by Karen Foley
“She’s just so beautiful,” Kate said wistfully, watching her.
“I agree,” Chase said, but when Kate turned to him, he was looking at her, not Tenley.
“At least she didn’t get my freckles…I inherited those from my father,” she said, self-conscious. “When I was young, I would have given anything to have skin like Tenley’s.”
“Really? I love your freckles.”
Kate gave him a disbelieving look. “You’re kidding.”
Uncaring of who might be watching, Chase stepped closer and traced a fingertip over her cheek. “I’m not kidding. A face without freckles is like a night sky without stars.”
He shifted his gaze to hers, and for a moment Kate couldn’t breathe. Without conscious thought, she leaned toward him, her lips parting.
A sudden commotion snapped Chase’s attention away from her, and Kate turned to see what was happening.
A young soldier had pushed his way to the front of the crowd, avoiding the security guards, and pulled himself onto the stage. Kate stiffened and then sprang forward, but Chase was already moving, sprinting backstage to gain quicker access to the stage and intercept the soldier. At first, Tenley didn’t realize the young man was right behind her, but when she turned around and saw him, her fingers slipped on the guitar strings, and the amplifiers made an earsplitting screech.
She stared at him for a split second, and then he stepped forward and took her by the arms. His lips were moving urgently, but Kate couldn’t hear what he was saying. She could only see the look of disbelief on Tenley’s face. Then Chase was there, yanking the soldier away from Tenley even as the security detail leaped onto the stage.
As Kate watched, the soldier stopped struggling and allowed Chase to escort him backstage. Tenley stood there for a moment, clearly shaken, but when her band picked up the strains of her interrupted song, she rallied. Clearly it was an effort for her to continue with the performance, but she managed to get through the number without any more incidents.
As soon as she finished, the crowd erupted into applause and cheering, and Tenley waved before jogging backstage. Kate met her there, anxious to see for herself that she was okay. There was no sign of either Chase or the young soldier who had attacked Tenley.
“Are you okay?” Kate asked, framing Tenley’s face in her hands and searching her eyes.
“Yes, I think so,” Tenley replied, but she seemed shaken by the incident. “He just surprised me, is all.”
“What did he say to you?”
Tenley looked distracted, and her eyes were unfocused. Kate repeated the question.
“What?” Tenley shifted her attention back to Kate. “I, um, can’t remember what he said. Everything happened so fast, and it was so loud up there that I couldn’t really hear him that well.”
There was no more opportunity to ask questions as Tenley’s band members surrounded her, wanting to know what had happened. Kate hadn’t gotten a good look at the soldier, but something about him had seemed vaguely familiar. She made her way back to Tenley.
“Did you know that young man?” she asked.
Tenley turned to her with a look of surprise, and then quickly seemed to compose herself. “No, of course not,” she said quickly.
“Okay,” Kate said. “I just thought…well, never mind.”
Tenley shrugged and spun away, but Kate didn’t miss how she chewed her finger, a sure sign that she was distressed. It was the same thing that Kate did when she was upset. “These guys all look exactly the same,” Tenley said. “Same haircut, same uniform, same conformist mentality. He looked familiar to you because he looks like every other soldier.”
Chase returned at that moment and approached Tenley. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Tenley said, clearly exasperated. “What’s going to happen to that soldier?”
“He’ll be reprimanded, and probably banned from attending the rest of the Independence Day festivities.”
Tenley frowned. “Please don’t ban him on my account. I don’t want him to get in trouble. I mean, it’s not like he did anything really wrong. He just surprised me, that’s all.”
“We should put more security personnel around the stage,” Kate said to Chase. “This is exactly why I asked that the troops be kept at least fifteen feet back from the stage. I don’t want Tenley to have to go through this again.”
“I agree,” Chase said smoothly. “Why don’t I escort you both back to your housing unit? I’m sure you’re tired and it’s probably a good idea to call it a night.”
“No!” Tenley said quickly, then seeing Kate’s surprised expression, she lowered her voice. “I mean, I’m not tired, and I don’t want to go back to the housing unit. I’d like to hear the other performers.”
Kate studied her sister. “Okay, if you’re sure. Why don’t I get you something to drink. Maybe a lemonade?”
Tenley gave her a grateful smile and sank into a nearby chair. “Thanks, that sounds great.”
Chase fell into step beside her as she made her way to the food table. “Well, I understand why you feel so protective toward her. She does seem rather fragile and young.”
Kate laughed. “Oh, no. Another country conquered by the fair Tenley. Russell says she’s dumb like a fox.”
“Who the hell is Russell?”
“Russell Wilson is Tenley’s agent. He’s the one who arranged for her to participate in this tour. He handles her concert tours, and I handle the rest. We’re a good team, but sometimes he just doesn’t understand Tenley.”
“And I suppose he understands you?” Chase’s voice was a low rumble.
Kate ordered a glass of lemonade and looked at Chase in surprise. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”
“Damn straight,” he said. “I’m jealous of any man who gets to spend time with you.”
“Trust me, he has no interest in me,” Kate said drily. “He’s all about Tenley and the money she brings in.”
