Page 59 of The Commander

“Didn’t look like nothing.” He lifts his brow.

“The kid used to be in my platoon for a while,” I tell him. “He’s a bigmouthed sexist. Pisses me off.”

“Fair.”

Hayden lets it go, helping me with the rest of the weapons, and we make our way back. But as we start walking, he asks another question. “The brunette. You two know one another?”

Quinn has always attracted a lot of male attention. She’s beautiful no matter how much she tries to hide it. A natural beauty who doesn’t need makeup or flashy clothes to draw the eye.

“Yes, she was also under me.” Literally last night.

“Single?”

“Nope.”

It’s not a lie. Mark is going to get dumped, and I’m going to marry her.

“Figures.” Hayden sighs. “A woman like that could line us all up and take her pick.”

Jesus.

That picture does not sit well in my head, and the sooner I can get a ring on it, the fucking better.

For years I wasn’t sure if I was the sort of man who would ever get married. I guess I saw it happening one day but never gave it much thought. The military was my life, and I enjoyed serving my country and training other GIs who would soon step into my shoes.

Then Quinn walked into my life and shook it apart like a damn tornado. I haven’t been able to look away since. I chose her, and my heart thinks she did the same and just hasn’t come to terms with it.

Or if she ever will.

That’s the scary thing. If she walks away like my mom did and destroys me, I’ll end up some drunk bastard, angry with life like my father. I don’t want that. I want to think I’m not that guy, but I’ve tried dating other women. I’ve tried to imagine getting over Quinn and falling in love with someone else.

I’ve seen guys get divorced and find a new woman.

I know it’s possible.

But she is the one.

Maybe I am like my father. Maybe there was only ever one girl for both of us. Or perhaps there’s something wrong in our heads. Fuck knows...but all I know is there was a Before Quinn and an After Quinn.

I haven’t even fucked her yet.

You may not.

Yeah, that’s not happening.

“So, what’s the plan now that you’ve joined the team? You sticking around the training side of things or looking at the black ops?” I ask Hayden.

The rifles clink against one another as we walk, and I attempt to push thoughts of Quinn out of my head.

“I’m flexible, so I told Josh and Aidan I’d be happy to move around. I like variety,” Hayden shares.

“Good way to be. There’s a lot of growth happening in the company at the moment. A lot of good guys.”

“That’s what I heard.”

“So, what did you specialize in?”

He lets out a laugh. “That, my friend, is a conversation for when we have a beer in front of us.”