SEAL INVESTIGATIONS: A 5-Books SEAL Romance Series

by Lola Silverman

  “You’ve got this, Marina,” Bones told her quietly. “It’s all going to turn out just fine.”

  She didn’t know how he could be so sure, but she wasn’t about to argue about it now.

  BONES WOULD HAVE been lying if he had tried to convince himself that he wasn’t at all nervous about taking Marina to his dumpy little apartment. First of all, the large, single room was mostly subterranean. There was a good chance that she was going to take one look at the space and sprint in the other direction.

  As she pulled her low-slung sports car up to the curb behind the ancient warehouse, he glanced over to gauge her response. Her face was difficult to read. He could see a little apprehension, but it was overshadowed by the rampant curiosity that made her dark eyes gleam.

  “You live in the building, or is the building yours?” Her words and tone were mild. He couldn’t read a secondary meaning from the question. It made him uncomfortable.

  He cleared his throat, opened his door, and got out. Marina did the same. Then she locked the vehicle and gave him an expectant look. Bones sighed. “Someone renovated the place into apartments a long time ago. I’ll warn you. They’re pretty basic units. Nothing like yours.”

  She gaped at him. “Are you afraid I’m going to think badly of your home?”

  “I think it’s highly probable that you will.” He scratched the back of his neck, feeling distinctly comfortable. “I lived in a barracks room for most of my adult life. I didn’t really figure I needed much when I’m on leave. I considered just staying down at Little Creek in the barracks. Romero does. But I’m from Baltimore, and I guess…” He didn’t finish. He didn’t even know how to finish.

  “This is your home,” she whispered. “I understand.”

  He didn’t respond, choosing to head in the direction of his front door instead. The stairs sloped down underground. There were narrow windows on either side of the wide door that allowed occupants to peer outside. The door itself had once been a loading bay, so it was wide. There was no man door. He muscled the stubborn sheet of heavy metal back on its rusty tracks.

  Behind him, Marina took a very deep breath before entering the space. His gut twisted as he prepared for her PTSD to act up. He would feel like shit if he set her off yet again just because he chose to live like some kind of mole.

  “Oh.”

  Bones turned around. The note of pleasant surprise in her voice shocked the hell out of him. She was standing in the entryway of his apartment with the strangest expression on her face. He could not have guessed what was responsible for her apparent wonder. He would have thought she would be full of derision, fear, and distaste.

  “Marina?”

  MARINA GAZED AROUND at what was obviously Bones’s home. It reminded her of a den. Meaning that Bones was like a bear that came home and curled up when he wasn’t out foraging and defending his territory.

  A kitchenette occupied one corner. There was a huge refrigerator and a sink, but there was no dishwasher or other appliances. A stovetop took up one section of counter space, and there was an island with one lonely barstool. Across from the kitchen, in the opposite corner of the long, low room, was a sleeping platform. It was massive. In fact, it absolutely resembled the sleeping space of a giant animal. Blankets were piled on a thick mattress. Pillows were scattered around. It looked like a nest, and Marina could not believe how inviting it appeared. There was something so very safe about that setup that she could envision herself walking over and curling up for a nap.

  “I like to work out,” he grunted.

  Marina smiled. “I can see that.”

  There was a whole corner devoted to his obvious desire to work out. There were mirrors, heavy bags, and a weight bench that could have sustained an Olympic lifter. Marina could easily imagine Bones over there with a bar and some Godawful amount of weight on it. He would be flinging it effortlessly above his head over and over again. Even the thought was arousing. She could picture acres and acres of sexy muscle rippling beneath all of that caramel-colored skin. There would be a fine sheen of sweat all over, and then maybe he would let her wash him down in the shower once he was done with his workout.

  “Marina?”

  The questioning tone of his voice made her blush. Could he read her thoughts? She almost thought that he might be able to. It wasn’t as if she was trying to hide her attraction to him. At least, she didn’t think she was. What did she know? She was so off her game these days it was difficult to know whether she was coming or going when it came to men.

