JUST ONE NIGHT
Military Romance novella from
NY Times and USA Today Bestseller
Caridad Pineiro
He has just one night to prove to her that anything is possible . . .
Jason Hart, Jase to his friends, has just graduated college and earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. It's the night of the graduation party and she'll be there. His best friend's slightly older sister, Nickie. Nickie is the only woman he's really wanted for a long time. He has just one night to make it happen.
She has just one night before the man of her dreams leaves, maybe forever, but can she find the courage to take a chance . . .
Nicole de Salvo has been in love – and lust – for her little brother’s best friend for years. For years she’s watched from afar and done nothing about her attraction for Jason Hart only now their time together is almost at an end. On their last night together will she find the courage to do something about her feelings, or will she live with regret for the rest of her life?
Chapter 1
Nicole de Salvo stared out the train window as every passing mile brought her closer to home . . . and to him.
It had been a hectic day with a dash down to the Philadelphia area for her brother's and Jase's graduation and then a rushed trip back to New York City for an interview for a position she wanted for her summer break from medical school. An interview that couldn't be rescheduled no matter what.
The nearly two hour train ride down to her family's home on the Jersey Shore was long, but at least it would give her a moment to catch her breath and prepare for seeing him again.
For seeing Jase, possibly for the last time.
He had looked amazing that morning in his dress uniform, sword at his side and his second lieutenant's bars gleaming in the morning sun. The deep blue of the uniform had made his green eyes seem aqua, like the ocean bathed with brilliant light. Tall and imposing, he had looked every inch an officer and a warrior until he had fixed his gaze on her and offered up the wicked little boy grin that did all kinds of things to her insides.
She pressed a hand to her stomach to quiet the nervous flutters as she thought about seeing him again once she arrived at home, where her younger brother Tommy's graduation party would be in full swing. It had been tough enough seeing Jase that morning, knowing that with every minute that passed their time together was fading away.
This night at the party and knowing it would be the last one they'd share was going to be one of the hardest things she ever did.
Driving that thought from her mind, she glanced out the train windows and caught glimpses of the shoreline and ocean visible from the North Jersey Coast line.
They'd all spent so much time in those waters, her, Tommy, and his best friend Jason. Jase to his friends.
She was a friend, kind of. After all, they'd grown up together and had spent many a lazy summer along the shore. But as they'd gotten older, something had changed.
The typical teasing between kids, between her and Jase, had become more flirty. Definitely full of subtle sexiness. Or at least, it had gotten that way on his part.
She hadn't known how to handle it when an eighteen year old Jase had settled that green-eyed gaze on her, flashed her a not-so-innocent dimpled grin, and heat had ignited inside her. Four years later, she still didn't know how to handle him.
He was like a little brother to her, although the annoying voice in her head shouted a big, “Hell to the no” and reminded her that they were only two years apart in age.
Reluctantly she admitted to herself that Jase was definitely not like a little brother. Not since she'd come to understand that the weird little tingle she got whenever she saw him or talked to him meant that there was way more to her feelings for him.
More that she had yet to explore, only time was running out for them.
As the train chugged along on her way home, she dragged up the memory of what he'd looked like as he'd sauntered up to her this morning after graduation, looking every inch the hero. His swimmer’s shoulders looking even broader in his uniform. His green eyes bright and warming as they settled on her. His smile had been inviting as he'd leaned in and kissed her. Chastely, but she'd wanted to linger and have it be more. She had wanted to savor those amazing lips before she had reined herself in. She reminded herself that she never would give in to that desire because she was too sensible and responsible and downright boring.
She closed her eyes to hold in the memories. Allowed herself to imagine what it might be like to be with Jase. To let go and explore the temptation.
In her mind's eye, she pulled his white dress hat off his head and tossed it to the side. Skimmed her fingers through the buzz cut sandy-colored hair at the sides of his head and the longer strands up top before cradling his head and drawing him near for a not so simple kiss.
She covered his mouth with hers and pulled at his bottom lip with her teeth, urging him to open for her. When he did, she dipped her tongue in and tasted him. Trailed her tongue all around and nipped at the fullness of his lips with her teeth.
His strong hands were at her waist, holding her close. Possessively hard and yet gentle as he dragged her closer, but she shifted away because she wanted more than just his kiss.
She trailed her hands down to his shoulders and then lower to his lean waist and the shiny brass buckle with the Marine insignia. As she undid the buckle and loosened his white belt, he snared his sword as the belt started to drop, and gently laid them both on the ground.
“Are you sure about this?” her dream Jase asked as he rose to stand before her again.
“Oh, yeah, I'm sure,” her imaginary self answered because her real self lacked the courage to take a chance with Jase.
He helped her open the brass buttons down the front of his dress blues, and in her fantasy, his chest was bare beneath the wool fabric.
His skin was a luscious honey gold thanks to his end-of-summer tan. He got that smooth golden color from being a lifeguard on the beach to earn money for college and other necessities.
How many times had she snuck a peek at him up in the stand as she'd sat under her umbrella, reading her latest romance novel?
Not that you needed a sexy fictional alpha hero when you had your own just feet away if only you'd do something about it, the little voice in her head had screamed more than once during those long lazy summers.
She forced away the annoying voice and resumed her fantasy, running her hands down across the chiseled muscles of that tanned chest. His skin was sun-kissed warm and slightly damp. She needed a taste and leaned forward, licked from the center of his chest to the hard masculine nipple that she sucked, earning a soft moan from him. He tasted salty like the ocean.
