PrivateDancer












Private Dancer





















Private Dancer

 

Copyright © June 2010, Dahlia Rose

Cover art by Anastasia Rabiyah ©
June 2010

 

Amira Press

Baltimore, MD 21216

www.amirapress.com

 

ISBN: 978-1-936279-28-9

 

No part of this e-book may be
reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not
limited to printing, file sharing, and e-mail, without prior written permission
from Amira Press.

 




Dedication

 

To
my own soldier and hero. Retired or not you still make me catch my breath when
you stand at attention and you speak of your military career with pride. As I
promised, I will love you until eternity ends and days beyond that. XOXO.

 








Chapter One

 

The
war was supposed to be over. The military forces had pulled out of the major
cities of Iraq,
and government heads were calling Operation Iraqi Freedom a success. Then why the hell are we still running missions to find insurgents in the
middle of the night? Major Ian Scott thought grimly as the convoy of Humvees
rolled on through the silent, dark night. There were twelve of them to each
vehicle, with a gunner riding topside, searching the night with the heavy fifty-caliber
machine. Ian was the scope man and head of the operation. This was his thirty-fifth
birthday, and he was spending it on his third tour and on a mission. This was
his night instead of being home in Georgia drinking a beer and
shooting pool with his buddies.

“Happy
birthday to me," he muttered grimly.

His
eye was trained through the nightscope of his sniper rifle as he looked for
anything that moved in the night that was not supposed to be there. He knew
that there could be one or two of them lying in hiding, waiting for an army
convoy to pass by. It was easy to take a shot and run into the desert, but if
he saw them, Ian knew his gun was quicker than theirs, and being in command, he
had to protect his men. He shot first and asked questions later. The insurgents
were not above booby-trapping bodies or anything they found alongside the road.
He sure as hell was not going to give them a chance to do anyone in his unit
harm. He brought them here two times and got them home safely, and by God he
was going to do it a third.

“WeÅ‚re
outside the compound now, Major." A voice mixed in with static came across his
radio.

“Copy
that," Ian said calmly into his headpiece. “Units all stop. Gunners stand ready
to fire. If you hear anything out of the ordinary, bring the noise."

Ian
got an affirmative from the Humvees behind him. His driver had already stopped
the lead vehicle he was in.

“Okay,
guys, lock and load with full armor. Wełre going in hot," Ian commanded.

“You
expect a war, Major? You know therełs going to be, like, four AKs and a few
goats in there," one of his men teased.

Ian
grinned. “All the same, boys, we go in tight." He lifted his gun to his
shoulder and gave silent hand gestures, directing the men to the points for
best access and surprise to the enemy. “On me, on me," he commanded.

They
moved with trained precision to the entrance of the compound. The door was made
of old slats of wood and tightly woven palm frond. One could not see through
the creases in the wood. Ian pushed the door open slowly, and he winced when it
gave a small creak. He pushed it open with his body and held it against the
wall while he motioned his men through. As they filed in, Ian used a rock to
hold the door open and took point behind his men. He tapped one soldier on the
shoulder, who took his place. Ian moved up through his men to the front door.
He lifted his fingers for the countdown from three to one before he kicked in
the door.

“Get
down, get down, get down!" Ian shouted.

They
flooded the room with light and made sure it was secure. When everyone called
clear, he lowered his gun and looked around. No one was there, but a cache of
firearms and small rockets were stacked in boxes and leaned up against the
wall.

“This
sure isnÅ‚t four AKs," one of his men said and whistled softly. “Hell, Major,
this is all our stuff theyłve been stealing."

Ian
looked around. “There is a bunch of munitions here. Then why is no one around
watching it?"

Realization
dawned on Ian quickly. Something wasnłt right. No one would leave this amount
of small arms unprotected.

“Move
guys! Get out now! Move, move, move!" Ian shouted.

He
shoved his men out of the door one after the other. They didnłt question
anything. As a major and a commander of their unit, they knew Ianłs instinct
was dead-on. And he was right. By the time he had the last man out and he was
running behind them, he heard the tiny beep as someone detonated a bomb set in
the middle of the munitions. The explosion sent him flying out the door as the
small building was ripped apart. The heat sent small rockets up like fireworks.
Everyone kept their heads down and stayed low to the ground until the munitions
were finished exploding. Everyone knew a bullet was just as dangerous going off
in the middle of a fire as it was being shot of a gun. By the time silence
reigned for a few minutes, his men got up slowly from the ground, faces covered
with dirt and soot. They all were laughing shakily at the experience they had just
had and were relieved they all survived it.

With
adrenaline pumping, Ian went to stand and fell right back down to the sand. Ian
looked down, confused, wondering why he couldnłt use his left leg, and saw the
blood gushing from a wound. One of his men rushed up to him, concern on his
face, and while two others held his leg firmly trying to staunch the flow of
blood, they screamed for a medic and held him down.

“I
need to get upI need to form a perimeter and get more guys from the FOB out
here. This was a trap." Ian struggled beneath their crushing arms.

“We
got it, Major. Stay still!" one of his men ordered. It was the medic, and Ian
looked up and saw the worry on his face. “Listen, Major, you got hit with
shrapnel, and itłs still embedded in your leg. It cut an artery, and I am going
to have to pull it out and get this bleeding stopped, okay? Itłs going to hurt
like a motherfucker, Major."

Ian
finally understood what was going on and nodded. “Do what you got to do," he
said and gritted his teeth, waiting for the pain to come. When it did, he could
not help the cries of pain that escaped his lips. His leg burned as the
shrapnel came out of his thigh, and the pain was excruciating as the medic went
in to try to find the bleeding vein. Ian panted and breathed as much as he
could through the pain. But as his medic tried to clamp off the bleeder in his
leg, Ian phased in and out of consciousness. Finally, when his body could take
no more, he left the reality of his wounds and floated into the bliss of
nothingness. He barely heard them calling for a medical chopper to get him
transported for treatment before everything went completely black.

 

* * *
*

 

Four months later

The
pack of soldiers who were running the test was already out of sight. Only two
of them lagged back with him. They were two of his guys who knew what it meant
to him to requalify for duty. Alongside them was his longtime friend Corbin. He
was the drill sergeant running the testing that day. Ian had started out well,
the scars of his wounds from only a few months earlier clearly evident under
the army physical training shorts. The pace set for his reevaluation run was
easy to match at first, but after a half an hour, his leg began giving him
hell. Now he was barely inching along, limping while he ran.

“Come
on, Major. Please let us just get you the medi-cart," Joey pleaded. He was a
Specialist First Class. Ian could remember training him when he came into his
unit. Now he could see the worry in the young manłs gaze.

“No,
IÅ‚m going to finish this trail," Ian said through gritted teeth. With every
step the pain in his leg was excruciating. He knew there was no way he could
finish this with any kind of good time on record. But his stubbornness kept him
moving on through the pain. He had aced the sniper test, aced everything else.
This was the only obstacle in his path to getting back to his job.

“Stand
down, Major," Corbin said gently.

“I
can finish this." Ian bit back a cry as pain shot through his leg.

“And
I said stop. You canłt qualify at this rate."

I
outrank you, Corbin." Ianłs voice was harsh when he replied.

Corbin
placed his hand on IanÅ‚s chest, forcefully bringing him to a halt. “Not out
here, you donłt, and I said stand the fuck down before you injure that leg
more." He looked toward the two men who were with them. “You guys go get the
medi-cart. Wełll wait right here."

“Aww
crap, Corbin, I can walk it back. I donłt want to sit in that thing," Ian
protested. The medi-cart was just a glorified golf cart with a big red medical
cross. Most of the time you saw that rolling along at the casual pace of three
miles per hour, you knew some soldier couldnłt cut it. It was embarrassing as
hell to ride in one of those things, and he did not want to do it in the least.

“Yeah,
well, what you want and whatłs going to happen is two different things, Ian,"
Corbin replied. “Now sit your dumb stubborn ass on the ground and wait."

Only
a few men could talk to him like that, and Corbin was one of them. They had
seen boot camp and combat together. He could trust him with his life as a
friend and a soldier.

“ThereÅ‚s
no way I can convince you to pass me, huh?" Ian teased. He was half serious,
testing the boundaries of a longtime friendship.

“Not
a chance in this life." Corbin gave him his hand to help Ian lower himself to
the short grass. “Hell, I was even pushing it letting you take the test before
the mandatory six months was up. Come on, Ian, what are you doing? You need to
heal more before you do this crap."

Ian
stretched out his injured leg in front of him. It screamed relief as his self-imposed
torture was over, but yes, the intense throbbing pain still beat like a drum
through him. “I thought I was ready. My leg barely hurt."

“On
a scale of one to ten, how bad did it hurt this morning?" Corbin asked.

“Maybe
a four or five."

“Ian"

“Fine,
at least a seven, but thatłs good lately," Ian admitted.

“Damn
it, Ian, why didnłt you say something?" Corbin yelled.

“I
want to get back to my boys. I want to get back to my duties, man," Ian shouted
back. “What am I supposed to do, stay home and sit on my ass all day?"

“I
donÅ‚t know, maybe relax and heal?" CorbinÅ‚s voice was sarcastic. “And what if
the nerve damage never completely goes away? You wonłt be able to qualify
anyway." His voice gentled. “Ian, you could be a kick-ass drill sergeant here.
We need people like you to train the new guys."

“This
is you. Corbin, you have a wife and a couple of kids to go home to," Ian
replied and shook his head. “I donÅ‚t know what I would do without being able to
go out with my unit."

“You
donłt have to leave the army, idiot. Just change it up some."

Ian
looked at his friend. He could feel sadness burn his chest. “ThatÅ‚s the thing,
buddy. I donłt want to change it up."

“Well
then youłll have to take advice from an old friend to get through this," Corbin
said firmly. He took a business card from his clipboard and handed it to Ian.
“Go to her, and sheÅ‚ll get your leg rehabilitated and in tip-top shape. She is
a lieutenant and the best damn physical therapist I know. If there is one
person who can fix your leg, if therełs no permanent damage, itłs her."

“Tasha
Lovell." Ian said the name out loud and then read the address. “This is all the
way in frakking Virginia!"

“IÅ‚ll
make arrangements for accommodations for you," Corbin answered mildly.

“Seriously,
man, I can do this on my own, some free weights and some laps in the pool"

Corbin
was adamant. “Nope, you go to her and get better. If she does not sign off on
you coming back here or being fit for active duty, then itłs a no go for me."

“Jesus,
you are a hard- ass," Ian said and punched him in the shoulder.

“And
you are the pot calling the kettle black," Corbin replied.

They
heard the tiny siren of the medi-cart wailing coming up the trail, drawing the attention
of everyone who was around.

“Holy
hell, couldnłt they not do the whole siren thing?" Ian rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Corbin
laughed and patted Ian on the shoulder. “Suck it up, buddy, and letÅ‚s get you
patched up."

After
he was loaded up with a foot outstretched, the medi-cart went off along the
trail back to the training facility of the army. Every group of soldiers on the
trail stopped and lined each side and stood straight with a tight salute. Corbin
had told him that they had already heard
of the major who was fighting against pain to get back to his post. They showed
their respect and honored the bravery of a comrade in arms. It was that way
even in front of the armory, when he was helped out and into a wheelchair. It
was that kind of unity he wanted to get back to. It touched him that even this
new generation of soldiers was learning a long-standing tradition. He would go
to this lieutenant and do what it took to get back to being a hundred percent. How hard could it be?




