by Elle James
Sunny almost laughed at the way the boy’s voice shook in his excitement. He’d tell this story for the rest of his days.
When Sunny dropped her hand to her side, the young man stared at his.
“I’ll never wash this hand again,” he said, his words hushed and reverent.
“Miss Daye!” Paul’s voice called out nearby.
Sunny grimaced. “My bodyguard is going to be upset with me,” she whispered.
“I won’t tell,” Private George said. “Ma’am. Could I ask one thing of you?”
“Sure,” she said.
“Could I get a picture of me and you…in my tent. My buddies will never believe me.”
She chuckled softly. “You bet. And if you have something you want me to sign, I’d be glad to give you an autograph.”
He raised his shirt. “Would you consider signing my chest?”
Her eyes danced with humor. “I would, but even permanent markers eventually fade.”
The private glanced around frantically, searching for his phone and something for Sunny to write on. When he couldn’t find anything but a permanent marker, he looked down at his T-shirt. “Do you mind signing my shirt?”
She shook her head. “I don’t mind at all.” Sunny turned to Dash. “Would you do the honors of the photo?”
“I’d love to.”
Bodie handed his camera to Dash and stood beside Sunny. She slipped her arm around him and smiled at the camera.
Dash snapped several shots before he handed the camera back to the private. “Thank you, sir,” the boy said.
“You don’t have to call me, sir,” Dash said.
“I know, sir,” the private said with a grin. “You work for a living.”
“Miss Daye!” Paul called out again from a little farther away. “We’re organizing a search party.”
“Shoot,” Sunny said. “That’s our cue that the party’s over.” She signed the private’s shirt and gave him a big hug. “Thank you for sharing your tent with us for a few short minutes. Your parents must be so proud of you. Will I see you at the concert?”
He nodded. “I’ll be there with a couple of my buddies.”
“Be sure to tell them that Sunny Daye stopped by your tent to meet you.” She winked at him, her smile fading. “Stay safe, and make sure you go home. I want to see you at future concerts in the States.”
The private stood at attention and popped a salute. “Yes, ma’am.
“Ready?” Dash held out his hand to Sunny.
She settled her helmet on her head, nodded and fit her hand in his. “Let’s go face the music.”
“You meant that as a pun, right?” Dash asked as he held the tent flap open for her to pass through.
“Absolutely,” she said with a grin, feeling lighter and happier than she had since she’d arrived in country.
As they walked back toward the stage, Sunny held tight to Dash’s hand, liking that he was breaking the rule of no fraternization and flaunting it in front of others. He had to like her a little bit to go that far. She also liked that he didn’t treat her like a celebrity. Yeah, he protected her, but he’d do that for any woman he cared about.
Did he care about her?
His hand gently squeezed hers as if he could hear her question.
Her heart warmed and she leaned against his shoulder.
They might be worlds apart as far as their careers were concerned, but he was a man, she was a woman, and there was something brewing between them.
At least, she hoped there was.
As they rounded the end of a row of buildings, Sunny spotted Paul and Stewy ahead of them.
“If we hurry, we can catch up to them before they reach Lloyd and the stage crew.” Sunny picked up the pace.
Dash matched her speed.
“Paul,” she called out before he reached the end of the row of buildings.
He turned and waited for her to catch up. “Where did you go?”
“We made a PR call to a soldier. It only took a minute, and it completely made his day,” Sunny said brightly. “I hope I didn’t worry you,” she said and smiled innocently. “If you need me, I’ll be in my coach, getting ready for the show. You might want to grab something to eat and drink while I’m occupied. It’s going to be a long night.”
With that parting comment, she breezed past him and hurried toward her motorhome, Dash beside her all the way.
She liked having him with her but knew it wouldn’t be forever. Hell, they barely knew each other.
Did he like to watch football? Sunny did. Ray hadn’t liked to and went off to a jazz bar whenever she wanted to watch the Dallas Cowboys play.
She glanced up at Dash. Did he prefer beer over wine? Or was he a whiskey drinker? She’d peg him for beer. Sunny liked a cool beer on a hot day. Ray had only drunk rum and coke.
Did Dash like mountains or beaches? Where would he spend his honeymoon when he finally let himself fall in love?
As she climbed up into her coach, she sighed. Why did she care? They’d never be together beyond this USO gig in Afghanistan. He had his career; she had hers. They were so diametrically opposed that she couldn’t see any way it would work out, even if they tried.
Was it wrong of her to want more time with Dash?
She sighed again.
“Are you tired?” he asked as he entered the motorhome behind her.
“Not really.” Hell, her blood was still zooming through her veins from the kiss in the tent. Too bad the tent had been occupied, she would’ve liked to extend that kiss to a little heavy petting. Her fingers burned to touch his skin, all over his body.
“You just sighed again.” Dash gripped her arms and turned her to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said, without meeting his gaze. If she looked up at him, he might see in her face all the longing she was feeling for a man she’d only just met.
He touched a finger beneath her chin and raised her face, forcing her to look him in the eye. “You were smiling just a minute ago. Now, you look all down in the dumps.”
She forced a smile to her lips. “Is that better?”
