"At what?"
"Making me feel better. Grounding me when I start spiraling."
"That's my job too." I kiss her softly. "Among other things."
"Other things like getting me naked?"
"That's definitely in the job description."
She laughs and pulls me closer, rising on her toes to kiss me properly. It starts soft but builds fast, the way it always does between us. My hands slide down her sides, pulling her flush against me. Her fingers thread into my hair, nails scraping my scalp in a way that makes me groan.
We're in the parking lot. In broad daylight. On a military base.
I don't care.
I back her harder against the truck, one hand sliding under her shirt to palm her breast through her bra. She gasps into my mouth and arches into my touch. My other hand grips her hip, thumb stroking the bare skin where her shirt rides up.
"Thatcher," she breathes against my lips. "We're in public."
I kiss along her jaw, down her throat. "No one can see."
"Someone could walk by."
I capture her mouth again, tongue sweeping past her lips. She tastes like coffee and want and everything I didn't know I needed.
Her hands slide under my shirt, nails dragging across my abs. I bite back a groan and press my hips forward, letting her feel exactly what she's doing to me.
"We're going to be late," she manages.
"Worth it."
"Rivera will notice."
"She already knows." I pull back just enough to look at her. "Everyone knows, Gwen. We're not exactly subtle."
"Is that going to be a problem?"
"Not for me." I brush my thumb across her swollen lips. "Is it a problem for you?"
"No. I just don't want to make things difficult for the investigation."
"You're not. You're helping solve it." I steal another kiss. "Now get in the truck before I forget we're on a military base and really give someone something to talk about."
10
THATCHER
We grab sandwiches from the commissary and eat in the truck, windows down, music low. It's easy and comfortable—I’m not used to it, but I like it.
"Your team was right," Gwen says between bites. "You are a lot."
"I warned you."
"You did. But you failed to mention the part where you're also incredibly sweet."
"I'm not sweet."
"You are. You just hide it under the grumpy Marine exterior." She steals one of my chips. "It's very attractive."
