Page 26 of The Marine

B. I mentally scoff.

“Nothing. I’m fine,” she answers and tightens the scarf around her neck as she shoots me a quick glance.

Is she sick? It’s eighty-five degrees outside.

“Water, babe?” Savannah asks her.

“No.” She points behind her. “I’m going to use the restroom.” Then she darts away.

They visit enough these days that both the women know their way around our offices.

I stand and rinse my mug, then put it in the dishwasher so Penny doesn’t kick my ass. Then, with a quick goodbye, leave them to it.

And find my feet walking toward the restrooms without my permission.

Call it intuition—or maybe I’m a fucking stalker, I dunno—but I need to see that she’s okay.

I quietly push the door open as she’s exiting one of the stalls.

“Jesus, Aidan!” Briar jumps when she sees me, her hand flying to her chest.

I hold up my hands.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Just wanted to check you’re okay.”

She tightens the damn scarf around her neck again and walks to the sink. “Fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Good question.

I don’t have an answer. So I say the one thing a guy should never say, but then again, I’m hardly trying to get a date with her.

“You don’t look well.”

Her eyes meet mine through the mirror, filled with surprise and a little bit of hurt.

“Gee thanks.” She shakes her head and keeps washing her hands. “You don’t look so great yourself.”

“Well, I have good reason for looking like I’ve been run over.”

“Oh yeah, and why is that?” Briar tosses the paper towel into the trash and props her hands on her hips.

I like her sassy.

That’s the spark I expect to see in her eyes, not hovering in the shadows like she was a few moments ago.

“I’ve just spent four days in the desert and am in dire need of a big piece of meat and some vegetables.”

My attention to detail catches her flinch before she covers it up. She doesn’t like that I was somewhere in danger.

I want to prance around like a rooster in response.

It’s too late though. She bites her lip, then rubs them together as she runs her eyes over my body.

That’s right baby. I’m a Marine and can lift you onto my shoulder and...my cock reacts as images fill my mind.

“You don’t look like you’re hungry,” she whispers, then clears her throat as she catches herself once more.

Oh I am.

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