“I thought you and Mal would be off having a good old time.”
He glanced down at her, wondering about the tone. There was a thread of irritation in it. She was smiling up at him as if there was nothing wrong, but he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him.
“Apparently your brother had a woman picked out already.”
She nodded. "He’s a slut.”
Kade couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed. Shannon had a way of talking about her brothers, especially Mal, that Kade knew was to remind them they were still just her brothers.
“What about you?” she asked.
“I’m not a slut.”
She chuckled. “The jury’s still out on that one.”
“Your brother needs to learn how to be a little more picky.”
Her lips curved up at that comment, and he felt the moisture dry up in his mouth. God, he wanted to kiss that smile off her face—then move down her body, exploring every delicious inch of her. He knew her flesh would be sweet.
“I noticed you’re pretty picky.”
He nodded as he worked her around the dance floor. "I don’t fall for every pretty face that comes along.”
She said nothing. Instead she laid her head on his shoulder. The gesture was so natural it was as if she did it every day. He knew he should tell her not to. His brain said he should do it. But he couldn’t. It was too close to what he wanted, what he yearned for. For five long years he had wanted her, wanted to feel this way with her, her head on his shoulder, her soft, warm body in his arms. He had wanted that for so long, he just couldn’t bring himself to stop her.
It was bad enough he would probably have to take a five-hour cold shower when he got back to the room. Sweat slid down his back, and he had to fight the urge to lean down and brush his lips over her forehead.
He had talked himself into not doing more when she sighed and relaxed even more against him. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, and with every breath he drew in that sultry scent that was so unique to her. His head started to spin. His body started to duel with his mind. His brain was starting to lose when the music ended. The band swung into a fast-paced Hawaiian tune. His body protested when he had to pull back.
“Shannon?”
Even to his own ears, his voice sounded gruff. She raised her head and blinked as if coming out of some kind of daze. Her breathing hitched, and her breasts rose above the neckline of her dress. His gaze slipped down, he could see her hardened nipples through the delicate red fabric. He curled his fingers into his palms and counted backwards from ten. If he didn’t get away from her soon, he would definitely lose control. There would be nothing to stop him from tearing off her clothes and bending her over a banquet table.
The wind shifted, pulling a few strands of her hair loose from the complicated style.
He cleared his throat. "Well, that was...nice.”
Fuck. How lame could he get? She studied him for a second, her expression serious, thoughtful. Then in the next moment, her lips curved.
“You know where my room is, doncha?”
Lust soared. His body reacted at the direct question. Any doubts he had about her interest in him vaporized. She apparently thought there was no reason to hide her attraction to him anymore.
He nodded, unable to form a word.
“Well, then you know where to find me later.”
With that, she walked away, and he couldn’t help watching her hips and that magnificent ass of hers. He could just imagine having her on all fours in front of him as he took her from behind.
Kade drew in a deep breath. He needed to get a drink. He needed to go away, far away. He could not breach the trust his friend put in him. If another man had thoughts about his sister like he had about Shannon, well, he would kill him. Of course, his sister was married with five kids, so there was a really good chance his brother-in-law had those thoughts.
He headed over to the bar. After ordering another beer, he turned and found himself face to face with Kai Aiona, Shannon’s brother-in-law.
“Hey, man. I saw you out there with Shannon.”
“Yeah. I’ve known all the Duprees for a long time.”
He nodded. "Those two women, though, they melt a man’s brain.”
He didn’t know what else to say, so he just nodded and took a shallow sip off his bottle.
Kai laughed. "Don’t worry, bra. I won’t be bugging you about your intentions. The one thing I understand about the Dupree women is that they have their own minds. Just make sure you know what you’re about. I’d hate to have to beat the crap out of you to make Jocelyn happy.”
“I’m a Seal.”
Kai laughed in his face again. "And I’ve been working on the docks since I was a teen.”
They eyed each other, and Kade realized he’d come up against an adversary he might not be able to beat. He wasn’t as muscular as Kade, but there was something to be said about a man who knew how to fight dirty.
“Now, speaking of my bride, I need to hunt her up. We have a big suite to use for the night.”
He left Kade alone to his thoughts. He didn’t have to look for Shannon, he knew where she was. It didn’t matter if he tried to ignore her, he could always sense where she was if she was nearby. He could find her in a crowd of a thousand. He watched as she pulled May and Kai’s father out onto the dance floor and tried to teach him to two-step. It was silly that his heart turned over just at the sight of her. She was smiling as usual, her joy easy to see. Shannon enjoyed life, every little bit of it, to the fullest extent. Out of all of the Duprees, she was the one who could always find a silver lining in any cloud. And now she had pulled away the barriers he’d thought were there. She had made her interest clear.
As he watched her dance, he felt his resistance melt. He might not have the right, but the lady had given him an invitation, and even if it was for just this one night, he would taste a little bit of paradise.
With his job, there were few opportunities for it. Once—just this once—he would take the chance.
