When his cell phone buzzed, he was barely able to fish it out of his pocket, his hands were shaking that hard. His breath caught when he glimpsed the private number, the foreign country code, and somehow he managed to lift the phone to his ear. To croak out a weak hello.

  And then he heard her voice.

  “Hey, it’s me. We made it back to the base.” She paused, and a rush of emotion echoed over the line. “I’m coming home.”

  9

  Adrenaline was a bitch. It kept Jen awake during the entire flight back to California, making her bounce in her seat, wring her hands together, tap her feet. But she wasn’t about to complain about the restless energy crackling through her. She’d survived a near-death experience, for Pete’s sake.

  She still couldn’t believe that the rescue team had found her and Jamie. Saved them. Brought them to safety. She knew many of the mara members had been killed, though. The survivors had been arrested, but one of the soldiers admitted they’d probably be back on the streets at some point. The prisons were too overcrowded, and lack of enforcement was the reason the gangs existed in the first place.

  It made her angry to think that the people who’d ambushed the convoy might be allowed to walk free, but she knew there was nothing she could do to change that. She had done something, though. Something important—she’d kept Jamie Holbrook alive, and that was something those bastard maras couldn’t ever take away from her.

  Jamie had been rushed to the military hospital on the base the moment they’d landed, and she’d been told he would be transported to Indiana once he was stabilized. Back to his family and Madeline. Jen hadn’t received any new updates on his condition, but the medic who’d met them at the chopper had told her that she’d “done good”.

  He wasn’t the only one who’d said it; today she’d received more praise than she’d ever gotten in her entire life. But she didn’t want pats on the back—she just wanted to go home.

  She’d almost died today, and the terrifying notion was causing her to wonder if maybe she wasn’t cut out for the dangerous assignments. Maybe she really was better off taking pictures of politicians and activists. And yet when she thought about the photographs she’d taken in Guera and San Cortés, a part of her still thought it might be worth the risk. She’d never forget all those starving people, the dilapidated buildings and dirty sewers and armed kids wearing gang colors and roaming the streets.

  If she didn’t show the world what was happening in places like that, who would?

  Ugh, there were too many muddled thoughts floating through her head at the moment. She pushed them all aside, focusing instead on Cash. Her family. Her friends. They must have been worried sick about her, and she was eager to see them.

  By the time the city skyline came into view, Jen was ready to parachute out of the plane, just so she could get off the damn thing. She impatiently drummed her fingers against the armrests, wondering if Cash would be waiting on the tarmac for her.

  Ten minutes later, she got her answer, because Cash’s face was the first one she saw when she got off the plane.

  He stood at the far edge of the runway, the early evening breeze plastering his black T-shirt to his muscled chest. Vivid blue eyes lit up at the sight of her. Jen was running toward him before she knew it, throwing herself into the powerful arms he held open for her.

  “Oh hell,” he choked out. “You’re here. You’re safe.”

  He pressed his lips to her neck as he spoke, nearly crushing her with the force of his grip, suffocating her as he tangled his fingers through her hair and pressed her head to his chest.

  But Jen didn’t mind. She didn’t need air or room. She just needed Cash.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” he said urgently, his trembling hands touching her face and running along her bare arms as if assessing her for injury.

  She’d taken a shower at the base in Honduras because she hadn’t wanted him to see all the blood and freak out, but she still smelled copper every time she inhaled. “I’m fine,” she assured him, but sadness took root when she remembered the men and women who’d died earlier today, and when she thought about Jamie recovering in a hospital somewhere.

  “I was so scared I was going to lose you,” he mumbled.

  His lips found hers then. He kissed the breath right out of her lungs. Desperate, passionate, his mouth a tight seal over hers.

  She kissed him back, oblivious to their surroundings and the people moving all around them. Their tongues tangled and she drank up the taste of him, breathed in the familiar scent of spice and man that flooded her nostrils and replaced the awful scent of blood.

  “I’m sorry I made you worry,” she whispered.

  “I’m sorry I acted like a caveman,” he whispered back. “I love you. So much it hurts. I just didn’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

  “I know.” Her throat closed up. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you either.”

  “But I’m the alpha asshole, right? I’m allowed to risk my life, but you’re not allowed to risk yours.” Regret flickered in his eyes. “I treated you like you were a fragile little kid, and that wasn’t fair. I know you’re not fragile. You’re strong, Jen. So fucking strong.” He kissed her again, just the fleeting trace of his lips. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

  She stroked the stubble on his jaw, locking her gaze with his. “You didn’t. I’m okay. We’re okay.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then reached for his hand. “Come on, cowboy. Let’s go home.”

  They didn’t make it back to the apartment right away, but Cash hadn’t expected them to. Carson and Holly had wanted to see Jen, and then they’d sped over to her parents’ house so Laura and Gary could hug the living daylights out of her. The admiral had been in honest-to-God tears, which was a shocking sight, and yet it made total sense. Jen was the bright light in everyone’s lives, and even Gary Scott hadn’t been able to control his emotions when he’d seen her walk through the front door.

