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It felt as if they were being rushed, which they were.

The Army and Navy were desperate to get them deployed because the terrain the SEALs and Deltas were being shuttled in and out of was brutal.

They’d lost two choppers in the last two days.

Thankfully, all the pilots had been able to eject, and they were extracted before being taken captive by the ISIS operatives in the area.

Casper’s eyes felt gritty. He hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep, but he wasn’t complaining.

Thinking about Laryn and what they’d done together was enough to send a shot of adrenaline through his bloodstream.

She was…unbelievable. More than he’d ever expected.

She was his perfect match. He was sure of it.

Many people would scoff at that. Tell him he was thinking with his dick and not his brain. But other than his twin, he’d never felt so at ease with someone as he did her. He didn’t feel as if he had to be someone he wasn’t when he was with Laryn. She got him.

Knowing each other for years obviously helped with that feeling of comfort when they were together.

And the fact that they’d spent much of their time together last night laughing ?

Exchanging good-natured barbs? He freaking loved that.

A good chunk of his life was spent being deadly serious.

Being able to tease was one of the ways he relieved the tension that built up within him while working, whether flying or prepping for a mission.

And being able to do that with Laryn while making love to her? He’d never felt more complete.

He’d be an idiot to let her slip through his fingers without at least trying to make things between them work. Life as the partner of a military man wasn’t easy. But she knew that very well, since she’d been a soldier herself and now worked as a contractor for the Army.

A small smile formed on his lips. His Laryn was stubborn. And tenacious. And her actions made him realize she hadn’t been lying when she told him that she’d liked him for years.

On top of the guilt, Casper now felt a little sad that he’d wasted so much time, but again, he felt certain the time for them to be together was right now.

If he’d noticed the little spitfire any earlier, things might not have worked out.

And he was determined that they would work out.

Now that he’d gotten to know the Laryn hidden beneath the large coveralls and a defensive attitude, he wasn’t going back to the pilot-mechanic relationship they’d had before. No way in hell.

“Casper! You listening?” Chaos barked.

“Of course,” he responded automatically, forcing himself to push away thoughts of the woman who’d taken up so much of his brain space recently.

They wouldn’t have any kind of relationship if he was dead.

He needed to pay attention. He was the highest-ranking officer in their unit, he needed to get his shit together.

By the time all his meetings were finished, and he and his team were cleared to leave, it was closing in on ten o’clock.

They’d been immersed in maps and intel all day.

Everyone decided that their usual going-out-before-deployment was regrettably unrealistic.

It was too late, for one, and everyone was exhausted.

They all needed to be back at the base at oh-three-hundred—a mere five hours—to head overseas.

All Casper knew was that he was headed for Laryn’s apartment. He’d managed to text her once during the day to check in, and it had taken her an hour to respond, probably because she was just as busy as he was with everything she needed to do before they left.

No one said much as they left the conference room they’d been hunkered down in and headed down the empty, dimly lit hall.

As Casper and his team dispersed toward their vehicles in the parking lot, he was focused on finding which pocket he’d stashed his keys.

His head was down, and for once he wasn’t on high alert for danger.

Which was why, when he finally grabbed his keys and looked up, he stumbled at the sight of someone leaning against his Taurus.

Not someone. Laryn.

“Hey,” she said softly. She was wearing the coveralls he’d gotten so used to seeing her in, but now, instead of overlooking the fact there was a very sexy and curvy woman underneath the practical and manly outfit, his mouth watered, thinking about the secrets that only he knew.

How she probably wore only panties and a tank top under that outfit.

How she liked her nipples sucked to the point of pain.

How she trembled and shook right before she came.

How tight and wet her pussy felt wrapped around his cock.

“Tate?” she asked, straightening and looking concerned.

“Sorry. Long day,” he said, which wasn’t a lie. He wasn’t sure she’d appreciate knowing the thoughts running through his head every time he saw her now.

“Yeah. I went home and when I didn’t hear from you, I called one of the guys I know on night duty, and he said that you and the others hadn’t left yet. Instead of texting, I figured I’d come in person to see if you were too tired and wanted a ride.”

