by Dani Jace
As the water cooled, he ended his foray of her lovely body and shut off the shower. After grabbing the towels, he wrapped her in one then slung the other around his waist.
“Let’s go to your room.” She grasped his hand.
He followed her like a trained dog. Jax couldn’t deny his excitement about things progressing so quickly. Shit, he just might have to thank the fucker of an ex-husband.
He paused at the bathroom by the kitchen, needing to bandage his wound. “I’ll be up in a minute.”
“Condoms?” She twirled her fingers through her wet curls.
Chapter 7
He gave her a quick kiss and let her question drop, closing the bathroom door. She’d played nurse last night. Having her do it now would totally kill his wood.
After applying antibiotic cream, he slapped on one of the large, padded, self-sticking pads, and sprinted up the stairs, sans towel, ready to start his own brand of physical therapy.
The TV light cast a glow over the low, king-size bed, where a beautiful, big-eyed blonde lounged. Dark sheets emphasized her tawny skin.
She held his gaze, then let it drop.
Straight to his dick.
He’d always been confident. Yet insecurity crept through his brain in ways he didn’t understand. Peri prompted him to seek her validation in other ways.
He covered his concern with a predatory squint and strode for her. Kneeling on the bed, he wrapped her in his arms. So soft, so opposite of him. He caressed her temples and her hair, giving her a minute as he searched her face for any sign of reluctance.
“You changed your dressing, didn’t you?” A dimple creased her cheek.
“Can’t a guy have any secrets?” He tipped her chin.
“Hmm, isn’t your whole life a secret, Chief Taylor?” She lightly scored his back in a sexy tease, then squeezed his ass.
Fuck, yeah. She seemed ready and more than willing. “Not everything.” He nuzzled her neck and flexed his hips.
Her silky legs skimmed over the back of his calves before wrapping around him. Molding to her curves, he reveled in the heat between her thighs.
In San Diego, he’d have made a call or two and been balls deep for the night or longer. Since meeting Peri, he’d worked to secure her affections but couldn’t fathom why. Being with her meant more than a welcome-home fuck for him.
He sensed her need. The same as his. The need to connect. Hearing the words from her lips would satisfy more than his physical need. “Say it, Angel.”
“I want you, Jax.” Her lucent eyes darkened. The short hitch of her breath spurred him to action.
Oddly, he wished she’d said to make love to her. His heart’s desire went beyond the physical. Unusual for him, especially since he’d been celibate for months.
He brushed her lips, and opened the drawer of the nightstand where he’d stashed the condoms. Before he ripped open the seal, she sat up and plucked it from his fingers.
Leaning down, she covered his weeping head. Warm and wet, her mouth rimmed his length in a slow rhythm.
His head lolled, revering the exotic sight of her taking his cock so deep. Lovingly, he cupped her cheek. “You’re about to press my launch code, Angel.”
She retreated, then pinned him with a confident smile as she rolled on the condom.
His fingers had already sampled her tight heaven and now his dick jerked in anticipation for the same. He eased her on her back and knelt between her thighs. Her warm folds enveloped him as he inched into her heated channel. So soft. So tight. He pushed deeper, feeling her muscles clench, luring him to her core.
Her feminine moan transformed his need to be sated into a hunger to please. He ached to have her insatiable. For him. A selfish whim he’d never considered before.
Jax latched onto her pert nipple. Rolled it with his tongue. Felt her sexy exhale against his ear.
She rocked against him, encouraging him to move.
Being with her took him beyond what he’d known before. Beyond sex. Thrusting hard and deep, he neared the edge of insanity. He’d fucking lose his mind if he didn’t bury himself in her until neither one of them could walk.
* * * *
Peri gasped as he filled her over and over again. Delicious pressure and friction drove her higher.
His back muscles bunched under her fingertips. He rode her like it might be his last time.
Her body sang, rejoicing in the sensations his body wielded into hers.
