by Susan Stoker
“Can anyone tell who’s winning?” Cheyenne asked.
“Does it matter?” Jessyka asked.
Cheyenne laughed. “I guess not. I know that I’ll reap the benefits of all that bottled-up testosterone tonight though.”
Kiera giggled along with the other women and shifted in her seat. She’d love to be on the receiving end of Cooper’s bottled-up hormones. The thought excited her. She liked the thought of her man being romantic as much as the next woman, but the image of Cooper ravishing her and taking what he wanted, how he wanted, and as hard as he wanted, was a huge turn-on.
They continued to watch as the men put each other through their paces. Like Cheyenne, Kiera couldn’t tell who was winning and what exactly each competition was, but watching the men move was like seeing poetry in motion. They were all built, buff, and in extremely good shape. It was obvious the three retired SEALs had no problem keeping up with the active-duty guys.
After about an hour, and a final dip in the ocean to rinse off the sand, the men all shook each other’s hands. Five men headed up the sand dune toward their women, while the rest gave each other chin lifts and headed for the parking lot or the offices.
Kiera’s lips twitched at seeing the chin lifts back and forth, it reminded her of little Frankie and how awesome Cooper had been with him. She met his eyes as he climbed the slight rise to get to them.
He came right up to her and took her head in his hands and kissed her. It didn’t even seem awkward to have him stake his claim so publically and carnally.
“Hey,” she said when he finally pulled back.
Cooper shook his head and pointed to his ear, indicating he wasn’t wearing his hearing aid.
Kiera hadn’t seen him remove it, but it made sense. It probably wouldn’t have been good to get sand under it, not to mention the sea water. Not knowing how he felt about signing in front of his friends, she hesitated. But she shouldn’t have. As if he could read her mind, he half-signed, half-spelled, “You think I’d say all that stuff to Frankie then be embarrassed to sign in front of my friends?”
Kiera smiled back and quickly signed, “No, but I didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize my chance of getting some at a later date.”
Cooper barked out a laugh and grinned from ear to ear.
“No fair, man,” Wolf complained. “Want to let us in on the joke?”
Kiera looked to Cooper, who was still watching Wolf. She quickly signed, “Wolf wants to know what’s funny.”
“Nothing you need to know about,” Cooper said out loud to his friend, still grinning. “You know, I never really thought twice about the nonverbal signals we always used on the teams, but it’s amazing how similar some are to ASL, American Sign Language.”
Kiera loved that he had no problem speaking with his friends, even without his hearing aid and without being able to hear their responses.
She barely heard the other men agreeing and mumbling about needing showers. She only had eyes for Cooper. Every moment she spent around him had her falling harder. All the weeks she’d gotten to know him during his time spent at the school had morphed her feelings from respect and admiration, to lust and longing. She couldn’t say she loved him yet, but she knew it wouldn’t take long. Not if he continued blowing her away with his awesomeness.
“I need a shower,” he signed.
“Yes, you do,” she returned.
His lips quirked. “Don’t be shy. Tell me what you think.”
“I will. Hope that isn’t a problem.”
“No. I love it. Come on. Let me shower, put my ear back in, and we’ll go.”
She loved how he’d phrased that…put my ear back in. It was casual and not at all self-conscious. It was perfect.
“How long have you known Cooper?” Cheyenne asked as the group headed down off the sand dune toward the offices and showers.
“About two months, I think,” Kiera told her. She turned to Cooper and had a quick conversation with him, confirming the date before turning back to Cheyenne. “Yup, two months.”
“It really is cool how you can talk to him like that,” Julie said quietly.
Kiera shrugged. “ASL is a language. Just like Spanish, German, or any other. I think others view deaf people as handicapped, when in reality they’re just bilingual.”
“That’s so true,” Jessyka said, the awe clear in her tone. “I never really thought of it that way before.”