He shook his head. “No. That’s not a real smile. It’s actually kind of creepy.” He bent to touch his lips to her forehead. “I know you don’t know me from Adam, but I’m actually a good listener, if you want to talk.”
And tell him that she wanted him? No way.
That would be pretty pathetic for the talent to hit on the bodyguard.
“Thank you. I’m really fine. I just need to get ready for the show tonight.”
He stared down at her a moment longer, his hands still resting lightly on her arms.
Then he let his arms fall to his sides. “I wish Private George hadn’t been in his tent today.”
She smiled a real smile. “Me, too.”
He cupped her cheek in his palm. “I wanted that kiss to go on a lot longer.”
Her heart pounded against her ribs, and her breath came in ragged gasps. “Me, too.”
His head lowered until his lips hovered over hers. “I can’t resist.”
She leaned up on her toes, closing the distance, sealing her mouth over his.
Me, too.
And therein lay the problem. She couldn’t resist this Delta Force soldier.
But resist, she must. Anything she might consider with him would be short-lived and heartbreaking when they had to part ways.
A little devil in the back of her mind reminded her, Isn’t it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
Even if it was only for a few days on the road across Afghanistan?
Dash let Sunny take the lead on the kiss. If she wanted to end it sooner, he wouldn’t stop her. But boy, he didn’t want it to end. He pushed his tongue past her teeth, stroking hers in a long steady glide.
He had the intense urge to sweep her up into his arms and carry her back to the bedroom and make mad, passionate love to her.
What was keeping him from doing just that? They were
finally alone in the motor coach. If they locked the doors, no one would walk in, unless they let them in.
Dash glanced at the clock. Sunny had less than an hour to prepare for her performance. He didn’t want to rush her through making love. When he made love to her, he wanted to take his time exploring every inch of her body. He wanted to take her with his mouth and play her until she came.
And that was assuming she wanted it, too. One hour wasn’t enough to accomplish all that, and Sunny needed the time to apply stage makeup and choose a costume for the performance.
Setting her at arm’s length, Dash sighed.
She laughed. “Now, you’re sighing.”
“I want so much more than what we have time for.”
“Like what?” she whispered, touched her fingers to his bulletproof vest. She opened the vest and helped him slide it over his shoulders, lowering it to the floor.
“Like what you’re doing,” he said and cupped the back of her neck, drawing her to him for a kiss that lasted only a moment. “As much as I want to make love to you, you need to get ready.”
“Or Floyd will show up at my door demanding I appear on the stage ASAP.” She took one of his hands in hers and carried it up to her lips, pressing a kiss to his palm. “Do you really want to make love to me?” she asked, her voice no more than a whisper.
He laughed. “Yes. More than I want to take my next breath. You’re beautiful. You have the voice of an angel. What mortal man wouldn’t want to make love to you?”
She sighed again. “What if I couldn’t sing? What if I was just like any other woman?”
“I’d still want to make love to you,” he said. “It’s what’s in your heart that makes you so beautiful.” He brushed his thumb across her lips. “I saw you with those refugees. You really cared about them. And with Private George—you didn’t brush him off, too busy to talk to a fan. You treated him like you cared. You’re kind, you’re funny and you’re real. How many celebrities are?
“More than you would know,” she said. “We’re all just people like anyone else. We want to be loved for who we are, not what we can do. One day, the beauty will fade, the fingers will grow gnarled and the vocal cords will dry up. What will be left?”
He pulled her in his arms. “A warm, caring person, who can be loved for the beauty in her heart.”
She stared up into his eyes, tears filling hers.
“Now, don’t cry.” He pressed a kiss to each of her eyelids. “You’ll get all red and puffy.”
She laughed. “I can’t have that. It’ll disappoint the troops. I’m supposed to make them happy and forget that they’re thousands of miles away from home, missing their families.”
“That’s right. Once again, caring enough about others to help them through some tough times.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Now, go get ready. While I’m watching out for you, I get to hear you sing. I was hoping to catch your concert. Now, I can. I hear you’re amazing.” He winked.
“So I’m told,” she said. “I’ll sing a song especially for you.”
“I’ve only had one other woman sing a song especially for me.”
“Oh?” Sunny’s eyebrow rose. “The hussy.”
He laughed out loud. “Don’t be calling my mother a hussy. She sang to my sister and me every night when we went to bed, until we were about ten years old. I’d stay awake as long as I could, just to hear her sing.”
“She must be an amazing woman,” Sunny said.
“To put up with me and all my shenanigans, she was,” he said.
“Was? Is she still alive?”
He shook his head. “Both my parents passed a couple of years ago, within six months of each other.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Dad died of a heart attack. Mom missed him so much, she died of a broken heart.”
Sunny laid her hand on his arm. “And now, they’re together in heaven.”
He nodded. “Knowing they’re together, makes it a little easier to accept that I’ve lost both parents.”
“And you’re lucky you still have your sister,” Sunny reminded him.
“I am. Although there have been some scares with her.” He brushed a strand of her hair back from her forehead. “It’s getting late. You need to get ready.”
