Solid Steel (Unseen Enemy Book 6)

by James, Marysol

  “No, don’t do that.” Gently, she stroked his rough cheek with her fingertips. “But Luke, I meant it when I said that you can’t ever do that again. You can’t keep things from me, even to spare my feelings. Tell me the truth – all of the truth – and then if I’m having a hard time with whatever it is, help me through it. Let me lean on you.”

  “I will. I promise.” He ran his fingers over her delicate wrist. “Never again do I lie to you, not even if I want to protect you. That’s a promise, from me to you, and it’s non-negotiable. Total honesty, Selena, because you can handle it. You’re a strong, amazing woman – the strongest I’ve ever known – and you don’t need to be coddled or babied. That was my fucking mistake, to think that just because I want to take care of you, I have the right to keep things from you if they’re hurtful or upsetting.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking a bit.

  “And you need to talk to me too, babe. When you’re feeling bad about yourself or you think that I’m thinking something that I’m definitely not, you need to open up and let yourself need me. OK?”

  “OK,” she whispered, hating the mere notion of it, but also knowing that he was right. He saw it in her face, and he became even more gentle.

  “I know it’s scary for you, to say that you need me, that you need some help or reassurance.” He ran his thumb over her lips, his touch slow and light. “So let me just say this: you need to know here and now that you’re beautiful to me. You’re fucking perfect, Selena, and I wouldn’t change a thing about you. Not one.”

  There was nothing but truth in his voice and on his face, and she believed him, utterly and wholly. She believed everything that he said.

  “Alright.” She raised her chin to meet those gorgeous eyes. “Then in the interest of full disclosure, I have two more things to tell you. They’re pretty big, too.”

  He leaned back a bit so he could see her face. “OK. I’m listening.”

  “While I was in L.A., I didn’t just see my family. I also… I saw someone.”

  “You –” He swallowed. “You saw someone? Like, dated someone?”

  “Oh. No.” She laughed a bit. “No way. I mean, I saw a therapist.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes. And she referred me to someone locally, and we had three phone sessions together, just to get to know each other a bit. Her name’s Jeanette and she’s great.”

  “So you’ll meet with her? Carry on?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m so glad. I’m glad you’ll have someone to talk to about how you see yourself.”

  “Me too. Especially because of the second thing I have to tell you.”

  “OK.”

  “While I was in L.A., I got the surgery.”

  Horrified, he stared at her. “The hysterectomy? You got that without telling me?”

  “Oh! No!” She shook her head, dismayed at this second miscommunication. “Not that surgery. I mean, I got the first part of the reconstructive surgery.”

  His eyes dropped to her shirt front now, took in the firm, smooth curves there. “Yeah? Those aren’t breast forms under there?”

  “No. They’re silicone and saline, to be sure, but they’re not removable at the end of the day.” She spoke lightly, but she was scanning his face, gauging his reaction. “So – what do you think?”

  “Fuck, babe,” he said, his voice soft. “I think that I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

  “It’s OK. My Dad and brothers were. They were great, actually.”

  “I’m glad.” He smoothed her curls back off her forehead. “You feeling alright? No pain?”

  “A bit sore,” she admitted. “The doctor said I need another day, maybe, then I’ll be as good as new. But I actually feel pretty OK. And I'll need three or four more procedures over the next few months before it's done completely, so I'll be on and off work for a little while.”

  “You’ll let me help you feel good in your body again?” he said. "As you go through all of this?"

  She took a shuddering breath. “Yes.”

  Thank Christ for that. All I want is to be her everything… for always.

  “So… where are we?” Luke’s voice was low. “What do we do now?”

  “Can we start over?”

  “Yeah.” He’d promise her anything she wanted, do anything she asked. “How do you want to do that? How far back do you want to go?”

  “Well.” She considered. “Maybe we can go on that date that you first asked me on?”

  He cocked his dark head at her, puzzled. “Ummm… what?”

  “The one that you plan and I just show up?” she reminded him.

  Light dawned on his face. “You mean the one with the short skirt.”

  She saw the heat in his gaze and right away, she blushed. He was looking at her with that intense, focused stare that she’d come to love… most especially when he was thrusting deep inside her, hard and slow, totally intent and focused on her face as she came all around him.

  “Yeah,” she somehow managed to choke out. “That one.”