Chapter Two

 

Dressed
in his ACUs, or Army combat uniform, Ian stood outside and looked up at the
white building in Virginia.
It was already after four in the afternoon. It looked like an old estate house
covered in vines and even had a gazebo out front. This was not a typical
rehabilitation center. This had a homier feel. If it werenłt for the soldiers
coming in and out either limping or using prosthetics for missing limbs lost in
war, he would have thought he was visiting someone for afternoon lunch outside
on the wraparound patio. He walked inside, up to what he assumed was the front
desk. An older lady looked up at him with a smile. She had warm eyes and a
welcoming personality to greet patients.

“Good
afternoon, how can I help you today?" she asked.

Ian
cleared his throat. “IÅ‚m, um, Major Ian Scott. IÅ‚m here for my evaluation with
Tasha Lovell."

“You
mean Lieutenant Tasha Lovell?" The older receptionist prodded him with a slight
frown. Ian could see she was a stickler for formality.

“Yes,
małam. I have an appointment with the lieutenant."

“Well
then, she is in her rehab center in the upstairs of this building. Itłs the
doors on the left of the stairs." The older lady frowned again. “I donÅ‚t
understand her New Age stuff, but it seems to help the boys in uniform, so IÅ‚m
not going to complain. You can take the lift there if your leg canłt hold you
up to take the stairs."

With
that, she turned her eyes back to the paperwork in front her, effectively
dismissing Ian. He shook his head. It just went to prove that no one should
judge a book by a cover. Her warm, friendly face contradicted the prickly
personality she had. The lift she spoke of was one of the chairs attached to
the stairs for older people to use. Ian would not even think of using that, so
he slowly took the stairs one at a time with his cane. By the time he got to
the top, his leg had begun to throb, and he hated the weakness that now trapped
his body. When he opened the door of the rehabilitation rooms he was directed
to, he was not feeling in the best of moods.

Instead
of a set of workout benches, weights, exercise tables, and treadmills he knew
were associated with normal rehabilitation, he saw a wide room with wooden
floors that shone to perfection. Mirrors adorned both sides of the walls from
ceiling to floor, and rails went along the middle of the glass surface. Some
kind of sexy jazz mix of music that Ian could not recognize played and filled
the room, but nothing compared to the vision in front of him.

She
was dressed in this kind of lilac, long bodysuit with a sheer see-through skirt
that flowed around it. Every curve and dip of her body was emphasized when she
moved in dance. Her body made graceful jumps and landed as light as a feather.
Just as quickly she began another move to match the tempo of the music. Ian
found himself holding his breath more than once in anticipation of what she
would do next. In the next few minutes of her routine, she never failed to
disappoint. Instead she mesmerized him with every step of her dance. The
crescendo of the music built and built, and so did her movements. The look on
her face was one of pure pleasure. On the very last note, she performed a small
jump with a twirl and landed in a low crouch with her head against her knees.
Her long, dark hair flowed onto the floor, and then the room was silent.

Ian
stood silent as she stood up. He actually didnłt know what to say for the first
time in his life. Lieutenant Tasha Lovell was an amazing beauty. She looked up
and smiled, and it made her face radiant. Ian tired to get his composure
together when she grabbed a towel and walked in his direction.

She
held out her hand in greeting and with a warm smile of her face. “You must be
Major Ian Scott."

“Usually
a lieutenant salutes the major," Ian said, not taking her hand. He was afraid
if he did he would pull her into his arms and kiss her. So instead he used the
formality of his rank as a shield.

Tasha
laughed. “ThatÅ‚s not going happen, Major." She went over to her desk and waved
him over to sit down. Tasha picked up his file and read through the notes. A
frown crossed her face for an instant before she looked up at him. “You have
some serious nerve damage here. Why didnłt you just take the one percent
disability and retire?"

“ThatÅ‚s
not who I am. It was offered, and I refused," Ian snapped. “Listen, Corbin said
you could help me get back to my unit."

“Corbin
should have told you I might be able to get your range of motion back in your
leg," Tasha snapped. “I make no promises. IÅ‚m not a miracle worker."

“Exactly
what do you do here?" Ian looked around. “ThereÅ‚s no rehab equipment."

“I
have some in the other rooms, including two heated whirlpools and treadmills
and all that good, shiny metal stuff you guys like. But thatłs not the main
part of my therapy. I use holistic methods as well, and my main focus is
dance."

Ian
looked at her skeptically. “YouÅ‚re kidding me, right?"

“Nope."

“Listen,
Lieutenant, if you think I am going to be in here wearing some kind of leotard
and jumping around like Peter Pan, you are so very wrong."

Ian
sat back and began to thrum his fingers against the arm of the chair in
frustration. How the hell could Corbin think that he would be taking part in
this, well, whatever this was? It was then that she leveled him with a dark
stare. Anger was visible in her eyes, and she placed both hands on the table
with a soft thump.

“No,
you listen to me, Major Scott," Tasha said. “I did not send a message and call
you. You came to me. Donłt you dare look down your nose at what I do here! I
and my team help a lot of soldiers, including some who were hurt worse than you
and are now back to their posts overseas and could continue a long military
career." Tasha stood slowly. “Now IÅ‚m not saying I can do this for you. I donÅ‚t
know the extent of your nerve damage. But I am saying that my methods can work,
and you wonłt be dancing around here like Peter Pan like you said. We use a
series of dance moves that can strengthen your legs and rebuild those nerves.
But the choice is yours. Get with the program or step out of my space. Either
way I wonłt lose sleep over it."

She
was passionate, he had to admit. By the time she was done with her speech, she
was on her feet, and she looked like she was ready to deck him. He had nothing
to lose, really. If he didnłt try, he was positive that he could not get
recertified to active duty. So actually he only had one choice.

“Look,
IÅ‚m sorry, okay?" Ian said. “I donÅ‚t know if this will help, thatÅ‚s all. ItÅ‚s
been four months since my injury, and I have not seen any real change."

“Well
then instead of pooh-poohing my methods, how about trying them first?" Tasha
retorted.

“Pooh-poohing?"
Ian raised an eyebrow.

Her
lips twitched. “DonÅ‚t be smart-mouthed. ItÅ‚s not cute."

“So
how do we get started?" Ian asked.

“Well
you go back into the locker room there and put on a pair of those sweats folded
on the shelf," Tasha instructed. “When you come back out, IÅ‚ll run you through
some evaluation exercises and moves to see your range so I can build a precise
routine to help you regain your strength." This time Tasha looked at him
compassionately. “We work with individuals here, so donÅ‚t worry, Major. No one
will ever see you, and I will be your only instructor."

He
appreciated her trying to make him comfortable even after he was kind of an
asshole. “Call me Ian." Ian was surprised that his voice was so husky.

“Only
if you call me Tasha." She smiled at him, and his heart made a tiny jump in his
chest. “Now go back in there and get in those sweats so we can work."

Ian
gave a casual salute as he limped away. “Yes, maÅ‚am."

 

* * *
*

 

“Oh
my goodness," Tasha said under her breath when Ian had left the room. She
leaned against her desk and let her body relax after the first intense meeting
with Major Ian Scott. He was by far a formidable man. She could see by his
personality why he was a platoon leader. Ian Scott was also very handsome in a
rugged kind of way. That low high-and-tight haircut of sandy blond hair and
those light brown eyes made him look very intense. He had a lean jawline and a
sexy mouth Tasha could see herself kissing. She was five feet eight inches tall,
and he towered over her, so Tasha knew he had to be a good six-two in height. Luckily, I like them big, she mused. Quit it, girl. What are you thinking!
Tasha went around her desk and began to gather up his file. His career in the
military was extensive and peppered with medals and awards. This last mission
where he got hurt could have killed him, but he survived, and now it was up to
her to help him try to regain use of his leg.

It
hurt her heart to see the many disabled coming out of this new war. Men and women
came into her center beat up emotionally and physically. She saw her methods
make great changes in their lives. Even severe cases of post-traumatic stress
disorder could be helped with someone to talk to and care.

He
came out dressed in the gray sweats and looking uncomfortable. He raised his
hand. “So here I am. What do we do?"

He
was definitely not into this, Tasha thought with a smile. Most of the men who
came in were less than willing, some of the women too. But Ian looked like he
was ready to jump through the window and tuck and roll to his car and peel out
of there.

“First
we put on some music, and you will stand here." Tasha directed him to the set
of mirrors and to the bar.

She
pressed the small remote, and the room was flooded with relaxing mood music.
The sound of chirping birds and babbling brooks was blended in with the soft
tone of a musician playing the clarinet. Ian rolled his eyes when he heard the
music, but Tasha paid him no attention when she stood in front of him.

“Now
breathe out slowly and then in," Tasha said calmly. When Ian rolled his eyes
again, she sighed in frustration. “Listen, this is not going to work unless you
do as I say and give it a chance."

“Fine,"
he grumbled and followed her directions.

“Now
follow my lead, and lift your leg outward, toes pointed," Tasha encouraged softly.

She
watched as he tried to point his toes and his lips tightened with the pain of
it. When he even tried to lift his leg, he was only able to get it inches off
the ground. Tasha bent to her knees and gently cupped his calf. When she tried
to help him raise it higher, a hiss of pain escaped. She pursed her lips and
said nothing, instead trying a few more moves and exercises. They were designed
to see how badly the nerves and tendons of his legs were injured, and with each
she had to help him. By the end of the workout, he was sweating, and even
though he wouldnłt say it, she could see the pain on his face.

“ThatÅ‚s
enough for today, Ian." Tasha helped his leg to the floor before standing.

“I
can go on," he said stubbornly.

“No,
you canłt. Youłre in pain, and donłt even try to say it isnłt so," she replied.
“Half an hour in the whirlpool, then a hot stone massage before you leave."

“The
base transport Humvee will be back to get me in about twenty minutes," Ian
said. “I have to get dressed and head down there. Corbin got me a house to stay
in on base, but I canłt drive yet, so base transport is all I got right now."

“No
one leaves this center without some relaxation therapy," Tasha said firmly.
“IÅ‚ll take you back on to base. There are towels and shorts in the back, same
place where you found the sweats. Get in there, and IÅ‚ll have the whirlpool
prepped."

Ian
nodded and turned to go back into the locker room. A man of few words, Tasha
thought as she went to the phone and called downstairs to cancel his base
transportation. While she started the whirlpool, she thought about the man she
was now treating. It was hard for a man like him to even have to depend on a
ride from the mechanic pool on the base. Regardless of what his situation was,
she was not going to let him leave without trying to relax the muscles he had
just worked on. So if she had to take him home every day, then so be it. He
came out of the room minutes later with only the shorts on and the towel slung
over his muscled shoulder. Tasha had to admit her mouth went a little dry when
she saw his body. Muscles rippled in his chest, and his lean torso was an
appealing sight. She pulled her eyes away and walked to the doors that led to
the therapeutic rooms of her rehab center.

“Here
you go. Do you need help getting inside?" Tasha offered.

“I
got it," he said and gritted his teeth.

Tasha
stood back and let him get in on his own. She knew the mindset of proud,
headstrong soldiers. If she had asked anymore, he would have been more upset.
Ian sighed when he sank into the depths of the water that bubbled gently in the
whirlpool. She turned away and smiled. He may not want to be here, but
sometimes even though soldiers thought they knew best, she knew better when it
came to injuries like his. The water would loosen up the tense muscles in his
back and thighs that now worked twice as hard to compensate for his limp. It
would also soften the scar tissue that tightened up considerably when healing,
and it would give more flexibility for exercise. It made no point trying to
explain all this to Ian, best to let him see it work for himself. Words meant
little to a man like Ian. Tasha could tell by his demeanor he wanted action.