She turned to take the lemonade to Tenley, but Chase stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Kate looked at him expectantly, but his eyes were on Tenley. She had removed her white boots and was lounging back in her chair, laughing with one of the other performers.
“She’s a great kid,” Chase commented. “But I think she has you fooled, too.”
Kate frowned. “What do you mean?”
He gestured to Tenley, who was now belting out an impromptu tune to the accompaniment of a guitar. “I think Tenley Miles can take care of herself. She’s what…eighteen? She doesn’t seem to have any trouble putting herself out there.”
“Age is just a number,” Kate said archly. “Tenley is a very young eighteen, and I’m in no hurry to push her out of the nest.”
He raised an eyebrow, but she didn’t miss the dimple that appeared briefly in one cheek. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Kate, but she’s already out and flying on her own. She’s not a child anymore.”
Kate frowned. No matter how successful Tenley might be, she couldn’t stop thinking of her younger sister as a child. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she wouldn’t fully come into her inheritance until she was twenty-one. Both of her parents had been successful stars in their own right, and had left Tenley the bulk of their impressive estates, but she could not claim control of her fortune until her twenty-first birthday.
Chase was right. Legally, at least, she was an adult. But Kate cringed to think of Tenley trying to negotiate her way through life. She wouldn’t be able to find her own way home from the corner coffee shop if Kate weren’t there to guide her, and her soft heart left her vulnerable to those who would take unfair advantage of her.
Tenley chose that moment to set her guitar aside and walk toward them. “Hey, I hate to be a wet blanket, but I’m pretty beat. Must be the time difference.”
“Are you ready to call it a night?” Kate asked in surprise, handing the lemonade to her sister. “I thought you wanted to stay and hear the remainin
g groups play.”
Tenley yawned hugely. “I do, but I don’t think I can keep my eyes open for another minute. But I don’t want to ruin your night. If you don’t mind walking me to the trailer, I’ll be fine on my own and you two can come back and enjoy the rest of the festivities.”
Chase gave Kate a meaningful look and she knew he was thinking about Captain Larson’s empty CHU.
“Okay,” she said, too quickly. “I mean, if you’re sure…”
“Oh, I am,” Tenley said. “I am completely exhausted.”
“I’ll drive you back,” Chase offered.
“Where is the rest of my band staying?” Tenley asked.
“They have a large tent not far from here,” Kate told her.
“A tent?” Tenley squeaked as she followed them to the Humvee. “Are you serious?”
“Well, it’s more like a big fest tent,” Kate explained. “Don’t worry, they’ll be very comfortable.”
“If you’re sure,” Tenley replied. “I hate to think of them roughing it.”
“Once they’re asleep, it won’t matter where they are,” Kate assured her. “C’mon.”
Twenty minutes later, Kate slipped out of the housing unit and Chase materialized from the nearby shadows. “How is she?” he asked.
Kate smiled. “Exhausted, but too keyed up to relax. I gave her a mild sleeping tablet, so she should be out until morning.”
“Did you give her the beeper?”
“Yes. I showed her how to use it and left it on the bedside table.”
“We’ll be less than five minutes away if she needs us. But she won’t.”
They walked along the street without touching, although Kate was acutely aware of every movement he made. She could hardly believe she was going to do this—sneak away in the night to be with Chase. She felt as young as Tenley.
“Having second thoughts?” he asked quietly.
“Absolutely not,” she said, flashing him a quick smile. “Just a little nervous. How about you?”
He laughed softly. “Nervous? Not on your life. It’s been the single thing on my mind all day.”
“Well then,” Kate said, grabbing his hand and breaking into a light jog. “We should hurry. I’d hate to disappoint you.”
14
“DARLIN,” HE GROANED, “I don’t know how you could think you could ever disappoint me. I mean, look at you.”
They had reached Captain Larson’s housing unit, and Chase had gotten them both inside without anyone seeing them. He turned on a small light next to the bed, and then took his bandana and laid it across the top of the lampshade to create a soft, muted glow.
As soon as he’d finished that, he’d turned to Kate and caught her hands in his, spreading her arms wide so that he could look his fill. Kate tried not to feel self-conscious, but couldn’t help wishing that she had something more feminine and attractive to wear instead of her cargo pants and soft jersey top.
But Chase didn’t seem to notice or care.
“Come here,” he said roughly, and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly against his hard body. “You have no idea the hell I went through this morning when you gave me the frost treatment.”
Kate tipped her head back and let her gaze drift over his features, committing them to memory. She traced the contours of his lean cheeks and square jaw, before she bracketed his face in both hands and drew his head down for a kiss.
“You don’t know the hell I went through when I thought you had spent the night with Captain Larson,” she murmured against his mouth. “I hope I never have to go through anything like that again.”
With a groan, Chase deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers and feasting on her mouth. Kate’s blood began to hum through her veins, and she wove her fingers through his hair, loving the velvet-rough sensation against her palms. He smoothed his hand down over her hips and cupped her rear, pulling her up against his arousal.
