by Susan Stoker
She could feel Decker’s erection between them, and the urge to ride him long and hard struck her like a bolt of lightning. She moaned and tore her mouth from his. Staring into his eyes, she knew he felt the same way.
“I think I’ve had enough swimming,” she told him softly.
“Right. Me too. Besides, Hannah’s probably waiting for us to get home.”
“Yeah.” Sidney pounced on that excuse. In all reality, the dog was probably snoring on one of the extremely comfortable dog beds Decker had bought her, but Sidney was all about going back to his house.
Licking his lips, Decker leaned forward once more and gave her with a closed-mouthed kiss before slowly letting go, making sure she was good before gesturing with his hand back the way they’d come. “After you.”
They swam back slowly to the beach in front of his house, and Sidney had to admit she was a bit disappointed when he wrapped one of the towels they’d left on the sand around his waist. Without a word, he grabbed hold of her hand and they walked back to his house.
Something had changed out there in the ocean. Sidney wasn’t exactly sure what, but she felt closer to Decker as a result.
Forty-five minutes later, after they’d both showered, Decker was stretched out shirtless on the floor of his living room. He was wearing a pair of gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips. Hannah thought her human lounging on the floor was a fun new game, and it took a few minutes for her to understand that Decker wasn’t lying there for her amusement. She lay down at his side, keeping her eyes on both him and Sidney.
Sidney was suddenly not as sure about this as she’d been earlier. The idea of giving Decker a back rub was one thing, but the reality was so much…more.
His back muscles rippled as he propped himself on one elbow and raised an eyebrow at her. “You reneging on our bet?”
She shook her head. “No. Just trying to figure out the best way to do this.”
Decker reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward him. “Straddle my thighs. Yeah…like that.”
Perched on top of him, Sidney took a deep breath. God, he was built like a Mack truck. No wonder he could carry Hannah around as if she weighed nothing.
She leaned forward and tentatively put her hands on his back and pushed them upward.
He groaned.
Sidney stilled. “Decker?”
“Sorry. Keep going.”
So she did. With every caress, she relaxed a little more. His arms were bent up and his head was resting on his hands and for the first time, she felt as if she could look her fill without feeling even a little awkward.
The dark tattoos on his arms blended in with his deep tan, enough that if she wasn’t up close and personal like she was, she’d have a hard time even knowing they were there.
The jeans Sidney was wearing seemed way too tight, and she could feel she was already soaked between her legs. She was turned way the hell on and couldn’t stop fantasizing about Decker.
As if he could read her mind, without warning, Decker spun and the next thing Sidney knew, he was looking up at her. His large hands were at her waist and she could feel his fingers on her bare skin, where her jeans met her shirt. She’d never felt so vulnerable and excited.
“It’s only been fifteen minutes,” she said softly.
“I can’t take any more,” Decker admitted. “I thought I could. I underestimated how good it would feel to have you straddling and touching me.”
Sidney took a deep breath and his eyes went straight to her chest. She was wearing the jeans she’d had on earlier and a T-shirt, but she might as well have been naked for the impact his lustful gaze had on her body.
She looked down to try to avoid his intense stare, and came face-to-groin with the evidence of his arousal. She couldn’t see him as clearly as she had when he was wearing the bathing suit, but it was more than obvious he was ready and able to move things along in the sex department.
“You are so beautiful,” he said reverently.
Sidney moved her eyes away from his dick and up to his chest. She couldn’t stop herself from running her hands up his belly to his nipples, then back down. “You’re the beautiful one,” she told him.
“Look at me,” Decker ordered.
Taking a deep breath, Sidney did as he ordered. The heat she saw in his eyes was almost frightening. Without realizing it, she bit her lip and scooted back farther on his thighs.
Instantly, his hands came off her body and he put them under his head. “Easy, Sid.”
“I just…I’ve never felt this way before. It’s overwhelming.”
He nodded. “I know. For me too.” Then, moving slowly, he sat up, and Sidney went to her knees to give him room. He stood then reached down a hand to help her up. Once she was upright, he led them over to the couch and sat.
Without hesitation, Sidney sat and curled into him. One of Decker’s arms went around her shoulders, and she rested her head on his chest. Her knees were bent up and his other arm went around them to hold her close.
They sat like that for five minutes or so before he spoke. “Don’t ever be afraid of me.”
Sidney shook her head. “I’m not.”
“You were,” he countered. “I never want to see you look like that again. At least not when it comes to me.”
“I just…the look in your eyes was intense.”
He nodded. “I’m kind of an intense guy,” he told her. “I’m not sure I ever want you to see me when I’m in work mode. I get really focused and sort of have tunnel vision. But you never have to worry about me hurting you. Or rushing you into anything you aren’t ready for.”
“But that’s the thing. I think I am ready,” Sidney protested.
He shook his head, and she felt his beard brush against her forehead. “When you’re sure, we’ll see about moving our physical relationship along. Until then, we’ll go at your pace.”
