“I love you,” she said simply.
“Ah, fighter girl.” His mouth closed over hers in a long, deliberate, and searing kiss. “Just in case you don’t know how I feel … I fucking love you.”
He gave her another kiss, a sweet soft one this time before marching them into the bathroom as was their ritual after they’d dispensed of condoms two weeks ago. He’d set her on the counter beside the sink, run a hand towel under warm water, and clean her between her legs. After cleaning himself up, he’d pluck her from the counter and carry her to bed where he’d gently lay her down, stretch out beside her, and tuck her into his side. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they’d fall asleep, with her wrapped in the cocoon of Jake’s body.
“Should we go pick up Gram?”
It was Saturday afternoon, a rare day that Stella was off duty. Gram was tired of their hovering and wanted to visit with friends. After Pearl was released from the hospital, Jake moved them into Castle Rock’s apartment for a temporary stay until their house was repaired. The attack had shattered windows and riddled the walls with holes—it was a wonder no one got killed.
The repairs were done. There were decisions to be made.
“Let her enjoy her friends a bit longer,” he murmured in her ear. “I’m feeling insulted. Didn’t I wear you out enough that you didn’t need to think of Gram immediately after sex?”
“Oh, quiet,” Stella laughed. “Your ego can handle it.” She pushed her butt against his crotch and he groaned.
“Looks like someone wants more,” she teased.
“We technically have the afternoon.”
“That’s right.”
He rolled over her and peppered her with light kisses, worshiping every inch of her body. She gripped his cock and stroked it while they continued kissing, relishing the tortured groans that came from him with each squeeze of his hard flesh. Finally, Jake surrendered to her touches, getting on his back as Stella straddled him. She sank into him and began to rock—front, back, gyrating her hips in circles until she had him at her mercy. In the end though, Jake dominated. He flipped their position and drove into her. Pumping slow at first and then hard and fast.
They both broke at the same time, spent in the aftermath of their back-to-back coupling, and settled into each other, falling asleep.
Two weeks later
Jake watched with amusement as Pearl rebuffed her granddaughter’s hovering. It didn’t take a genius to see where Stella had gotten her steel spine. She and her grandmother may look the exact opposite, but the jut of their stubborn chin was the same.
“Gram, I said I can get that for you.” That was a glass of water. They had just come back from a fancy dinner out to celebrate Pearl’s all clear from the doctor.
“I said I can do it,” the older woman said sharply. “I’m not an invalid. Besides, you heard the doc say I can resume normal activities.”
Stella put both hands on her hips as she watched her grandmother shuffle over to the fridge to get that item of contention. Then his woman angled her eyes at him, exasperation on her face, and Jake had to stifle a laugh.
“I saw that,” Pearl sniffed.
“Saw what?”
“You giving Jake the long-suffering look.”
“What? You have eyes in the back of your head now?” Stella gasped in indignation.
As the women continued to bicker, Jake crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the couch, thankful for whatever fate had brought them into his life. He loved his family in Nebraska, but finding the woman who could make his heart soar was something he never thought was ever possible. Loving Stella also made him realize what he wanted most in life, and that wasn’t being an undercover agent. On the contrary actually, he wanted to experience home, and Stella gave that to him. So when Viktor brought up the idea that he needed someone local to operate Castle Rock, he jumped at the chance. They would provide intel and operational assistance to the feds and the CIA, bridging the gap between threats originating abroad that find their way into the homeland and getting one step ahead of the terrorists. Besides, he could continue protecting Stella. Even if her panic attacks were no longer a problem in her job after her sessions with the VBPD shrink, she decided to give law enforcement one more year before continuing her studies in chemistry. And who knew what happened next? His girl could do anything.
“I really should be returning home,” Pearl said. “I’m cramping the style of you two lovebirds.” She turned her gray eyes on Jake and winked.
A chuckle rumbled up his throat.
“Oh, Gram not that again,” Stella groaned and turned to him. “Tell her, Jake, she’s no bother.”
That was his cue as Pearl gave him a knowing smile.
“Tell her, young man.”
Stella froze, snapping her gaze back to his. “Tell me what?”
Unknown to his girl, he’d already had a conversation with her grandmother. Told her about his plans. He didn’t want to wait.
“Pearl’s moving in with us in a more permanent situation,” Jake said.
“What? Will Viktor allow it?”
“Come here, babe.” He held out his arm and when she took his hand, he pulled her up to him. “Gram wants to sell the house. She said it was too big for her and a realtor already has a buyer who wanted a house with its history.”
“What history? Getting shot up by a neo-Nazi lunatic?” Her expression was still befuddled.
“Some folks just want that notoriety.” Pearl shrugged.
“You didn’t answer my question about Viktor,” she said to him. “I know you accepted the assignment here—”
“More than an assignment—my move here is permanent.”
“I know.” She gave a thrilled shiver. “That’s what I meant.”
