Page 69 of The Marine

I wriggle my jaw, which is still stiff as hell after yesterday’s grind fest. “She’s a beautiful woman, what can I say?”

A lot more, but I won’t.

“Thomas said you have a team watching her.”

Well, Thomas just lost his job.

“And no, you aren’t firing him.” Josh crosses his arms.

Goddamn it.

“I asked him what he was working on, and you know he wouldn’t lie to me. Shouldn’t lie to me. Even for you.”

Josh has a point. Thomas can keep his job.

“Look.” I sigh, tossing my towel on the bench. “We have history. I don’t want to go into it, but I have known Briar a long time.”

Josh’s brows shoot up. “How long?”

“Ten years.”

He stares at me, surprised. We don’t have secrets and a part of me feels guilty for not telling him I know Briar. She’s been in our lives for months now and to admit that I’ve known this woman for over a decade is not cool.

“Jesus. Ten years? Why didn’t you tell us?” He shakes his head. “Fuck man. For months she’s been nervous as hell around you, but I figured she was just one of those women who are intimidated by...you know. All the muscle and shit.”

I snort, unable to help myself.

He’s right.

Girls usually do one of three things: play the aloof card, which only works if we’re interested. Offer themselves to a guy on a silver platter—handy if you want a one-night stand. Or turn into a cute fumbling mess.

Briar has been none of those things.

She’s been trying to avoid me in all ways possible. Until I made it impossible for her.

Seeing her almost every week for months seemed to dilute the enormous cavern between us. The pain and residual anger.

Dilute, not delete.

And we have still not talked about it.

Just fucked.

“Then after two, maybe four, tequila shots, she turns into a little sex kitten who can’t keep her hands off you.” Josh continues.

It was three shots.

And I know...it was fucking awesome.

I walk to the lockers and rip off my tank top, rubbing a fresh towel over my face. Then over my dark hair, knowing it’s now sticking up in places.

I’m trying to get images out of my head of Briar’s pussy tight around my cock, but I’m failing.

“I know you didn’t hurt her.”

He’s wrong.

I slam the locker shut and slip my thumb inside the waist of my black shorts and adjust them. “I did hurt her, that’s the fucking thing.”

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