Free His Obsession Next Door (In the Line of Duty) by Cathryn Fox Page B

down to it, he was a working-class soldier, a soon-to-be ex-soldier, who couldn’t give her the things she was accustomed to, material things the men attending her benefit could provide. Which was why he’d used discretion and walked out of that ballroom without her in his arms. To Gemma, a night of casual sex with an old crush might be fun and games, but she had a reputation to uphold and he didn’t want to do anything to dishonor her. Taking her to bed had certainly dishonored her brother’s wish, however. Once again, he couldn’t help but feel he’d failed Brandon.
    Christ, he never should have let lust overrule sensibility and climbed between the sheets with her. Angry with himself, he tossed the blankets off. “I have to go.”
    Gemma glanced at the clock. “It’s one in the morning. Where do you need to rush off to at this time of night?”
    “I have to get Charlie. He’s with Jack.”
    He threw his feet over the mattress and her next words, not to mention the soft, cautious way they were delivered, caught him by surprise. “Why did you come tonight?”
    A long pause and then, “Because it was important.” He neglected to tell her why it was important or how much he hated her being with another man. Christ, he was in trouble where she was concerned, which meant he needed to put as much distance between them as he could.
    With renewed purpose Cole climbed from the bed, dressed and slipped out of the hotel room. Gemma didn’t say anything as she watched him go and he didn’t dare glance back. One look, one tiny glimpse at the well-fucked woman sprawled across the mattress would surely have him changing his mind and crawling right back into bed with her.
    Battling his conscience, Cole left the hotel swiftly and jumped in his truck. He took Gemma’s panties out of his pocket and stuffed them into his glove compartment. He made his way to Jack’s. After evading his friend’s shrewd glance and fearing everything about him screamed he’d had the best sex of his life, Cole gathered Charlie and drove home. Once there he stripped off the suit and jumped into a cold shower. In an effort to wash away Gemma’s scent, as well as memories of the way they fucked, he grabbed the bar of soap and scrubbed his skin raw.
    But the second he hit his bed all his mind wanted to do was think about how sweet she tasted, how warm and wet she was when he pushed deep inside. Goddammit he loved how her body had readily opened to his. He thought about how they had moved together, in sync, like they were meant for each other. He’d never ridden bareback before and everything from the feel of skin on skin, to her softness wrapped around his hardness, to the way he’d splashed his seed high inside her, had generated a new kind of need inside him.
    Cole punched his pillow, unable to get comfortable as his cock tented his blankets. He shifted from side to side and spent the rest of the night tossing restlessly, all the while cursing himself for not having more restraint where Gemma was concerned. He was a soldier for Christ’s sake, a bomb expert at that, which meant he was disciplined, cautious, a guy who made rational decisions with his head—the one on top of his shoulders. He should have stayed away tonight. He should have left Gemma in Douglas’s hands. At least if she fell for the successful surgeon, her mother would be happy. And a married woman would remove any temptation for Cole.
    He finally dozed off near dawn and when early morning sunlight lit a column along his floor, Cole climbed from his bed and went to his window. He peered through the curtains and, when he looked into Gemma’s empty condo, he couldn’t help but wonder when she’d be back. The only way to put her out of his mind was to go for a run, then head to the abandoned base to help the guys design the obstacles. He pushed away from the window and made his way to the bathroom. Another cold shower was definitely in order before he began his day.
    Two hours