Having another person know him inside and out, digging into his psyche, finishing his sentences?
It was too damn intimate, and for Matt, intimacy ended with sex.
So why didn’t Savannah’s off-hand remark scare him to death, the way it should?
The waitress arrived with their pizza before he could analyze the strange reaction. He and Savannah quickly dug in, polishing off the entire pie in no time. Afterwards, they leaned back in their chairs, quietly sipping on their respective beers. He didn’t feel the need to fill the silence, and she didn’t seem to either. It was nice.
When she finally spoke, she caught him off-guard. “Why are you single?” she asked curiously.
He shrugged. “Why are you?”
“I asked first.”
Setting down his beer bottle, he clasped his hands together on the table. “Relationships seem like too much trouble.”
“How so?”
“I don’t like the idea of sharing my entire being with another person.”
She cast him a mischievous grin. “Commitment-phobic. I get it.”
“And you’re not scared of commitment?” he shot back.
“Nope. It just bores me.” Her gray eyes took on a faraway glint. “You know that feeling you get when you kiss someone, when you sleep with them, for the first time? That…thrill.”
“Yeah…”
“I think I’m addicted to it,” she confessed. “I’m addicted to firsts.”
“Seconds can be just a good,” he pointed out.
“Sure, but eventually the thrill goes away. So that’s when I go away.”
Matt opened his mouth to ask her if that’s what would happen with them—would she simply go away? But before he could speak, a male voice interrupted their discussion.
“Savannah?”
A thirty-something guy with messy blond hair stopped by the railing separating the patio from the sidewalk. He wore a pair of long orange shorts and a white muscle shirt, and he was staring at Savannah as if she were his long-lost love.
“Hank,” she said in surprise. “It’s good to see you again.”
At her casual, impersonal words, Hank’s entire face fell. “Where’ve you been?” he asked, a plaintive note entering his voice. “I haven’t seen you in months.”
She shrugged. “I told you, I’m busy with the store.”
Hank’s dark eyes shifted to Matt, and a suspicious cloud floated across his face. “You don’t look busy.”
Savannah held up her legal pad. “This is a working lunch.”
“Oh.” The guy brightened, slightly. “Do you have time for dinner this week?”
“Sorry, I can’t. I’m doing the flowers for a huge wedding so I’ll be working non-stop until then.”
That got her another “Oh”. Hank fidgeted with his hands. “Okay, then. Give me a call when you’re done with the job?”
“Sure.”
Her noncommittal tone was unmistakable. Despite himself, Matt felt a pang of sympathy for the dude. He also experienced a wave of unease, watching the expression on Hank’s face. Was that how he looked when he was around Savannah? All lovelorn and pathetic?
Fuck, who was this woman? It was like a scene out of There’s Something About Mary. Did every man who met her fall head over heels for her?
“Well…I gotta go,” Hank mumbled. With an awkward wave, he strode off.
Matt offered a rueful look. “You could’ve let him down more gently.”
Irritation flickered in her eyes. “I did let him down gently. Four months ago. We went out a few times, and sure, he’s cute, but he’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Holding a conversation with the guy was painful. I told him about a dozen times that I wasn’t interested in continuing it.”
“Did you sleep with him?” Matt couldn’t help but ask, then cringed at the possessive note in his voice.
“Yeah, I did.” She studied his face. “Oh brother. You’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” he protested.
She laughed. “Oh yes you are.” Her annoyance returned, only this time it was directed at him. “Don’t go all crazy on me, Matt. I’m sure you’ve slept with dozens of women, and I’m not the least bit jealous about it.”
Which bothered him almost as much as his sudden encounter with the green-eyed monster. He got the feeling Savannah wouldn’t even bat an eyelash if he ended things between them right here and now. He wasn’t sure if her borderline-scary casual attitude was legit, or simply a cover for serious commitment issues she refused to admit to. He decided to believe the latter—only way to preserve his ego, after all.
