The Soldier Next Door: A Forbidden Romance Read online

  The Soldier Next Door

  A Forbidden Romance

  Cassandra Dee

  Copyright © 2020 by Cassandra Dee

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

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  To all the girls who send care packages with naughty gifts inside.

  This one’s for you!

  Also By Cassandra Dee and Friends

  The Forbidden Fun Series

  My Sister’s Husband

  My Mom’s Husband

  My Best Friend’s Dad

  My Son’s Girlfriend

  My Mom’s Fiancé

  My Neighbor’s Husband

  My Best Friend’s Husband

  My Brother’s Teammates

  My Fiancé’s Twin Brothers

  The Neighbor Next Door

  My Dad’s College Friends

  My Bully’s Dad

  My Sister’s Boyfriend

  The Billionaire’s Pet

  The Soldier Next Door

  My Boss’s Father

  The Falling Series

  Falling for My Dad’s Best Friend

  Falling for My Boyfriend’s Dad

  Falling for My Son’s Best Friend

  Falling for My Beautiful Ward

  Falling for My Enemy

  The Double Series

  Double Dare

  Double Exposure

  Double Love

  Double Desire

  Double Trouble

  Double Candy Canes

  The Dirty Series

  The Dirty Hotel King

  My Friend’s Dirty Uncle

  My Dirty Professor

  The Dirty Headmaster

  Sold to Him

  His Filthy Game

  The Dirty Set-Up

  The Billionaires Club

  Sold at the Auction

  Serving Him

  Buy Me

  Virgin for Sale

  Anonymous Encounters

  The #BABYCRAZY Series

  #BABYMACHINE

  #BABYMAKER

  #BABYFEVER

  #BABYCRAZY

  In Love with Menage

  All the Best Men

  Their Secret

  It’s a Deal

  Just One Night

  Just One Night, Vol 1

  Just One Night, Vol 2

  Just One Night, Vol 3

  Just One Night, Vol 4

  The Manning Brothers

  Just One More

  Just One Inch

  Just Two Much

  Just The Tip

  The Dial-A-Date Series

  The President My Lover

  Client No. 6

  Bad Cop

  Reverse Harem

  Seven Brothers of Sin

  Six Ways to Sin

  Three Rockstars of Sin

  Shared

  Shared, Vol. 1

  Shared, Vol. 2

  Shared, Vol. 3

  Shared, Vol. 4

  The Claiming Her Series

  Claiming Her In The Ring

  Claiming Her In The Pool

  Claiming Her At The Bar

  Claiming Her As A Daddy

  Claiming Her In the Forest

  The Boss Series

  My Boyfriend’s Boss

  Pregnant by My Boss

  Pregnant by the CEO

  The His Series

  His Captive

  His Woman

  His Love

  His Christmas Gift

  Daddy Academy

  Daddy Academy

  Standalones

  Don’t Fall For Me

  Tie Me Up Daddy

  Paying My Boyfriend’s Debt

  Beg Me

  Prison Fling

  Cocky AF

  Iron Soldier

  Buck Me Cowboy

  Small Town Secrets

  The President and the Starlet

  His Baby

  Buying a Bride

  The Billionaire’s Kitten

  Closer

  Loving the Babysitter

  Daddy’s Rich Enemy

  Daddy’s Pretty Baby

  Contents

  About This Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek: The Billionaire’s Pet

  Sneak Peek: My Sister’s Boyfriend

  About the Author

  About This Book

  I’m sending the soldier a care package with naughty snaps of me inside.

  * * *

  Susie has a huge crush on her neighbor, the handsome Brady Firestone. The veteran is everything a woman might ask for: hardened and muscular with heavy tats and a charming smile. She wants him, except she’s too young and innocent for the soldier.

  * * *

  Brady’s attracted to the teen girl next door, but it’s wrong because she’s still in high school. Then, a care package arrives when he’s deployed. It’s from his neighbor, and filled with naughty photos of the sassy woman. Suddenly, it’s obvious that Susie’s not too young at all … and Brady’s determined to claim those lush curves for himself.

  * * *

  Hey Readers - Susie and Brady tear up the sheets in this steamy story of a feisty girl who’s out to tantalize her man. Let’s just say that Brady Firestone is a soldier who can’t get back State-side soon enough. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and always an HEA for my readers. You’ll love the story, I promise! Xoxo, Cassandra

  1

  Susie

  * * *

  “Ugh!” I shriek, throwing my phone down on the bed. I roll over, frustrated that my best friend Marcella isn’t answering the phone. I stare at the fan on my ceiling and watch it go around and around.

  It’s another boring Saturday in Remford, Iowa, a small, suburban town about a half hour outside of Des Moines. I live in a well-to-do, quiet neighborhood. Everyone has white picket fences, neatly manicured lawns, and everyone knows everyone. All of my neighbors are generally older, except for my new neighbor.

