Password to Her Heart (The American Soldier Collection 9)

She glanced at him. He could see the circles under her eyes and it concerned him. While she was with Keith, Mercury asked the doctor if there was anything she could take to maybe help her sleep peacefully. He explained that he already gave her stuff, but thought she may have not taken them yet.

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not. You’re exhausted. Have you been sleeping at night? Are you still hiding in that closet?” he inquired.

She gave him a look and then turned away from him and clasped her hands on her lap. He wasn’t sure if he should push her for answers, which was a first for him. He usually didn’t give a shit what people thought or how they felt. If he wanted answers, he got answers.

“Are you taking the sleeping pills the doctor gave you?”

She swung her head to look at him and he could see her anxiety She was damn sexy even fired up. “Talking about me behind my back?” she snapped.

“Worrying about you and wondering what you’re hiding. Why haven’t you taken the pills?”

“I don’t need them. I stopped all the other stuff so I don’t need the sleeping pills. I’m just tired, Mercury. It’s emotional hanging out at the hospital and not getting any news, good or bad, about Keith’s condition.”

He reached over and covered her hands with his. “I know that, honey. I didn’t mean to sound uncaring. I’m just worried about you. I want you feeling better. Maybe we should set up that meeting with Spocko. He’s a really nice guy, easy to talk to.”

“No. I don’t want to talk to some therapist. I just want to deal with it myself. I’m fine, Mercury.”

“Well, I think otherwise.”

She swung her head toward him. “I’m not one of your soldiers. You can’t order me around or make me do something I don’t want to do. I’m fine, so just butt out.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared out the window.

Mercury was pissed off. Never had anyone spoken to him like this, and he didn’t know how to handle it. He cared for Shawna and he would do anything to help her heal. He turned the SUV off onto the shoulder, threw it in park, and reached for her.

“You have got the worse damn temper for such a petite little thing. I care about you, damn it. I want you to trust me and the others. You’re making this difficult and I’m starting to get pissed off.”

“Oh really, well who cares if the gunnery sergeant gets pissed off?” she replied, pressing closer. He held her gaze, saw the fire in her blue eyes, and he lost it. It had taken the patience and willpower of a saint not to sink his cock into her virgin folds the other night when he held her in bed. But now was a different story. Reaching up under her hair and neck, he pulled her toward him and kissed her deeply. At first she gripped his forearms and tried pulling back, but then she eased closer and somehow wound up straddling his waist.

Thank the Lord for tinted windows, or he would be in a hell of a lot of trouble right now.

He stroked his tongue deeper, heard her soft moans, and then felt her hands maneuver under his shirt and against his pectoral muscles. He explored her, too, caressing his hands up her thighs under the skirt she wore and straight to her hips. He gave them a squeeze and she gasped. She pulled back, holding his shoulders, blue sparkling eyes and breasts overflowing from her top, and he knew he was done for.

“What the hell just happened?” she asked him.

He used his thumbs to caress against her mound while still holding her hips. “You just earned yourself a spanking, darling. Nobody denies an order from me. Never.”

He pulled her closer, caressing over her ass cheeks as she lifted up and kissed him. He trailed a finger down the crack of her ass and pressed another finger under her panties to her cunt. She moaned and shook, coming in his arms before he squeezed her to him.

“When I get you home, you’d better be ready for that punishment, ya hear?” he asked her, his own voice shaking with anticipation.

She pulled back, breathing shallow, lips moist from their kissing, and held his gaze. “You have to catch me first.”

* * * *

Lee and Stitch heard the screaming and laughter and then the door slam.

“You can run, darling, but you can’t hide!” Mercury called out. Lee and Stitch saw Shawna running up the stairs and there was Mercury, pulling off his shirt as he headed up after her.

“What’s going on?” Stitch asked.

“Our woman is getting her first spanking,” Mercury stated firmly and headed up the stairs taking two steps at a time.

Lee looked at Stitch.

“You don’t think he’ll actually do it?” Stitch asked and Lee raised one eyebrow at Stitch. They knew their gunnery sergeant pretty well and if the man was going to dish out a punishment, it was called for and he was going to do it. “I’ve got to see this.” Stitch headed up first and Lee followed.

* * * *