His Baby Secret - A Second Chance SEAL Romance (Once a SEAL, Always a SEAL Book 1)

by Layla Valentine

  Chapter 17

  Hannah

  Hannah was shuddering, more turned on than she’d ever been in her life. She’d missed this so badly, the way that Dominic could make her feel. He touched her like he understood her body intimately, and maybe he did. Hannah wasn’t about to complain that he knew his way around her most sensitive parts.

  All she wanted to do was press Dominic’s face in between her legs, or get his fingers to take her to completion as fast as humanly possible. She knew he was capable of both. Had experienced it firsthand. Now, though, she forced her own pleasure to take a backseat. She focused on Dominic. What he wanted and needed.

  And what she wanted and needed to do to him.

  “I think we need these clothes off,” Hannah said, tugging at his pants until he swayed his hips and let the material pool on the floor. “Shirt and tie. Everything off.”

  Dominic was only too eager to comply. She wondered if he enjoyed encounters like this, being told what to do. She’d never done that kind of thing before, of course, because she’d never had a partner outside of Dominic. But for him, she’d do anything. It was just as exciting as if he’d been doing it to her.

  “I’m pretty sure I owe you a blowjob,” she said, grasping his hard length.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but how do you figure that?” Dominic asked.

  “Seven years ago,” she said, slipping her hand up and down the steely shaft, making him shiver, “the second time you made me come was with your mouth. Not really a first-date move, if we’re being honest.”

  “You can be as honest as you want with me,” Dominic said, rocking back and forth as she stroked him from base to tip.

  “I want to taste you,” she said. “May I?”

  “I wouldn’t be opposed to a little foreplay in that direction,” Dominic admitted. “But I don’t want you to ever think that you owe me anything. I went down on you because I wanted to, not because I expected you to reciprocate.”

  “I want to reciprocate because I’m curious, and I want to,” she said, aware that she sounded a little petulant.

  “Those are excellent reasons,” Dominic said. “I don’t want to come, though.”

  “Isn’t that the point?”

  “Take me right to the edge,” he said. “Then back off again. It’ll be more intense when I’m inside you.”

  Hannah’s mouth quirked upward. “You have a good condom this time?”

  “For you, I have an entire box of condoms,” he said, grinning a little shamefully. “I was just an eighteen-year-old kid then. Are you ever going to let me live that condom thing down?”

  “Never,” Hannah decided. Though, maybe not for the reasons Dominic assumed.

  Hannah knelt in front of Dominic. She leaned forward and flicked her tongue against the very tip of his member, where shining pearls of his essence gathered. She could do this all day if Dominic agreed to not stifle his moans. Hannah liked hearing them—it meant she was doing a good job.

  As slowly as she could manage, she swallowed his cock, inch by velvet inch. God, he was so big. She’d felt it the first time they were together, but there was nothing like her mouth to really properly appreciate it. She liked the way he tasted, too. Salty and light.

  She began to worship him, listening intently to gauge his reactions. She used her right hand to stroke where her mouth couldn’t reach, then slowly, tentatively, began to caress his balls with her left.

  He let out a long, low moan as she increased her pace, pulling back to suck at his tender head before plunging down once again—

  “I’m going to need you to stop—shit!”

  Dominic gripped Hannah as the tip of his length brushed the back of her throat. The shock of the sudden movement surprised the both of them.

  “You okay?” she asked, looking up at him.

  “Better than okay,” he said, trembling a bit. “God, I was so close.”

  “I don’t think it’s such a bad thing to come multiple times,” Hannah pointed out, accepting his help as he pulled her to her feet.

  “You can come all you like,” Dominic said. “It would take me a while to come multiple times in a night.”

  “Who’s the one who said we had all the time in the world?” Hannah wondered, smiling mischievously.

  “Can you blame me for wanting this?” He kissed her deeply.

  “I want it, too,” she breathed. “So bad.”

  They moved to the bed, Dominic ripping off a single condom from a roll in a box.

