“Hannah?” Will’s hands tightened around her and he shifted her so that she was sitting on his good leg. She was vaguely aware of all this but she couldn’t pull herself together.
“A sniper?” she said again weakly.
“Hey, I’m okay. And trust me he got one shot off and Rafe and the team took him down. I’m fine—I promise.”
“You could have died.” She couldn’t keep the tears from falling.
“But I didn’t, honey. Please stop crying. It kills me when you do that.”
He thumbed her tears away.
“Will.” No longer able to contain all the worry and fear she’d kept hidden from him the past few months, she sobbed against his chest.
Will rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head as he tried to soothe her.
It took her several minutes but it occurred to her she was only making things worse. “I’m sorry.” She coughed. “I promised I wouldn’t do that to you. I—I’ve been really worried. I guess I was holding more back than I thought.” She gave him a half smile.
He kissed her again. This was something she would never grow tired of as long as she lived. The contact sent delightful shivers to her toes.
She pulled back. “Wait, you’re not a marine anymore?”
“I’ll always be a marine, but I’m no longer on active duty. I could have stayed in and done a desk job. But after watching you, I’ve decided to go after my own dreams. I have a way to continue to serve my country, and stay close to you.”
“Tell me.” She couldn’t keep the anxious tone from her voice.
“Private security. Rafe and I are going into business together. We’ll be private contractors with the United Nations, and thanks to Ambassador Ramkin we already have a list of clients lined up. It will mean a lot of travel, but New York is going to be home base.”
“You gave up the Marines to be with me? That’s— Are you sure? I don’t want to be the kind of woman who forces the man she loves to give up on his dreams.”
He smiled. “I love you, too.”
She realized what she’d said. Every time they’d talked on the video chat she’d regretted not telling him that she loved him. But she wanted to wait until they were face-to-face again. Evidently, her subconscious was in a hurry to get the words out.
“I’ve loved you since that first day,” she admitted. “That moment I looked into your eyes and you smiled. That was it. You owned my heart.”
Will laughed. “Why did you make me work so hard, then? You knew I loved you.”
She shrugged. “I was afraid you were going to leave me. It was inevitable and I think I believed if I didn’t say it out loud it wasn’t real. That way if you changed your mind, it wouldn’t hurt so bad.”
“Hannah, you are a crazy woman if you think you’re ever going to get rid of me. You said something about me giving up my dreams. You are my dream, woman. I’d do anything to be with you. And honestly, I’m not giving up my career. I’m just taking a different path.”
“So, are you rested up?” She pointed down at his leg.
“Sure, do we need to head out to some parties? I’ll have to change. And I wanted to double-check to make sure all of your designs were packed and secure.”
She smiled. “Anne Marie has it covered. Trust me. After the New York show, she’s a fiend about making sure everything is sealed tight and locked in the crates. She’s hired extra security for every show.
“And as for the parties, well, I do have something in mind.” She stood and backed away from him. “But you’ll have to follow me if you want to find out what it is.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to blindly follow you, wherever you go?”
She gave him a naughty grin.
“Oh, hell, yeah.” He laughed as he pushed himself up on the crutches.
THE TAXI DROPPED THEM in front of a residence and Will was curious as to who they were visiting. From the look in Hannah’s eyes he thought for sure they were headed back to the hotel.
“Who lives here?”
“Me. At least for now,” Hannah said. “It belongs to my friend Maurice. He and his partner, Gregory, are in Italy on vacation for the next month. He knew I’d be here so he asked me to house-sit.”
She opened the door and he hobbled up the steps. He hated that he was on crutches, but then he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the accident, so there was that.
When he’d seen her run up on that stage he knew he’d made the right decision. Not that he’d ever doubted his leaving the corps was the right thing to do. He couldn’t lead his men the way he’d been trained with his leg the way it was. He could have stayed, but this was the second time he’d been shot in a year. He took it as a sign that it was time to go.
Hannah turned on the lights.
“What does this Maurice do?” He took in the opulence surrounding him. Everything had a distinct French feel with the gold trim and rich fabrics. While his unit would have been mortified to know it, Will had spent a great deal of time studying fabrics and style during their downtime. He wanted to better understand Hannah’s world.
They passed by a painting that had been signed by Picasso.
“He’s an interior designer and he has his own line of furniture that is sold around the world.”
The furniture business must have been pretty good if her friend could afford something like this. Will followed her through the living and dining area into the kitchen. It was stone and steel, but still had the warmth and opulence of the rest of the place.
“You have some great friends. Do you have the whole place to yourself?”
“Usually. The staff come and go.”
“That’s convenient.”
She waggled her eyebrows and he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Are you hungry?” She opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of champagne. Then she reached in a cabinet for a couple of glasses. When she lifted up the top of the dress tightened against her chest.
Yes, he was hungry, but not in the way she meant.
He had dreamed of her every night. Her beautiful face had replaced the horrific nightmares from his past. “Are you hungry?”
She shrugged. “I’m still hyper from seeing you. But I want to make sure you have your strength up.” She glanced at his leg and frowned. “Oh. I… Can you… Uh…”
“Where’s the bedroom?”
“It’s up the stairs. Oh—”
“I’ll be fine.” He hoped. He turned and moved toward the staircase.
A sheen of sweat wetted his brow as he made it to the top. The pain was tough but he was a marine. He would never let it show. Hannah was behind him, and he limped onto the landing.
She moved around him to guide him to her bedroom, but when she glanced up she must have seen through the mask he’d donned.
“You need to get horizontal now,” she ordered.