  “Ah. Right.” He grinned at her, and suddenly she felt like she knew him again. “That sounds good.”

  And we can take it slow?” she asked, hesitating. “You don’t mind not – not…”

  “Not getting under your skirt on the first date?” he finished helpfully.

  “Smart ass,” Selena muttered. “But yeah.”

  “Babe. Look at me.”

  She swallowed hard, forced her eyes up to his.

  “I don’t mind at all, beautiful,” he said softly. “We go all the way back to the very beginning, if that’s what you need and want. If that’s what I have to do to earn your trust again. You decide when you’re comfortable with me seeing you, touching you, kissing you all over.”

  She flushed again, her whole body heating up just at his words.

  “You sure?” she said. “Really sure?”

  “Yes,” Luke said firmly. “I fucked this all up and I know it. I barely deserve this second chance, but I’m taking it anyway, and I’m not screwing it all up with you again.”

  Overwhelmed, she looked away as her emotions started to get the better of her. Luke was the only man who’d ever called her feelings to the surface so easily and she was a bit embarrassed to be teary in front of him.

  He wasn’t having any of it, though. He leaned forward, leaned well in to her personal space. She kept her eyes trained on the truck floor, trying to regain control.

  “Selena.”

  “Yes?” she whispered.

  “I love you, beautiful.”

  Shocked, she snapped her head up. “You – you do?”

  “Yeah. I do.” With his thumb, he wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I love you for about a thousand reasons… the biggest one right now is that you have the generosity of spirit to forgive me. Not every woman would be able to do that. Not after what I did.”

  “I love you too,” she said, her voice breaking. “I missed you like hell when I was away.”

  “Yeah.” Carefully, he tugged her close, pulled her to him. “I felt like I had a hole in my chest, babe, where my heart used to be. You took it with you, you know.”

  She tucked her face in to the side of his neck, breathed in his smell. Masculine, strong, warm. Pure Luke.

  “Luke?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m hungry.”

  “Are you now?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Hmmmm. You want me to make you something back at your place?”

  “I have no groceries.”

  “True.” He ran his hand up and down her back. “So, my place?”

  “What’ll you make me if I go back to your place?”

  “I dunno. Any requests?”

  “How about huevos rancheros?”
/>
  “No problem.” He lifted her chin and gazed down at her. “They won’t be as good as your Mom’s, I know, but I’ll do my best.”

  “Actually,” Selena said, a grin on her face. “I totally lied about that. Yours are better.”

  He blinked. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. Yours are the best I’ve ever had.” She paused. “You’re the best I’ve ever had. I’m lucky to have you.”

  “Oh, beautiful.” He was about three seconds away from kissing her, but he had something to say first. “I’m the lucky one here. Trust me.”

  “I do,” she said, just before his lips descended and stole her breath. “Luke, I do.”

  He kissed her over and over, loving how she tasted and felt. He tried to hold back, to take it slow, but it was damn near impossible: he was starved for her and he devoured her. He couldn’t get enough; he couldn’t get close enough.

  With a groan and by some earthly miracle, he drew back. “Christ almighty, babe… we gotta stop before I take you right here.”

  “Yeah.” She took a shaky breath. “So much for taking it slow.”

  “So.” Luke traced the curve of her cheek. “Shall we have our first date right now? Lunch at my place? We can be there in thirty minutes.”

  “Hmmm.” She pretended to think about that. “Well, I do have a skirt in my luggage.”

  His eyes lit up. “Short?”

  “Yeah. Pretty short.”

  “Tight?”

  “Oh, yeah. Tight as hell.”

  “Good Christ.” He started the truck, threw it in to gear, started to think about mountain backroads and shortcuts. “I figure I can get back to my place in twenty minutes and I can’t wait.”

  “Me either, Luke.” She spoke softly, unable to believe that it was this easy to forgive and move on… but it was. With Luke, it was as natural as breathing to see his real, true intentions, in all their goodness. “Luke?”

  “Yeah?” He gazed at her, his face tight with desire. “What is it, beautiful?”

  “Maybe I can stay over at your place tonight?”

  He paused. “You and your skirt?”

  She laughed now, sure that it was all going to be OK. “Me and not my skirt. Your apartment will be a skirt-free zone.”

  He hesitated, torn between lust and logic. “What about taking it slow?”