She
prepared the massage area while he soaked a few feet away. She plugged in the
table with its built-in warmer so it would be a comfortable temperature when he
lay down. She also got the hot stone heater ready and laid the stones in rows
from largest to smallest so they could start retaining heat. By the time she
was ready his half an hour in the whirlpool was done.

“How
was that?" she asked with a gentle smile.

“Not
bad."

“You
seem so thrilled," Tasha said sarcastically. “Well come on over here, and weÅ‚ll
make not bad even better."

Ian
walked over to her, and she could see a half an hour alone made his limp less
noticeable. He walked around the table and looked at all her equipment
suspiciously. “WhatÅ‚s all this for?"

“This
is a hot stone massage. It will relax your body and help ease all that tension
in your muscles," Tasha explained.

“This
is a part of your rehabilitation too?" Ian asked. “It seems very hippie Zen. Are
you sure youłre in the military?"

“Sometimes
hippie Zen, as you call it, works better than overworking already injured
muscles with weights and bikes," Tasha shot back. She honestly hated when
people questioned her methods or her military career. “Major Scott, let me
advise you now if you want our working relationship to be an amicable one. I
didnłt find my lieutenant stripes in a Cracker Jack box. I earned them the hard
way, including a tour in Iraq
with the initial invasion in 2003. So question my methods in your mind and not
to my face, because until you prove it doesnłt work, you should have nothing to
say. Oh, and by the way, when you walked over here, did you notice you were
limping less?"

Tasha
raised an eyebrow at him when he opened his mouth to speak. Ian gave her a
shamed smile. “Okay, you got me there. IÅ‚m sorry, and IÅ‚ll behave."

Tasha
grinned, not one to hold on to hard feelings. “You better because I am not above
spankings."

They
both stood silent for a few moments digesting what she had just said. It was
meant as a tease, but it came across as much more. She felt her face flush with
embarrassment. The attraction she felt between them became more palpable. Tasha
decided to shut her mouth and to do her job lest any more slips of the tongue occur.

“LetÅ‚s
get you up on the table." After her last statement, she felt awkward having to
give him instructions. “Um, Ian, IÅ‚m going to need you take off those wet pants
and lay on the table on your stomach. Under the blankets, of course. Donłt
worry. Youłll be covered unless I have to work on a certain part of your bodyI
mean like legs and stuff," she added in haste. “IÅ‚m going to change my clothes
so I canIÅ‚m going to go change."

“You
can work on any part of my body you want," he called out to her departing form.

His
voice was smooth as honey, but Tasha pretended not to notice. In her own little
dressing area, she sat down to take a calming breath before changing her
clothes. He had the power to disarm her walls and defenses and have her naked
under him moaning in pleasure. Tasha was never one to hide from her feelings,
but after a few bad relationships that almost left her destroyed, she learned
it was best to hide her heart in a tower and never let anyone breach the
barriers she had built. Major Ian Scott could do that without even trying. She
knew it within minutes of meeting him.

“No
teasing, no sweet smiles, nothing," she warned her reflection in the mirror.
“ItÅ‚s about treating him, nothing more."

With
that she firmed her shoulders in determination and walked out to where he waited.
The warning went out of her head when she saw him lying there. The muscles of
his shoulders bunched up as he lay on his forearms. His gaze followed her.
Tasha stood in front of him with what-ifs running though her mind. It was too
late to put him off on one of her other therapists. She already gave her word
to be the one to take care of him. The thought of running her hands along the
lines of his body gave her a tingle at the pit of her tummy and warmth between
her thighs. He stared at her silently, brown eyes questioning, but yet she
could see the same fire she felt in the depths of those eyes.

“Okay,
so the hot stones might feel a little hot for the first time," Tasha warned.
“If they are too hot on the initial touch, let me know and IÅ‚ll take them off
immediately. As I rub them along youryour body, it might feel a little like
electricity. Let me know if it is uncomfortable in any way."

“You
got it," Ian agreed.

Tasha
started massaging by rubbing warm oil all over his muscled form with firm but
smooth strokes. Ian made a sound in his throat, a low purr that spoke volumes
to say he liked her touch. Tasha bit her lip. She had done this many times, yet
never had it been such a sensual act.

“IÅ‚m
putting on the first stones now," Tasha explained and was amazed at the
huskiness in her tone.

The
massage continued with Tasha alternating warm stones on the slick oiliness of
his skin. She rubbed them along the lines and contours of his body, and slowly
but surely he became pliant and relaxed to the point that he fell asleep. Tasha
grinned when she heard the first small snore and kept on with his massage,
never deviating pressure or missing any points because he was asleep. Many
soldiers came back from the field not being able to sleep or plagued with
nightmares. Massages and therapy like this were considered a good way to make
them relax, and she was even sent referrals to her center from psychiatrists so
they could be treated for mental injuries, not just physical.

By
the time she was done, Tasha breathed out a sigh of relief. He was a big man,
and the massage took extra time, but she had to admit she did not even care.
His scars on the back of his thighs were red and lightly puckered but healing
well. She could not imagine the pain he had gone through.

“Ian."
She shook his shoulder gently. “IÅ‚m done."

Ian
turned on his side slowly and looked at her. “YouÅ‚re all done," she repeated
and smiled. His response was to reach up and slip his hand around the back of
her neck. His fingers were cool against her skin before he slipped them into
her hair and made her scalp tingle. He pulled her down to him, and Tasha did
not resist. His lips met hers, and a soft moan escaped her. Ian took that
opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, and she was lost. With her hand
braced against the table, their lips parried and played. She was so close she
could feel his hardness through the blankets that covered him. If she pushed
them back a little, she could have taken his hard length in her hands.

That
thought brought reality crashing back into her consciousness. Tasha pushed away
from him and took a few steps back while trying to catch her breath.

“I
am so sorry!" she gasped. “That was completely unprofessional of me, and I
apologize."

“As
far as I could tell, IÅ‚m the one who started it," Ian said calmly. He swung his
legs over the side of the table and stood up. The blankets barely concealed his
obvious arousal. “If you come back here, maybe I can finish it as well."

Tasha
stared at him, shocked and wanting to say yes all at once. “Noum, no, I donÅ‚t
think so, Ian. IÅ‚m here to treat you, and nothing more. I totally understand if
you are uncomfortable with me, and IÅ‚m going to assign you a new therapist in
the morning." Tasha wiped her hands on the towel tucked into her waist. “IÅ‚ll
leave you to get dressed, and IÅ‚ll take you home."

“No,"
Ian said.

“Excuse
me?" Tasha put her hands on her hips.

“No,
I donÅ‚t want another therapist. I want you." IanÅ‚s voice held stubbornness “Corbin
said you were the best, so you canłt pass me over to someone else. I want you."

Tasha
nodded, not knowing what to say. She walked out of the room so he could get
dressed. She knew when he said he wanted her it was more than just to be his
therapist. Her body melted from the inside out when he kissed her. God knows if
she had taken him up on the offer to step back into his arms. She probably
would be the one not able to stand in the aftermath of them coming together.




Chapter Three

 

Ian
watched as she pulled away like a bat out of hell from the base housing where
he was staying. The rear lights went out of sight quickly around the corner. Shełd better watch out before the MPs get
her for speeding on base.

Ian
walked into the little house next to the water. It was great being able to get
housing close to the banks of the Potomac River.
He could walk out to the small deck and stare out at the boats and hear the
sounds of the water when he couldnłt sleep. This was usually every night since
he came home from Iraq.
He brought his thoughts back to Tasha, and it wiped the frown away that was
threatening to cross his face. He grinned instead when he recalled how antsy
she was as she drove. If he barely shifted in the passenger seat, she jumped
like a frightened rabbit. It was obvious that he affected her in the same way
she did him.

The
massage was intense enough. Her hands, oily, slick, and sliding over his body,
were extremely enticing to him. More than once he wanted to roll over and beg
her to take his cock in her hands and give him release. As the therapy went on,
he began to relax, and his mind drifted until he slept and nightmares did not
plague him. While he stood there looking out at the dark water, his body felt
amazing, and he could see the merits of what she offered at the center. His leg,
which was in constant pain, still hurt, but was by far more bearable now his
body was not so tense.

Even
in the peace of the night, Ian didnłt want to be alone. He felt restless, and
without even really thinking about it, he pulled her card from his pocket and
dialed the number from his cell phone. When she picked up and said hello, he
could hear she was still driving.

“Turn
around," he said.

“What?"
Tashałs voice sounded shocked.

Ian
smiled because he could picture her face when she said it. She was unlike
anyone he had ever met. She put him in his place when he talked down to her, yet,
she had a sweetness about her that was completely refreshing.

“Turn
around, and come back and get me," Ian repeated.

“This
is how you talk to people? IÅ‚m not your chauffeur, you know," Tasha replied.
“Nope. IÅ‚m going home."

“Please,
Tasha," Ian cajoled her. “I feel like having Chinese food, and there is nothing
to eat here. I donłt know anyone here, and I have a great view of the Potomac from my deck."

“I
donłt know," she said, and he could hear her wavering.

“IÅ‚m
starved, and I might have to walk to the PX for some Cup of Noodles." Ian
sighed. “I guess I could, but the lights on the river are so beautiful."

Tasha
laughed. “Quit the pitiful routine. IÅ‚ll stop and get you some Chinese and come
back."

“Egg
fu yung, some sweet and sour pork, and house lo mein, please."

“Anything
else, Major?"

He
could hear the teasing in her tone, and that, in turn, made him happy. He
couldnłt remember the last time he was genuinely happy.

“Only
you, Lieutenant," he said quietly.

After
a pause she said, “Let me go home and get cleaned up. IÅ‚ll see you in a bit,
Ian."

Ian
turned off his BlackBerry and slipped it into his pocket. He tapped the railing
of the deck before walking inside. He would take a shower and get into some
civilian clothes before she came back. The night was looking up, and the
possibilities were endless.

 

* * *
*

 

Why am I doing this? Tasha thought as she took a shower to wash the
day off her skin. Ian was her last appointment, but before that she had had a
jam-packed day. Her skin smelled of different oils and liniments she had used
on various patients, and now the smell of sweet cherry vanilla filled the
shower as the warm suds moved down her skin.

Donłt fool yourself. You know why,
Tasha, her inner voice replied.
Ian brought something out in her. Something instinctive and reckless. She had
to remind herself more than once to keep a tight hold on those locks around her
heart. Her problem was she could fall in love so easily and see everything good
in him and none of the tarnish until it was too late. His kiss already took
center stage in her thoughts. She closed her eyes and remembered how it felt to
have his taste on her lips and his hands on her skin. Her hand slowed to a
crawl as she washed her body wishing it was him touching her breast and
nipples. She wanted Ianłs hands between her thighs and touching that secret
place that would make her come. She got out of the shower and dried her skin
with gentle rubs from the towel and dressed with care. Tight jeans and white
corset top. She wasnłt expecting anything tonight, but if something did happen,
she doubted she would have the willpower to say no.

She
took extra care with her hair and makeup. It was not allowed when she was in
uniform, so when she had the chance to use makeup, she did. She left the house
to pick up the food she had ordered before stepping into the shower. With one
last look in the hallway mirror, Tasha made sure that her lip gloss was not
smudged and then snatched up her keys and headed out the door. The aroma of the
food filled her car as she drove back to the base, reminding her that she had
only had a small ham sandwich and a cup of coffee all day. She also picked up
another small surprise for Ian on her way there.

When
he opened the door, Tasha had to swallow just a little bit. He was wearing
khaki shorts, a blue striped polo shirt, and sneakers. He had a smile on his
face that carried to his eyes, and Tasha felt all her anxiety melt away.

“So
I brought you a gift." She had her hand behind her back when she spoke. “Kind
of a welcome-to-the-neighborhood kind of thing."