  And now they were walking through their own front door, finally alone, and Cash didn’t waste a second drawing her into his arms.

  He couldn’t stop touching her. Kissing her. Stroking her hair and caressing her body. It was like he needed to prove to himself that she was here. That she was real.

  His desperate need for physical proof didn’t go unnoticed—Jen was laughing as his lips brushed her cheek for the hundredth time in the past hour. “I’m not going to disappear if you let me out of your sight.”

  “Promise?” he said roughly.

  “Promise.” She reached into her purse to check her phone. The marine captain in Honduras had called her with an update on Jamie Holbrook right after they’d left Del Mar, and Cash knew she was desperate for more news.

  It looked like Holbrook was going to make it, and damned if that didn’t make his chest swell with pride. “You saved a man’s life,” Cash said softly.

  She smiled. “I did, didn’t I?”

  “Watch out,” he teased. “You know your mom is going to try to lure you into nursing again.”

  “God, I know. But trust me, I’ve seen enough blood to last a lifetime.”

  He swept his thumb over her full bottom lip, savoring the feel of the velvety smooth softness on his callused skin. “So,” he started, his tone sheepish, “would it be totally inappropriate if I tell you how much I want to be inside you right now?”

  Those sexy lips curved beneath his touch. “Probably. I mean, I just went through a major ordeal. You’re supposed to be waiting on me hand and foot. You know, making me soup and rubbing my shoulders.”

  He grinned. “Do you want soup?”

  “Hell no. I want you inside me, you idiot.”

  With a laugh, he scooped her into his arms, and she squealed in delight as he marched with single-minded purpose toward their bedroom. He had her on her back in two seconds flat, hurriedly tugging at her clothing, and she was equally committed to getting him naked. She fumbled with his belt, shoving his pants down his hips as her hand impatiently circled his rapidly hardening dick.

  “I need you.” Her breathless voice heated his pecs, and when he didn’t move as fast as she wanted, she pushed his chest to roll him onto his back.

  Cash growled when she straddled his body and impaled herself on his cock. Red-hot pleasure seared through him, making him mindless with need. He gripped her hips and gave a hard upward thrust, and Jen’s answering moan vibrated in his blood. Lord, he loved this woman with a fierceness that scared him.

  As her pussy clutched him like a tight glove, he lost himself in the incredible sensations. “Love you so much,” he mumbled, threading his fingers in her hair to bring her mouth down to his.

  Her tongue slipped through his lips and teased him to a whole new level of turned on. Her full breasts pressed into his chest as she lay on top of him, letting him take control. Slow. He should go slow. But his hips had a mind of their own, shooting up in a fervent rhythm, driving his cock deep into Jen’s hot core with desperate thrusts.

  “Oh God.” A shudder rolled through her body and then her pussy spasmed around him, milking him so hard his release broke the surface and crashed over him in pulsing waves.

  He kissed her bare shoulder as his cock jerked inside her. “Fucking hell,” he cursed. “You rip me apart, baby.”

  “Is that a good thing?” Her muffled voice tickled his neck.

  “Definitely a good thing.” When she tried to climb off him, he tightened his grip around her, keeping her trapped against his body. “No,” he mumbled. “You’re not allowed to move yet. Let’s just lie here for a little while longer.”

  “How much longer?” Her head tipped up and she flashed a teasing smile.

  He held her even closer, sweeping his palms up and down her spine. He was still buried inside her, hard as a rock, but the urgency had dissolved into a sense of sweet contentedness. “I don’t know. Forever, maybe?”

  She nestled her cheek in the crook of his neck. “Sounds good to me.”

  Somehow they left the bedroom, but only because Jen’s growling stomach triggered Cash’s protective caveman instincts. She could practically see his brain grunting orders to him. Woman hungry. Man feed woman.

  They didn’t bother getting dressed, though. She had a feeling they were going to be naked for the next three days straight. Cash’s CO had granted him leave, and she had to admit she was looking forward to spending a few uninterrupted days with him.

  She admired his bare butt as he poked his head into the fridge to scrounge up something to eat. He had the sexiest ass on the planet, firm and taut and deliciously pinchable.

  “So what are we looking at here?” she asked, propping her own bare butt on the counter. “Grilled cheese again?”

  Cash slowly turned to face her.

  She blinked when she noticed the velvet jewelry box in his hand.

  Her pulse promptly sped up. “Wait—was that in the refrigerator?” she demanded, battling a rush of confusion.

  He gave a crooked grin. “No, I grabbed it from my pocket before we left the bedroom.”

  “Oh.” Her throat dipped as she swallowed. “What is it?”

  He crossed the tiled floor and gently placed the box in her palm. “It’s everything,” he said simply. “My love. My trust. My heart. My fucking soul.” His voice cracked. “Everything.”