“Nowhere else where I wanna be—but in answer to your question—I’m buying a place in the area. A compound that has two structures. The main house and a cottage. They both need some restoration work, but Pearl said she was thinking of downsizing anyway—”
“And more than giving you both privacy, I want to maintain my independence,” her grandmother stated firmly when Stella started to speak.
“I offered for her to stay with us in the same house, but she prefers to be on her own in the cottage,” Jake added, knowing what Stella was about to say.
“Oh, Jake,” she whispered, eyes shining with tears. “You did all this?”
“Ask him why he’d do this,” Pearl said slyly.
Stella shot her grandmother an annoyed, yet fond stare. “Are you stealing his thunder, Gram?”
“No.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Just an impatient old woman who wants to see her granddaughter happy.”
Damn, the pressure was on and the confidence Jake was feeling wavered as both women speared their attention on him, but it was now or never. He was never more certain than the next thing he was about to do. His arms tightened around her before he eased his hold and dropped to one knee.
Stella gawked at him. “Jake?”
“Watch me fumble this,” he muttered. Drawing a collective breath, he said, “Our meeting couldn’t have been more unusual. If that wasn’t fate, then I don’t know what else we can call it.” He paused to gauge her reaction. She was looking at him, a watery smile on her face, so he soldiered on. “I may have stolen you away that night. You didn’t know it yet, but in that instant, you stole my heart with your feistiness, your bravery, and you were so damned beautiful. I knew that night I wasn’t only protecting you, I was also protecting my heart’s future—”
“Oh, Jake … ”
“I can’t explain it, Stella.” He shrugged, still in awe at the depth of his feelings for her. “My love is simple, but it’s pure, boundless.” He gave a wry grin. “I’m moving too fast. I know. But I don’t wanna wait to make you mine and I dare you to deny that we’ve formed a strong connection from the start.”
“Ionic bond,” Pearl piped in.
“Hush, Gram.” Stella batted an arm at he
r even as she kept her gaze on Jake.
He chuckled, Pearl’s quip loosened the tension gripping his chest and had him relaxing enough to remember how to do this properly. He reached in his pocket and slipped out the solitaire diamond ring and as he held it up to her, its fiery brilliance on display, the tears brimming Stella’s eyes spilled over.
“So, fighter girl, marry me. Be mine in every way.”
She was nodding effusively even before the answer he was hoping for passed her lips. “Yes! Of course yes.”
He grinned, slipped the ring on her finger, and surged to his feet, taking her with him, lifting her so he could kiss her—PG-sweetly, of course, since they were in front of Gram.
Breaking apart, he lowered her, and paused, giving her a wicked smile full of promise to do diabolical things later.
Pearl came up to them and he engulfed her in their hug. When Gram pulled away, she picked up Stella’s left hand. She nodded in satisfaction and peered up at Jake, squeezing his arm and said, “Well done, my boy.” She stood back, presumably so she could stare into his eyes better. “My engagement ring was a ruby. I preferred it because I always looked at diamonds with the eyes of a chemist. A carbon crystalline gem, born billions of years ago in a chemical reaction between carbon atoms and extreme heat. But on Stella’s hand I see a beautiful symbol of everlasting love. Like the diamond, both of you were put under extreme circumstances and the best elements of yourselves combined to weather that storm and here you are deserving of each other. I wish you both enduring love and happiness. You’ve certainly made this old woman happy.”
Pearl barely got the last word out when his fiancée dove into her while being careful of her condition. Jake’s breath backed up his throat as he watched Stella exchange tears of joy with the woman who she loved with all her heart. His chest ached that he was loved by such a woman and he promised himself to be deserving of that love.
With a smile on her face, Gram set Stella aside and said, “I’m going to bed.” She winked. “And I’ll have headphones on.”
“Gram!” Stella’s face reddened as her mouth fell open.
“What? I wasn’t born yesterday.” Pearl hobbled toward her room and waved them off.
Stella turned to him and covered her face with her hands. “I wonder if there’s truth that when people get older their minds turn more green.”
Jake laughed, drawing her over to kiss the top of her head before leading her into the kitchen. “The reason Pearl didn’t want you to open the fridge is because you were going to see this.”
He yanked open the door to the ice box and revealed a bottle of champagne and the decadent mini chocolate cake—the name of the bakery he’d gotten from Pearl.
“When did you have time to get this?”
He grinned. “When I was supposed to be running this morning. I already had the champagne. I stashed both in the fridge in the basement.”
Stella eyed him with amusement. “Aren’t you all covert and shit?”
“Damn straight.”
They took the items from the fridge and set them on the counter and stared at each other.
“I hear chocolate and champagne reacts well together.” He reeled her in and stared down at her with all smolder and heat.
“What did you have in mind?” Her voice was breathless.
His cock hardened in anticipation as he pressed closer. “Lots of filthy things, fighter girl.”
Her gaze lowered to his erection. “Oh my.”
“Yep.”
She lifted her chin and her blue eyes sparkled with what he could describe as elation and heat. “Well, then, what are we waiting for?”
