“Does she do this often?” I question Lena after catching True in my arms. Guess I should have called first.

“No. But she hasn’t been eating or sleeping, so low blood sugar is likely the cause. Not your ugly mug.” She smirks at me like she’s won the lottery.

“Why the fuck hasn’t she been eating?” I growl, carrying my girl to the overstuffed couch my cousin points to.

“She’s been worried about you, jackass.”

“What the hell for? She knew I was going to be out of touch for a while.”

“You told her a month. Week two hit and I think she stopped sleeping.”

“Fuck.” The equipment escort took longer than anticipated, and then we had to set up security around the perimeter of where the school was to be built. Our government didn’t want this to become a regular thing—us delivering shit to rebuild. The assignment was easy as could be, and because of it, my unit was called home early.

“When do you go back, Mav?” The worry in Lena’s voice catches my full attention, and I really look at her. My cousin’s gaze is glued to the woman in my arms.

“I don’t,” I tell her, her silence deafening in the quiet room. “Don’t you have gorillas to attend to?” As annoying as Lena can be, I love the kid, but I want time with my girl now. Even if she is passed out.

“Oh, shut up you jerk. I live here now.” Her tone is smug.

“Not anymore you don’t,” I inform her.

“What? You can’t kick me out. True wouldn’t let you.” I hear her stomp her foot on the ground in true Lena fashion.

“Don’t be so sure,” is croaked out from my lap.

The deepest pools of chocolate honey are staring up at me as I gaze down at her. Full of excitement, confusion, and relief.

“You’re really here,” she whispers. And I was right, the slightest bit of husk, but still incredibly soft.

“Yeah, baby girl, I’m here.” Her smile is magnificent. It reaches her eyes and shines bright with her enthusiasm.

“For how long?” Anxiety colors her tone again.

“I’ll tell you over breakfast,” I whisper to her. “I believe I was promised something when I got here.” My grin is predatory as I lean down, stopping just before our lips connect to give her a chance to back away.

True shocks me and lifts up to meet my mouth, and we’re both zapped with electricity as we touch skin to skin for the first time. She tastes of apple cinnamon and debauchery. The things I want to do to her. Her tiny hands grip the front of my uniform so tightly her knuckles are white as I kiss along her neck and shoulder. The baggy sweater she’s wearing slides off her shoulder to entice me with more flesh.

“Oh, gross!” Lena gags.

“Piss off,” I say, not stopping in my quest to devour more of True’s soft skin.

“I’m not leaving.” That fucking foot stomp again.

Picking True up in my arms, I walk past Lena and head to the only bedroom in the apartment. “Fine. Stay. See if I care.” Kicking the door shut behind us, I turn the flimsy lock and aim straight to the bed.

“You freak!” Lena screams, and seconds later, the front door slams shut.

“If I only knew it was that simple,” True mutters with a quirk of her lips.

Laying down beside her, I take stock of how thin she is compared to her pictures and begin to worry for the first time. “You’ve lost weight.” My hand has found exposed flesh on her hip and lightly rubs circles on the bone.

“So I’ve been told,” she huffs. Obviously not liking it being pointed out.

“Lena was right then? You been worrying yourself sick over me?” I fucking hate that.

“Not purposely,” she defends. “Did you mean it? You don’t go back?” All her vulnerabilities are out in the open for me to see, to feel.

“No, baby girl. I don’t go back.” Slowly, I inch my way up under her sweater as a lone tear leaks from the corner of her eye. “No crying, baby, I’m right here.”

“Happy, Maverick, just happy you’re safe.” Her fingers reach for the hem of her sweater, and I’m gifted with the most glorious sight as her upper half is exposed for my looking pleasure.

She has three tiny freckles leading up between her perky tits like my very own treasure trail. Bending forward, I kiss each one before licking my way across the valley of her breasts and sucking one nipple into my mouth.

“Ohhh…” She breathes roughly, squirming as I tongue her nipple into a hard peak.

I feel her hand tug at my hair, and I bite lightly on her sensitive flesh, goosebumps immediately rise as I pull away.

“You taste so sweet.” Sliding down her body, I pull her little shorts along with me as I stand at the foot of her bed. “Well, I’ll be,” I mutter upon seeing the tiny tattoo of three blue, black, and green waves at the top of her thigh. “Never would have taken you as the tattoo sort.”

She grins as she rolls over and looks at me. “You remember how you asked if I knew what my last name meant?” Crawling over her, I nod and see the little water nymph with a crooked crown and devil’s tail intricately climbing half way up her spine from her lower back. “Evil Nymph,” she murmurs as I lean forward to kiss her delicate flesh.

“Nymph, alright,” I groan as her sumptuous globes push up into my aching cock, “definitely not evil.” She sighs. “You ready for me, baby girl?” My harsh words are followed by a deep growl as she rubs her ass against my cock.

“More than ready for you, big daddy.” Her voice is light and teasing.

With one hand pushing on the small of her back, I use the other to dislodge the buttons of my uniform and pull the material from my body.

* * *

I can feel his body heat seeping into my shivering frame as the clothes are torn from his flesh in a mad rush. I still can’t believe he’s here. I expected a letter, not his body.

“You keep trembling like this, and I’ll think you’re scared.” His hot breath warms my back as he kisses up my spine.

“Only of that baseball bat I feel trying to take over my ass.” The feel of his hardened cock is terrifying. The man is built.

