“Why are you running?”
The question had her stomach churning. She was running. She wasn’t going to admit it to him.
“I just wanted to get away. I needed some space. I don’t like public declarations.”
He cocked his head, then that slow smile that always melted her bones curved his lips. “You’re afraid.”
“Go to hell.”
She turned to march away, but he caught her and pulled her back against him.
“I’m sorry, baby. So sorry. You didn’t take any cheap shots at me, and I shouldn’t have been so happy about you being scared.”
“I’m not scared.” But even as she said it, she knew she was lying.
“Yeah, you are. It’s okay. This thing we have is scary.”
He turned her gently and cupped her face, wiping away the tears from her cheeks.
“I want to marry you, I want to have babies with you, but know I have to finish my obligation. I have four more years, then I’m out.”
“You’ll stay in more.”
He shook his head. “I love it, really do. But…I love you more. I need you more than I need this. It’s a lot to ask. I’ll be in Virginia, then out in the field. You’ll be in New Orleans. But, we can make this work. I know we can.”
She sighed, her heart just falling down at his feet then. It wasn’t so much of what he said, but the way he said it, and the soft look in his eyes.
“I have to ask again, because, Shannon, without you, being a Seal means nothing to me. I love you. Please, marry me.”
Her vision blurred as another batch of fresh tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Kade, I love you, too. Yes. Yes! I’ll marry you.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her as the sound of customer’s applause filled the air.
Epilogue
“What do you have planned?” Shannon asked as Kade took her hand and led her out of the elevator.
“You’re the worst about secrets. I thought you were bad at Christmas.” She could hear the smile in his voice, but she couldn’t see him. He’d blindfolded her downstairs and refused to tell her where they were going. She knew they were still in the hotel where they had their wedding reception, but she wasn’t sure where they were going.
“For all I know, you’re leading me down the hallway to kill me.”
“No, I just have a surprise, and I didn’t want you to know about it.”
She frowned at that as he stopped her. She opened her mouth to tell him just what she thought, but she heard a woman’s delighted squeal in the distance.
“What the hell?” Kade said.
“Was it someone we knew?”
“It looked like Deke with some blonde. Doesn’t matter.”
She heard him unlock a door, then he guided her inside. The scent of plumeria hit her first along with the sensual scents that she knew to be candles. He stepped behind her, untied her blindfold, and removed it from her eyes.
Candles covered almost every available surface. On the bedside table, the dresser. It was the only light in the room. The bed was covered with plumeria petals. Tears filled her eyes. She recognized the room.
“This was my room for the night of Chris and Cynthia’s wedding.”
He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. He brushed his lips against her jaw. “Yep. I had to pull a few strings to make sure we got it. And Jocelyn helped me. She snuck up here a few minutes ago and got it ready.”
She smiled, thinking of her sister and the surprise she had for her husband tonight. She turned in Kade’s arms and cupped his face. He had been gorgeous at the ceremony, dressed in the same uniform he’d proposed to her in. But now he was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and a pair of chinos, and he was just as delicious.
“I am the luckiest woman in the world.”
His smile faded as he touched his forehead to hers. “No, love. You can’t be with a bloke like me. I put you through some hard times. I’m sorry that I’m going to probably put you through some more. Being a military wife isn’t easy.”
“No, it’s not. But it’s the only kind of wife I want to be.”
He kissed her then, sweet, hot, and by the time he was finished, they were both breathing heavily. Stepping away, he took her hand. “Come, let me love you.”
She followed him to the bed, laying down first. He stood looking at her for a moment.
“You have no idea how amazing you look.”
“Yeah?”
“Decadence and innocence all rolled up into one delicious woman.”
She didn’t think she would ever get used to the way he spoke to her. He might be a quiet one, but when those words flowed over her, they took hold of her heart and would not let go.
“Well, come on, Seal, I think we need to explore that decadent side.”
The naughty smile he gave her told Shannon he had more than a little decadence planned for the night.
He joined her on the bed then pulled her into his arms. He rolled them across the mattress so that she was beneath his powerful body.
