Army Ranger with Benefits (the Men of At-Ease Ranch)

by Michaels, Donna

  “All I ask is that you consider her feelings, too,” Stephan said. “I can tell you care about her. I trust you’ll do the right thing.”

  “Hi, Vince.” Emma came out, smile on her face as she walked over to slip her arm around his waist. “Hey, Dr. Greenwald,” she said to Stephan. “I think Dr. Harper was looking for you.”

  The guy nodded. “Okay. If I don’t see you before you go home to Texas, Vince, have a safe trip back.”

  Normally, he would’ve been pissed at that parting shot, but he realized the guy really did care about Emma. If only the guy had figured it out before Emma decided she needed to fake a relationship to get his attention.

  The rest of the afternoon, Vince thought about nothing but Emma and pierogi, and by the time he finished the remainder of the incredible meal at her house later that night, he was ready for dessert. After they cleared the table and washed the dishes together, she sprayed him with water.

  Her laughter snapped him into action. “Oh, you’re going to pay.” He grinned, reaching for her.

  She squeaked and sidestepped his grasp, then rushed to put the island between them. “Have to catch me first.” Excitement sparkled in her eyes and they gleamed a beautiful blue.

  She liked to be chased, did she? Vince grinned. Game on.

  With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he chased her through the house and caught her in the hall. Using his body to hold her against the wall, he stared into her happy face. “Now what are you going to do?”

  Laughing and panting, she held his gaze, and in that instant the playful mood turned heated.

  Desire replaced his adrenaline—apparently hers, too—because they lunged for each other, kissing fast and hungry, their hands roving up and down and around, unbuttoning and unzipping, so when they finally drew back for air, their clothes fell to their feet.

  As if on the same wavelength, they bent to remove their shoes, stepped out of their clothes, then lunged for each other again. This time when they kissed, he slowed it down, making long, lazy, deep passes, savoring her taste and the feel of her curves melting against him.

  Her hands were in his hair, and she made a sexy, needy sound in her throat that sent awareness trickling down his spine. He loved how she pressed into him, like she needed to get close, needed to feel all of him.

  He needed to feel all of her, too.

  Without breaking the kiss, Vince picked Emma up and carried her to her bed. He wanted to take his time tonight, to kiss and taste every inch of her, imprint it to memory, in case this was their last few days together.

  Releasing her mouth, he set her on the bed. “Lie on your stomach,” he said, then sucked in a breath at the sight of her mouthwatering ass. His groin fisted tight and his dick ached just looking at her. But he was going to do much more than look. Taking his time, he kissed and licked his way up to her shoulders, paying special attention to the back of her neck.

  “Mmm…that feels good,” she whispered, thrusting her sweet ass off the bed against his throbbing erection.

  Vince saw stars and forgot how to breathe. God, he loved how she responded to him. Needing more, wanting to give her more, he rolled onto his side, bringing her with him. As he continued to brush his lips over her neck, he reached around to cup a gorgeous breast, flicking her peaked nipple with his thumb.

  She inhaled sharply and ground her ass against him.

  Holy hell, he loved that. So he did it again, and again, pinching her nipple between his finger and thumb the third time.

  Her low moan vibrated into him, and when he left her breast to skim his hand over her quivering belly toward the promised land, she tossed her knee over his and opened up for him. Happy to oblige, he reached farther down and slipped his finger into her sweet heat.

  “So wet,” he muttered against her neck, his body already throbbing to be inside.

  Not yet.

  In and out, he slowly slid his finger, ripping sexy, erotic sounds from her lips while her hips continued to rock.

  The back and forth motion sent her mouthwatering curves thrashing against his erection. He matched her thrusts with his hips and hand, and soon she was panting and gripping his hip.

  Vince glanced over her shoulder to watch their connection, mesmerized by her bouncing breasts, loving how her hand trailed from his hip to his hand, as if she were afraid he’d remove his touch before she was done.

  No chance in hell.