“I thought that was the plan.”
“Not now, Marine. I knew going up those stairs would be hard for you. Stop being Mr. Tough Guy and let me help you.” She handed him the other crutch she’d carried.
“I’m fine.” Will hated that his breath came out in a pant. Except for his leg, he was in the best shape of his life. He’d spent a lot of time working out. Every time he talked with Hannah or read an email, it was the only way he could get rid of his sexual frustration and ease the ache in his heart.
In the bedroom, she ran to pull back the duvet and sheets. He settled back on some pillows she placed against the ornate wooden headboard. Once the pressure was off his leg, he was instantly better.
She opened the French doors looking out over Paris. It was a beautiful sight, but his eyes were focused on one woman. “Hannah. Sit.”
But she remained where she was.
“Please?” he asked her.
“I’ll be back.”
When she returned a minute later, she was carrying a bottle of champagne and two glasses. She uncorked the bottle and poured champagne into their glasses and handed
him one. “I always think of you as being so invincible,” she said softly. “If that sniper—”
She couldn’t finish her sentence.
“Oh, Hannah. I promise you I’m okay. The plane ride and being up on the leg so much, that’s all that’s wrong. I was a little tired going up the stairs, but I’m good now.” He took their glasses and set them on the nightstand. Then he nestled her against his chest. “You’re always talking about the universe. The way I see it, that sniper’s bullet brought me home faster to you. And he didn’t hit anyone else. I considered that a win. We’re here together. Nothing else matters.”
She sighed against him. “It still doesn’t feel real. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone.”
Gently holding her face in his hands, he kissed her. “I’m real and you just had another amazing show. I’ve been reading about you online. You are quite the star now. I’m so proud of you.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Will, you were shot. What I do, it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s fluff and puff. Nothing more.”
“No, babe, it isn’t. What you do is art. You make beautiful clothes that make people happy. You touch lives and make people feel good about themselves. Don’t you ever belittle yourself. By the way, my mom wants to know if she gets a discount.”
Hannah laughed and this time it was for real. That grin of hers made Will’s soul lighter.
“I don’t know. It depends on how nice her son is to me.” She pursed her lips as if she were thinking about something serious.
“I’m ready to be real nice to you, Hannah.” His hand moved down her side.
“We can’t do this. Not now,” she complained. “Your leg. No.”
“Oh, we can and we will.”
Will picked her up and sat her on his lap.
“We should wait,” she protested as he slipped her frilly dress over her head. One glance at her lacy burgundy bra and panties, and his promise to himself to take it slow was gone out the window and flying over Paris. He’d never wanted another woman so badly.
“Hannah.” His thumbs rubbed across her taut nipples and she moaned.
Rubbing her heat against his hardened shaft caused his body to go rigid. If they weren’t careful, he’d never make it.
“Take off your panties.”
“Why, Captain Hughes, was that an order?” She stood, sliding the tiny piece of lace down to her ankles. Then she reached around and lost the bra.
Will sucked in a breath.
“You’re so gorgeous.”
She kneeled above him, working his zipper open and freeing his cock. Then she took him in her mouth and Will nearly lost all control. As if she had all the time in the world, she suckled him and teased him with her mouth.
“Babe, you have to stop doing that. I can’t hold on much longer.”
She lifted her head enough to give him a wicked glance. “Oh, no. I’ve been waiting months to do this, and though it’s going to happen much faster than I wanted, I’m making love to you.” She pulled herself on top of him. Then she leaned forward and put her hands on the headboard so they were chest to chest.
He bent his good leg so he could lift his hips to meet her, but she slid herself down on his cock and bounced on top of him, doing most of the work. Her breasts rubbed against him and her eyes bore into his with such passion.
“You think you’ve dreamed about this, Will? I’ve needed you inside me. Beside me. I love you so much and my heart left when you did. I hoped every day you would bring it home to me safe and sound.” Her voice was husky with emotion.
“Technically, you were the one who left me at the airport. Though, I’m glad you had the strength to because I didn’t right then.”
“I’m never doing that again.” Hannah increased her speed and cried out, her orgasm shuddering through her body and her slick heat tightening around his cock. Unable to hold back any longer he spilled himself into her.
She was limp against his chest. “I love you so much, Will. I forgot to say it at the airport and I’ve been so mad at myself. I love you. I love you. I love you. And I’m going to spend every moment I have with you making sure you know it.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed the top of her head.
The woman he loved was wrapped around him and all was well with the world. For the first time in his life Will didn’t care what their next move was. As long as Hannah was with him, he would be happy.
“Will?” She glanced up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“What are you thinking now?”
“Well. Since you aren’t a marine anymore, maybe you could model for me.”
He sighed. “I’ll always be a marine. And I told you, no more modeling.”
“But I was thinking it would be a private viewing. You are my muse, you know. I find the idea of dressing you up and then stripping you down extremely appealing.” Her hand slid down his abdomen.
“Well, why didn’t you say so? I’ll model for you anytime. Here, let me show you my moves.” He moved his hands behind him in a silly pose.
She laughed as she grabbed his hands. “Life will never be boring.” She kissed his fingers.
“Roger that.” He squeezed her hands in his. He’d thought he’d wanted a calm and quiet life. But now he knew this was the woman for him.
“Have I told you I love you?” he asked.
She gave him a sweet smile. “I think it’s been close to a minute and a half since you said it last. You’re slipping.”
“Hmm.” He pulled her on top of him. “Well, then, let me make it up to you.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1540-5
MODEL MARINE
Copyright © 2011 by Candace Havens
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