Between Duty and Desire by Leanne Banks Read Free Book Online Page A

going to be taking a cold shower when he returned to his cottage tonight. The irony was sweet, he thought, shaking his head.
    He heard Callie step onto the patio behind him. She sighed. “I need to thank you,” she said in a low voice.
    “Why?” he asked, turning to look at her. Her hair was pale in the moonlight, her eyes glowed with mystery. Looking at her made something inside him twist and something else inside him ease all at the same time.
    “It’s embarrassing to admit, but I realized it at the grocery store. It’s like I’ve been totally locked up. Can’t breathe, can’t eat,” she said with a lopsided smile. “Well, can’t eat much anyway. Can’t sleep. Can’t do much of anything.” She took a deep breath. “Breathing is a good place to start.”
    She was so charming with her vulnerability. Hewanted to pull her in his arms and tell her she would be okay, but he knew he shouldn’t. He crammed his fists into his pockets.
    “Thanks.”
    “No problem,” he said and downed the rest of his lemonade. “Well, I should probably head back to my cottage.”
    “Do you have to?”
    His heart stuttered at the expression in her eyes. “Why?”
    She shrugged. “Sounds wussy, but I don’t want to be alone yet tonight.”
    “Okay,” he said, mentally girding himself for more sexual temptation—and deprivation. “What do you want to do?”
    “Cards, Scrabble, Monopoly.”
    “Monopoly,” he said decisively. If he couldn’t have sex, he would dominate the real estate world.
    An hour and a half later, she shook her head at him. “Whew! You’re ruthless and you own everything,” she complained. “I can’t land on anything where I don’t have to pay you rent. And I’m nearly broke. How’d you get to be so good?”
    “This was how I got kisses when I was thirteen,” he said, rolling the dice. “I played with a couple of neighbor girls. They always ended up owing me and I allowed them to pay some of their rent in trade.”
    “You dirty dog,” she said. “You started young. Well, I’m not trading my kisses to pay your obscene rent.”
    “I hadn’t asked,” he said lightly, even though he felt himself go tight inside.
    “That’s right. You haven’t,” she said, meeting his gaze with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. That curiosity did dangerous things to his gut. She bit her lip. “I’m not at all your type.”
    He nodded and glanced away, focusing on moving his token. “Yep.”
    “You prefer uncommitted, undemanding, sexually experienced women with healthy appetites,” she continued.
    “You hit the nail on the head,” he said, telling himself it was the truth. Why did it feel like a lie?
    “Do you dance?”
    He blinked and looked at her. “What?”
    Her smile was a little self-conscious. “Do you dance?”
    He nodded. “Yeah. Why?”
    “Rob didn’t.”
    “Really? I didn’t know that, but then I never asked him to dance.”
    She laughed and then the silence stretched between them. His heart picked up the pace. He tried to ignore it, tried to ignore the expectant tension between them, tried not to think about holding her in his arms for a few moments. No kissing, no making love, just a dance. She hadn’t gotten that from Rob. Maybe he wouldn’t mind. The words were out before he could stop them.
    “Wanna dance?”

Five
    Marine Lingo Translation
Cinderella Liberty: An authorized absence that
expires at midnight.

    H e took her small hand in his and pulled her into his arms. She slid her other hand over his shoulder then behind his back as he drew her closer. She fit against him as if she were made for his body. Made for his soul, something inside him whispered. Brock stopped himself. What crazy thoughts. He inhaled and caught a draft of the sweet, citrus scent of her hair. He felt the silky strands brush his chin.
    Her breasts glanced his rib cage and his abdomen tightened. Her thighs slid against his and his heart pounded.
    He tried to swallow the knot of need forming inhis