Chapter 8

Eight

A bouquet appeared before Allison's eyes, and she gasped. Whirling to see Lincoln standing there, looking slightly more tanned from the last few days of burning sun. He grinned crookedly and held the flowers out to her.

She took them and buried her nose in them just as she had a week ago on their date. "You'd better watch it—I could get used to being spoiled this way."

"Good, because I want to spoil my baby every day of the year." He glanced around.

"What are you looking for?" She set the flowers aside to put in water later.

"Is there a broom closet or something where we can be alone?"

She laughed and then covered her mouth. The triage unit was hopping today. "I'm sorry, but no. You shouldn't be here at all. I'm really busy."

"Okay, but I had to see you to ask you something." He looked like a kid hiding a big secret.

She cocked a smile. "Really? Okay, hit me. I'm ready for it."

"I know you have two days off, and well, I've managed to swing two days off too. My buddy who owns the house on Willow's Pond is away for the week, which leaves it open for some fresh blood."

She blinked at him, not daring to hope what he was saying was the same route her brain had taken.

He nodded and caught her hands in his big, warm ones. "Will you spend your days off with me, Allison?" he asked, leaning in and whispering against her ear.

She felt herself nod before words even formulated in her brain. He yanked her off her feet and crushed her to him, half-swinging her. When he set her down again and looked into her eyes, they shared an excited smile.

"Be ready right after your shift."

"I'll have to go to my place and pack a few things."

"Yes, I'd planned to stop off there for a minute before we head to the pond. Allison," his tone grew serious, "thank you for saying yes. For giving me a chance."

All day long she thought of the look in his eyes when he'd spoken those words. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was in love with Lincoln. After her bad experiences with soldiers, she'd found one who was her equal, her soul mate.

She feared she'd blurt all these things out and ruin their relationship. She'd have to guard her words for the next two days or risk sounding like a sappy, obsessed woman.

After her shift, she could barely control her excitement. She grabbed her stuff and met him on the sidewalk in front of the hospital. He took her hand and they started walking.

"I'm embarrassed that you'll see my place. It isn't that tidy since I was in a rush to get to work this morning."

"So?"

"So I know you soldiers have everything in its place and can bounce quarters off your bedcovers. It's embarrassing."

He nodded and scuffed his knuckles along his jaw, creating a rasping noise that speared her with lust. "That's true but only because we're forced to. If given the choice, I'd be a little laxer than I'm allowed to."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll show you how sloppy I can be the next two days. Leave my socks lying around, make a mess shaving..."

"Don't you dare!" She socked him in the arm, and wished she hadn't. His muscles were pure steel.

He laughed and brought her knuckles to his lips. A shiver ran through her at the promising heat in his kiss.

Gathering her things took a mere minute and he insisted on carrying her bag, though it was only filled with a couple sundresses and a pair of flip-flops, along with a few toiletries.

All the way to the pond, they talked about their days and what they were going to do with their getaway.

"I'm going to strip off your nurse's scrubs and put you in the shower, where I'll go down on my knees and eat your pussy before I fuck you." His dark tone lit her on fire.

She arched a brow. "And I'll return the favor." She leaned in so no one walking too close could hear. "I've been dreaming about sliding the hot silky flesh of your arousal between my lips. Tasting all that hot cum. Just last night?—"

"—God, Allison. Walk faster," he cut in ushering them down the street at a faster pace.

Her laughter followed them through the quaint streets until they reached one of the most adorable cabins she'd ever seen. It looked as if it had grown up here among the foliage surrounding the pond, a fairy house.

He stretched one long arm overhead and felt along the molding at the top of the door. A silver key glinted in the sun as he fitted it into the lock and opened the door.

They stepped into a cool, air-conditioned space with modern, beachy furnishings. A few photos stood on the tables, showing the family who lived here. A young officer and his wife with three little kids that looked like they'd just come off the beach, pails swinging and sand clinging to their wet feet.

She smiled and met Lincoln's eyes, unable to shake the feeling this could be them someday.

"C'mere." He took her in his arms, her legs going around him. He kissed her deeply with a hand to the back of her head holding her close, never letting her go. When he pulled away, his eyes twinkled. "We're using one of the guest rooms. This way."

She shed her shoes to keep the carpet clean and followed him through the rambling spaces to a room perfect for a getaway for two. The bed was made up with whites and blues, and an American flag made out of rustic wood hung over the bed.

She barely had a second to look at her surroundings before she found herself naked and underneath Lincoln, screaming his name. When they came up for air, she panted, "I thought we were going to shower first."

"Change of plans." He slapped her lightly on the butt, and she tingled at the sensation.

He pushed onto his elbow to stare down at her. "You liked that, didn't you?"

"What?" She was blushing again—her ears were hot.

"Me slapping your ass."

She cut her eyes away from his heavy gaze. "Maybe." She bit her lip.

A rough rumble sounded, and she looked at him again. He rolled out of bed and yanked her to her feet. "To the shower."

As soon as they slipped under the hot spray, she was fulfilling her promise to suck his cock. His eyes rolled back in his head as she drew his length right into the back of her throat. She'd never loved sucking a man before, but she couldn't deny that having control over Lincoln this way turned her on and made her pussy slipper wet. She reached between her legs to find her folds soaking wet, a bead of her juices sliding down her inner thigh.

He cupped her face and lovingly looked into her eyes as she pleasured him.

