The Truth of the Body (Templer Series) (2 page)

I move in closer to him, sat squarely between his legs. He begins to shakily stroke my hair before running his fingers through the full length.
He repeats the action with a small groan parting his lips. “Your hair is really soft and really long.” He sighs.

He moves a hand to reach towards my neck so I lean in closer to enable him. He folds a hand around my throat and slides up towards my jaw, cupping it firmly in his fingers. With his other hand, he begins to trace the outline of my lips, thumbing the lower lip, parting them slightly, the tip of his thumb just breaking entry to my mouth. “Your mouth feels incredible…..it’s
full and….”

“Is this an
Art class or fucking seduction?” A booming voice from the corridor makes me spring apart from Aiden.  I jump to my feet as Alison and Major Grant enter the room. He has a thunderous scowl on his face aimed directly at me. Alison, however, is shaking her head a small smile playing on her lips.

“Amber…..Major Grant seems to think you are seducing the patients. I have tried to assure him that you were doing no such thing. I assume from his description of the scene he encountered that you were merely
performing a visualisation exercise?” She throws him a frustrated look before smiling again at me.

“Y-Yes, I was. I was helping Aiden…..Corporal Finch to visualise with his other senses.
There was….
is
no sexual connection to it! It is very useful for creating sculptures.” I glance between Major Grant and Alison. “But we are almost done for today. So I’m free to discuss my techniques with you if you are not happy.” I tilt a defiant chin towards the scowling Major.

He grunts loudly before swiftly turning on his feet marching off down the corridor. Alison releases a small laugh when she knows he is out of earshot. “Don’t worry about Major Grant, Amber.
He is not from the modern touchy feely school. He might be around thirty-ish, but I swear his head is from another generation! You are doing fine. The patients love you already.”

***

I stab my finger repeatedly at the elevator button. Despite Alison’s reassurances, I am unsettled that a
Commanding Officer may not approve of my being here with the patients. While I wait for the elevator to reach my floor, I rummage in my bag for my mobile. A call to the ever confident Mia will re-focus me. I hear the ping and enter without glancing up, walking into a solid wall of muscle, causing my body to buckle.

Looking up, preparing to make my apologies, I find piercing blue eyes burning intense in my face. A large hand wraps around my lower back to steady me. He holds me there tightly, pressed hard against his chest. I inhale his scent, musky and masculine sending heat coursing through my body.

“Watch yourself” He rumbles deep in his throat before releasing me abruptly. 

“I was
not paying attention. Sorry. Major Grant, I think you got the wrong idea today…..and I have to say…..”

“What?” He barks, interrupting me.

I feel my fists clench and my jaw tighten in frustration.  Anger spills from my mouth. “What have I done that makes you think it is okay to be so fucking rude?” I throw a scowl in his face. My eyes are wide in temper.

“You
have got a smart mouth on you, sweetness, I will give you that” He steps in a little closer, a smirk twitching at his lips.

“I am not sweetness!” I retort as the elevator comes to a halt.
I step out purposely marching out of the entrance and in the direction of my car. I am aware of him following closely behind me almost on my heels.  I grind to a stop, placing a hand on each hip. “Why are you following so close to me?”

“Because, sweetness, it
is late and dark in this fucking car park…..I’m seeing you safely to your car or the bus stop or wherever you are stomping off to!” He barks at me, his jaw and mouth tight.

I throw him another scowl increasing my pace to my car. He matches me stride for stride until my car becomes into view.
I pull on the drivers’ door, turning to face him, when suddenly his body is tight against mine. “What do you think…” I spit out at him.

Before I can finish the words, he reaches a hand to cup my jaw, running a singular finger along my bottom lip. He gently parts my lips with the tip of his thumb. His other hand runs through the length of my hair before slowly fisting and pulling my face upwards towards his. He breathes
hot against my neck as I feel a whimper escape from my mouth. He groans low in his throat. “Is this visualisation or seduction, sweetness? Because I sure don’t know the difference, do you?”

And as quickly, he releases me before walking away without a backwards glance. I lean against the car to steady myself. I squeeze my thighs together feeling the ache and wetness pulse at my sex.

Chapter Four

I feel the moistness of emotion fill my eyes. I have been working in the unit for two weeks now. Many of the patients are enjoying the sculpture sessions, but none more so than Aiden Finch. Yesterday, the medical team removed his bandages and for a few fleeting moments, he recalled seeing the beginnings of flashes of vision. His mood has lifted three-fold.

And now as tears prick at my eyes, we are both stood before his first ‘creation’. We have named it
Recovery
. It is a simple sculpture to the untrained critic, circular tubes interconnecting but with no definitive end…meaning recovery is on-going. Aiden saw flickers of it yesterday but again today, his vision has returned to blackness.

He sits back in his chair, folding his arms in contentment across his chest. As I walk around the sculpture
stroking the smooth lines, a watery smile plays on my lips. “Oh, Aiden. It is beautiful and it says exactly what you envisaged. Recovery.”

“Thanks Amber. It
is all down to you.” He bows his head shyly.

“No, this is all you, Aiden. And I do
not want to argue about it.” I playfully bat his shoulder.

“Amber? Have you heard about the concert tomorrow night?
For The British Forces Foundation?” He cocks his head.

“Yes, Dr Rowe told me about it. Sounds really cool. Isn’t
Sapphire performing? The guys will love it. She is so pretty.” I tease him.

“So are you, I hear. Actually I think he said something like…..
strikingly beautiful.” He beams the broadest smile.

“W-what? Who said that?” I poke him light-heartedly in the arm.

“Oh, only Major Logan Grant! He might be hard but he is not blind….excuse the pun!” He laughs, catching a snort in his throat.

