Page 2 of The Commander

He never blinked.

He never said a word.

But I knew.

As my body shuddered in reaction to his proximity, I felt his invisible response as if he’d lifted me over his shoulder, carried me back to his barracks and fucked me like I could only imagine he was capable of.

That didn’t happen.

He took a step away as if I was nobody.

Good.

But I wasn’t the only one who noticed the chemistry between us. Neither Captain Jenkins nor I acted on our attraction, but my male nemeses decided that I must be using my female wiles to get promoted.

The jerks.

My father didn’t want me to join the Army, and from day one, I was questioned by my peers. Not all, but enough of them that I decided very early on to never, ever, ever sleep with a man in uniform.

Which, of course, meant my commanding officer was off limits.

The US Army prohibits relationships between different grade ranks if they compromise authority, so it wasn’t like we had a choice, anyway. Sure, people get around it—they fall in love, get married and have families.

That wasn’t the case for me.

If I were to prove myself, I had to be serious and ensure no one ever questioned how I’d gotten my rank.

Especially my father.

“Quinn, your father is going to be disappointed.”

My shoulders tense as they always do when it comes to him.

“Why? I told you I didn’t have confirmation of my leave yet. I will try, okay? Sorry. I forgot to put in for the leave, and now I’ll probably have to work.”

I didn’t forget.

Growing up as an Army brat is one thing, but when you enlist without the blessing of your father, and he’s the Colonel, life is going to be uncomfortable.

That’s an understatement.

It’s a day I will remember for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t say I was close to my father. He had moved us from base to base and been stationed overseas a lot while I grew up. I had a decent but distant relationship with him.

Honestly, if I’d left home and chosen another career, I probably wouldn’t think about it all that much. He is who he is, and I respect that he served the United States of America.

But that’s not what happened.

“What? You are NOT joining the military, Quinn Parker.” My father leaped to his feet when I announced it.

“I am and I have.” I crossed my arms. “You don’t get to decide this for me.”

His face had turned red, and it was the first time in my life I’d seen this man realize he had no control over me.

He’d been a strict father.

When he was home.

Mom wasn’t, and so when he came home, the entire household had to adjust to his controlling nature. I love my dad, but honestly, I was happier when he wasn’t home.