  Changing the angle slightly, he slipped his finger out, and when he slid it back in, he brushed his thumb over her center.

  “Vince…yeah…” She gripped his hand tight and bucked as she flew apart.

  So damn beautiful.

  He watched her for a few seconds, then brought her down slowly, her soft sighs driving him mad. It amazed him how in sync they were with each other.

  Releasing her, he kissed her shoulder. He wanted to hold on to her forever.

  “Mmm…” She twisted her face toward him and brushed her lips to his. “You always amaze me.”

  He smiled. “Keep that train of thought. I’ll be right back.” He kissed her quickly, then slipped off the bed to grab a condom from his jeans in the hall.

  It was time to take it to the next level. The thought of losing her, of not having her in his life, cut the breath right out of him. He wanted to share every part of himself with her, show her what he couldn’t say. To feel her need for him, let it surround him as he loved her with his body and silently opened his heart.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  When Emma found enough strength, she lifted onto her elbows and watched Vince stride back into her room, a determined, heated gleam in his eyes that sent desire rippling to her core. How was that possible? He’d just given her a mind-blowing orgasm. She could barely feel her legs, and yet, her body quivered as he grasped her ankles.

  “Watching you is incredible,” he said, kissing his way up her body. “But I need to taste you.” Settling his shoulders between her legs, he held her gaze and blew on her sensitive flesh.

  She sucked in a breath and watched his gaze darken before he lowered his mouth on her. Emma closed her eyes and gripped the bedspread, but it didn’t help her keep the moan inside. The man was too good. He lapped and licked, brushing his thumbs over her flesh. Her eyes crossed, and her heart thudded in her chest. And whatever he was doing with his tongue was new and so amazing, he had her panting and crying out in under a minute. She flew apart in a stronger, more intense orgasm that stole her breath and remaining brain cells.

  “Sweet. So sweet,” he said when he drew back and licked his lips.

  Her heart hit her ribs. Desire blazed in his eyes as he positioned his erection at her center, grabbed her hips, and slowly slid in. A deep, sexy sound emanated in his chest.

  Emma cried out, she hadn’t meant to, she’d wanted to just watch his enjoyment, but it’d felt so good. So damn good.

  A satisfied smile curved his lips. “Never get tired of that.”

  “Me, either.” She smiled, reaching out to trace a path up his torso, marveling at the way her fingers parted his sexy trail of hair.

  He leaned over her, setting his palms on the mattress alongside her shoulders, then dipped down to rub his jaw lightly around her breast.

  “Never get tired of that,” she repeated his words, meaning every one as his stubble brushed her skin, making her nipples peak. Then he lightly skimmed over them. “Vince.” She inhaled, and the wise, giving man, knew exactly what she wanted. What she needed.

  One at a time, he captured them in his mouth, until she squirmed with a fierce need for him to move inside her. He had done it again. She didn’t know or question why she was ready, she simply rocked against him, making him groan.

  He released her nipple to take her mouth in a sensual, drugging, delicious kiss she felt all the way to her toes. Over and over, he took and he gave, making her tremble by the time he drew back. Then he entwined their fingers, set their hands beside her head, and began to thrust.

  She watched a
s Vince’s eyes drifted closed and his face tightened with sheer pleasure. It certainly felt good to her. So good, her eyes began to close, too. She wanted to feel him. More of him.

  As if on the same wavelength, he lowered onto his forearms and she let out a sigh.

  Yes, that was what she wanted. To feel him everywhere.

  As he spread openmouthed kisses up her neck, the hair on his chest tickled her skin, drawing another moan from deep inside. It was so amazing.

  He burned a path to her temple, brushing his lips over her eyes and nose, down to her jaw, before finally touching her lips. From one end to the other, he took his time, tasting, dipping, drinking in slow, sweet passes as his hips mimicked the sensual pace.

  This kiss was different.

  Hotter. More incredible than their frantic, demanding, hungry ones.

  It was as if he was baring his heart, offering it to her. Emma had never been so touched and turned on in her life. She wanted to cry and come at the same time.

