In the Line of Fire by Jennifer LaBrecque

She wanted to shake him. “I’m fine with it. I’d thought for some time Patrice had a thing for him. So, they should’ve already taken off for Sea Island and even if they haven’t, they can’t stop me from getting my car. Once I have my car, you can go wherever you please, with whomever you please and I will be on my merry way, alone.”
    â€œAnd what happened to me going with you?”
    â€œNo thanks.”
    â€œAnd you changed your mind why?”
    â€œYou said you didn’t want to get to know me better, which leaves one other possibility. Colton who always does the right thing is going to babysit the runaway bride on his leave because it’s the right thing to do.” She was so disappointed and frustrated she could scream. She’d dared to hope, to think that he was interested, that there was something between them.
    â€œYou don’t know what you’re talking about, Andi.”
    â€œOf course I don’t. I’m just little Andi Mitchell and—”
    He closed the space between them, his hand cupping her head. “Does this feel like I’m doing the rightthing?” he said seconds before his mouth claimed hers in a startlingly honest, hungry kiss. Long before she was ready for him to, he tore his mouth from hers. “See, Andi, I don’t always do the right thing.”
    Her lips tingled and her heart soared with renewed hope. Fireworks—it had been like the sparkling finale.
    She curved her hand around the nape of his neck and leaned in until her lips were nearly grazing his, until his warm breath mingled intoxicatingly with her own. Unchecked hunger glimmered in his eyes and pulsed between them. “That’s where you’re wrong, Major, because nothing has ever felt more right.”
    She took up the kiss where he’d ended it.
    Â 
    H E’D DONE WHAT HE’D SWORN he’d never do. Colton had crossed the line with Andi. Unfortunately, he now knew without a shadow of a doubt just how incredible her kiss could be. She tasted like a spicy-sweet forbidden fruit. Her answering hunger and passion, the way her lips felt beneath his—those would forever be imprinted in his memory bank, in his senses. Reluctantly, he ended their kiss again.
    He couldn’t help himself from brushing his fingers over the fine smooth skin of her cheek before dropping his hand back to his lap. Kissing her had been reckless and careless on his part. He wouldn’t, however, make the same mistake twice. Well, actuallyhe already had. But he wouldn’t repeat his lunacy a third time.
    â€œWe’re not going there again, Andi,” he said, mentally arming himself to withstand what he knew was sure to be an argument now.
    â€œOkay,” she said.
    There was nothing wrong with his hearing, but perhaps he’d heard her incorrectly. “Okay?”
    â€œSure. We won’t go there again.” She looked altogether too smug, and his Andi, the woman he knew, would’ve never capitulated so quickly. “I told you I was crushing on you when I was younger. I always wondered what it would be like to kiss you. Apparently, you always wondered what it would be like to kiss me, too. So, now we both know.” She shrugged as if to say no big deal .
    That was good. Great, in fact, but she’d said nothing had ever felt that right. “But you said—”
    â€œI know. It did feel right. It could’ve been a little longer, but overall it was a heck of a kiss. But if you don’t want to kiss me again, it’s okay. I’m not going to beg any man to kiss me, regardless of how good it was. Not even you.”
    Damn her, she was twisting his words. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to kiss you again.”
    â€œColton, you said we weren’t going there again.”
    â€œBut that doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”
    â€œI’m so confused. If you want to and I want to—and I’m not