Jen_C’s Reviews > Soldier Under the Mistletoe > Status Update

Wake up, honey." She smiled. Her dream guy was using endearments. Perfect. He brushed kisses over both her eyes. The scruff at his jaw caught in her hair, and his dream-hand smoothed it back. She couldn't help the tear that slipped from her closed lids and down her cheek. His thumb gently wiped it away. "Mal," he whispered again. "You're killing me.

"Maverick," she started. But he cupped her jaw with his big hand. He shifted slightly, and she turned toward him. His lips closed over hers. His kiss was sweet, gentle. Not lost in emotion, like the ones they'd shared in the barn. She opened to him, wanting him to know everything she felt for him. And he didn't push her away. If anything, he held her closer. Oh, Mav.

He'd obviously killed his sense of self-preservation somewhere during the two overseas deployments. Because she was even closer now than she'd been earlier. And he really wanted to kiss her. He couldn't, even though holding her this close made all the reasons why fuzzy and hard to remember. Cash. He bent his head... And at the last moment, moved to press his cheek to hers.

She intended to dazzle Maverick—Cash's best friend—so that he wouldn't be able to deny the chemistry between them. He'd been in denial since she was 15. He'd been 19 at the time, but 8 years was long enough. The time for distractions and denial was over. He was only in town for the night, attending the party at Cash's request. She had maybe 4 hours to get him to admit there was something between them.