  But since her desire to come was stronger than her urge to cry, she pushed back her tears and gave herself over to Vince. Gave him everything. Kissing him with the same tender intensity, while matching his delicious, lazy, grinding thrusts.

  Everything felt stronger, more powerful, meaningful, and the slow, sensual drag and pull of their bodies, as he thrust deep inside her, had her heart melting beneath his.

  “Emma,” he groaned. “Look at me.”

  Blinking her eyes open, she stared into his eyes, full of heat, and need, and affection so strong it made air clog her throat and desire pulse low in her belly. Something in her eyes must’ve caused the same reaction in him, because he lifted up onto his forearms and increased the pace.

  Release barreled closer, and her eyes began to flutter closed.

  “Keep your eyes open,” he urged between breaths. “I want to see you come with me.”

  His words, and the feel of him thrusting deep inside, was all too much.

  “Vince,” Emma murmured over and over again. She couldn’t help it. Didn’t want to help it. He needed to know what he did to her. How good he made her feel. She burst in the most intense, beautiful, strongest orgasm of her life.

  A second later, he stiffened, then thrust deep, whispering her name in a hoarse breath, and his eyes darkened to nearly black as he followed her over into unfathomable bliss.

  Falling half on and half off her, he kissed her shoulder as they worked to catch their breath. When he apparently regained a little strength, he headed to the bathroom. Emma didn’t move. Couldn’t move. Her bones were mush.

  She smiled and sighed at the same time. She liked mush. Loved mush.

  “That smile looks good on you,” he said, returning to her side, pulling her close as he yanked the covers over them. “Real good.”

  “You’re fault,” she mumbled against his chest.

  She looked forward to many more nights like this…feeling incredibly satisfied and unbelievably happy.

  Drawing her closer still, Vince kissed the top of her head, and Emma fell asleep, wrapped in his warmth and strength, thinking about the possibilities of their future, in whatever form that might be.

  Hopefully he’d agree they could have one.

  …

  Showering with Emma… Vince’s new favorite way to start his day.

  As he watched her finish drying off, he resisted the urge to help. That would lead to more distraction, and she had work in an hour. Instead, he walked over to the shower and draped his towel over the bar to dry.

  “Mmm…” Emma wrapped her arms around him and pressed her soft curves into his back. “I can barely feel my legs. Again.” Her lips brushed his shoulder blade as she talked. “Which I need to fix, because I have to get ready for work soon.”

  He twisted around, and his body tightened at the feel of her nipples scraping his skin. He kissed her temple and dragged his mouth down to her ear, while his hands caressed her soft curves.

  “Oh no you don’t.” She pushed out of his arms. “I have to get into work mode, remember? That isn’t helping.” Laughing, she grabbed a robe from the back of the door and slipped it on. “Coffee. Yeah, that’s what I need. I’ll go make us some.”

  “Sounds good.” He smiled, following her back into her bedroom. “Do you want help?”

  She shook her head. “No. Thanks. I got it.”

  So did he.

  Bad.

  Vince drew in a breath. After a night of the best sex he’d ever had, with a woman who made him feel good, strong…whole, he was even more sure he couldn’t walk away from her on Friday. But how in the world could he make it work? It wasn’t just geography separating them. They had totally separate, totally fulfilling lives. Lives that couldn’t coexist without losing a central part of who they were.

  Yesterday’s conversation with Stephan whispered in the back of his mind.

  Could he ask her to give up her life in Georgia to give him a chance?

  Exhaling, he sat on the bed. No matter how he looked at it—and he’d looked at it plenty in the last few days—asking her wouldn’t be fair. He didn’t need Stephan to tell him that.

  Which meant if he was going to let her get on with her life here, then he should probably start distancing himself now.

  Damn, this sucked.

  While he waited for Emma to come back, he grabbed his phone to check the time and noticed he had a missed call and voice message. Must’ve happened when they were in the shower. He didn’t recognize the number. Telemarketer? He pressed the screen and listened to the message.

