Healing A Hero (The Camerons of Tide’s Way #4) by Skye Taylor Page A

been almost as young and a lot more carefree. There had been no scar.
    And no cute little LT in his life.

Chapter 10
    August 2001
    Tide’s Way, North Carolina
    PHILIP LAY FACEDOWN on their favorite beach with his head cradled on his forearms and his eyes closed. Elena straddled his hips, rubbing suntan lotion into his skin. She traced the shape of the globe and anchor tattoo on his right shoulder.
    “You Marines aren’t very inventive with your body art, are you?”
    Laughter rumbled through his body.
    “You haven’t seen some of the more colorful guys. I’m pretty conservative.”
    “Well, I like it. It tells the world who you are.” She moved on to massage the rest of his broad, muscular back. Lathering him with suntan lotion was a good excuse to touch him and luxuriate in the warmth and power that turned her on.
    “I’m surprised you aren’t brown as a bean, as my grandmother used to say. I thought you were stationed on a ship where it’s hot. Don’t you ever take your shirt off?” She sat back and slid her hands down the long length of his back to the top of his swim trunks.
    Philip lifted his head and peered at her with those amazing blue eyes that made her heart ache. “It’s the blood of my Scottish ancestors. I tan eventually, but mostly I burn first. Besides, going shirtless when I’m supposed to be in uniform is frowned on.”
    She climbed off him and settled on her own towel. “I think you need a higher SPF. You’re going to be a crispy critter before long.”
    He sat up, reached for his shirt, and pulled it over his head. “Happy now?” He rolled onto his back and pillowed his head with one arm. His gaze was serious, and she didn’t think getting a sunburn was what occupied his mind.
    “You’ve only got eight days of leave left. What are you going to do with them?”
    “Spend them all with you.” His gaze left hers to trail over her bikini-clad, golden-tanned body. When his eyes met hers again, there was something heated in them that hadn’t been there a moment before.
    About time he noticed! Being treated like Andy’s kid sister was getting old. Except for that toe-curling kiss on the beach in the moonlight, he’d been behaving more like a big brother than a boyfriend, and she wanted him to get a little crazy. But eight days wasn’t that long. Not long enough, and he had family obligations.
    “What about your family?”
    “What about my family?” He squinted up at her.
    “Don’t they get to share what time you’ve got left?”
    “My parents left this morning on a cruise, and I’ve spent more time with my brothers and Kate in the last three weeks than I usually get to spend with them in a year.”
    Elena stretched out on her towel and studied the lean planes of Philip’s face. She reached out and touched the dimple that creased his right cheek.
    “I can’t believe your parents would take off on a cruise when you’ll be gone in another week.”
    “They’ll be back before my leave is up. This cruise was planned before Gran died. Mum and Dad had no idea I’d be home when they booked it, and there’s no way to get their money back. I told them to go. They needed the break after the last few weeks. Besides—” He leaned over and cupped her face with his free hand. “That leaves more time for you.” He touched her lips with his own, a brief teasing kiss. He trailed more kisses along her jaw to her ear, then returned to her mouth. She slid her tongue over his lower lip.
    With a groan, Philip let go of her face to draw her up against him as the kiss turned passionate. Here on the beach, in the middle of the afternoon, he would quickly come to his senses, but until that happened—
    She wound her foot behind his calf and pressed herself against his lean length. The awareness that he was aroused thrilled her. She arched into him to let him know she shared his desire. Their tongues tangled and waves of delicious sensation rolled over her, drowning out everything but Philip