One Night with a Hero Read Free Page A

meals outside that weren’t as nice as this. I think it’s the company more than the location.” He popped open a bag of chips and extended it toward her.
    She reached in and retrieved a handful, not sure why she’d accepted when she was getting so full. Because you can’t say no to him, especially when he’s being all…cute and…charming. You. Are. In. So. Much. Trouble. “Thanks,” she said. Caught in a moment of awkwardness, Joss sipped at her water. “So, uh…” She scrambled for a topic. “Do you run a lot?”
    He shrugged. “Most days.”
    That sure explained his body, which radiated power and leashed strength even as he relaxed next to her. “I really suck at running.”
    Brady gave her the closest thing to a full smile she’d seen. And damn if it wasn’t endearing, especially with the way his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Why do you say that?”
    “Because I do. I feel like I’m dying after about five minutes. I don’t know how you do it.”
    He wiped his mouth with the napkin, then stuffed it in the bag with the rest of his trash. “I thought I was in shape when I entered basic training. First PT run—what you just said? That was exactly how I felt. I think I only got through it because my buddy hauled my ass the last mile. That and my drill sergeant might’ve been the devil.”
    She chuckled, getting reeled in a little bit more by his self-deprecation when undoubtedly he no longer had that problem. And probably never did. “Nothing like the devil to make you haul ass, huh?”
    “That’s the damn truth. So, are you sated yet?”
    “What?”
    He quirked a crooked grin. “All done?”
    He pointed to the spread in front of them, but Joss had enough experience to recognize a smooth talker when she saw one. “You playing with me?”
    “No, ma’am.” He nailed her with a serious expression. “Not yet.”
    Heat roared over her cheeks. How he managed to infuse that military politeness she loved into something so laden with innuendo she had no idea. But the tingles skittering over her skin sure meant she liked it. She chuffed out a laugh. “Bad, bad news,” she muttered.
    “What’s that?”
    “Nothing you need to know, sailor boy.” She looked at him from under her lashes to make sure he knew she was just riding him. Her hands fumbled the trash she was gathering as an arresting image gripped her—her, riding him , as in… Geez, Joss. There will be no riding. Get. A. Grip .
    Why not? an insidious little voice whispered.
    She released a shaky breath and busied her hands with the trash. “I am done. Thanks a lot for bringing all this. Can I give you some money for it?”
    “Not a chance. You provided the blanket. I provided the food. We’re square.” He pushed the leftover food to the side and collected the trash. “Be right back.”
    It was damn near impossible to drag her gaze away from his ass as he maneuvered between the blankets and chairs to the trash can, but she needed to do something before he returned. She grabbed her phone and sent her best friend a text message.
    Met someone named Brady at fireworks. Just talking. But if you don’t hear from me by midnight have the police look for my body parts at Founders Park. :P
    Brady settled down beside her.
    She dropped her phone into her lap. “So, how long are you stationed in the area?”
    He braced his forearms on his knees. “Two years, give or take. Working for the Army Staff at the Pentagon.”
    “Oh, that sounds interesting. And where were you before here?” Her phoned beeped.
    “Stationed out of Okinawa, but lots of places from there.”
    “You could tell me but then you’d have to kill me?”
    He smirked. “Something like that.”
    “How long have you been in?”
    “A little over five years.” He fingered a design in the condensation on his bottle of water. “What do you do?”
    Her phone beeped again. “I help run a community center for disadvantaged kids.”
    “Yeah? Working with kids, that’s…really