His chuckle isn’t as soothing as he’d probably like. “True,” his voice is low, “when this bat takes your ass, you’ll know it and fucking love it.”

“Oh. My. Stars.” It’s become my favorite saying where he’s concerned it seems.

“Condoms?” he asks.

It takes a full minute for my brain to catch up to his words because he keeps licking me. “Drawer. In the table.” I point to the piece of furniture like he wouldn’t be able to see it even though it’s two feet from his face.

“Should I wonder why you have these?” His possessive growl makes me squirm as my pussy pulses.

“No. I got bored. You sent all those yummy pictures, and well, I guessed at the size. I hope they’re right. I didn’t even know condoms had a size. Can you return them if they don’t fit? That wouldn’t be very hygienic if you could, though.” Stupid rambling mouth.

“Fuck, you’re adorable.” His hands grip my hips, and he flips me over, so I’m flat on my back. Staring at his… “Jesus Christ, that’s not a bat that’s a goddamn club!”

His quiet laughter is the only response I get as I watch him slide the condom over all that hard, veiny flesh. It’s like stone.

Grasping my knees, he spreads my thighs apart, leaning forward to lick up and down the sensitive flesh, missing where I’d like him the most—my throbbing clit. “Mmm, sugar and spice and everything oh so nice.” His words are slow, drawn out for maximum effect.

“Now, please.” I whimper as he moves forward. I can feel the heat pulsing off his cock sitting just a fraction of space away from my weeping core. “Please, Maverick.”

“Oh yeah, baby girl, moan my name just like that.” Without warning, he pushes between my lips and into my tight channel. “Oh fuckkkk!” All his muscles, from flexing hips to bulging biceps, are straining with the effort of not slamming into me. “Baby girl, fuck, you’re tight.”

My internal walls cling to him like glue. Sucking him deeper into my body until I’m so full of his manliness I don’t know how I’ve lived so long without this all-encompassed feeling.

“God, you feel incredible, Mav,” I whisper in his ear, unsuccessfully trying to hold back my moan.

“Relax, True,” he murmurs while soothing his hands up and down my sides.

I shiver from his light petting. “Please, move. Don’t make me keep begging you.” I push my lip out in a pout.

He swoops down to bite the quiver. The sting is incredibly erotic. “Close your eyes,” he commands, his voice deepening. As soon as I do his bidding, his hips begin a slow slide in and out. Each inward stroke coming harder and faster while he takes his time pulling out, always making sure to rub his shaft against my clit for added stimulation.

With each stroke, I feel my body getting lost in the sensations he’s creating. I don’t know how much time has passed, but I don’t ever want this feeling of completion to end. My fingers and toes tingle as his grunts grow louder. His hips move faster as he leans forward to cover my mouth with his own. His tongue mimicking his cock in motion, speed, and depth.

It’s almost like double penetration but so much better.

“Oh god!” A scream is torn from me as my back bows off the bed, and every sensitive fragment in my body undulates like the Northern Lights. Sparks fly behind my lids as my pussy squeezes the poor man’s shaft for all he’s worth, milking every ounce of bliss this greedy wench can get out of him.

“Oh fuck!” His matching groan fills my ears as I feel him fill the tip of the condom with his hot semen. The way he trembles in my embrace prolongs my own orgasm.

As our breathing evens out, and the full weight of his body registers to my own, I wheeze out, “Can’t breathe.”

Laughter follows his roll over as he takes us to his side. “Sorry.” We watch each other for a while, just laying on my bed full of sweat and the smell of sex filling the room when a thought occurs to me.

“Don’t you want to, you know, take that off or something?” I pointedly look down to his flaccid but still impressive cock that has the condom hanging on by a thread.

Standing, he pulls the offending item free and walks to the bathroom shaking his head and mumbling about filters. I don’t move while he’s gone. I’ve never done this whole sex right after meeting thing, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.

“So,” he says, coming back into the room naked as the day he was born and not in the least self-conscious about it. He’s talking, I can see his lips moving and there’s noise, but I can’t focus. The man is built. He’s got these abs you could bounce a nickel off of and not miss a beat. And his arms! Damn… Those are drool-worthy. Biceps, triceps, and forearms, and his fingers… oh my stars. “True?” he questions like he’s said my name multiple times.

“Yeah?” I’m still distracted. I can’t help it.

“Did you hear me?” His head is tilted to the side like my mom does when she’s fed up with me.

“No,” I respond honestly. “If you want my attention on your words, your body needs to be covered. Too many valleys and dips and veins and… What was I saying?”

“Christ, woman.” He groans, but sadly and thankfully, covers up those beautiful, awe-inducing muscles. There should be some sort of service for that tragedy every time he does it. “Eyes, True!” he calls again. “Up. Here.” His growl is kind of hot.

Looking up into his eyes, I see he’s not upset, just really amused. “What’d you say?”

Walking over to me, he grabs my sweater from earlier and helps me put it on as he sits beside me. “I was saying, I’ve got a job lined up on a Naval base about thirty minutes from here.”

“You’re really staying? What about your family back east? You barely know me!” This man’s unreal.

Ignoring my questions, he continues. “I’d like you to move with me. They’ve got a house on base we can live in until we find one we like somewhere else.”

“Did you hear me?” My turn for the head tilt.

“I heard you, True. I’m rolling with what I know so far. And let’s just say, I like what you’ve got, and I’m moving forward.” He leans in close to my face. “Are you moving forward with me?” The sincerity shining brightly from his gaze is my answer.

“Yes.”