Soldier With Benefits (Military Men Book 2) (17 page)
Read Soldier With Benefits (Military Men Book 2) Online
Authors: Shelley Munro
Tags: #military romance, #military romance series, #vacation fling, #heroine in danger
“Yes. I tried to find you after Fiji, and now that I’ve found you again, you’re not escaping. Stay here with me in New Zealand.”
“But what about my father? And what if you change your mind about a place at the beach?” David had.
“Your father can stay at the home. Together, we can swing the finances for as long as your father needs. Or if you want to have him with us, we’ll work something out to make it happen.”
Mac stared at Louie, searching his face for truth. “You mean it,” she whispered finally. “No, I can’t. I’d feel as if I was taking advantage of you. You might come to resent me.” She hesitated before forging ahead. “One year before I met you in Fiji, I was engaged. My father was just starting to show symptoms of Alzheimer’s. When he was diagnosed, David broke our engagement.”
“He walked away?” The disbelief in Louie’s voice made her want to smile. The two men couldn’t be more different.
“He wasn’t happy about my choice of career either, even though he was army as well. He wanted me to retire.” And had been very vocal about it, saying she was unfeminine.
Louie snorted. “The man was a fool. His loss. My gain.” He grasped her hand and gently squeezed. “Mac, you don’t need to do this alone. I know you love me. There won’t be anything one-sided between us. Get a job if it makes you feel better. Either way, all I want is you. I don’t want to lose you, especially not to a bomb or bullet in Iraq or in some other hot spot. But if that’s where you’re going, then I’m with you on the same plane.”
Louie’s words made her melt inside. She wanted to laugh, to dance and sing. A slow grin spread across her face, and she moved into his arms, pressing kisses over his face. The kisses went from sweet to demanding, hands stroking and soft sighs of pleasure. Louie’s arms surrounded her, his scent and love. She felt love.
“You’ll stay?”
“Are you sure?” she countered.
“Mac, I won’t change my mind. I’ve loved you for a long time.” He pushed inside her, the sense of completion bringing tears to her eyes.
“Good.” And it was good. Great. She didn’t want to go back to Iraq. Some people might suggest she was frightened, her injury playing with her head. Mac knew better. It was because of Louie.
She stroked his cheek, felt the faint bristle of stubble along his jawline. The crinkle of smile lines around his eyes brought a return smile from her.
“I love you, Louie.”
“I love you, Mac,” he replied.
Mac paused, ran her hand down his shoulder and squeezed his butt cheek. “Joanna,” she said.
He thrust, retreated and grinned. “Not every man gets two women in one package.”
The piercing ache between her thighs deepened, and a groan built in her chest. “You’re man enough to handle us both.”
“I think so.” Louie’s chuckle contained a dose of sin. He rocked against her, the drag across her swollen clit shoving her into climax. She shuddered in his arms, ecstasy washing over her as she clung to him. Joanna “Mac” McGregor had found a man who wanted her as an equal, one who offered her a future full of happiness.
Mac wasn’t fool enough to walk away from him again. This time was for keeps, and she couldn’t be happier. No matter what the future brought, they’d face it.
Together.
The End
Thank you for reading
Soldier With Benefits
, the second book in my
Military Men
series. Please turn the page to read an excerpt from
Safeguarding Sorrel
, book 3 in the
Military Men
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Shelley
James barged into the Sloan police station, skirted the front desk and strode down a dim-lit passage. He tapped on the second office door, and opened it before anyone answered. “Luke, I might have found a way into the cult for you.”
Luke Morgan, one of Sloan’s cops and James’s best friend, removed his feet from the top of his desk and stood in one smooth motion. “Let’s take this out of the station. I could do with a coffee.”
“The cafe isn’t private.”
“We’ll get coffee to go and wander down by the river. I think better on my feet.”
Fifteen minutes later they strolled along the bank of the river. Leaves crunched under their boots, sun streamed from overhead and a brisk wind rustled their hair.
“Talk,” Luke ordered.
“One of the young cult girls approached me and Alice yesterday. She wants out of the cult.”