“Is
it a fondue pot?" Ian teased.

Tasha
laughed. “No, itÅ‚s this."

From
behind her back she pulled a six pack of Michelob Amber, and Ian clasped his
hand over his heart. “You are now the coolest woman I have ever met. How did
you know my brand?"

“Well,
itłs my favorite, and I know Corbin likes it, so I kinda took a wild guess,"
Tasha said with a smile. “Are you going to let me in, or should I take my beer
and go home?"

“Oh,
you better come in, honey." Ian opened the door wider and ushered her in.

As
per military housing, the unit he was living in was sparsely decorated and very
bland. Most military families would perk it up with their own knickknacks, but
since it was just him and he would be there for a limited time, he left it as
is.

“Gimme
those bags, and go sit your butt on the deck," Ian said.

“Oh,
itłs no trouble for me to get this together. You go sit." She noticed he was
limping just a bit more, and she didnłt want him to strain his leg.

His
gaze darkened for a moment. “IÅ‚m not a complete invalid, Tasha. ThereÅ‚s no need
to coddle me. I can get a few plates of food together and two beers."

“I
didnłt mean" Tasha began. But she shouldłve known better. You can never treat
a man like Ian like he was incapable of doing anything. It made the situation
worse for him. Tasha said brightly, “You know what? You are right. Go feed me
while I take in the view."

Ian
smiled and turned toward the kitchen carrying the bags with the food and the
beer. Tasha stepped out onto the deck, where the stringed lights along the
banks of the Potomac glittered over the dark
water. Ian had set out tea lights in small glass holders along the edges of the
rails and in the corners of the deck. The flickering flames cast a dreamy glow
and set a sensual scene. Canłt get to
the PX, my ass, Tasha thought with a
smile when she sat down. The PX was military shopping on any base in the United States
or overseas. Families had the option of shopping at a cheaper price and without
taxes if they wanted, as opposed to going off base. She was positive base
housing did not come stocked with romantic lighting in the cupboards.

He
came out first with two beers, one in each hand, and threw her a grin as he
placed them on the small table between the two chairs. Then he returned with two
steaming plates of food that he set down slowly before sitting himself.

He
handed her a fork and a napkin. “There, no spills."

“I
didnÅ‚t think you would," Tasha said. She pointed her fork at him. “By the way,
youłre a fibber."

“Me?"
He feigned surprised. “Now IÅ‚m wounded. How can you sit here and malign my
character?"

Tasha
snorted. “Malign your character, my tush. WhereÅ‚d you get tea candles, hmm?"

“Um
I plead the fifth?" he said before taking a bite of dinner.

“No,
you canłt. How did you get to the PX?" Tasha asked.

“Fine,
you caught me," Ian admitted. “But I didnÅ‚t go shopping. I had them brought to
me. I have made a friend or two here in the last day or so."

“Oh,
you are so bad!" Tasha laughed. “And you call me up with that piteous voice."

“Hey
now. I technically have nothing in here to eat, and I was lonely," Ian pointed
out. “Who better to spend the evening with than with you?"

“Oh,
letłs see, a girlfriend?" Tasha hinted. She threw it out as an offhanded
question, but her curiosity was piqued to see if there was someone else in his
life. No one could kiss like that and be a cheater, but then, she had dated a
man who said he loved her but was secretly married.

Ian
met her with a direct stare, and she could see honesty in his eyes. “ThereÅ‚s no
one, Tasha."

“Okay,"
Tasha said simply and took up her fork.

They
ate in companionable silence with intermittent episodes of conversation. He
revealed that he had one too many tours in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
While Tasha told him about her life and how she got her alternative
rehabilitation center started, she could see how surprised Ian was. She told
him the hoops she had to jump through and the red tape that was involved with
her getting started. It still hurt her to know that some higher-ups in the
military saw what she did as a luxury for soldiers and retired veterans.
Cutting costs on all fronts had become a priority at VA centers of late. It was
an uphill fight for her to stay open or find outside funding to keep her patients
in her care.

She
pointed out to Ian her thoughts on the subject. How could they think itłs a
luxury for men and women who gave up their lives and put their all into
fighting a battle and got hurt in the process? If these men and women could do
this willingly and with honor, she wondered why the government and the
hierarchy of the military treated its people like they deserved less as they
gave a hundred percent to defend life and liberty. By the time their
conversation was over, she could see on Ianłs face a new respect for what she
did.

He
cleared their plates away and came back with another beer for both of them.
Tasha turned the chairs to face the scenic view spread out in front of them. He
sat down with a small grunt, and she looked at him with concern on her face.

“Are
you hurting?"

“Just
a bit more than when I came home," he admitted. “I think I might have to live
in your whirlpool."

“YouÅ‚ll
become a raisin," she teased.

“I
just want this damn leg to get back to where itłs supposed to be," he muttered.
“I feel like if I donÅ‚t, my careerÅ‚s been useless. I want to end it on my terms,
not because some fucker got the drop on us."

“What
if you canłt go back?" Tasha asked quietly.

“Then
I donłt know what Iłll do."

There
was an honesty in his voice that almost killed her to hear. He was so lost in
his own head not being able to see past his own injuries.

“DonÅ‚t
give up, Ian. We just started, so just have faith." Tasha grabbed his fingers
and squeezed.

“That
something I seem to have a short supply of." Ian sighed.

“IÅ‚ll
hold on to enough faith for both of us," Tasha whispered.

“Come
Å‚ere." IanÅ‚s eyes smoldered. “I need to kiss you again."

Tasha
moved instinctively toward him and knelt next to his chair. With candlelight
that fluttered in the cool breeze and created a sensual halo around them, he
kissed her. His hands framed her face and tunneled into the thick tresses of
her hair while his tongue forayed into her mouth. Tasha loved how he kissed
her, slow and deep, as if he was drinking in her taste. He intoxicated her, and
it felt like she could never have enough.

Their
kiss deepened. She nibbled and nipped at his lips, then soothed them with her
tongue. Tasha did this until the teasing drove him to the edge and he buried
his hands in her hair again and took her mouth, ravishing it like a man dying
of thirst. She moaned in pleasure. He tasted of the honeyed hops of his beer.
She moved her hands across his back to his neck and face when the need to feel
her body closer to his burst free.

“God,
I want you!" he whispered. “Say yes. Please say yes."

“But
your leg" Tasha began to say. His lips were doing delicious things at the
sensitive skin of her neck.

Ian
gave a small laugh in between his passionate kisses. “Honey, that is not the
part of me that is hurting right now. I want to make love to you."

“Yes."
Tasha gasped when he cupped her breasts. “Oh, yes."

Ian
stood slowly, and Tasha looked up at him from where she had knelt. He was so
much bigger than her, and she licked her lips in anticipation of feeling this
man inside her. They walked to his bedroom hand in hand, and passionate kisses
were shared as they undressed. Ian sat on the dark green coverlet, and his
hands roamed her body. Tasha stepped over his legs so she straddled his lap,
taking care not to put any weight on his leg.

They
became lost in their ardor. Tasha stroked his cock that stood rigid between
them. His fingers caressed down her back, across the firm line of her ass, and
to her thighs. Ianłs lips and tongue plucked at her sensitive nipples, and
Tasha pulled him closer, begging him in unspoken words to suck at the tender
flesh. She raked her fingers across his back and felt his body shudder. Tasha
had always been giving. It was the same way in her response to his lovemaking. He
broke the kiss and teased her like she had teased him minutes before on the
deck, biting her lips, then soothing them with his tongue. Tasha moved against
him in frustration, and Ian chuckled softly. She bent her legs so the tip of
his cock rubbed against the dripping entrance to her pussy.

Ian
moaned. “Give it to me, baby. Let me feel you."

“Soon,"
Tasha promised. “Soon, IÅ‚m going to have your cock buried deep inside me."

One
kiss, then two, and longing exploded into a seductive dance enticing his tongue
to join hers. She slipped her hands between their bodies and took his hard
cock. Tashałs grasp was firm as she stroked him, and Ianłs body surged in
pleasure, pressing more intimately against her smooth palm.

“Jesus,
Tasha youłre going to make me come if you keep that up," Ian said harshly. His
forehead was pressed against the valley of her breasts, and his breath was hot
against her skin.

Tasha
pushed his shoulder to encourage him to lie back on the bed. She grabbed the
brass rails of the headboard and rose above him. Ian held his thick cock while
she slid it into her hot velvet sex. Their voices mingled when their bodies
merged and the dance began. He felt so good buried so deep inside her until he
touched the halo of her cervix. Tasha wanted to savor the feeling as long as
she could.

“Hold
on, baby, hold on." Ian panted. “YouÅ‚re so tight, darling."

Tasha
smiled. She had other plans. She moved against him slowly, letting his cock
slide from her body. Then she took him into her pussy again, inch by torturous
inch. She could hear the little moans coming from her own lips. His strong
hands massaged the firm globes of her breasts, and she bent low so he could
take the nipples into his mouth. She threw her head back and cried out when he
sucked her nipple into his mouth deeply. While straddling him, she writhed her
hips in a wanton seduction, pumping against his cock and driving them both into
a frenzy. She ground against him faster, taking his hard rod deeper inside her.
His fingers tangled in her hair, and he pulled her down to kiss him.

“Do
you like how that feels, lover?" she asked. “Do you like being inside me,
filling me, fucking me?"

“Yes,
oh God, yes," he growled in response.

Tasha
could hardly bear the feelings he brought out in her. Ian was like a fire in her
blood. He turned the tables and flipped so she was the one on her back and he
was over her.

“Ian,
no, your leg!" Tasha gasped.

But
it was already too late. Ian was already pumping his engorged rod deeper inside
her, and she arched and gasped in pleasure. Tasha held on to his shoulder as he
took her. This was a man who was accustomed to being the alpha. Nothing could
keep him from pleasing her they way he wanted. He bit her neck, and her body
shivered. She lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. Tasha cried out when she
felt the beginning of her bodyłs ultimate reaction.

Ian
whispered against her ear, “Feel me. Feel how much I want you, how much I need
you. Let go, baby, and come for me."

Flesh
met flesh over and over again in an ancient rhythm, her body trembled, and
Tashałs low cry of pleasure heralded her release. Her body bucked under him, and
her womanhood overflowed as she came. It was like waves, one against the other,
until her tears fell from the pleasure of it. Ian gave himself over to the
swirling pleasure around him, losing himself in her and all she gave. She felt
his seed, hot and thick, as he came. Their bodies were slick, and each breath
panted from two heaving chests when he fell against her weakly.

“Oh,
Ian, your leg. Why did you do that?" Tasha gasped and struggled to get out from
under him.

His
cock was still inside her, and Ian chuckled. “Keep wiggling around like that,
and we will have an encore very soon."

She
moved him and saw him wince as he lay flat against the bed. She tenderly
checked and rubbed the tightened muscles until they relaxed. “WhereÅ‚s your
medication?"

“In
the bathroom." Ian looked at her and smiled. “Are you going to be my nursemaid?
Can you get the little outfit with the hat and stuff?"

Tasha
swatted at him. “ThatÅ‚s so demeaning to me as a professional."

“WhatÅ‚s
my punishment? Please punish me." Ian spread his hands wide.

Tasha
got up and went into the bathroom to get his medication. She looked at the
prescriptions, and there were two muscle relaxers and a pain reliever. The
scars were already healed on his legs, but the internal muscles and nerves
would be his enemy to fight now. As she took the pills from the bottle, he
called out to her.

“Tasha,
can I ask you a favor?"

She
looked around the doorway. “What?"

