Stepping into the darkness, Leaper gritted his teeth and then pulled out his phone and texted Swifton. The CO was his best friend, and he needed to know about the load of crap that was walking into his office tomorrow morning. As he traded texts with Swifton, Leaper waited and watched from the sidelines…giving himself more time to cool down and to make sure his instructions were carried out to the letter.
* * *
The bombshell that waited for him at home was the most welcome sight of his life. Curled up in his lounger was Kerry. He was afraid he’d scared her off. This was the first time in a long time that a lady had surprised him, and he was grateful. Though it would have been a lot more welcoming if she were naked or wrapped in a towel…but maybe he was getting ahead of himself.
Kerry Hamilton was smart, sassy, and so damn sexy. She was definitely out of his league, and yet she hadn’t given up on him. Wasn’t it a good sign that she was still here?
His inner critter seemed to think so, because it rolled over and presented its belly in the presence of this luscious, gorgeous lady. God, he needed a little goodness in his life. She was like straight sunshine. His world had been one deployment after another until his mind felt like a gun constantly being cleaned and reloaded for the next interaction. Time to get off the merry-go-round for a while.
Giving into his urge, he sat down on the adjacent lounger and leaned forward. His lips teased along the edge of her hand and arm.
“Leaper,” she sighed. Her body was cramped, and she slowly unfolded herself from the small ball she’d curled into as her eyes opened. She blinked several times, realizing she’d fallen asleep in his lounger looking out over the water. He was smiling at her from the chair next to hers, and he looked delighted to see her. “Sorry, I must have been more tired than I realized.” She pointed across the water. “I can see the Marine Mammal docks from here, and if you listen closely—”
“You can hear the sea lions.” He pulled her into his arms. “I’m glad you stayed. Seeing you, after the hours I just spent… Well, it means a lot.” He held her close, breathing in her scent.
“I take it that things didn’t go well.”
“No. It was screwed— Uh, I mean, things went sideways very quickly. Do you mind if we don’t talk about it? Maybe we could pick up where we left off?”
She pursed her lips. “I’ve been thinking. Are we moving too fast? Should we slow down?”
His mouth descended on hers. All thoughts of protest melted away as his hands stripped the clothes slowly from her body. So much for willpower!
Leaper scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. Placing her gently on the bed as if she were as light as a feather, he kneeled down before her. “Please…have me?” The words were spoken as a question, one that was vulnerable and heartfelt.
She couldn’t stop her hand from caressing his cheek and chin. She moved closer and kissed his mouth with a tenderness that spoke volumes.
Leaper took off his clothes and lay down beside her. His hand stroked the skin of her cheeks and lips, and then he kissed her again. The delicate touch of his lips deepened to a passionate, raw emotion that was just underneath.
As he held her as if she were a fragile, precious beauty, her own needs were rising, ignited by his ministrations.
She tossed her hair over one shoulder and then cupped her breasts. Her thumbs and forefingers toyed with her nipples. She watched his pupils dilate. Slowly she lowered her chest toward his bare skin and then caressed his nipples with the erect tips of hers.
“Kerry, I never wanted to leave you. Not like that. You’re so extraordinary, and from that first kiss, I knew I wanted to spend time with you—”
“Shush. No need to apologize. Let’s just be… Let’s connect.” She kissed him and lay down on top of him.
His breath shuddered out as his hands grasped her bottom. “You’re so radiant.” His large hands covered her backside, gently squeezing them, and the heat from his palms was an erotic and titillating sensation.
She gyrated her hips in a tantalizingly slow rhythm against his.
He moaned with pleasure.
Kerry wasn’t sure where this vixen was coming from, but this was one of her greatest fantasies coming true. She was in charge of all of this sexy muscle and heat. Thrilled by his response, she kissed her way down his belly. She teased her tongue over his skin and heard him moan with pleasure.
