“Alright then, but you, too.”

She’d lost me. “Me too, what?”

“Lose the briefs, get handy, and make yourself come.”

Not what I had in mind, but if that’s what she wanted... “Ah, what the hell.”

I yanked off the skivvies then folded myself into a sitting position, leaning against the wall facing Caro, and started working the head of my dick. Caro watched for a few seconds, which was pretty fuckin’ hot, then she knelt up, spreading her knees wide and began to rub her clit slowly.

That shit was so hardcore. I wrapped my right hand firmly around my dick and started yanking harder; she matched me stroke for stroke, her back arching in a way that nearly made me come. But it wasn’t enough.

“Oh, fuck this,” I snarled.

I launched myself forward, knocking Caro onto her back, and slammed into her, pumping hard.

I was seconds from coming when Caro smacked my shoulder, struggling to push me off.

“Condom!” she hissed.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

I’d been so turned on, I’d totally forgotten the basics. That only ever happened around Caro.

I pulled out of her reluctantly, then fumbled around for my pants, searching for the right pocket where I kept the rubbers. I swore as I dropped the first foil packet, but managed to hold onto the second one, hoping like fuck it was the right way around, otherwise it was going to come off inside her, and we’d been through that shit years before—it hadn’t been fun.

“I’m sheathed up,” I grunted.

Her next words knocked the breath right out of my lungs.

“From behind: make it rough.”

I sure as hell didn’t need to be asked twice.

Caro rolled onto her hands and knees, and I gripped her hip with one hand, my dick with other, took aim, and rammed home for the second time. She cried out, then collapsed onto her forearms, stifling her cries into the pillow. I fucked her as hard as I could, hammering into her body, letting myself go, losing myself in her, just like she wanted, just like she’d asked.

She pushed her ass back against me, and I could hear the slap of my balls against her, over and over again.

I leaned forward, palming her left breast, pinching the nipple until she cried out. Then I reached lower to finger her clit, rubbing my shaft at the same time as it slicked in and out of her. She brought up her hand to meet mine, an insane physical and emotional connection joining us.

I felt her body tremble as her muscles gripped around me, then she collapsed as she came and I had to hook my arm around her waist to hold her up while I released into her, stars shooting behind my eyelids from the intensity.

Caro was gasping for breath and I was breathing harder than a recruit at boot camp. I could feel the sweat on my chest and back.

I pulled out quickly and felt her body flinch.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she gasped. “Apart from the fact I’ll be walking like I just got off my camel tomorrow. You?”

I felt a huge smile break out.

“Yeah, I think I ripped my foreskin—what’s left of it.”

“Really?” She turned around to face me. “Are you okay?”

God, she was too cute for words.

I smiled and stroked her cheek. “Kidding, Caro. That was fucking awesome. You were like some wild woman.”

“You were pretty wild yourself. But you’re right: I don’t know what got into me—other than you, of course. Do you want to go again?”

I stared at her in amazement.

“Christ, Caro! Are you trying to kill me?”

“Hmm, death by orgasm. What do you think? A handful by morning?”

I stared at her, wondering what the hell had happened to my gentle, sweet girl.

“If you want, Caro, but you know what I’d really like to do now?”

“Thrill me,” she teased, stroking her fingers across my damp chest and tugging lightly on my dog tags.

I pulled her into his arms and looked at her seriously. “I want to make love to you, Caro. I freakin’ loved that, but it was just sex. Can we take it slow, baby? Take our time? I want to touch every part of your body.”

And I don’t know how long it will be before we can have a night like this again.

She kissed me softly, and this time, and the time after, I made love to her, showing her with my body the words that never came out right.

Dawn was close when she woke me up. I felt her fingers drifting down my back and across my hip. My dick was definitely awake, but I could tell from the light that there was no chance of doing anything about it before I had to report for duty.

“Time to get up, Sebastian,” she whispered.

I blinked and tried to stretch, but ended up kicking the door again.

“Very stealthy, Marine,” she laughed as I sat up to search for my clothes.

“Yeah,” I grinned at her, “trained in stealth, camouflage and concealment, baby.”

“You were certainly concealed in me last night,” she murmured. “Several times, I seem to remember.”

“Did ya lose count, baby?” I smirked.

She shook her head, her eyes bright and teasing.

“By the way,” she asked, “how come you’re managing to get in here without anyone noticing you’re not where you’re supposed to be?”

I frowned. “It’s not that hard—I’m kind of separate from everyone. I’m on attachment so none of them know me; I’m in charge of the other interpreters, but they’re all Afghan, so I’m not part of that either. It was different when I was still with my Unit, but this way no one knows when or where I’m on duty. Except Grant, and he’s got more to worry about than where I sleep. Works out pretty well, huh, Caro?”

I couldn’t figure out why she looked so sad. Was she worried about me? But then she smiled and leaned forward, resting her lips against mine.

“Time to move your ass, Sebastian”, she said, running her fingers over my short hair. “I’ll see you later?”

I dressed, kissed her again quickly, then darted out through the door, keeping low until I was out in the courtyard, casually greeting some of the other guys who were either waking up or coming off watch.

I was trying to keep the huge ass smile off of my face, but I guess I failed because Chiv came up to me, one eyebrow raised.

“You’re lookin’ as happy as a pig in shit. What’s with that, Seb?” He looked over my shoulder in the direction of Caro’s room. “Y’all been visitin’ with the very lovely Ms. Journalist?”

“What are you yakking about, Chiv?” I tried really hard to look puzzled; it didn’t work.

He grinned at me and winked. “You dog. Wouldn’t mind some of that action myself, if the lovely lady is puttin’ out.”

I couldn’t stop myself grabbing the front of his uniform and getting in his face.

“Don’t talk about her like that!” I snarled.

The idiot just grinned at me. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Seb; I’m just messin’ wit ya! You two been givin’ each other the glad-eye ever since y’all got here. Gotta say it’s pretty damn obvious.” He pulled my hands off of his jacket. “But maybe that’s just ‘cause I know ya. Don’t stress it—your secret is safe with me.” He patted me on the shoulder. “But y’all might wanna quit accostin’ your fellow Marines in the quad.”

He strolled away laughing to himself as I took a deep breath. Shit, he was right.

I lined up for chow and chewed my way through something that may or may not have been chicken, then it was time for the morning briefing.

Caro was being sent out with Lieutenant Sanders today. I didn’t know him that well, but he seemed like a good guy. I was with Jankowski again, leading a team into the foothills to see if we could get some more intel on what the Taliban knew about our movements—in particular about Gal Agha. Hopefully, nothing.

The other news was that there would be a fresh food drop in the early evening. We all looked forward to that. Apart from anything else, there would be fresh water as well, so we could use up the old rations and everyone got a one minute shower—barely long enough to do more than turn the dusty dirt that coated our bodies into mud.