Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(108)

“Sierra?”

My eyes met his. Such pride there. Such love.

“Look at you,” I managed. “You’re so…” I wished I’d had the foresight to grab a tissue. But the tears started regardless.

Boone followed me in. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head and kept walking backward.

“Sierra. Stop.” He latched onto my upper arms. “What is going on?”

“I’m so proud of you. It just hit me, seeing you in uniform like you were born to wear it. And it makes me so ashamed that I was so selfish that I didn’t want you to have this.”

“Baby—”

“No, let me finish. I would’ve happily sabotaged your entire life and all your plans in order to make you mine. You were so much stronger than I’ve ever given you credit for. Maybe that sounds stupid, but I couldn’t have made that choice. You did. For both of us.” I sniffled. “So, I’m just…crazy in love with you, okay? Crazy in love and crazy proud that I get to be part of your life.”

Boone studied me with an intensity that made me tremble. He didn’t touch me, he didn’t kiss me. Every inch of him, except his eyes, had gone still.

“Never has anything that anyone ever said to me meant as much as this.”

I thought I was done crying.

I thought wrong.

But he caught the next tear, and the one after that, and the one after that, on his own cheeks as he kissed me.

I was utterly lost in him.

When he finally relinquished my mouth, he smiled. “That leaves us no time for a quickie.”

“You can make it up to me later.”

His lips grazed my bare shoulder and collarbone. “You look fantastic, by the way.”

“Thank you.” I’d chosen a red dress, simple in cut and design. I’d splurged on shoes, with distinctive red soles the exact same color as the dress. I’d debated on wearing my hair up, but I’d opted to leave it down because I loved how Boone swept my hair away so he could kiss my neck. I needed that familiarity.

“You ready?”

“I have to check my makeup.” With my luck I’d have black streaks running down to my chin. I crossed to the small vanity and leaned closer. Not too bad. The waterproof mascara lived up to the name. I blotted under my eyes, added concealer, touched up my eyeliner and dusted powder across to seal it. Boone had done a number on my lipstick.

He moved in behind me.

I smiled. Which made it hard to put on my lipstick.

“I almost stopped and bought you flowers. But it seemed more important to get here, than to get here with a flower you probably wouldn’t wear.”

So freakin’ sweet.

Keeping those dark eyes on mine in the mirror, he gathered a handful of my hair and delicately wrapped it around his palm. Then he pulled down hard, exposing the side of my throat. He dragged his lips up and stopped at my ear, sending chills through me. “When we get back? You won’t know what hit you. I’m going to f*ck you like it’s my right. Because it is mine. Just mine.” His breath fluttered across my damp skin. “All night, Sierra.”

And…not so sweet.



The ballroom sparkled as if we’d stepped into a fairy-tale castle.

Crystal chandeliers, enormous arrangements of fresh flowers. Tuxedoed waiters served champagne and beautifully crafted finger foods. The lighting was superb: dim enough to be intimate, bright enough that you weren’t banging into tables in the dark.

Boone kept his hand in the small of my back. With any other guy it could be seen as gentlemanly behavior. With Boone, his continual touch was proof of ownership. If I could’ve dragged him off to a coat closet so he could f*ck me fast and hard as a private testimonial, I would’ve done it without shame.

Warm lips touched my ear. “Care to share the dirty thought you just had?”

“How did you know?”

“Wouldn’t it be worse if I didn’t recognize it?”

“Point to Sergeant West.” I tipped my head back to look at him. “This is some fancy gig.”

“I had no idea it would be like this.”

I frowned. “Haven’t you been to a bunch of these?”

“One. I didn’t bring a date. I had no idea that was expected. So I hid by the shrimp cocktail and stuffed my face until I could escape.”

That image wrecked me. I discreetly drilled him in the stomach with my index finger. “That breaks my f*cking heart. Stop trying to make me cry, douche.”

He laughed.

A couple joined us.

The man offered his hand. “At ease, West. Good to see you.”

I half-expected Boone to salute. He shook the hand. “Happy to have been invited.” That “she’s mine” hand on my back urged me forward. “Colonel Livingston, this is my girlfriend, Sierra McKay. Sierra, this is our commanding officer.”

I had a momentary bout of nerves and fought the urge to curtsey and greet him in a fake British accent. “So happy to meet you.”

Colonel Livingston offered his hand. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance. This is my wife, Bridget.”

Bridget deigned a brittle smile and a limp handshake. “Yes, lovely to meet you.”

I murmured something back. At least no one here had gone the kiss-kiss on each cheek route.