And now Warren had returned to stoke my fire completely out of the blue. While I suppose it wasn’t too surprising that he had returned to New York—Melvin too, for that matter—I just hadn’t really given much thought to the possibility that they would. Even though they both had been living in New York before leaving for Afghanistan, and both were originally from Colorado just like me, our paths had never crossed before heading to Afghanistan, so I’d had no reason to assume they would afterwards. We hadn’t made arrangements to keep in touch before I was sent away from the Savage Soldiers base.
Yet, I’d now been out with both of them within a week of each other. Destiny certainly could be strange.
Warren was the one who regularly occupied my mind though. I suddenly felt compelled to call him.
I reached over to grab my phone from the nightstand. I turned on the screen, tapping and swiping until reaching his name on my contact list.
Then I remembered how awfully late it was.
But unable to resist, I tapped the screen. I held the phone to my ear, my heart pounding as it rang.
“Hello?” he answered a few seconds later.
“Hey, it’s Rose.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine, but I thought it could be better…”
“Huh?”
“You know, the night I left Afghanistan? What we were about to do…”
“Ohhh,” he said. “Yeah. What about it?”
“Are you really going to make me say it?”
“I’m on my way,” he said and quickly ended the call.
I sat up and threw the covers back, shocked by what I’d just done. I rushed to the bathroom.
Am I making a mistake? I asked my reflection in the mirror.
I barely knew the man, but that night in Afghanistan had been special, despite the interruption.
As I continued looking at my reflection, I swished mouthwash back and forth and decided I would just have fun for a night. After that, we would simply see where things went.
I’m still young. It’s no big deal, I tried to convince myself.
I spit into the sink, washed my hands, and then started wondering what I should wear before deciding to stick with the two-piece pajamas set I already had on. They were soft and comfortable, but still a bit sexy. Nevertheless, I undid the top few buttons, figuring that would help.
I then went around the house, making sure everything was in place. Just as I was contemplating whether I should light some candles, put on some music, or get some wine, the buzzer sounded.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself calm before pressing the button to open the security door downstairs.
Right that instant, at the most inopportune time, I thought of Melvin.
What if he called or decided to come over?
For someone who used to be a reporter, I really didn’t think things through sometimes...
I walked over to my front door and opened it an inch, praying it would really be Warren on the other side.
CHAPTER 14
Rose
Warren stood in the hallway.
Relieved, I smiled and stepped back. “Come inside.”
He moved forward quickly, shutting the door behind him. I stood in my living room with pajamas and no socks on my feet, my heart fluttering.
Our eyes met as he stepped forward. He put his hands on my waist and pulled me toward him, my soft body pressing against his hard one.
I stood on my toes and kissed him, wanting my memories to turn into reality. His reaction immediately told me he wanted the same.
Hardly wasting any time, he unbuttoned my top. I began fumbling with his pants, wanting to touch him again and feel him inside of me.
As our clothes came off, we held our kiss until I took his hand and led him to my bedroom.
Looks like we didn’t need candles or soft music after all.
Once we reached my bed, I sat down on the edge of the mattress, just as I had in Afghanistan.
A lustful look fell over Warren’s face as he dropped to his knees in front of me. Once again, his strong thick hands ran over my skin, getting my blood flowing.
He trailed a path up my thigh with his tongue, sending my heart racing. Once his tongue made contact with its destination, I ran my fingers through his hair as he explored every inch of my tender pink flesh. As my whole body tingled, I remembered the explosion in Afghanistan and laughed.
Warren stopped and looked up at me. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. I’m just hoping there won’t be any explosions before we get to it this time.”
He rubbed my thighs with his and then stood, his massive appendage bouncing in front of him. I watched intently as he slid on a condom and crawled on the bed. I scooted back, spreading my legs in anticipation.
He balanced on one huge arm and positioned himself for penetration as I stared up into his eyes.
He worked his way into me and everything else faded away. As the hard thickness slid in and out of me, it felt like we were made for each other.
I ran my hands down his firm and strong back. He leaned down to kiss my lips.
Letting my hesitation fade away, I enjoyed the moment. He thrusted in and out of me, faster and harder, sending chills through my entire body.
“Don’t stop,” I begged, so close to coming.
The desperation on his face pushed me over the edge. I felt myself tighten around him as my whole body began to shake. All the while, he continued pounding me.
“Fuck, yes…” I moaned.
His face scrunched up and he grunted, thrusting into me one final time. “Yes…” he hissed, breathing heavy.
Slowly, he stopped. Staying inside of me, he stared into my eyes.
Suddenly, fear washed over met.
What the hell am I doing? I thought. This guy is practically a stranger…
Without warning, images of war-torn Afghanistan came to mind, along with memories of Melvin’s forced kiss, and the way things had gone wrong with Warren during our picnic.
