Off Base(46)

“I know.”

“So why don’t you then?”

“I like my job.” That was one reason.

“And that’s enough to stay here? Even if our entire family is halfway across the country? Are you dating anyone? Last time we talked—”

“No. I’m not seeing anyone.” An image of Cullen’s face hovering above her in the near dark of his room flashed through her mind and sent a warm blast of heat through her.

“Then think about it, Huntley. You shouldn’t be here all alone without any family around you.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to remind him that she had Cullen. She wasn’t alone. Beck himself had appointed him as her watchdog, after all, but then she stopped herself. She didn’t have Cullen. No one had Cullen. And after last night, he’d probably treat her with the cool distance he treated every one-night stand. He’d be Sullen Cullen, even to her.

“Hey, you okay, Hunt?”

She forced a bright smile. “Sure. Now, let’s go get you that medal.” She reached across the table and dusted a speck of lint off his dress uniform shoulder. “I’m proud of you, you know.”

He grinned. “And I’m proud of you, little sister.

She rolled her eyes. “Seventeen minutes.”

“I’m still older.”

“Keep lording that over me.” Smiling, she looked out the diner window. “This place feels like home now.”

She didn’t want to go back just to get sucked into that world again. She liked what she had here. She winced, realizing a lot of her life here was wrapped up in Cullen, and if she wanted things to return to normal, she needed to clear the air between them and put last night behind them for good.

“I’ll try to explain it to the family,” Beck said as he tossed down money on the table and slid out from the booth. “But I can’t promise they’re not going to continue to nag you about it.”

Nodding, she led the way to where she parked her car. “You sure you want to go back? Even with Mary there?”

He nodded. “I’m not scared of facing her. I’ve moved on.” Beck sounded truly unaffected. He really wasn’t broken up over Mary cheating on him and dumping him. He settled into the passenger seat and stared ahead out the window, tapping his thigh with an almost anxious energy.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Fine. Why?”

Huntley shook her head. “You just seem different.”

He smiled slightly and rubbed at his chin. There was something elusive in the curve of his mouth. There was a time in her life when she could practically read his thoughts—and he hers. Right now she couldn’t get a read on him. He was keeping something from her.

Suddenly the thought of what she was keeping from him hit her full force and she was grateful they couldn’t read each other quite as well as they used to. Heat flamed her face as the memory of Cullen’s fingers touching her, filling her, swept over her. Fast on the heels of that memory followed longing for something longer and harder of his to fill her.

Her fingers clenched tighter around the steering wheel. She stared straight ahead, inhaling and fighting back the fire in her face as she pulled into the parking lot and found a spot. Turning off the engine, they both stepped out in the afternoon and started walking toward the building.

“Oh, hey, there’s Cullen.”

There were several other soldiers attired in dress uniform throughout the parking lot, but she identified Cullen instantly. Her gaze zoomed in on him as though he were a homing device.

Her pulse jack-knifed against her throat as her brother shouted out for his friend.

Cullen stopped and turned, his lean body strong and tall. He cut a fine figure in his uniform and all her girl parts tingled with awareness as they crossed the lot toward him. Sunshine glinted off the shiny buttons and medals on his uniform.

They stopped and she held silent as Beck and Cullen shook hands. She scarcely breathed as they exchanged greetings.

Cullen’s dark eyes were cool and distant as they settled on her. “Hey, Huntley.”

She forced a smile. “Cullen.”

She fell in beside her brother as they entered the building. Cullen and Beck stopped every few feet, greeting people they knew. She stood by patiently, trying not to devour the sight of Cullen. He was so hot it hurt to look at him. Not that it stopped other women from looking. Every female in the vicinity did double takes of Cullen and her brother, lust and admiration bright in their gazes. She wanted to slap them. Or worse. She wanted to walk up beside Cullen and put her hand on him in some way that marked him as hers. Yeah, that was definitely worse. And ridiculous.

Beck led her to a seat at the front of the auditorium. After a quick kiss on her cheek, Beck left and took his place up on the stage. Cullen left her, too, moving off to talk to another man in his dress uniform. Voices buzzed around her as others found their seats. She crossed her legs and settled her hands on her lap, staring straight ahead and wishing this thing would get started so she didn’t have to focus on the fact that Cullen seemed to be giving her the cold shoulder. Or maybe he was just doing what he did after he fooled around with a woman. A painful thought. He had never treated her to Sullen Cullen before, and she didn’t like it. Not one bit.

*

She smelled good. She looked good.

These two thoughts bounced around inside his head as the ceremony began. He couldn’t bring himself to sit beside her, so he deliberately waited until it was too late, until all the seats were occupied and he was forced to remain standing along the edges of the auditorium.