“Dismissed.” The formation broke apart, and soldiers headed in all directions. Smitty and the other four females waited for me. They were headed for the dining facility for chow. I doubted I could lift a fork, let alone walk the two blocks to grab some grub, so I motioned for them to go on without me.

As anticipated, it had been hell, but worse, much worse. Considering the events of the day, I should’ve been surprised I could make it up the stairs. I staggered down the hall and poked at the lock with my key. Once, twice…. I blinked and focused, finally sliding it home.

My nape tickled, and awareness crept over me. A slow burn moved through my body, centering in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t have to see who was there, and was glad nobody had witnessed his arrival, and hopeful they’d miss his departure. I twisted the key in the lock. “This is a female floor.”

“What? Damn. This is a female floor? I must have taken a wrong turn.”

Wrong turn, my ass. The sneaky bastard had used the fire escape, and, if I wasn’t mistaken, he’d picked the lock on the door. Without a key, it could only be opened from the inside.

I turned to address him. “You have quite a talent. They lock the fire escape door at all times. Exit only.”

“You call that locked?”

Right. “What do you want, Stone?” I narrowed my eyes on him and glared, hoping he’d get the message.

“What do you think?” He pushed off the wall and strode my way.

Oh no, not again. My heart skipped a beat. This had to stop. I pushed my door open and slid through. He somehow materialized in front of it at the same time I turned around to close it. Damn, the man moved fast.

“Are you going to invite me in?”

“No.” I shoved the door hard, waiting for that satisfying sound as it slammed shut in his face.

It never came. I looked down.

The toe of his boot was wedged in the opening “No? Don’t play with me, baby.”

“Don’t call me baby.”

Voices echoed up from the bottom of the stairs. I threw the door open and did a double-lapel grab, yanking him into my room and closing the door as silently as I could in a panic. I locked it and spun around to confront him.

Pure amusement covered his face. I wanted to slap it off. “Someone likes to play rough.”

“Stay quiet,” I growled and walked away. He followed.

“Did I hear a challenge?”

“No. As soon as it’s clear, you’re leaving.”

“What’s crawled up your ass?”

“You. You and your wham, bam, not so much as a thank you for the good time. That’s what.”

“I wasn’t finished. I’ll thank you when I’m finished, if you want, but I thought we had a mutual thing going.” His eyes flashed in irritation. “I didn’t know I needed to thank you for the screw.”

I glared.

“What?”

“Get out.” I pointed at the door.

“Sounds like the CQ’s making the rounds. Would suck for both of us if we got caught. Do you really want me to go out there?” He smiled again and crossed his arms. Big, beautiful, bulging muscle. My pulse quickened, and my eyes drifted lower, centering on his groin and the very obvious tenting in the front of his pants from the lack of underwear.

I lifted my chin. Spooky eyes and nothing but silence as he studied me. Heat bounced between us, and, for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. As the footsteps grew closer, adrenaline pumped into my veins. Lava pooled between my thighs where an ache had started the moment I saw him. We could get in so much trouble. Everything I’d worked for could go away, but I didn’t care. I had one thing on my mind. I licked my lips.

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Is there something you want, Paige?”

“No.” Heat crept into my face. I shifted my focus to the floor, pretending I didn’t know what he meant.

“You were checking me out.”

“No.”

“Yeah, you were.” He latched onto my wrist, tugging me chest to chest until I could feel the beat of his heart against my breast. He pressed my palm to his groin. “Right here.”

“You need to leave,” I croaked, the words constricting my throat.

He rubbed my hand up and down his erection. My palm burned.

“You don’t want me to,” he said. No, but I needed to make a point, take a stand, and put a stop to this for good. I yanked my hand away.

“Ouch. A little harsh, don’t you think?”

“You. You need to—”

“Be inside you.” He slid his arm around my lower back and ground his dick into me. “We need to finish what we started. I haven’t been able to think about anything but you since I had you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of condoms, letting them rain to the floor around our feet. “In case you’re wondering, earlier was an appetizer.”

“I didn’t—wonder. In fact, I could care less.”

“You do this to me, Paige. I could knock a hole in a brick wall with my dick, and it’s all because of you and those damned ugly, grandma panties I’ve been fingering in my pocket all day.”

He’d been fingering them? Get back. Get away. Run. I glanced down at the rubbers littering the floor and realization struck. My night had just started.

I broke his hold and backed toward the door, ready to open it and send him packing.