  “I don’t know who we were kidding about that,” Selena said. “We don’t do slow, handsome. We never have.”

  “But your breasts? Won’t I – hurt you?”

  Her dark eyes were bright and sparkling. “Not if I’m on top.”

  At the image of her above him riding his cock, her face contorted in ecstasy, he hardened.

  “Oh, God,” Luke said; it was an actual plea for strength. “Fuck. Me.”

  “Oh, I will,” she said, her voice low and husky and full of promise. His cock fought against the confines of his jeans and he bit back a groan. “Don’t you worry, Luke. I will.”

  He hit the gas. “Fifteen minutes. Tops.” He grinned at her. “And if you want to save some time? Get in to your skirt now.”

  “What for? You’ll just rip it off.”

  “I will. And you’ll love it.”

  “I will.” She kicked off her boots, peeled off her coat, started to slowly lower the zipper on her jeans. “I’ll love every second of it.”

  “Aw, fuck.” He started looking for a secluded mountain path, a hidden clearing, a trail to nowhere. “I need you, babe, need you on top of me, need my mouth on you. I need to be inside you, need to feel you coming all around me. I fucking love you, and I need you right now… I need you.”

  “You can’t wait ’til we get to your place?” she teased him, breathless and painfully, exquisitely, turned on.

  “Can you?”

  As it turned out, they didn’t make it to Luke’s place. And no, the skirt never did make it on that night.

  **

  Dear Reader,

  I very much hope that you enjoyed Selena and Luke’s story, and catching up with all the ‘Unseen Enemy’ crew and a few of the ‘Dangerous Curves’ characters. ‘Solid Heart’ (Unseen Enemy #7), Mark and Francine’s story, will be published in November 2015.

  Remember to sign up for my newsletter to get all my news, including sneak peeks of upcoming books, early cover reveals, and chances to win free copies of my books! You can subscribe here: http://marysoljames.com/romances.html#follow

  Thank you for reading!

  Marysol

  By the same author

  Contemporary Romance

  The ‘Unseen Enemy’ Series:

  Enemy Within (Unseen Enemy #1)

  Enemy Outside (Unseen Enemy #2)

  Enemy Mine (Unseen Enemy #3)

  Enemy From The Past (Unseen Enemy #4)

  Solid Muscle (Unseen Enemy #5)

  Solid Steel (Unseen Enemy #6)

  Solid Heart (Unseen Enemy #7)

  PUBLICATION DATE: November 2015

  The ‘Dangerous Curves’ Series:

  Dangerous Curves (Dangerous Curves #1)

  Hard Curves (Dangerous Curves #2)

  Killer Curves (Dangerous Curves #3)

  Gentle Curves (Dangerous Curves #4)

  Secret Curves (Dangerous Curves #5)

  PUBLICATION DATE: August 2015

  The ‘Fighting For Love’ Series:

  Fighting Hard (Fighting For Love #1)

  Fighting Strong (Fighting For Love #2)

  Fighting Love (Fighting For Love #3)

  Fighting History (Fighting For Love #4)

  Fighting Back (Fighting For Love #5)

  PUBLICATION DATE: October 2015

  The ‘Open Skies’ Series:

  Open Skies (Open Skies #1)

  Open Arms (Open Skies #2)

  Open Eyes (Open Skies #3)

  Open Heart (Open Skies #4)

  Open Life (Open Skies #5)

  Contemporary Literature

  The ‘Nakasee Lake’ Series:

  What Happened That Day (Nakasee Lake #1)

  Bringing Her Home (Nakasee Lake #2)

  Thunderbirds (Nakasee Lake #3)

  Short Stories

  Stone Princess - A Collection of Short Stories

  About the author

  Marysol James is the author of the 'Open Skies', ‘Fighting For Love’, 'Unseen Enemy' and 'Dangerous Curves' series.

  She writes steamy, sexy, slinky romances which feature strong, complex women and equally fascinating men. Marysol is interested in producing well-written and passionate stories with characters who learn to let go of control and to trust – both in and out of the bedroom.

  Her stories are very sensual (very!), and offer smart plots, a bit of humor, and lots of character development, so her books will appeal to readers who want emotional connection as well as sexuality.

  When not writing, Marysol can be found swimming, doing yoga, listening to music and drinking coffee. To stay up-to-date with her, visit her official author website at www.marysoljames.com