Temporary Assignment The Complete Collection: A Military Romance

by KB Winters

  “Not in the least. It was loud, crowded and horribly overpriced. Plus the school that wanted me was in the more posh part of town where kids are always told they are perfect and never expected to do more than show up for their grades.” I took a sip of my wine again before continuing. “It only took two out of the seven days I was scheduled to be there for me to realize that I would not have been happy in that city.”

  “Not a bad realization,” Cole said. “It definitely takes a certain type of person to deal with a big city. I’ve visited there a few times to go see a buddy of mine, and was never that impressed with it either.”

  “Good, then we can still be friends,” I joked.

  Cole speared me with a heated look. “Friends…right.”

  His response made me swallow hard. “Right.”

  “Do you have sex with all of your friends, Savannah?” His voice dropped low making me shiver as it washed over me. I tried to keep my expression calm and not show how affected I truly was.

  “Depends.”

  “On?”

  I looked up at the sky as if to think. “On if they cook me amazing food or not.” I could hear Cole shifting closer to me, but I didn’t look at him, instead I leaned over and plucked a grape from the bowl still left out.

  “I see. So the fact that I made you food so good you sounded as if you were having an orgasm with each bite means that I am one of those friends, correct?” Cole asked as he stopped his movement. His arm slightly brushed mine and with each pass my skin would pebble as my nerves were set on fire.

  “If you’re lucky, perhaps.” I gave Cole a smirk of my own enjoying our playful banter. Most men I had met spent less time talking and joking with me and more time trying to feel me up so this was a welcome and enjoyable change to the norm. “But first, you’ll have to show me a bit more for me to decide if you are worthy.”

  His answering smile could only be described as predatory, but I liked it. Normally, I made sure I was the one in control—the one making the decisions and choosing the course of action—but I was finding that the thought of submitting to Cole was not unwanted. The thought of lying back and letting him touch me was exciting in more ways than one.

  “So, should we settle this with a little competition of sorts?” Cole challenged as he reached a hand up stroking his fingers across my cheek. I unconsciously leaned into him before I could stop myself.

  “That sounds like something I’d be interested in. What did you have in mind?” I tried out my own heated look as Cole’s gaze locked onto my own. His grey eyes were bright as if he enjoyed our jabs at one another as much as I did.

  “Well, we’ve both had more than one glass of wine, so I think we should carry out our challenge somewhere close. Within walking distance, at least.”

  I turned my head and ghosted my lips across the back of his fingers before gathering my legs underneath me. “I think that is an excellent idea.” I pushed myself up to stand. “There’s a small park on the other side of the theatre.” I pointed past the screen as Cole pushed to stand beside me.

  “That sounds great. Let me put all of this back in the car.”

  I stepped back off the blanket before bending down to help him gather the plates and containers. We put everything back in the picnic basket including the half-finished bottle of wine. As good as it was and as much as I wanted another glass, I also wanted to be as sober as possible so that I could remember every single minute with him.

  The park was only a couple minutes walk away and the silence between us was peppered with the sounds from the movie and insects. Occasionally, the backs of our hands would slide against one another and each time I’d hold my breath waiting to see if Cole would take my hand in his. I wasn’t sure if I was more worried about him trying to hold my hand, or not trying to hold my hand. All he’d have to do was glance over and he’d see my cheeks were flushed. And not for the first time…I cursed my lack of melanin.

  “So how strong are you exactly?”

  “I...don’t really know how to answer that.” Cole looked over at me and I tried to keep my expression neutral. “Is there a particular reason you’d want to know?”

  I shook my head. I couldn’t possibly tell him that the reason I wanted to know was strictly for possible bedroom activities or that I might have looked up Marine Corps training videos online and gotten hot and bothered at seeing what those men could do.

  “No real reason. Just, with the wine and picnic and cooking, you don’t really strike me as the Special Forces, officer-type,” I teased.

  “Oh really?” Cole paused in his steps. I continued walking for a moment before turning back to look at him. “What, in your mind, is the special forces, officer-type?”