My chest suddenly felt too tight. My breathing to shallow.
“Get off!” I said, propping myself up with my elbows.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he pulled out.
I looked to the wall, wanting to see anything but his face and blue eyes. “This was a mistake,” I choked out between my labored breathing.
“Mistake? What do you mean? You wanted—”
“I know,” I snapped, cutting him off. “Will you please just leave?”
Guilt and shame mixed, forming an emotional cocktail I wasn’t ready to deal with, especially not with him still naked in my bed.
“What the hell?” he muttered, crawling out of bed.
“Just go. Please.”
“You’re the one who called me over,” he reminded, intensifying my guilt.
I pulled a cover over my naked body, not even fully understanding why I felt so ashamed. Tears welled in my eyes. “Will you please just leave?” I said again. “I’ll call you later.”
“Whatever. Where’s your bathroom?”
“There.” I pointed.
“This is so messed up, Rose,” he muttered, grabbing his clothes and crossing the room. “You’re making me feel used.”
I said nothing. Tears flowed completely outside of my control, effectively making me feel even worse.
When I heard Warren leave a few minutes later, practically slamming my front door, I laid back and cried, letting everything out.
It wasn’t him, but he had opened a floodgate that would not be closed easily. All my problems had started after I got back from Afghanistan—after I’d seen brutality, the mistreatment of women, and so much more. None of my life had made sense after returning from that country.
Gradually, my tears dried, but I still felt terrible.
Plus, I knew Warren would never speak to me again—not after that outburst. My sadness quickly turned into self-loathing.
I thought about calling and begging h
im to come back, trying to explain how crazy my life had become after meeting him over there, but I couldn’t.
Why would someone as perfect as him want a problem-woman like me?
CHAPTER 15
Warren
The next morning, I woke up as confused as the night before.
What the hell was Rose’s problem? She had called me, invited me over, let me fuck her, and then gone nuts crying?
What the hell?
I picked up my phone from the nightstand and turned on the screen.
No messages.
Maybe it was a one-off? She didn’t seem like that type of woman, but what the hell did I know?
After throwing the covers back, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stretched my arms.
Craziness aside, I couldn’t deny she’d been a good lay. The look on her face when she came stuck with me as I went through my morning routine, gradually waking up and getting ready for the day.
With no job, I had nothing but time.
Around lunch, my phone rang. I grabbed it, expecting to see her phone number on the screen. But instead, it was one I didn’t recognize.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hey, man. What’s up? Long time, no hear.”
“Who is this?” I asked, unable to catch the voice.
“Damn, bro. We lose touch for a year, and you’ve already forgotten me?”
“Oh. Hey, Melvin. I didn’t expect to hear from you again.”
“Yeah, you made that quite evident last time we met.”
“What’s up?” I asked, getting straight to the point. “If this is about the past…”
“No, no,” he interrupted. “I want to talk to you about a new opportunity. What are you doing these days?”
“Nothing much,” I admitted.
“You did all that complaining back in A-stan, but you’re enjoying that money, aren’t you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Look, let’s meet up, okay? This is a solid idea, and you’re the perfect partner.”
“I don’t know, Melvin...”
“You fucking afraid?”
“Man, don’t do that to me.”
“Do what?”
“Try to manipulate me. It doesn’t work.”
He laughed. “Not anymore, huh? Anyway, what do you say? At least hear me out.”
“Fine. When do you want to do it?”
“You got time now? I have a hot date tonight.”
“Sure, now is fine. Where you at?”
“Let’s meet at Lucy’s Diner on Fifty-Third Street.”
“I’ll see you there in half-an-hour,” I said then ended the call.
Whatever he had in mind, I wasn’t interested. But I knew he wouldn’t stop bugging me until I told him in person and made it abundantly clear we weren’t going to go into business together ever again.
* * *
On the walk to Lucy’s Diner, I wondered what Melvin might want.
I also marveled at how ironic it was that two people with connections to Afghanistan had re-entered my life at roughly the same time. I had sought out Rose, but Melvin had shown up on his own.
Was it really just a coincidence?
None of the world made much sense, and ever since I returned, my view of the world had changed.
All I thought about was coming up with a way to get over the guilt attached to the money I had made illegally while serving my country. It didn’t matter how many times I told myself we hadn’t hurt anyone; the guilt remained.
When it came down to it, I’d participated in a scheme that had made many people wealthy. The money I had received was enough for me to not have to do anything for a while, but I had to come up with my next step.
Rose didn’t seem to be the type of person who would date someone without a job or any prospects for the future, and I wasn’t going to let her go so easily next time around.
When I made it to the diner, I spotted Melvin sitting in a booth next to the front window. He nodded and smiled as I walked through the door.
“What’s up, bro?” he said as I took a seat at his booth. He sounded far more jovial than I remembered him.
“Same old, same old,” I said. “And you?”
