Men Out of Uniform: Three Novellas of Erotic Surrender by Maya Banks, Sylvia Day, Karin Tabke

don’t know what the hell you were thinking. You shouldn’t have been out on the dance floor drunk off your ass when you’ve got a bum knee. You’re going to regret it tomorrow.”
    Truitt guided Kirsten around so she could sit beside Jessie in the backseat and then he climbed into the front. He turned just as Rick shut the door and he slid his gaze over Jessie.
    “You okay? Your knee hurt?”
    “No,” Jessie mumbled.
    “She’s not feeling anything right now,” Kirsten said smugly.
    “I guess not,” Rick said as he climbed in. “Just how much have you girls had to drink?”
    Kirsten shrugged. “Six . . . seven ... maybe ten shots.”
    “Jesus,” Truitt muttered. “Ten? That’s enough alcohol to put an elephant to sleep, for God’s sake. What were you shooting?”
    “Patrón.”
    “Oh my God,” Rick groaned. “Are you two insane?”
    “She wanted to celebrate,” Kirsten defended. “Isn’t that right, Jessie?”
    She turned as she said the last and then leaned over Jessie who’d gone quiet.
    “Jessie?”
    Jessie had her head on the window, mouth half open, and she was passed out cold.

Chapter 11
     
    W hy don’t you just take me home and then you can take Jessie V home with you,” Kirsten said as they pulled out of the parking lot. “I’m sober. Really. And then you could do your groveling in private. That is, when she regains consciousness . . .”
    Rick glanced back at Kirsten. “I’d feel better if you weren’t alone.”
    Kirsten made a face. “I’m a big girl. Besides, I can hold my liquor. Mutant genes or something. I can pack a lot of alcohol into a small body. No one ever knows how I do it without passing out in my own puke.”
    Truitt grimaced at that visual and Rick chuckled.
    “Okay, doll. We’ll take you home and put you to bed. And then we’re taking Jessie home with us so we can do our . . . groveling.”
    Kirsten smirked. “I knew you two couldn’t be all bad.”
    After getting directions to Kirsten’s apartment, which suited Rick just fine because now they knew where to find Jessie, he dropped Kirsten off and saw her inside, testing her sobriety himself. The woman hadn’t lied. She could drink an astonishing amount of liquor and still be completely coherent.
    Jessie on the other hand ...
    He glanced back to where Jessie still lay against the glass and then drove toward Truitt’s place. When he pulled into the drive, Truitt got out and carefully opened the door so Jessie wouldn’t flop sideways.
    Truitt unbuckled her and lifted her out. He held her close as he walked toward the house, and Rick felt keen disappointment that she wasn’t snuggled in his arms. He wanted to touch her so badly he ached.
    The last days had been torture for him and Truitt both. First the thought that she’d used them and then the fear that no matter what she’d done that she’d be arrested and jailed. And finally the realization of just how wrong they’d been about her and the dread of losing her when they’d only just managed to finally get with her.
    “Should I put her straight to bed or attempt to sober her up?” Truitt asked when they were inside.
    “Put her on the bed. I’ll make some coffee and we’ll see if we can wake her up.”
    Truitt shouldered his way down the hall carrying Jessie, and Rick went to put on a pot of coffee.
    Ten minutes later, he carried a steaming mug to the bedroom and found Jessie curled up against Truitt. Truitt met Rick ’s gaze as Rick set the cup down on the nightstand and then leaned down close to Jessie’s ear.
    “Jessie, Jessie, baby, wake up, okay?”
    Truitt trailed a finger over her cheek and suddenly Rick couldn’t stand it another moment. He crawled on the bed and levered himself down so he was close to her. He didn’t want her to wake up and be freaked out. He wanted her ... comfortable. Secure.
    “Jessie,” he murmured, adding his voice to Truitt’s. “Wake up, honey. Open those gorgeous brown eyes and look at me. I’ve got some