Their Masquerade (The American Soldier Collection 6)

“Oh, God, Axel, you scared me.”

His stern expression made her shake in his arms. Brown eyes, dark crew cut hair, and the tattoos on his arm she knew were hidden beneath the shirt he wore had her libido going into overdrive. She lusted over these four men. Her brother’s best friends. She even had flashbacks of seeing Axel with no shirt on once. Hard muscles, dips and ridges of steel beneath his skin, and that sexy, black, intricate-looking tattoo on his arm. The man was incredible.

“You’ve been going nonstop. You need to take a rest. What if you fell down the damn stairs and broke your neck? Then what?”

She just stared at his handsome, firm face. She was always so mesmerized by Axel’s ability to unnerve her and make her think about doing such naughty things with him. Hell, she’d do naughty things with any of them. But they saw her as Michael’s sister, and way too young.

Well, life’s circumstances could make a woman grow up fast, and some mature, way quicker than others. Sometimes she felt as if she were so much older, and that life was only getting tougher to survive.

“I’m fine. I need to be. Uncle Jeb can’t handle this all alone.”

He gently lay her down on the bed, and she clutched his shirt, letting her fingers press against his back muscles. He didn’t pull away, staring down into her eyes.

“You look exhausted.”

Just what I want to hear while I’m touching you and we’re both on a bed, with your lips inches from mine.

“I’m okay, Axel. I’m a lot stronger than you know.”

He raised one eyebrow up at her as he released her completely but remained sitting on the side of the bed next to her. His muscled thigh was against her thigh, and she fought to not close her eyes and moan in appreciation for this fine specimen of a man.

“You need to rest. Tomorrow will be worse,” he said.

She stared up into his brown eyes. Axel always looked so serious, and sad. He had dark hair, dark eyes, and always wore a black Stetson. Words of warning echoed ever so softly in the back of her mind. Michael had said to be careful and not trust so easily. Some of his friends couldn’t be trusted. Did he mean Axel? What about L.T., Quentin, or Deacon? Sweet, calm, and compassionate Deacon? Damn, she hoped not.

She pressed her tongue lightly out to lick her lower lip. She hoped that she wasn’t drooling. She wanted to pull off sexy and sophisticated, despite their misguided idea that she was too young for them.

“When are you headed back to school?” he asked, reminding her of their difference in age. So what that they were ten years apart? Randy was Axel’s age, and he wanted to date her or at minimum have sex with her. He came up with a lot of excuses to visit her.

“In a week. I have midterms.”

“You still planning on finishing up early?”

“Yes. As long as I pass all my classes.”

“Are you going to be able to handle studying and passing, with all the emotions going on?”

“You want to come visit me at my apartment back at school to help me?” she asked, feeling daring. She may be exhausted, and only twenty, but her body, in particular her pussy and her breasts, sure did recognize this hunk of male perfection.

He looked as if he were biting the inside of his cheek. Then came the reprimanding.

“You’re acting kind of brazen, college girl. You wouldn’t be able to handle me visiting your apartment.”

“Try me,” she replied, her voice cracking. He shook his head as he eased his thigh away from hers. She’d spooked him.

“You listen to me. You take your time in the men’s department. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t even date anyone. And don’t go inviting men to your apartment so easily, acting all mature. You’ll be old enough, soon enough. Take it from a man with lots of experience and some years on you.”

Oh, God, just what I needed to hear. His reminder of his experience, as I long to be part of his experience. And the gall of him telling me to not date and to not be so quick to offer men to come to my apartment. I don’t just want any man there. I want four in particular. Geesh.

He stared at her and gave her an expression that stated his discomfort with the direction of the conversation. Well, when the attraction is there, it’s there, buddy. When are you going to stop fighting it?

She thought he was tough as nails, and now Axel was showing her his compassionate side. She felt the tears hit her behind the eyes, but she also felt like giggling. This was not the Axel she knew. He was really trying to be here for her. She had to remind herself that these men, Axel, were taking Michael’s sudden death just as hard. She couldn’t focus on the circumstances behind Michael’s death. Especially not now. Not when she was so exhausted, yet internally wired up with Axel sitting this close to her.

She caught him staring at her deeply, and she needed to move, or do something to lighten up the thickness of the air. He might be oblivious to her sexual desire for him, but she sure as hell wasn’t.

Mariah placed her hand over his hand. He immediately looked down at where their hands met and then back up at her.

Holy shit, I didn’t expect to feel such a zing from touching him like this. I have to be strong. I need to be confident. These men are experienced, and I know what they are into. Sharing.