· · · · ·
Shannon looked at herself in the mirror and drew in a deep breath. She looked good. No, correct that. She looked damned hot. The dress Cynthia had picked out for her had been fantastic. Red was definitely her color, and the design suited her fuller figure. Best of all, it was a dress she could wear again. And she would. Either to remind her of a great night, or remind her not to have stupid yearnings that would never come true.
She groaned and grabbed a bottle of water. After taking a swig, she hoped that it helped cool off her raging libido. If history served, nothing would help. Not even her battery-operated boyfriend could relieve the fire that man started in her. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart. Just thinking about Kade had her body humming with anticipation. She was already driving herself crazy, and she had only been in her room twenty minutes. It took all of her control not to pace the room. It would be stupid to worry herself over the invitation she’d given Kade. Seriously, she didn’t expect him to show. Hoped, but didn’t really think it would happen.
Oh, there was no doubt he wanted her. A man didn’t get that hard by just dancing unless he wanted a woman or had just had a handful of the blue pills. Shannon was pretty damned sure that Francis McKade didn’t need them.
She stepped out onto her balcony and looked out over the water. The scent of salt filled her senses. She loved it in Hawaii. She would never be able to leave New Orleans, but she definitely liked it in Chris’s adopted home. While her hometown was always abuzz with activity, something she loved, she did like the slower pace of the islands. She liked to come here and gaze out over the water and just…breathe.
But even that didn’t work. Being in the same hotel as Kade, she couldn’t think of anything else other than seeing him in her room, preferably naked. She needed something to occupy her time. If she didn’t, she would definitely tear into the bag of chocolate macadamia nuts. Her ass didn’t need that.
; She watched the surf as it rolled in, and she could see why her brother and sister had been drawn to Hawaii. This was a soothing place. Oahu could be a jungle, that was for sure, but there was something so...relaxed. She could never live here. It would take an act of war to get her out of New Orleans. She had rebuilt her bar after Katrina, and she wasn’t leaving any time soon. But she needed to find time to return to Hawaii. She had a niece or nephew about to make an appearance, and she was sure Jocelyn and Kai would have children soon.
A little ping hit her heart harder than it ever had before. Thinking of her sister, her confidant, having a baby brought about yearnings she never thought she would have, not now. She thought they would come after marriage, but it was probably because the first Dupree grandchild would be arriving in five months.
Shannon shook herself free of her funk. This wasn’t like her. She had men. Not a constant stream of them, and she did have the problem of her career. Her business took up a fair amount of her time, so it had been a long dry spell between men. But for some reason, she hadn’t felt the need to scratch the itch. Not until she saw her brother coming down the escalator at the airport with Kade.
She closed her eyes and shivered. Damn, the man got to her. And if he didn’t take her up on her offer, she would write him off. His loss. She opened her eyes and glanced at the ABC Drugstore bag. She would throw away the condoms she bought and drink whiskey and eat the chocolate.
There was a knock at the door, pulling her out of thoughts of rebellion by gorging herself. She drew in a deep breath and approached the door. When she looked through the peephole, she sighed. It was an older Asian man. She opened it, and he looked confused.
The door across the hall opened, and a woman who was apparently his wife frowned at him.
“Sorry,” he said with a smile.
“No problem,” Shannon said, trying to fight the disappointment that now swamped her as she watched his wife usher him into their room. She was closing the door when a hand braced against it and stopped her. She looked up and found Kade staring at her.
“I told you I knew where your room was.”
His voice flowed over the words. He had been born in Australia, but his parents had moved to the US when he was younger. That accent still tinged his voice. It sent little tingles of heat racing through her blood.
“You didn’t change your mind, did you?”
He actually looked worried. The fact that he would think any woman in her right mind wouldn’t beg him to come to her room made him even more attractive.
She smiled and stepped back. “Come on in, Kade.”
Chapter 3
As Kade watched Shannon step back, he tried to calm his heart. It was smacking against his chest so hard he was sure she heard it. Lust hummed through his body. He was afraid if he didn’t control himself, he would completely lose it, strip her naked, and ride her like she was a mare in heat.
“Kade?” she asked.
He shook himself out of the stupor as he stepped over the threshold and shut the door behind himself. He flipped the deadbolt and took her in his arms. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he was rushing, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t be that controlled when he kissed her. He had waited too long to touch, to taste. She didn’t hesitate, but came willingly into his arms and pressed herself against him. Lord. His eyes almost crossed at the feel of all that softness against him. Her nipples were hard.
He kissed her then, taking her lips in a hot, open-mouthed kiss. She was better than he dreamed. As he dove into her mouth, she hummed against his tongue. Every hormone in his body screamed, begging for relief, but there was one thing he knew. He might never get to do this again, and if so, he would make sure this would last him a lifetime.
He kissed a path down her neck, enjoying the taste of her flesh. God, she was so sweet. She arched into him, and he swore. He almost came then and there. No woman had ever gotten to him like this. He pulled away.
“Turn around.”
His voice was rough, and he saw that her eyes widened slightly. When she did as he ordered, she did it slowly, her hips swaying as she turned. The woman was going to drive him insane. There was no doubt about it. His hands were shaking when he lifted them to unzip the dress. He was careful not to jerk the delicate fabric, but it was hard. As the fabric spilt, it revealed a black lace corset, stockings, and mother help him, a thong.
