His Girl Next Door: The Army Ranger's Return / New York's Finest Rebel / The Girl from Honeysuckle Farm. Trish WylieЧитать онлайн книгу.
to explain anything to me.”
She shook her head. “I do. My breasts, they’re …”
He waited, fingers stroking her hair.
“I have scars because I had surgery. My breasts aren’t real,” she finally blurted out.
Ryan didn’t say anything. He dropped another kiss to her lips before trailing his way down her neck, delicately across her collarbone, until he reached the lacy edge of her bra.
He paused and looked up at her. She could make out his face even in the dark.
“You’re beautiful, Jessica, and I don’t care what you’ve had done or about any scars.”
With an incredible sense of relief exploding inside her, her body felt like it had turned into a marshmallow. Her fears faded, and her body responded to his touch again. By his lack of reaction, he obviously just thought she’d had a breast augmentation. Realizing she’d managed to put off telling him the truth for a little longer, she trembled. Right now, he didn’t need to know why she’d had cosmetic surgery. If he didn’t care, then why should she?
Her body still thrummed with tension as he slipped off her underwear, but she forced herself to enjoy his touch. She couldn’t help but stiffen when he kissed first one breast then the other, his fingers gliding softly over her skin.
“See, they’re beautiful, just like I knew they’d be,” he whispered. “Just like the rest of you.”
Jessica finally relaxed into his touch, closed her eyes and sighed as his hands explored her body.
Tonight was about feeling good and enjoying herself. Losing herself in the moment. All this time she’d been terrified of showing someone her new body shape, worried what the reaction would be and if she’d even want to be intimate again.
But this—this was what she’d needed. To feel loved and wanted by a man like Ryan. A man who made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, like he truly wanted her.
Even if it was only just for tonight. Or until he went away again. Because if the light had been on, she could have looked into his eyes and seen his honesty, his integrity. Yet what she couldn’t see in his eyes, she could feel in his touch.
When Ryan inched his way back up her body and started to kiss her again, she pushed away her barriers, made herself think of nothing but the way he was touching her. The way his fingers felt against her skin, and the way his lips brushed hers in a motion she’d never tire of.
If this wasn’t heaven, then she didn’t know what was.
Dear Jessica,
It’s funny, now I know I’m coming home for sure and that we’re going to meet. I should have asked you for a photo, but then we probably don’t look like either of us expects.
You know, I’ve enjoyed this life for so long, but now the thought of coming back and sleeping in a comfortable bed, of not having to get up at the crack of dawn, sounds pretty appealing. I can hardly imagine what it will be like not to be with my unit, here in the desert, because it’s been so long. But I’m sure looking forward to meeting you.
I’ll see you soon.
Ryan
RYAN WOKE WITH a smile on his face. It had been a long while since he’d woken up grinning, but then it had also been a long time since his arm had been taken captive by a beautiful woman.
Jessica lay in the crook of his arm, face turned into him, cheek against the edge of his chest. Her mouth was slightly parted, her long hair falling over his skin and spilling out onto the white pillow.
He didn’t move, hardly let himself even breathe. Ryan could have stayed there forever, watching her. Content in what had happened between them. In the way his trip home had turned out after so many months of dreading it, after years of denying himself the luxury of returning. Of putting up barriers and refusing to confront what he’d left.
When he’d promised his son that this tour of duty would be his last, it had been a decision he’d made as a father.
But now? Deep down, he knew that part of that decision had been influenced by how he felt about Jessica. He wanted to come back for his son, but he also wanted more from this woman lying in his arms. Part of his decision had been because he wanted a real chance at making a future with her, too.
And that meant he had to let her in. A week ago, he’d have never thought it possible, but now he wanted to open up to her. To tell her the final chapter he’d kept behind lock and key from everyone but himself until now.
Jessica stirred. He shifted his body to face her, looking at her face as she started to wake.
Her eyes opened slowly, fluttered, then her head dropped slightly as she realized he was watching her.
“Hey, you,” he whispered, stroking his thumb across her cheek.
She smiled, but he could tell she was shy. “Hey.”
Her voice was so low he only just heard her.
“What do you say I rustle up something for breakfast?” he offered.
She tucked her head down and snuggled against him, hair tickling his chest as she buried into his body and pulled the comforter farther over them in the process.
Jess planted a kiss to his collarbone and sighed into his skin.
He lay with her in his arms for a few minutes then dropped a kiss to the top of her head and wriggled back.
His stomach growled. Loud.
“As much as I want to stay like this, I think my body needs some fuel.”
Jess laughed and rolled over.
“What’s so funny?”
He propped himself up and looked down at her. She was still trying to hide from him, face partially covered, but she didn’t look nervous any longer.
“Jess?”
She groaned then turned back toward him. “I probably shouldn’t tell you, in case you change your mind.”
He raised an eyebrow and watched her.
She groaned again. “You’re the first guy to offer me breakfast in bed, okay?” She let her eyes meet his. “Here I was worried you’d make an excuse and bolt, and instead you offer to feed me.”
Ryan leaned forward to kiss her, brushing the hair from her face so he could see her better. He liked that her trademark pink blush was starting to cover her cheeks again.
“I don’t recall saying anything about breakfast in bed exactly, but it can be arranged. Although if I remember correctly, you never actually gave me dessert last night.”
She responded by pushing him away and throwing a pillow at him. He caught it and grinned.
“Okay, okay! Your wish is my command.”
He stood up and walked across the room. Most of his clothes were in a heap near the foot of the bed, but it was her silk robe hanging on the back of the door that caught his eye.
“Mind if I borrow this?” He plucked it from the hanger and held it up.
Jessica was blushing all over again but she nodded, sitting up with the sheet clutched to her chest.
He grinned and put it on, just managing to secure the pink satin with the flimsy tie. It barely covered him but it made her smile, laugh even, and right now he’d do anything to see those lips of hers upturned, those chocolate-brown eyes sparkling.
Even if