“Please…”
“Please what? Stop or don’t stop?” she mumbled against his skin, never halting her sensual torture.
“Don’t stop,” he sighed. “You’re so seductive. I’m totally at your mercy.”
“That’s right, funnyman. Who’s laughing now?” She reached for his member and took him into her mouth. She felt him shudder against her tongue. Giving pleasure was, for her, one of the most intense and most personal, intimate experiences in the world.
His hands sought her, stroking her and teasing her and urging her onto the path of delight.
As his scent filled her senses, she enjoyed the heady feeling of being in control of his desire and adored the way he lost himself in the sensations. Wetness seeped from between her thighs.
He tumbled her onto her back. “May I?” His eyes were alight with fervor and passion, and she couldn’t resist smiling. He growled low and lustfully.
Kerry loved it. She replied in turn, holding his head with both of her palms as she kissed him. “Yes. Yes. Yes.” She punctuated each word with a more ravaging kiss until they were lost in the embrace.
Leaper’s mouth was equal parts praise and plunder until she was the one begging for more.
Somewhere in the heat of their kisses, their bodies connected. His hips set an achingly slow rhythm, and she shifted her position, urging him to go faster.
Kerry’s hips set the rhythm as she flew over the edge of pleasure. Her body pulsed with joy as each climax took her higher until she couldn’t bear it any longer. Nothing could be greater than this moment. But as Leaper released his seed, flooding her body, he cried out her name in sheer delight. Her body drank deeply of him, and the glory of this experience gave her the biggest climax of her life. She joined his declaration as she shouted, “Leaper. Oh God. Yes!”
They clung to each other, unwilling to let go. Being joined so intimately was a rare moment; it was impossible to feel where he started and she ended. Oneness. It was the inspiration of poetry and art.
He sighed. The bliss.
Both of their bodies were covered with sweat as he rolled them onto their sides. Leaning his head against hers, he spoke first. “How…I mean, I’m…are you okay?” He was adorable.
Her lips pulled into a smile. She opened her mouth and licked at the beads of sweat on his skin. “Yes.”
He shuddered against her. “Kerry.”
“Hmm?”
“Can you say my name?”
She nodded her head. “Leaper,” she sighed. “Leap-er.” Tucking herself tight against him, she pulled a thick lock of hair against her cheek just in time to catch the tears streaming down her face.
She prayed he didn’t feel or see them. This was the most intense physical joining of her life, a connection deeper than anything she’d felt before. Not that she’d had much experience, but it was enough to know that Leaper had shifted something significant inside of her. Her heart thumped loudly, and she placed their joined hands over her it.
“Mmm, that’s great,” he mumbled.
God, this is… He is…so sexy. This is too much, too fast.
Crossing her arm over her eyes, she wiped away the evidence of her emotion. It was too early to feel this way. Why was she an all-or-nothing kind of girl? She didn’t sit on the fence—either she liked someone or she didn’t. Damn. Maybe she shouldn’t have slept with him so fast. Had her plan backfired on her? This wasn’t just a fun romp or scratching an itch. She was already b
ecoming invested.
Right. You made your choice and you can’t take it back. Unless you want to end it now.
She was frustrated by the thought. She wanted more of him, and she couldn’t let herself dwell on any negativity.
I’ll see what happens. Uncertainty made her horribly uncomfortable, but what choice did she have? Living for the moment had to be enough.
* * *
Nighttime was a magical time in California. The moments before the sun kissed the ocean with brilliance were among the most profound and quiet on the planet.
Sure, sunsets and sunrises hit the top-ten list. They were stunning, with their hot colors, dark pinks and oranges, as they split the blue horizon and painted breathtaking pictures. But night was his preference, and it could be transporting. It was as if the sun melted into the ocean, sending out silence to ride the majestic waves in a rhythmic meter of peaceful lapping. It made one feel at peace, in tune with Mother Nature.