Oh, he wanted a ride all right.

Shit. He had to stop thinking about sex when he was around her. Yes, she was sexy as hell, but she was so much more than that. Considerate, kind, thoughtful.

“Tate? Are you all right?”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Can’t seem to concentrate. My brain is stuffed full of everything we went over today. I’d love a ride. But I need to stop at my place to pack before we head to yours.”

“Um, well…about that. I figured since you hadn’t been home in a couple of days, and that it’s likely if Altan is a threat—that’s still a big if, by the way—he wouldn’t know about you and me, or where you live.

So I went ahead and packed what I need for deployment.

It’s in my trunk. If it’s okay with you, if you want…

wouldn’t mind…maybe I can go back to your place tonight?

You can pack, then we can see if we can get any sleep before we have to come back for our flight. ”

Good Lord, this woman. She was two steps ahead of him, something he was grateful for. Casper took a giant step forward and took her face in his hands. He leaned down and kissed her the way he’d been thinking of doing between briefings all day.

To his gratification and satisfaction, she latched onto his wrists with a firm grip and gave as good as she got. Laryn was no shy teenager, she was a woman who knew what she wanted, and Casper was the lucky son-of-a-bitch she seemed to want.

Aware of the ticking of the clock, he pulled back but kept his hold on her.

“I take it that’s okay with you?” she asked with a smile.

“That’s more than all right with me,” he reassured her. “I can’t wait to see you in my bed. Your hair strewn on my pillow. Your vanilla cookie scent permeating my sheets. Please tell me you brought some of that shower soap or lotion with you.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I did.”

“Thank fuck. You want to drive my car?”

“Okay. But are you sure?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because you’re you. The hotshot pilot. The guy who wants to be in control at all times.”

“You’ve already driven my car, Laryn. Besides, you’re right. I’m beat. I can’t think straight. And I trust you.”

To his surprise—and horror—tears filled her eyes.

“What? What’d I say? Shit, Laryn, don’t cry!”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” she said, reaching up and dislodging his hands from her face as she frantically wiped under her eyes.

“It’s been a long day for me too. And I had visions of you coming to your senses and wondering what the hell you’d done last night and wanting to backpedal.

Telling me that now wasn’t a good time to date since we’re being deployed.

Or maybe that, since we work together, it wasn’t a good idea at all. ”

“Fuck that. This is the best idea ever. And I have come to my senses…and opened my eyes to the beauty that’s been in front of me for years. No backpedaling, Laryn. Unless you aren’t sure about us.”

“No!” she exclaimed, making Casper feel better. “I haven’t changed my mind.”

“Good. Thank you for thinking ahead and coming to get me. Assuming you’re okay with leaving your car in the lot while we’re gone?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Realizing his key ring was still dangling from his finger, he held out the keys to her.

She took them with a small smile and headed toward her Civic, which she’d parked just a couple spots away.

It took them seconds to grab the backpack and two duffel bags she’d brought and throw them into his trunk.

The drive to his apartment didn’t take long either, since, like Laryn, he’d chosen a small apartment complex not too far from the base.

Because this was a military area, there were a lot of apartments available to accommodate the personnel who were constantly coming and going.

She expertly backed into a space, and Casper met her at the back of his car.

“You need the duffels?” he asked.

“No. Just the backpack. It’s got my overnight things and clothes for the flight tomorrow.”

Casper grabbed it and put it on a shoulder, then reached for her hand as if he’d done it every day for years. It felt natural.

After walking up to the third floor, he opened his apartment door and let Laryn enter first. He tried to see his place from her eyes, but had no idea what she’d think.

He was a bachelor and his apartment reflected that.

There weren’t any homey touches, just his big television that he barely had time to watch, lots of clutter on the kitchen counter, shoes on the floor, books he’d half read strewn about the room.

But it was clean. If there was one thing he’d learned from being in the Army, it was the importance of bleach in his life .

“So?” he asked.