Debbie Macomber - Debbie Macomber Navy Series Box Set

These past weeks with Lindy had begun to fill the emptiness in his soul. His heart had found a home with her. She had wiped away years of cynicism with her smile, erased the bitterness from his memory with her tenderness, healed him and given him a reason to live.

A thin ribbon of sunlight peeked through the crack in the drapes but Rush dared not raise his wrist to check the time for fear of disturbing Lindy’s sleep. Lord, what a woman he’d found. Twice more during the night they had made love, and each time she had opened herself to him, holding back nothing. As their bodies had come together, their souls had merged as well. Their lovemaking was as Rush had always known it would be. He could hardly bear the thought of waiting six months to love her again. And they only had one night more.

* * *

“Rush.” She tossed his name over her shoulder. “I’ve got to push your things aside if I’m going to get all my stuff into your closet.”

“Then do it,” he said, delivering another armful of dresses and blouses to her.

They’d decided to transport her personal things into Rush’s bedroom; she could sleep in his room when he was away, which only made sense.

“I can’t believe you hauled all this to Seattle in that dinky Rabbit you drive.”

“I did.”

She was so intent on her task that she didn’t notice that Rush had moved behind her. He slipped his arms around her waist and hugged her, resting his chin on her shoulder, kissing her neck. Lindy finished pushing the hangers to one side before twisting around and shyly kissing him back.

“Is that everything?” she questioned, looping her arms around his neck.

“Just about. You know, there are better ways to spend a honeymoon.”

Her lashes fluttered down. “Yes, I know, but…but I thought you’d be exhausted by now. I mean…well, you know.”

Rush started unfastening the buttons of her blouse. “I find that you bring out the animal side of my nature.”

Already Lindy could feel her body starting to respond. “You seem to be doing the same thing to me.”

“We’ve got a million and one things to do,” he muttered, but his fingers were intent on only one task.

“I know,” Lindy returned, pulling his shirt free from his waistband.

He stripped the blouse from her shoulders and removed her bra. Her breasts stood out firm and round. He fondled each one, then kissed them in turn. “Did I ever tell you about the morning I walked in on you in the bathroom?”

“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely.

“I thought at the time your nipples were begging to be kissed.”

“They are now, too.”

Rush groaned. “Oh God, Lindy, I’m never going to get enough of you before I leave.”

“But not for any lack of trying,” she whispered back, threading her fingers through his hair. Tossing back her head, she whimpered softly as he sucked her breast with the hunger of a starving man. Already his hands were at the snap of her jeans, working that open and then tugging at the zipper. Lindy’s fingers were equally busy.

They could hardly make it to the bed fast enough. Wordlessly Rush spread her legs and lowered his body into hers. At his first thrust, Lindy felt an electric charge shoot through her and she cried out.

Their lovemaking was a hungry, wild mating that was both tender and fierce and left them so exhausted they fell into a deep, drained sleep.

A sharp sound broke into Lindy’s consciousness, but she resisted waking, not wanting to tear herself away from the warm, lethargic feeling of being held in Rush’s arms.

“What the hell?”

Lindy’s eyes shot open to discover her brother standing in the doorway of Rush’s bedroom. Before she could move or speak, Steve had tossed his seabag on the floor and stormed into the room. With one sweeping motion, he hauled Rush out of bed and slammed him against the wall.

“Just what the hell are you doing in bed with my sister?” he demanded, his fist poised in front of Rush’s face.

Chapter 10

“Steve!” Lindy screamed. “We’re married.” She bolted upright and clenched the blankets to her naked breasts with her right hand while holding out her left in proof.

“Married!” Steve exclaimed on a long, slow breath. Gradually he released his grip on Rush’s neck. “What the hell! But you hardly know each other. You can’t possibly…. You wouldn’t.”

“It happens that way sometimes,” Rush explained, and reached for his pants.

“I don’t believe this.” Steve shook his head as though the action would dissolve the image before him, then turned and stalked out of the room. He paused at the doorway and looked back. “We need to talk.”

Lindy wasn’t sure which of them Steve wanted to speak with. What was clear was that Lindy hardly recognized her own brother. His solid, sturdy good looks hadn’t changed in the time since she’d last seen him. He was still lean and handsome, the way she’d always remembered him, but his eyes had been so hard, so cruel, as though he would have relished an excuse to fight, even if it was with his best friend.

Rush sat on the edge of the mattress and Lindy moved behind him, looping her arms around his neck. “Are you all right?”

“It’s not exactly the way I cherish being woken.”

“Me, either.” Her teeth nibbled his earlobe, and she rubbed her bare breasts against his back, loving the tingly feeling the action provoked. She grinned with satisfaction as she felt Rush’s shoulders tighten and knew he’d experienced the same kind of delicious pleasure.

“Lindy, for God’s sake, stop. I’ve got to go out there and talk to your brother.”

The regret in his voice was enough to raise her blood pressure and she sighed, wishing her brother had chosen another time and day to make his appearance.

“I’m coming with you,” Lindy said when Rush had finished buttoning his shirt.

“Honey, listen,” Rush said, his voice low and thoughtful. “I think it might be better if Steve and I had a few minutes alone first.”

“Why?”

“I want to tell Steve how things went between us,” Rush explained. “If he’s going to be angry, then I’d rather he was upset with me.”

“Hey, Rush, come on. We’re in this together.” She reached for her clothes and was dressing as quickly as her fingers would allow. “It isn’t as if you seduced me, you know. In fact it was more the other way around. You’ve been a perfect gentleman from the minute we met…. Well, other than that first night—but that’s understandable when you think about it…. I think we should both talk to Steve. He is my brother and…”

Rush moved around to her side of the bed and stood in front of her.

Lindy was prepared to argue with her husband if he was determined to be obstinate, but when she glanced up his eyes were filled with such love and tenderness that all her determination to stand at his side and face her brother evaporated.

“Ten minutes,” he said, taking her by the shoulders. “That’s all I ask.”

Denying Rush anything in that moment would have been impossible, and she nodded.

Her husband-of-a-day rewarded her with a quick but infinitely thorough kiss, his tongue darting into her mouth and shooting ripples of pleasure down the full length of her body. When he released her Lindy sank back onto the corner of the bed, her legs too weak to support her.

Rush left the bedroom and closed the door. Lindy stared at it helplessly, unable to move. Almost immediately the raised, angry voice of her brother followed as he demanded to know what the hell Rush thought he was doing marrying his little sister. Lindy didn’t hear her husband’s reply, but whatever he said apparently didn’t appease Steve, because shortly afterward Steve started in again. Lindy grimaced at some of the language, impatient to speak to her brother herself. She was an adult and certainly capable of choosing her own husband.