Was it any surprise that a few hours before sunrise, Leaper found Kerry standing at the window, gazing out at the ocean?
He slipped silently out of his bed and came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her naked torso and kissed the side of her neck. “An early…good morning.”
She hugged his arms. Her head nestled into the crook of his neck. “Yes, it is.”
“I see you appreciate a fine view.”
She nodded her head. “I certainly do.”
“Do you like my home?”
“Very much. How can you afford it?”
He chuckled. “It’s free, the guesthouse of a Frogman and his wife who like having me around to help now and then. They think of themselves as my substitute parents. I’ll admit to having a soft spot for them. Besides, living on the water, right off First Street…well, it’s pretty cool.”
“What do your folks think about the Frogman and his wife? Are they jealous?”
“Don’t know. I’m an orphan. Well, I was until the SEAL Team. Those guys are my brothers. Along with the couple in the big house up there, that’s my entire family.” He paused, and then he said, “Guess that’s why I’m the funny guy.”
“Making yourself likable to one and all.” She touched his hand. “You don’t have to do that with me. I want you to be comfortable.”
“I am.” He nuzzled her shoulder. “It feels…different with you.”
“Yeah…for me too.”
He squeezed her gently. “Hey, are you thinking about taking a swim? Maybe the kelp beds around the far side of Point Loma?”
Tilting her head back, she held his stare. “Are you a mind reader or something? I thought you might be tired.”
“I don’t sleep much.” He grinned at her. “Who doesn’t enjoy a good late-night swim? Though I’m sure you know how cold it is… Do you want to borrow a wetsuit? I think my swim buddy Declan’s wife left a two-piece suit here a week ago. She’s tall, but you could tuck it here and here.” His hands mimicked slicking the wetsuit top around her waist.
She giggled and batted his hands away. “Stop that. I’m familiar with wetsuits. Let’s go swim before I change my mind and take you back into bed.”
“Huh, that idea has merit.” He held up his hands and took several steps away from her naked form. The trees and shrubs blocked the neighbors’ view. He knew she couldn’t have any idea how hard it was not to sweep her into his arms and worship that gorgeous, supple, and curvy form right here and now. God, he could spend years learning her hills and valleys. Before he talked himself back into a horizontal cha-cha, he strode to the closet with his raging hard-on and dug through its contents. Strewing random items all over the floor—hats, boots, coats, gloves—he finally located what he was looking for on a pile of old clothes in the back.
“Got it.” He grabbed the two-piece wetsuit, grateful his friends had left it here, and took it back to the bedroom. Laying them over his shoulders, he rushed into the bedroom and did his best Tarzan roar until she turned to look at him.
“Leaper!” She laughed as she took the wetsuit from him. Pausing, she swatted at his naked hip. “Very sexy. Me Jane.”
He grinned, sat down on the bed, and watched her pull on a pair of panties and then cover her body with baby powder. She pulled on the pants and wiggled into the tight shirt. The suit was a little too long for her tiny frame and, in his opinion, pleasingly snug in all the right places. Thank God there would only be fish out there taking a gander at her.
She walked slowly to the full-length mirror. Rubbing the baby powder off the tip of her nose and her forehead, she nodded her head. “It will do.”
Leaper donned his wetsuit, bottoms only. His body was desensitized to the water around here. Sure, it could get cold, but it was nothing like the Arctic. Somehow, that shit chilled even the nerves in his teeth. Brrr.
Closing the door behind them, he took her hand. It was tiny in his. He squeezed it gently and she squeezed back. His eyes caught hers, and he leaned down and kissed her.
Those tender lips, her sweet scent… It all had him wondering if they should make love again. But her smile as she pulled away from him and tugged him toward the water lured him like a Siren’s call, urging him into the dark and dangerous ocean.
“Leaper,” she called softly, like a whisper on the wind. The evening light silhouetted her body. Full darkness wasn’t here yet. As the runes say, it was the Dagaz—a time in between the two forces, where the veil between life and death thins and anything is possible.
