Her Last Best Fling Read Online Free PDF Page B

was guarded again.
    “I don’t want to ask you anything I know you can’t answer. What I would like to know is how it happened. Several of your men were hit, but luckily everyone survived.”
    He sat his spoon in the bowl and stared down at it.
    “Some were luckier than others,” he whispered.
    Her brow furrowed. “Do you mean the injuries?”
    “Yes, and the nightmares. Some of us are having a tough time letting go what happened there.”
    “What did happen?”
    His deep brown gaze cut to her. “You know I can’t give you details.”
    She sighed. “Was it an ambush? From what I’ve figured out so far, you guys had a peaceful week there until you were getting ready to leave. Then all hell broke loose.”
    As if Harley had sensed the tension, she nudged between them and put her head on his thigh.
    He sucked in a breath.
    “Is she hurting you?”
    “No. It’s just sore, like a bruise. Mind you, her head is like a ton of bricks.”
    “It is very large. She accidentally bumped my nose earlier with her head when I put food in her bowl, and I thought for sure I’d have black eyes.”
    He smiled, but it was weak.
    Stupid. As professional as she was, it bothered her to realize she’d triggered such old memories—hurtful ones from the look of concern on his face.
    That was it. He wasn’t just a hero. He was a man. That would be her story. No one needed to read about his nightmares of that terrible day, or the darkness that clearly haunted him. How often had she told that story? Heroes deserved to be recognized, but maybe she could focus on who they were after they came home, rather than who they were then.
    So many soldiers were affected by the experiences they’d gone through. Some—not in a good way. But some said that it made them more aware of how small the world could be.
    “I have chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Actually, I was going to show you the best way to eat them.”
    “Well, I thought you ate cookies with your mouth.” He gave her an odd look, and she rolled her eyes.
    “Ah, where is your sense of food adventure? In fact, I’m going to take that adventuresome nature of yours to a whole new level.”
    “Bring it on, Macy. I can take whatever you’ve got.”
    The seductive, whiskey sound of his voice and his choice of words did all kinds of naughty things to her.
    Be careful.
    But it was too late. She’d already crossed the line with Lieutenant Blake Michaels, and she wasn’t at all upset about it.

3
    B LAKE TOSSED AND turned in his bed. Thoughts of Macy in those jeans and that lacy red top made it impossible for him to sleep. He’d wanted to kiss her as soon as he saw her lick the whip cream from her lips. That pink tongue had darted out and all he could think of was capturing it with his mouth. He’d wanted to cover her in the white confection and lick every inch of her.
    Damn. He had it bad for her.
    He sat up on the side of the bed. He needed a shower, a cold one.
    Why did she have to be a reporter? If she had any other occupation he’d be doing his best to get in her bed. He couldn’t remember when a woman had affected him the way she did. Her laugh, smile and the way she walked with those lovely curvy hips swaying back and forth held his attention.
    He thought back over their conversation. Even though she’d pried, she did it respectfully. True to her word, she hadn’t asked him a single thing he couldn’t answer. And when she dug a little too deep, she’d backed off and made them chocolate chip cookie pies, her version of the whoopie pie.
    She was hot. Smart and funny. The perfect combo.
    But he couldn’t risk hanging out with a woman who might reveal secrets he prided himself on keeping. He might slip up, get carried away. And the last thing he needed was for his superiors to see something like that in the newspaper.
    He’d been thinking about taking the honorable discharge on offer, and maybe settling down like his friends Rafe and Will. They’d all met when Will was