  “How do you want to do it?” he asked. “Where’s your favorite place to be?”

  “I’m not picky,” she replied. Really, she’d only ever been with Dominic. She wished she could tell him that, but he’d realize about being Kira’s father immediately. There wasn’t a good way to assure him that she would like anything he chose to do.

  Unless the best way was the most direct.

  “I know I’m going to like whatever you do,” she said, and Dominic groaned in appreciation.

  “That’s so damn hot,” he said lowly.

  Hannah was having trouble focusing on conversation. Dominic was here, right between her legs again, and she was ready for another ride.

  “You ready?” Dominic asked, kissing her again, lingering over her swollen bottom lip.

  All Hannah could do was nod. She was excited and overstimulated. And as soon as Dominic slid all the way into her body, she was flooded with memories of their first time.

  Now, though, Dominic leaned back suddenly, without much warning, and took Hannah with him. She was on top, now, sliding down even farther on his length, and gasping at the new sensations.

  “The pace is up to you,” he said, grinning up at her. “Give it to me.”

  Hannah rolled her hips experimentally and tossed her head back, moaning. God, that was good. His tip pressed against her most sensitive spot, and since she could control the angle, speed, and strength, she knew that, given a little patience on Dominic’s part, she could come just like this.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Dominic told her, cupping her breasts in his hands as she moved. “You’re so beautiful, Hannah.”

  She felt like she could ride him like this forever, rocking slowly back and forth, but Dominic had other plans.

  Another change of position had him in control, and he hooked Hannah’s legs over his shoulders and started plowing into her. Hannah saw stars. He’d been watching her play with her G-spot. Knew how she liked it, now. Was intent on exploiting that little fact. Using it to make her come.

  “Dom, I’m going to—oh, God.”

  “That’s the idea, remember?” he asked, smirking even as he thrust and gasped. “Can you wait for me, Hannah? So we can come together?”

  “Is that even possible?”

  Dominic slowed the pace of his thrusts and adjusted himself so that his tip no longer hit Hannah’s G-spot directly. His thrusts only teased her, now. She squirmed, whining a little, so damn turned on and frustrated all at once.

  “I want to come with you,” Dominic told her, leaning down so that he could kiss her.

  “I want that. I want it, too.”

  “Are you ready?” he panted, lifting her hips and getting her back into position.

  It was so hot. “Please,” she breathed.

  “Magic word,” Dominic said, pumping harder than he ever had before, striking that special spot time and time again.

  They came together, rolling, thunderous. Screaming felt so good in Hannah’s throat. It was as if all those years of pent-up frustration were finally released, all at once. And, somehow, she and Dominic had worked well enough together that they’d come at the same time. Now that was dynamite. That was something Hannah could get used to.

  If only she could convince Dominic to stay instead of leaving tomorrow.

  What could she even say? That she wanted him as a sexual partner only? That she wanted to explore their bodies together for the rest of their lives?

  “Hannah,” Dominic breathed,
the flush on his face telling her he was satiated. Her own body thrummed pleasantly.

  “Dominic.” She smiled. “That was amazing.”

  “I want to be with you,” he blurted out. “That’s always been the truth. I’m just sorry that other life events came up. Hannah, I love you. I know you’ve had some tough times, but we can make a fresh start. We can be together.”

  There was a lot of babbling. It was almost Hannah’s level of babbling when she was nervous, but what could Dominic possibly have to be nervous about? They’d just had incredible sex. He was boarding a plane to God knew where tomorrow. And Hannah would be here, in Tucson, going to a thankless job that didn’t pay nearly the amount of money she deserved for dealing with the kinds of crises she did.

  “You’re leaving me again,” she said, realization dawning on her. “This is never going to work, is it?”

  “Hannah, what are you talking about?” he asked. “I will do whatever I can to make this work. I want this so badly. I just didn’t want you to have any hang-ups. If you’re concerned about Kira, don’t be. I think Kira’s great, and I don’t give a shit who her father is.”

