by Bella Juarez
“Nothing,” Reese grumbled.
Reese let out a deep sigh as he put the bottle on the counter. He really didn’t want to talk about it and upset himself even more. But Victoria could always pry things out of him without him realizing it. She set her bag down on a chair and went to the fridge as well.
“Do you want me to heat up some leftovers?” Victoria asked.
Reese knew he had to get out of the house. George McGill’s visit had really upset him. All of the emotional and life-changing upheavals he had been through over the last few months came screaming back with that little chat.
“Why don’t we go out to dinner? I’ll tell you what happened then,” Reese said.
“Okay, where are we going?” Victoria asked.
“I don’t know, the O Club,” Reese snapped without intending to.
As usual, Victoria was unfazed by Reese’s shortness. She turned away and walked to the table, picking up her bag as she went toward her room.
“Okay. Let me change,” Victoria said.
Victoria never seemed to take offense when Reese had a bad day. She always stayed calm and neutral, asking her open-ended questions and listening. It was something he had come to look forward to as they spent more time together. She was, in a way, his live-in therapist. He didn’t dare tell the military psych doctor that was reevaluating him periodically what he had really been going through. He would have been red flagged for sure and taken out of his current job. He just talked to Victoria and it all seemed to get better. She always had advice that made sense. He was still agitated when she came back into the room.
* * * *
Something was really bothering Reese. Victoria could tell by just looking at him. She really was tired of hearing about Maggie. Although since he had come back from Philadelphia, he seemed to mention her less often. He only got in these sorts of dark moods when it involved his ex-wife. She sighed as she looked in the mirror because she was in quite a quandary herself. She knew she was falling hard for this guy. It was all she could do to keep her hands to herself at times. A couple of weeks ago she had started looking for a job. She really didn’t want to leave him, but she felt like he was still a little too hung up on his ex-wife. If this continued, she would get hurt, again. Even though he kept reiterating his joy at being done with her, he still talked about Maggie, a lot.
Reese never seemed to be interested in her, Victoria. She decided to tell him at dinner she would be moving out pretty soon. It would give him a chance to find a new maid. She decided to make one final effort to try to get him to notice her one last time. She dug out an outfit she had just bought a few days ago. It had been on the clearance rack at a boutique next to the cleaners where she took his uniforms. She slipped it on and put on some heels that she had managed to keep. She looked at herself once more. If he didn’t notice this time, it was hopeless. She walked into the kitchen. He was sitting at the table, still in uniform. He is so handsome!
“Okay, Reese, whenever you’re ready.”
* * * *
Reese had to blink a couple of times. He had always found Victoria attractive, but damn! She seemed to transform in an instant. She was downright sexy the way she was dressed. She had on a sleeveless blouse that was fitted to her upper body. The clothes she usually wore definitely did not do her justice, because they hid her curves. The long skirt she wore ended at her ankles. She slipped on a small jacket to cover her bare shoulders. The four-inch heels she was wearing made her a lot taller then she typically stood in sneakers. He got up without a word and they left for Quantico and the Officer’s Club.
It was a quiet, almost uncomfortable drive. Victoria was silent on the way and Reese was having trouble remembering why he was so agitated. All he could think about was how long it had been since he had gotten laid and how the perfect candidate for his unmet needs was sitting in the passenger’s seat next to him. That’s my problem, he reasoned, that’s why I’m so pissed off. Right? He glanced at Victoria. He was hungry all right, but not for what was being served at the O Club tonight. All he wanted to do was turn around and go home. Reese could feel his dick getting hard as a rock by the time they arrived at the club. They were seated and handed menus and ordered some drinks. After a couple of sips the conversation commenced.
“So? What’s up? What happened today?” Victoria asked.
“It was nothing, now that I really think about it,” Reese said.
Reese shifted uneasily in his seat. The last thing he wanted to do right now was bring up his ex-wife. In fact, he was probably bringing up Maggie way too much to someone who may be a whole lot more willing than she had ever been. He knew he had a sexy, intelligent, wonderful woman sitting in front of him and he was single. He recalled his previous fantasies about Victoria. What in hell am I doing talking about my ex to this woman? He kicked himself for being so damn stupid. Nope, no Maggie tonight. He was on the hunt for something new.
“Oh? You seemed really upset when I got home. Is it me?” Victoria asked.
“No. You didn’t do anything. It was stupid. Are you hungry?” Reese asked.
“A little.” Victoria smiled.
“Me, too,” Reese said a little more nervously than he wanted to sound.
“Who was pulling out of the driveway when I got back to the house?” Victoria asked.
Damn it! Victoria had found out and there was no avoiding the Maggie subject. Reese would have to tell her what happened. She always knew how to ask the right question. He wasn’t about to lie to her and she knew it. He took a long drink.
“Tell me what happened at school today. Will you see the committee for your thesis?” Reese asked, changing the subject.
“Yes…I’ll meet them tomorrow,” Victoria said slowly, looking puzzled.
Victoria cleared her throat and took a drink as well. The waiter came back and they ordered. Reese was grateful for the interruption.