“You
are teasing me. He would never say that, and why would he?”

“He did. I asked him
what you looked like. He grunted a bit. Then said you were a heart-breaker. Strikingly beautiful, and I should watch myself and think with my head and not my cock. Oh, sorry, Amber.” He bows his head shyly again.

“Let’s change the subject, shall we? So about this concert. Are you able to go?”
I’m suddenly angry at myself for being grateful that he is unaware of my flushed face.

“The charge nurse says I’m okay to go for an hour, but I mustn’t tire myself out. Amber…….I don’t suppose you would go with me?”

“Well, Corporal Finch, I would be honoured.” I squeeze his hand gently.

***

The British Forces Foundation ‘Royal Demand’ Show

The show, which follows on from the Junior Ranks Dinner, is taking place on the same day that Prince Charles is visiting the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The evening has got underway with a classy feel courtesy of operatic quartet Adore who are followed by the hilarious Boy with the Tape on his Face ably assisted by various unsuspecting members of the audience. The comedy continues with the legendary John Malone.

The climax of the show
will see Sapphire open her acoustic set with her global smash hit
Close to You
. But I notice that Aiden is starting to look weary. I pat his arm. “Come on you, time to return to the ward. You are exhausted.” I stand, reaching out my elbow for him to take, and we make our way slowly back to the ward.

As I begin to leave the unit, I notice a light is still on in Dr Rowe office. I tap the door gently. “Alison? Are you still working?”

She calls for me to enter. I push the door and come to an abrupt stop. Major Logan Grant is sat opposite her. “Oh, sorry. I just wanted to say hi.” I mumble. “I will catch you later.”

“Wait, Amber. We were discussing Corporal Finch
and how your input has helped him immensely. Please join us.” Alison beckons me into the room.

We chat for a few minutes about the early success of the sculpture
sessions. I am flushed with embarrassment and do everything possible to avoid the penetrating stare of the Major. He is looking directly at me, his intense blue eyes, burning through to my core. I need to make my excuses and get out of here.
How can one person cause such conflicting emotions at the same time….extreme sexual attraction and downright distaste?

“I’m happy to help. Oh, I really should be going….it
is getting late.” I make my way to the door.

“I
will walk you to your car, Miss Templer. It is late and dark.” Major Grant ushers me out, before gently holding my arm. He leads me along the corridor before I can get a chance to shake myself free.

“I do
not think that is a good idea, Major…..I want to go by myself. Thank you.” I pull my arm away forcefully, pushing the bottom on the elevator.

He remains still next to me. “I think I owe you an apology.”
He growls.

“Oh, you do? Yes, I would say so.
” I spit out at him.

The elevator doors slide open and he pushes me inside with a flat hand pressed against my lower back. He backs me into the corner, pinning me against the mirrored walls, placing a hand on either side of my head. He lowers his face close to mine. I can feel his breath on my cheek. “I’m sorry. I should
not have touched you like that in the car park. I was wrong. Foolishly trying to prove I was right.”

I tilt my chin up to return his look. I find myself nodding softly. “Accepted, Major Grant. Now can you step away, please? I feel…..feel…..uncomfortable” I can feel my teeth scrape against my bottom lip and my breath begin to quicken.

He stays still, a small groan almost inaudible escaping from his mouth. His chest rises and falls sharply causing his nostrils to flare out a twitch. I can smell his masculine scent, raw and erotic. I close my eyes for a brief second inhaling him in, drawing his intoxicating smell into my nostrils. I snap open my eyes to find his, hooded and drowsy with desire.

“Major…..” I pant, each breath taking me nearer to him.

“Christ, sweetness. You are bad news.” He groans, moving his face closer to mine until I feel his lips brush lightly against mine.

I need to taste him, just for this one time.
Just once. I respond instinctively nibbling gently on his bottom lip.

He groans loudly now, hungrily pressing his lips onto mine. He growls deep onto my lips and I feel the vibration of his words, sending heat surging through my body. My body arches towards him. My lips part against the increasing pressure of his tongue and suddenly he is inside of my mouth, tickling and dancing sensually. A groan escapes from my mouth, my tongue finding his. I suck the tip of his tongue. I feel his erection building hard against my thigh. I reach out for the nape of his neck, pulling him deeper into me. He presses his groin hard against me, rubbing his hard shaft across my sex.

The ping of the elevator springs u
s apart. We stare at each other, panting and breathless. He grabs my hand, pulling out into the corridor passed the amused faces of the waiting passengers. We stride through the car park. I am almost running to keep pace. I tug at his arm, trying to slow him.

“Major….stop! Where are we going?” I gasp trying to run and talk.

He slows, eventually stopping to face me. “Christ. You have got my head reeling. Where is your car?” He rubs a hand down his face.

I point across the lanes towards my car. We move swiftly, weaving in and out the lanes, until we reach my car. He pulls me into him tightly, hugging every last breath out of my lungs. He kisses me tenderly
, suddenly stepping away from me, still holding me at arms’ length.

“We should
not have kissed. I’m sorry.” He speaks abruptly, taking me by surprise.

“Why are you saying sorry? I kissed you back.” I
feel aware of the sudden tension in his body. “You seem almost angry?”

“Just leave it there, Amber. It w
ill not happen again.” His eyes are intense on my face.

I nod, confused. He seems to be battling with himself.

He bows his head, shaking it slowly. “This ends here, Amber. I return to Afghanistan soon and I will not have a woman waiting for me……because I might not come back. I will not do that to any woman. I do not do relationships for that very reason.”

He turns quickly
walking away without a backward glance, leaving me leaning against my car. He didn’t have time to see the tears start to sting in my eyes. One kiss was all it took.