  It was the wrong thing to say. Hannah was already spiraling from remembering that Dominic was leaving. But now, him bringing Kira into it? Deigning to decide that it would be okay if he and Hannah were together and Kira was in the picture? It was ridiculous.

  So ridiculous that Hannah froze beneath Dominic, unable to make a decision about what to do.

  Chapter 18

  Dominic

  “Hannah, talk to me. What’s wrong?” Dominic asked, concerned.

  She was frozen beneath him as if she’d suffered a terrible shock. The condom was intact, he determined quickly, checking beneath him. It wasn’t that.

  “Bathroom,” she said, slipping out from underneath him and slamming the door behind her. A quick ping told him she’d locked it.

  He listened for a moment. The water in the sink started running, and Dominic decided she must’ve just been overheated and needed to splash a little water on her face.

  It was then that he heard her sobbing.

  Dominic bounced himself off the bed and tried the door to the bathroom even though he knew it was locked. “Hannah, tell me what’s wrong.”

  She didn’t answer, just kept crying.

  Dominic knocked on the door.

  “Hannah, I’m begging you. Let me in. Whatever it is, I’m going to fix it for you, okay? Simple as that. Will you let me try to help? Even if all you need is someone to listen?”

  The water faucets turned off and the door pinged again. Dominic cautiously opened the door, his heart breaking as he noted the streaks of tears down Hannah’s cheeks.

  “Talk to me,” he cajoled. “What do you want me to do? Want me to get down on my knees and try to convince you that you can trust me? Tell me.”

  “It wouldn’t be so bad,” she said softly—so softly he almost missed it. “But she just looks so much like you, that it’s scary.”

  Dominic frowned. “What does that mean, Hannah?”

  Hannah didn’t elucidate. He wasn’t even sure she knew what she was saying.

  “Hannah? Can you talk to me about what you just said?” Dominic put his arms around her as soon as he realized she was trembling. Was she in shock? Should he call someone? “Do you need a doctor?”

  “No, no,” she mumbled, trying to push him away. “This ship has sailed.”

  His mouth quirked. “Hannah, I’m a Navy SEAL,” he informed her. “Whatever ship you’re on, whatever ship is troubling you, I can more than handle it. And that information’s not even classified.”

  She gave him a small smile, and Dominic felt a little relieved that he’d gotten through to her in whatever misery she was mired in. But then her face collapsed again, and she started weeping in earnest.

  “Hey, let’s take a shower,” Dominic decided for them both. “We’re sweaty, it’s been a long day, and I don’t like the way you’re shivering. Fair enough?”

  If Hannah had a protest against this course of action, she didn’t voice it. Dominic cleaned both of them up gently with the hotel body wash, then stood with Hannah under the warm spray, his arms around her. Protecting her, or trying to.

  “Does that feel good?” he asked, kissing her shoulder gently among the water droplets that gathered there. “This is a nice shower.”

  “Better pressure than my shower,” Hannah agreed.

  Dominic smiled. “Do I have you back now?”

  “I’m here.” Her voice was dull, and he chalked it up to her being tired.

  “Would you like to lie down for a while?” he asked. “Do you remember what happened? You disappeared on me.”

  “Life is pretty stressful as a single mom.”

  Hannah allowed Dominic to shepherd her out of the shower and wrap her in a towel.

  “Do you ever talk to anybody about your worries?” he asked carefully.

  He was used to this kind of crisis management out in the field. With the kind of work he and his teammates saw and did, Dominic had even had to be talked down off whatever ledge Hannah was standing on before, too. There was no shame in it. The human mind and body were magnificent things, but when it was time to step back and take a break, it was in everyone’s best interests to listen.

  “I don’t see a therapist, if that’s what you mean,” she said.

  “It is what I mean,” he said, toweling her hair as dry as he could get it. “It might help.”

  “I’m talking to you now.”