“Stay
the night," he asked before he flashed a charming smile.

Tasha
walked out with his pills and a glass of water. “Okay."

Ian
took the pills, and she slid into bed next to him. While he pulled her closer
and she laid her head against his chest, Tasha bit her lip with worry. His
range of motion bothered her from when he had his first exercise. If she
couldnłt get him back full use, per military standards, how would he take it?




Chapter Four

 

“Come
on, Ian, push through it," Tasha encouraged him. “Five minutes left."

It
was two weeks later, and Ian sat sweating in the gym part of the rehabilitation
center on the exercise bike. Tasha had set digital read out on it for added
resistance, and with each turn he grunted with exertion. She had seen him gain
strength in his leg, but the numbness was what she was worried about. She read
over the incident report in his service record. After he was hit with the
shrapnel, the medic had to dig around in his leg to find the severed vein.
Tasha believed that either the foreign heated metal that embedded in the leg,
or the medic, had damaged the nerves.

He
would always have some kind of pain and numbness. She had to get his leg back
to ninety-five percent, or he would not be allowed to be back at the head of
his unit. Along with his therapy, they had found a connection outside the
military and in each otherłs arms. The last few weeks had been filled with fun
and nights of pleasure. Ian had practically moved out of base housing and into her
home. He stayed with her every night since it was much closer to the center and
because they had grown accustomed to sleeping next to each other in a short
amount of time.

The
machine beeped, signaling its slowdown, and she heard Ian sigh with relief.
“How did I do, sweetheart?"

“You
canłt call me sweetheart when Iłm at work," Tasha whispered conspiratorially.

“But
you are my sweetheart, my Schmooey," Ian teased.

“Are
you kidding me?" Tasha laughed. “Is that supposed to be a pet name?"

“Hey,
IÅ‚m testing it out," Ian explained. “I thought all women liked their men to do
that. I can be one of those sensitive types."

Tasha
took the time to run her hand appreciatively over his chiseled chest. “Ian, please
stay exactly as you are, my rough-and-tumble major."

“You
keep that up, and IÅ‚ll have to show you rough and tumble on the massage table,"
Ian said. He pulled her closer, and she could feel the bulge of arousal in his
pants.

“All
the more reason you should never use the word Schmooey again." Tasha took the
time to kiss him, even though she was in the professional atmosphere of her
workplace.

“Oh,
thank God you are not a woman who likes all that cutesy name stuff. I couldnłt
do it." Ian grinned as she helped him off the exercise bike and over to the
treadmill. “Seriously, though, Tasha, I really appreciate all that you are
doing for me. I mean, my leg feels so much better already. Itłs stronger. It
really is."

“I
see that." Tasha tried to keep her voice light. “I am still a bit concerned
about the numbness, though. If that and the pain does not let up soon"

He
laughed it off, cutting off her words. “DonÅ‚t worry. That will go away too. I
will be back to normal in no time."

She
saw the trust and happiness in his eyes and did not want that to fade. She would
work with him as long as necessary to help him regain as much use of his leg as
possible. She would make the final decision only when the time came.

“So
you want to go out tonight?" Ian asked.

“Where
are we going?" Tasha looked up at him. He was in a really good mood, and she
couldnłt help but smile.

“LetÅ‚s
just say I hope you arenłt seasick," Ian hinted.

“A
boat? WeÅ‚re going out on a boat?" Tasha asked excitedly. “I have to say that,
since I have been stationed here, I never have been out on the water."

“Well
since your man has connections like that, I hope to be compensated well later."

Tasha
raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh, baby, I think I have built up some credits with
you."

“Yes,
you have," Ian agreed and gave her wink.

The
rest of the day was spent with pleasant quips and sexy banter. His therapy was
over, but instead of taking a cab back to her house, he chose to hang out in
her office and lounge on her leather sofa. If he wasnłt doing that, he was
talking to soldiers who came in, listening to their stories and sharing some of
his own. Tasha looked at him more than once and felt something surge in her
chest. She had fallen madly in love with Major Ian Scott, and now her life
would be changed forever.

They
left at six and headed to her house. There they showered together, which took
longer than necessary, but Tasha didnłt care. She was blissfully happy. They
walked out of her house holding hands and got into her SUV to head to the pier.
There, instead of seeing a small little schooner where they would head out for
a quick sail, she saw a twenty-foot white yacht. It was pristine and beautiful,
and it took Tashałs breath away.

“Oh,
wow, this is amazing," Tasha breathed. “How did you get this thing? Did you
rent it?"

“Nope,
a buddy of mine keeps it here for his family, who comes down in the summer,"
Ian explained. “His family is very wealthy, but he joined up after 9/11. So, he
let me borrow it for the night."

“You
mean we get to sleep out on the water?" Tasha asked dubiously. “I donÅ‚t know if
I can do that. Suppose we sink or something. IÅ‚m not the best swimmer."

Ian
pressed a kiss to her temple as they walked up the gangplank to the boat. “We
wonłt go out too far, and Iłm here to protect you."

“I
feel safer already." Tasha smiled up at him.

As
they boarded, deckhands released the ropes that tethered the yacht to the pier.
Soon Ian had them settled with a smooth hand that guided them out on to the
water. The wind blew through her hair as she stood beside him, and a thrill
filled her heart. He looked at her with such emotions in his eyes. She wondered
if he felt the same way as she did. Does
he see love when he looks at me? she
thought to herself.

“What
are you thinking?" he asked as he steered the big silver wheel.

“That
there is no place that I would rather be right now than out here with you,"
Tasha said in a gentle voice.

The
look he gave her was one of boyish delight. She saw it on his facehe loved
being able to surprise her like he did. “I feel exactly the same way, but
therełs more."

Tasha
looked at him curiously while he released the lever to drop the anchor that
would secure them to the river floor. He took her hand and led her to the doors
that would take them below deck. She saw the wide bedroom and the bed with a white
coverlet sprinkled with rose petals. A silver bucket stood next to the bed, and
a bottle of champagne rested inside. A fruit platter sat on the bedside table,
and when Ian pressed a small button on the wall, the lights dimmed low and
music filled the air.

“I
think your friend built a boudoir, not a boat," Tasha teased. “This is even
more than I imagined. Ian, itłs perfect."

“Then
letłs make the best of every moment this night has to offer," Ian suggested
softly.

Tasha
took off her belt and shimmied out of her full black skirt. She pulled the
scrunchy out of her hair, and her thick black hair fell down to her shoulders.

“What
are you doing?" he asked, desire lacing his voice.

She
unbuttoned her shirt very slowly and threw it gently to the floor before
freeing her breasts from the confines of her bra. “IÅ‚m getting ready to enjoy
everything in this room. Are you going to join me?"

Ian
took off his clothes in haste. “You read my mind."

Their
bodies met in a heated rush, and their lips fused in a devouring kiss. Ianłs hands
clung and caressed each inch of skin exposed as if it was his first time
touching her. Tasha pulled away, knowing before she went any further she had to
say what was in her heart. It was her way. It was always her way. It usually
got her into a situation where she was hurt and torn apart on the insideby
family, friends, and the only man she had ever loved. But she trusted Ian, and
she knew she could not keep it inside any longer.

“Ian,
I have to tell you something," she said while he kissed his way down her neck.
She pulled away to stand in front of him. “Please listen to me."

“Honey,
I have a hard time listening with you standing there looking so damn delectable."

“I
have to say this before this goes any further," Tasha said and rubbed her hands
together. “Um IÅ‚m just going to have to say it. I love you, Ian. I fell in
love with you, and I donłt know what you want, or if itłs me, or if this is
just a good time while you recuperate. But I have these strong feelings of love
for you that wonłt go away andand"

Ian
cupped her chin and brought her gaze to his. “Stop talking."

“But
I want you to know that I love you and that if you donłt want this, you need to
tell me"

“Stop
talking, Tasha, so I can tell you I love you too." A smile spread across his
face when he said the words. “Baby, I love you so damn much."

“Really?"
she asked with joy bursting in her heart.

“Most
definitely." He kissed her with sweet sensuality. “I came to you to be healed,
and you did it in more ways than one."

This
time, when the kiss was ignited again, it was filled with love and the promise
of tomorrow.

“You
said you love me." She giggled in between their kisses.

“And
I do," Ian responded. “You have the best of me always."

No
more words were spoken. Ianłs hands slid down her thighs and back up to cup her
ass, and he slowly ground his hips against her. Tashałs body shuddered in
delight.

“Do
you like how I feel against you?" Ian asked fiercely. “Tell me youÅ‚re mine."

“IÅ‚m
yours, only yours," she whispered.

Ianłs
eyes flashed with pride. Tasha was breathless. Now each touch she felt
something new unleashed in Ian. His demeanor had changed, and now it was
possessive, fierce, and exciting. There was no build to intensity now, just
immediate burn. His fingers dragged through her hair before he grabbed fistfuls
of the thick locks to hold her still while he devoured her mouth. Tasha
couldnłt think. All she could do is feel his tongue taste and take from her.
Her body felt like it was a candle melting under the flame. Ianłs hands moved
to cup her breasts and bring them together. He buried his face in both mounds
before taking the hard nipple of one in his mouth and sucking deeply as if he
was starving for her taste.

Tasha
cried out as pleasure shot through her like a lightning bolt. Her neck arched,
she pulled him closer, offering him more of herself.

“You
taste so good, Tasha. I canłt get enough of you," he murmured against her skin between
licking and nipping her.

He
worked his way back up her body to her lips once again, and while his mouth
plundered hers, she took the shaft of his cock in her hands. His breath hissed
through his teeth, and he closed his eyes as if asking for heavenly help to
hold on. Ian lifted her from on the floor and placed her on the bed. Tasha was
amazed he had that much strength to lift her, even with his injury. Maybe he
was turning the corner to recovery sooner than she thought. She stared at him
as he stood proud and virile before her, his cock jutting out proudly to take
her to the heights of pleasure. He got to his knees slowly. Tasha wanted to
tell him to stop, but she had learned quickly not to tell Ian he couldnłt do
something. It made him all the more stubborn to prove her wrong.

His
hand at her waist, she lifted her body slightly and spread her legs to expose
the wet core of her that she longed for him to satisfy. He touched her pussy
with a gentle finger, and Tasha bit her lip in anticipation. His fingers
traveled down the slit, and his eyes never left hers. Her breath slowly exhaled
from her body when he worked his finger between the folds and touched the
sensitive nub of her clit.

“IÅ‚m
going to taste you, Tasha," he said. “I wanted to taste you from the moment I
kissed you, and IÅ‚m going to make you come and scream and beg me to fuck you."

“Oh,
Jesus, Ian," Tasha moaned, and her head went back when Ianłs mouth went to her
core.

Her
hips bucked at the first lick, and her body writhed when she felt his tongue
between the secret folds. Ianłs hand held her hips tight as he explored her
with his mouth. She dug her hands into his hair, pushing him away, but yet
pulling him closer while he took her to the edge. With one hand he spread the
lips of her pussy and gently sucked at her clit. She moaned, and begged for
release, and then with a final flick of his tongue, Tasha came hard, and Ian
reaped the rewards her body had to offer.

Tasha
fell back against the bed. She opened her eyes and swore she could see colored
lights swirling against the ceiling. She tried to catch her breath from the
explosive orgasm, but Ian was not done. She raised her head to look at him, and
his smile was wicked. Tasha knew then he was going to have it all from her. He
slipped one finger inside her pussy while she lay there and wrung a moan from
her lips. He added another finger, and Tasha spread her legs a little wider to
accept what he was giving. Her back arched off the bed in response to his
touch.

“Do
you like how this feels?" Ian asked.

