“I’ll try to explain it to the family,” Beck said as he tossed down money on the table and slid out from the booth. “But I can’t promise they’re not going to continue to nag you about it.”

Nodding, she led the way to where she parked her car. “You sure you want to go back? Even with Mary there?”

He nodded. “I’m not scared of facing her. I’ve moved on.” Beck sounded truly unaffected. He really wasn’t broken up over Mary cheating on him and dumping him. He settled into the passenger seat and stared ahead out the window, tapping his thigh with an almost anxious energy.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Fine. Why?”

Huntley shook her head. “You just seem different.”

He smiled slightly and rubbed at his chin. There was something elusive in the curve of his mouth. There was a time in her life when she could practically read his thoughts—and he hers. Right now she couldn’t get a read on him. He was keeping something from her.

Suddenly the thought of what she was keeping from him hit her full force and she was grateful they couldn’t read each other quite as well as they used to. Heat flamed her face as the memory of Cullen’s fingers touching her, filling her, swept over her. Fast on the heels of that memory followed longing for something longer and harder of his to fill her.

Her fingers clenched tighter around the steering wheel. She stared straight ahead, inhaling and fighting back the fire in her face as she pulled into the parking lot and found a spot. Turning off the engine, they both stepped out in the afternoon and started walking toward the building.

“Oh, hey, there’s Cullen.”

There were several other soldiers attired in dress uniform throughout the parking lot, but she identified Cullen instantly. Her gaze zoomed in on him as though he were a homing device.

Her pulse jack-knifed against her throat as her brother shouted out for his friend.

Cullen stopped and turned, his lean body strong and tall. He cut a fine figure in his uniform and all her girl parts tingled with awareness as they crossed the lot toward him. Sunshine glinted off the shiny buttons and medals on his uniform.

They stopped and she held silent as Beck and Cullen shook hands. She scarcely breathed as they exchanged greetings.

Cullen’s dark eyes were cool and distant as they settled on her. “Hey, Huntley.”

She forced a smile. “Cullen.”

She fell in beside her brother as they entered the building. Cullen and Beck stopped every few feet, greeting people they knew. She stood by patiently, trying not to devour the sight of Cullen. He was so hot it hurt to look at him. Not that it stopped other women from looking. Every female in the vicinity did double takes of Cullen and her brother, lust and admiration bright in their gazes. She wanted to slap them. Or worse. She wanted to walk up beside Cullen and put her hand on him in some way that marked him as hers. Yeah, that was definitely worse. And ridiculous.

Beck led her to a seat at the front of the auditorium. After a quick kiss on her cheek, Beck left and took his place up on the stage. Cullen left her, too, moving off to talk to another man in his dress uniform. Voices buzzed around her as others found their seats. She crossed her legs and settled her hands on her lap, staring straight ahead and wishing this thing would get started so she didn’t have to focus on the fact that Cullen seemed to be giving her the cold shoulder. Or maybe he was just doing what he did after he fooled around with a woman. A painful thought. He had never treated her to Sullen Cullen before, and she didn’t like it. Not one bit.

* * *

She smelled good. She looked good.

These two thoughts bounced around inside his head as the ceremony began. He couldn’t bring himself to sit beside her, so he deliberately waited until it was too late, until all the seats were occupied and he was forced to remain standing along the edges of the auditorium.

He supposed he should count it as a blessing that he was so wrapped up in her and how pretty she looked in her dress that he could barely concentrate on what else was happening. Even when the ceremony began, he found himself staring at her sitting there in her coral-colored dress with the heart-shaped bodice that showed just a hint of cleavage, but it was enough. Enough to make him want to haul her somewhere private where he could tug down the little cap sleeves and bare her for his hungry mouth.

Suddenly he noticed Beck was talking behind the podium, accepting the Silver Star. He listened to Beck’s words, listened as he dedicated the medal to Xander, and felt something loosen inside his chest. A small measure of peace maybe.

He also noticed the woman sidling up beside him. He glanced at her and then away before his gaze jerked back. It was Mary, Beck’s ex-girlfriend. He’d met her a few times before Beck deployed. Beck looked equally surprised to see her, pausing as he descended from the stage. Cullen’s gaze sought out Huntley. She looked shocked, as well, and decidedly not thrilled to see the girl who stomped all over her brother’s heart. In fact, she looked like a mama bear ready to tear Mary apart as she intercepted Beck. She rose from her chair and stormed in their direction.

Cullen grabbed her arm, stopping her as Beck and Mary slipped out through one of the auditorium’s exit doors.

She tugged on her arm. “The nerve of her coming all the way here after what she did—”

“Give them some privacy.”

She glared at him. “Let me go—”

“Are you going to go after them?”

Her mouth pursed mulishly.

He shook his head down at her. “Your brother is a grown man and can fight his own battles.”

“I know that, but Mary just isn’t some girl he dated. They’ve been together forever. She was my friend first. Did you know that? Since kindergarten. She betrayed us all when she betrayed him.”

Cullen held her stormy blue gaze for a moment before nodding and letting go of her arm.

She looked toward the door where they departed and then back at him. “Fine.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the wall beside him. “I’ll give them a couple of minutes and then nothing is stopping me from following and giving her a piece of my mind.”

A smile twitched his lips.

“What’s so funny?” she snapped.

“I’ve never seen you like this.”

“Like what?”

“Mad.” Before he could consider it, he added, “It’s kind of hot.”

Color flooded her face, and suddenly all the tense awkwardness of last night was between them again. They were in his bed and his hands were on her skin, sliding her thighs apart, sinking into her satin heat, wringing soft little cries from her lips. He inhaled and smelled that fruit shampoo of hers. His gaze slipped down and he got caught up in the way the coral dress made her skin look lush as peaches. Lust slicked through him and he dropped his hands to disguise his sudden hard-on.

She stared straight ahead, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s enough time.” Turning, she made a beeline for the exit, the hem of her dress flirting around her knees.

Chapter Six

Huntley rounded the hallway and stopped hard. She didn’t see Mary anymore. No. There was only her brother lip-locked with a dark-haired girl in a white lace dress. Well, that would explain the absence of Mary. He wasn’t kidding when he said he was over his ex.

Not that it was hard to imagine him getting over Mary when he had this girl to help him along. She was vaguely familiar and Huntley thought she might have seen her around town. Maybe on base. She was beautiful. Edgy, even in white lace. Beck looked like he was going to pull her deep inside himself and never let go. Her hands crawled over Beck’s massive shoulders, and it was clear she was all for that plan.