by Cat Johnson
“It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.” He rubbed his cock against her, shuddering with the overwhelming pleasure he’d feared he would never get to feel again.
Vicki took in a deep shuttering breath. “I read the blog.” He thrust against her again, bumping her clit but not entering her. She closed her eyes for a second, before opening them to stare into his. “And I love you too.”
He groaned more from the words he so wanted to hear than from the friction of rubbing against her. Ryan concentrated on stroking the spot that would throw Vicki over the edge with the tip of his erection. He felt her body start to shake as he watched the pleasure on her face.
She watched him through heavily lidded eyes that kept drifting closed as she came. Her body thrust against his until he felt the familiar tingle inside him. His toes in the rubber shower shoes started to curl. With barely a second to spare, Ryan pulled away enough so he came on Vicki’s stomach.
With Vicki’s legs still wrapped around him, Ryan leaned his forehead against hers. The spray deflected in all directions around them. “Mmm. One day, I’m going to be someplace where I can be with you in a nice, big, soft bed.”
“That would be nice.”
Her giggle sent shivers down his spine. He took in a deep breath. “I am so in love with you.”
Vicki smiled. “You know, I think I started to fall in love with you when I first read your blog. Why didn’t you tell me you were Groundpounder?”
Embarrassed at keeping that little secret, he shrugged. “I tried to tell you a few times, but something always interrupted me.” He decided to change the subject. In between planting kisses on Vicki’s face and neck while enjoying the weight of her in his arms, he asked, “How did you know where to find me?”
“I stopped by the hut first and Wally told me. Then I saw your uniform hanging on the hook.”
Ryan grinned. “Good. I’d hate to think that my girl is popping naked into a shower stall with any old Joe.”
Vicki got an uncomfortable look on her face and unwrapped her legs from around him. “Listen, Ryan…”
Uh, oh. He let her stand on her own but kept his arms firmly anchored around her back. “Yeah?”
“About you quitting the Army…”
Ryan shook his head to cut off any protest on her part. “Vicki. I meant what I wrote. There are lots of things I want to do with my life. When my current contract is up, I don’t have to reenlist to be happy.”
“I can’t…no, I won’t ask you to do that for me.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.
“No. I fell in love with a soldier.” She laughed. “Even before I knew it was you, when you were just the author of a milblog. I would never ask you to give that up.”
“I don’t know if I like the fact you were in love with Groundpounder before me.” Ryan laughed, only half-teasing.
“It was more of a crush on him, I guess. And stop being silly. You’re the same person. But seriously, about you quitting—”
“I…we have plenty of time to think about it. I still have a few more months here, then another year before my contract is up and I have to decide anything.” Ryan ran his hands lightly up and down her arms and watched the goose bumps rise to the surface of her skin as the hot water began to run out. He flipped the shower stream off. “So let’s not waste time worrying about it now. Okay?”
She nodded, then grimaced. “What’s Hawk going to do now that I’m back? Was he doing a happy dance when he heard I’d left?”
“He’s the one that told me I should do whatever it took to get you back.”
“No!” Her eyes opened wide.
Ryan grinned. “Yeah, but don’t tell him I told you. It will spoil his mean-guy act.”
Vicki smiled. “Okay. I promise.”
Regretfully, Ryan pulled away from her. “We better get dressed. We’re lucky to have this much alone time in here already. Don’t want to push it.”
“You’re right.”
Watching her get dressed after having her totally naked for the first time in their relationship was not easy, but Ryan managed it. Finally, they both were decent again and could cross the base.
Walking back to the hut, Vicki turned to him. “I’m going to share my byline with you, you know.”
“What?”
“For the article on the women of Afghanistan. You did the interview, which was perfect by the way, so I’m putting you on my byline.”
He took her by both arms and spun her to face him. “You are one amazing woman. Do you know that?”
“No, you’re the one that’s amazing. Soldier. Writer. Investigative journalist. I think I’m a little jealous. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day you and your milblog get published. Your writing really is amazing.”
“Really. You think?” A writer. Now there was a post-military profession he hadn’t considered, but it kind of appealed to him.
She eyed him sideways. “Uh, oh. I better stop with the compliments. I can see your head swelling from here.”
An evil grin bowed Ryan’s lips. “Oh, I’m swelling all right. What do you say we get inside my quarters and I show you how much?”
“Oh, boy. Is this what life with you is going to be like? Just sex and orgasms all day long?” A coy smile played across her heart-shaped lips.
“You got a problem with that?”
“Nope, not one bit.”
“Good.” Neither did he.
About the Author
As an award-winning author of contemporary erotic romance in genres including military, cowboy, and ménage, Cat Johnson uses her computer so much she wore the letters off the keyboard within a year. She is known for her creative marketing and research practices. Consequently, Cat owns an entire collection of camouflage and western attire for book signings and a fair number of her consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living. In her real life, she’s been a marketing manager, professional harpist, bartender, tour guide, radio show host, Junior League president, sponsor of a bull-riding rodeo cowboy, wife and avid animal lover.
