Free What Part of Marine Don't You Understand? (The Challenge Series) by Heather Long

his hand and put it to her throat, pressing two of his fingers to her pulse. “Feel that?”
    He grazed his thumb over the pulse point. “Yeah.”
    “I’m human, too. I’m sorry that bad things happened to you and continue to happen, but do you know what I see when I look at you? What I hear when you tell me that story?” Make it good, Nay. He’s opening up and you have one shot to get this right .
    “No.”
    “I hear a good brother who cares about his family, a good son who respects his mother, a tough Marine who honors his unit, and a strong man who is facing his own demons. You’re exactly the kind of guy I want to see.”
    “But I can’t take you out and do all the things you deserve—real dates, real romance—”
    “I don’t need all those trappings, Matt. I just need you.” She wasn’t sure which of them moved, but she went from sitting next to him to sitting in his lap, and his mouth closed over hers. She loved kissing him, even when he exerted so much care.
    Wiggling until she straddled him, she cupped his face in her hands. Aggressive wasn’t usually her style, but he rewarded her efforts and slid his hands under her T-shirt. The glide of skin-on-skin sent tremors through her.
    “Naomi…?” The breathless question sent another frisson of awareness jolting up her spine.
    “Yes,” she answered between kisses, “I know what I’m doing.”
    He caught her hair in one hand and tugged her head back. “I—want you.” The admission clearly cost him something. “And the last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
    Grabbing the bull by the horns, she settled more firmly, teasing herself with the length of the erection straining against his jeans. “Stay with me tonight—just you and me—let’s see where this goes. No strings, no demands, no expectations….”
    “I have expectations.” He caressed her side, the stroke of his fingers sending delicious ripples through her, winding her up tighter than a watch.
    “Okay.” She rested her forehead to his. “What expectations do you have?”
    “I want to be better for you.”
    “You don’t have to be better, you just have to be you.”
    “I meant—”
    Silencing him with a kiss, she fought to keep her libido in check. The urge to get naked and wild with him warred with her desire to make it better for him. “I know what you meant. I also know that you’re working on you, and if a relationship with me hurts that progress, then absolutely—say ‘thanks, ma’am, but no thanks.’ We can eat our Chinese food and watch some bad comedies together. But I’m a big girl, Matt. I grew up with four brothers who are made of boot leather and determination. I get it. I want you , not some perfect, idealized version of you—but the you sitting right here with me. If you can believe that, then I’d recommend nudity is no longer optional.”
    He said nothing for so long she thought he would tell her no. Bracing for that disappointment, she wasn’t prepared for the shock when he slid his hand up to cup her breast, or the teasing stroke of his thumb through the fabric of her bra. “If nudity isn’t optional—then we better get naked.”
     
    Matt allowed Naomi to lead him into the bedroom. Despite his bravado, when it came to stripping her clothes off, he didn’t trust his control. Jethro watched them go with solemn eyes, but made no move to follow. Apparently the Labrador trusted Naomi even more than Matt did.
    Good to know.
    Naomi aroused an unpredictable array of feelings in him. She thought him respectful and compassionate—but damn, she was drop dead gorgeous with a beautiful voice and the sexiest mouth he’d ever seen. Every single time he listened to her sing, he watched her mouth—imagining all the things he might do with it and then pushed the thoughts back down.
    In a way, she belonged to his larger family—his Marine brotherhood—but damned if he felt remotely familial toward her. Coming back to her door the other night and kissing her