  I shrugged feeling a little thrill at his response. “I don’t know…I guess I don’t have a set picture in mind.” I looked up at the sky with a grin. “I was just thinking of someone a bit more …uhm…badass?”

  I smirked at Cole’s stagnate expression. I’d never met a military officer, much less a special ops officer-type, so I only knew what I’d seen on TV or the internet, but I couldn’t help my desire to poke and prod at him. I let out a sigh as if the whole conversation was deeply disappointing to me before turning around. “I suppose we should—”

  My word cut off on a shriek as I was grabbed from behind and lifted into the air. If not for the familiar scent of Cole’s cologne, I would’ve screamed in fear, but as it was—I laughed—hard. Nothing could have prepared me for being lifted up and thrown over his shoulder like I didn’t weigh anything—the man took my breath away. I went limp, but clung to his muscled back in order to keep my upper body steady, which was a smart move, because without warning, Cole took off in a sprint. The muscles in his back bunched with each pump of his powerful arms and if my grip turned into caresses, nobody needed to know. All I knew was —I needed him one hundred percent more naked and all over me… otherwise I’d explode.

  By the time we’d reached the park, a full moon was out high in the sky, almost making the sky a purple color. It reminded me of the red wine I’d just drank, and I hoped I hadn’t dribbled any on my chin. I tried to discreetly run my thumb across the sides of my lips before sucking on it lightly. The quiet choking sound Cole let out made me glance over, but he was looking away, out toward one of the empty swing sets.

  “I challenge that I can swing higher than you.”

  I cocked an eyebrow at his random challenge. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I’d teased about him proving that he was worthy. “That wasn’t exactly the type of challenge I was thinking of.”

  Cole shrugged and looked over with a smile. “You didn’t specify the type of challenge.”

  “True.” I looked back at the swings. It had been a while since I’d even been to a park for an extended period of time. My high school had a football field and a soccer field, but most teenagers had no desire to play on playground equipment.

  “Are you afraid that I might upstage you with my awesome swinging skills?”

  I snorted. “Highly unlikely. I was voted Swing Queen in sixth grade, a title I held until my matriculation to high school.” I held my head high attempting to be regal even as Cole laughed and I didn’t fight my own big smile.

  “Well, I should warn you that I was voted King of the Swings in fourth grade and I held that one until I moved on to high school, so I’m pretty sure that I’ve got this in the bag easily.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You are so on.” I didn’t give him a warning instead running for the swing set with a whoop of laughter. I could hear Cole laughing behind me, but I didn’t stop until I reached the swing and took a seat grabbing onto the chains. I looked up as Cole sat in the one beside me, his face turned serious as if the challenge was a matter of life and death. It made me kind of want to kiss him until both of us forgot our names, or challenge him like this for the rest of forever. I schooled my expression to one of grim determination as Cole looked over at me.

  “You ready?”

>   I smirked. “Absolutely. You are so going down.”

  Cole counted down from three and then we both pushed off, our bodies automatically remembering the motions of how to send the swing higher. It was slow at first, both of us having to curve our legs slightly so we didn’t scrape the ground—Cole more so than me. The feeling of the wind whipping my hair back and forth was incredibly freeing and I briefly wondered when was the last time I felt so light and free—not bogged down with expectations of work or Heather, or even myself. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back enjoying the cool night air. Maybe if I asked nicely I could install a swing in my office.

  “I’ve always loved the park.”

  I opened my eyes and looked over at Cole when I heard him speak. “Yeah?”

  He nodded. “Yeah. My mom used to take me almost every day before she got sick. We would sometimes pack a picnic and stay there all day. I would spend hours just running around playing on everything.” Cole looked over at me with an expression I couldn’t place. I wasn’t quite ready to explore what the emotion in his eyes was, so I smiled and let out a loud battle cry before jumping out of my swing. Getting deep wasn’t necessarily something I was ready to do right then, so I figured I should just change things up.

