seconds. I wasn’t sure.
When the door finally swung open and I laid eyes on my Cora, all the air in my lungs whooshed out, and I stood frozen. I kept telling myself she couldn’t possibly be as beautiful in real life as I remembered. But she was ten times more gorgeous than any image of her in my mind.
Her red hair was pulled up and piled on her head, her face scrubbed clean of makeup, and she was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, her feet bare. She looked adorable and sexy all at the same time. But it wouldn’t have mattered how she was dressed. All I could see was the joy shining in her eyes, the love confirming she was mine.