by Elle James
He chuckled, the warmth of his breath against her inner thighs sending shivers across her skin. With his thumbs, he parted her folds and tapped her clit with the tip of his finger.
“Yes,” she said.
“You like that?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” she moaned.
“You’ll like this better,” he said and took that little nubbin of flesh into his mouth, flicking it with his warm, damp tongue.
Sunny’s back arched away from the mattress. It would only take one more flick…
He gave it to her and sent her catapulting over the edge. Wave after wave of sensations rocked her all the way to her core. The tingling started there and worked its way outward to the very tips of her fingers and toes.
Her body pulsed with her release. Sunny rode the wave all the way to the very end. When she fell back to earth, she drew in a deep, unsteady breath, and then another, before she could speak a single word.
“Wow,” was all she could push past her vocal cords.
“That’s all you can say?” he said with a wink.
She nodded. “You took my breath away so completely.”
Sunny gripped his shoulders and pulled him up her body. He scooted her up on the bed and settled between her legs, leaning on his arms as he hovered over her. He nibbled on her earlobe and whispered. “Had enough?”
“No. Not nearly,” she said. “I want you. Now. Inside me.”
“As you wish.” Dash leaned back, applied a condom, and then eased into her channel so slowly it was excruciating.
Sunny held her breath, adjusting to his incredible thickness. Impatient to have him all the way inside, she gripped his tight ass and slammed him home.
He drove deep and held, allowing her the time to accommodate him.
Having him inside wasn’t enough; Sunny wanted more. She wanted him to explode with the same intensity she’d experienced. She wanted to know she’d brought him to the brink and beyond.
With her hands still on his muscular buttocks, she guided him in and out, increasing the speed until he took control and thrust again and again.
Beneath her fingers, his body tensed, his muscles grew rigid. He drove into her one more time, hard and fast, burying himself deeply.
His cock throbbed against her channel as he remained above her, his jaw hard, his gaze pinning hers. When his orgasm waned, he dropped down to seal her lips with a kiss.
She opened to him, meeting his tongue with hers, tasting her sex on him. Heat coiled again at her core, but she wasn’t ready to go at it again. As much as she’d loved it, she knew she needed to sleep. There would more time to make love with this incredible man. At least, until she left Afghanistan.
As scary as the country was, Sunny wasn’t ready to leave. Not if it meant leaving Dash behind. How could two people with such different careers make a relationship work?
Assuming he wanted this to continue past Afghanistan.
For all Sunny knew, Dash was only in it for a quick fling. He’d been upfront with her. He wouldn’t have a long-term relationship, wouldn’t marry or have children, until he could be home to see and help them grow.
“Why are you sad?” he asked, kissing her eye lids.
“Who said I was sad?”
“You have a little frown between your eyebrows. Not enough to be mad, but enough to be sad. Was it not as good for you as it was for me?”
“Oh, sweet heaven,” she exclaimed. “It was great.”
“But?”
“I’m not ready to go back to the States,” she blurted out.
“Who said you were going back? You still have two more stops before your tour is over.”
“I know.” Sunny stared at his chin, instead of his eyes which seemed to see everything. “I’m just getting to know you. I don’t want this to end.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I feel the same.”
“Seriously?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. “You feel the same?”
He nodded. “I know I have only two more stops with you, and then you’re on your way back. I don’t know when I’ll be back stateside, but when I do go, I’ll be at Fort Hood, Texas. You’ll be wherever they schedule your next concert.”
Sadness filled her at the thought. “What if I want to see you again? I don’t even know where you live.”
“I live in Killeen, Texas, close to Fort Hood, when I’m not deployed,” he said. “What if I want to see you again? Where do you live?”
She laughed. “I live in Austin, where I grew up with my grandparents.” Her heart already felt lighter, knowing he was only a few miles down the road from her home.
“That’s practically next door.” He gathered her close and rolled them both onto their sides, his staff slipping free of her.
They lay for a long time, touching each other.
“You should go to sleep,” he said.
“I want to stay awake. I’m afraid if I wake up, I’ll realize this was all a dream, and you’ll be gone.” She twirled her finger over the hard brown button of his nipple.
“Sweetheart, I’m not a dream. Some would consider me a nightmare,” he said with a grin. “I’ll be here when you wake.”
She yawned, exhaustion claiming her. “Promise?”
“I promise,” he whispered and kissed her forehead.
Sunny slipped into the darkness of sleep, Dash’s arms wrapped around her. Her last thought as she drifted away was that she could love going to sleep like this every night.
Chapter 10
For the next thirty minutes, Dash held Sunny in his arms, watching her chest rise and fall, her hair splayed across the pillow.
He’d only known this woman a short time, but that instant connection couldn’t be denied. All the years he’d pushed off long-term relationships, he’d rationalized it by saying it was the job that kept him from committing. In reality, he hadn’t found the right woman. The one who made his heart sing and his blood burn with desire.