  “So do you think you could beat that jump?” I turned to where he was still swinging. “Or do you already concede defeat?”

  He laughed. “Challenge accepted.” On the next swing, Cole swung out and jumped into a wide arc. To my surprise, rather than doing a simple jump like I did, he tucked his body in, completing one flip before landing in a graceful crouch. The devilish glint in his eyes took my breath away as did the knowledge that I had thoroughly lost that challenge.

  I closed my mouth with a click as Cole straightened his stance and walked over to where I still stood, dumbfounded. “Well, that was pretty…badass. How the hell did you manage to do that?” The awe was clear in my voice and I felt no need to hide it. Regardless of who he was, I would’ve been awed at seeing anyone do a flying flip out of a swing. I was more than a little impressed and wondered what other talents this marine had hidden away.

  Cole shrugged before reaching out and taking my hand in his. “It kind of evolved from basic training and working out. I might not look like a badass because I’m an officer so I try to keep things a little more reserved, but I’ve done some shit—seen things no one should ever have to see…” he trailed off. “…anyway, being flexible and having the catlike ability to land on my feet comes in handy when shit gets deep...”

  “Wow.” I nodded in understanding while my mind spun with all the implications of his flexibility. I wondered where else his strength and flexibility could come in handy and I knew from the slight change in his smile that my thoughts had probably been broadcasted across my face. I shook my head slightly to push them from the forefront of my mind and bring my focus back to the present.

  “Well regardless, if impressing me was your goal then congratulations—you have succeeded, which I’m assuming was what you were going for with that little aerial display?”

  Cole smirked. “So what do I get for impressing you and winning our challenge?”

  I snorted. “You might have shown more acrobatic skill, but I do believe I jumped higher than you.” I was acutely aware of where our hands were touching, but I didn’t pull away.

  He cocked an eyebrow. “Well then I guess we’re both winners.”

  “I guess so.” My voice was breathy as Cole pulled me closer to him. I darted my tongue out to wet my lips and I watched as his gaze zeroed in on the movement. “What did we win?”

  “Well, since we’re both winners, we should probably get something mutually beneficial.” His voice was low as he wrapped his free arm around my waist pressing us closely together.

  “Geezus,” I whispered. I brought my free hand up to his chest and twisted the front of his shirt in my fingers. Just one little touch from him and my body was already poised and ready to give in to desire. I’d never thought of myself as an exhibitionist and the thought of people seeing me sexually vulnerable had always terrified me, but right then I would’ve given Cole anything he’d asked for.

  When our lips finally pressed together, I swore my spine melted right out of me. I made a soft noise of pleasure even as I pulled myself as close to Cole as possible. My lips parted on a gasp that bled into a groan as he licked his way inside. He tasted like wine, sweet and tangy and I sucked on his tongue to get more of his delectable flavor. He was quickly becoming an addiction—one I didn’t want to give up. My veins felt like they had been set ablaze as pleasurable heat ran through my body and pooled low in my stomach.

  Cole pulled back slightly, our panting breaths loud in the stillness of the night. “Fuck baby. The noises you make are so fucking sexy.”

  I shook my head slightly, shaking his hand from mine so I could reach up to tangle my fingers in his hair. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I just wanted to feel and be felt—I wanted to lose myself in him and never let go. When I tugged his hair bringing his lips back down on mine, I felt a bolt of satisfaction shoot through me at his short punch of noise. I wasn’t the only one who seemed to be enjoying our desperate kisses and I felt a thrill at being able to reduce this hulking muscular man to releasing his own whimpers of pleasure.

  I didn’t know how long we stood there trading deep probing kisses back and forth under the darkening skies. Despite being in a nearly deserted park with a man I’d only met a few days before, I wasn’t afraid. I somehow instinctually knew I didn’t have anything to fear from Cole and that he’d never hurt me. It was an alarmingly wonderful realization that sent me further into pleasure. After several minutes, Cole pulled away, allowing us both to gasp for air.

  “Oh God,” I gasped out.