Still, the jealousy coursing through his blood at the appearance of Hank only grew stronger when he imagined Savannah in bed with the guy. Damn it.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said gruffly, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.
She must’ve seen the fiery look in his eyes, because hers widened slightly, and then a slow smile curved her mouth. Matt dropped a few bills on the table, reached for her hand, and practically dragged her back to the shop. At the sight of her scrawny assistant behind the counter, he hooked a thumb at the door and barked, “Take a break, Chad.”
The kid gulped, nodded, and took off.
“I’m thinking I might like jealous Matt,” Savannah laughed as he flipped the sign on the door from “open” to “closed”.
He locked up and moved toward her with predatory strides. Took her hand again and pulled her behind the curtain into the back room. Before she could say another word, he covered her mouth with his and kissed the hell out of her.
Savannah gasped against his lips, her hands reaching up to twine around his neck. Matt had no idea what had come over him. Something hot and primal spiraled down his body and grabbed hold of his dick, hardening it to a level he hadn’t thought possible. It was almost painful, the throbbing erection straining against his zipper.
Coming up for air, Savannah murmured, “He really didn’t mean anything to me. You don’t need to go all caveman, Superman.”
“Let’s not talk about Hank,” he ordered, his hand seeking the hem of her skirt and bunching it between his fingers.
He shoved the material up to her hips, tore off her bikini panties, and placed his palm on her pussy, rubbing it slowly.
Savannah let out a little sigh. “God, that’s good.”
He kept stroking, running his finger up and down her damp slit, then dipping them into her opening and plunging deep. She sagged against his chest, moving her hips to meet each lazy thrust of his finger. Matt’s entire body went taut with lust. Fuck, he wanted this woman. He could probably come just from the feel of her slick wetness coating his finger.
As a red haze of desire fogged his vision, he hurriedly undid his jeans, covered his dick with the condom he’d tucked in his pocket, and angled himself between Savannah’s firm thighs.
“You sure it doesn’t make you jealous?” he found himself taunting. “The thought of me doing this to someone else.” He teased her clit with the tip of his cock.
Her gray eyes went glazed. “Nope. Doesn’t make me jealous at all.”
“You sure about that?” He slid one hand underneath her shirt, shoved it under the left cup of her lacy bra and squeezed her breast.
She gasped.
“It really doesn’t drive you crazy, knowing I’ve done this to countless other women?” He found her nipple and pinched it between his fingers.
Savannah gave a soft moan. “How many is countless?”
“Countless,” he emphasized in a cocky tone.
He could’ve sworn he saw a flash of something in her eyes—actual jealousy?—but it disappeared quickly.
“No, doesn’t bother me,” she muttered.
She tried to reach down to encircle his shaft, but he sidestepped, letting his hand drop from her breast. Taking a step back, he fought a grin at the sight of her flushed cheeks, parted lips and lust-filled eyes. Oh yeah. No matter how unaffected she tried to act,
she was totally into him. She fucking craved him.
“Okay,” he said with a shrug. “Then I guess I’ve got nothing to prove.”
Her face flooded with shocked disappointment as he removed the condom and tucked his cock back into his boxers. “What the hell are you doing?” she complained.
“Not being childish.” He smothered a laugh. “You’re right, seeing one of your exes got me a little crazy. I figured if I brought you back here and had my way with you, I’d prove to myself I don’t give a damn about that loser you slept with, because he could never fuck you the way I do. But you’ve shown me the light.”
“Huh?”
Poor woman looked so dismayed he almost kissed her again. “You obviously don’t care about my past, so I shouldn’t care about yours. Which means there’s no need to play macho games with you.”
Savannah bit her bottom lip. “So you’re just going to…go?”
“Uh-huh.”
“But…” she sputtered.
“You said you had work to do,” he said innocently.