She glanced at the clock, and her eyes widened. “Yikes!” She ran for the closet, selected clothing, and dashed to the bathroom.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” she called out. Then she poked her head around the door and gave him a sly grin. “You wouldn’t happen to want to join me in the shower, would you?”
He scowled. “Don’t tempt me, woman. It would be more than a moment, if I did.”
“Thought I’d ask.” And she was gone. The next thing Dash heard was the sound of water running in the little bathroom.
Yes, he’d been tempted to take her up on her offer to shower with her. Maybe he’d get one while she was doing her makeup.
Not long after, the water cut off, and Sunny emerged from the bathroom with a towel turban on her head and wearing a slick, pink silk robe.
Dash groaned.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing a cold shower might cure.” He rummaged in his duffel bag he’d left on the floor earlier and pulled out a fresh T-shirt, clean trousers and boxer briefs. “I’ll only be a moment.”
“Take your time. I’ll be here for a minute, applying my usual stage makeup and blowing my hair dry.”
Dash entered the tiny bathroom, still steamy from Sunny’s shower and smelling like her shampoo.
God, he wished he’d taken her up on the shower with her. Then again, he knew the few minutes she had to get ready wouldn’t be long enough.
Setting the temperature to cool, Dash removed the bandage Sunny had applied so expertly, stepped beneath the spray and washed away the dust and dirt from the mission and the day of travel. His wound stung but the water washed away the dried blood and dirt.
He didn’t take too long as he knew the tanks in motorhomes didn’t contain a whole lot of water. She’d need it for the next couple of days, if they didn’t refill it at each stop.
Once he was done, he dried off, dressed in his underwear, camouflage trousers, a T-shirt and a fresh uniform jacket. When he stepped out of the bathroom, Sunny was blowing her hair dry, using a round brush. When she was done, she used a curling iron to put waves back into her hair. She’d applied makeup to her face and eyes.
The whole process of hair and makeup made Dash glad he wasn’t a woman, and even happier that Sunny was.
When she was finished with her hair, she entered her bedroom to change into the sequined royal blue dress she’d had hanging on a hook.
Dash walked to the front of the motorhome and glanced out the window.
The road crew had completed the stage setup, and the band was working the kinks out of the speakers and their instruments. The troops were already crowding into the area in front of the stage.
A sound behind him made him turn.
Sunny stood in the royal-blue, sequined dress and a pair of glittery silver high heels. “What do you think?”
“Wow.” Dash crossed to her and gathered her in his arms. “You look amazing.”
Her cheeks reddened beneath the stage makeup. “Thank you,” she said.
A knock on her door made her back out of Dash’s arms.
Dash opened the door to Lloyd Pendleton. The USO tour director smiled up at her. “Thank goodness. You’re on in ten.”
She nodded. “I was just about to leave.”
“Good. Good,” Lloyd said. “Everything’s ready. We had a lot of unexpected assistance from a building contractor in the area. He was able to get his crew in to help ours get the stage up and running in record time.” He turned and headed toward the stage, talking to himself about things that still needed to be done.
Dash captured Sunny once more and kissed her forehead. “What’s it they say in showbiz?”
“Break a leg?” Sunny said with a mischi
evous smile.
“Yeah. That’s it. Only I’m afraid to say it for fear it will happen in those shoes.”
She laughed. “I’ll be fine. I wear these shoes a lot. I can handle it.”
Nevertheless, Dash scooped her up in his arms and carried her all the way to the back of the stage, across uneven gravel.
Already, he could hear the roar of the crowd of soldiers waiting for Sunny Daye to boost their spirits and give them a great show.
“I could’ve gotten here without the lift,” she said, her arm draped across his shoulders.
“And ruin those sparkly shoes in the gravel?” Dash shook his head. “I couldn’t disappoint your fans.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll get in trouble for too many public displays of affection.”
He snorted. “Anyone who hit me up with those kinds of charges would only do so because they were jealous.”
“Jealous because you’re with a celebrity?” she asked.
“Jealous because I’m with a kind, caring and beautiful woman, who just so happens to be a celebrity.” He kissed her full on the lips before he set her on her feet near the stage. “Now, where do you want me? I don’t mind standing in front of you with my bulletproof vest, deflecting bullets, but your fans might protest.” He frowned. “Actually, shouldn’t you be wearing the vest and helmet you had on earlier?”
She frowned. “You think anyone will take a shot at me? Aren’t we far enough away from the outer fence that it would be difficult for a sniper to pick me off?”
His chest tightened. “I hope so. Really, I could have someone run back to the motorhome and get the protective gear.”
Sunny shook her head. “I’ll take my chances. These guys don’t want to see me sing and dance in a helmet and bulletproof vest. They want to be reminded of home where they don’t have to worry as much about being shot.”
“I’d feel a lot better if you wore a vest. I don’t suppose you could get one on under that dress…?” He ran his gaze over the length of the short, sequined dress and shook his head. “No. That would not be possible.”
Sunny chuckled. “Yup, not possible. There’s only room for me under this. And it’s itchy. As soon as the concert is over, it’s coming off.”
Dash growled low in his chest. “Mmm. I like the sound of that.”