Let It Ride by Jillian Burns Page A

the Air Force to be an astronaut?”
    He nodded and his soapy hands cupped her breasts and began caressing them with a slow thoroughness. Jordan moaned.
    â€œThat was the plan.”
    â€œAnd you love being a fighter pilot?”
    â€œOh, yeah. There’s no other rush like flying faster than the speed of sound. Went right into the Air Force Academy out of high school. Went to flight school at Randolph in San Antonio, and then trained at Nellis before I was deployed to the Middle East.”
    She turned in his embrace and raised her fingers to the scars along his shoulder.
    â€œTell me how it happened.” She felt his body stiffen and feared she’d destroyed the moment.
    With slippery hands, he lifted her onto his lap and cradled her in his arms. “I was assigned to a special tactics squadron. Our mission was to fly in undetected and establish an assault zone.” He was silent for a moment and stared across the bathroom.
    â€œIt was my own fault. I got too cocky. Flew in low to draw attention away from ground forces—against orders.”
    She leaned her head back to look at him. “Did it work?”
    He grinned. “Of course.” His thumb caressed the side of her breast. “But the insurgents had a missile launcher and I got hit. Still received a letter of reprimand.”
    â€œYou could have been killed.” The thought caused a horrifying lump in her throat.
    He shook his head. “I ejected in time.”
    â€œBut what if you hadn’t? What if you’d been knocked unconscious? Or been taken prisoner?”
    He shrugged. “I’d rather risk it than live life in half measures. If I had it to do over, I’d—” He stopped. “Damn.”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    His arms tightened around her. “I’ve been pissed at myself for being such a hothead, for ruining my career. But—” he shook his head “—if I had it to do over, I know I’d do the same thing. Every time. Even if it meant losing everything, I wouldn’t change what I did.”
    â€œThat’s where we’re different. I’d give anything for a do-over. Not for myself, but because I hurt my mom so much by running away.”
    He squeezed her to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek to his shoulder. “I’m sure she understood and forgave you.”
    Emotions she’d never wanted welled up, an awareness that this experience with him was something more than just sex.
    On his right arm, just below his shoulder were the remnants of a tattoo. It looked like a drawing that had been half erased. The rest was all puckered new skin. She traced a finger around it and his gaze followed hers.
    â€œIt’s a red-tailed hawk,” he said softly. “A raptor. It’s the name for—”
    â€œâ€”the F-22, I know.”
    She looked up and their gazes met.
    â€œI figured I’d get another one on my left arm sometime.” He brushed the damp hair off her shoulder and slid his hand around her nape, bringing her mouth to his so sweetly, so gently.
    With her defenses down, every emotion seemed intensified, every sensation sacred. He’d leave in the morning and she’d never see him again. She wanted to remember this night forever, the intimacy of her breasts pressed to his chest, the sanctuary in his arms, and the possession in his touch as his hands ran down her back.
    His kiss enveloped her, surrounding her in a cocoon of protective warmth. He tangled his fingers in her hair as his other hand slid down the column of her throat to her breast and squeezed and played with the nipple. She could feel his erection hard against her stomach.
    With one arm around her waist, the other beneath her bottom, he lifted her as she straddled his lap. “I wanted to go slow the next time, but…” With a groan he gripped her hips and pushed her down over his hard length. His head thrown back, his eyes