Free L. A. Witt - Rules 1 - Rules of Engagement by L.A. Witt

after fucking all night,” I said. “I
    don’t think there’s such thing as ‘too personal’ anymore.”
“Okay, you’ve got me there.”
“So go ahead. Hit me.”
“Ooh, so you’re into spanking?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
    He laughed. Then his expression turned more serious. “Okay, so if there’s no such thing as too personal….” He paused, looking at me as if he was already searching for my answer. “How long were you married?”
The question caught me by surprise. “How did you know I was married?”
    He laughed and put his hand over mine, letting his fingertip trace where my wedding ring had been. “When you’re nervous, you always go for that spot. I’ve never seen any man do it who isn’t or wasn’t married.” Then he paused. “You’re not still married, are you?”
“No, thank God. Well, it’s not final yet, but it’s over.” I looked at our hands and chuckled. “Remind me never to play poker with you.”
    He grinned, shrugging. “I’m a people watcher.”
“So I see.”
“So what happened?”
“With?”
“Your marriage.” He hesitated. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
“Not at all.” I let out a breath. “Honestly, it was over before it started.”
    “Really?”
I nodded. “Unfortunately, it took me ten years to figure it out.”
    “Ten years?” He shifted his gaze for a second, furrowing his brow, and I could tell he was calculating it in his head.
“I got married when I was eighteen.”
“Ah, okay,” he said. “I was starting to wonder how you looked so young.”
     
Grinning, I kissed him lightly. “You and your silver tongue.” He smiled. “So anyway, what happened?” His eyebrows lifted a little. “Not trying to pry; I’m just curious.”
     
“Well, I guess you’re entitled to know a thing or two about me now that you’ve gotten me into bed.”
    “I know more than a thing or two about you now.” He trailed a fingertip across my nipple and made my breath catch. He gave a satisfied chuckle, then returned his hand to its place over mine on his chest. “Go on.”
“Tease.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, she was a bitch. Really. Treated me like shit.”
    “And you married her because…?”
My face burned. “Because I let my parents twist my arm into it.” He winced. “Ouch.”
I shrugged. “I let them talk me into joining the military too.” “Wait,” he said. “You… you were in the military?”
I nodded.
“Branch?”
“Marines.”
Holding up a finger, he closed his eyes. “Hold on, give me a minute.”
     
“What? Why?”
    He gestured for me to be quiet, then exhaled and opened his eyes. Smiling, he said, “Just had to picture it for a second.”
“You know, I have pictures if—”
    “Yes, I want to see them.”
“Utilities or dress blues?”
“ Yes .”
We both laughed. Then I said, “So yeah, I did four years in the Corps and ten years chained to her.”
     
His smile fell. “So what ended it?”
    I thumbed my ring finger out of habit. Realizing what I was doing, I glanced at him to see if he’d noticed. He had. He squeezed my hand gently.
    “If you don’t want—”
“She cheated on me.”
His eyebrows jumped. “What woman in her right mind would cheat on you?”
    I rolled my eyes and laughed, certain I was blushing. “I don’t know, but she did.” I swallowed, trying to push the bitterness back. “I don’t know how long she was doing it, but I suspected it for a while.”
“So did she come clean?”
    I shook my head, swallowing again as emotion tightened my throat. As much as I was glad to be out from under her thumb, the way things ended still hurt. Barely whispering, I said, “I caught her.”
“Oh Jesus.” His thumb moved back and forth on the back of my hand. “That must have been….” He trailed off, shaking his head.
    “Yeah, it wasn’t pleasant.” I absently drew tiny circles on his chest with my fingers. “I thought she was cheating and figured out that she was spending an awful lot