  “It’s perfect,” Marina told Bones. “I think it’s exactly right.”

  He looked anything but convinced. “It’s a hole in the ground.”

  “Yeah. I was actually thinking more of a Winnie the Pooh theme.”

  Now he looked positively flabbergasted. He didn’t speak. Given what she’d just belted out and how ridiculous it must have sounded, Marina wasn’t surprised. What could he possibly say when she’d just compared this huge beast of a man to a children’s storybook character?

  Marina moved deeper into the room. It was odd, but she didn’t mind that it was underground. There was light from the windows spilling across the wood floor, and the place didn’t smell like a tomb. It wasn’t dank. It wasn’t dirty. In fact, it was cleaner than her apartment. It felt lived in. There was a definite sense of efficiency, but there was comfort too.

  BONES WATCHED IN shock as Marina walked right to his bed. She kicked off her shoes and knelt on his mattress. Snuggling into his bed, she curled up with her head on a pillow and gave a blissful sigh.

  “If you’re just going to stand there, that’s fine,” she told him. “But I wouldn’t mind some company over here if you’re interested.”

  If he was interested? Bones had to stop himself from leaping onto the bed and attacking this incredible, attractive woman. The immense satisfaction he received from seeing her on his bed was so extreme that he could barely hold himself back.

  He forced himself to be slow and methodical. Unlacing his boots, he carefully took them off and placed them beside the door so they would be ready if he should need to shove his feet inside them and leave quickly. Next he removed his shirt. He heard Marina’s breath hitch when he did and knew that he was going to have to be careful this time around. The strange rapport between them was unique and fragile in its own way. He would need to be careful not to push her or take advantage of the trust he had built so far.

  He left his cargo pants on and walked to the bed. Kneeling slowly, he placed himself on the mattress and then relaxed onto his side. He was now staring at Marina. There was plenty of space between them, and yet the position of their bodies suggested a certain intimacy that made him believe that there might be something beautiful between them before the day was done.

  “We should be working on the case,” she murmured.

  He pursed his lips. She was right. Even at this moment he knew that Romero, Sparks, and Yates were probably beating the pavement and digging through files looking for leads. Yet Bones could not bring himself to worry about that right now. Here and now, this, was more important. This woman needed careful handling, understanding, and someone to help her get over her fear of letting go.

  Bones reached across the space between them and touched her cheek. “I consider this part of the case.”

  “How?” Her gentle laugh was a gift. She sounded relaxed, and that was priceless.

  “I consider it part of the case to help you work past your PTSD,” Bones told her quietly. “These bastards have caused you to doubt yourself. Once you’ve got a little faith restored in your own value, none of these assholes are going to be able to stand against you.”

  She looked surprised. Her dark eyes were unfathomable. Her braid was tousled and hung over her shoulder. He had never seen anything quite so sexy. He wanted her with a fierceness that drowned out everything else. But it wasn’t a raw desire to possess. What he felt was a primal need to claim. He wanted to show this woman everything that her body was ca
pable of, and then he wanted to slake his own desire while he brought her the most exquisite pleasure she could imagine. Sometimes he wondered what it was that made him so determined to take on monumental tasks with such unbeatable odds.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Marina was trembling with excitement. Her nerves were strung almost unbearably tight. She could feel the heat that sizzled off Bones’s skin. Swallowing back her inhibition and fear, she lifted her fingers and touched his face. She let her fingertips slide lower. They caressed the bow of his lower lip, and she was once again in awe. How could something look so unforgiving but feel so pliant and perfect?

  “I like looking at you,” she whispered. “You’re a study in contrast. Did you know that?”

  “Contrast?” One of his elegant eyebrows arched in response.

  Marina gently traced the blade of his nose. “Yes. Contrast. You look like a slab of granite, but when I touch you all I can think of is how soft you are. Like silk and steel,” she murmured thoughtfully.