She was definitely going to kill him. Blood rushed to his groin, and his head started to spin again. The dress fell away and pooled on the floor at her feet. When she turned around, his eyes almost crossed.
The corset was tight, pushing her generous breasts up to the edge and almost over the top. The stockings were attached by garters. As he allowed his gaze to drift down, he had to sigh. She was made for him. There was no doubt in his mind. He didn’t like thin women, disdained them. He liked a handful of a woman. One who knew her worth and who had more curves than he could explore in a lifetime.
“Kade?”
He could barely hear her voice. He lifted his hand and skimmed the tips of his fingers over the delicate flesh above the lace. She shivered then moaned as he slipped his digit between her breasts.
“Kade?”
He looked up at her and the frown she was giving him. “Don’t say no now.”
She smiled at that. “Not on your life, it’s just that…you have a lot of clothes on. I’m almost naked.”
He didn’t do anything. He couldn’t. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that the woman he had lusted after for so long was standing in front of him in a corset.
He swore then that he was positive there was a God.
Apparently, she got sick of waiting. Shannon stepped forward and took hold of his shirt.
“Arms up, Seal.”
He did as ordered, unable to fight the smile curving his lips. He knew it would be like this. Softness, tenderness, fun, and love. She tossed the shirt behind her and immediately had her hands on his chest.
“Lord, you Seals know how to build some muscles.”
The wonder in her voice shot straight to his dick. She splayed her hands over his pecs and smoothed them over his flesh. He was sure she could feel the way his heart pounded against his chest.
“I like that you aren’t all waxed.”
He snorted. "No military man would do so, babe.”
Her gaze flashed up to his. "Yeah? I bet there are a few.”
“Let me rephrase that. No self-respecting Seal would wax.”
“Ah,” she said and nodded as she slipped her hands up over his shoulders. The lace of her corset scratched against his skin, and he was amazed he didn’t lose consciousness. There was so much he wanted to do to her, with her. But he couldn’t go into full Dom mode, not with Shannon. Tonight was more about sharing, caring, and living in the moment.
He bent his head and kissed her. This time he wasn’t so out of control. Slowly he tasted her, nipping at her lips, then finally he delved into her mouth. He walked her back to the bed until her legs hit it. He pulled back and pushed her a little. She took the hint and fell on the bed, a laugh bubbling up from within her. That joy was something he would remember for the rest of his life. He didn’t doubt it.
She was laying on the bed, her hair tousled around her head now, and that sexy smile inviting him to join her. He did then, undoing her corset and garters. He slipped the lace from her body, but he didn’t remove the stockings. Next he worked the tiny thong down her legs. It was wet with her arousal, the musky scent of it sending his libido to new heights. He kissed the flesh just above the band of the stocking, then the other leg. He worked his way up to her sex. She was hot, and damn, so wet.
Need crawled through him, urging him to take, to plunder. He couldn’t control himself, couldn’t wait. He had to have a taste of her. He set his mouth against her pussy and leisurely licked her. She shivered and moaned against him.
He savored her, slipping his tongue inside of her and allowing the flavor of her to dan
ce over his taste buds. God, every little bit of her was exquisite, inside and out. Adding a finger, he enjoyed the way her muscles clamped down on it as he worked in and out of her. He could just imagine sliding inside, having those inner pussy walls tugging on his cock. He sighed against her as he slipped his tongue up and over her clit.
She shivered, moving against him. He sensed her approaching orgasm and pulled away.
She moaned in irritation and gave him a dirty look. He laughed and worked his way up her torso, kissing and licking her sweet skin. When he reached her breasts, he took one hardened nipple into his mouth and sucked—hard. She moaned again, slipping her hands into his hair as he slid his other hand to her breast and teased the nipple.
Little by little, she was killing him. Pleasure took hold of his body, of his mind. At this point, he wasn’t sure how much longer he would last. He was a man who loved foreplay. He thought with Shannon he would take hours. He had dreamed of it for years, planned it. Then when she was so out of her mind she was begging for relief, he would take her.
There was no way he would make it. He didn’t have the ability to take it slow. If he tried, there was a good chance he would embarrass himself.
She arched up against him, pressing her crotch against his pants. Even through the cotton fabric, he felt her heat. He knew then it was imperative that he got naked ASAP.
He gave her breast one last lick, then he rose to his knees. He was ready to undress, but apparently she was sick of waiting. She sat up and took over the job herself. He didn’t wear underwear, so when she unzipped him, his straining cock sprung free. Her eyes widened, and she wrapped her hand around it.
“Oh, Shannon, yeah...”
His words trailed off as he lost the ability to speak. He watched her dip her head and take the tip of his penis into her mouth. The first flick of her tongue pulled a drop of pre-come from him. He shuddered, and he knew he should tell her to stop. There was every chance that he would lose it, lose complete control and come right then in there. But instead, he watched as his cock disappeared between her lips and into the deep recesses of her mouth. It was possibly one of the most erotic things he had ever seen.
Uniform Desires (Make Mine Military Romance) Page 2