“That’s not fair,” she protested, not sure why she was complaining. He was right, his intensity had scared her, but not in the way he thought. She knew he’d never hurt her. She glanced down at his lap and saw his erection was still just as big as it had been before. “You’re hurting.” Sidney gestured to his lap with her head.
Decker chuckled. “Sid, I’ve been this way for the last two weeks. This is nothing new. I can take care of it the same way I have since we met…by myself in the shower. Or lying in bed late at night after I’ve talked to you.”
Sidney wasn’t exactly shocked. She’d masturbated a few times after talking to him too. But she still felt bad.
Decker brought a hand up and put it under her chin. She lifted her head and looked him in the eye. They stared at each other for a moment before he leaned forward. Eagerly, she met him part way until they were kissing.
It started off slow and easy, but before too long, they were both straining toward each other. Sidney slanted her head and when Decker went to pull back, she put a hand on his head and held him in place.
The next few minutes, Sidney was lost in Decker. His fingers roamed, lighting a fire inside her wherever he touched. One hand snaked up the back of her shirt, touching her bare skin. Then it traveled down and he tucked it into the back of her jeans.
Even that small touch made her burn even more than before.
Wanting to be closer, Sidney straddled his lap and pressed herself against him without stopping their kiss. Her hands caressed his bare chest from top to bottom, even as she ground herself onto his cock.
For a second, she thought this was it. That they were going to make love right then and there on his couch. But when his hand slipped under the front of her shirt and cupped one of her breasts, she stiffened.
It was just for a second, but he felt it…and immediately removed his hand.
Sighing in frustration, Sidney pulled back and licked her kiss-swollen lips. Her brows furrowed as she stared at him. She wanted him. She did. But she had no idea why she kept pulling away every time he moved them a step closer to making love.
“I feel like I’m the biggest fucking tease,” she murmured. “And I don’t mean to be.”
“Shhhh, you’re not a tease. You just need to be sure. No matter my feelings, I know this is all happening fast. We don’t have to be in a rush. There will only be one first time for us.”
Sighing, she closed her eyes and took a moment to just enjoy being with Decker. To appreciate the fact that he didn’t expect her to jump into bed with him and seemed to genuinely be okay with them not doing more than making out on his couch.
Suddenly, he chuckled.
Lifting her head, Sidney said, “What?”
“Hannah.”
She turned to look at the dog—and stifled a giggle.
Hannah was sitting next to the coffee table staring at them. When she saw them looking at her, her tail began to wag energetically.
“Nothing like having an audience,” Decker quipped. “I kinda expected her to hold up a sign with a number judging us on our performance.”
Sidney couldn’t hold in her laughter anymore. She chuckled, then it turned into a full belly laugh. She laughed so hard her stomach hurt, and she had to climb off Decker in order to lean over and try to catch her breath. Of course, when she did that, Hannah came over and tried to lick her face.
“Oh my God,” she said after she’d controlled herself. “I think I’m traumatized for life. Please tell me she won’t be allowed in the bedroom when we do finally have sex.”
She didn’t give a thought to what she’d said until she realized Decker was no longer laughing. When she looked at him, he was smiling though. He had a tender look on his face…
And she suddenly had a flash forward to what he might look like at their wedding. Staring down at her with that exact same look on his face.
“No one sees your ass but me,” he told her, still smiling.
The mood broken, Decker stood and held out a hand. “Help me find something to make for dinner?”
“Of course,” she said, and let him pull her upright.
The next hour was spent happily cooking side by side with Decker and laughing. She’d never laughed so much in her life as she did with him. It was something new…and she liked it.
After they’d eaten dinner, Decker said, “We need to talk, Sid.”
She froze. Oh, God. Had she read the day completely wrong? It couldn’t be good when a guy said they had to talk…could it?
“Stop panicking,” Decker said, obviously reading her thoughts…or her facial expression. “I’m not breaking up with you, I still want to see you, and you’re stuck with me as long as you want to be. Okay?”
Sidney breathed out a sigh of relief. “Okay.”
He went back to the couch and sat once again, and she took a seat next to him. She had no idea what in the world he wanted to talk about.
Gumby took a deep breath. Today had been amazing. One of the best days of his life…and he hated to have to tell her that he was leaving. He’d gotten very used to seeing Sidney almost every day, and the thought of having to go the next however many days without that sucked. He decided she was stressed enough and didn’t drag it out.
“You know I’m a SEAL…well, tomorrow the team is headed out on a mission.”
He watched as his words sank in. He knew it wasn’t whatever she’d expected him to say, but he was pleased when she didn’t immediately protest or complain about him leaving.
“For how long?”
Pressing his lips together, Gumby said, “I don’t know. It could be a few days, or it could be a couple weeks. It all depends on how soon we achieve our objective.”
“And you can’t tell me where you’re going or what that objective is, can you?”
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. I know that sucks, and I’m sorry.”
Sidney took a deep breath. “Actually, I think it’s better. If I knew all the details, it would probably stress me out more.”
