Free Her Forbidden Marine (Hearts Ablaze: Men in Uniform Book 2) by Makenna Jameison

must be almost done with your Ph.D. by now, right?”
    “Only one semester left,” Becky agreed.  “I’ve got my dissertation to finish and then I’m a free woman.”
    Somehow Matt didn’t like the sound of that, even though he knew she meant she’d be free of collegiate life.  He wondered where she’d end up after graduating.  He’d always seen her as an inevitable part of his life before, when she’d been engaged to Brody, but now?  After their evening together and possibly seeing her once more while she was in town, she’d be moving on with her life.  He lived here now; she was on the west coast.  Even if Matt wanted to be with her, it sure as hell wouldn’t work.
    “You’re awfully quiet tonight,” Becky hedged, when neither of them had spoken for a few minutes.
    “Just thinking.”
    “About anything in particular?”
    Matt shrugged as he pulled onto the street Becky had directed him to earlier.  He eased into a parking space in the apartment complex, turning off the engine.  “It’s just strange how life works out sometimes, you know?”  He glanced over at her again.  If someone had told him a year ago that he’d be taking Becky to a party, he’d have thought they’d lost their mind.  She met his gaze, and his groin tightened as they watched one another in the darkness.
    “Life is full of surprises I guess,” she said lightly.
    Matt nodded.  “I guess we should go inside.”
    “Right, the party,” Becky said, seeming flustered.
    Well, that was interesting , Matt thought as he walked around the front of the Charger to open her door.  He reached out his hand to help her step out of the car.  As Becky’s slender fingers slid into his own, she stood up, the vanilla scent around her assaulting his senses again.  She looked up at him hesitantly, and before he could help himself, he dipped his head down, capturing her mouth in a kiss.
     
     
    ***
     
     
    Becky gasped as Matt’s lips met hers.  They were soft, gentle, and hot against her mouth.  Heat surged through her, warming her from the center and spreading out so that her entire body pulsed with awareness of him.  A moment later his large hands were cupping her face, tilting her head back further.  She opened herself to him, letting his tongue slide into her mouth as she gasped for breath.  The warmth from his body radiated off of him and the scent of his cologne surrounded her.  She felt stunned, in shock that Matt would kiss her, and at the same time more alive than she’d been in an entire year.  Kissing Matt felt like she was flying, finally free of the all the grief and loneliness that had filled her life for the past twelve months.  Kissing Matt was like being brought back to life.
    She’d been attracted to Matt, no doubt, ever since she’d bumped into him at the bar a week ago.  The way her body had pushed up against his solid frame had left her imaging more scenarios in which their bodies perfectly aligned with one another.  Namely beneath the sheets, with him moving over her. He’d practically kissed her a week ago as they’d stood by her car, saying goodnight.  It had been on her mind the entire week.  And now, as if unwilling to let a second chance slip away, he’d reached out and claimed her.
    Her hands slid to his chest, running over the rock-hard muscles of his broad pectorals.  He was solid, and alive, and so real, right here in front of her.  He was also Brody’s best friend, and she couldn’t betray her former love this way. She slowly pulled away from Matt’s heated kisses, gently pushed against his muscular chest, until he stepped slightly back, gazing down at her with arousal filling his dark eyes.
    “I’m sorry, I just can’t—I can’t do this,” Becky said hurriedly, sidestepping around him.
    “Becky, wait,” he ground out, shutting the car door and easily catching up.  Her heels clicked along the sidewalk as she hurried toward Jade’s apartment building, and she wished