  Stephan. Asking Vince to call.

  He stiffened and glanced at the door. No sign of Emma with the coffee. Taking a deep breath, he hit call.

  “Hey, Vince,” the doc said. “Thanks for getting back to me.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Just wanted to know if you’ve given our conversation any thought.”

  He would’ve laughed, but it wasn’t funny. “Yeah.”

  “I need to know what you’re doing because there’s this gala fundraiser brunch thing coming up this Saturday and I wanted to ask her to go with me, but not if you’re still in the picture. I don’t want to overstep any boundaries.”

  As much as he wanted to tell the guy to forget it, he couldn’t. Stephan was a good guy. And until Vince showed up, Emma had wanted to be with Stephan. The two had a long history of friendship. Hell, she’d only known him two weeks.

  What if he did ask her and she went to Texas, but didn’t like it?

  He would’ve screwed up her life.

  And if he asked her to continue to see him for a long-distance thing, and she grew tired of his absence and turned to someone close by to fill in the gap…his life would be screwed up.

  Happened to soldiers all the time.

  Vince’s gut twisted. He didn’t want to set himself up for betrayal. And didn’t want to put her in the damn position in the first place. It was the last thing he wanted.

  If she was happy before he came, then she’d be fine when he left.

  Stephan and staying in Georgia was probably what was right for her. Vince was just a temporary distraction. He was an idiot for even considering a relationship.

  “Vince? You still there?” Stephan asked.

  He cleared his dry throat. “I’m here, and yeah, you should call her in about five minutes and ask her to the gala,” he rushed to say before he changed his mind.

  “You sure?”

  “I want her to be happy,” he said, his chest crushed tight.

  He hung up right as she walked back into the room with two steaming mugs.

  She handed him one and frowned at the phone. “Is everything okay?”

  No.

  “Just checking on Dom,” he lied, hating what was about to happen. Hating what he was about to do because he knew she had feelings for him. It’d been evident in her kisses and touch, and somewhere in his dazed mind, he’d thought it would all be fine.

  But he had to make things r
ight for Emma, and he’d do anything for her.

  Even leave her.

  So Vince drank his coffee and pretended things were fine while he waited for her damn phone to ring. A minute later, it began to buzz on her nightstand.

  “Probably my mom. She’s the only one who calls this early,” she said, setting her mug down to pick up her phone, then stiffened. “It’s Stephan.”

  Vince waited to see what she’d do. He gave himself one last chance. If she said she didn’t care that Stephan was calling, he’d explain things to her. Find some way to work this out. But she just stood there, the ringing phone in her hand, uncertainty clouding her gaze.

  His insides fisted tight. He had his answer. She still wasn’t sure who she wanted, and that made his decision a whole lot easier.

  Though no less painful.

  “Looks like you got what you wanted,” he said, nodding toward her phone. When she didn’t deny it, Vince began to get dressed. “You should answer.”

  She drew in a shaky breath. “You’re okay with that?”

  Hell no. But he couldn’t be selfish. He had to be real. He turned to face her. “I’m leaving in three days, Emma. I have to go back to my life in Texas. I want to go back to At-Ease.”

  Her phone dinged with a message.

  The last thing Vince felt like doing was smiling, but he did, and nodded to her phone again. “I bet that’s him asking you out. Call him back.”

  She stood there, phone still in her hand, staring at him with a mixture of disbelief, disappointment, and pain. That last one nearly killed him. Vince almost caved. But she hadn’t chosen him, and caving wouldn’t be fair to either of them. He had to go. Needed to go. Needed to let her get on with her life.

  A life he’d only interrupted.

  Now that it came down to his final minutes with her, though, he realized there was so much he wanted to say. So much he should’ve told her.

  He didn’t want to let her go. Didn’t want her to be with anyone else.

  She’d broken down his barriers and found her way into his heart. But all of it would seem like a lie since he was about to walk away. And he had to. It was the unselfish thing to do.