Off Base by Sophie Jordan, Tessa Bailey

felt Kenna’s smirk as he crouched down to fit inside the car, the steering wheel digging into his chest until he moved the seat back to its farthest setting. Trying not to be obvious, he released a pent-up breath, nice and slow. He’d taken a gamble bossing her around. Truth be told, he’d half expected her to slap him across the face. Everything he’d said had been true, however. Starting with the fact that he needed her. Tonight. And after tonight.
    He felt raw and ripped open after hurting Cullen, knowing it would be a long time coming before he could move forward. If words existed that would ease what Cullen was feeling, he’d go after him. But he knew from experience, Cullen had already shut the world—including him—out. Huntley would shift the focus. Tomorrow, once they’d gotten their heads together, he’d find a way to set healing in motion for Cullen.
    Right now, though? Right now, he needed Kenna to suture his wounds. Seeing her in the dim, dusty bar had been enough to put him back on solid ground, but more was needed. All of her. Accomplishing that required him to play the long game, which meant making this impromptu date last longer than it would take them to have sex. Long enough to talk. Ah, Christ. If he wanted to do this right, he couldn’t even think the word sex with her in the vicinity.
    Starting now.
    Beside him, she crossed her legs, treating Beck to a glimpse of her smooth, inner thigh.
    Okay…starting now.
    Kenna arched her back on the seat, sighing as he started the car. His dick felt strangled inside his pants. If he asked, would she stroke it while he drove?
    Dammit. Starting now? Right.
    “Where are you going to take me?”
    The way she purred the double-meaning question meant she knew all about his agony—and enjoyed it. “Somewhere public where you can’t tempt me.”
    “Aw, that’s no fun.”
    He threw his arm over the passenger seat, backing her car out of its spot. “We’re having a conversation, Kenna.”
    “Yes, I got that.” She rubbed her cheek against his bicep. “How about this? I’ll take you somewhere private—” Her hand came up when he attempted to interrupt. “Now hear me out. I promise not to touch you until the conversation portion of the evening has been completed to your satisfaction.”
    “I know when I’m being patronized.” She grinned and the distraction almost made Beck hit a parked car, but he slammed on the brakes at the last second. “How am I supposed to tell you no with a smile like that aimed at me?”
    Ironically, his words made her smile waver. “Take a right turn out of the parking lot.”
    Beck ignored the pang in his middle and followed her directions. If he let her reticence bother him, they’d have another scene like that morning, which would only damage his cause. Fortunately, when they reached the checkpoint leading onto base and the soldiers on patrol reacted with shock to see Kenna with him, his irritation vanished. According to Cullen, she didn’t date on base, yet here they were. One victory at a time.
    They’d only been on base two minutes when she pointed through the windshield. “See the brick building up ahead? Turn in there.”
    “The physical therapy center?” He slowed the car down. “It’s not open at night.”
    “I know.” She sent him a sly look. “I have keys.”
    Of course she did. “How’s that?”
    Her voice turned solemn. “After my father’s heart attack, I brought him here for therapy sessions. He thought it made him look weak, so I brought him during off hours. Sometimes he’d just swim, which didn’t require the doctor.” She shrugged. “They forgot to take the keys back.”
    Beck’s mind was busy cataloguing what she’d revealed, not just about her relationship with the lieutenant general, but simply by the sad way she spoke about him. So busy, a slightly more pressing detail occurred to him only after they’d parked the car in the deserted lot. “And what are we doing