  Cole hummed in agreement and nosed down along my jaw until he reached my sensitive throat. While I tried to remember how to breathe, he alternated between open-mouthed kisses along the column of my throat and breathing deeply against me. Both sensations made me shiver and I tilted my head back, giving him more room to explore. At my motion, he let out a deep rumbling noise sending pleasant vibrations through my body. I ran my fingers gently through Cole’s short blonde hair and looked up at the moon. It was crazy to think what had started out as a one-night stand had somehow led to this—standing under a beautiful evening sky with a gorgeous man who seemed to want me without attempting to control things. In fact, he seemed to enjoy my quick wit and dry, sarcastic humor. Where most men had been annoyed or almost angry at how blunt and challenging I could be, Cole seemed to not only enjoy it, but also actively encouraged more.

  “We should probably head back,” Cole said, finally. His voice was muffled from where his mouth was still buried against my neck. I tensed at the thought of returning to the real world right then. I wanted nothing more than to stay where we were, locked in our embrace under a bright full moon. I knew desire and need had to be coming off of me in waves, but though Cole continued to place gentle sucking kisses to the column of my neck, he hadn’t otherwise moved. His hands were planted on my hips on top of my shirt so I moved the hand that had been smashed between us until I could grab his wrist and move his hand until I rested it against my ass. The motion made Cole remove his face from my neck and pull back to lock his gaze with my own.

  I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

  Cole didn’t flinch or pull away. In fact, the hand against my ass squeezed lightly before it went back to simply resting where I’d put it. I wasn’t having any of that. I knew what I wanted and I knew he wanted it as well. I lifted my free hand and cupped his cheek, delighting in the stubble beneath my fingertips. My body warmed up as if priming itself for what was to come and I knew my panties were already damp with my own slick. I bent Cole’s head down and lifted up on my tiptoes so that I could put my lips next to his ear.

  “Yes.”

  This was actually happening. Cole’s hand tightened on my ass and the other that was on my hip slid up to tangle in my hair and
he tugged my head forward. I was hauled against him as our lips came together hard and dirty. No one I’d ever kissed before kissed like this, as if they wanted to consume me in the best way possible. The kiss was wet and hungry with Cole’s stubbled jaw scratching against my soft skin and I knew I would have pinkish marks when all was said and done, but I didn’t care. I felt alive and complete in a way I never had before. It was as if something that I hadn’t even known was missing had now been found and I tightened my own grip determined not to let go. I wasn’t afraid, and that in and of itself felt like winning the best battle.

  I groaned into Cole’s mouth and parted my lips as I whispered, “Yes, yes, yes,” against him. I could feel Cole guiding us down and I went with his motion without bothering to open my eyes. Whatever it was, I knew I wanted it.

  “We should go get the blanket from the car,” he rumbled out after pulling back slightly.

  I knew he was probably right, but I didn’t want to stop. I knew that if I paused right then—even if for only a moment—my mind would come fully back online and I’d try to rationalize my way out of this. I didn’t want that.

  “No, no. This is perfect.” I let go of my grip and leaned back to lie on the grass. I had been perched in Cole’s lap where he’d brought us down to the ground and my motion left him between my spread legs. The position was more than a little sexual and to entice him, I spread my legs even further. I could see the moment he gave in, but I was surprised for his quick move. “Geezus.”

  He pulled his legs out from under me until he was crouched above me on his knees. He propped himself up and away from my body resting his weight on one hand as the other moved to cup my cheek. A shudder ran through me then and it was only by miraculous chance that I didn’t come right then and there. Cole’s hair glowed bright in the moonlight and the stars at his back surrounded him. He was everything in a man I never even knew I wanted.

  Somehow, we’d managed to peel my jeans off and Cole pulled his shirt off in order to place it underneath me so my naked skin didn’t touch the ground. I arched my back pushing my hips up as he slid my thong down my milky-white legs. The air was slightly cool, but the heat pouring off of our bodies surrounded me in a cocoon of warmth and fought off any chill. Cole slid back between my now bared legs before he stopped.