“Yes,"
she whispered. How could she deny she was burning from the inside out?

“Say
itłs only me that can make you feel this way," Ian ordered. He plunged his
fingers deep inside her.

“Only
you, oh, God, only you," she cried out and clutched at the sheets on the bed.
Her head thrashed wildly as passion overtook her and she felt an orgasm build
once more.

“Say
my name, Tasha. I want to hear my name on your lips while you come."

“Ian,
only you, please donłt stop, please!"

“God,
baby, you are so damn hot. Come for me. I want to see you come again," Ian
commanded.

Her
body obeyed his order and erupted again. She tensed for what seemed
like eternity as sensation after sensation rolled through her. It took every
inhibition from her thoughts, and she begged him to take her on every breath
that passed her lips.

“Take
me, Ian, now." She shifted restlessly on the bed, every nerve ending in her
body abuzz with wanting him.

She
moved farther up the bed and brought her knees up to expose her pussy to him in
invitation. He got off his knees and slipped inside of her. His groan matched
hers as she took him in.

“I
want to ride you," she whispered in his ear after nibbling the sensitive lobe.

Ian
shuddered and nodded. He slipped from her wet body and lay on the bed watching
her through heavy lids as she straddled him. She took his hard length, moist
with her juice, in her hand and took him inside her, inch by slow, torturous
inch. His hands were not the ones that clenched the sheets as she rode him.
Tasha used her dancerłs body to arch until her hair touched his legs. His hands
slid up her body to cup her breasts. She increased her pace and took him deeper
with every downward thrust. Tasha was past the point of reason. She was going
by that primal instinct to mate and to give and take pleasure.

“I
need you, Ian. I love you," she cried out.

“I
love you too," Ian groaned.

“IÅ‚m
going to come," she panted.

Tasha
could feel tears run down her cheeks. She felt the tightening of his cock
inside her pussy and knew he was going to go over that edge. Tasha let go, and
they both fell into that abyss that lovers find in each other. Time seemed to
stand still, and they caressed each other and whispered soft words of love
while their bodies came down from the dizzying heights of pleasure. They spent
the rest of the night immersed in each other, drinking champagne and eating the
decadent food he had brought on board. As they fell asleep, Tasha knew that
everything would be okay. She had found the love of her life, and nothing could
come between them.




Chapter Five

 

Just
like his first meeting of Lieutenant Tasha Lovell, Ian stood in the doorway of
her dance room and watched her move with such grace it took his breath away.
This time there was more than just an attraction. There was love in his heart.
He could see the pleasure she got from dancing on her face. Each time she
jumped or rolled or did a precise turn in her contemporary dance her delight
was evident. The music turned to a hip-hop beat, her hips now began to sway
seductively. With this new turn in her dance, Ian couldnłt help but get hard
watching her. He knew how those hips could move in the throes of lovemaking. She
used her body like a master to make her pussy take him and let him go until he
was mad with the pleasure of it.

He
had found much more than rehabilitation in Virginia. He had found this woman who smiled
at the world and gave so much back. Today he was here for his final evaluation.
She had given him back the strength in his leg and his career. He still had
some numbness and pain, and that caused her worry. But that was because she
loved him. He was sure this would pass as well. He waited until the final
strums of her music ended and walked over to her. Instead of a greeting
handshake, he pulled her into his arms for an adoring kiss.

“You
look amazing when you dance." They stood forehead to forehead, and her arms
twined around his neck.

“You
ready for today?" She had a smile on her face, and love shined in her eyes.

“Yup.
Iłm rearing to go. Letłs get started." Ian smacked her on the ass quickly.

“Go
stretch and get limber. IÅ‚m going to go change," Tasha said.

Ian
nodded as she walked away. By the time she came back dressed in her army physical
training sweat suit, he had gone through the various stretching exercises she
had given him. She carried a clipboard and wore a whistle around her neck.

“You
look very official and sexy," Ian murmured and tried to pull her close.

Tasha
pulled away. “ThatÅ‚s for later, Ian. Now this is for real."

He
looked at her quizzically, wondering about the change in her demeanor, but he
nodded. “LetÅ‚s get to it then."

She
put him through the paces, and each exercise he knew well. He had to pass them
all to get out of boot camp and for yearly evaluation. Ian started out well,
but by the time they came down to exercise four, his leg had begun to ache. He
pushed past it, ignoring the pain and the worry in her eyes. By the time it
came to the run, his leg was burning and throbbing with pain. He couldnłt
understand what was wrong. He had done these exercises all throughout his
therapy at one point or the other. But it dawned on himhe had never done them
all together to stress his body out like he was now. He ran while Tasha ran
behind him at a slow pace. He looked back to see her looking calm and cool
while he was sweating bullets and struggling to get done. He finished the run
in pride and watched her catch up to him.

“There,
all done," he panted out and tried to give her a grin.

“How
much pain are you in?" she asked in a subdued tone.

“No
pain"

“DonÅ‚t
lie. I was running right behind you, Ian," Tasha warned.

“ItÅ‚s
mild, okay?" Ian felt his irritation begin to rise.

“Get
cleaned up. Wełll go over your evaluation in the office," Tasha said and
signaled one of the golf cart drivers over. “Take him back to the center,
please." She gave Ian a smile, but he could see the worry in her eyes. “I have
one more run to evaluate, and IÅ‚ll see you back there."

She
ran off in another direction, and Ian watched her go. By the time he got back
to the center, the ache in his leg was almost unbearable. In the weeks that had
gone by, he was doing so well that he almost never took his medication. This
time he had to pull the pills from his duffel bag and take them to relieve the
pain. He waited in her office and lay across her sofa, stacking pillows up
under his leg, hoping it would help. It would get better, he said to himself.

Tasha
walked in fifteen minutes later and sat on the floor next to him. “Hey."

He
smiled at her. “Hey, sweetie, ready to pass me and give me my papers for
Corbin?"

“ThereÅ‚s
no other way to say it, Ian. I canłt pass you with Corbin or with army
officials here," Tasha said softly.

“Yeah,
you can, just sign the papers," Ian said with a grin. But his heart thumped in
his chest.

“ItÅ‚s
not just about signing the papers, Ian. You barely, and I mean barely, passed
any of the tests, and you were in constant pain," Tasha explained.

“The
pain will go away if we keep working on it." Ian could feel his mood darkening.
“If you pass me now, I wonÅ‚t have to ship out for at least another six months.
Thatłs plenty of time to get me good to go."

“I
canÅ‚t do that, Ian," Tasha said. “I donÅ‚t think the pain or the numbness will
completely go away."

“How
do you know that?" Ian shot back. “YouÅ‚re just the therapist who is trying to
take away my life!"

“Excuse
me?" Tasha said in amazement. She stood up slowly and faced him. “So thatÅ‚s
what you think of me? IÅ‚m just the therapist?"

Ian
needed to lash out. The urge was too great. He was losing everything he had
ever known, and she was at the core of it. She was the target that would feel his
rage. “Yes, just the therapist, you donÅ‚t know how my leg will be. YouÅ‚re here
to exercise me. Thatłs all, with all your Zen crap, and now you want to tell me
I canłt be a solider anymore."

“Wrong,
Major," Tasha snapped. “Corbin sent you to me because I have ten years training
in this field and as a medical physician. The heat from the shrapnel, or the
medic having to stop you from bleeding to death, damaged your nerves and the muscles
in your leg permanently. Youłll be eighty- six percent on that leg at best when
you are completely healed. That does not mean you canłt be a soldier. It means
you canłt be the kind of soldier you want to be. Things change, Ian. Things
change, and you have to deal with it."

“What
kind of soldier will I be, Tasha, hmm?" Ian goaded. “One like you who hides out in a rehab center
instead of serving their country?"

“I
was in Iraq,"
Tasha pointed out.

“Yeah,
doing what exactly? Playing Zen master?" Ian retorted.

“I
understand youÅ‚re upset, Ian." Tasha took a deep breath. “But thereÅ‚s a
position open here on base for a drill sergeant"

Ian
laughed sarcastically. “So thatÅ‚s what this is about?"

“What?"

“DonÅ‚t
pretend like you donÅ‚t know, Tasha." Ian sneered at her. “So we bang a few
times, say we love each other, and now you donłt want me to go in theater. You
want me to stay home and play house with you instead of being a soldier. How
pathetic do you think I am?"

It
was Tashałs turn to laugh. He could hear the hurt and anger that mixed in the
tone. “You arrogant bastard. Let me tell you why I wonÅ‚t sign your papers.
Because you can injure those men you care so much about. Your leg acts up in the
field and you canłt run with a fifty-pound pack on your back? Those men are in
danger. You will probably have to take some kind of pain medication all your
life at points. Your mind is not clear, those men get hurt. So please donłt you
dare say I am keeping you down because I want to keep you here!"

This
time when she looked at him, there was doubt in her eyes. “Did you do this, all
this being with me, so that you could sweet-talk me into getting you back into
active duty?"

He
knew that was her biggest fear. He could see it in her eyes, and it didnłt stop
his mouth from opening. He wanted her to hurt, just like he did, so the next
words out of his mouth hit the mark.

“What
else is there, sweet cheeks? You were a good lay." He shook his head and
whistled. “With all your dance moves, your body was like an instrument that I
loved to play. But, baby, I wanted those papers signed, and thatłs it. Love is
a word men use to get what they want. Unfortunately for me, I didnłt play the
game well enough."

He
saw the light die in her eyes and regretted his words instantly. Ian wished he
could take back his words, but anger kept his mouth silent while he stared at
her.

Tasha
went over to her desk and scribbled something quickly. She handed him the paper
and said in a tone that held no emotion, “My final assessment and evaluation
will be going to Corbin and the army medical admin. Herełs your copy. You can
get out now."

“Tasha,
I" But the words clogged his throat.

“Get
out now, Ian, before I do something wełll both regret." Tashałs voice trembled
as she turned away.

He
looked at her back. Her shoulders were so tense he thought they would break.
Beneath the anger over his loss of his unit was something more severe. He knew
it as soon as he said the words. He had set himself up to lose the best thing
that ever happened in his life. Ian walked out of her office and down the
stairs. He noticed that even though the pain of the strenuous exercise was
there in this leg, he was moving much more easily down the stairs. When he
first came to her, the thought of those stairs was daunting. It was because of
her he was getting better. But how could he look her in the face knowing she had
held his life in her hands and destroyed it? Ian walked out into the Virginian
afternoon and out of Tashałs life.

 

* * *
*

 

She
didnłt know how she kept it together for the rest of the day. She couldnłt just
cut and run. The rest of her clients needed her, and Tasha worked throughout
the day. She felt as if there was a stone in her chest that made it hard to
breathe. But she smiled and encouraged and treated her people like she always
did while she was dying inside. It was lies, all lies! Her mind screamed
that sentence over and over again until she wanted to grab her head and just
shout with the agony of it.

She
sat at her desk after her final client was gone and dialed the familiar number
of Corbin. He answered on the first ring as he usually did. “Hey, dollface."

Even
a teasing tone did not bring a smile to her face. “Hey, Corbin, um, this is
about Ian. I mean Major Scott."

“What
about him?" Corbin asked.

“I
faxed you his evaluation. The most he is going to get out of that leg is eighty-six
to ninety percent. I recommended partial active duty outside the field and if
he goes back to Iraq.
He cannot go back in theater, in a combat capacity."

“Shit."
CorbinÅ‚s voice was fierce. “How did he take it?"

Tasha
could hear the hollowness in her own laugh. “Not well, to say the least."

“WhatÅ‚s
wrong, Tasha?" Corbin asked. Tasha knew he would pick up something. Corbin
always did.

