She moved her lips over me, her tongue making languid sweeps and her cheeks hollowing as she sucked. One hand continued to pump below her mouth, while the other cupped my balls, which were tightening dangerously.
“Mmmm.” Her hum of pleasure sent warning shockwaves through me.
“Baby . . . I’m going to come. If you don’t want to—aghhhh.” I couldn’t finish my sentence, as she fastened her lips around the head of my cock and ran her tongue right over the slit. My hips bucked forward.
“Not going anywhere. Give it to me.” Her eyes met mine, and she smiled around me. “I want it all. I want all of you.”
Whether it was sensory overload, the vibration of her voice or what she said, I couldn’t hold back any longer. The climax hit me with the force of a tank, rolling over me and threatening to knock me flat on my back. I roared out a single word that I only realized belatedly was her name.
Samantha stayed with me, milking every last drop of my orgasm from my quaking body. She rubbed her fingers along the inside of my thigh before pressing her lips lightly to the same spot.
Gathering the last vestiges of my strength, I pulled her to her feet and wrapped my arms around her, kissing lips that were still smeared with my own essence. “Holy fuck, babe. Holy freaking fuck.” As I spoke, I ran my hand down her spine, over her round ass and between her legs, delving my fingers into the slippery folds there.
She shivered. “You don’t have to . . . you know. You said you were in a hurry.”
“The day I’m in too much of a hurry to enjoy a beautiful naked woman in my shower is the day they may as well shoot me and plant me in the ground.” I found her clit, already swollen, and pressed it with my middle finger. “God, flower child. You’re so wet.”
“Mmmmm.” She rested her forehead against my shoulder, her hands gripping my upper arms. “Right there. Right exactly there.”
“Yeah?” I moved my hand around to the front to get better access. “Like this? Is this good?”
She moaned, spreading her legs further apart, though I wasn’t certain that she was conscious of the action. “Very, very good. A little harder.”
“Don’t worry, babe. I got you.” I rubbed against the bundle of nerves with my thumbs, and as tiny gasps shook her body, I thrust one long finger inside her, curling it to hit the right spot and pumping in and out. “Ride my hand. Hold onto me, and make yourself come on my fingers.”
Samantha’s teeth sank into her lower lip as she threw her head back. The water from the shower hit the top of her head and snaked over her closed eyes and down her cheeks, but she didn’t seem to notice. I bent and licked one drop as it meandered down her cheekbone.
She lifted one leg to wrap around mine, her movements more frenzied now than before. I felt myself getting hard again, which had to be impossible after the massive come I’d just had . . . but then again, I couldn’t remember ever being with a woman who turned me on like the one who was currently grinding her sweet pussy against my hand.
I added another finger to my ministrations, thrusting both inside her and increasing the pressure on her clit. Her fingernails dug into my skin, and her mouth fell open.
“God, oh, God, oh, God . . . Max. Maaaaax.” Her channels clenched at my fingers, and her body bowed backwards, her center pushing toward me. I slid my free arm around her upper back just to keep both of us from ending up on the slippery floor of the shower. And since this position meant her tits were basically in my face, trembling in the aftermath of her orgasm, I took the opportunity to suck one puckered nipple into my mouth.
Rampant desire and pounding need made me reckless as I’d never been before. Samantha flinched as I suckled her, hissing at the overwhelming sensations, but she didn’t pull away. I kept my hand between her legs, continuing my relentless strokes.
“Again, baby. Come for me again. God, when you do . . . it makes me insane. I need to fuck you, Samantha. If I can’t be inside you right now, I’m going to die right here and now.” So saying, I turned, pushing her back against the shower wall, and before I could stop to think or consider, I grasped my stiff cock and thrust inside her, seating myself fully on the first plunge. She was so slick, and the sensation was so incredibly fucking beyond anything I’d ever experienced, that for one heady minute, I didn’t realize what I’d done.
As though she could read my thoughts, Samantha dug her fingers into my ass, almost as though she were keeping me in place.
