Page 54 of A More Perfect Union

“According to Jack,that’s where Sharp got his Medal of Honor. Sharp never talks about it, but Jacksays his father often tells the story of how Sharp saved their entire squad.Apparently, they all started calling him Mr. Hero after that. I bet he hatesthat.”

Rook nodded, but herthoughts were back on Mitchell and Donny Bloomfield’s story about Mitchell.“How did you leave things with Bloomfield?”

“We told him we’d beback in touch soon, but I’m not sure he’s going to be any help. He strikes meas kind of dumb, and I bet he got into McNair by trading on his name, not hisgrades.”

“I bet you’re right,”Rook said, “but I think we should re-interview the other students who were atthe Ivy that night. I don’t believe for a second that none of them knew aboutMitchell’s involvement.” She started to mention the coded emails Eric had foundon Mitchell’s laptop, but decided to wait until she’d had a chance to look atthem first. Right now she wanted to look at Zoey, not a bunch of emails. Shelooked down at their hands and then back up at Zoey who was watching her with asteady gaze. “Do you think we could take a little break? Maybe talk aboutsomething other than work—just for a little while?”

Zoey smiled andinched closer. “You do that? Take breaks?”

“Sometimes.”

“Did you havesomething in particular you’d like to talk about?” Zoey asked, tracing Rook’sthigh with her free hand. “Or maybe you’d like to go ahead and order dinner? Wecan do whatever you want.”

Rook’s entire bodyhummed with anticipation as Zoey’s hand moved farther up her leg. She couldn’ttalk, she couldn’t eat, she couldn’t concentrate on anything except thewhite-hot heat coursing through her. She took Zoey at her word, pulled herclose, and claimed her with hungry lips.

* * *

Zoey pressed her lipsinto Rook’s—fierce, demanding, unable to get close enough. Their first kiss hadbeen extraordinary, but the hours in between, waiting, imagining, andfantasizing a repeat performance had every nerve in her body on high alert. Theresult was mind-blowing. She teased her tongue along Rook’s lips and groanedwith pleasure.

“This,” Rookmurmured, her whispered voice rough with desire. “This is what I want.”

Zoey placed a handbehind Rook’s neck and drew her closer. She dipped back in for another kiss andthen met Rook’s eyes, summoning the courage to ask for more. “Just this?”

Rook answered bytugging at Zoey’s shirt, pulling it up over her head, and gently removing her bra.Zoey sat perfectly still, letting Rook’s gaze sweep over her naked chest. “Youlike?”

“More than like.”Rook placed a hand behind her and lowered Zoey back to the couch. She leaneddown and traced her tongue slowly across her breasts, her touch growing moreurgent with each pass. “You are so beautiful,” Rook said.

“You’re making mecrazy,” Zoey said, arching into Rook’s tongue and pressing against Rook’s kneenestled between her legs. “Show some skin, Daniels, or I’m going to lose it.”

Rook leaned back andgrinned. “Is that an order, Major?”

“Yes,” Zoey gasped asRook slid a finger along her crotch causing her to twitch with excitement.

“I guess I can followorders as long as they apply to both of us.” Rook sat up and held out a hand,ignoring Zoey’s plea for her to stay. “Come on, we need a bigger space for whatI have planned.”

Zoey took her handand allowed Rook to pull her into her arms. They kissed again, and now it feltmore like a prelude to a deeper connection rather than a once in a lifetimeexperience they had to grab before it vanished. When they broke for air, Rookled her through the house and up the stairs, pausing at the threshold to adoorway.

“Change your mind?”Zoey asked, praying that wasn’t the case.

“Not even,” Rooksaid. “Just checking the situation. When I left here last, I didn’t plan onhaving guests.”

Zoey smiled andpushed past her, gawking at the size of the room. “I’m not sure how you’d knowif something was out of place. Your bedroom is bigger than my entire house.”She spun around to take it all in. “But if you need a minute to look for someother woman’s lingerie…” She watched as Rook’s face fell and she wished she’dnever started the sentence.

Rook ducked her head.“I’m no virgin, but my home is my sanctuary. Very few people have ever beeninside the front door, and none in this room.”

Zoey stepped closerand lifted Rook’s chin. “I only care about right now.” She waved her handbetween them. “I want this. Do you want this?”

“I can’t rememberever wanting anything more,” Rook said, pulling Zoey into her embrace. Her handgrazed the zipper of Zoey’s jeans. “Weren’t we talking about skin?”

“Why yes. Yes, wewere.” Zoey started unbuttoning Rook’s shirt, which required extraconcentration since Rook was unzipping her fly at the same time. She slidRook’s shirt off and kissed her shoulder while Rook slipped her hand into herbriefs.

“You’re so wet,” Rookmurmured.

“I bet you are too.”Zoey took Rook’s free hand and led her to a king-sized platform bed. She pushedRook back gently onto the comforter and while Rook watched, she shucked off herboots and jeans and crawled between Rook’s legs to unfasten her trousers.“Clothes are so overrated,” she said, pulling at Rook’s pants, her handstrembling.

“I completely agree,”Rook said in a breathy voice as she lifted her hips to help her along. Zoeydropped Rook’s pants to the floor and slowly stretched out over her, achingwith want as her breasts brushed Rook’s tight, smooth skin, and her thightouched Rook’s slick wet center. Rook hooked a leg over hers, pinning hercloser and whispered, “Tell me what you want.”

“I want you to touchme,” Zoey placed her hand over Rook’s, unable and unwilling to prolong thewait, “everywhere.”

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