***The End ***
Curious about the Guardians? Maia’s book is Fire and Ice and it’s currently free.
Viktor’s book is Smoke and Shadows
My other releases in the Operation Alpha World are:
Marcus ~ Guarding Cindy
Drake ~ Reclaiming Izabel
Tex, Wolf and Caroline are in Susan Stoker’s SEAL of Protection series, a list of which are in the backmatter.
Connect with the Author
Find me at:
Facebook: Victoria Paige Books
Website: victoriapaigebooks.com
Email: [email protected]
FB Reader Group: Very Important Paige readers
* Sign up for my newsletter and receive Beneath the Fire for free.
Also by Victoria Paige
Guardians
Fire and Ice
Beneath the Fire (novella)
Silver Fire
Smoke and Shadows
Susan Stoker Special Forces World
Guarding Cindy (novella)
Reclaiming Izabel (novella)
Always
It's Always Been You
Always Been Mine
A Love For Always
Misty Grove
Fighting Chance
Saving Grace
Unexpected Vows
Standalone
Deadly Obsession
Captive Lies
The Princess and the Mercenary
* All series books can be read as standalones
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Susan Stoker for your generosity in allowing authors to write in your world. You are a true inspiration in the book world and as a person!
Special thanks to my awesome editor Kristan Roetker for polishing my manuscript with your meticulous edits and for being a text message away when I have questions. You are not only my editor, but have become a dear friend.
A big thanks to my developmental editor Geri, who beta read this book and gave me great insights into my characters, plot, and pacing. I enjoy our working relationship, our hours-long chats discussing anything under the sun, but nothing beats our crazy book conversations.
Thank you, Sue for your valuable feedback! As one of my first readers, I am humbled that you continue to read and enjoy my work.
To Dana Curtlett-Dunphy of A Book Nerd Edits and Brynne Asher, thank you for being my final eyes on the manuscript!
To readers, bloggers, and especially my group, Very Important Paige readers, thank you for your continued support!
There are many more books in this fan fiction world than listed here, for an up-to-date list go to www.AcesPress.com
You can also visit our Amazon page at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/operationalpha
Special Forces: Operation Alpha World
Christie Adams: Charity’s Heart
Denise Agnew: Dangerous to Hold
Shauna Allen: Awakening Aubrey
Brynne Asher: Blackburn
Linzi Baxter: Unlocking Dreams
Jennifer Becker: Hiding Catherine
Alice Bello: Shadowing Milly
Heather Blair: Rescue Me
Anna Blakely: Rescuing Gracelynn
Amy Briggs: Saving Sarah
Julia Bright: Saving Lorelei
Victoria Bright: Surviving Savage
Cara Carnes: Protecting Mari
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Beast
Melissa Kay Clarke: Rescuing Annabeth
Samantha A. Cole: Handling Haven
Sue Coletta: Hacked
Melissa Combs: Gallant
Anne Conley: Redemption for Misty
KaLyn Cooper: Rescuing Melina
Liz Crowe: Marking Mariah
Sarah Curtis: Securing the Odds
Jordan Dane: Redemption for Avery
Tarina Deaton: Found in the Lost
Aspen Drake, Intense
KL Donn: Unraveling Love
Riley Edwards: Protecting Olivia
PJ Fiala: Defending Sophie
Nicole Flockton: Protecting Maria
Michele Gwynn: Rescuing Emma
Casey Hagen: Shielding Nebraska
Desiree Holt: Protecting Maddie
Kathy Ivan: Saving Sarah
Kris Jacen, Be With Me
Jesse Jacobson: Protecting Honor
Sil
ver James: Rescue Moon
Becca Jameson: Saving Sofia
Kate Kinsley: Protecting Ava
Heather Long: Securing Arizona
Gennita Low: No Protection
Kirsten Lynn: Joining Forces for Jesse
Margaret Madigan: Bang for the Buck
Kimberly McGath: The Predecessor
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Baby
KD Michaels: Saving Laura
Lynn Michaels, Rescuing Kyle
Wren Michaels: The Fox & The Hound
Kat Mizera: Protecting Bobbi
Keira Montclair, Wolf and the Wild Scots
Mary B Moore: Force Protection
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Butterfly
Angela Nicole: Protecting the Donna
MJ Nightingale: Protecting Beauty
Sarah O’Rourke: Saving Liberty
Victoria Paige: Reclaiming Izabel
Anne L. Parks: Mason
Debra Parmley: Protecting Pippa
Lainey Reese: Protecting New York
TL Reeve and Michele Ryan: Extracting Mateo
Elena M. Reyes: Keeping Ava
Angela Rush: Charlotte
Rose Smith: Saving Satin
Jenika Snow: Protecting Lily
Lynne St. James: SEAL’s Spitfire
Dee Stewart: Conner
Harley Stone: Rescuing Mercy
Jen Talty: Burning Desire
Reina Torres, Rescuing Hi’ilani
Megan Vernon: Protecting Us
Police and Fire: Operation Alpha World
Protecting Stella (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) Page 14