“Why doesn’t she just leave?”
“From what she told us she was born there. According to her once they’re in, it’s difficult to leave without resources. Any money they earn goes into a central pot. They’re not encouraged to leave. She told us their long-term leader died six months ago. His son has taken over and he has new ideas regarding the direction of the cult.”
“Six months ago is about the time the farmers started complaining of missing cattle,” Luke mused, interest sparking in his features.
“Yeah, the thought occurred.”
“How is that going to help us get inside?”
“I thought Sorrel—that’s the woman we met—might know of a way we can get someone inside, and once our man is in, she can help to smooth his path.”
Luke nodded. “That’s a possibility. Where can I meet her? When?”
James paused once they reached the bridge. He stared at a group of six ducks, quacking loud demands for food. “Do you have another plan?”
“No, other than going in with guns and shooting the weirdos. That’s my stepmother’s suggestion.”
James spluttered out a laugh, the shake of his head flopping his dark hair over his eyes. He shoved it aside with a careless hand. “Hinekiri is a handful.”
Luke snorted. “Where do you think my wife got if from? Janaya takes after her aunt. Yeah, I’ve thought about planting someone in the cult to spy for me. I have a guy, one of my cousin’s friends who needs something to keep him busy. He’s a special services soldier on sick leave. My cousin reckoned he’d be perfect since he looks scruffy. Feeling sorry for himself, according to Louie.”
“You’ve given this some thought. Sorrel told us she’d try to get away this afternoon after she delivers new supplies to their shop. She can’t meet us in a public place. Any suggestions?”
“We can intercept her once she leaves the shop. If you see her beforehand, ask her,” Luke said. “We’ll meet her wherever she feels safest. I don’t want to make her life any more difficult than it is now. She obviously feels she can’t leave if she approached you in a clandestine manner. Ring me with details once you’re set, and I’ll be there. If I can’t make the meeting for some reason, I’ll send Janaya. Tell her that, will you?”
“Alice promised she’d meet her. Sorrel indicated a meeting with a man would raise suspicion. One of the other cult women is bound to notice and report back to the men running the place.”
“Makes sense. What’s your impression of the woman?”
“Solemn and plain. Not much to look at, and a bit on the dumpy side.”
”Yeah, but is she telling the truth? Could she be setting us up?”
James sipped his coffee. “No, I think she’s genuine in wanting to get out. She was jumpy. Kept looking over her shoulder, and she doesn’t think much of the new leader. You met him?”
“Yeah, he’s charming, but slimy with it. You know the sort. I can see him being the controlling. What was Alice’s take?”
“She wanted to help and was ready to take Sorrel home with us then. I’m not such a soft touch.”
Luke shot him a swift glance. “She might be genuine.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” He checked his watch. “I’d better go. We have a board meeting this afternoon. I’ll call you the minute she gets in touch.”
Purchase
Safeguarding Sorrel
Shelley lives in New Zealand with her husband and a cheeky Jack Russell/mystery breed puppy.
Typical New Zealanders, Shelley and her husband left home for their big OE soon after they married (translation of New Zealand speak – big overseas experience). A year long adventure lengthened to six years of roaming the world. Enduring memories include being almost sat on by a mountain gorilla in Rwanda, lazing on white sandy beaches in India, whale watching in Alaska, searching for leprechauns in Ireland, and dealing with ghosts in an English pub.
While travel is still a big attraction, these days Shelley is most likely found in front of her computer following another love – that of writing stories of romance and adventure. Other interests include watching rugby (strictly for research purposes), cycling, baking bread and curling up with a good book.
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Contemporary
Love and Friendship series
Clare Chronicles
Fancy Free series
Military Men
Paranormal
Sci-fi/Futuristic
Middlemarch Capture
House of the Cat series
Alien Encounter series
Gay Romance
Historical
Soldier With Benefits
Copyright © 2015 Shelley Munro
ISBN: 978-0-473-33035-4
Editor: Mary Moran
Cover Art: Kim Killion of
Killion Group Inc.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.