  I haven’t met him yet, but my parents did a couple of weeks ago and said he was a nice and charming man. He recently served in one of the armed forces and moved into the house next door to start a quiet life. Hmm. Interesting. I wonder if he’s Army, Navy or Air Force? I’ve always had a thing for military men.

  But that’s neither here nor there, because maybe our new neighbor is married with five kids. Veterans do tend to start families quite young after all, although come to think of it, I haven’t heard the sounds of any children.

  I put it out of my mind and let out a big yawn before stretching my arms over my head. My parents are away for the afternoon, gambling at a nearby Indian casino. My dad is a bank teller and my mom volunteers at the library a few times a week. They’re older, in their fifties, and they’re gone a lot. I don’t have any siblings so it’s me by myself at home most of the time.

  I blow out a puff of air in exasperation. When Marcella doesn’t answer the phone that means I have nothin
g to do. She is my best friend and has been since we were both freshmen at Remford High. We do everything together like cheer, student council and Junior League. We just finished our junior years and she decided to get a job for the summer, making her super unavailable for me. How annoying.

  I even thought about working at the same place that she does just so we could spend some more time together, but Marcella always seems so busy these days. As a result, I’m glad I didn’t apply. I just try to catch her on her days off instead.

  I roll over on to my stomach and look out the window. The sun is shining bright outside and the blue sky is calling my name. I sit here, thinking of my options. Go outside or stay in?

  I decide to read one of the books my mom brought home from the library. She picked up the newest romance novel by my favorite author, Jillian Amada. I like reading and since I’m home alone a lot, books sometimes are my only company. I get lost in the characters’ lives and their love for one another. I admire how the characters fall in love slowly yet have an irresistible lust for one another. Every time I read one of Ms. Amada’s books, I picture myself as the heroine, being swept up by a handsome knight in shining armor.

  It’s silly, I know, but it’s the closest thing I have to a real romance. Might as well give it a read. I slide off my bed and wander over to my desk to pick up her newest release, which I’ve been eyeing for a while. This one has a shirtless, sweaty cowboy on the cover, and my mouth goes dry as I study his abs. They’re bronze and as hard as rock. I’d love to run my fingers over them in real life.

  Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen anytime soon. Sighing, I head back to my bed, and throw a glance out my window. That’s when I see my new neighbor. Correction, my new HOT neighbor. Holy shit. Who is this? But before I can even take him in fully, my phone starts ringing.

  I quickly glance at it and snatch it off my bed, not even checking to see who is calling me. “Hello,” I answer, not taking my eyes off the Greek god outside.

  “Hey girl, sorry I missed your call. I just got off work. What’s up?” Marcella asks from the other side.

  I don’t hesitate.

  “Girl, my neighbor next door…he’s…I just…wow…oh my GOD,” I stammer into the phone. I can’t rip my eyes off his beautifully sculpted body or his chiseled features. He has black hair, tan skin and arms that bulge when he works.

  My friend giggles.

  “Oh, the guy that’s been there for like a month? This is your first time seeing him? Tell me about him!”

  I pant a little, wiping sweat from my brow.

  “Well, I was coming over to grab my book because YOU didn’t answer the phone. I happened to look out the window and now I can’t stop looking at him. He’s outside in his driveway, working on his Jeep right now-”

  “Hold up, he’s got a Jeep? Okay check. What else?” Marcella asks excitedly over the phone.

  “He’s tall and so handsome. His black hair is shining in the sun and he’s got these charming crinkles around his eyes. I think they’re blue? I can’t see from here,” I say squinting through my window, trying to get a better look at this man who now lives a mere fifty feet away.

  “Crinkles? Is he old?” Marcella asks disdainfully.

  I roll my eyes. “I mean no older than thirty…maybe thirty-five?”

  “Susie, that’s old,” Marcella says laughing on the other end. She can be so close-minded sometimes. I love her, but that’s a quality that clashes with my free spirt.

  “Anyways…oh,” I say, suddenly getting quiet.

  “Oh? Oh what?”

  I feel my legs almost give out and I lean into my desk for support. My neighbor has just taken his shirt off and I can’t even answer Marcella, I’m so in awe of his broad chest and his perfectly molded abs.

  “Hello, is anyone there?” Marcella calls out from the other end.

  “Oh, sorry I just got so distracted! He just took his shirt off and oh my,” I murmur slack-jawed.

  “It’s that good?” she asks from the other side. “I’m getting worried, Susie. What’s going on?”

  I let out a muffled gurgle.

  “Good doesn’t even come close to describing it, girlfriend. He has to work out. Nobody gets a body like that without putting in some serious time in the gym,” I tell her.