When he released her and stepped back, Kate blinked. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Absolutely nothing. But I want tonight to be special. And I’ve dreamed of undressing you, slowly, revealing you inch by inch.” So saying, he reached out and unfastened the top button of her blouse, and then the next one, folding the fabric back and bending his head to press a kiss against the exposed skin. By the time he got to the last button, he was crouched in front of her, holding her hips in his big palms as he dragged his lips over her stomach. Kate ran her hands over his head, encouraging him.
“You’re so soft,” he muttered, and his fingers went to the fastening of her jeans. He drew the zipper down slowly, pushing the material aside and pressing his face into the open V, breathing deeply before kissing her through the silky fabric of her panties. “You smell good enough to eat.”
True to his word, he undressed her slowly, pulling her pants free of her legs, and easing her blouse off until she stood in front of him wearing nothing more than her bra and panties. Standing up, he held her arms out and the heat and masculine appreciation in his eyes gave Kate a sense of feminine power.
Smoothing her hands over her stomach, she reached up and skated her fingers over her breasts before reaching behind her to unfasten her bra. Chase swallowed hard and she saw a muscle flex in his lean cheek.
“Do you want me to take this off, or would you rather do it?” she asked, tipping her head and giving him a sultry smile.
“No. I mean, I want to watch you take it off,” he said, his voice husky.
Kate was amazed at how quickly and easily the tables had turned. She’d thought that he would pounce on her the second the door was shut; that he would consume her and possess her before she even knew what had happened. But he’d taken his time, and he’d made the mistake of letting her wield her power over him. She liked that feeling, and she wanted to keep it going.
Slowly, without taking her eyes from him, she slid the straps of her bra down her arms, letting the cups catch on the tips of her breasts until, finally, she let the garment drop to the floor. Chase released his breath on a soft groan, but when he would have reached for her, she held up a hand to forestall him.
“Not yet.” She smiled. “You wanted to take this slow, so that’s what we’re going to do. Right now, all you get to do is watch.”
Hooking her thumbs in the lacy waistband of her panties, she shimmied them over her hips and let them slide down the length of her legs until she was able to kick them free. She watched as Chase’s eyes darkened with desire, and she could see the evidence of his arousal beneath his camo pants. Emboldened, she skimmed her fingertips over her breasts and stomach, and down to the apex of her thighs, wanting to tease him just a little.
“Kate,” he warned in a soft growl. “You’re killing me.”
She felt no embarrassment at standing nude in front of Chase; the expression on his face told her clearly that he more than liked what he saw. But she wanted to do more than just arouse him; she wanted to completely rock his world and give him something to remember long after she was gone. Keeping that in mind, she walked slowly toward him.
“I don’t want to do that,” she assured him. “But I do want to kiss you.”
Looping her arms around his neck, she allowed her breasts to brush against his chest, before she cupped his head in her hands and angled her mouth across his, licking along the seam of his lips until he gave an audible groan and opened beneath her onslaught. He tasted faintly of mint, and the sensation of his tongue sliding hotly against hers caused heat to slip beneath her skin until her entire body felt overheated and achy with need.
As she kissed him, her fingers worked the buttons of his camo shirt, and she tugged the hem free from his waistband. She slid her hands under the fabric, over the smooth, hard ridges of his abdomen. His skin was like hot silk, and dragging her mouth from his, she forged a path of moist kisses down his neck and over his chest, flicking her tongue against the small, flat nubs of his nipples.
He groaned, and when her fingers dropped to his belt
and fumbled with the buckle, he brushed her hands away and unfastened it for her. Kate popped the button of his pants and slowly drew the zipper down. Chase’s breathing was uneven now, but when Kate would have dropped to her knees, he caught her by the elbows and pulled her back up.
“What?” she asked. “I want to touch you.”
“Ah, darlin’, I want the same thing, but I don’t want you on your knees.” So saying, he backed her up until her legs encountered the edge of the bed and she sat down.
“Hmm,” she said approvingly, now that his hips were at eye-level, “I like the way you think.”
He looked incredibly sexy, with his camo shirt unbuttoned, revealing the corrugated muscles of abdomen, and Kate’s mouth began to water. Chase’s expression was taut as he watched her through heated eyes. Swallowing hard, she put her hand against him, feeling his hard length thrusting against her palm beneath the fabric of his pants.
“You’re so hard,” she breathed, glancing up at him.
A dimple appeared in one cheek. “You bet.”
Kate pushed his pants over his hips, and slid her hand inside the waistband of his underwear. His breathing hitched as her fingers curled around him. Pushing his briefs down over his hips, she released him. He was long and thick, and the blunted head of his penis reminded her of a ripe plum. She wanted badly to taste him.
His hands stroked her hair as she bent forward and ran her tongue over him. He gave a loud groan, and his fingers traced the curve of her ears, but he didn’t apply any pressure. Emboldened by his response, Kate took him in her mouth and swirled her tongue over his length, while she curled her fingers around the base and gently squeezed.
He tasted delicious, and she wanted more. With her free hand, she stroked his hip and buttock, and then cupped his balls, teasing him as she slid her mouth over him. His breathing was ragged now, and looking up at him, she saw he had put his head back. His eyes were closed and he looked like every decadent fantasy she had ever had, and her body responded instantly.