“It’s okay,” she murmured. “It’s okay. I’m on birth control, and I’m clean, I promise you. I never, ever—without protection. But God, please don’t stop. Take me hard and fast. Don’t fucking stop.”
Apparently, those were the exact words I needed to hear, because I growled something unintelligible and pounded into her mindlessly, her cries of encouragement driving me over the edge. She came again almost right away, clinging to me and chanting my name until I had no choice but to follow. The orgasm blinded me for a solid minute, my entire body clenching into one hard spasm as I released myself into her.
When I could breathe again, I gathered her close, pressing her head into my chest. “Samantha, I’m sorry. I never—I’ve never done that before with anyone. And I would never do it without asking first—but God, I did. You make me lose my mind.”
To my relief, she smiled up at me, her eyes lazy with sated pleasure. “If you hadn’t pushed me up into the wall at that point, I probably would’ve done it for you. Maybe thrown you onto the floor right here and ridden you hard. So please don’t apologize. I promise you, I really am clean, and I really am on the pill. I haven’t slept with anyone for . . .” She paused. “A very long time. And like I said, never without a condom.”
I slicked her wet hair back from her face. “But you let me inside you naked, without even hesitating.”
She lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “I get a sense about people. I can tell that you, Max Remington, are a man of responsibility and principle. You’re not the kind who makes impulsive moves.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Except maybe under extreme circumstances.”
“You’d be right . . . both about me and the extreme circumstances.” I dropped a light kiss on her lips. She returned it, but I felt her shake a little as goosebumps rose on her arms. “You’re cold. Are you done in here, or do you want me to get out and let you finish?”
Samantha laughed. “I don’t think I can be much cleaner than I am, and I’d already washed my hair. You just caught me enjoying the hot water before I got out.”
“I do have impeccable timing.” I reached up for the shower head and tilted it to spray against the wall before I opened the door and retrieved the towel hanging just outside the stall. “Here you go. Step out and dry off. I’ll only be a minute more.”
I finished my own shower in record time, my eyes never leaving Samantha as she toweled off, moving in that indescribable grace that women seem to have. She ran the thick terrycloth over her long legs, down along her slender arms, across her full boobs and the curve of her butt and then dried her hair.
Samantha had just wrapped a second towel around her head turban-style when I turned off the water and stepped out, too. She didn’t attempt to hide her frank perusal of my body as I dried it. She gave a little snort when she saw my semi-boner.
“Dude, really? What kind of superhero are you? We spent most of the night screwing each other’s brains out, and then twice more just now in the shower . . . and you’re ready to go again?” She shook her head. “Damn.”
“Hey.” I snagged her arm before she could turn to head back into the bedroom. “This isn’t the norm for me. I don’t . . .” I searched for the right way to say this. “I don’t make it a habit to do random hook-ups, and I definitely don’t do girlfriends or relationships.”
Something akin to hurt flared in her eyes, but she blinked it away, swallowing. “I get it. Don’t worry, I’m not going to push you into anything. I don’t have expectations—”
“Flower child.” I cupped one hand around her che
ek. “That wasn’t my point. What I was trying to say is that normal for me is a quick bout of sex with one of my friends with benefits. I have a couple of those, and none of us is looking for more from the other. Those women don’t want anything other than a quick and satisfying tumble. We never spend nights together, and we sure as hell don’t do shower sex the morning after.” I brushed my mouth over hers, nibbling at her bottom lip. “But you . . . you’re a game changer. I can’t seem to get enough of you, and I don’t mean just the sex. I want to get to know you better. I want to have breakfast with you and discuss politics, and I want to take you to dinner and hear all about your life up to now. I want to fuck you mindless before we go to sleep together, and I want to wake up next to you in the morning.”
She stared up at me, her forehead wrinkled. “Why? We only just met. I mean . . .” She touched her own lip with one finger. “The sex was amazing. If I didn’t think it would make you conceited, I’d say it’s the best I ever had or could ever imagine having. But we’re not exactly compatible, Max. A couple of conversations and your own words last night told us that.”
