Read Because of You: A Loveswept Contemporary Military Romance for Free Online Page B

the front of his line caught his attention just as she raised a needle over a soldier’s biceps. Shane’s skin prickled with recognition as pale green eyes looked right past him and back to the soldier she was about to inject.
    Holy. Shit.
    Jen St. James.
    * * *
    Jen bit her bottom lip as she reviewed the medical chart in front of her. She searched for composure as she swabbed the GI’s shoulder. When she’d been asked to fill in for another nurse that morning, she had known there was a distinct possibility that she would see Shane again, but she hadn’t really counted on it … Now he stood just two soldiers away from her and she had no idea what to do next.
    He was even more incredible in broad daylight, and that was saying a whole lot,because he’d been pretty damn impressive last night. His tan T-shirt stretched across his chest like a second skin, making his shoulders look wider than they had last night, and she could see the outline of his dog tags beneath it.
    Shane’s friend stepped right up, instantly recognizing her. “Hey, aren’t you Laura Davila’s friend from last night? I’ll have your child if you let me skip the smallpox vac,” Carponti begged. “I will make Shane send you pictures of his—”
    Suddenly Shane’s palm struck him on the back of the head and Carponti’s freckled face went from grinning to groaning. Carponti stumbled forward and nearly collided with Jen before he caught himself.
    Shane covered his mouth and coughed, and she couldn’t tell if he was laughing or horrified. “Sorry about Carponti, ma’am. We don’t let him out to play very often.”
    “That’s all right.” Jen held out her hand for Carponti’s ID card. “The animals have to be let out sometime,” she added, with a lightness she hadn’t felt a moment before.
    Shane leaned toward her and her breath caught in her throat, his familiar scent wrapped around her. She wanted to ask him what soap he used, because, damn, he smelled good. Then he spoke, his voice low in a conspiratorial whisper, and she forgot all about his smell when his voice reverberated off her skin. “If you could make this hurt a little extra, that would be great.”
    “I’m standing right here,” Carponti whined. “And just a reminder, I know where you’re going to be sleeping for the rest of the year.”
    Jen tried not to laugh at his antics while she quickly injected him with the vaccine and then covered the puncture with a bandage. “Keep it covered for the next ten days and don’t leave the bandage laying around.”
    “So putting it on Sarn’t G’s bunk is probably a bad idea?”
    “Um, yes.” She stamped Carponti’s record and handed it back to him. “Good luck this year.”
    “I don’t have to sign anything?” he asked, looking over at a soldier signing some orange form.
    “No. You’re just getting vaccinations. He probably needs an exam.” She paused. “Take care, okay?”
    Carponti moved off to the next station as Shane reluctantly stepped up to the medical station. She fought the tiny curl of her lips at seeing him again. It was a ridiculous reaction. But it felt good.
    “Hi,” he said, breaking the heavy silence between them.
    “Hi.” It was another moment before she held out her hand. “Do you have your records?”
    His jaw flexed. “No. The clinic lost them.”
    “Oh. I can pull them up here if you give me your ID card.” He handed it over and a moment later, Shane’s medical history flashed on the screen. “You missed your last exam. I can’t clear you until you have a periodic health assessment.”
    “Can’t you do that?” Shane said.
    She shot him a baleful look that said he should know better. “I can do the exam, but it has to be validated by a doctor. And no, you can’t skip your predeployment health screening. Unless you want me to get fired,” she added.
    “I’m healthy as an ox.” He stepped closer, so close she had to tip her head up to look at him. Last night, he’d dipped his