He winced and leaned forward, breaking his connection with Marlie. “I didn’t. Honest. I know you didn’t have anything to do with a crime, Jennie. I’m sorry.”
Marlie shifted her weight. “Going to bed. Have fun.” She headed into his bedroom and shut the door.
He looked at the closed door, his temper stirring. None of this was his fault, damn it. “Listen. I’m sorry.”
Jennie sighed. “Honestly, Bos. How could you even give them my name? I spent an hour with Detective Pierce, and after that, I felt like Ihaddone it. This is nuts.”
“I know.” He rubbed a hand across his jaw, every impulse alive inside him wanting to go into his bedroom. Now. “The police have to check all angles, and I wish you hadn’t gotten caught up in all of this. I really do apologize.”
“None of it makes sense,” Jennie said, her voice a little slurred as if she’d been drinking—not that he could blame her. “Are you sure there was even an assailant? I mean, think about it. She has a crush on you, she gets attacked, and now you’re her tough-guy guardian. You have a protective streak a mile long, Bosco.”
He nudged the dog, who opened one eye to glare at him. “I threw the guy to the floor, Jennie. He was real. As are the stitches across my gut.”
“Maybe Marlie hired him,” she said quietly.
That was ridiculous. “The guy tried to kill her, Jennie. This isn’t Marlie’s fault any more than it’s yours. Again, I’ll try to keep you out of the rest of it.”
“Is there any chance for us? Have you thought about it?” she asked, her voice soft.
“No.” He’d never believed in lying to anybody. “There’s no chance. You were right to break it off, and I hope we can stay friends.” At that, they said their goodbyes.
He stood and angled toward his bedroom, knocking on the door before entering. Unlike Jennie, he wasn’t letting this woman go. It was probably time to have that talk with her and see if he could repair the damage he’d done by giving her the friends speech right off the bat.
She sat on the bed, wearing leggings and a thick sweater, her gaze focused. “How’s the ex? I can leave if you want her to come over.” Sarcasm and more than a hint of temper lifted Marlie’s consonants.
So, she wanted to play it like that, did she? He crossed his arms. “Knock it off. We need to talk.”
She bounded to her feet, both hands going to her hips. Without the bandage, there was just a thin mark on her neck, although the bandage on her arm made her shirt bulge a bit. Though the injury didn’t seem to be slowing her down much. “I amsodone with you telling me what to do.”
Okay. She was scared, she was angry, and she wanted to fight. Good enough. He looked down at her, trying not to smile. Man, she was adorable. “Listen. I was wrong to put you in the friend zone. I got burned by Jennie and thought I couldn’t handle a relationship, but I want to try with you. I can look into other jobs in the military.” He could give up the danger.
If anything, her eyes sparked even more while color infused her face. “Are you kidding me?” she yelled.
He almost took a step back. “No?” Why was she mad? He was making a serious effort here. “I’m not kidding.” His temper stirred at the base of his neck.
“You are such a moron,” she yelled, the decibels echoing off his walls.
Wait a minute. He’d just made a serious move, tried to compromise, and she was calling him names? “Baby, if you want to fight, you’re headed in the right direction.”
Instead of backing off, instead of pausing, she marched right up to him, anger in her gaze. “Let’s go, then. You want to fight? You’ve got it.” She leaned up, still not coming close to eye level. “I don’t want you to change. Anybody who asks you to change to be with them is an asshole. One thing I am not, is that.”
He blinked.
“I like you the way you are,” she yelled, her cheeks red and her mouth bow-shaped and much too enticing. “Except for the moron part. Get rid of that, and we have a chance.”
That was it. He clamped a hand on her healthy arm, drew her into him, and kissed her.
Hard.
She moaned beneath his mouth as he consumed her, taking everything she offered and more. He backed her to the bed, careful of her injuries, drawing her sweater over her head as he went. Her hands slid to his belt, unbuckling it before unzipping his jeans.
Her tongue tangled with his, and the flavor of her—mint and woman—exploded on his tongue. His body went rock-hard as he removed her bra, shoving down her yoga pants in the same heartbeat.
Then he was on her for the briefest of seconds before rolling them until she was on top of him, frantically trying to shove his jeans down to his ankles. He helped her and then yanked his shirt off.
She paused, sitting up, square on his groin. The thin material of her panties and his boxers barely kept him from her. From being inside her, right where he needed to be. Her gaze softened, and her fingers ran along the top of his bandage. “I forgot. You’re hurt.”
“That’s not where I hurt,” he groaned, grasping her thigh and pressing her heated core down onto his aching cock.