  “Is it helping?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Is there any way you could contact your babysitter and have her stay overnight with Kira? Maybe you just need some rest. A good night’s sleep. A tiny break.”

  Hannah heaved the deepest sigh Dominic had ever heard.

  “That’s kind of the issue, Dom. Kira…is your daughter.”

  Chapter 19

  Hannah

  If the bed had been any farther away, Dominic’s butt would have hit the floor. As it was, he sagged backward onto the bed, bouncing a little in his haste to not fall over.

  “Do you need some water?” she asked. “Dom? Can you hear me?” Great. First, she’d had an anxiety attack, and now, he was too. What a pair they made.

  “Anything stronger than water?” he asked weakly.

  “That’s not exactly an inspiring reaction, Dom…”

  “You’re right, you’re right,” he said, putting his head between his knees. “I don’t need booze. I just need a minute.”

  Hannah hesitated. “And your second reaction is to try to not throw up?”

  “Just shock, Hannah. Can you just—I mean, are you sure?”

  She went still. “Am I sure of what?”

  “That she’s mine?”

  “Are you suggesting that I slept with a bunch of guys around the same time as you and just didn’t keep track?” she demanded. “Are you being serious right now? Dom, you were my first! My first and my only. How dare you?”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just in shock right now. Why didn’t you say something to me?”

  “I’m saying something to you now,” she said. “I know it’s coming a little late, but things have been hard, Dom.”

  “Seven years late,” he said. “God, I can’t believe this is happening.”

  Hannah experienced a surge of rage so pure and true that she wondered if she could bag it up and sell it.

  “I am so sorry to pierce the veil of your existence, Dominic, but here’s your friendly reminder that actions have consequences, and that you have escaped your consequences for the past seven years. You could thank me, maybe; I’ve been a successful single mother since the day she was born.”

  “And I am grateful, and I do thank you,” he said. “Kira’s great. But why couldn’t you have told me a little sooner? I could’ve…dammit, Hannah, I could’ve been present in her life. We both know how important that is.”

  “When was I going to pencil y
ou in for that conversation?” she demanded. “You have been all over this globe doing things I don’t even want to know about. And, meanwhile—though not as fabulous and important as yours—my life went on. I had to be there for Kira. I had to keep a job I hated just so I could keep food on the table for her. I didn’t know how to get a hold of you, and I never had the time to track you down.”

  “It was as easy as asking Harvey for my email,” Dominic said, looking like he was nearing the end of his proverbial rope. “He and I wrote to each other sometimes. You had to have known this.”

  It was too bad about Dominic’s rope. Hannah had reached her end years ago.

  “I made a decision,” she said, holding her head high. “I decided it was best that no one knew who Kira’s father was. Harvey reacted badly enough when I finally did tell him I was having a kid and that the father wasn’t in the picture. He would’ve flipped out if he’d known it was you. Your friendship would’ve been over.”

  One fact was becoming clearer and clearer: it had been a mistake to tell Dominic he was Kira’s father. Things would’ve ended just fine tonight if he hadn’t known. If he’d never known, even. Hannah could’ve gone home feeling like she’d closed a chapter on her life. A significant portion of it was bookended by sex with Dominic. It was almost symbolic, even.

  “After you told me you loved me, you left me,” Hannah said, gathering her things as Dominic remained all but pinned to the bed, stunned. “You shouldn’t have left me in Tucson. Not after what we’d shared.”

  “I would’ve taken you with me, if I thought you’d come,” he said, his voice faint. “But I thought you hated me.”

  “Because you’re free to do whatever you want,” she said, exasperated. “I hate the idea that I can’t. That I can’t just hop in a car or on a plane at whatever time of day, just because I want to. I always have to think of Kira. Always. And now you’re about to leave again. Tomorrow! And who knows when you’ll be back again. Maybe never.”

  “What are you doing?” Dominic asked, seeming to notice for the first time that Hannah was making a move to leave. “You can’t walk away from this.”