“I’m going to see if I can start a training program to teach the SEALs under my command sign language. I know most of the guys have some sort of pigeon non verbal signs they already use, but I think it could be beneficial if everyone knew the same signals and language,” Patrick informed the group.
“I’m in,” Wolf said immediately.
“Me too,” the large man next to Cheyenne agreed.
“I know all the guys on our team would be up for it,” Jessyka’s husband agreed.
“It might be a while, don’t get too excited,” the commander warned. “I need to find an acceptable teacher. It’s not like I can bring in any ol’ teacher off the street…no offense intended, Kiera.”
She waved off his concern. “No, I get it. The things you guys do are top secret, and even though it’s just words, you want to get someone who understands what it is you do and the situations you get into, so you can learn the most appropriate words. There’s no need to necessarily learn things like apple or asparagus.”
Cooper tapped her on the shoulder and signed, “What’s he saying?”
Quickly, Kiera brought him up to speed on the conversation. Cooper didn’t respond, but he got an introspective look on his face. She brought her hands up to ask him what he was thinking, but was interrupted by Cheyenne’s screech.
“Faulkner! Put me down!”
Her husband had slung her over his shoulder and was striding toward the parking lot.
“See you tomorrow, Dude!” Wolf called out, chuckling.
Kiera could hear Cheyenne’s giggles as she half-heartedly tried to wiggle out of her husband’s grasp. She couldn’t hear whatever it was the SEAL said to his wife, but it made Cheyenne go limp, and he swung her around until he was cradling her in his arms as he kept walking.
Kiera saw Cheyenne put one hand on his face and smile up at him before they got too far away to see specifics anymore. She remembered the other woman’s comment about benefiting from her husband’s testosterone and got turned on all over again.
They arrived at the door to the offices and Kiera felt a hand on her face and turned to Cooper. “Give me twenty minutes to shower?” he asked softly.
She nodded, and he kissed her briefly on the lips then disappeared into the offices with the rest of the men.
“I’m gonna head out and get the kids and meet Kason at home,” Jessyka told them. “It was good to meet you, Kiera. Hopefully we’ll see more of you around.”
“Same. See ya,” Kiera answered.
She sank onto a bench next to Julie to wait for Cooper.
“So…you and Coop? Officially?” Julie asked with a smile.
Kiera merely smiled. “Yup.”
“Awesome,” her friend breathed, nudging her with her shoulder.
“I have to say, he looks like he’s doing really well,” Caroline observed. “I mean, we’re not best friends or anything, but Wolf told me he was having a hard time after he was injured. He didn’t want to be around anyone and never went anywhere without his hearing aid. I’m so glad to see him relaxing a bit.”
Kiera nodded. “Yeah, I’ve noticed the same change. When he first started volunteering at my school, he didn’t say much to anyone and kinda kept to himself a lot. But the more he helped the kids, the more he seemed to realize that being deaf wasn’t the end of the world.”
“I saw you drag him out of my party,” Julie noted. “You think that has anything to do with his new and improved attitude?”
“No. I have nothing to do with it,” Kiera protested.
“I think you’re wro
ng,” Julie countered. “I’m not saying you’re wrong that the kids and volunteering have helped him. Patrick wouldn’t have highly suggested he do it if he didn’t think it would help. But these guys…they’re a lot more sensitive than they’d have the world believe. They get shot, no problem, they can suck it up and deal, looking forward to getting back on the front lines. But being injured enough that they can’t do what they’ve spent the better part of their adult lives perfecting? It hits them harder than nonmilitary guys. Especially if they’re single. They start thinking they aren’t good enough. That no one will ever love them the way they are. The feelings escalate until they think all anyone can see is that disability. A scar. A limp. Their loss of hearing.”
The women were silent for a long moment, then Julie went on after laughing nervously. “I’m not an expert, but I’ve been reading up on this and watching Patrick’s men. I’m telling you, I can see a difference between the Cooper of a week ago and the man who was messing around with his friends on the beach tonight. I think you’re one reason why he’s suddenly come to grips with his loss of hearing, Kiera.”
