One to Leave (One to Hold 5)

“Like father, like son?”

“No.” Thinking about the man who had never been a part of my life, I shook my head. “I never wanted to be like my father.”

She was quiet a moment. We were both quiet, and the only sound was the crackle of the fire. In the distance, I saw a streak of white light.

Clearly, Mariska saw it, too. “Make a wish,” she whispered.

“Make it for me.”

Turning to the side, she leaned her head against my cheek and traced a slim finger down my jaw. Her expression was so thoughtful, I had to ask.

“Did you?”

A pretty smile crossed her lips. “I did.” She was quiet a moment longer, and I wanted to know what it was. I didn’t get the chance. “So if you didn’t want to be a Marine like your dad, what kind of Marine did you want to be?”

It was such a strange way to ask the question. I liked it better. It helped me get closer to the answer. “The best kind. The kind that is always faithful. The kind that stays to the end.”

“Have you reached the end?”

I couldn’t answer that. I believed I still had years of service left ahead of me, but the Corps had told me to retire. I was injured. They didn’t know how strong I was. I’d spent these last three years working to get back, to show them how much fight I still had in me.

Another light touch on my jawline. “You’re angry,” she said quietly.

Glancing down, I caught the light of a million stars in her eyes. She was so beautiful.

“What do you want?” Her voice was soft, sexy.

“To die for my country.”

“Why?”

Pressing my lips together, I thought about my answer. “Honor? Courage? It’s what my dad did.”

“I thought you weren’t like your dad.”

“I’m not.” With a deep exhale, I confessed the truth. “He was better than me. I ended up broken. Still, it’s who I am. It’s all I ever wanted. Now I have to redeem myself. Redeem his honor.”

She placed her palm flat against my face stroking her thumb lightly across my lips. “Sometimes it takes more courage to give up one dream for a new one.”

A new dream. Derek’s challenge drifted across my mind. “How old are you?”

“Twenty six.”

Leaning my head back, I thought about that. Ten years.

“Is that a problem, soldier?”

Her sassy tone made me smile. I answered both her questions. “No. And I’m not angry.”

I captured her lips again. They were open and giving. Sweeping my tongue inside, I found hers. Tonight she tasted faintly of mint. Disentangling our fingers, I ran my hand up her thigh and under that short skirt. She let out a little moan, and that was enough. She was all I wanted to think about, her soft body warm in my arms, secure against my chest.

“Stuart...” Her voice was thick as I touched her under her panties.

A question burned in the back of my mind. It was too much with the way she moved, the way she looked. This girl was too sexy to have waited so long. “How were you a virgin?”

Her breath hissed through her lips as I massaged her clit. “It wasn’t really a conscious decision.” Her forehead pressed against my shoulder. “I had plenty of boyfriends...”

The thought of another man touching her angered me more than I expected. I leaned forward to take her lips again, needing to possess them. A moan scraped from her throat, and her thighs tightened around my hand. She was moving with me. I’d be inside her soon.