Camouflaged (Hiding From Love #0.5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

volunteer buddies and thought, while I liked her all riled up, it’d be nice to be on the receiving end of one of those smiles too. She was lush looking. Juicy lips; big, dark eyes; skin that was as smooth as silk. In spite of her dark hair, she had a smattering of freckles across her nose, and it made her more beautiful for the fact that it wasn’t classic and expected. Her eyes were framed by long, dark lashes and strong brows that made the perfect inverted Vs above her eyes. Her hair was wavy but not at all frizzy—smooth, deep brown, and begging to be wrapped around my fists while I pounded into her.
    On that world-rocking image, I stood and stretched, heading to the coffee pot for another cup. I’d never be able to sleep thinking about how I wanted Alexis anyway, so I figured copious amounts of caffeine weren’t going to make much difference.
    As I reached the service table and began filling my cup from the spigot, Benji appeared, leaning back against the table next to me, smirk at the ready.
    “So, Thompson, how goes the babysitting?” he asked, voice full of glee.
    “None of your damn business, asshole,” I answered with my usual belligerence.
    He laughed. Benji was used to my shitty attitude and never let it hold him back.
    “Well, rumor has it Jefferson walked in on you two about to get busy, so it sounds like maybe it’s going pretty well.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Jeff doesn’t know what the hell he walked in on, man. She hates me, and we weren’t ‘getting busy.’”
    Now, I wasn’t one of those dudes who had to blast it all over when I was with a woman, but I also didn’t make a point of denying it. Considering my testicles were probably at stake, however, I wasn’t giving Benji even a bone to chew on. God knew word would make it to my C.O. in record time, and I already regretted my slipup in her tent earlier.
    He sized me up for a minute before he nodded his head and pursed his lips. “All right, huero . I won’t push, but I’m not buying it. You always get the girl, and I’m betting you’ll get this one too. It’s cool though. I can wait until you’ve got something to tell, ‘cause I’m easy like that. You can tell the other UN girls I’m easy. Just in case they’re curious.” He laughed and walked off.
    I sighed and wandered back to my table. As I arrived, I saw Alexis standing there alone, looking around. I took bigger steps to reach her without looking like I was hurrying. “You looking for me?” I said smoothly as I winked at her.
    She didn’t take the bait, just said, “I’m really tired. Can you walk me back to my tent?”
    “Sure thing,” I answered, looking at her face closely, wondering why she was suddenly so drawn and pale.
    “Thanks.”
    We walked into the cooling night air, and she was silent. No snark, no political rants. Her shoulders were drooping and her steps were tentative.
    “So, uh, you feeling homesick?” I asked quietly.
    She gave me a sharp look then turned away. “Why would you ask that?”
    “You just seem a little down is all.”
    She sighed. “Not homesick. Just a little unbalanced I guess.”
    I laughed. “Well, I could have told you that. I took one look at you and said, ‘Now that girl’s completely unbalanced.’”
    I expected a good put-down for that one or even a punch, but all I got was, “I wouldn’t expect you to understand, so let’s just drop it.”
    I stopped and put a hand on her arm. “Hey. I’m really not that bad. Why don’t you give me a shot? Maybe I’d understand more than you think. You know, this is my second tour here, so if anyone understands how unbalanced this place can make you, it’s me.”
    She stood in the moonlight, her eyes luminous with what I feared were unshed tears. After a breathless moment, she started walking again. “It’s about what happened earlier . . . between us.”
    I got a bad vibe that ran from my feet all the way up my spine to my head, where it lodged as a dull ache. “Which thing