She smiled and moved her hands down toward his waistband, and he helped her by undoing his pants and letting them drop.
He had gone commando (this was her fantasy after all) and his cock was rock hard. Long, thick, and smooth beneath her hand as she encircled him.
He groaned and his eyes fluttered close as he said, “I like that, Nickie.”
***
Copyright Notice
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 Caridad Piñeiro Scordato
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of Caridad Piñeiro Scordato.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
NY Times and USA Today Bestseller Caridad Pineiro is a Jersey Girl who just wants to write, travel, and spend more time with family and friends. Caridad is the author of nearly 50 novels/novellas and loves romance novels, super heroes, TV and cooking. Caridad writes dark and sexy romantic suspense, erotic military romance, and paranormal romances for those who live to love on the edge. Her sweet, but still naughty side, Charity Pineiro, writes contemporary romances packed with emotion and humor. For more information on Caridad/Charity, please visit http://www.caridad.comor http://www.rebornvampirenovels.com. You can also find Caridad/Charity on:
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Additional Books by the Author
Additional Books by the Author Writing as Caridad Pineiro
Novellas in the Take a Chance Military Romance Series
ONE NIGHT OF PLEASURE, March 2015
STAY THE NIGHT, December 2014
TAKE A CHANCE Box set, November 2014
ONE LAST NIGHT, October 2014
ONE SPECIAL NIGHT, August 2014
JUST ONE NIGHT, June 2014
Books in The Gambling for Love Romantic Suspense Series
THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE November 2012 ISBN 9781622668007 Entangled Publishing
TO CATCH A PRINCESS August 2013 ISBN 9781622661329 Entangled Publishing
Books in The Sin Hunter Paranormal Romance Series
THE CLAIMED May 2012 ISBN 978-0446584609 Forever Grand Central Publishing
THE LOST August 2011 ISBN 978-0446584616 Forever Grand Central Publishing
STRONGER THAN SIN November 2010 ISBN 0446543845 Forever Grand Central Publishing
SINS OF THE FLESH November 2009 ISBN 0446543837 Forever Grand Central Publishing
Other Novels by Caridad
THE FIFTH KINDOM July 2011 ISBN 9781426891885 Carina Press
SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD Dec 2008 ISBN 0373276109 Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Novellas
GHOST OF A CHANCE, paranormal short story November 2012 ISBN B00AUGV89G
HER VAMPIRE LOVER October 2012 ISBN 9781459242289 Nocturne Cravings Novella
NIGHT OF THE COUGAR June 2012 ISBN 9781459231153 Nocturne Cravings Novella
THE VAMPIRE’S CONSORT April 2012 ISBN 9781459222731 Harlequin Nocturne Cravings Novella
NOCTURNAL WHISPERS February 2012 ISBN 9781459221437 Harlequin Nocturne Cravings Novella
AMAZON AWAKENING December 2011 ISBN 9781459282766 Available Harlequin Nocturne Cravings Novella
WHEN HERALD ANGELS SING novella in A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS October 2011 ISBN 0373776446 HQN
AZTEC GOLD January 2011 ISBN 9781426891045 Carina Press Novella
Crazy for the Cat in MOON FEVER Oct 2007 ISBN 1416514902 Pocket Books
Books in THE CALLING/THE REBORN Vampire Novel Series
VAMPIRE REBORN, April 2014
DIE FOR LOVE, December 2013, Entangled Publishing
BORN TO LOVE, November 2013, ISBN 9781622663705 Entangled Publishing
TO LOVE OR SERVE, October 2013, ISBN 9781622663477 Entangled Publishing
FOR LOVE OR VENGEANCE, September 2013, ISBN 9781622662937 Entangled Publishing
KISSED BY A VAMPIRE (formerly ARDOR CALLS) October 2012 ISBN 9780373885589 Harlequin Nocturne
AWAKENING THE BEAST Collection featuring HONOR CALLS October 2009 ISBN 0373250940 Silhouette Nocturne
FURY CALLS March 2009 ISBN 0373618077 Silhouette Nocturne
HONOR CALLS February 2009 ISBN 9781426828362 Nocturne Bite
HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE December 2007 ISBN 0373617763 Silhouette Nocturne
THE CALLING COMPLETE COLLECTION October 2008 ISBN 9781426807657 Silhouette Includes Darkness Calls, Danger Calls, Temptation Calls, Death Calls, Devotion Calls, and Blood Calls–as well as the online read Desire Calls.
BLOOD CALLS May 2007 ISBN 0373617631 Silhouette Nocturne
DEVOTION CALLS January 2007 ISBN 0373617550 Silhouette Nocturne
DEATH CALLS Dec 2006 ISBN 0373617534 Silhouette Nocturne
TEMPTATION CALLS Oct 2005 ISBN 0373274602 Silhouette Intimate Moments
DANGER CALLS June 2005 ISBN 0373274416 Silhouette Intimate Moments
DARKNESS CALLS Mar 2004 ISBN 0373273533 Silhouette Intimate Moments
Romantic Suspense Series
SECRET AGENT REUNION Aug 2007 ISBN 0373275463 Silhouette Romantic Suspense
MORE THAN A MISSION Aug 2006 ISBN 037327498X Silhouette Intimate Moments
Additional Books by the Author Writing as Charity Pineiro
NOW AND ALWAYS June 2013 ISBN 1490362770
FAITH IN YOU July 2013 ISBN 1490412697
TORI GOT LUCKY December 2013
THE PERFECT MIX March 2013
TO CATCH HER MAN April 2014
SECOND CHANCE AT PERFECT October 2015