AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The door swings open with a creak that slices through the silence like a knife. I stand there, heart in my throat, as Frank strides in. He's got that look on his face—the one that's all grim determination mixed with something softer, something that makes my insides twist and turn.
"Caroline," he says, his voice gravelly with emotion. The way my name rolls off his tongue sends shivers down my spine.
"Frank?" I can barely get the word out. It's like every fear and hope I've ever had is colliding right here, in this moment, in this tiny space that suddenly feels too small to contain it all.
He takes a deep breath, runs a hand over his buzz cut, and looks at me with those eyes. Those goddamn eyes that seem to see right through me. "I spoke to Colonel Edwards."
I brace myself, ready for the crash. Because let's be real. In the military, good news is about as common as unicorns farting rainbows.
Frank shakes his head, and my stomach drops. “I’m so sorry, Caroline.”
My eyes burn. Here it is. He’s fixing to tell me that he regrets it, that it can never happen again.
"We're out, Caroline. Honorable discharge for both of us." His words punch the air from my lungs.
Out? Us? My brain's doing somersaults trying to catch up.
“I’m sorry,” I hang my head.
And then I feel Frank’s fingers on my chin, tilting my head up. “No, I’m sorry. I ruined your career, Caroline, and you had it all in front of you.”
“No, I ruined yours,” I try to choke back a sob.
Frank shakes his head. “I don’t care about that. All I care about is you, but I’m sorry I fucked everything up.”
He doesn’t care? I look up at him. “So…you don’t regret it?” The question hangs between us, heavy as a loaded rucksack.
Frank blinks and says incredulously, "Regret it? Hell no, Caroline. I’d cut off my right arm just to be up inside you again, but I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you. You must hate me."
Relief floods through me, so fierce and sweet I could cry. Or laugh. Or maybe do both at the same time. Instead, I just stand there, gaping like a fish out of water.
"Are you very angry?" Frank's brow furrows, and I realize he's worried. About me, about what this means for us—for our future outside of these barracks walls.
"Angry?" I shake my head, still struggling to believe it. "Frank, you stood up there and laid everything on the line. For me. For us. How could I be mad?"
But he's not done. "I know what this life means to you, Caroline. And I'm sorry if my screw-up?—"
"Stop." I close the distance between us, slap my hands on his solid chest. "You listen to me, Frank Donovan. You didn't ruin anything. We took a risk, together. And yeah, it's scary as hell thinking about what comes next, but I don't regret a single second. Not when it brought me to you."
His eyes search mine, looking for the truth of my words. And they find it—I make damn sure of that.
“Holy fuck, Caroline,” Frank’s entire body is tremling as he pulls me close to him, heat flaring in his eyes. “I was trying to be brave,” he swallows, “but fuck, I thought I lost you. I fucking love you, Caroline.”
“Never,” I assure him. “I’m yours. All yours.”
I'm tugging at the hem of my shirt as I speak, heat pooling low in my belly as I give Frank a look that I hope lets him know how much he means to me.
"Frank," I say, my voice husky, "I love you. You're the most stubborn, self-sacrificing man I've ever met." My fingers work the buttons of his uniform, popping them open one by one to reveal the hardened chest underneath.
"Caroline," he murmurs, his hands finding my waist and pulling me closer until there's not a single inch between us. "You sure about that? About chucking your career for an old fucker like me?"
"Dead sure," I breathe out, my hands now roaming over the expanse of his bare skin. I stand on my toes, lips brushing his earlobe as I whisper, "You stood in front of hellfire for me, Daddy. My turn to burn for you."
Before he can respond, I drop to my knees, the barracks' floor cold against my skin—but who gives a shit about cold when there's a hot, pulsing desire burning through my veins? My fingers are eager as they unbuckle his belt, freeing his hard cock from the confines of those camo pants. It’s long and thick and proud with precum already ozzing from the tip. I lick my lips in anticipation.
"Fuck, Caroline," he groans as I take him in hand, loving the way his breath hitches. I look up at him through my lashes, all innocence if innocence had a taste for something downright dirty.
"Shhh, let me take care of you, Sergeant," I tease, but we both know it's no joke. My mouth closes around him, tongue swirling, and his curse is a growl of pure pleasure.