“Reese, did something happen today? This evening? Right before I got home?” Victoria asked.
“Victoria, please. It was nothing and I really don’t want to talk about it,” Reese said.
Reese so desperately wanted to talk about something else. In reality, the last thing Reese wanted to do was talk about the McGills. He wanted to get Victoria home and take her to his bed. He managed to get the conversation redirected and talked about her meeting with her advisors. She would probably be graduating in December. It depended on the thesis committee, but all her classes were done.
Time was running out, Reese realized. Before he was able to do anything about it, Victoria would be gone. There would be no reason for her to continue being his maid. The idea that she was even doing it now was laughable. She could name her price with the degree she was getting and the experience she already had. He suddenly realized how attached he had become to Victoria and how lost he would be if she left. He needed to do something if he wanted to make her stay with him.
Victoria had always been kind and friendly, but had never given him vibes that she wanted anything more than friendship. Here, lately, lots of women had been giving Reese that feeling. A couple of women had come right out and asked him for a date. Reese always found an excuse to get out of it and come home. To Victoria. That’s it! he realized. He wanted to come home to Victoria.
Reese started to recognize that it was more than just physical, it was a connection he hadn’t had with anyone for a long time. They were living together—like a family—and he looked forward to coming home, sitting down and eating dinner with her. They liked the same movies, books, and music. They had the same views of the world and life. Reese hadn’t been this connected to the woman he had been married to for the last ten years. Victoria was giving him what he had missed with Maggie. If he didn’t wake up soon, Victoria would be gone, out of his life, and moving on without him.
Reese thought about this problem as he and Victoria ate. He knew he had to do something and quick. He, at least, had to figure out if she was even remotely interested in more than a friendship. He h
adn’t had time, with work and Maggie’s courtroom antics, to even pay attention to Victoria and what she was doing. Internally, he took a deep breath and let go of the past. He knew he didn’t have to take care of a sick, helpless parasite anymore. It was time for what he wanted. What I need. He ordered dessert. The O Club had the best cheesecake outside of Philly, in his opinion.
“Do you want one?” Reese asked Victoria.
“No, I’m stuffed,” Victoria said as she sat back in her chair.
The waiter brought Reese’s treat to the table with two forks. Reese dug in and started to enjoy.
“Wow! That does look good,” Victoria commented.
The opportunity was almost too easy in Reese’s mind. He almost picked up the second fork and offered it to Victoria. Instead, he took the fork he had been using, cut into the cake, and offered to her. She looked at him for a brief second and slowly wrapped her lips around his fork as she took the bite. They stared at each other for a minute.
“That really was good,” Victoria said quietly
Reese put the fork down and ran his finger across the top and offered it to her. Their eyes locked. She opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around his finger and licked off the sweet treat. The sensation of her lips and warm, wet tongue around his finger went straight to his cock. He traced his finger over her bottom lip.
“Do you want some more?” Reese asked.
“Oh, yes,” Victoria whispered.
* * * *
Reese had Victoria up against the door in the kitchen before she knew what was happening. Even in four-inch heels, he towered over her. He planted his hands on either side of her, invading her space, trying to intimidate her. The way he was looking at her would have been frightening if she hadn’t known him.
“Are you sure about this?” Reese asked. Victoria said nothing as she looked up into the menacing expression over her. “Victoria, I’ve had a lifetime of games. Answer me. Are you sure about this?” Reese demanded.
There it was, his don’t fuck with me expression.
“Yes, Reese, I’m sure,” Victoria said quietly.
Reese bent down and Victoria closed her eyes, expecting him to kiss her. She opened her eyes when it never came. He was so close, but he was hesitating, waiting for her to make the first move. He wanted to guarantee this was her decision. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him, not letting go. She could feel his hands run down her arms as he pulled her close. He reached down to her ass and pulled her even closer, grinding himself into her. They broke away, and silently, he took her hand and led her upstairs.
Reese turned to Victoria and pulled her close as he kissed her intensely, almost desperately, once they reached his bedroom. She drew her hands along his chest and started to unbutton his uniform shirt. Likewise, he relieved her of her jacket and tugged at her blouse as he lifted it over her head. He had managed to undress her down to her lacy lingerie and heels. She kicked off those heels as he maneuvered her onto the bed and lay down beside her. Reese kissed Victoria as he grabbed her breast through her bra and started stroking her nipple. She moaned in delight as he moved down and started licking and stroking her. It felt so good to be touched again by someone else’s hands.
No longer having to constrain herself, Victoria moved her hands over the beautiful body she had admired for so long. She made Reese turn onto his back. She ran her hands down his stomach and reached for his erection through his pants. He growled when she drew her hand up and down his stiff cock. He helped her with the workings of his belt. She pulled off his T-shirt and she kissed up and down his smooth chest.
“Victoria, baby, that feels so good.” Reese groaned.
Victoria removed his clothes, stopping briefly to admire his features. He was a big man and his cock was proportionate to his stature. He lay back, watching her move up and down his body. He groaned as Victoria teased, moving her mouth over his abdomen and a little lower but not quite making it to his hard cock. She raked her nails lightly over his inner thighs, finally taking his cock in her hand. She started a slow stroke as her tongue moved lower.