  My eyes trace every inch of my new neighbor’s hot body. “And as if his body weren’t already perfect, he’s covered in tattoos! Like covered all over his muscular chests and his big strong arms. I’ve never seen a man so sexy. Holy shit, I’m going to pass out.”

  Marcella squeals on the other side.

  “Wow, and you live right next to this man? Lucky duck! I wish I had a neighbor that looked that that instead of Mrs. Gladys.” She keeps talking but I don’t even hear her.

  Sweat is running in rivulets off my new neighbor’s body and he glistens in the bright sun. He wipes his face with his shirt then tucks it into his waistline. His cargo shorts sit loosely on his hips, the band of his briefs wrapping tightly around his muscular lower abs.

  My eyes look over the bottom half of his body. He turns around and I see the tightness of his muscular butt. His strong legs also glisten with sweat in the sun. He squats in front of his Jeep and I watch his broad shoulders flex as he wipes off the front his car. I almost feel like he’s taunting me by putting on this display! My cheeks flush.

  I listen half-heartedly to Marcella rattling on about her senile neighbor. At this rate I’m going to miss my chance to finally meet this man, so I cut off my best friend.

  “Marc? I have to go. I’ll talk to you later!” I hang up quickly, ignoring the sounds of her protests.

  I stare out my window again at the masterpiece that now lives next door. He’s standing and is facing my house, drinking a bottle of water. His wide chest and muscular arms shine brightly in the June sun.

  All I want to do was run my hands all over his body like a woman savoring a sculpture of David. I have to figure out how to talk to him. But who am I kidding? It’s wrong for me to want such a mature man in this way. Marcella may have a point. He is older but still, thirty-five looks good on this man. In fact, he looks better than every man I know, regardless of age.

  I shake the thought from my head again. Why would my new neighbor take interest in me? He’s obviously godawful gorgeous, and probably has a ton of supermodels hanging off his every word. Meanwhile, I’m just me. Susie Monroe, with the curly brown hair and too-curvy body. I’m no Cindy Crawford, that’s for sure.

  Plus, I’m still in high school, so would he even be into that? Even worse, I’m still a virgin and have never let anyone get past the lightest petting session. That time with Curly Phillips was fucking awful. His hands were clammy and he wanted to go to third base, but I said no. I want to save myself for someone special. Someone who lights up my whole body, and who doesn’t make me recoil the way Curly did.

  But it doesn’t matter. This man next door can absolutely have any woman he chooses. I’m just a nobody, right?

  Unfortunately, my body desperately wants him. The worst he can do is say no, and put me off. I can handle that, hopefully.

  I see him walking towards his garden and I start thinking furiously. An idea jumps into my head, and I rifle through my drawers to find the skimpiest tank top and shorts I can find. Without putting on a bra, I pull on the thin top and change into a red lacy thong. It’s silly because I know he can’t see it, but the racy lingerie makes me feel so brave and daring. I slide some revealing, black terry cloth shorts on over the thong and wiggle my ass a bit.

  I look at myself in the mirror. My nipples poke out ever so softly through my white tank top. I adjust the spaghetti straps, so my large breasts sit perky and bounce ever so slightly. I turn around and check out my ass. The bottoms of my round cheeks hang out ever so slightly. Perfect.

  After looking at my curvy reflection one last time, I run to the bathroom and grab a brush. I run it through my long, curly brown hair and let my curls flow down my back. I brighten up my
lips with a small swipe of lip gloss. After throwing on a few strokes of mascara, I look at myself in the mirror.

  I look older and more mature. If I’m going to get this grown man’s attention, I can’t look like a kid after all. I have to look like the adult woman that I am, and bring a luscious woman’s assets to the table for him to enjoy.

  I run down the stairs and look through the kitchen window over the sink. I see my new neighbor pruning flowers in his backyard. The light hits him squarely, illuminating that broad, bronzed back. In fact, this is perfect because he’s kneeling in front of the bushes that line the fence separating our two yards. It’s time to put my plan in motion.

  2

  Brady

  * * *

  The bright Remford sun hits my back, searing it with bright rays. Damn, it’s hot, and I mop at my sweaty brow with a rag. Rivulets of sweat are trailing down my form, highlighting my bronzed muscles. I wish I could take off my shorts, and not just my shirt because it’s so freaking hot.

  But that wouldn’t be right because one, who does that? Second, I’ve only lived in this house for about a month and my neighbors would be shocked. But finally, things are coming together. All of my boxes are unpacked, and my furniture is mostly in place. My house and my life are starting to come together and feel normal. When I’m not at work, I’m doing normal chores like gardening and working on my Jeep. I feel calm when I’m doing these things because since I was eighteen, my life has been anything but normal. That’s when I enlisted, and war is hard on a man.