  She bit her lip, feeling excited and yet nervous. Before she could change her mind, she squirmed out of her shirt. She tossed it aside before unbuttoning her pants.

  His hand moved to stop her. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting naked.”

  “Marina, I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything you don’t want to do. In fact, we don’t have to do anything at all.”

  “I want to,” she insisted. “Don’t you understand? I want to”—she struggled to find a word that fit—“I want to fix this!”

  “You don’t need to be fixed,” he replied gently. “I want that clear from the beginning. You’re not broken. You’ve been through some stuff. That’s all. Now you’re trying to work through some things. That’s all.”

  “Fine.” Marina wriggled until she could get her hands up to unfasten her bra. It came off, and she pulled the straps down her arms. “Then come and work on me. Please?”

  His groan sent frissons of awareness all through her body. She had never been so close to shattering. The bed was soft beneath her. She was warm and secure, and she’d never been so aroused before in all her life. Her core ached, and she knew that she was incredibly wet for this man. It felt as though he could touch her and she might explode. Oh, how badly she wanted that to happen!

  Bones placed one big hand flat on the inside of her thigh. He let his palm skate across her sensitive flesh as he gently approached the junction of her legs. Marina was on her side with one knee bent. She rolled onto her back and reclined against his pillows. She watched his hand move closer and closer to her pussy. The erotic sight was almost more than she could stand. She trembled with the desire to move, but she remained still, lest the attention stop.

  “I’m going to touch you,” he whispered.

  She nodded and swallowed, forcing an important word past her lips. “Yes.”

  His fingertips brushed over the thin strip of hair shielding her mound. She quivered in response. Then he began to pet her. Marina’s eyes slid closed as the most amazing array of sensations overtook her. She’d never realized how many nerves existed down there. He was touching every single part of her, except the creamy center of her desire. She began to ache with each stroke.

  Excitement twisted around her insides. She forgot to be frightened. Control seemed minor in this moment. She was utterly focused on the light touch against her pussy. He traced the exterior contours before very gently slipping two fingers through her hot pink folds. As he glided by her swollen clitoris, she cried out and convulsed.

  The tiny tremors of release started to gather in her backside. She felt every muscle in her butt grow tense as her body prepared for climax. For once she did not fight it. How could she? There was no force and no fear. Bones coaxed her body with tiny touches and gentle caresses that left her panting with the need to come.

  Her inner muscles began to bear down hard. Everything tightened below her belly. Her pussy flexed and rolled as she finally began to feel the coils of orgasm building in her body. It was incredible! She lifted her arms over her head and twisted her fingers in the blankets. Her breasts were throbbing. Every single nerve in her body was utterly attuned to Bones’s hand.

  He settled the base of his palm against her opening and began to press and release in a gentle rhythm. Marina gasped, her hips bucking reflexively as the extreme pleasure made her too restless to hold still any longer. Each movement of Bones’s hand sent a zing through her clit and made her pussy clench tight. She sucked in a huge breath as the very first twinges of her orgasm began to throb inside her body. She was so very ready.

  “Let go, Marina,” Bones whispered. “Just let go.”

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she gasped.

  “You have to let go if you want to come.”

  His voice seemed to be a whisper in her mind. She knew on some deep level what it was saying, but the truth of it seemed to linger right outside her capabilities. She struggled to do as he asked and felt a sharp pain cut right through her groin.

  “Easy, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Relax.”

  Bones removed his fingers from her pussy and rested his hand unobtrusively on her belly. Marina panted with the effort, though she couldn’t understand exactly what had happened.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

  “Nothing, baby,” he murmured. “We needed to take a break. That’s all.”

  She cocked her head, realizing that he was still fully clothed. “What about you?”

  “Don’t worry about me.” His words were casual, but she still felt bad. “This is about you.”

  BONES COULD TELL that Marina didn’t like that answer very much. Still, he wasn’t going to foist off his needs on her, or even acknowledge that his cock was so damn hard that he was afraid he was going to explode as soon as he barely breeched her hot sheath. None of that mattered right now. The only thing that did was Marina.