“I know.” I swiped the towel over my short hair. “I know all the reasons why this shouldn’t work, but I can’t get the idea out of my head. So, let’s say this. I want to explore all the possibilities with you. I don’t want to miss out on anything because I was too bull-headed to see what—or who—might be right in front of me.” I smiled, skimming one finger at the top of her towel. “I want to try out the dance, like you said. I want to risk the pain for the pleasure.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay. I guess I can get behind that. What does this look like in practice?” She cocked her head, tossing the proverbial ball right back into my court.
“It looks like . . . both of us keeping open minds. Today, it looks like both of us getting dressed and you driving me to work.” I paused. “If you can? Do you have time? I don’t even know what hours you work.”
“Today I work eleven to seven, so yes, I have time to drop you off on post. But unless you want to wait a while, you’ll need to find another ride home.” Samantha tucked her towel more securely between her breasts.
“I’ll get Kade to give me a lift, so it’s no problem.” I slipped an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Want to have a late dinner? If you like Italian, I know a really good place.”
I watched the shifting expressions cross her face as she considered. “I love Italian. And I’d really love to have dinner with you.” Her eyes darkened slightly, and the corners of her mouth drew down. “But Max, seriously. Are you sure about this? I’m not the kind of woman you’re used to. I don’t fit the Army mold. I might end up being more trouble than I’m worth.”
My heart melted a little more at the concern and apprehension etched on her face. She was truly worried about me and about the potential conflict my feelings for her might mean to my career. That meant more than any words she could have spoken aloud.
“Flower child, I don’t doubt for a minute that you’re trouble with a capital T. But I also have a feeling you’re just the kind of trouble I’ve been missing in my life.”
Chapter Six
Samantha
“Holy freaking shit.” I dropped down onto the couch in my apartment and draped one arm across my eyes. “Holy fucking freaking shit.”
Across the room at the small table in what we called the dining room, Harper spared me a glance. “Is there a problem, sweetie?”
“Only if you consider me about to cause the implosion of a good man’s career a problem.” I peeked at her from beneath my arm. “Which of course it totally is.”
“Uh huh.” My roommate stood up and came over to join me on the sofa, picking up my feet and dropping them on her lap. “I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark and assume that you’re talking about a certain Captain Max Remington, the man who’s been taking up just about every one of your waking moments for the past month.”
“Bingo.”
“And just how are you going to make his career implode?” Harper’s tone was one of resignation, with a tinge of tired amusement.
“He wants me to go with him to some deal on post on Friday. A hail and farewell, which I guess is a big party where they officially welcome soldiers cycling onto post and say goodbye to those leaving.”
“Hence the term ‘hail and farewell.’” She nodded solemnly. “All right, I’m with you so far. Why is this a problem? Wouldn’t you be more upset if Max asked someone else to go with him? I mean, sugar, I understand that you’re jittery about calling this a relationship, but you two have been together just about every day or night for a solid month. Either he’s here, eating with us or taking you out, or you’re at his house. You can’t keep your hands off each other. I think you’re going to have to suck it up and realize that you, Samantha Crewe, have yourself a boyfriend, and that boyfriend just invited you to something that’s kind of big deal to him. So buck up, buttercup. Pull on your big girl panties and a pretty dress, use your best manners and do your man proud. You know how to play the game. I’ve seen you do it.”
I groaned again. “Yeah, I know. I can do it. But it’s more complicated than that.” I pushed myself to sit up, curling my knees into my stomach. “Right after Max called to remind me about this—he actually asked me last week to go with him—I got a message from the advocacy board. They’re planning a big rally for the Johnson case, and it’s on Friday afternoon. Apparently, Petersburg PD just dropped the charges against Private Reardon, although no one’s saying why or what really happened.”