To learn more about Cat, please visit www.catjohnson.net. Send an email to Cat at [email protected], like her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CatJohnsonAuthor or follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cat_johnson.
Look for these titles by Cat Johnson
Now Available:
Rough Stock
Studs in Spurs
Unridden
Bucked
Ride
Hooked
Flanked
Red, Hot & Blue
Trey
Jack
Jimmy
Jared
Cole
Bobby
A Few Good Men
Model Soldier
A Prince Among Men
When love presents itself, take your shot.
Model Soldier
© 2012 Cat Johnson
Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 8
When Emily Price is assigned to an ad campaign featuring one of Uncle Sam’s finest soldiers, she’s thrilled. Who better to break up the monotonous parade of smooth, perfect models than a rough, war-hardened alpha male?
Maybe she’ll even get lucky like one of her colleagues and find romance. Unfortunately, when she meets her model, he’s more caveman than Prince Charming. Now her dreams of love—and her career—are dangling precariously from his callused fingertips.
Staff Sergeant David Hawk Hawkins never imagined refusing a command…until he loses a bet and is ordered off the battlefield and into a new role: Poster boy for the Army’s recruiting campaign.
From the start, their relationship is more fire-and-ice than fairytale. Yet beneath their sparring simmers an attraction that finally explodes into a night of lovemaking that haunts them to opposite sides of the globe after they part.
But love isn’t through with them—and neither is the public. The campaign is a hit and Hawk becomes a star. Soon he and Emily are thrown together again, but this time it’s on
Hawk’s turf, where flying bullets could settle their battle before it begins.
This book has been previously published and has been revised and expanded from its original release.
Warning: Contains sex hot enough to travel halfway around the world, and a love strong enough to bring them back home again.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Model Soldier:
This had not turned out at all the way she’d pictured in her dreams. In fact, it was becoming more and more like a nightmare.
Jai looked as if he was nearly ready, so Emily figured she’d better be brave and broach the next subject. “So we’d like to um…” how to say this without getting shot down again, “…make your, uh, physical form stand out in the photos.”
There was that brow again, but this time accompanied by a smirk.
He remained silent, so she continued. “So maybe you could roll up the sleeves of your camouflage uniform shirt so we can see your arms a bit?”
Even though she’d remembered to call it a uniform and not an outfit—as if she would ever forget that again—she still got the disapproving look and head shake.
“No can do. And it’s called a jacket, not a shirt.”
Why couldn’t he just do one little thing without being difficult as well as correcting her terminology? Humph. As if she should know what military clothes are called.
“Why can’t you?” Emily widened her stance, ready for battle. He wanted to argue, she could argue.
“Because it’s against the rules, that’s why.”
“But I swear I’ve seen guys with their sleeves—” The steady sway of his head still shaking at her finally stopped her in her tracks. “What?”
“You may have seen it, but it is against our regulations and I can’t do it.”
He meant won’t do it. Emily couldn’t imagine that his captain really gave a darn what his sleeves looked like.
“Maybe we can ask someone if it would be okay—”
He actually laughed at that. “No.”
With a huff, she gave in.
“Fine. Are you allowed to take off your jacket?” Emily emphasized the word that he’d insisted on correcting her on. “Can you wear just your T-shirt or is that against the rules too?”
“Yes, I’m allowed.”
Finally, a yes, but still he didn’t move.
“Could you please take off your jacket?”
Hawk smirked boldly but thankfully complied. With a chuckle, he took it off.
Now he was laughing at her? Emily planted her hands on her hips. “What’s so funny?”
“It’s been a long time since a woman ordered me to take my clothes off. Maybe this gig won’t be so bad after all.” Hawk hung what still looked more like a shirt than a jacket on the back of a chair and turned back to her. He paused with a hand on his nylon belt. “Pants too, doll?”
Doll?
She narrowed her eyes at Hawk. “No, thanks. Maybe later.”
Pig. Worst of all, a pig with bulging biceps and beautiful pecs beneath a very tight T-shirt. His dog tag chain nestled right between those delectable pecs. Emily suddenly imagined him standing before her without the shirt. All big and burly.
What was she doing? He was such a…a… There simply were no words to describe him.
The chuckle from Jai’s direction didn’t help Emily’s mood. She shot him a nasty look as well.
Emily turned back to Hawk and sighed. She had to get into a professional mindset. No more pouting that he wasn’t Prince Charming. No more bickering because he was acting like the typical difficult model. She was used to that at least.
Thinking like Katie would, Emily imagined the finished print advertising. Hawk, standing in his T-shirt and camo pants. Arms crossed…make that hairy arms crossed.
Darn. BB was practically hairless but Hawk, no such luck. What were the chances of Emily being able to get him to wax the hair off his forearms? And if they chose to do a few topless shots, would he wax his chest? Probably his back would require de-hairing, also. Stifling a laugh at the ridiculous notion, she figured the odds of him agreeing were slim to none.