He drew her knees into the crook of his arms and took her with an intensity she’d never known.
The flex of his abs through the V of her thighs drove him deeper, hurling her into oblivion.
With an intent stare, he held her captive, until she spiraled out of control.
Lost.
She held on to him as wave after wave of pleasure rocked through her.
With a guttural groan, he locked his hips, burying his body deep, and let go.
A sharp quiver trailed along his spine beneath her fingertips, thrilling her.
She craved to feel his essence, but the condom prevented his liquid heat. A pang of regret for something she’d never know with him. Their lives were worlds apart, even beyond geological distance. With her body still humming, she whispered against his ear. “Incredible.”
“You are that, Angel.” He placed her hand over his heart.
Peri’s confidence soared under the thundering gallop in his chest.
He rolled onto the sheets beside her and drew her close.
“Welcome home, sailor.” She ran her thigh over the top of his, enjoying his warmth. The dusting of hair on his muscular chest enticed her fingers to play.
“I could take a welcome like that every day.” He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
“Oh, right. This isn’t home. Sorry.”
He drew her on top of him and met her nose to nose. “Luckily, I found a beautiful lady who feels like home to me.”
* * * *
Peri jolted upright in bed the next morning, her heart hammering against her ribcage. She touched her mouth, missing Jax and the sultry kisses he’d branded to her lips until nearly dawn. How the hard planes of his muscles felt against her curves as he drove them to a realm where time ceased.
A dream this time.
With pulse racing, she glanced to the clock on the wall. She’d fallen back to sleep after he’d kissed her on his way out. He mentioned shopping for new door locks. Had he realized finding Sean in the house scared the hell out of her?
Dragging herself from the bed, she scanned for the numerous condom wrappers they’d flung to the floor during heated moments, but he'd even emptied the trashcan of evidence. Naked, she searched through the dresser and found one of Jax’s T-shirts. The soft cotton warmed her as his woodsy, masculine scent calmed her.
She’d turned this room into a game room/boarder room after her ex moved out. At the time, she was only working at the Trident, but it had its advantages. Besides taking on a boarder now and then, most of the patrons knew her situation and volunteered to help when her truck broke down or she had any home repairs out of her league. Jax had happened into her life before she had opportunity to get one of the regulars to give her a hand in fixing the pump.
She felt for him having been injured and having to leave before his team, but meeting him had her rocked her mundane world.
Downstairs, she padded into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee and sat at the bar gazing out at the pool. He’d even made coffee, too. Last night with Chief Jax Taylor, a.k.a. GQ, was the most memorable sex of her life.
Was any man really so good in bed? Her deliciously sore body screamed the answer. Yes. And of all men she’d seen in the flesh or pictorial, this body and proud soldier deserved to be revered. Now she understood when women said they were ruined. With the world of exciting and headboard-banging sex now open, she hungered for more.
Sean had only seen her as a mom after she became
pregnant at nineteen. Afterward, he busied himself climbing rank and broadening his range of allies. Aroused by power, he found a younger woman, who fell to her knees before him.
In the rearview mirror, Peri.
Two cups of coffee didn’t dilute her lingering thoughts of the hot-as-fuck SEAL. She’d found her own god of war to worship, at least for a few days.
After texting Haley to no avail, Peri assumed she and her friend still slept. Probably after partying all night. Hopefully, not in the way she had. She’d try again after her run, as they needed to shop for things Haley needed for her trip to Disney World with her dad and his girlfriend.
She loved the affronted and cold stare her ex passed Jax last night. It looked as if the commander might be jealous.
Peri made her way to her bedroom to dress. She donned her running shorts, laced up her shoes, and jogged out of the house. White blossoms had the Bradford Pear trees looking like cotton balls. A sure sign of spring. There was already a hint of humidity in the air.