  Jen could scarcely breathe as she gazed at the box. The moment she opened it, a gasp caught in her throat. The most beautiful ring she’d ever seen sat in the velvet bed, glinting in the moonlight streaming in from the window over the sink. The band was silver, plain and unadorned, but it was the brilliant yellow diamond that brought tears to her eyes.

  “The man at the store asked me to describe you in one word,” Cash said gruffly.

  “What did you tell him?” It was hard to take her eyes off the ring, but she forced herself to look at Cash.

  An adorable smile tugged on his lips. “Sunshine,” he confessed. “I said you were sunshine.”

  That was all it took for the tears to spill over. They streamed down her cheeks as she stared, mesmerized, at the emotion shining in his eyes.

  “You’re the ray of sunlight in my life, baby. It was only fitting that I put sunshine on your finger.” Hesitation creased his face. “Unless…I mean, unless you don’t want it.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Are you kidding me? It’s perfect, Cash. It’s so perfect.”

  He stroked the edge of her jaw. “I was a jerk before you left, but I need you to know that I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ordered you around, and I definitely shouldn’t have gone behind your back to talk to your father. It was unfair and presumptuous, and I promise I won’t do anything like that ever again.”

  “I’m sorry, too. I should have let you voice your opinion without biting your head off. This relationship…it needs to be a partnership.” She swallowed a lump of shame. “I did what I wanted without thinking about how it would affect you. Next time—if there is a next time—I promise to sit down and talk to you about it. Really talk about it, and not just announce that I’m doing it.”

  He nodded ruefully. “I guess both of us could have handled the situation better.”

  “Yeah, but we learned from it. And now we know what not to do.” Her gaze lowered to the beautiful yellow diamond. “So are you going to ask me, or what?”

  His expression was the epitome of innocence. “Ask you what?”

  “Don’t you dare play coy with me, cowboy. You can’t just put a box in my hand without—”

  “Will you marry me?” he interrupted.

  She narrowed her eyes. “What, you’re not even going to get on your—”

  He was on his knees in the blink of an eye, peering up at her with pure adoration. “Jennifer Lauren Scott, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  A broad smile stretched across her face. “Yes.”

  With a smile of his own, he rose to his feet and drew the ring from its resting spot. Jen’s heart lodged in her throat as he slowly pushed the band on her fourth finger, his grin widening when he saw the results.

  “You’re right. It’s perfect,” he announced. “I did real fucking good.”

  His arrogant tone made her laugh, but she couldn’t deny that he’d picked the absolute best engagement ring for her. “You really did.” She slid off the counter, holding out her hand to admire the ring. “I need to take a picture and send it to my mom. She’s going to freak—”

  Cash tugged her backward when she tried to take a step, his warm lips planting a tender kiss on the nape of her neck. “The picture can wait. We still need to celebrate.”

  “Right.” She twisted her head to grin at him. “So…grilled cheese?”

  He pulled her naked body flush to his, kissing a path from her neck to her mouth. “That can wait, too.” And then those talented lips found hers, and nothing existed in her world but this, but him.

  Because Cash McCoy was all that mattered.

  * * *

  The End

  * * *

  Want to see how Cash and Jen fell in love? Download your FREE copy of Feeling Hot today!

  Other Titles by Elle Kennedy

  If you enjoyed Hot Zone, make sure to pick up the other titles in the Out of Uniform series:

  Hot & Bothered (Book 1)

  Hot & Heavy (Book 2)

  Feeling Hot (Book 3)

  Getting Hotter (Book 4)

  Hotter Than Ever (Book 5)

  A Little Bit of Hot (Book 5.5) - FREE short story!

  As Hot As It Gets (Book 6)

  * * *

  For other retailer links and information about print or audio versions of these titles, visit the series pages on my website.

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  You can also join my Facebook group Everything Elle Kennedy to discuss books with other readers, and take part in all sorts of giveaways!

  For all the m/m fans out there, check out the RITA-award-winning book HIM and its sequel US, my New Adult hockey romances co-written with the fabulous Sarina Bowen.

  * * *

  Love New Adult and hockey? Then you’re totally going to want to check out the bestselling Off-Campus series, which consists of The Deal, The Mistake, The Score, and The Goal.

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  Or try the Off-Campus spin off series: Briar U. The series includes The Chase, and The Risk (releasing February 2019).

  If you’re interested in my erotic romance and/or romantic suspense titles, you can also check out these bestselling series:

  Killer Instincts

  Outlaws

  After Hours

  DreamMakers (with Vivian Arend)

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  More titles also available on my website.

  About the Author

  A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

  Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website www.ellekennedy.com or sign up for her newsletter to receive updates about upcoming books and exclusive excerpts. You can also find her on Facebook (ElleKennedyAuthor), Twitter (@ElleKennedy), or Instagram (@ElleKennedy33).

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.