“Nothing.
IÅ‚m fine," she lied.

“No,
youÅ‚re not," he said in a gentle tone. “You called him Ian, and I know for a
fact that he moved out of base housing. I take it something went on."

“Something
that is over," Tasha said firmly. “Hey, what do you think of me going back in
for a tour or two? I need to get away from here."

“You
said you wouldnłt take another tour in, Tasha. Please donłt do anything hasty."
Corbinłs voice held worry.

“I
wonÅ‚t, Corbin. I am just thinking about my life right now," Tasha explained. “I
gotta head home, okay?"

“Okay,
dollface, call me if you need anything," Corbin said. “And Ian is an idiot for
losing out on a woman like you."

“Thanks,
Corbin." Tasha hung up the phone. Her friendłs words did not make her feel any
better. In fact, the stone in her chest that once was her heart seemed to grow
bigger.

She
drove home and parked her SUV in the usual place. She pulled her bags and the
groceries that she had just picked up out of the backseat and walked into the
house. She knew he was gone even before she opened the door. The silence was
almost deafening as she put her food away. When she went into the bedroom, the
closet door was wide open. The small area where he had hung his clothes was
empty. In his haste to pack, he had dropped one of his shirts that lay crumpled
on the floor. Tasha picked it up and held it to her nose. This was the shirt he
had asked her to take to the dry cleaners, so it still held his scent. Tasha
inhaled deeply, and that is when the stone in her chest broke apart and
shattered into tiny pieces, leaving her hollow.

Racking
sobs broke free as she crumpled to the floor. She held on to the shirt as if it
was a lifeline to reality, and her tears fell hard. She slammed her fist on the
floor, blaming herself for causing this in more ways than one. She should never
have let him in, and she should never have allowed him to hurt her like this.
She screamed and cried and raged until she lay weakly on the hardwood and
allowed the silent tears to trickle out of her eyes.

“YouÅ‚re not a real solider. You just
practice Zen master crap." His
words filled her head until anger mixed in with the mind-bending hurt. She sat
up slowly, wiping her eyes. She would show him. She would show him she could be
both. Maybe her decision wasnłt a rational one, but it was the only one Tasha
could make to take her mind off her heartbreak. She would wallow in sadness if
she stayed around the rehabilitation center and came home to her now-empty
house. She got up from the floor, walked to the bed, and sat down to take up
the phone that lay on the bedside table. She dialed her commanding officer from
her last tour in Iraq and
reassigned herself to the 113th Battalion that would be heading back
to Iraq
in a week. At least there she could focus on the intense situation she would be
in instead of Ian Scott. Tasha was heading back to desert life far away from
home.




Chapter Six

 

Ian
walked back onto home turf in good olł Georgia and the military base he
was stationed out of. Calls of hello filled his ears, and he waved back,
feeling the familiar happiness of being there, but knowing he was not actually
ever going to get to work with some of these guys in a combat capacity again.

He
went up to the offices of the base and took the route that would lead him to
Corbinłs office. His name was written in bold on the outside of the door, and
Ian pushed it open without knocking. Corbin looked up and went back to what he
was doing without a word.

Ian
sat down. “IÅ‚m back."

“I
see that," Corbin said without looking up.

“What
are you working on?"

“Your
evaluation and possibilities in the United States Army, the one you love so
much." Corbinłs voice was laced with sarcasm.

“WhatÅ‚s
your problem, man?" Ian snapped. He was not in the mood to deal with Corbinłs
pissy attitude.

“Nothing
at all." CorbinÅ‚s eyes flashed fire as he flipped papers. “LetÅ‚s see here. Your
evaluation given to you by one of my good friends whose heart you broke was a
ninety, which means you can be on partial active duty."

“So
you heard. She came running to you," Ian replied.

“Fuck
no. She didnÅ‚t tell me. I heard it in her voice," Corbin pointed out. “One
thing about Tasha, she would never cry on my shoulder. Now back to your scores.
You are not allowed to be back in country in a combat capacity. But you can be
there as officer, which will go well with your new bronze medal." Corbin threw
a box on the desk. “Yay you, so you can be on the FOBs, or you can be here and
become a trainer for some of the elite units we have coming up. Whatłs your
choice?"

“Wait,
wait, can I have at least some time to think about it?" Ian asked.

“Nope.
You were rearing to get back, to the point that you fucked over a very good
woman. So now you canłt have time."

“Listen,
Corbin, things didnłt work out, okay? Shit like that happens every day," Ian
explained.

“Not
to Tasha." Corbin slammed his hands down onto the desk. “I have known that girl
since she joined up. Self-esteem so low it scraped the ground, because her
family treated her like crap, and she thought the army would help get her away
from them. Even then she found a man who swore he loved her, but then as her
career moved forward, he hated the fact she was making more money than him. She
had goals and a life. You know what he did?" Corbin asked Ian, who shook his
head no. “He got drunk and tried to beat the crap out of her one night, and she
was so scared to defend herself he busted the bone over her eye. And that was
the last one until you." Corbin pointed a finger in IanÅ‚s face. “You come in
and do the same damn thing, only worse, because you were petulant because you
didnłt get what the fuck you wanted."

“Goddamn,
I didnłt know any of that. Why didnłt she tell me?" Ian said. He swallowed the
lump in his throat.

“Because
she was not going to let you or anyone pity her. She moved past it and was
better for it." Corbin pointed at him again. “You may be my friend, but you are
an asshole. So what, you canłt go shoot at bad guys in a godforsaken country?
You had a woman who loved you, one you could build something good with, and you
threw it away because you wanted to be G.I. fucking Joe."

“ItÅ‚s
my life, Corbin. Itłs all I know," Ian said softly.

“Well
then maybe itłs time you see something else beyond what you know." Corbin
looked back down at his papers. “Anyway, itÅ‚s too late now."

“What
do you mean?" Ian asked.

Corbin
gave him a direct stare. “I donÅ‚t know what you said to her, but she signed
back up to a tour in Iraq.
She is shipping out with the 113th tomorrow morning."

“Oh,
God, no!" Ian felt dread pour into his very core.

“If
anything happens to her" Corbin swallowed. “She better come back, Ian, or I
swear to God IÅ‚ll break your other leg, and you are dead to me."

Ian
could understand why Corbin said what he said. He deserved it. Everything hełd
said the other day came flooding back. It had never really left, because every
night since he left and he tried to sleep, her face was in his dreams. The hurt
in her eyes was always the last frame before he woke up. He caused this, and
now she was putting herself in danger.

“I
have to go to her." Ian stood up suddenly, wincing because he forgot his
injured leg. “I need a flight out ASAP."

“You
could go now or later. The point is she signed the papers. There is no stopping
this now," Corbin said.

“She
canłt leave unless she knows Iłm sorry." Ian ran his hand through his hair.
“IÅ‚m an ass. I am such an ass!"

“Yeah,
I pointed that out," Corbin retorted dryly.

“I
love her, Corbin, and I have to fix this somehow," Ian said. “Help me get a
message to her."

“IÅ‚ll
try, buddy, but you know sheÅ‚ll be gone for eight months," Corbin pointed out. “You
could take a flight later."

“No,
IÅ‚m going to get there in time to see her and be waiting in Virginia when she gets back," Ian said with
determination. “IÅ‚m going to take that drill sergeant job there."

Corbin
grinned. “Well go, man. Go try to catch a flight and see your woman and make
this right. IÅ‚ll get a message to her."

“Thanks,
man. I owe you!" Ian called as he rushed out the door.

“Yeah,
you do!" he heard Corbin yell as he rushed down the hall. He had to get to
Tasha and let her know he loved her. He hoped his prayers and love would keep
her safe in the field until he could hold her again. He made it to the airport,
but the flight was delayed because of bad weather. It seemed everything that
could happen did happen, and he had to take a connecting flight since there were
no direct ones. By the time he got to Virginia and headed toward the Air Guard
base where the flight would be leaving to take the battalion in country again, the
plane was taxiing down the runway, and it took off overhead while he stood
there helplessly watching. He closed his eyes and made fists at his sides and wished
to heaven that Corbin got the message to her.

 

* * *
*

 

“Lieutenant,
I grabbed a message for you from the desk just before we were leaving." Tasha
looked up as her commander handed her a piece of paper. “I think the private at
the desk got something on it. Itłs pretty smudged."

“Thanks."
Tasha looked down at the crumpled note. If anyone saw her now, they wouldnłt
have thought she was dancing in her studio just a short week ago. Now she was
dressed in military digital camouflage and wearing boots. In the seat next to
her was her pack. While the other soldiers in her unit were looking at pictures
and mementos of home, she stared out the window silently, not having anyone to
write home to and no love to go back to.

Tasha
shook her head and unfolded the note. Most of the message was smudged and
unreadable. She made out Call me ASAP
and then Corbin. She sighed in
frustration. He knew full well she would call him and his family when she got
settled. Unless Emma was pregnant again, she did not know what was so
important. Children were something she always wanted, but now that seemed like
a distant dream. It was more of a possibility when

Tasha
gave herself a mental shake. Donłt even
say his name, she warned herself. Putting all thought out of her mind, she
went back to staring out of the window, watching the clouds pass. All looked
peaceful in the blue sky, but inside she was filled with turmoil and anxiety.

 

* * *
*

 

Four months later

Tasha
crossed another month off the calendar that hung on her wall. She shared the
small space with a fellow female soldier, and they had tried to make it as
homey as possible. She missed her home but not the heartache. Remembering
Corbinłs note she felt a little guilty for not calling him back. But he was a
connection to Ian, and those were memories she wanted to forget. Tasha looked
on her side of the wall, where there were just a sparse few things and a book
to keep her company in her downtime. On her roommatełs wall were pictures. Letters
and so much more sent from home were placed in special places with brightly
colored thumbtacks.

She
picked up her heavy pack and went outside their home away from home and closed
the door. They were down one medic, and she had volunteered to ride in a convoy
heading into one of the provinces of Iraq. She had been doing that since
she got there, volunteering to go into dangerous situations. Each time she came
back, it was a heady sense of accomplishment that she did her duty and made it
back to the FOB safely. But mostly in those situations, she didnłt have time to
think about anything back home, and she liked it that way.

The
convoy rolled out with her in the second Humvee in. The bumps and dips of the
unpaved road jostled the medic bag next to her, and she caught it before it
fell to the floor. It had bottles of morphine and other vital medicines encased
inside the bright red vessel. She was taking no chances that any of them broke.
They were only an hour into the drive when the gunfire sounded and voices
started to crackle from the radio. It was a mad rush to stoop and form a
barrier. It wasnłt the first one of these she was in, so Tasha followed the
routine. She opened the door of the Humvee and rolled out holding the bag to
her chest and hit the desert sand. Usually the gunfire was intermittent, so
everyone knew it was one stupid guy with a gun. But this time bullets were
digging into the sand around them in rapid succession. They were in the middle
of a full-fledged ambush.

Tasha
looked to her side and saw bullets coming toward her like a snake crawling in
the sand. She rolled and rolled, not letting go of the medic bag. Someone might
need it, and she was not about to lose their most valuable life saving possession.
She didnłt know that life would be hers until she heard one bullet, then two,
come way too close and then felt the excruciating burn in her hip. Tashałs eyes
opened wide, and she couldnłt help the scream that came to her lips. In seconds,
someone pulled her under the Humvee and held on to her hip tight. That alone
caused it to hurt even worse, and she struggled against the pain.

“Stop
it, Lieutenant, stop!" a voice called out harshly. But she couldnłt stand the
pain. She wanted to get up and run, but this soldierłs weight kept her pressed
into the sand.

