* * *
After attending the wake at Forrest’s parents’ house, I was absolutely ruined. Exhausted beyond belief, both mentally and physically.
I indulged in a few local bourbons with Forrest’s dad, Graham, while regaling stories with the guys, but stopped before the alcohol got the better of me—again.
Fuck, it was good to remember the good times instead of focusing on the excruciating loss we’d suffered.
It was during the reminiscing session that Graham learned how his son got his nickname: Shane had shat himself during Interrogation Resilience Training.
Being confined in a wooden box for sixteen hours straight wasn’t pretty, and once freed, he ran for the bathroom like Forrest Gump in leg braces. He’d been called Forrest ever since.
Graham had roared with laughter despite his tears, and he soaked in every detail of every story we shared about his son.
Back at the hotel, I snorted while reliving the story, which pulled Penny’s attention away from her message conversation with Lydia and Vivi.
While small, her smile still rivaled the sun for beauty.
“You look a little happier,” she murmured, setting her phone down.
I hugged her closer where we sat against the bed headboard. “Of course. I’ve still got you.”
She let out a contented hum, and snuggled in. A sudden wash of affection hit me from left field. It consumed my entire thought process and rendered me blind to everything apart from the woman nestled against my side.
I drifted my fingers along her thigh, soft and teasing, then dipped between them.
Penny grew breathless with the barest touch. “What are you doing?”
“Craving you,” I murmured.
Capturing her chin, I tilted it higher until her lips aligned with mine. My heart lumbered, though the erratic cadence was nothing out of the ordinary when it came to her.
“But we shouldn’t… you know.”
My exhale was barely considered a laugh, but it held humor nonetheless. “And why’s that?”
“It doesn’t seem right after today,” she whispered against my mouth.
Despite that, she inched closer, lured in by our gravity. A groan gathered deep in my chest the moment her lips connected with mine.
Sweet, sweet heaven.
Penny squeaked when I tugged her leg and flipped her to straddle me. Face-to-face and sitting on my lap, she took my face in her hands and kissed me until we both grew breathless.
Just as I was really getting into it, she pulled back abruptly. “We should stop, Dante.”
“There’s no way I can wait until we get back to San Diego to have you. Hell, I can’t even wait until we’re back in Fort Campbell. I need you,now.”
“That much?” she teased.
“That much and a whole lot more.”
I reached between her legs and hummed when her eyelids grew heavy with desire. I never failed to get a kick out of turning her on.
“Don’t make me beg, Lemon Drop.”
With a single nod and a little smirk, she retreated down my legs, working open the button and zipper of my slacks as she went. I shifted my ass up and shoved them down, freeing my aching erection.
Penny stripped out of her dress and stood before me. It wasn’t the matching light pink lace panty and bra set that had me growling. It was the matching garter belt that held up her black stockings.