Three streets later, she reached Croatan Beach. Opposite a line of rangy dunes, surfers bobbed in the early morning swells of high tide. She’d run cross-country in high school, but since then she ran more for relaxation and mental clearing. During the worst of the divorce, she sometimes logged five miles a day.
She pounded over packed sand in an easy stride. Today’s cleansing distracted her from further thoughts of Jax. She attempted to blame her attraction on loneliness and concern over her Haley’s growing absence. Haley was over her father’s betrayal to their family and had decided to spend a few weeks of her summer break with Sean in Europe. Peri figured a script for Valium would be the only way to get through those days. Unless—no use to even contemplate staying in touch with Jax after he jetted home to California.
However, with the Trident taking fewer hours now, she and Phil had found a reputable manager for weeknights, she’d have time on her hands this summer. Haley would be over three thousand miles to the east. Jax would be about the same distant to the west. She’d be left lonely in between.
Chapter 8
Jax had eased from bed, hating to leave the angel all sexy on the black sheets. He’d set the coffee running before grabbing the keys to his rental, intent on changing the house locks while Peri and Haley went shopping later.
Using his phone’s GPS, he headed for a nearby home improvement store. Inside, he searched the multitude of entry locks and found a style with a passcode and key. If Haley didn’t have loose lips, they might solve the problem.
Keeping the ex from prowling around his new lover’s domain was high priority. He’d call for pricing on alarm systems if Peri wanted. When it came time to shove off, he’d be more at ease about leaving her.
After last night, the idea of never seeing her again made him uneasy. His dick twitched, reminding him of the euphoric night shared with her. Their marathon of sex lasted until nearly dawn. She left him sated but eager for more. Usually, women were like a mission: get in and get out in one piece. Peri messed up his equilibrium.
How many times had death courted him, sure he’d never know the arms of a woman again? He understood regret. Leaving Peri when the time came would take that emotion to a new level. Something his nagging heart already dreaded.
He checked his watch when he returned to the house, estimating his time, and got to work. As he screwed tight the last lock in the front door, Peri and Haley arrived in the driveway from their retail therapy time.
They paraded through the foyer, loaded with a multitude of bags.
“How was the mall?” He replaced the screwdriver and closed the small toolbox he’d found in the garage.
Haley ignored him as Peri dropped her purchases on the ivory antique sofa in the living room.
It reminded him of his mother’s tastes and seemed the opposite of Peri’s. Maybe the furniture had been her mother’s.
“You’d think she was headed to Paris or something.” With a wink, Peri threw an arm around his neck. “Thanks for your handiwork.” She flipped the new deadbolt.
He absorbed the sparkle dancing in her eyes like it was life sustaining. Last night, he'd sensed her apprehension over her ex’s unexpected stalking and Haley’s impending absence, but today she seemed lighter. The SEAL part of him believed it had to be him, considering last night’s sexfest, but the honest man in him wouldn’t allow it.
“You’re welcome. Here’re your new keys.” He tugged them from his jean pocket. “You can set up passcodes. Ex-husband-proof, I hope.”
Before accepting them, she leaned close, cradled the back of his neck, outlined his lips, and then gave him a deep kiss.
The searing lip lock startled him, but he answered equally, searching her mouth as long as he dared with Haley in earshot. A hint of ice tea and mint flavored his tongue while he savored the sweet, herbal fragrance of her hair.
He clutched a hand full of the thick hair that drove him crazy with desire. Before their time ended, he was determined to have the long tresses gripped tightly in his fist while he rode her from behind. The naughty visual only made him wishing they were alone.
“So, what’s been cooking in the kitchen all day, making my stomach growl?” He licked his lips. It couldn’t taste better than her.
A corner of her kiss-swollen mouth hitched. “Haley’s favorite: Crock-Pot lasagna. You hungry?”
Starved, however, lasagna couldn’t begin to quell his wicked appetite. He shouldn’t be counting the hours before Haley was southbound to Florida.