  “I’m going to lick your pussy,” he told her gruffly. “The only thing I want you to think about is enjoying it. All right?”

  Her head shot up from the pillows, and she gave him a wide-eyed stare of shock. “You’re going to what?”

  “I want to taste you,” he growled. “I can smell your pussy on my fingers and it’s driving me crazy. I want my face between your legs.”

  She actually seemed as though she might argue with him. Then Bones changed position on the bed and kissed her inner thigh. She gave a little squeak, but didn’t voice any more protests. Instead he could feel the anticipation in every line of her body. She wanted this as badly as he did.

  Bones placed his fingers on either side of her pussy and gently held her open to his gaze. She was tight pink perfection. Gently blowing a stream of air across her sensitive flesh, he watched her inner muscles clench and release. She was so delightfully sensitive. He had faith that something would help her achieve her climax. He just had to find the right stimuli.

  The first lick of his tongue was heaven on earth. Marina was sweet and creamy. The tangy taste of her made him salivate, and soon he was lapping at her as though he were a starving man. His cock throbbed and wept its need against the confines of his underwear, but he forced himself to ignore it. This was not about him. Not now. It was about this incredible woman who trembled at his touch.

  He could feel each and every quiver of her inner muscles. Making his tongue into a tiny point, he drove it into the center of her and began to fuck her as he would have with his cock. A keening wail rose above the wet sound of his tongue inside her body. The sound lifted the hair on the back of his neck and made him nearly insane with arousal.

  She was close. Bones could sense it. He heard her panting and felt her inner muscles poised on the edge of release. Slipping one long finger into her tight sheath, he curled it around her pubic bone and put pressure directly against her G-spot. Marina gasped and arched up off the bed so hard that he almost lost his grip.

  Bones wrapped his arm around her waist and held tight as her hips be
gan to gyrate reflexively. She fucked his hand as though she were determined to force herself over the edge. Lowering his mouth to her pussy, he added his tongue to the mix and finally felt her rip apart from the inside out.

  “Bones!” she gasped. “I’m—I’m—I’m…Oh my God!”

  The incredible sensation of her orgasm left him practically senseless. Her pussy began to tremble as muscle spasms left her thrashing on the bed. She was trying to talk, but there were no coherent words coming out. Her back was bowed and her feet braced flat on the mattress. Wave after undulating wave of muscular contractions made her lower body convulse.

  Bones had no idea how long the storm lasted. He didn’t dare touch her. She was obviously in the throes of release, and he had no idea how sensitive she might be during that time. So instead of giving in to his body’s demand that he sink his cock into her sweetness, he forced himself to hang back.

  Finally he saw her go visibly limp. She looked like a marionette with the strings cut. She flopped to the surface of the bed and simply lay there without twitching for several minutes.

  “Marina?” He carefully stroked her cheek with one fingertip.

  To his surprise, she rolled to her side and curled up against his chest. He gave in to the urge to be tender and gathered her close. She was still quivering with little aftershocks. Bones held on and just let them happen. She tucked her face into the hollow of his shoulder and exhaled a ragged sigh.

  “I think I died,” she whispered.

  He chuckled. “But do you feel better?”

  “I don’t know.” She seemed to be thinking it over. “I felt that spot, you know?”

  “Like a threshold?” he suggested. He knew exactly what she was talking about.

  “Yes. It’s like that point where you can feel it coming and you can choose to shut it down or let go.” Marina sounded as though she were absolutely floored by this notion. “I never ever saw that before.”

  “Before your experience?”

  “Yes.” She paused a moment. “Why?”

  “Sometimes things happen to us that put us closer to our animal side, sweetheart.” He struggled to find the right words while gently rubbing circles on her back. “You never had to tap into that survival portion of your brain before you were taken captive. Then while you were kept prisoner you became focused on the utter basics of survival. That’s not something that leaves you unchanged. You learned a lot about yourself during that time.”