Could they airbrush out that much hair? And exactly how many tattoos were the tan T-shirt and camouflage pants hiding? Now that she was getting to know him better, he seemed the type to have ink, and lots of it. Probably a really crude naked lady or obscenities. Or maybe some morbid, bloody skull tattoo. Emily could only guess. She and Katie hadn’t discussed the possibility of tatts. Perhaps they could airbrush any of those out too.
Then a small detail she’d missed before hit her.
She frowned. “Your shirt. It’s tan.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So, shouldn’t it be green? You know, Army green. No?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s the rules.”
“Oh, come on. I know I’ve seen military men in olive-green shirts.”
He nodded. “I’m sure you have. Marines wear green shirts. The Army wears tan T-shirts with the universal-camouflage pattern for our combat uniform.”
She sighed again, deeper. Fighting the rules seemed useless, but she couldn’t resist one last word. “Well, that tan does nothing to bring out the color of your eyes.”
Hawk smiled broadly at that, looking genuinely amused, an emotion Emily had begun to doubt was in his repertoire.
“I’ll make sure to point that out to my superiors. Maybe they’ll consider changing the regulation uniform in deference to the color of my eyes.”
Well, that was the highest amount of syllables she’d heard come out of him all at once the entire day.
Emily had a strong urge to stick her tongue out at him. He’d probably laugh at her for that too, so she didn’t give him the satisfaction.
She heard Jai’s shutter and looked up to see him snapping candid photos of Hawk, who went from a laughing smile at her expense, to a frown, to looking stern and kind of scary in a matter of seconds.
“That’s great, Sergeant.” Jai wore a grin. “Perfect. I want your whole range of expressions over the next few days.”
That led to an even more comical expression of horror clearly written across Hawk’s face. Had he just realized that whether he was happy about it or not, this photo shoot and this ad campaign starring him was going to happen? Difficult or not, he was stuck with them for the next few days and there was nothing he could do about it.
Now it was Emily’s turn to smile.
The heat is on...
Into the Fire
© 2012 Donna Alward
First Responders, Book 3
The last person firefighter Chris Jackson expects to rescue from a burning animal shelter is Ally Gallant—his ex-fiancé. Even though three years have passed since she gave him back his ring, one look at her frightened face in the haze of a smoky building is all it takes for him to realize he’ll still do anything to protect her.
Ally’s put her heart and soul into the shelter, and she’s devastated when it’s destroyed. What's more, Chris is suddenly there for her in ways she doesn’t expect—ways she’s sure she doesn’t deserve—as she makes decisions about her future. Then there’s the not-so-small matter of the blazing passion between them that refuses to be extinguished.
But when Chris is injured while on a call, Ally’s reminded of all the reasons she walked away. Now she must look deep within herself to find the courage to put fear on the back burner and step into the fire—into love.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Into the Fire:
Chris put down his glass and reached over to put his hand on her knee. “It’ll all work out, you’ll see.”
“I hope so.” She toyed with her glass. “It was a big job getting it going in the first place. Now it’s like starting all over.”
“What about insurance?”
She shrugged. “Insurance will cover some of the contents, I suppose. But the building wasn’t ours. We rented it. In fact, we were looking at relocating because the landlord wanted t
o raise the rent. As a charity, that’s a tough pill to swallow, you know?” She sighed. “We don’t have a choice now. But we’ve also lost all our equipment, cages, food…”
“Don’t think about it.” Chris could tell she was feeling overwhelmed again. “You can figure that out later. One thing at a time, and right now it’s looking after you. Making sure you’re okay.”
She looked at him so sweetly he nearly forgot the edge of bitterness he still felt when he thought about their breakup. It still hurt, knowing they’d been so close but that she’d been able to walk away so easily.
“I’m okay thanks to you. A lot of animals are okay thanks to you. You saved us today, Chris.”
He’d left his hand on her knee, and now she put her hand on top of his. It was warm and soft, and without thinking he turned his over so his fingers were twined with hers. For all the hurt, he’d never hated her. It was impossible to stay angry with Ally. She was too kind of a person.
That kind nature was part of why her leaving had hurt so bad. It would have been easier to get over her if she’d been nastier, selfish, vindictive. But she was none of those things. She never had been.
“I was just doing my job,” he said. But he knew that wasn’t strictly true. For a second today, it had been intensely personal. All he had to do was think about her wide, frightened eyes and he had the urge to pull her into his arms and protect her.
He was suddenly aware that his thumb was stroking the soft skin at the top of her hand. And that she hadn’t pulled away.
“I was so scared,” she whispered. “I knew I had to try to get as many out as I could, but I could taste the smoke and hear the fire and I was terrified. And then you were there.” She slid over on to the cushion between them, turned and put her arms around his neck. “I was never so glad to see anyone in my life.”
“You’d never know it.” His voice came out all husky, and he swallowed, putting an arm around her back, trying to hold on to his composure. It was difficult when she was pressed against him, smelling like his shampoo, wearing his clothes. “You started barking orders.”