Page 27 of Her Marine Master

He toyed with the fingers of her hand, examining them, running his thumb over her fingernails."Yeah, I guess I might try it out.Maybe they'd let me trade for a ride for us or something."

She lifted her gaze to meet his, surprised.

He looked uncertain."I mean, if you'd be interested in something like that."

"I would," she said quickly.

He smiled, a slow smile that stretched farther on his good side."Cool."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek—on the scarred side, hoping it didn't bother him too much.She wanted him to get used to her touch there, to accept that part of himself.

"Listen," he said and she tensed, preparing for another brush-off."I know I've been a dick.I wasn't looking for a relationship."

She held her breath, her heart thudding bluntly against her chest.Totally a brush off.It was okay.She could handle it.She was a big girl.

"But I really like you.I didn't expect any of this."He waved his hand at the two of them, their bodies intertwined on her sofa."But I'm down.I mean, I'd like to give it a shot.Be your man."He shrugged."Or just date.But I'm not very good at that.With you, I'd be an all-in kinda guy."

She put her hand on the mottled skin of his face."I'm down.Or in, or whatever."

His lips twisted into a sexy smile."Yeah?"

She nodded."Totally."

"Good, because I have this fantasy about you.Wait—it might piss you off."

She giggled."What is it?"

His eye crinkled on the right side."No, never mind."

She picked up a couch pillow and smacked his head with it.He let it fall once, but the second time she swung, he snatched it away and tossed her face down over his lap.

"Naughty girl."His hand clapped down on her ass.It seemed to hurt more post-orgasm.He spanked her four more times in rapid succession, then let her up.

She fell back to the sofa beside him, breathless and probably red-faced.Still, she persisted."Tell me."

He had a devious look on his face."I keep seeing you as my 1950's housewife.You'd have your hair pulled up in that ponytail like you did the day I met you, and you'd be baking brownies or a rib dinner in a frilly apron and nothing else.I'd bend you over the kitchen table and paddle your ass with a wooden spoon when you disobeyed."

Her pussy moistened again.

"Oh yeah?"She cleared her throat because it sounded a little froggy."Does that mean I'd be a stay-at-home mom?Er… wife?"She blushed, wondering if she'd just overstepped with her own fantasy.

He straightened his back, his expression turning earnest."You could.I have great retirement benefits because of my disability."

She must be beet red now.Was he serious?

As if he, too, realized he'd gone too far, he said, "I mean, if we get that far.You know.It's a possibility."

Her heart jackhammering, she swallowed down her nerves and asked the question most important to her."Do you want to have kids?"

He blinked at her.

Oh crap.She shouldn't have asked.He looked so startled.

He picked up her hand and smoothed her fingers down on his thigh."You know, with you, I think I would."

She hardly dared breathe.

"When I was a kid I always thought I'd be a family man.I mean, I had nice parents.A nice upbringing.But eight years in the military hardened me.I didn't think about shit like that because it was more about staying alive and completing the mission."He reached a hand out and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes."Maybe that's why I didn't go for girls like you—" He waved his palms out in surrender— "I'm sorry, I'm sorry.I know I made some false assumptions.But what I'm saying is—I didn't mess with the kind of girl you pick to be your wife and the mother of your children because I didn't see that on my horizon."