The Final Line (9 page)

“You know I could hear your conversation in there, right?” he asked, barely loud enough for Corey to hear him. “The sergeant was monitoring you for your safety so we listened in.”

Corey closed his eyes against the pain, knowing what Sean must think of him. “Yeah?”

“Whatever it was he was talking about might not have caused him to do what he did to that woman, but
something
uglier than usual happened to you.” Sean paused as if weighing his words. “Is whatever happened there the reason for your nightmares?”

He remembered Sean’s expression when they’d learned what Nygaard had done to his girlfriend. Corey didn’t want to do that to Sean again. “A lot happened over there. It was just one of many things.”

“But is that the incident that causes most of your nightmares?” Sean was relentless.

Corey signed in resignation. “Yeah.” He exhaled heavily.

“What made this incident so much worse than all the other bad shit you went through?” asked Sean gently.

“Nothing,” Corey answered by rote. “My honor is clean.”

Sean glanced at him sharply, trying to look at Corey and the road at the same time. His head turned back and forth several times before he spoke again. “Your honor is clean. Why did you say that?”

“What?” Corey didn’t follow.

“You said your honor is clean,” Sean parroted his own words back to him. “Most people would say their conscience is clean.”

Corey looked away with a shrug, something heavy settling in his gut. He wrapped his arms tighter around himself. “Marines have to do a lot of things in combat we wouldn’t ordinarily choose to do.”

“I get that,” Sean said firmly. “It’s war.”

Corey gave a single abrupt nod, relieved by Sean’s understanding and acceptance. “Everything I have ever done has been necessary to keep my Marines and myself alive, while executing the lawfully given orders of my command.”

From the corner of his eye, Corey saw Sean nod. “I have no doubt. But can this guy…Nygaard? Say the same?”

Corey wanted to say yes. He started to say yes. He drew breath to pronounce the word but it stuck in his throat. He had the word on his tongue, ready to say it. He just couldn’t do it. “I don’t know,” he finally managed. “Maybe that’s what the investigation is trying to answer,” Corey mused.

“Investigation?” Sean’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You’re under investigation?”

Fuck. He hadn’t meant to say that. He didn’t need Sean thinking he was the type of Marine whose behavior needed to be scrutinized. “No, the incident, not me. The Afghanis say things happened but I wasn’t a part of any of that. My part of the mission isn’t under scrutiny.”

“But Nygaard’s is.” It wasn’t a question. “Is this why you hate him?”

A good question. Corey didn’t know for sure, but he was beginning to guess. “I think it might be part of the reason why I don’t like to be around him, yeah.”

Sean fell silent and Corey was too exhausted to try to decipher how he was feeling about this FUBAR goat-roping. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was more morning than it was night. He dug his phone out of his pocket.

“It’s too late for you to drive me back to base,” he said, finding the number for the taxi company. “Just drop me back at the bar so I can meet my cab.”

“I am not dropping you off at the bar,” Sean said heatedly.

“This has been one majorly fucked up night and I am not making you drive all that way to Pendleton and then back home alone.” Corey was actually angry at Sean for his stubbornness. “If you just drop me at the bar, it’s a short drive home for you. It won’t matter if I fall asleep in the back of the cab.”

Sean didn’t argue immediately. “I’m almost always still up at this hour, I’m not going to fall asleep,” he replied. “But if you’re really worried about it, I can take you to my place and you can have the cab pick you up there.”

Besides the fact that Corey was afraid to be alone with Sean someplace private like his home, he could see no flaw in that plan. “I suppose I could also help you unload your car if we did that.”

“Unloading is easy,” Sean said with a grin. “Everything gets stored in the garage. Only my guitar goes inside.”

“How many mikes out are we?” Corey asked, calculating when to tell the taxi to meet him.

“Excuse me?” Sean looked puzzled. “Mikes?”

Corey chuckled and ran a hand over his face. “Sorry, I must be more tired than I realized. It’s military jargon. Minutes. How many
minutes
will it take to get to your place.”

“Oh.” His expression cleared and he seemed nonplussed. “ETA just about five mikes.” Sean remained straight faced as he drove.

Snorting a laugh, not quite sure if Sean was teasing or adapting, he dialed the taxi company. Sean rattled off his address and the dispatcher told Corey it would be at least fifteen minutes before they could get a driver to that particular part of town.

