Back From Hell (Marine For You Book 2) (Contemporary Military Veteran Romance) by Marissa Dobson
Authors: Marissa Dobson
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Erotic, depression, volunteer, marine, ptsd, veteran, Peace, IED, Battlefield, Shared Grief, Lance Corporal, Damaged Goods
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It might be hard for him to comprehend the connection between a parent and child, but he could see the pain in her eyes. That was enough to want to stand up and fight whatever had caused it. He cared about her deeply and didn’t like to see her unhappy.
Admit it, you’ve fallen for her.
----
T he plane ride had been uneventful and even checking into the hotel a few blocks away from the hospital did little to ease Staci’s fears. She knew Colin, her mother’s lover, was with her. Even though the two weren’t legally married, they were bound like married couples. Colin had tried for the last several years to get her mother to marry him, but she refused. It had only been recently that Staci had uncovered the true reason. Her mother hadn’t wanted to marry again because she was still in love with her father. Even though death and years had separated them, her mother remained deeply devoted to her husband. Sweet in a weird sort of way. Yet, she loved Colin in her own way.
“Why don’t you call him? You can get an update and let him know you arrived.” Kyle sat their suitcase next to the dresser in the hotel room. They had thrown everything into one to avoid the additional luggage charges as they flew. “Maybe with an update, you can get some rest.”
From the room she could see the hospital buildings and through the darkness the lights glowed bright as a beacon. “You know Mom was always disappointed that I went away to college when the University here was just as good. That was almost a bigger fight than my major or the horse ranch. Now I’m only a few days away from graduation and she won’t even see it.”
“Don’t say that.” He came to stand next to her at the window and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Everything you’ve told me about your mother says she’s a strong woman. She’s going to get through this.”
She leaned into his embrace and pressed her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
“I better call him and let him know we arrived.” Without stepping out of his embrace, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed his number. It rang without any answer until it finally went to voicemail. “Colin, it’s Staci. I’ve arrived and checked into the hotel room. Since I won’t be able to get in to see her tonight I’m going to get some sleep and I’ll be there in the morning to see the doctors. Call me if things change.” She ended the call and slipped it back into her pocket. “Guess there’s nothing to do but wait.”
“You need some sleep. That will pass the time.” He led her toward one of the two queen size beds in the room.
Under the stress, her thoughts seemed to want to focus on anything besides what was happening to her mother when they chose this hotel room. He had asked for two adjoining rooms but this was all the hotel had available. They could have gone to another hotel, but this one was the closest. She couldn’t help but wonder if this wasn’t the ultimate tease. Here she was sharing a room with a man she couldn’t chase from her thoughts but remained off limits to her.
The way he ran his fingers down her arm made her reassess the situation. It wasn’t that she couldn’t touch; she refused to allow herself to pressure him in that way. He had enough going on and while he had come a long way, a relationship shouldn’t be top priority right now.
“I should change.”
He nodded and let his arm fall from around her. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”
Without his simple touches, she felt alone and the fear flooded back. Her mother was all she had left and she didn’t want to lose her. With a deep breath, she forced herself to go to the suitcase and grab what she needed. A little bit of space between them, even just for the few minutes it would take her to change and wash her face, would allow her to regain control of her emotions. She wanted him now more than ever because she needed the
Admit it, you’ve fallen for her.
----
T he plane ride had been uneventful and even checking into the hotel a few blocks away from the hospital did little to ease Staci’s fears. She knew Colin, her mother’s lover, was with her. Even though the two weren’t legally married, they were bound like married couples. Colin had tried for the last several years to get her mother to marry him, but she refused. It had only been recently that Staci had uncovered the true reason. Her mother hadn’t wanted to marry again because she was still in love with her father. Even though death and years had separated them, her mother remained deeply devoted to her husband. Sweet in a weird sort of way. Yet, she loved Colin in her own way.
“Why don’t you call him? You can get an update and let him know you arrived.” Kyle sat their suitcase next to the dresser in the hotel room. They had thrown everything into one to avoid the additional luggage charges as they flew. “Maybe with an update, you can get some rest.”
From the room she could see the hospital buildings and through the darkness the lights glowed bright as a beacon. “You know Mom was always disappointed that I went away to college when the University here was just as good. That was almost a bigger fight than my major or the horse ranch. Now I’m only a few days away from graduation and she won’t even see it.”
“Don’t say that.” He came to stand next to her at the window and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Everything you’ve told me about your mother says she’s a strong woman. She’s going to get through this.”
She leaned into his embrace and pressed her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
“I better call him and let him know we arrived.” Without stepping out of his embrace, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed his number. It rang without any answer until it finally went to voicemail. “Colin, it’s Staci. I’ve arrived and checked into the hotel room. Since I won’t be able to get in to see her tonight I’m going to get some sleep and I’ll be there in the morning to see the doctors. Call me if things change.” She ended the call and slipped it back into her pocket. “Guess there’s nothing to do but wait.”
“You need some sleep. That will pass the time.” He led her toward one of the two queen size beds in the room.
Under the stress, her thoughts seemed to want to focus on anything besides what was happening to her mother when they chose this hotel room. He had asked for two adjoining rooms but this was all the hotel had available. They could have gone to another hotel, but this one was the closest. She couldn’t help but wonder if this wasn’t the ultimate tease. Here she was sharing a room with a man she couldn’t chase from her thoughts but remained off limits to her.
The way he ran his fingers down her arm made her reassess the situation. It wasn’t that she couldn’t touch; she refused to allow herself to pressure him in that way. He had enough going on and while he had come a long way, a relationship shouldn’t be top priority right now.
“I should change.”
He nodded and let his arm fall from around her. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”
Without his simple touches, she felt alone and the fear flooded back. Her mother was all she had left and she didn’t want to lose her. With a deep breath, she forced herself to go to the suitcase and grab what she needed. A little bit of space between them, even just for the few minutes it would take her to change and wash her face, would allow her to regain control of her emotions. She wanted him now more than ever because she needed the
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