Reese growled as Victoria licked the length of him. She watched as he threw back his head and squeezed his eyes shut. This was surreal. She had never gone this far with a man the first time. He had set a fire that was hard to control, and it seemed as if she had waited a lifetime for him to finally come to his senses and notice her. She was going to make sure Reese Thompson never went looking for anyone again. She finally wrapped her lips around him and started sucking his cock intensely.
“Victoria!” Reese snarled.
Reese sat up and grabbed her shoulders and threw Victoria roughly onto her back. It was as if he had become possessed. She should have known better than to tease him. She hadn’t thought about how long he had been without a woman. He was explosive and fierce as he ripped her lingerie off.
Reese grabbed her wrists and held them above her head as he slammed into her full force. Victoria was wet, very wet. She should have been frightened. Instead, his forceful play made the fire rage. He drove himself in and out of her wet pussy as fast and as hard as he could. She tried to release her hands so she could return the rough play. He was so massive and powerful it was useless as she struggled against him. Her struggles seemed to encourage him, making him drive into her that much harder.
Reese was fucking Victoria like a madman and holding nothing back. His raw, savage hunger and his total loss of control swept her away. She often took power when she was with a man. She could hide and become emotionally detached from a man if she chose. He was not giving her that option. His explosiveness and overpowering physical strength forced her to relinquish to him. She had no choice but to surrender, and that capitulation sparked her on an emotional level. It was also bringing her to a bone-melting orgasm.
“Reese! Please!” Victoria cried as she started to climax.
Reese bent down and covered her mouth with his own, shoving his tongue into her mouth. She felt her pussy squeeze around him as he slammed in and out of her. He seemed oblivious to her, seeking his own overdue pleasure. She arched her back involuntarily as her muscles contracted from her climax. Finally, he also reached the point of no return. He plowed into her as he came deep inside her.
The storm in him finally calmed as Reese rode in and out of her body, slowing. They were both covered in sweat, shaking and panting. He released Victoria’s hands and lowered himself to her. He pulled her close and held her.
“I’m sorry,” Reese whispered weakly.
“Reese…” Victoria panted.
Victoria slowly wrapped her arms around him and held him. The soft gentleness that enveloped them was a sharp contrast to the violent and all-consuming sex they had just had. He lifted himself slightly and looked into her eyes.
“Victoria, please don’t go. I need you,” Reese said quietly as he buried his head into her shoulder.
“I’m not going anywhere, baby,” Victoria whispered as she stroked his back.
Reese moved off of Victoria and lay next her, wrapping his arm over her. She stared at the ceiling for a long time as she listened to him sleep. What the hell did I just do? This was what she wanted—at least, that’s what she believed. She thought about all the things he had been through since she had known him. This guy was angry, very angry, and she was not sure she wanted to be the target of that anger. She had read about soldiers coming back from the front and all of their issues. Combine that with what his wife had just put him through and this was one pissed-off dude.
Victoria turned and looked at Reese’s sleeping features. It was hard to believe. He was often so gentle, caring, and sensitive. She tried to fight the emotional string that was tying a knot deep inside her heart. He needed time and they needed to slow down. He wasn’t ready for this kind of relationship, not yet. What the hell was I thinking? How am I going to tell him?
Chapter Six
Reese woke up the next morning and Victoria was gone. It was a nice, crisp autumn day out on the East
Coast. He could have easily slept another hour after what had happened last night. He thought he could hear her moving around downstairs. By the time he got out of the shower, dressed, and went downstairs, she was gone.
Reese thought about last night with a wince. He knew he had really punished Victoria, the one person who had, so far, stuck by him and had been there for him. She was the last person in the world he needed to treat that way. When he finally regained his thought process last night, he realized he was covered in sweat, shaking, and having a hard time breathing. The last time he recalled having that much adrenaline pumping through him his team had been in a bloody ambush in Fallujah, Iraq. It seemed like a lifetime ago. In reality, it had only been a few months. Victoria did that for him, made him forget all the bad things he had been through recently.
Reese recalled his childhood in Philadelphia and how he had fallen in love with the idea of a military lifestyle. He thought about his working-class background. His mother owned a small restaurant and Dad had been a cop. When he had started high school, he enrolled in a junior ROTC program and stuck with it. Those four years lead to him applying for and getting accepted into the US Naval Academy.
Reese’s career as an intelligence officer had brought him to the Marine Corps’ elite Force Recon Special Operations Group. His job was to gather and evaluate intelligence and then develop a strategy for wiping out the bad guys. That job had led him all over the country and the world, bringing him now to his current assignment at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. With the current War on Terror, his job had taken a new twist. He and his group not only came up with the plan. They also got to carry it out as well.
He recalled how Maggie loved the title of officer’s wife and played the role very well, but she had been a real pain in the ass to live with. That was all over now and Victoria had helped him turn the corner. He recalled meeting Victoria for the first time and how she gave him a sense of stability and comfort when he returned home. Victoria had been his anchor.