Sean backed into the attached garage of his townhouse and cut the engine. He opened the rear hatch of the SUV and showed Corey where to store the plastic storage bins and the amplifier. Leading the way into a corridor, Sean carried only his guitar case.

“You can keep an eye out there for your cab,” he said, gesturing toward a heavy looking door with a small, square window set high up. Which meant it was face level for Corey. “And I’ll just run up and put this inside.”

Corey watched Sean take the flight of stairs two at a time and disappear down the hallway to the left. There were sounds of a key in a lock and some other quiet rustling. Corey leaned against the door so he could peer out the window. A very short time later, Sean came bounding down the stairs.

The corridor was dim, lit only by the single bulb on the upper landing. Sean leaned against the door, on the other side of the small window, mirroring Corey. Moonlight streamed in, cutting through some of the darkness, and bathing Sean’s prominent features in silver and shadow.

Corey’s chest tightened painfully and he stopped breathing. Sean was so fucking beautiful. The moonlight caught the highlights in his light brown hair. His eyelashes looked longer and darker in the dimness and they swept softly against his cheeks as he looked down at his own feet. His sharp cheekbones cast dark shadows and his hazel eyes were so pale they were luminous. Sean’s damned upturned nose that drove Corey fucking mad, was even more pronounced in the soft light. Corey’s eyes locked on Sean’s full, shapely mouth. The bow shape of his upper lip and the poutiness of his lower lip were enticing. They looked so soft and warm and Corey ached to just lean in and kiss Sean.

“So, I realized that I don’t even have your number,” Sean said, just above a whisper. He held his cell phone in his hand, thumb hovering.

Corey thought about it and realized Sean was right. Because he’d known where to find Sean this weekend, it hadn’t occurred to Corey to get his number.

“Unless you don’t want to exchange numbers?” Sean spoke softly but Corey could hear his disappointment like a forty-mike-mike.

“No! I mean, yes. Shit.” Corey hastily pulled his phone from his pocket. “I was just trying to figure out how that had happened at all,” he muttered. “I’d have been really pissed when I got home.”

Sean chuckled as he keyed in the numbers Corey rattled off. Corey thumbed in Sean’s number and paused when he went to type his name. “How do you spell Sean?” Realizing what he’d asked, Corey added hastily, “I mean, I
know
how to spell Sean but how do
you
spell it?”

When Sean laughed, his eyes crinkled and his wide smile made Corey feel like he’d been punched in the gut. His laughter was low and husky, both delighted and mischievous. Sean gave the traditional spelling of his name, the one Corey had always liked because it was simple and uncomplicated.

“C-o-r-e-y?” Sean asked.

“Yep. Simple and no frills,” Corey replied.

“To the point, with no extraneous bullshit,” said Sean.

Corey couldn’t help but smile.

They stood, shoulders against the door, staring at one another in silence. Sean’s eyes grew wide and his expression serious. He took one slow step forward until he was right in front of Corey.

Corey stood frozen, his eyes roaming over Sean’s handsome face, taking in his smooth, tan skin and the heat just beginning to smolder in his eyes. He caught the scent of Sean’s cologne and had to bite back a moan, it smelled so good.

Slowly, Sean lifted both hands, palms out. He stood, letting Corey understand his intentions. Corey shifted to lean back against the door, silently consenting for Sean to touch him. Sean stepped close enough that Corey could feel the heat of his body all along the length of his own. Gently, he placed his palms on Corey’s chest. He stood patiently, as if awaiting Corey’s reaction.

With his back to the door, Corey stood unmoving, feeling scalded by the heat of Sean’s hands through his shirt. He was trapped by Sean’s eyes, staring directly into his, unblinking. He was sharply aware of Sean’s hands running slowly down his chest and over his stomach. Sean’s lips parted as he held Corey’s gaze steadily.

Corey’s own lips parted as he breathed heavily, wondering where Sean’s hands were going to wander to next. His heart was pounding and he knew Sean had to be able to feel it as he slid his palms over Corey’s chest again. A quiet sound escaped Corey as Sean’s hands curled up over his shoulders and skimmed down his arms. He hadn’t been touched like this in so long.

One of Sean’s hands dropped down to Corey’s hip and panic flared in his chest. As much as he wanted to press himself against Sean’s firm, muscular body, he knew Sean would feel his lack of reaction and take it the wrong way. To Corey’s relief, Sean didn’t bring them in closer. He slid his other hand behind Corey’s neck and cradled his head.

