Jen McLaughlin: Out of Time

“It’s simple, really. He likes you. I don’t like him,’” Finn said, grabbing my helmet off the bike. “Need I say more?”

He stuck my helmet under the crook of his elbow and smoothed my hair from my face. With his hands on either side of my head, he leaned down and pressed his mouth to mine, stealing my breath away with a simple kiss. My stomach twisted in knots, and my heart thudded in my ears.

When he pulled back, he ran his thumb over my lower lip and gave me a small smile. The way my body reacted to the simple touch, he might as well have stripped naked in the street. His blue eyes skimmed over my body, making me tense with anticipation. “Were you a good girl today?”

“Of course I was,” I answered instantly. “When am I not ?”

“If you got down on your knees with my cock in your mouth,” he said, his gaze fastened on my mouth. “You’d be pretty damned bad then.”

“ Finn .”

My cheeks heated and so did other parts of my body. Namely, in between my legs. I’d be lucky if I made it home before jumping his bones. And man, I wanted to do what he described now that he’d put the image in my head.

I wanted to kneel at his feet and taste him with my tongue, sucking him in deeper and deeper until he came in my—

“Hello?” He waved his hand in front of my face, his lips curved into a smile. “Did I break you?”

I licked my lips and he watched me hungrily, his gaze flashing as he read my expression. “Nope, not broken. I want to go home and do exactly what you just said, so hurry the heck up, will you?”

His eyes widened. “Fuck yeah.” He slid the helmet over my head, slammed his own on, and climbed onto the bike. “Climb on.”

Oh, I wanted to. And I would…as soon as I got rid of some clothes. It was the perfect time to do it, because most of my dorm mates were at dinner. “Hold on. I need two minutes.”

I grabbed the bundle of shirts I was donating, ran inside my building, and threw the clothes in the normal spot. Mom sent me way too many clothes, so I shared. No biggie. I darted back outside without being seen.

As I got on the bike behind him, I let my hands dip lower to his erection. Man, he was hard and ready and mine . He revved the bike and hissed when I closed my hand over him through his jeans. “Fuck, Ginger, keep that up and we won’t even make it home.”

“Then drive fast,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder. “Now.”

The tires squealed as we pulled away from the curb, and I laughed. When we got home, I planned on doing all the things I’d been dying to do since this morning. If I had it my way, we wouldn’t even say a freaking word once we cleared his door.

I needed him too badly.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the air whipping around us as he buzzed through the crowded streets, darting in between stopped cars as if we were invincible. And lately I’d been feeling pretty darn invincible. I felt like I could handle anything life threw at me from now on.

I had a freedom I’d never had before. My lifelong goals were all laid out and in motion, including acing classes and having a great GPA. I was making more and more friends every day. And to top it off, I had a hot, surfing, tattooed, bike-riding Marine for a boyfriend.

Even better? He loved me as much as I loved him.

We were invincible.

As long as we had each other.

As soon as I turned off the bike, she was standing and removing her helmet. After I took it from her, she held her hand out to me. The image of her there, the sun setting behind her and silhouetting her perfectness, was so fucking beautiful that I wanted to take a picture of it and carry it with me wherever I went.

I was never one for taking pictures, but she had changed a lot of things about me. Now I talked and forgave instead of kicking ass and asking questions later. Now I was a fucking softie, and I didn’t even mind.

If I had a camera in my pocket, I’d have snapped it right then and there. But no one carried around cameras anymore. Not with cell phones.

No shit, Sherlock. Use the fucking phone.

“Don’t move a muscle. Don’t even twitch a finger.” I hung the helmets on my bike and took out my phone, grinning at her. “Hey. I saw you blink.”

She shifted on her feet. “Blinking is kind of essential. Are you taking a picture of me?”

“Yep.” I grinned. “Isn’t that what boyfriends do?” I opened the camera app. “Take pictures and set it as their backgrounds or some shit like that?”

She laughed and I snapped the picture. She still was silhouetted perfectly, but she was smiling. Fucking perfect. Her hand dropped. “Let me see it.”

“Nope. It’s all mine.” I shoved the phone into my pocket and grabbed her hand, hauling her up against me. She rested her palm over my heart and I smiled down at her, so fucking happy it hurt. “Just like you are.”

She opened her mouth to talk, but I didn’t let her. Instead, I trapped her mouth under mine, swallowing the words. My mind returned to the odd phone call I’d gotten earlier. I’d called three more members of my unit, and none of them had gotten a call. Just me. I didn’t know what to expect or what it meant, but I needed to tell her about it.

Where were they sending me? And why? How long would I be gone? I had all these unanswered questions in my head, and it was driving me fucking insane. If they sent me away, I couldn’t be Carrie’s bodyguard. And if I wasn’t here , I couldn’t be with Carrie.

If I didn’t have Carrie to kiss every single morning…then who the hell was I? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but I had a feeling I was going to find out.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, dragging me closer, and I deepened the kiss before swinging her into my arms. As I walked up the pathway and up the stairs, I refused to break contact. I needed her as desperately as I had before I’d ever had her.

Maybe even more, if that was possible.

I unlocked my door and kicked it open, then shut it with my hip. Even though I wanted to carry her straight to my bed, I didn’t. I needed to tell her about the strange call I’d gotten first. No more secrets. No more waiting.

She tried to kiss me again, but I stepped back and unwound her arms from my neck. “Hold on. We need to talk.”

“Why?” She bit down on her lower lip. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing too serious.” I cupped her cheek, running my thumb across her lower lip. I loved doing that. Loved seeing her smile, and the faint freckles that danced along her cheekbones when she did. Loved seeing her light up when she helped another person. Loved seeing her on a surfboard. Fuck, I loved her . “I got a phone call from my commanding officer. I have to report to base this weekend.”

She blinked at me. “But it’s the wrong weekend, isn’t it?”

“It is.” I hesitated and tugged on my hair. I’d have to cut it again. “I don’t know what he wants with me, but he mentioned a possible deployment.”

She lowered her eyes. “You mean war?”

“I’m not sure yet.” I cleared my throat and met her eyes. “The thing is, I called a bunch of guys from my unit, and none of them have to go in. It’s just me.”

She shook her head. “But what does that mean?”

“I have no fucking clue,” I said, reaching up and playing with her hair. I loved the way it felt against my fingers. “It could mean ten million things. I really have no way of knowing until I go and hear the news. But there’s definitely something going on.”

She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. “Is this a bad thing or a good thing?”

“I really can’t say,” I said, shrugging. “I can speculate and freak you out with all the what ifs, but until I go and hear the news? It’s pointless. I just didn’t want to not tell you.”