“Shit.” Harper winced. “And let me guess. They want you to head it up and run the whole thing.”
“You know it.” I massaged the bridge of my nose. Over the past four weeks, more information had leaked out about what had happened that night at the Crater Bar. The name of the soldier who’d put Billy Johnson in the hospital had come out, along with the fact that he didn’t exactly have a stellar record either in the Army or in his younger years. I’d seen the pinched look on Max’s face whenever the topic came up between us; I knew that Reardon was one of his soldiers, and I realized that this man, whom I’d come to care about more than I wanted to admit, was in an extremely difficult position. His job was to protect Reardon’s interests, while at the same time to ensure that the soldier received whatever punishment was deemed necessary by the Army.
I was also aware that Max had more information about the case than what he could share with me. While I respected that, it also frustrated me, because I’d begun to have my suspicions about the absolute innocence of the victim. A couple of locals who worked with me at the battlefield had hinted that Johnson was a known troublemaker and all around jerk, and a few had even asked me why I would bother wasting my time standing up for a guy who had a reputation as a woman beater.
The whole thing made me feel uncomfortable and unsettled. I wasn’t so naïve that I thought every case of injustice was cut and dried, with a clear-cut bad guy and a lily-white victim, but I definitely felt better when I knew more definitively that I was standing up for the right side.
“Well, what are you going to do?” Harper crossed her arms over her chest. “You could go to both, right? The protest will be in the afternoon, and the big Army party is that night. You go wave around your signs, do your thing, and then come home, shower, change into a dress and go schmooze with the brass. Easy peasy.”
“Yeah, easy peasy for you to say.” I stabbed a finger in her direction. “But how do you think the brass is going to like Captain Remington bringing one of the rabble rousers to their shindig? When someone, some colonel or general or whatever, asks Max why his date looks so familiar and then realizes that he saw me that afternoon yelling about violence against civilians, how is Max going to feel? And what if he gets in trouble for bringing me?”
“I’m pretty sure that can’t happen, babe. The Army might like to control its soldiers, but even they can’t dictate who their people date, outside of, like, spies or enemies of the state or wha
tever.” Harper patted my knee. “I think you’re making too much of this.”
“Maybe.” I sounded pathetic even to my own ears. “But it scares me shitless, Harper. I like Max. I mean, I really, really like him.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I got that feeling around week two, when you couldn’t have a conversation that didn’t include ‘Max says’ or ‘did I tell you what Max did?’.” She winked at me. “I’m only kidding, hon. I’m really happy for both of you. Why does this scare you? You should be dancing on air. Floating on clouds. All that lovey dovey crap.”
I drew in a deep breath. “I’m terrified that I’m going to fall in love with him, invest myself in this relationship, and then Max is going to realize that I’m a liability he can’t afford. I’m afraid that if I give in, I’ll end up breaking both of our hearts. Because no matter how much I care for him, I can’t change who I am. Even if this whole shit storm about Billy Johnson and Private Reardon isn’t what it seems, at some point, something else will come up, and I’ll feel like I need to get involved. And then I’ll have to choose between being the woman Max needs or being the person I know I am. And it will destroy both of us, Harper. I know it will.”
“Sweetie pie, you need to chill just a tad.” Harper shook her head. “I think you’re building monsters where there are none. Why can’t you just go with the flow for a little while and see where it leads? And have you talked with Max about all of this? It could be that it’s not nearly as bad as what you think.”
“Not really.” I shrugged. “A little bit here and there. He says he likes who I am and that it doesn’t matter to anyone else but the two of us.”
“See there?” Harper smiled. “Like I said, you’re making a big deal out of nothing. Wipe off that frown, hon. Let yourself be happy for a change, okay?” She stood up, stretching. “Now this hard-working chef is heading into her next shift at the restaurant, just so that she can get yelled at and cursed out for the next eight hours. Oh, happy day.” She grimaced. “What’re your plans for the night?”
Maximum Force: A Career Soldier Military Romance Page 8