She knew she was blushing, but Kiera managed a shrug. “I’m not looking to be his hero.”
“But apparently you are anyway,” Caroline stated evenly. Then smiled. “Welcome to the weird and wacky world of loving a Navy SEAL. Retired or not, your man is every inch a SEAL.”
Kiera smiled. “Do I get a pin or something for joining the club?”
“A pin for what?” Cooper asked as he strode out the door.
Kiera popped up from her seat and turned to him. He looked good. Really good. His hair was still damp from his shower and she could smell the soap on his skin. She shook her head. “Nothing. Girl talk.”
“Sweet Jesus, I’m in trouble,” he teased. “Girl talk with Caroline and Julie can’t mean anything good.”
“Shut it, buddy,” Julie said as she stood.
“Be afraid, be very afraid,” Caroline deadpanned.
Their men came out the door then and Wolf asked, “Afraid of what?”
Kiera shook her head. She couldn’t help it. The guys were funny.
“Never mind. Ready to go?” Caroline asked her husband.
“If you are,” Wolf responded.
“Babe, do you mind if we stop at the hospital on the way home? I’d like to visit a sailor who just arrived,” Patrick asked after kissing Julie on the temple tenderly.
“Of course not,” Julie said. “A SEAL?”
“Nope. Just a regular sailor. He apparently got really sick on the aircraft carrier he was on and had his appendix taken out onboard, but there were complications and they ended up flying him home. He could use some cheering up, as his family hasn’t arrived yet.”
“What are we waiting for?” Julie asked, pulling on Patrick’s hand. “Let’s go. See you later, Kiera!” she called out as she towed her husband toward the parking lot.
“Alone at last,” Cooper said after the other two couples were out of sight.
“Got your ear back in?” Kiera asked.
Cooper nodded. “Yup. Although I’m not sure I’m up for a crowded restaurant. How do you feel about takeout?”
“Love it,” Kiera agreed. “I’d much rather hang out with you in the peace and quiet of one of our apartments than yell over a nasty, germy table anyway.”
Cooper laughed. “Me too. And I hadn’t thought of restaurant tables as nasty and germy until now, thank you very much.”
“Oh, believe me, they are. Most of the time no one even wipes them down between customers. They’re petri dishes of nastiness just waiting for a victim to latch onto and cause havoc in their digestive system.”
He leaned over and kissed the top of Kiera’s head. “I love the way you think.”
She looked up at him in confusion. “You love that I think about how germy and disgusting tables in restaurants are?”
“No. I love that I have no idea what’s going to come out of your mouth. I love knowing that when I’m around you, I’m gonna laugh at some point during our time together. I love that you say what you’re thinking. I love watching you sign with your students and that you can make them smile as easily as you do me.”
Kiera stared up at Cooper, not sure how to respond. He might be ten years younger than her, but he was more mature than every man she’d dated. He never blew smoke up her ass and every word out of his mouth was sincere and made her fall for him even more.
“Come on,” he said, obviously seeing how flustered she was. “Let’s go find something to eat and then relax. I didn’t really mean to start out our first date by ignoring you in favor of showing up my SEAL brethren.”
“But I got to see you almost naked,” Kiera blurted. “I’d say it was a good start.”
Cooper barked out a laugh then ran his hand over her hair, smoothing it away from her face tenderly. “See? You’re funny. Come on. I’m starved.”
Kiera melted into Cooper’s side when, instead of taking her hand, he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. She snaked her arm around his waist and they walked toward the parking lot together.
Chapter 6
Hours later, Cooper sat on Kiera’s tan suede couch, relaxed and content. Kiera was leaning against the armrest, her legs resting over his lap, and had been sipping wine since they’d finished dinner.
The Green Mile was playing on the television, with subtitles of course, but neither of them were watching it. They’d started out the night on opposite sides of the sofa, but when she’d complained that her feet hurt, he’d offered to give her a foot massage and now, here they were.