* * * *
Jax snoozed in the next morning while Peri took Haley to catch her early flight. He didn’t want to impose while they said their goodbyes. However, he’d be here for her afterward for whatever she needed. If that meant more of his body, he would be more than happy to appease her, because he certainly missed hers last night.
He threw the sheets back and dressed in a T-shirt and his running shorts. After pocketing his phone, he bounded down the steps for the kitchen and chugged a bottle of water.
Using the route he’d driven Haley to her friend’s house, Jax jogged for the beach to try a run. His leg ached more than it had the night he passed out behind the Trident, but he couldn’t afford to lose any more physical conditioning. Getting back to his team after his leave was his main objective. Getting his blood pumping beyond the bedroom would do him some good.
Heading north on the beach, he reached Rudee Inlet, not realizing how close Peri lived to it. If he wanted to jog on the boardwalk, he’d have to backtrack through the neighborhood and cross the highway bridge. He needed to visit TJ before Peri returned, so he headed for the house. Pushing on the return run, blood trickled down his leg into his sock.
After a long, hot shower, his leg felt better. He’d often heard exertion pushed healing blood to a wound helping it recover faster. Funny, when Peri was around, he felt no pain.
He called TJ and headed for the base at Little Creek. After arriving, he flashed his ID and entered the discreet building housing the SEAL teams.
An attractive, young ensign with short dark hair, and piercing hazel eyes glanced from her computer screen. “Sir?”
“CPO Taylor, here to see Specialist Templeton.”
She dialed a few buttons and announced Jax’s presence to the person who answered. “Yes, sir, I’ll be happy to show him the way.” She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear.
He followed the pronounced sway of her hips in the snug skirt. Being a SEAL had its advantages. They received state-of-the-art technology and weapons as well as the most astute support staff. In the ensign’s case, brains and beauty did cohabitate the same body.
After passing several lines of cubicles, she opened a door. Plywood walls stenciled with the logo of the teams and their call signs adorned the bare wood of their ready rooms. Here they relaxed while getting ready for a mission or training exercise.
“Second door on the right, CPO Taylor. And should you need anything else during your
visit, let me know." She batted her lashes.
“Thank you, ensign.” God, was she even old enough to drink? Evidently, she’d already completed the other womanly rite of passage. It might be legal to have sex with an eighteen-year-old, but at thirty-three he felt old.
“GQ!” TJ burst form the doorway. “Did she finally untie you from her bed?” He pounded him on the shoulder, ushering him inside.
Damn, the visual made him laugh. He didn’t need any more kinky ideas. “She had an errand, so I thought I’d check out your digs.” He surveyed the room. Cubbies with his team’s gear lined one wall of the Spartan room. A large wood table graced the center.
Two guys hovered over a large map and several satellite photos. Only people with security clearance were allowed into the SEALs’ den, so they didn’t bother to cover anything from him.
TJ made introductions. “This is Hawk and Cipher.”
Jax shook hands with each man. He remembered Hawk, a fellow sniper, from some training missions.
Sounding mildly affronted, TJ said, “He’s getting out next month.”
Hawk nodded. “I’ve been offered a training gig at a large police department. The money’s not bad and they offer great bennies.”
“He fired too much ammo and has twins on the way.” TJ laughed. “Come on, they’re hashing some logistics. I’ll show you what’s new.”
Jax had visited the base during a couple of joint training ventures but not recently. In fact, he hadn’t seen TJ in nearly three years and that was mainly why he took the military hop here. Thus far, he’d gotten more than he bargained for during his brief visit.
After a few rounds in their state-of-the-art cyber shooting range, pent tension eased. The simulation enabled him some payback he’d needed after taking a bullet during his last moments of the fight.
“Damn bro.” TJ squeezed his shoulder. “You’re still top shot.”
“Thanks. That’s what they pay me for.”
“Commander Balton.” TJ straightened at the officer entering.
Jax spun around from the console and snapped to attention.
