Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(107)

Or harder.

Monday morning I was dragging ass. Even Griff from legal mentioned I looked tired.

Yes, I’m tired, dammit. I stayed up too late having phone sex with my kinky boyfriend.

Totally worth it though.



Friday afternoon, Lu plopped next to me on the couch. She rested her head on my shoulder and sighed. “I miss Raj.”

As much as I missed Boone…I realized I’d missed Lu too. She and Raj were shacked up at his sister’s place, so last weekend was the first time just the two of us had hung out in ages. I missed heckling our favorite crappy TV shows. She hadn’t updated me in weeks on how far she’d gotten with her senior design project. And she had no idea that I was considering taking a new turn in my career.

I loved her, but I couldn’t chance confiding in her about the fulltime PCE offer. If she slipped up and told Raj, and Raj told Boone, Boone would go…what the ever lovin’ f*ck? Because I still hadn’t said a freakin’ word about it to him.

The timing had been off, especially after he’d dealt with his dad’s stuff. Then he’d gotten recalled to base. After nearly two weeks apart…bringing it up this weekend wasn’t a priority. With limited time together, banging the headboard held more appeal than talking.

“What are you fretting about?” Lu asked.

“If my dress for this gala thingy is too slut-tastic.”

Lu lifted her head and batted her lashes at me. “Skanky-ass ho. Have you been shopping at the stripper’s discount store without me again?”

“You’re the skanky-ass-ho.” I shoved her with my shoulder. “I’m serious. I do not want to embarrass Sergeant West, slithering in wearing the latest in ho-bag fashion or looking as if an Amish stylist chose my frock.”

“Which dress are you talking about?”

“The backless blue beaded one.”

Disbelief distorted Lu’s face. “Sierra McKay. You haven’t been shopping? You actually thought you’d recycle a dress from college? Dude. This is Boone, the man you’re in love with. He deserves to see you in a dress that’ll bring him to his damn knees.”

“Omigod. You’re right. What am I going to do? I leave tomorrow!”

Lu popped to her feet and grabbed my hand, jerking me off the couch. “Get your purse. We will get this fashion crisis handled tonight.”



I’d over-packed for one and a half days in Killeen, Texas.

I didn’t have to bring Boone muffins and cookies. But I’d baked plenty this week.

So I paced in the room, wondering why I’d chosen a hotel without a mini-bar and stopping at the window every time as if I could see him pull up. From the sixth floor.

Hurry up and get here, Boone. I was about to climb out of my skin. I’d never had a case of nerves like this.

Four hours had passed since I’d arrived. Boone’s meetings didn’t allow him to pick me up from the airport. Hailing a cab to his place wasn’t an option because he lived on base and I didn’t have an escort or a pass to get on a secure military installation.

Boone had texted me ten times—a new record for him. It ripped at his manhood that he couldn’t fetch me from the airport. To kill time, I scrolled back through our text exchange.

B-Dub: U here?

Me: I just got your text. I landed fifteen minutes ago and I’m waiting for my bag.

B-Dub: It kills me not to be there. I’m sorry Me: I know. I’m fine. Just take care of your stuff.

B-Dub: I luv u

Me: Back atcha.

Then half an hour later

B-Dub: Hotel ok?

Me: It’s good.

B-Dub: Be there at six-thirty

Me: I’ll be ready will we have time for a quickie first?

B-Dub: U r miknag me hard.

Miknag? What was that? Then I realized he’d transposed the letters. He was so anxious that he wasn’t taking an eternity to type out a text.

Me: I have to get ready. See you soon.

B-Dub: Can’t wait. Luv u

So sweet, that man of mine.

Darkness had fallen and I stared out at the city lights. Strange to think Boone lived here. He’d never mentioned loving it or hating it. Accepting it was more his way.

Had he ever driven by the military family housing and imagined coming home to a wife and maybe a kid or two? If we hadn’t reconnected, would he have settled for someone else? That seemed plausible. Certainly more plausible than us ending up together. Then again, he’d come after me. The harder question was: would I have ever gone after him? When the word “no” echoed through my head, my heart and my stomach clenched with outrage. Now I couldn’t imagine a life without him. But I could’ve easily gone the other way, ignoring Boone’s attempts to start over. Thank heaven for the man’s tenacity. Thank heaven for his faith in us—in this.

Four solid raps sounded on the door.

I raced over and flung open the door without checking the peephole first. “I thought…”

My brain stopped. My heart did too. I had the vague sensation I’d abandoned that whole breathing thing when I got my first look at him.

Boone was one hundred percent polished, from the tips of his shiny shoes to his belt buckle to the brim of his hat. Talk about heart stopping to see Boone West in that uniform.

I flashed back to the anguish in his eyes the night he’d told me he needed to leave Wyoming. He had to make it on his own. I hadn’t doubted he could do it, even when I’d hated the decision he’d made. But it had been the best possible option for him.