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He shook his head. “Ain’t worth it. He’s already facing some bad times with the military.”
“I have to go and see him, you know. When he’s well enough for visitors.”
Vic didn’t want her to see him, and yet he did. Mendoza had to know once and for all that she was
off-limits.
“I don’t have feelings for him any more, Vic.” Her voice held absolute reassurance.
Damn straight. The possessiveness zinged through his blood was hot and fast.
He tightened his arms around her. “Yeah, that’s for certain.” He almost gritted his teeth. “You should
see him.”
She kissed his chest. “Thank you for understanding.”
“You’re welcome.”
Quiet covered them for so long, he thought maybe she’d fallen asleep. Then she said, “I didn’t finish
telling you something.” She took a huge breath, as if she might be going for a swim and said, “When I met
you I had an attitude about military men. You know that.”
“It’s understandable.”
She tapped his chin with her index finger. “Still, I shouldn’t have had the attitude. All military men
are not alike. I know there are plenty of men out there that women don’t hit on all the time, and those men
still cheat. I’ve come to realize that someone, man or woman, will cheat if they want to. It wasn’t the
military that made those guys cheat. They would have cheated no matter what job they had. I just had
blinders on and was attracted to them the same way I attracted the wrong friends in high school. Yes,
you’re a gorgeous man and other women are going to see that. And no matter what you do for a living, I
trust you and want to take a chance.” She caressed his face, touched him with reverence. “I know it’s too
early. It’s too amazing to be real. But I almost lost you tonight in that car wreck. So I want you to know,
even if you don’t feel the same. I’m falling for you, Victor Moore.”
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Hot Pursuit
His chest expanded, but not from breath. From the beauty of her words, the comfort, the sense of
home and happiness her statement gave him. No woman, other than his mother, had ever expressed love to
him, and this was new and fresh and amazing. He wanted it with a fierceness, a raw emotion, a punch that
hit him in the gut. With a vengeance, he grabbed a hold of that feeling, one he couldn’t define, and knew it
could sustain him through all his days. His arms tightened, and he rolled her onto her back. He kissed her
with a fierceness he couldn’t contain.
He finally released her long enough to look down at her, both of them breathless, his cock aching to
find her hot softness. “I understand the trust issues. But I’m willing to trust you with everything inside me.
I know you’d never hurt me like Shelly did. You know what I think?” Her tired smile, her soft eyes gave
him strength to confess. “I think I’m the luckiest damn soldier ever to live. It would be my honor if you
would write to me the next time I go on a deployment. It would make me the happiest man alive if I knew
you were waiting for me when I got back.”
He waited, anxiety touching him. What if she said no? What if she couldn’t take the life of waiting for
a military man to come home?
She tightened her arms around his neck. “It would be my honor to write to you. Wherever you go.
Whatever you do.”
He drew back long enough to say, his eyes burning, his throat tight, “I love you, Lucy Creed.”
With a big smile she reached up and pulled his head down, and despite the lateness of the morning,
aching muscles, and tired everything, they made love in the semi-dark. He wanted it that way, so he could
see her expression as he brought her to that first shattering climax. Her head thrown back, her body
shivering, her cry high and quaking with unmistakable pleasure. As he sank within her, he found a special
heaven he understood he’d never known until now. In her arms was where he belonged.
Colorado Springs. Lasting Images Studio. A year and a half later.
As six o’clock came around, Lucy snapped off the air conditioning in her studio and made sure her
security alarm was set. Time to go home. As she always did though, she looked around her studio and the
numerous wedding photographs gracing her walls. She smiled. To date, since she’d moved to Colorado
Springs a year and a half ago, she’d built a thriving business even faster than she’d expected. Jake, Marisa,
Freddie and Keith had transferred to Fort Carson not that long after Vic. She’d found a contentment in life
she’d once never knew existed. What else was there other than a career she loved, great friends and a
wonderful home?
Love. Of course. More than any of those things, she couldn’t forget love. She smiled.
Her cell phone rang and excitement jumped inside her as she rushed back to the counter and reached
for her phone tucked away in her purse. The screen held the name she wanted to see the most.
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Denise Agnew
A huge smile broke over her face as she answered. “Vic!”
“Hey, babe. It’s good to hear your voice.”
“Where are you?”
“On my way to you.”
She sighed with mock indignation. His flight in to the airport wasn’t due for another two hours. “That
doesn’t explain where you are, silly man. I’m just heading out to Fort Carson now.”
“Don’t bother.”
“What?” Worry struck her.
“I’m right outside your door, love. We got an early connection back, and I wanted to surprise you.”
She swung around and there he was outside the studio, waving at her from the window. Wearing his
Army Combat Uniform, or ACU’s as people in the military called them. His soldier’s bearing sent a
primitive need through her body, but his dear face and wonderful smile took her breath away. She let out a
squeal of joy, clicked off the phone, placed it on the counter and ran for the door. She couldn’t get there
fast enough. When she did, he grabbed her up, stepped into the store and slammed the door.
His eyes were bright with love, and she hugged him as close as she could.
“God, baby,” he whispered close to her mouth. “I missed you.” He kissed her.
Their kiss went on so long she almost considered dragging him into the back room and having her
way with him. Instead they lingered, only releasing the kiss after an eternity.
They stayed in each other’s arms. Vic grinned and pushed her hair back. She’d grown it to that
lengthy, black tangle from high school. “Lucy, I can’t believe how long it’s been.”
“Six months of emails and video chats just isn’t enough. Promise you’ll stay home for a long, long
time.”
He lifted her left hand, stared at the princess cut diamond nestled between antique diamond ring
guards. They’d found the wedding set a year ago right before their simple, elegant ceremony. He held up
his own left hand, displaying the white gold, plain wedding band that never left his hand.
He kissed her fingers. With a wicked grin, he said, “Only forever, my love. Only forever.”
And Lucy knew he meant it.
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