Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)

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 fuck 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 fucking 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.

“Have you settled into Phoenix?”

“Day by day, sir. Things are done differently, but I’ll adapt.”

“You always do.” The colonel studied me. “And where are you from?”

“Phoenix.” I tacked on, “Sir.”

“Ah. That’s where you two met?”

“Sierra and I lived in the same small town in Wyoming. We recently reconnected in Phoenix.”

Bridget paid no attention to the conversation. She appeared to be scanning the crowd for a more powerful—or at least more interesting—couple to speak with. She touched her husband’s arm. “I see the Winchells have arrived. We should say hello.”

“Of course. Enjoy the party,” the colonel said.

“We will, sir. You also.”

Boone didn’t breathe again until the man disappeared into the crowd. No one else would’ve noticed it but I did.

“He seemed friendly.”

“He is. Good man and great leader.”

“He’s your big boss? Or the semi-in-charge?”

“Big boss. Come on, I need a drink.”

I’d been sipping the free champagne but Boone ordered a beer.

“So where are we sitting and all that jazz?”

“Assigned table numbers. At least I hope we sit with the guys from my unit.”

We wandered through the room; Boone stopped to speak with a lot of people whose names I didn’t catch. We ran into his group, four guys and their dates, in the far back corner.

“West, my man, why are you here?”

I saw Boone stiffen as if he feared the guy might do the half-hug, chest bump, back slap bro hug. He shifted slightly, using me as a buffer. “I’m here to contribute to the destruction of more trees in the name of a metric shit ton of paperwork.”

They all laughed. My man personified charm.

“How are things in First?”

“Same old, same old.” The stealth hugger cocked his head and smiled at me. “Sweetheart, whatchu doin’ with him? The man is boring. Work, work, work, all the damn time. Gets off on making us all look like slackers.”

“You are slackers.”

“Wasn’t talking to you, Sarge. I was asking your very beautiful date.”

“Sierra, this rude gearhead is DT Sharp. DT, this is my girlfriend, Sierra.”

“Girlfriend?” He whistled. “Man, you are coming up in the world.” DT smiled at me. “Good to meet you. To say I’m shocked to meet you is an understatement.”

“And why is that, Mr. Sharp?”

“Like I said. The man is all work. His off hours tend to be about…short pursuits.”

Boone stiffened behind me.

Then all eyes were on me to see how I’d react. “Really? I beg to differ. Boone is very specific in his long term goals.”

He kissed my temple.

“Besides, short is never a word I’d use to describe any part of him.”

Everyone laughed. Then the insults flew and that loosened the tension.

But military speak confused me, so I let my gaze wander. Even with all the men in uniform, none of them looked as good as Boone. He carried himself with confidence and I loved seeing it since I knew it hadn’t always been there.

“I need a drink of water,” I said to him. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll go with you.”