God, he loved this woman. She was going to make an amazing SEAL wife. “Come here,” he said, and she immediately burrowed into his side once again. “I need you to make me a promise.”
She looked up at him warily. “What?”
“I need you to promise that you won’t go off and check out Victor’s house, or any other potential abused-dog situation, until I get home.”
She didn’t immediately agree, and his stomach clenched in worry. He hurried to make his case. “I get that you’re an adult. That you’ve been rescuing dogs for a long time before I came into the picture. But it scares the shit out of me to think about you doing it by yourself. I love that you have a tender heart and want to help abused animals, but I’m not happy you put yourself in danger in the process. I’m not sure what’s driving you to put yourself at risk like you do, but if you have the compulsion and you need to do it, I’ll go with you. I’ll have your back. All I’m asking is that you please don’t do it when I’m gone. The thought of hearing about you being hurt while I can’t get to you makes me physically ill.”
“And if I said that I couldn’t do that?” she asked.
Gumby sighed. “Then there’d be nothing I could do about it. I’d worry about you, which I’ll do anyway, but even more so.”
“What happens if you get hurt or, God forbid, die on this mission?”
“First of all, I’m not going to die. Believe that. But…what are you really asking?”
“We’re dating. We aren’t married, so I’m thinking the navy wouldn’t notify me. Would I just never hear from you again? Would I drive by this house one day and see that it’s for sale?”
Gumby shook his head vehemently. “No. Fuck no. My commander knows who you are because I’ve already given him your information. Not only that, but Caite, Rocco’s girlfriend, knows about you too. Hell, just about everyone I work with knows who you are. If something happens to me, you’ll be notified. All the guys have your number as well.”
“So if you got hurt, they’d let me come to you? Be by your side?”
“Yeah, Sid. And I know without a doubt that I’d get better a hell of a lot faster if you were there with me.”
She absorbed what he’d just told her, then said, “I won’t go after any dogs while you’re gone.”
Gumby breathed out a long sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“But I can’t give it up. You know that, right?”
He reluctantly nodded. “I do. I wish you’d do it safer though. Can you tell me why? What drives you to put yourself in danger to rescue the dogs?”
For a second, he thought she was going to finally tell him, so he inwardly sighed in frustration when she just shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“I won’t push,” he told her. “But I hope someday you’ll feel safe enough and secure enough in my feelings for you that you’ll let me in.”
Sidney was obviously uncomfortable, and she changed the subject. “So everyone you work with knows about me? Including Caite?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Seems I can’t keep my mouth shut about you.”
“Think I figured that out when you brought Max here and got him to offer me a job.”
“Hey, I didn’t tell him to offer you anything. I just thought that you two would get along.”
“Uh-huh,” she said skeptically.
“I did! And I was right,” he crowed.
“Any chance I’m going to meet Caite soon? I think I’d like to compare notes. You know, since she’s dating a big bad Navy SEAL too.”
Happy that she wanted to meet the other woman, Gumby nodded. “Hell yeah. I’ll set it up as soon as we get back.” He ran a hand over her hair and tucked a strand behind her ear. I’m going to leave you the numbers of all the guys, as well as my commander. Caite’s too. You can call any of them if something goes wrong during my mission.”
“Oh!” she said, sitting up straight. �
��Who’s looking after Hannah? Do you need me to take her?”
Gumby winced. “About that.”
“What?”
“I had already arranged it before we got close. And I could always switch things around, but Caite seemed excited to spend some time here at the house.”
“So she’s dog-sitting?”
“Yeah. There was an…incident…at the apartment complex a bit ago. Caite and a rear admiral’s wife were in the wrong place at the wrong time and were held captive for a bit. Rocco is hesitant to leave her there by herself, and he asked if I minded if she stayed here. I jumped at the offer, because I wasn’t sure where we would stand by the time I headed out on the mission. Caite loves the beach, and she and Rocco are looking at houses, but they haven’t found anything yet.”
Gumby knew he was rambling but couldn’t make himself stop. The last thing he wanted to do was have Sidney think there was anything going on with him and Caite. And he hated to disappoint her.
“At the time, it was the perfect solution. She and Rocco came over the other morning and met Hannah, and she liked her…not the same way she likes you, but they got along.” He took a deep breath. “Are you upset?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I was going to offer to take Hannah to my trailer while you were gone, but she’ll like being here at home better, I think. Moving her around too much this soon after she was rescued probably isn’t a good thing.”
“I’ll make sure I introduce you and Caite as soon as we get back,” Gumby told Sidney. “You’ll like her, I think.”
“Decker, I don’t make friends easily. Some women are intimidated by me, probably because I don’t give a shit what they think. And if I’m being honest, some women intimidate me too. Let me guess, Caite is probably super-smart, huh?”
“She’s no smarter than you, Sid.”
“Right. Bet she has a college degree?”
“Yeah. She has a job on the base. She’s fluent in French and has been invaluable to NCIS.”
