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Lori gasped. If he’d been an asshole to Gabe before, she shuddered to imagine how he treated her afterward.

“His CO got wind of his subsequent actions, which had put me in a medic tent, and he was transferred off the base.” Gabe put her hand to her ribs and smiled. “So I’m not proud of what I did, but it was worth it to get rid of him and to get a little of our own back.” She gazed across at Lori. “At least, it was until now.”

Lori’s heart caught in her throat. If ever there was a justifiable reason for having sex with a married woman, twisted and unhealthy though it might be, that was definitely it. “I wish you’d trusted me with the truth earlier.”

Gabe pressed her lips together and looked at the floor. “It’s not a nice story to tell, and it’s a part of my past I’d rather forget. Even with the situation, it still seemed like it would be too much to expect you to ignore.”

So her mom was right. Circumstances were important. Lori emptied the remnants of the vodka and took a deep breath. “I can’t say that was the story I was expecting.”

Gabe nodded and stood up. “I understand. Thanks for letting me tell you what happened. I know that’s hard when you remember everything forever.” She gestured to her half-empty glass on the table. “And thanks for the drink. I’ll let myself out,” she said and headed for the door.

Lori pushed herself up from the chair. “No,” she half-shouted, and Gabe turned. “You don’t have to go.”

Gabe smiled, but it looked rueful more than happy. “Maybe I don’t. But do you actually want me to stay?”

Lori laughed lightly, remembering one of their exchanges about Gabe’s dislike of that word. “I actually do want you to stay.” She motioned at the room. “It’d be a shame to waste the use of this hotel room.”

Gabe narrowed her eyes as she turned fully to face Lori. “I don’t have anywhere to be,” she said quietly. “Do you want to watch a movie?”

Lori scoffed. “Is that what you think I want?”

Gabe stuffed her hands in her pockets. “I’m not presuming to know what you might want. I hope that we can still be friends now that you know the truth about my past. Friends watch movies together, right?”

“Don’t you remember what I said on Saturday night?” Lori asked as she strode toward Gabe, swaying her hips for maximum effect and feeling the kind of sexy she thought was reserved for movie stars and models.

Gabe’s lips parted slightly, and she swallowed so hard Lori heard it as she drew closer.

“Which part?” Gabe asked.

“The part about us being friends and how we both knew it wasn’t going to last.” Lori raked her nail along Gabe’s jawline then rubbed her thumb over Gabe’s bottom lip. The short breath Gabe exhaled may as well have been directed between Lori’s legs because it damn well had the same effect. Gabe’s chest rose and fell with quick, short breaths, and she looked almost drowsy, like she was too weak to stand upright. And her apparent powerlessness ramped up Lori’s desperation to finally get her hands on Gabe’s body…and her soul.

“Lori…” Gabe murmured. “What do you want?”

Lori smiled, a wicked delight coursing through her veins in anticipation of what was to come. “You, Gabe. I want you; I want us. Every way I can think of. What do you want?”

“Everything you just said,” Gabe whispered. “It’s what I’ve wanted since we first met, and it’s only gotten stronger with every minute I’ve known you.”

Lori tilted her head toward the bedroom door. “This is going to take a while; we should get comfortable.”

Gabe tugged at her T-shirt. “Then I should get clean.”

Lori wrapped her hand around the back of Gabe’s neck and pulled her into a kiss. Though she would’ve thought it impossible, the promise of desire exceeded their previous kiss. Gabe’s lips pressed against hers, and her passion sparked into a raging fire. Her core thrummed a heavy rhythm of craving through her whole body, consuming all logical thought and driving her need to desperation level.

Reluctantly, she pulled back. “Let’s get you in the shower.”

Gabe wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m pretty filthy from work. Are you going to scrub me down?”

Lori shook her head. “No.” She untucked Gabe’s shirt and pushed it up her body, revealing inch after inch of rugged muscle, tan skin, and inked art. The sight and feel of it all made her ache for release, but she was determined to take it slow. There could only ever be one first time, and she wanted it to last just like her memory of it would.

Gabe shucked off her shirt when Lori couldn’t reach all the way up over Gabe’s arms, and she tossed it aside.

“Lose that,” Lori said, and Gabe quickly removed her sports bra to expose small breasts. Lori stepped back to get a better look. “You are so incredibly sexy.” It was stating the obvious, for sure, and for a while, she simply stared at the Greek god-like form standing before her. She’d never seen such symmetry in a fitness magazine, let alone in real life, and she was mere inches away, her eyes pleading with Lori to touch her.

Lori nibbled on her bottom lip and sighed. Gabe was the perfect balance of virgin skin and colorful ink, none of which detracted from the hard, curved lines of her biceps, shoulders, and chest. She had the ridiculous urge to stay just as she was, so that she could appreciate Gabe as if she were a sculpture, wondering how the artist had gotten every detail so flawless.

Lori pointed to the bathroom. “Off you go.”

Gabe stuck out her bottom lip but didn’t complain. When she turned and Lori followed, Lori saw that God’s work had been marred. Gabe had told her about the bombing at her military base, but she hadn’t shown Lori the indelible map of the pain it had left behind on her skin.