It was over too soon, though, because he yanked her to her feet again, whirled her to face the shower wall, and smacked her ass.

She cried out as the vibration rippled through her and the noise echoed off the shower walls. He kissed her throat as he caressed away the sting he'd delivered. Then he ran his fingers down between her buttocks, over the tight ring of her asshole.

"Have you ever been touched here?" he rumbled next to her ear.

"No, never," she panted, loving how he ran his index finger around and around her opening. He eased his fingertip in a fraction and then it was gone.

He spanked her again.

Juices flooded her pussy, and her nipples hardened to the sharpest points.

"Fuck, you do like that. Do you want more?"

"Yes!" She braced her hands on the wall to keep from falling over, but he pinned her, his hard shaft poking into her lower back. When he delivered another slap, her clit swelled. Another and she was shaking for release.

He moved his fingers back to her most forbidden entrance and stroked an orgasm from her she didn't know was even possible. "God, I want into this tight ass, baby. Someday soon. For now, I'll just love every minute I can make you cum there." He slid his finger over her still-pulsating asshole once more.

"Spread for me." He nudged her thighs apart. When she didn't react quickly enough, he spanked her again.

"Lincoln, take me! I need you."

"I'm not finished with you yet." He dropped to his knees and she was stunned to feel his tongue replace his fingers on her ass. She spread wide and arched her back to give him all the access she could. Then he swirled his tongue around her opening, poking gently inside. She quivered.

As he thrust two fingers into her aching pussy, she came for him hard and fast. His scorching hot tongue played over her backside while he finger-fucked her depths. When she didn't think she could stand anymore, he stood and gently turned her into his arms.

The water switched off, and she barely noted anything but his strong, steely body against hers.

She spread her legs wide and drew them upward as he did a pushup over her. As his thick length sank into her quivering pussy, they shared a sound of abandon. She didn't know how it was possible for her to come again, but she did just as Lincoln peaked, threw his head back, and roared her name as his cum filled her cunt to the brim.

L incoln didn't want to break the spell between him and Allison. As he watched her sleep in the early light of dawn streaming through the gauzy curtains of their room, he had no idea how to break it to her that he was leaving.

Being deployed at week's end.

It had all come too soon, and he'd been irate when they'd been told. His knuckles still hurt from punching the row of lockers. Strangely enough, it had been Ford who'd pulled him away and made him see he couldn't do a thing about the order, and the sooner he came to terms with it, the better.

He bit back a grunt of irritation so as not to wake Allison. Dammit, why now? They were too early in their relationship. Would she even wait for him? The idea of coming home to find her with another soldier made him want to start pulling pins on grenades.

She made a noise in her sleep, shifting in his hold. He realized he'd been holding her too tight and relaxed his hold.

As soon as she woke up, he'd tell her. He couldn't wait another minute. They would return to their posts today, their vacation at an end. They'd made the most of it—swimming by day, skinny-dipping by night. Making love in between. And he'd discovered just how much she loved ass-play. He wouldn't even get a chance to claim her there before he shipped out.

"Fuck," he murmured.

Her voice startled him. "Again? We just finished before dawn."

A smile spread on his face, though it felt sad. When she opened her eyes, he was stunned again by their beauty. He'd carry this with him to Afghanistan and pray the rest fell into place.

"I have to tell you something, baby."

Her eyes cleared, the sleep fleeing, and she was on high alert. Probably from the tone of his voice. He pushed out a sigh, and she settled her hand on his chest, right over his thumping heart.

"What is it, Lincoln?"

"Before we came to the house, I had some news."

She waited.

"Remember when we were talking about me going back to Afghanistan?"

Her face paled, and she jerked away from his hold and into a sitting position. She dragged the sheet up over her breasts, and it hurt him to see how she shielded herself. He rubbed a hand over his face, wishing this was just a bad dream.

"When?" Her voice broke.

"Week's end."

Her mouth fell open. "Three days?"

He swallowed hard at the pain swirling inside his chest and nodded.

She rocketed out of bed, wrapping herself in the sheet. "When were you going to tell me? You brought me here knowing this information, yet you kept it from me?" Her voice pitched louder.

He got off the bed and tried to take her in his arms, but she refused to let him comfort her. Or maybe it was her way of saying he didn't have her at all now that he was leaving. A burning took up residence in his gut.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you first, but I didn't want this to feel like an end."

"What did you want it to feel like?" Angry tears made her eyes sparkle.

He spread out his hands. "I wanted it to feel like a beginning."

A sob left her, and he took her against his chest and rubbed her back, her hair, and kissed the spot between her streaming eyes. "I'm in love with you, Allison. That isn't going to change once I go."

"Damn you, Lincoln. You broke down all my walls and now you're going to leave me vulnerable and bleeding!"

He felt like such an ass. How to fix this? He couldn't let her walk away from him. He had to go to war knowing she was his.

"Do you love me, Allison?" He kissed her earlobe, sending a shudder through her. When she didn't answer, he kissed the corner of her mouth. "Do you love me, baby? Not just how I make you feel in bed."

She shook in his hold.

He brushed his lips gently over hers. Once, twice.

"Yes, I love you, Lincoln! Now take me, show me how much you love me and that you'll come home to me!" She dropped the sheet, exposing her full beautiful body, her peaked nipples and wet pussy.

He picked her up and showed her just that, and for a very long time.