“I do…but…”
He hid a grin as he zipped up his pants. Heading to the wastebasket by the door, he dropped the almost-used condom into it and glanced at Savannah over his shoulder. “Call me when you have time,” he said cheerfully.
He waltzed through the curtain, though walking was an impressive feat considering the enormous boner poking into his jeans. His cock ached so badly he almost marched back to Savannah and screwed her brains out. But he forced himself to keep walking.
Operation Wholesome was in full gear. If he gave in now, everything he’d accomplished today would’ve been a waste. She’d agreed to a lunch date. She’d displayed a real, non-casual reaction to his taunt about his past girlfriends. And he’d left her wanting more. Wanting him.
All in all, a successful afternoon.
5
Matt’s arms burned as he hauled himself up the cargo net of the base’s obstacle course, one of the toughest in the country. He was nearly forty feet off the ground, clinging to a net that consisted of vertical and horizontal ropes strung along a frame, and he still had to get to the other side. No big deal, though. He and the others had trained hours upon hours on this thing back in the day. He could do this course in his sleep.
Ryan Evans, his best friend and former roommate, had already climbed the net and was nearly off the frame, prompting Matt to pick up speed. When his feet finally collided with the hard ground, he let out a breath and grinned, knowing without being told that he and the guys had completed the course in record speed.
Today’s exercise was meant to show the new trainees that finishing the course with a decent time wasn’t something that would happen overnight. Apparently a cocky recruit had passed out from exhaustion yesterday trying to conquer the course, after being ordered to call it a day. The commander had asked Matt and some of the other members of SEAL Team Fifteen to put on a little demo for the newbies this morning, show them what they could look forward to after they completed their BUD/S training.
The small group of young men broke out in polite applause when the demo ended, but Matt could see several faces gleaming with determination. Those were the ones who’d end up making it through the program. He’d worn that same expression when he’d first joined up. The others…well, most of them would burn out, or quit long before their training ended.
“You were slacking,” Ryan said as he tossed him a bottle of water.
Matt unscrewed the cap, took a couple of swigs, and then poured water on his face and neck. “Yeah, I know. Sorry, man. I was a bit distracted.”
“Nice time,” another voice remarked.
Matt turned and greeted his buddy Aidan Rhodes with a grin. “Hey, man, didn’t realize you were allowed to leave the desk.”
“Hey, I might have a desk job now, but I can still kick your ass on that course,” Aidan shot back. “I had the best time in my class.” As the two men bumped fists, Aidan asked, “Want to a hit a club this weekend?”
Matt hesitated. “Not sure yet. I might have plans. But I’ll shoot you a text and let you know at the end of the week.”
“Cool.” Aidan ran a hand through his close-cropped brown hair. “I should head in. Keep in touch, bro.”
As Aidan strode off, Carson Scott and John Garrett approached, using towels to wipe the sweat from their faces. “Beers?” Carson suggested.
Matt grinned. “It’s eleven thirty in the morning.”
“Shit, you’re right. Better make that coffees then.”
The four of them left the base and drove over to Shelby Garrett’s bakery, which also doubled as a coffee shop. They planted their asses on the chairs out on the small patio, while the part-timer, Amy, brought over some coffees.
“Shel’s not working today?” Matt said, watching as the young employee headed back inside.
Garrett shook his head. “Penny’s colicky. Little bugger kept us up all night, so I ordered Shel to stay home and relax.”
Matt smiled at the mention of Garrett’s six-month-old daughter. The squirt was pretty damn adorable, with her father’s dark hair and mother’s sparkling blue eyes. All the guys on the team had instantly fallen in love with the kid, though Will Charleston’s new baby, Lucas, was pretty freaking cute too. It seemed like everyone around him was popping out babies. Jane, the wife of their lieutenant Thomas Becker, was due to deliver next month, and he’d even overheard Carson’s wife, Holly, mention to Annabelle that she wanted to try for a baby soon.
“Tell them the other news,” Carson spoke up, sounding edgy.
