Page 23 of The Commander

“Noah is fine when we’re alone. I’ve told you that before.”

“We shouldn’t be alone,” I mumbled as the rain fell around us.

“Well, I’m not going to ignore a damsel in distress, so what’s happening? Is the battery dead? Is that why you were tapping it?” His sexy grin appeared again.

“I wasn’t tapping it.”

I was tapping it.

“Sorry, were you doing some reiki on it, or would you like to try some chargers?”

Hot and funny...but I was never going to let him know how much that affected me.

I gave him a look. “I just got the hood open, and I...fine, I tapped it. Whatever. The battery should be working. Gah, I don’t know what’s wrong.”

He nudged me away, and several minutes later Noah confirmed the same thing. The battery was fine, and jumping it didn’t help.

“Probably the starter. You’ll need to wait until after Easter to get a spare part.” He wiped the rain off his face while my core clenched in response.

I’m pretty sure there was a porno movie which started like this, and if not, a part of me was willing to be a sacrifice to create one.

With Noah.

Despite holding an umbrella I fished out of the car, we were both drenched. Noah stripped off his shirt to unscrew something, and his army-regulation T-shirt was clinging to his washboard abs.

God was punishing me; I was sure of it.

“Okay, I’ll call an Uber and arrange something for next week. Damn car,” I replied, because cash was tight.

“I’ll give you a ride home. I was on my way home, so grab your things and jump in the truck,” Noah offered.

“You sure?” I bit my lip, unsure it was a good idea.

“No, I’m going to leave you out here in the rain.” He shot me with an annoyed look. “Get in, Parker.”

I heard a beep and realized Noah’s SUV was nearby. It was just a short drive, and I was being stupid. Grabbing my bags, I jogged over and climbed into the passenger seat...to find him shirtless.

“What are you doing?” I gasped.

“Not dying of pneumonia.” Noah started the engine. “You should get that jacket off.”

What? No!

“I’m not stripping right down,” I snapped as he turned up the heat.

“Suit yourself.” He pulled out of the parking lot while rubbing his T-shirt over his chest, and I tried not to watch.

Halfway home, I began shivering despite the hot air being turned right up. I cursed my car for putting me in this situation. Of all the men on base, Noah had to be the one to find me out there in the rain. He had to be the one to offer me a ride home and half strip.

I tried not to look, but it was impossible. He was already blessed with gorgeous olive skin and a build any woman would salivate over, but his tattoos and the cut muscles everywhere made it even harder for me to maintain my resistance.

Which was weakening with every mile.

I already knew how he kissed. That he was capable of making my knees weak, flip my tummy and no doubt make me fall to pieces if we ever crossed the line.

And God, I wanted to.

So damn much.