Love a Woman Right (The American Soldier Collection 17)

Fifteen minutes later, he was walking out of the building and wondering how the hell he was going to talk to his brothers about this and also let his guard down to take the freaking sleep aids. The wind was whipping around and the sky grew darker quickly. He had to park a distance away from the main entrance and was walking a little faster to get there before the rain began to fall. As he headed down the empty path, a few people running for cover as the big raindrops fell, he caught sight of a woman standing by a tree. The hem of the white blouse she wore whipped against her medium-length beige skirt and she gripped it and then turned around. His heart hammered inside of his chest at not only the sight of Lois, but of the red eyes and the tears that ran down her cheeks. He didn’t think. He reacted and headed toward her.

The rain began to fall and the wind and the sound of thunder echoed around them. He got to her and she pulled her blouse tight and stared at him in shock.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” he demanded to know as he caressed her arms and checked her over. He looked around them, thinking someone had hurt her and that, if they were still there, he would hurt them for making her cry.

“I’m…” The tears flowed and she had her palms against his chest, the sensation shooting arousal, excitement, and desire through his body. He was on edge after talking to the therapist.

Their gazes were locked. Her femininity was so appealing and the need to possess her, protect her, was becoming too difficult to resist. When her palms pressed more snugly against his chest and she looked so sensual and needy, he lost that control.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her deeply. He heard the thunder crack and she shook in his arms as he pressed her against the tree and continued to kiss her. He felt her hands running over his waist and she was kissing him back, accepting the sensations they were feeling.

The rain began to come down harder, faster, soaking through their clothes. He couldn’t get her close enough to him as he cupped her breast and she moaned into his mouth. The lightning struck and the wind gusted against them and she tightened her hold. He eased his mouth from hers.

“Oh, God, I’m scared.”

He caressed her damp hair away from her cheeks and tilted her chin up toward him. Her blue eyes sparkled and more thunder and lightning clattered in the background, making her gasp.

“You’re safe with me, Lois,” he said to her and then looked at her lips again and kissed her.

The wind calmed down and the rain continued to fall. The temperature had dropped and he felt her shivering. He eased his mouth from hers.

“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and they ran together down the pathway and toward the parking lot.

“This is insane,” he said as the wind blew against them and he felt her teeter to the right. He gripped her hand as she gasped and then laughed.

“The wind is so strong,” she said, sounding fearful.

He got her to the truck, opened the door, and lifted her up and into the front seat before she could even move to do it.

He hurried around to his side and got inside.

He was shocked at the sight. There she was, looking like an angel—a youthful, sexy-as-damn-hell angel—and he knew he was never going to be the same man again.

Water dripped from her thick eyelashes and he had a feeling she didn’t know that her white blouse was so soaked he could see through it to her sheer bra. The light outlines of her areolas were showing, as was the deep cleavage of her breasts.

She wiped her hair from her cheeks.

“I’m getting the truck all wet.”

He reached out and gripped her neck and under her hair and pulled her closer. “I don’t care. I need to taste more of you.” He pulled her close and kissed her deeply.

* * * *

Lois didn’t know what the hell happened. She was so upset after talking with her therapist about her fears and her attraction to the four brothers. She felt so dirty and used. Their conversation had been one she’d avoided for quite some time. The deeper details of the brutality of the rape and how helpless she’d felt being unable to protect Kenny, or stop him from hearing her screams as she was sexually assaulted.

The thoughts now had her pulling from Ghost’s arms and sitting back into the seat.

“Don’t push me away after that. I won’t be able to take it. Not today.”

“I’m not pushing you away. I’m slowing us down. I’m in shock, okay? I can’t believe how I feel right now.”

He took her hand from her lap and brought it to his lips. He kissed her knuckles as the rain pounded against the windows of the truck, creating a blanket of security from the outside world. In here, like this, it was only them and her fears.

“Why were you crying?” he asked her and pulled her closer. She leaned against his side and looked at their hands locked together. His was so much bigger than hers. She felt safe and secure in his arms and with his iron clad thighs against her hip.

“I had a bad session today with the therapist.”

His hold on her hand tightened.