Matt and Ryan eyed Garrett uneasily. “What other news?” Ryan asked.
After taking a long sip of his coffee, Garrett set down the mug and said, “I’m going off active duty next month.”
Silence.
It took a few seconds for the words to register in Matt’s head, and when he realized he’d indeed heard them right, he shook his head in shock. “You’re off the team?”
Garrett nodded. “I took a position with a security firm in San Diego. I’ll still be in the reserves, but no more missions for me.”
Ryan looked flabbergasted. “Why the hell not?”
“Because I’ve got a wife and kid to worry about now. Look, guys, I’ve done a hell of a lot to serve my country. Now it’s time to focus on my family.”
The second silence that followed dragged on for longer. Matt couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He’d figured John Garrett would be career navy. Guy had enlisted at the age of eighteen, went to officer school, worked to make it to junior grade lieutenant. And now he was getting out?
“It’s time,” Garrett repeated, his voice quiet.
Matt was the first to snap out of his surprised trance. “Are you sure about this, man?”
“Oh yeah. Trust me, when you get married, you’ll understand. My two girls come first now.”
Carson smirked. “Oh, I think Matt understands. Rumor has it he’s found the woman of his dreams.”
Matt’s eyebrows shot up. “Where the hell did you hear that?”
“Holly and Annabelle were gossiping about it yesterday.” Carson wiggled his eyebrows. “According to Annabelle, you’re in love with a woman named Georgia who has really nice tits.”
“First, her name is Savannah,” Matt said coldly, “and second, her tits are none of your business.”
Both Carson and Ryan hooted, while Garrett’s mouth lifted in a wry smile.
“Shit, it’s actually true,” Ryan said gleefully. “I figured Annie was exaggerating when she mentioned it, but that possessive look on your face…fuck, you really are into this girl.”
“How big are her tits exactly?” Carson asked with a curious tilt of the head.
Matt jabbed a finger in the other man’s direction. “Like I said, none of your business.” He glanced at Ryan. “And Annabelle is exaggerating. I’m not in love with anyone. Savannah and I are just having a little fling.”
“If it’s just a fling, then you should ha
ve no problem sharing the juicy details,” Ryan pointed out, a wide smile on his face.
Matt faltered. His friend had a point. In the past he’d had no qualms discussing the measurements of the current female in his bed. But he felt guilty objectifying Savannah in that way. Sure, she was a knockout, but that wasn’t the only reason he liked her. She was smart, funny, sarcastic…stubborn. Yeah, definitely stubborn. He’d left the ball in her court after their encounter in the shop two days ago, and she still hadn’t called. A part of him feared his taunting had only annoyed her and that she’d washed her hands of him and went after some other dude. Like Hank.
“Still want to convince us it’s just a fling?” Carson said when Matt hadn’t answered for more than a minute.
“It is,” he finally muttered. “She’s fun to be with. And she has no interest in anything serious, so it’s, you know, perfect for me.”
Had they heard the tremor in his voice during those last three words?
Shit, they had. All three men were staring at him as if he’d slathered on lipstick or something.
“You want more,” Carson accused.
“No,” he said quickly. “No way.”
“Fuck, you totally do. I know the feeling, man,” Carson added with a sigh. “When Holly and I first hooked up, she insisted she didn’t want a relationship. It took me weeks to convince her to give us a chance.”
“I don’t want to convince Savannah of anything,” he objected. “Like I said, it’s just a casual thing. I don’t plan on—” His cell phone, which he’d placed on the table, vibrated. Matt’s heart did an involuntary lurch when he noticed the caller ID. “Hold on. I gotta take this.”
He was out of his seat and moving to the other end of the patio in nanoseconds, while Carson and Ryan busted out laughing. “Say hi to Georgia!” Carson the five-year-old called.
Matt hit the talk button. “Hello?”
Out of Uniform Box Set: Books 1-3 Page 41