Halfway through dinner, he’d asked if she wouldn’t mind signing as she spoke with him, to give him practice. She’d agreed and they’d been talking nonstop since.
“What was it like growing up with a deaf parent?” Cooper asked.
Kiera shrugged. “Like any other kid, I expect. Since I don’t have anything to compare it to, I couldn’t really say.”
“Were you teased?”
“Not really,” Kiera said, then picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and placed it back on the table next to the couch so she could continue signing as she spoke. “When I was at school, I didn’t sign. When I was at home, I signed and spoke, just like I’m doing now.” She shrugged. “I never really thought much of it. Signing comes as naturally to me as someone who grew up speaking, say, Spanish in the home and English outside of it.”
“I think you’re amazing,” Cooper told her, squeezing her leg. “I find it incredibly difficult to coordinate my hands with what I’m hearing and making it all work together.”
“Give yourself a break, Cooper. You haven’t been doing this very long. It takes practice. Just like being a SEAL does. You didn’t learn how to do some of the stuff you did overnight.”
He nodded. “You’re right, I know you are. But I’ve never been a patient man.”
The look of desire in her eyes made him swallow hard. As did her subtle shifting in her seat. He wanted her. Now. He wanted her naked and on her knees in front of him, sucking him off. Wanted her laid out on her couch, wet and ready for him. Hell, he wanted her any way he could get her. Up against a wall, over her kitchen table, in the shower, in her bed. The visions he had of them making love slammed into his brain and he immediately got hard. Kiera didn’t miss it.
She shifted her legs until one brushed against his erection and they both inhaled sharply. Showing her maturity, which Cooper found refreshing as hell, she said, “Patience is overrated.”
He grinned and shifted until he was crouched over her. At his movements, she’d lain back. Her hands gripped his biceps and she smiled up at him. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed as he gazed down at her.
Her nipples were hard little peaks under her T-shirt, he could feel the heat of her body against his inner thighs as he straddled her, and her blue eyes sparkled with interest.
When she didn’t respond, he said what was on his mind. “I don’t want to rush this. I
think it’s obvious that I want you.” Cooper let his body weight rest on hers for a moment, letting her feel how hard he was, how turned on, before he flexed his muscles and crouched over her again.
Her hips pressed upward, trying to follow him, but she relaxed when it was obvious he wasn’t going to give her the pressure she wanted.
“Cooper,” she complained, but he didn’t give her a chance to beg him. He couldn’t. If she did, he’d probably give in.
“I don’t want to rush this. I’ve wanted you for two months, and I’m not going to jump you in the first twenty-four hours I find out my interest is returned. I was a Navy SEAL. I’ve got more fortitude than that.”
“You have to know I want you back,” Kiera said breathlessly, staring up at him as if he was the best thing since sliced bread.
“I hoped you did, but thank you for confirming, sweetheart. But I still don’t want to rush this. I want to enjoy the experience.”
“What experience?”
“Making you mine. I don’t want to fall into any stereotypes you might have in your mind about how a younger man operates when he’s entering a relationship. Yes, I want you. I want you every way I can get you. I can’t wait to have you, but sex isn’t why I want to be with you. I admire you more than I can say. The way you work with the kids in your class. The way you care, truly care about them. You might not want children, but I can see how much you love them. I want to get to know everything about you before I learn how your body trembles in the throes of an orgasm. I want to know what you’re like in the morning before I learn how you taste after you come. I want to figure out what makes you happy and what makes you grumpy before I experience your hot, wet body squeezing my dick as you explode under me. The bottom line, sweetheart, is that as much as I want to shove your jeans down your legs and bury my face in your crotch, I want to get to know you as a woman first. Can I tell you a secret?”
Kiera swallowed hard before licking her lips and saying softly, “If it’s going to blow my mind more than what you just said, I’m not sure I can handle it.”