“Give
her something. Grab the bag!" another voice called from close to her ear.

She
felt the bag that she still clutched so tightly being ripped from her grasp.
She screamed as someone ripped the uniform away from her wound and now hands
pressed directly on her injury. She cried out and begged for them to stop, but no
one was listening. She finally felt the prick of a needle in her arm and the
blessed sting of medicine going into her veins. She drifted away on the dark
cloud of pain and drugs, not knowing how bad her wounds were, but not caring at
that point as long as the pain was gone.

 

* * *
*

 

Ian
rushed into Corbinłs office. He had received a call from him in Virginia the night
before. The only words that he spoke were, “TashaÅ‚s
been hurt." From there it was a mad dash for him to get to the airport and get
a flight to Georgia.
He had already moved into his new life in Virginia. He took over the position of drill
sergeant training new recruits on the military base. He still held the rank of
major, but instead of working behind a desk, he chose to help young men to
learn the honor the military he loved. His life was there now, so he didnłt
even have a place to stay in Georgia
anymore. Instead of even looking for a hotel, he rushed to Corbin, needing to
hear about Tasha after not hearing from her in so long. He missed herGod, how
he missed herand now hearing she was hurt had sent him into a tailspin.

Corbin
was one the phone, and he held up a hand to signal Ian to wait before speaking.
Ian shifted restlessly with every “Ä™uh-huh," “how long," and “okay." By the
time Corbin hung up, Ian was about ready to rip things off the wall.

“Where
is she? How is she hurt?" Ian asked in a rush.

Corbin
sat down heavily and pulled his stash of honey whiskey out of his bottom
drawer. Ian knew it had to be bad and sat heavily in the chair across from the
desk.

“The
convoy was in an ambush twenty miles outside the FOB," Corbin explained. “Tasha
was the medic in the second Humvee."

“What?"
Ian whispered hoarsely.

She
was hit in the upper hip with an AK bullet. It shattered part of her hip, and
she lost a lot of blood. It was touch and go, still is. They got her stabilized,
and they are sending her to Germany
for immediate operation. When she is stable enough, theyłll send her Stateside.

Ian
heard the low moan and was amazed it came from him when Corbin explained what had
happened. Tasha, his Tasha, was hurt, and it was his fault. She left because of
him, and now her life hung in the balance.

“She
loves to dance. You should see her face, Corbin, when she dances," Ian said,
looking up at his friend. He wished for the pain in his leg that was almost
gone to come back. It felt much better than what he felt now. “Did they say if
she will be able to walk or even dance again?"

“You
know as much as I know, Ian," Corbin explained. “But if they canÅ‚t repair that
shattered bone Theyłll be sending her to Virginia, and you can be there for her as
soon as she comes home."

Ian
nodded and swallowed deeply. He would be there for her in every possible way,
just like she was for him when they first met.

 

* * *
*

 

A
week later he was on the tarmac of the Air National Guard as the medevac plane
landed. All around him were medical staff waiting to take new patients to their
respective destinations. Corbin had told him that Tasha would be on this flight,
and he made sure to be there waiting for her. With each patient unloaded, he
looked for her face. When he finally saw her being placed on a gurney to be
wheeled away, he rushed forward, and relief flooded his very core.

“Tasha,
Tasha, baby. God, I missed you so much!" The military orderly pushing her
rolling bed stopped when he took her hand. “How are you, baby? Are they giving
you everything you need?"

Her
eyes widened in surprise, but then whatever emotions that were there were
hidden behind a wall she put up. “What do you want, Ian?"

“IÅ‚m
sorry, Tasha, so sorry," he said in a rush. “I was an idiot and an asshole and
angry at the world. By the time I came back to apologize, you were gone, and
Corbin was supposed to get a message to you, but you probably never got it."
Ian laughed nervously when she said nothing, but she kept a direct stare on his
face. “I moved here now. I took the training position, and I was waiting for
you to come home. I didnłt want you to ever get hurt, Tasha. This is my fault,
and IÅ‚m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I love you,
sweetheart. I never stopped. Angry words could never make me lose what I feel
for you."

She
stared at him, still saying nothing, until he couldnłt stand the silence anymore.
He implored her. “Say something, Tasha, anything. Say youÅ‚ll forgive me."

“I
forgive you, Ian." Her voice held no emotion. “Now go away."

“What?"
he asked, unsure of what she meant.

“Go
away, Ian. I donłt want you. I donłt need you. You are out of my life." Tears
seeped out of the corners of her eyes. “You hurt me more than this bullet ever
could. So take your forgiveness, but leave me the hell alone."

The
orderly gave him a sorrowful look as he pushed her away, and Ian felt his heart
slow in his chest. Each beat ached worse than the last. He couldnłt blame her.
He did this to her, broke her heart. Now it was up to him to heal her soul on
the inside while her body did its job and healed the external wounds.

 

* * *
*

 

Three
months passed, and slowly her injury healed. Tasha fought against the pain
every day while she used her own methods to treat herself. Sometimes she stared
at her scar in the mirror. It was about five inches long, and it looked kind of
neat. But it was what was underneath the skin that worried her more. She had
seen injuries like this before, and now she knew the signs. Her hip was weak
trying to heal around the screws and bolts that now held it together. The body
did not like foreign objects, and it fought against the new intrusion. If she
didnłt get her body to cooperate soon, she would never be able to dance again.

The
thought hurt her just like Ian did months before. She looked at her sad eyes in
the mirror of her dance studio and wondered if she would ever feel whole again. Ian. Her mind whispered his name like a
caress. He came around often, but she would never see him. He left bouquets of
flowers outside her house. He sent boxes of candy and even jewelry too, and she
sent it all back. He wanted to assuage his conscience, and now that she was
hurt, he wanted to be with her out of pity. To Tasha that was worse than when
he left her in her rehab center with angry words. So she refused his calls, his
messages, and his gifts. He never lost persistence, and she vowed never to be
won over or worn down.

She
put on one of her favorite pieces to dance to and let the soft music flood her
body. She closed her eyes and saw the music behind her lids. Tasha began to
move to the rhythm of the sound around her. She felt the thrum of pain in her
hip, but she paid no attention. It was manageable. Dancing helped her forget
the pain and the anger and the hurt. She could lose herself in it, and
everything would be okay. She felt the crescendo of the music build, and Tasha
performed one of her fluid jumps. She landed on her right leg, and pain from
her injured hip shot through her body and made her cry out. Tears sprang to her
eyes, and she began to fall, but instead of hitting the hardwood floor, strong
arms pulled her close and kept her off the ground.

She
looked up into Ianłs brown eyes filled with tenderness and worry. But anger and
rage filled her heart for a moment. She pummeled his chest with closed fists,
fighting him and her injury and striking out at him for everything that made
her hurt physically and emotionally. He never stopped her. He took every blow
her hands rained down on him until she couldnłt fight anymore. Ian held her
tight, saying nothing, but kissing the soft hair at her temple. It was a
gesture of affection and love, but Tasha didnłt know if she should believe it.
She did before, and look where it got her. Feeling drained, she tried to pull
away, but she was so tired, tired of running, of fighting, and of the pain of
living without his love.

“What
are you doing here?" she asked.

“I
came to see the woman I love," Ian murmured.

“IÅ‚m
a mess." She felt the tears that she had held on to for so long fall. “I hurt,
my hip aches, and God knows you made my heart shatter."

“Baby,
I know, and I am so sorry that I did that." Ian kissed her temple.

“I
donłt want you to want me just out of pity!" she cried out.

Ian
laughed hoarsely. “You think this is pity, sweetheart? No, this is love. Please
pity me and come home to me, darling, because every night without you has been
torture."

“YouÅ‚re
just saying that." Tasha sniffled. “Until you get ass crazy again and cuss me
out."

“That
is never going to happen," Ian said. “Corbin busted some sense into my head
that very first day of me leaving. I am not going back because God knows it
would kill me, and he would too, as a matter of fact."

Ian
bent to his knees and gently lifted the full white skirt that she had chosen to
dance in. Slowly his hand traveled up her legs, leaving a trail of fire in its
wake. He looked at her scar and placed gentle kisses on her skin. With each
kiss, she felt her heart begin to mend and her desire for him build.

“I
wonłt let you fall, Tasha, not ever again," Ian whispered as he looked up at
her. “You can dance, and you can love me again. I promise I will always be
there to catch you."

Tasha felt her breath catch because she could
see such love and devotion in his eyes she could not do anything but believe
him.

“When you dance, baby, you bring light into my life. When you loved
me, you showed me that I was worth something more than the military career that
I thought was my existence. I will never let you hurt again. I will be your
strength if youłll have me."

Tasha
nodded and went slowly to her knees as well. Their lips met in a soft kiss that
bloomed into the fire that engulfed them both. Tongues that spoke harsh words
before now mated and danced from one mouth to the next in their own cadence.
Ian pulled her onto his lap, and the core of her was pressed against the bulge
in his pants. It made her feel powerful to know that even though they had spent
months apart, he still craved her touch.

Clothes
seemed to melt away as he caressed her tenderly and touched her with reverence.
Each stroke was meant to cherish her as well as excite her. He lifted her
carefully, just enough to let his engorged cock fill the tight confines of her
pussy. He moaned against her chest as he moved under her, and Tasha bit her lip
against the soft cries that escaped her lips. She missed him, missed feeling
like this beneath his strong hands. He molded her to him as they moved. The
sounds of their gasps in the silent room sent erotic shivers through her body.
He took gentle care with her hip. While she straddled him, Ian made sure her
legs were in a relaxed position next to his. It was he who rolled his hips in
an ancient dance that sent him deep inside her. He increased the tempo that
seemed to match the beat of her heart. He rested his forehead against hers, and
their breath mingled while their gazes never left each otherłs faces.

“I
love you," he groaned as he thrust into her. “Tasha, please believe me. I love
you."

“I
love you, too," Tasha cried out as she crested the heights of dizzying
pleasure. “DonÅ‚t let me fall alone, Ian, please!"

“Let
go, sweetheart," Ian encouraged her. A moan left his lips as well. “I will
always be there to catch you."

Together
they fell into the abyss of their orgasm. This time there was more to this than
just lovemaking. In that space in time, they became one, and nothing would come
between them again.

She
rested against his chest, feeling it rise and fall and his heartbeat slow to a
normal pace. His fingers trailed up and down along her spine to where her ass
began, and she giggled.

“That
tickles," she said in between pressing kisses against his neck.

“Look
at me," he ordered, and Tasha raised her eyes to his.

“This
is forever. You know that, right?" Ian asked. “I mean marriage and babies and a
house next to the river."

“I
would hope so. Being naked on my hardwood floor constitutes some kind of
binding agreement." Tasha smiled at him. Her heart felt free for the first time
in months.

“I
gladly accept your proposal," he said with pride.

“I
donłt recall proposing."

“We
love each other, and somehow I donłt think we want to live in sin."

“Sin
can be good, but yes, we should get married." Tasha nodded in agreement.

“There
is one more thing I have to ask, one more thing," Ian said.

“And
that would be?"

“Can
I call you Schmooey now?"

Together
their laughter filled the room and echoed off the walls. That was silenced when
their lips met and passion engulfed them again. Their own music was being
played, and a new dance was about to begin, one that would last a lifetime.

 

 

The
End

 

 








About the Author

 

Dahlia Rose is the
best-selling author of contemporary and paranormal romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on a Caribbean
island and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her five
kids, who she affectionately nicknamed “The Children of the Corn," and her
biggest supporter and longtime love. She has a love of erotica, dark fantasy,
sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. Books and writing are her
biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between
the pages of her books.








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