Chapter 1
CHAPTER
ONE
Chase stood at the end of the bar drinking from a long neck and watching the crowd around him. He was back in his hometown. The first time since he’d signed up for basic training and left. That was ten years ago. Over the years, he had worked up the ranks and was highly decorated.
He had just finished his second tour in Afghanistan and was in desperate need of a break, so he’d put in for leave and come back home, needing a change of scenery. The base doc thought he had PTSD and that a change in atmosphere would be good for him.
Chase had to agree. He was a tough soldier and loved his job, but he had seen too much war lately. It was starting to mess with his sleep. He woke with night terrors and sometimes lashed out without realizing he was doing it.
He hoped that by being back in his old familiar stomping grounds, he’d find himself again and start to relax. To not see enemies everywhere.
Chase watched couples dance and talk around him. Music thumped loudly, and smoke clouded the room. It wasn’t his kind of place, but it was the only bar in their small Georgia town. It had a small population, and everyone knew everyone, but no one seemed to recognize him.
Since it had been so long, it wasn’t unexpected.
He hadn’t told anyone he was here yet because he wanted to surprise everyone.
First, however, he just wanted a drink and to unwind before he made his presence known.
His parents would fawn over him, and his best friend, Bobby, would give him a hard time for staying away for so long.
A tall brunette glanced at him across the way and walked toward him with purpose.
He looked her over, appreciating her curves.
She wore a pink, frilly tank top that stopped just above her belly button and cut-off jean shorts that showed off her long tan legs.
She wore flat strappy sandals showing her bright pink nail polish.
She leaned against the bar facing him, interest lighting in her eyes. “Hi,” she purred.
Maybe this was what he needed. A woman to help take his mind off things.
It hadn’t been his first thought when he’d planned this trip, but it might be just what he needed.
It had been close to a year since he’d last slept with a woman.
His last tour duration had been eight months, so there wasn’t much time for sex.
She looked like she was perfect to help take his mind off of his troubles.
“Hi there, beautiful. What’s your name?”
There was a flash of disappointment in her eyes, but it was gone so quickly he thought he was seeing things. “CJ.”
“I’m Chase.” He stuck his hand out for her to shake.
“Nice to meet you.” She shook it back. Their hands lingered there a moment between them, as if neither wanted to let go, before she dropped hers back to her side.
“You too.” Coming back home was turning out to be his best decision. Sure, there were beautiful women who came on to him back home, but there was something so familiar and comforting about her that he instantly found himself relaxing. “I haven’t seen your around.”
It wasn’t the best pick-up line, but he didn’t care. He was enjoying himself. She was the first woman who had approached him since he’d showed up and the first to interest him. “I’m from here, but I’ve been gone awhile.”
“Are you here to stay then?”
“No, just passing through.” And he was glad to have met her. To think if he hadn’t stopped at the bar first, he might not have.
“Lucky me, I saw you before you left again.” Lucky him too.
CJ looked over her shoulder at the crowd, her hair sliding down her collarbone toward the top swells of her breasts.
She looked back, her hair flipping over her shoulder and giving him his first full glance at her large breasts.
The tank top was low and left little to the imagination, and he had a big imagination. “Wanna dance?”
He wasn’t much for dancing, but having an excuse to touch her and grind up on her? “I’d be an idiot to say no. Lead the way.” CJ took his hand and walked him out to the dance floor. He’d set his beer on the bar and gladly followed her out. She led them to the middle of the crowd.
Chase was about to protest that he felt claustrophobic and suggest they move to the outside, but she turned to face him and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, her pelvis pressed against his—and his focus went firmly to her as the crowd around them faded.
He didn’t even know what kind of music was playing as they swayed side to side, his hands resting on her hips.
She was taller than he’d first thought. At six-foot-one, he usually towered over many, but the top of her head was to his top lip. “You from here?” he asked, curious to learn more about her.
“I am.”
For a small town where everyone should know everyone, he couldn’t place her. “We must have never met.”
“Why do you say that?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Because I would remember a knock-out like you.” Her big soulful blue eyes, dark brown hair, smokin’ body.
CJ smiled at his compliment. “You’re sweet.”
“Honest,” he corrected.
“Are you always so?”
“Try to be. Why…too much?” Was he coming on too strong for her?
Maybe she just wanted some harmless flirtation and wasn’t interested in going home with him.
Not that he wouldn’t work harder to change her mind.
He was very interested in having sex with CJ, if his hard cock grinding against her was any indication.
“No.” She shook her head. “This is refreshing. Most guys try corny pick-up lines to lure women into their beds. I prefer being up-front and honest. So what’s kept you from home?”
“Work.”
“And what do you do, Chase?”
“I’m in the army,” he said proudly. He wasn’t going to boast about what he did. If she wanted to know more, she could ask, but he didn’t go around bragging about himself.
“Wow. Impressive.”
“Oh, honey, you haven’t seen anything yet.” If she thought his career was impressive, wait until he showed her his other skills.
Interest lit CJ’s eyes. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Chase pushed her away, capturing one of her hands, and pulled her back, spinning her along the way. He pivoted to the side and dipped her, her leg coming up to hook over his hip.
“Not bad.” CJ grinned. Chase pulled her back up to standing, but they stayed pressed together. Their hands intertwined against his chest. “What else you got?”
“I can’t show you here.” It might get them arrested if he showed her some of the other moves he’d like to try on her.
CJ leaned closer, her lips against his ear. “Then let’s go to my place.”
His cock pressed painfully against the front of his pants. She didn’t have to ask him twice. He just hoped her place was close, otherwise he might reenact his horny teenage years and fuck her on a side road in the backseat of the car. “I’m all yours.”
CJ took his hand and led him out of the bar. This trip was defiantly turning out to be his best decision.