She pulled her hand from his and walked ahead of him.
His brow furrowed. He didn’t want to let her go.
His hands snaked out and caught her. “Careful here. The rocks are sharp.”
“I’ll be okay,” she answered.
“Allowing rocks to mangle her feet is no way to treat a lady.” Leaper scooped Kerry up in his arms and carried her over the sharpest offenders. His feet were roughened by years of abuse, and nothing could penetrate his calluses. Hell, he could walk on a football field full of glass and never get cut.
“Oh!” Kerry exclaimed. “You make me feel like I weigh as much as leaf.”
“You do.” He smiled at her. “Maybe a little less. A quarter of a leaf.”
As they reached the sandy bottom where it connected with the water, he slowly lowered her to the ground. Electric jolts zipped through his body as she rubbed against him. “Damn, you’re beautiful,” he said.
“You’re pretty sexy too.” She leaned her head against his chest and placed a kiss over his heart.
His body shuddered. He swallowed the strange lump in his throat. “Pretty, huh? I’d rather go for handsome, but if I must live with the ‘pretty’ label, I should probably do my hair before we swim.”
Kerry pushed against his chest, and he pretended to topple over. He landed in the water with a splash, sending a wave of water her way.
They played for several moments, splashing each other and laughing, before he said, “Let’s hop. I’m ready for some adventure.”
She nodded her head and gave him her hand.
* * *
The boat was adorable, and so close to Leaper’s home. Next to the guesthouse was a small shack with wide-open double doors displaying paddleboards, kayaks, paddles, and additional water gear. Below that was a stone wall separating the land from the stone-and-sand beach where Leaper’s boat was tied to a large buoy. He could access it whenever he wanted.
Leaper helped her into a small four-person inflatable boat. He triggered the starboard and port running lights and then turned over the engine, and the boat took off. The wind picked up as they zipped past a line of carriers and ships. They went past the point of Naval Air Station North Island and the Point Loma Submarine Base and around the edge of the giant landmass until they reached the area where they could free drive and find the kelp beds.
Leaper cut the engine and tossed an anchor
over the side of the boat. He set out a diving buoy and several lights before opening a small watertight chest and taking out two diving masks, snorkels, and sets of fins. After he handed her the necessary equipment, he strapped a knife to his leg, tying a bandana into one corner of the strap.
“What’s that for?” Kerry asked, fingering the orange cloth with black diamonds on it. “Is it a fashion statement?”
“It’s whatever I need it to be,” he replied with a shrug. He gave her a mock salute and slid over the side, disappearing into the cold water.
* * *
Lights from the buoy and boat filtered down, and Kerry could see the surface of waves above them. The eerie light permeated the kelp bed, catching the creatures inside unawares. A unique forest full of sea life skittered around, tickling her and making her giddy as they passed by. There was such a humbling feeling of grandeur in the ocean. You could know everything and nothing, but witness it all the same.
Her fingers touched the tall stalks of giant kelp—Macrocystis pyrifera—as they wavered in the ocean current like cornstalks in a strong breeze. She slid her fingers along part of their length. This stuff was harvested throughout the coast and used in a variety of products. It was so big here, she wondered if anyone knew about this prize cache. She certainly wasn’t going to tell them.
Diving down, she felt along the rocky bottom and recognized bull kelp. A soupfin shark swam by, its tail touching her briefly. She wondered what lived beyond the light, what could sense or see her.
She shivered. Danger was never far.
Sea lions swam above her. She checked to make sure she wasn’t going to step on a stingray, a common and often deadly occurrence. Relieved she was clear, she pushed off from the ocean floor. The sea lions were suddenly below her now, playing in and out of the numerous plants.
Her eyes sought Leaper. Where was that man? Just as suddenly as she started looking for him, there he was beside her, within arm’s reach.
The Power of a SEAL Page 6