“You’re not going to throw me out, are you?” He strode forward. I backed across the room, keeping my gaze on him. He pursued until he had me pinned against the wall. Nolan pressed his palms on either side of my face and stared into my eyes. “Are you, my pretty little sniper?”

I shook my head. Not yours. Not any man’s. I should’ve corrected him, but I kind of liked the endearment.

“I didn’t think so. You want it as much as I do.”

I couldn’t swallow the lump that had formed in my throat, and if I did, the bitch would do serious damage. Damn, damn, damn. This is not the way I’d planned to end what never should’ve started in the first place. A smart girl would’ve pushed him away. Instead, I hooked his belt with my fingers and pulled him into me. He lowered his lips to my ear.

“I want to lick your sweet pussy until you scream.”

I whimpered. Yes, please.

One hand left the wall and touched my cheek. He stroked his thumb over my lips. “Your mouth is sexy. I love your lips. Big, full. I want to watch you suck my cock.”

My clit throbbed as I visualized taking him into my mouth and stroking my tongue down his dick. I wanted him in my mouth, between my legs, licking me with his wicked tongue, fucking me so hard I’d forget my own name. “One last time.”

He shook his head slowly. “There’s no last time, Paige. I don’t think I could grow tired of you, even if I wanted to. You’re addicting. I tried to give you space. I swear to God I did, but you were everywhere, and every time I saw you, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way you tasted, or the little whimpers you make when you come.”

I sucked in a breath, and he lowered his lips, kissing me, sliding his tongue into my mouth. He cupped the back of my head and pulled me deeper into the kiss. Everything around me ceased to exist. I was intoxicated in the moment, drunk on him, and he damned well knew it.

“We’ll start here.” He hummed against my ear. His breath tickled the back of my neck, and another flush of heat rolled through my body.

He popped the first button on my top open. “I want you right here, like this.” He slipped another free. “You ever do it against a wall?”

“No.” Until today, I hadn’t done it on a washing machine. Since I’d met him, every encounter had been reckless, wild, and obliterated any sex I’d had before.

Another button came undone. “It’s 18:00 hours.” He worked another free and then another. He peeled my top down and tightened it, pinning my arms against my sides. He stared at my T-shirt. “You’re mine for the next four hours.”

Four hours? Did he want to kill me?

“The first sergeant, the commander….”

“Have gone home for the evening. The charge of quarters won’t make his rounds again for another hour, and as long as we’re quiet, he’ll never know.” He continued to hold me immobile, then lowered his mouth, kissing me a little rougher than before. Hungry, demanding. He pulled back and yanked my top the rest of the way down, dropping it to the floor.

I tugged at the bottom of his tee, and he clamped hold of my wrists and lifted my arms over my head, pressing the back of my hands against the wall. “I didn’t say Simon says.”

“What? Are we playing a game now?”

“Do I look like I’m playing?” Spooky eyes locked onto mine. My stomach tumbled end-over-end. “When I tell you to do something, I want you to do it.”

“I don’t do bossy.”

“Do you want to come harder than you’ve ever come before?”

My knees gave, and he pressed his thigh against my groin, holding me upright and tight against the wall. “Do you, baby?”

I nodded.

“Say it.”

“Yes.”

“I said to say what you want.”

“I want to come harder than I ever have.”

“Good girl. Close your eyes and keep them shut.”

“Nolan?”

“Do it.”

I shut my eyes, and he let go. I started to lower my hands.

“Leave them up.”

I did as told, feeling like a criminal. Nolan snagged the bottom of my T-shirt and pulled it over my head. At least I’d worn a pretty bra, red and sheer. A come-fuck-me piece of clothing I hadn’t dared to leave in my room where it could be found during an inspection. Not today, when the company commander planned an inspection, so I’d worn it.

At least it would make up for the ugly skivvies I’d sported in the latrine earlier. Nolan sucked in a breath and cupped my breasts, stroking over the sensitive buds. They puckered like little pebbles under his touch. He lowered his mouth, taking a nipple between his lips, fabric and all. I cried out, and Nolan flicked his tongue back and forth. His warm breath washed through the lace. Tremors raced up and down my body.

He pulled my arms down and slipped the straps of my bra off my shoulders, peeling the cups down, exposing my breasts. He drew a deep breath but remained silent. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the heat in his gaze. Zaps of energy raced along the nerves under my skin and my nipples hardened further.

“Christ, you’re beautiful.”

His voice vibrated through my body like a sex toy amped on high. “I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.” Heat balled in the pit of my stomach, blossoming lower.