Now, after only a little more than twenty-four hours, he had the woman of his dreams in his arms, and he wanted the entire package—her, a home, children and a life together.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was impossible. But when had he ever given up on the impossible? They’d said it would be too hard for him to make it into Delta Force. He’d met that impossible challenge and had excelled as an operative.
His relationship with Sunny was entirely different. They were from such different worlds, it would be more than a challenge to make the two worlds come together. One of them would have to give up their career or a major portion of their career to make a life together happen.
Dash could get out of Delta Force or take a training position and remain in one location until he retired at twenty years. Hell, being on the team wasn’t something one did forever. But was he ready to give it up? He loved the men he worked with. They were his brothers.
He couldn’t ask Sunny to give up a stellar career as a recording artist. She’d worked hard to get where she was and deserved to shine in the spotlight for as long as her fans kept buying her recordings.
His thoughts churning, he couldn’t sleep. Eventually, he rose from the bed, dressed in his uniform trousers, T-shirt and boots. It wasn’t like he’d go back to sleep. Not with so much on his mind.
Once he’d dressed, he paced the length of the motorhome, wondering if the guys on the night shift were having difficulty staying awake while Dash was having trouble sleeping. He was about to go out and check on them when a knock sounded on the door.
He pushed aside the curtain and looked down at his buddy, Rucker. Relieved to see a familiar face, he opened the door and stepped out into the night.
“I didn’t expect you to answer the door so fast,” Rucker said. “I was afraid I’d wake you from sleeping.”
“I was awake. What’s up?” Dash asked.
“Got word from the CO. Through their interviews with the women and children who’d been captured for resell, the intelligenc
e community has learned a little more about the man who is orchestrating these deals.”
“Yeah? Who is he?”
Rucker drew in a deep breath and let it out. “They don’t actually have a name, just a description.”
“That’s better than nothing. As long as he doesn’t have the same description as Joe Smith Afghan with dark hair and dark eyes.”
“You’re in luck. Most of the women said he was tall and had light blue or gray eyes. They couldn’t see his hair because he always wore a hat pulled down over it. He spoke English with an American accent.”
“So all we have now is that he’s got gray or blue eyes.”
“Yeah. I know it’s not much to go on. The other thing is we got a cleanup team out to the sight where your convoy was attacked. They found one of the motorcycles they used. It was allegedly stolen from a job site run by a US-based contractor.”
“Did they track down the contractor?”
“By phone. He said, those motorcycles had been stolen over a month ago, along with a delivery truck. The truck was the one in which they were transporting that group of women and children.”
“It probably is the same group responsible for the attack and the kidnapped women.”
“That’s what the Intel guys are saying. I agree.”
Dash frowned. “I just wonder how they got away with six motorcycles and a truck, without getting caught.”
“Yeah. Sounds suspicious to me.”
“Isn’t there a network of contractors here in Afghanistan?” Dash asked.
“I would assume so. They probably know who’s out here and call on each other when they need help.”
“Did you talk to the contractor, Desmond Housman, here at this FOB? Maybe he knows something about the thefts.”
Rucker nodded. “We looked for him, but he was only on the base for the day. As soon as the concert was over, he bugged out.” Dash’s team lead grinned. “He probably only came to watch Miss Daye sing.”
“Can’t blame him.” Dash said. The woman has talent.”
“Yes, she does.” Rucker tipped his head toward the motorhome door. “How’s she holding up?”
“As well as can be expected for someone who has gone through what she’s experienced and given a two-hour concert.” As well as making love like a wildcat. Dash didn’t add that, but the laundry list of what Sunny had endured was enough to make a weaker woman cry.
“I’ve had the team out safeguarding the perimeter during the concert. They’re still out there looking for trouble. I hope they don’t find it. You might want to wear your radio communications device through the rest of the night. I’ve got a hinky feeling.”
“Hinky?” Dash grinned. “Since when do you say hinky?”
“I picked it up from Nora,” Rucker said. “Fine. I have a gut feeling that all is not well. I’ve been all over this base and can’t put my finger on one single thing.”
“I don’t know about you being hinky,” Dash’s grin broadened, “but your gut is rarely wrong.”
“Keep your eyes and ears open.” He nodded to each end of the motorhome. “Your bodyguards are one man short. Paul is filling in for Marcus since he’s out due to his injury. He’ll pull an all-nighter with Stewy and Ron, switching out in an hour. I’ll have our guys come provide backup at that time in case Paul gets too sleepy to be effective.”
“Thanks,” Dash said. “I feel better with our own team providing security.”
“I can get them here in a few minutes.”
“I’d like that.”
“Consider it done.” Rucker turned. “Keep safe. I’ll be back in an hour to check on things.”
After Rucker left, Dash waved at Paul at one end of the coach and turned to wave at Stewy. Then he went back inside to make a cup of coffee. It was going to be a long night.
He had a mug of water in the microwave when another knock sounded on the door.
Figuring it was Rucker, he gave a quick glance through the window anyway.