A waitress walked over with a pad of paper at the ready to take our order. Melvin ordered coffee with no sugar or milk, as did I.
When she left, he looked across the table at me. “I’m looking for a partner,” he said.
“I don’t want to be part of any of your schemes,” I said firmly.
He laughed. “Damn. Jump to conclusions often? This is totally legit.”
“Yeah? And what is it?”
“I’m starting a security company. I’ve already got three big name clients lined up, and I need to find people like you who I can trust.”
“You want to hire me?” I shook my head. “Not interested.”
“No, I need a financial partner.”
“Oh. So you want my money?”
“Well, yeah, but I want you too. I like how you think things through all the time. We made a good team back in Afghanistan.”
I took a deep breath and shook my head. “It’s not for me. Not now.”
He stared into my eyes, his brow furrowed. “Will you at least think about it?” he said. “I’ll write up an official proposal with all the terms and details.”
“You can do that, but I’m still not interested.”
“Before you even know the details? That doesn’t sound like the Warren I remember.”
“Well, we all change. At least some of us do.”
“Harsh, but fair.”
The waitress returned with our coffee. I took a sip while glancing out the window. Several people passed by, wrapped up in their own worlds, oblivious to anything else.
I finished my coffee as quickly as possible, ready to leave. If Rose called, I didn’t want to be anywhere near Melvin or his crazy plans, legit or not. The mystery of the night before replayed in my mind, and I tuned Melvin out as he rambled on.
After I drank the last of the bitter brew, I slid the cup to the center of the table and stood. “I’m leaving. You can email me the information, but I’m probably not going to change my mind.”
“At least read the shit, bro. You can do that for me, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll read it. Thanks for the coffee.”
“Still a cheap bastard, huh?” He laughed.
I turned and walked out the door, already lost in my own thoughts. The image of Rose’s face when I first slid into her flashed through my mind as I walked home, trying to decide what to do next.
CHAPTER 16
Warren
When I got back to my apartment, I called Ryan, my old Afghanistan bunkmate. He had moved back to New York too, but we hadn’t talked in almost a year. With everyone else from Afghanistan coming back into my life, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to search him out too. Maybe he had the answers I sought.
“Hey, Warren. It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, I’ve been laying low since I got out.”
“I hear you. What’s up?”
“Want to grab a beer? I’ve got some stuff I want to talk out.”
“Oh no,” he said, chuckling. “More of your crazy theories on the origin of the universe or why oranges are the perfect fruit?”
I smiled. “You remember all that shit?”
“Dude, we spent so many hours together. Your stories and monologues kept me going.”
“Glad I accomplished something over there. Let’s grab a beer tonight.”
“I had some plans, but I’ll change them. Where do you want to meet?”
“Let’s go to that joint down Seventy-Fifth Street. What’s it called?”
“The Irish Paddler?”
“Yeah, that’s it. We met there before we shipped out, remember?”
“How could I forget? One of the craziest nights of my life.”
“I don’t think we’ll get that crazy tonight.�
��
He laughed. “That’s what you always say. I’ll meet you there around seven. That work for you?”
“Sounds great. Good to hear your voice.”
“Yeah, you too man. Later.”
I ended the call. Afghanistan, even at the late stages of a war that had lasted longer than a decade, had been a place where lifelong bonds were formed for better or worse.
Was that why Rose wouldn’t vacate my thoughts? Maybe a night of drinking with Ryan would help so that I could finally move on. I didn’t need a crazy woman in my life, no matter how much I enjoyed her in bed.
After talking to Ryan, my spirits lifted enough to make the afternoon tolerable.
While reading an autobiography from a man who had served in Vietnam, I kept glancing over at my phone, thinking Rose might call. But she never did.
Fucking women.
* * *
Later that evening, I walked in the bar like I owned the place. It was pretty much empty, which wasn’t surprising for a Tuesday night. Most normal people who frequented bars had to work hard for their drinking money.
I found Ryan sitting at the bar and walked over. Taking a seat on a stool to his right, I patted his back as he looked in the other direction. He turned around and smiled the moment he saw me. We had been through so much together.
“How you been?” he asked and then turned to the bartender. “Two glasses of your top-shelf single malt.”
“Not bad. Yourself?” I said.
“Things went to hell after I got back.”
I nodded. “Yeah. Same for me.”
“Really? You seem to be doing okay for yourself. I mean, you’re drinking on a Tuesday night!”
“Oh, I’m doing okay. I’m glad you came.”
“No problem.”
When the bartender returned with our drinks, I pulled out a twenty and slid it to him. “Keep it,” I said.
He nodded before wandering down to the other end of the bar.
I lifted the glass. “To the family the government gives you,” I said.
Ryan grinned as he clinked his glass against mine. We both took healthy swigs.
Lawless Hero_A Bad Boy Military Romance Page 6