“Just you.” He let go of my breasts and skimmed down my waist to my beltline. He unbuckled it, pulling the belt free and dropping it at my feet. He popped the top two buttons open and slid one hand down my lower back, slipping inside my pants and cupping my ass cheek.

“You’re stacked, sweetheart. Made for me.” He captured my mouth again, kissing me, pushing the temperature up. Steam seemed to rise from my skin, and I thought for sure at any moment I’d spontaneously combust. I fought not to open my eyes. I wanted to stare back at him, see the desire.

Voices from outside the room trickled toward my ears. I twisted my head, pressing my cheek to the wall to listen, keeping my eyes closed and my mind focused on the voices.

Nolan hooked my jaw and turned me back to face him. He lowered his mouth and kissed me. A deep kiss that pulled the air from around me, leaving me without a coherent thought. I ached from head to toe and trembled uncontrollably. The voices stopped near the stairs. Doors opened and closed. Then footsteps moved down the hall—toward my room.

Nolan froze, holding me against him. He grinned, and went for the front of my pants, diving down and pushing inside me. I threw my head back, smacking it against the wall. He thrust his fingers deeper, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out.

“Davis?” Bang, bang, bang. Smitty knocked. With the light on in my room, Smitty had to know it wasn’t vacant.

Nolan’s palm rubbed over my clit as he maneuvered toward my G-spot.

“Hey, open up.”

Oh God. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out but a gasp.

A third digit found its way inside me, and he began a rhythmic pumping in and out. I panted and clutched his shoulders, fighting a cry bubbling in the back of my throat.

“Davis, you awake?”

“Yes,” I called out in a hoarse bark, panting so hard I’d barely managed the one word.

“I brought you something to eat. Are you going to open the door so I can come in?”

“Mmm trying to sleep….” He hit the spot, sending starbursts across my vision. “Oh.”

Nolan’s moved faster, pushing me into an orgasm. I spasmed around them, exploding in wave after wave of pleasure.

“Oh god.” Little hiccupping gasps. I prayed Smitt couldn’t hear.

“Davis?”

Shit, shit, shit.

Nolan pulled free and sucked his fingers. With a smile, he backed toward the door, so that when I opened it, he would be behind it. He nodded at my shirt on the floor then over to where Smitty waited.

“Davis?”

“Coming, coming. I was in bed.”

Nolan raised a brow. A wicked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Coming. Yeah, that summed it up.

I adjusted my bra, yanked my shirt over my head, and stomped to the door, fastening the last button on my pants. I cracked the door as wide as my body.

Smitty’s gaze traveled from head to toe, going over my hair and stopping on my lips. “I’d begun to wonder if you were sick. After the extended stay in the latrine, and skipping chow....” She tried to step around me, but I blocked her.

“I’m tired, Smitt. Nothing more.”

She peeked around my shoulder to my bunk. “You weren’t lying in bed. Your bunk hasn’t even been sat on.”

She sniffed the air. “Do I smell cologne, male cologne?”

“No. That’s my perfume.”

“It’s a little butch, don’t you think?” She tried to push past me again, and I stopped her.

“I want to go to bed, so if you don’t mind, I think I’m just going to turn in. No offense, but I’m exhausted.”

Smitty frowned. “Do you have a man in there, Davis?”

“No.” I laughed out my answer, sounding nervous and guilty. Her eyes narrowed. Shit. She was onto me.

Smitty shoved the foam container into my arms. “Well then, bon appétit.” I started to shut the door, and she put the toe of her boot in it, stopping me. “Good night, Staff Sergeant Stone.”

“He’s not in here, Smitt.”

“I’d recognize his cologne anywhere. He wore it the night he did the shots.” She pointed at me. “You know he’s not supposed to be on this floor, or in your room. And, just for your information, you have a raging case of whisker burn on your face.”

“He’s not here.”

She snorted, glanced down at the smorgasbord of condoms on my floor, and shook her head. “How long have I known you?”

Apparently too long. Try as much as I like, I could never lie to her and succeed in the deception. Proof sat on her face. She knew, and even if I tried to lie, the rubbers on the floor had already blown my cover.

“Are you going to say something?” I said.

“You know I won’t, but don’t push it. Tell him to leave before you screw this up for the rest of us.” She pointed at me again, opening her mouth like she wanted to say something else. Instead, she turned and went across the hall, disappearing into her room. “At least keep it down so I can get some sleep.”

“Damn,” I muttered.

A hand clamped onto me and pulled me back into the room. “Let’s mess that bunk up.”