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Annie frowned. “I don’t have a number for the base, but my friend works over there. Are you in the army?”
“My girlfriend served,” he said. “Can I give your friend a call?”
A minute later, he stepped outside, his cell pressed against his ear, and began the long process of trying to get ahold of the person connected to the medal ceremony. Six transfers later, he reached the woman in charge.
“Hi, this is Chad Summers. I’m with Officer Clark.” Shit, he couldn’t even remember her rank. “We’re in town for the Silver Star.”
“Glad you made it,” the sergeant on the other end of the line said, her tone formal and rushed.
“Here’s the thing, Lena can’t get up on that stage. I know you have press coming, but she suffers from PTSD, something I’m guessing you’re familiar with. She’s afraid she will panic when it is time to accept the medal.”
“The vice president of the United States is flying in to present this medal—­”
“Well, he’s going to have to do it in a quiet room with only family a few others present. I don’t care what it takes to rearrange the dog-­and-­pony show you have planned. Lena deserves to be honored in a way that makes her feel proud of her ser­vice.”
“Are you family?” the woman demanded.
“No, I’m the guy who will move heaven and earth to make damn sure she is not afraid.”
Chapter 17
LENA PACED BACK and forth across the motel’s worn brown carpet. From his perch on the bed, Hero followed her movements. The golden retriever had walked at her side for the first five or so minutes after Chad left before deciding to save his energy. She should probably do the same, for tomorrow, or maybe later tonight . . .
I want you to take everything you need to make you feel strong. You know I’m game for anything. Handcuff me to the bedpost if you want.
She stopped and stared at the solid wood headboard, not a post in sight. But that wasn’t the only thing holding her back. She couldn’t continue to take and take from this man. Tonight had made it crystal clear that she needed to focus on her future. She couldn’t afford failure. She just couldn’t. She needed order in her life and ­people who didn’t cling to fake girlfriends because commitment sent them racing for the door.
“Lena.” She turned and saw the knob turn. Chad stepped inside, a devilish grin on his handsome face. “Beautiful, you don’t look relaxed. Or ready for these.”
He held out his right hand, a pair of toy handcuffs dangling from his index finger.
She raised an eyebrow. “Plastic handcuffs?”
“I bought them from toy store at the mall. I’m guessing they’re left over from Halloween.” He swung them back and forth like a pendulum. “Want to see if they’ll hold?”
She laughed for the first time since they’d walked into the Red Dragon. They were barreling toward the end of their charade, but she couldn’t walk away tonight. Not when he walked in and delivered laughter ­coupled with the promise of sex.
And handcuffs. She couldn’t forget those.
“How about a game?” he said. “First one naked gets to try them on.”
She raised an eyebrow, watching as he tossed the handcuffs on the bed and went to work removing his clothes. “The first one to wear them will be the only one.”
Fingers hooked in his boxers, his brown eyes met hers. “Lena, you’re still dressed.”
“Uh-­huh.” She picked the toy cuffs off the bed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his boxers hit the floor. “Hands behind your back, Chad.”
He obeyed, positioning his wrists by his low back, every delicious inch of him on full display.
“And here I thought I was on my best behavior at dinner,” he murmured as she snapped the cuffs into place.
She ran her hands over his butt. “You were.”
“This is my reward?” She could hear the wanting in his voice. “Not much of one if you’re still dressed.”
Her front still to his back, she unzipped her dress, allowing the material to pool at her feet. Adding her underwear to the pile, she said, “Is this better?”
Lena pressed her body against his, her lips and teeth grazing his shoulder.