Instead of Rucker, Floyd stood there, a nervous look on his face.
Dash opened the door. “Mr. Pendleton, what brings you here this late.”
“I was just out checking the line. Where are your bodyguards?” Floyd asked. He darted a look to the right as if he was worried someone would come at him.
Dash stepped down one step and glanced to the right. Stewy wasn’t in the same position he’d been just moments before.
When he looked the other direction, he heard a sound from inside the motorhome.
He turned to check it out when something hit him in the back.
Fiery pain rippled through him and rendered his muscles useless. He collapsed into the coach, his head hitting the side of a cabinet. Pain shot through his temple as he lay immobile on the floor. He couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything.
Someone lifted his legs and tried to drag him out of the motorhome.
“We don’t have time,” someone said. “Just close the door and go!”
The slam of the driver’s and passenger’s door echoed through the coach, and the engine roared to life.
A man stepped over him, dragged his legs into the coach and shut the door. He kicked him in the side, sending a burst of pain through Dash.
“You’ll re…gret…” he forced out.
“I doubt it. Not when the price for your pretty singer is over a million dollars.”
The voice sounded familiar, but Dash couldn’t quite put his finger on who it was. Not someone he knew personally, but someone he’d recently met.
Lying face-down, Dash couldn’t see who was talking. He couldn’t turn his head to identify the men.
Though his body had shut down, Dash’s mind kept churning. The tall man with the gray eyes the women had described could be Desmond Housman. The work he was doing for the military as a contractor gave him access to a lot of different bases in Afghanistan.
The bastard.
He willed his arms and legs to work, but they were useless.
“What did you do with the tour dude?” said a man with an east coast accent. The two men were near the front of the motor home.
“He saw my face,” the man Dash figured was Housman said. “Yeah. He had to go.”
“What about the two bodyguards?” the east coast dude said.
“They didn’t see me. I hit one with the taser. Jones gave the other one the same. They might be shaking out of it soon. All the more reason to get the hell off this base as quickly as possible,” Housman said. “Did you secure the gold mine?”
East Coast Dude chuckled. “The girl? Not yet. I’ll do that now.”
The motorcoach lurched and started moving.
“We’re going through the fence,” Housman said. “Hold on and be ready to get down if the sentries start shooting. But since we’re leaving, they might not be as inclined to fire on us, especially since we’re in a motorhome.”
East Coast Dude stepped over Dash and into his view. “What should be do about this guy?”
“When we ditch this bus, we’ll burn it, with him in it.”
Damn. If he was going to get out of this situation alive, the taser’s effect needed to wear off quickly. And he would get out of this alive. The woman he was falling in love with was about to be kidnapped and sold to someone willing to pay a million dollars for her.
No wonder Housman was so determined to catch her.
A little tingling started in his fingers and toes. He still couldn’t move them, but it gave him hope. If they just didn’t make the transfer until he had use of his body, he’d find a way out of this mess. How the hell had he let them get to him? He was better than that.
Until he’d lost focus, making love to a beautiful woman.
Chapter 11
Sunny woke to the sound of the engine rumbling beneath her. She stretched and felt the empty space beside her. The door to the bedroom was closed. Dash must have gotten up when the crew left the base.
She dressed quickly in jeans and a white blouse, buttonin
g it as she fished for her shoes in the closet.
Once she was dressed, she glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. Three o’clock in the morning?
She could hear voices on the other side of the door and was curious to find out why they were leaving so early.
As she reached for the doorhandle, she heard an unfamiliar voice say, “Did you secure the gold mine?”
Another equally unfamiliar voice responded, “The girl? Not yet. I’ll do that now.”
Secure the girl?
The only girl she knew was the only one in the motorhome.
Her.
What did they mean by “gold mine?”
Then it came to her. She was the gold mine. The girl they were to secure.
Where was Dash? Had they killed him to get to her?
Her heart raced as she searched the room for something with which to defend herself. All she had in the bedroom was a blanket, pillows, clothes and shoes. Nothing that could stop a full grown man from knocking her around and tying her up.
Then her gaze skimmed across her guitar on the stand in the corner. It wasn’t heavy enough to knock a man out, but it could stun him long enough to let her get by.
She grabbed the guitar by the neck as the door to the bedroom opened.
Because she was standing behind the door, the man coming through didn’t see her as she swung the guitar, crashing it over his head.
He went down, cursing.
Sunny leaped over his hunched body.
At the same time, the motorhome sped up as if racing across the base. Through the living room seating area, she could see out the front windshield. They were approaching the perimeter gate.
Two MPs stood in front of them waving their hands.
Instead of slowing, the driver punched the accelerator, making the lumbering coach go even faster.
The MPs dove to each side to avoid being run over.
The coach broke through the gate and the barriers, rocking the big beast of a vehicle right then left.
Sunny fell to the floor where she found Dash’s inert form.
Her heart squeezed hard in her chest as she scrambled to find a pulse. When she did, she almost cried.
