“Still.” She rested her cheek on the spot right above my heart. I forgot how short she was until times like this. She didn’t even reach my shoulders. “Now I know I can really relax. No one’s watching me. You have no idea how wonderful that sensation is. At home, I’d wake up and find security officers watching me sleep. As if a man was going to break in and ravish me in my sleep or something. I had no freedom. None. But now I do, and it’s fabulous.”

“Your dad had people watch you sleep?”

She averted her face. “Yes.”

I swallowed hard. I hadn’t known that part. That went beyond loving parent and into loony-toon territory. “I’m sorry. That’s insane.”

“Yeah, that’s my dad for you.” She lifted her head and smiled up at me, her eyes sparkling. “But I’m finally free.”

She was so easily tricked. So gullible. And I was an ass for taking advantage of that innocence. My throat threatened to close up on me and kill me, right then and there in my own apartment. At this moment, I felt that it would have been a well-deserved death. “Right.”

She pulled back a little bit, her hands resting on my shoulders, and looked up at me with those big blue eyes. If she kept looking at me as if I owned the sun, I would die trying. After holding my gaze for what seemed like an eternity, she rose up on her tiptoes and didn’t stop until her mouth was a scant inch or so from my ear.

“So…since no one’s watching…”

I tightened my grip on her. If she suggested we have wild, crazy sex on the balcony…I wouldn’t say no. I was too weak right now. “Yeah?”

“How about that drink?”

I swallowed a laugh. I didn’t know if I was relieved or disappointed she didn’t want crazy balcony sex. “No way.”

“We’ve quite clearly established there is no one watching. That was your excuse.”

I dropped my hold on her and removed her hands from my shoulders. “You’re just using me for my age, aren’t you? Admit it.”

“That and your bike.” She cocked her head and put her hands on her hips. “Plus, you surf. That’s nice too.”

“I’m hurt.” I held my hand over my heart. “Really.”

“You’re not bad on the eyes either, when you’re not being annoying. Unfortunately for you, that’s almost never.” She headed for my kitchen, tossing me a teasing grin over her shoulder. “Now show me where you keep the good stuff.”

I entwined my hands behind my neck and followed her. Since when did I have to be the voice of reason when it came to drinking? I wasn’t old enough for this shit. Wasn’t old enough or responsible enough to slip into the role of responsible adult for her. And I didn’t want to. “You know you can’t drink.”

“Says who?” She opened the fridge, grabbed two beers, and set them on the counter. “Everyone else on campus is drinking right now. You know it. I know it.”

I dropped my hands and scowled at her. She had a point about everyone else drinking in college, but I still didn’t want to be the man who got the senator’s precious little girl drunk. That wasn’t on my job description. Then again, keeping her from having a drink or two wasn’t on it either. At least she was in a safe environment with me.

I crossed my arms. “That’s not playing fair and you know it.”

“Neither is acting like you’re my protector. We’re friends.” She struggled with the beer, trying to open it. Her face turned red as she twisted as hard as she could, and she bit down on her lip. “How the hell do you open this thing?”

I sighed and took it from her. With a simple twist, the beer was open. I held it out to her, but caught her gaze. “I still don’t like doing this.”

“I know.”

She rose to her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. She had to stop doing that shit to me. It wasn’t good for either one of us. Her soft lips teased me, and it took a hell of a lot more control than I thought I had to not turn my head and catch her lips with mine. It would be so easy to do.

“Do you now?”

She nodded, her lips brushing against my cheek. “But you need to get over yourself, open a beer, and come watch a movie with me.”

With that, she dropped back to her feet and sashayed out of the kitchen, her hips swinging and her red hair looking way too enticing. Hell, she looked too damn touchable. My fingers twitched, and my whole body screamed at me to chase after her and claim those soft lips. To make her mine in every way.

Yeah. Get over it.

Easier said than done.

I walked into the living room, my heart racing at light speed due to the fact I’d just kissed Finn. It was on the cheek, but still. It was a kiss. I tipped back another sip, cringing at the taste. Apparently, I didn’t like beer, but I was beyond caring. I wanted to relax and enjoy my new freedom, and who better to do it with than Finn, the one guy I trusted? The one guy who made me feel like I could trust him, and let go of all my doubts and fears. Let go of my suspicions even.

He made me want to have fun. Be free.

Be someone else entirely.

Someone he could want like I wanted him.

My phone buzzed, and I glanced at it. It was Dad. I ignored the call, then shot off a quick text telling him I couldn’t answer because I was in the library. I felt a little bit guilty at the lie…but really. He needed to back off.

When Finn came into the living room, his beer pressed to his lips and his head tipped back, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and he pinned me down with his penetrating stare. He flopped down next to me on the couch and rested his feet on the coffee table.

“What now?” he asked, not looking at me. “Why are you staring me like that?”

“I’m not staring at you. I was just watching you.”

I averted my eyes, taking the chance to shove my phone back in my pocket, and inwardly cursed my heating cheeks. I used the time I needed to regain my composure after getting caught staring at him to survey his home. Everything looked way too fashionable, from the bamboo rug to the grey couch. And he had curtains. What kind of surfer dude cared about curtains?

A neatly made, and huge, bed sat in the corner of the room. It had a light blue bedspread and the pillowcases matched. Opposite of the bed was the kitchen, and his black surfboard leaned up against the wall next to his bed. His perfectly ironed military uniform hung in the open closet, along with a ton of t-shirts and board shorts. On top of the closet rung, a shelf held a bunch of socks and boxers. It looked so neat and orderly. So unlike Finn.

It looked like he even folded his socks. Who did that?

“Did you decorate this place?” I turned back to him. He sat next to me, doing something on his phone. His brow was furrowed and his fingers flew over the screen. “It doesn’t feel like…you.”

He threw a quick glance across his apartment and shoved his phone into his pocket. “No. It came furnished.”

“Ah. That explains it.”

“Explains what, exactly?” He looked over at me, his lips pursed.

“It just doesn’t seem like the way you’d decorate your house. It’s too…girly.”

He grinned. “Worried I’m hiding a wife somewhere in here?”

“Maybe.” I stood up and crossed the room, stopping in front of his closet. I ran my hand over the crisp cotton sleeve of his shirt, my heart twisting at the thought of him wearing it in battle. “I forget sometimes that you’re in the Marines. Why don’t you live on base? Do you like it? Will you get sent overseas?”

“Slow down, Ginger. I can’t keep up.” He stood up and approached me, stopping at an appropriate distance for friends. I couldn’t help wishing that for once he’d stop pushing me away and instead pull me closer. “I don’t live on base because I don’t want to. I hate base housing and hate the barracks even more. Yes, I like it.” He picked up a piece of my hair, toying with it. “And yes, I have gone on deployment before, but I haven’t fought yet.”