Her Mysterious Protector (Her Protector Alpha Male Military Romance Book 1) (3 page)

"It was all very fabulous," Dana said.

Rory looked her and the two just regarded each other searchingly. "Yes it was."

"Are you hungry Marine?"

"Got any fruit? Some water?"

"Yes I do. I got these awesome oranges at the farmers' market and they are chilled. Do you like oranges?"

Rory rolled her over and tucked the bedding that had gotten considerably disheveled, around her. "The lady will wait in bed for me."

Dana smiled. "Okay. The lady is good with that."

Rory disappeared down the hall. She could hear him use the guest bath so Dana quickly dashed to her bathroom and freshened up and quickly dashed back under the covers so she would be ready for him. He reappeared, naked and, Dana thought, stunningly so. It took her breath to see him standing literally in all his glory. He was indeed a gorgeous man. He had a tray of orange wedges, ice water floated with orange sliced paper thin, and mozzarella sticks. Dana did not want to admit she was ravenous but she was. She let him peel back the wedges and feed them to her. She ate her ration of mozzarella and felt the unbeatable pull of exhaustion take her.

"Big Dog."

"Yes."

"I gotta take a cat nap."

"You go right ahead, beautiful."

And that was the last Dana remembered. She hit the pillow and lights were out.

*

When Dana awoke, it was cold. The unseasonable heat wave had moved on and she had to get up and turn the heat on because the comforter wasn't cutting it for her, especially when she was buck naked. It was a strange experience getting out of bed without a stitch and have the memory of the reason why come to you slowly. Because for a moment after waking, Dana had forgotten all about her warrior tryst until its phantom rushed her like the cold as she was cranking up the thermostat. Dana wrapped her arms around herself to relive the feeling of Rory's giant encompassing hug about her entire self.

He was gone, of course. And she undertook the good attitude approach of "it was what it was; we're all adults; you knew what this was" acceptance. She looked down and saw her blasted shoe which she would forever hate because it would remind her of one of the best, empowering, sweetest and most fleeting moments of her life.

Dana picked up the shoe and searched the room for its mate. She checked under the bed but it wasn't there. She remembered it was probably in the living room because that's where it all started…well that's where it started picking up. It wasn't fair, Dana thought. It just wasn't fair. Their meeting had been like a pornographic fairytale, but part of her had hoped for more. A future.

Shoe in hand, Dana stomped to the living room to pick up its match, to ceremoniously toss its match to let the healing begin. And for such a little, uncluttered apartment, this other shoe was elusive. She couldn't find it anywhere. Dana sat naked in the middle of the couch and thought. She heard a beep. It was her phone, signaling from inside the purse that had started this wild day. The phone beeped again, signaling her she had a message.

She yanked it out and stared, baffled, at the screen.

The message was from Rory. Her heart went to town, beating like crazy. The only way her phone could actually say "Rory" was if his name was in her contacts. She skipped the message and checked her contacts. There it was. Rory Wilson under "B" for Big Dog. Dana gave the phone a quick kiss. She read the message.

"Beautiful Dana I hope you slept well and that your dreams were sweet. You can stop looking for your shoe. Please see attached." Dana scrolled down and to see a pic of her shoe on what appeared to be Rory's coffee table. "Call me please to arrange visitation." Next text, "Big Dog wants to take you to dinner in the next few days so we can get to know each other orally, er, verbally."

Dana was now fully awake. The next few days. That gave her plenty of time to find the perfect dress. To wear with their shoes. Which she no longer hated. But was pretty sure she adored.

Get the whole Alpha Male Military Romance series here:

Book 1: 
Her Mysterious Protector
Book 2: 
Her Brave Protector
Book 3: 
Her Daring Protector
Book 4: 
Her Secretive Protector
Book 5: 
Her Loving Protector