Corey glanced down at Sean’s wet, red lips. He felt the urge to push forward and taste Sean’s mouth, but he held back. Sean was driving this between them so Corey waited to see where he would take them.

When he finally did lean in, Sean didn’t press their mouths together. Instead, he rested his forehead against Corey’s. Sean’s hazel eyes held so much heat they nearly glowed. He seemed able to look right into Corey and see all the secrets he tried to keep hidden. Corey had never experienced anything like this.

Uncurling his fists from his side, Corey brought one hand up to rest against the side of Sean’s waist. The other he used to run over the defined muscles in Sean’s arm. Something brushed, feather-light, across Corey’s lower lip. He licked at it gently, tasting the dry saltiness of Sean’s thumb. As Sean skimmed the pad of this thumb over Corey’s lip, Corey kissed it, lapped at it with his tongue, considered drawing it into his mouth to suckle at it.

Sean’s breathing was ragged. Corey wanted to look down at Sean’s mouth, lean in and kiss him. He was trapped by Sean’s eyes though, they wouldn’t allow him to look away. Finally, with agonizing slowness, Sean tilted his face. He left their foreheads pressed together, even as his mouth settled over Corey’s, soft and warm and gentle.

Corey closed his eyes and tightened his fingers on Sean’s arm and waist, ready for him to deepen the kiss. It didn’t happen. Sean pressed soft kisses to Corey’s mouth. They were gentle, nipping kisses that made Corey’s lips tingle. He returned Sean’s kisses, biting at him playfully. Their lips grew moister and Corey thought Sean made a low sound of pleasure, but he might just have felt it through his hands, he wasn’t sure.

Sean cradled Corey’s head and pressed firmer kisses to his mouth. At the soft, warm feel of Sean’s tongue gliding across his lower lip, Corey gasped quietly. Sean flicked his tongue teasingly over Corey’s mouth, lapping at him but never pushing inward or seeking entrance. It was fucking maddening. Corey licked at Sean’s tongue, trying to urge him to push in, take things further, but Sean only flicked the tip of his tongue against Corey’s before he darted away.

Sean’s fingers tightened slightly on Corey’s head and he changed the angle once more. Corey sighed when Sean’s mouth pressed hard against his, tongue finally seeking entrance past his lips. Corey opened eagerly, licking at Sean’s mouth and finally getting his first, heady taste.

His blood was fire in his veins. Corey fisted his hand in Sean’s shirt and gripped his arm tight enough he thought he’d leave bruises. He let Sean hold him steady as their tongues tasted and tested one another. Corey dragged harsh breaths in through his nose and heard Sean do the same. He wanted to pull Sean into his arms and flush against his body.

Except he couldn’t ignore the fact that his dick wasn’t getting hard. He had the most beautiful man he’d ever known kissing him stupid and Corey’s cock wasn’t showing the least signs of stirring. He wanted Sean, badly, so it had to be the alcohol. That, and he was tired and drained. Corey hoped Sean didn’t step in closer because he’d get the wrong idea.

He was vaguely aware of the sound of an engine behind him. Sean pulled back from the kiss with a soft, wet sound. Corey opened his eyes slowly to find Sean watching him closely, pupils blown wide and lids heavy.

“Your taxi is here,” Sean said just above a whisper, inclining his head toward the window.

“Guess that means I have to go,” Corey replied, reluctantly untangling himself from Sean.

“If you have trouble sleeping this week, or wake up from a nightmare, call me,” said Sean as he covered Corey’s hand on the door handle. “Let’s see if a friendly voice to talk to might work better than a lot of alcohol.”

Corey doubted it, but he’d known after his talk with Jonah that he had to get his drinking back under control. “I’ll give it a try, as long as you’re sure.”

Again, Sean lifted a hand to cradle the back of Corey’s neck. He skimmed his thumb along Corey’s lower lip. “I am.”

Corey kissed the pad of Sean’s thumb, pushed the door open and crossed the street to the waiting taxi.

CHAPTER FIVE

Corey slept fitfully and finally gave up all together around noon. He showered, dressed, got in his Jeep and left base.

As he drove, he called Tyler Howe.

“Hey, man, what’s up?” Tyler answered.

“Has the platoon been notified yet that Nygaard was arrested last night?” Corey asked without preamble.