“Well, Mrs. McKade—”
“I like the sound of that,” she said.
“I do too.” He brushed his mouth over hers before he slid down her body. “And I am ready to show you just how much I love the fact that you’re my Mrs. McKade.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He inched the hem of her wedding dress up over her thighs, his eyes widening when he saw that she hadn’t worn any panties.
She laughed. “Oh, my, I think I shocked you.”
He shook his head, his gaze directly on her pussy. He skimmed his fingers over her mons, then dipped two into her sex. She shivered.
“That was very naughty, Shannon.”
She heard the change of tone, knew that he was already getting into full Dom mode.
He bent his head and licked her slit then said, “Now, remember, baby. No coming until I say you can.”
Then, he set about driving her insane as she lay on a bed of petals in the room where they fell in love.
The End
Loving a military man isn't always easy, and sometimes living with him is impossible.
Possession: A Little Harmless Military Romance Book 2
Deke Berg has been in love with Samantha for ten years. From the moment they met, they could never keep their hands off each other. Their marriage was volatile and short-lived. Now, though, Deke knows what he wants in life, and Samantha is at the center of his plans. Unfortunately, Sam is wary of marriage—especially to a man who broke her heart.
Sam has always loved Deke. Being a former military brat, she thought she'd been prepared for life as a military spouse. But the long separations were hard, especially dealing with the stranger who returned home. She doesn't know if she can handle that pain again, but after spending a night together in Hawaii, it's impossible for her to ignore him.
Old prejudices and painful memories aren't easy to overcome, but there is one thing Deke understands: Samantha is the woman for him, and he will do anything to prove his love and win her back.
WARNING, this book includes: Another hard-headed military man, a few embarrassing moments, nosey brothers, and two people too stupid to realize they are perfect together. It's Harmless and military, so for your own safety, make sure you have ice water nearby. The author assumes no responsibility for overheating of the reader.
Possession
A Little Harmless Military Romance
Melissa Schroeder
Dedication
To romance readers everywhere. You are a dedicated bunch carving time out to read a , skipping lunch so you can find out just how the book ends, and sharing your love of your favorite book or series with strangers. Because of you, writers are blessed, each and every day.
Acknowledgements
Again, no book is every released without a ton of people behind it. I did this book during a move to a new house and so it was kind of crazy. Thanks to my husband and kids for always believing in me even if they force m
e to that unhappy place each year. Thanks to Brandy Walker who keeps me on the straight and normal and makes sure I don’t kill anyone in the process. Thanks to Jenn Leblanc for the wonderful cover photo and to Kendra Egert for designing it. Another round of thanks to Chloe Vale who did such wonderful editing on the book. Special thanks to Joy Harris who has been a friend and confidant who always understands my mindset because like me, she is a superior CAPPY!
And, lastly, to the Addicts, some who have been with me since the beginning in 2004. It is hard to believe this is the 45th book I have put out and so many more to come! Thank you always for your support.
Chapter One
Deacon Berg drew in a deep breath of the sweet Hawaiian air, enjoying the way it tickled his nose and filled his senses. Soft music played in the background as the wedding guests milled around the expansive buffet, but Deke ignored it for a view of the resort. He couldn't believe he was standing in Honolulu, enjoying the setting sun over the Pacific. Less than a month earlier, he’d been in South America on a rescue mission, and now he was enjoying a Hawaiian sunset.
"Enjoying the view?" Mal asked from behind him.
Deke glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah, I am. Why aren't you living over here with your brother and sister?"
He offered Deke a cocky smile. "You know I live for the Navy and the Seals."
Deke shook his head. He was pretty sure Mal's heart was engaged elsewhere, but Deke didn't comment on it. Malachai Dupree wasn’t ready to admit why he couldn’t settle down, and pointing it out would just piss Mal off. Deke knew better than to try to get his friend to face his personal fears. As a man who had been avoiding his for years, he was pretty good at knowing that.
Kade, the happy groom, stepped up. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"
"Coming here isn't making the decision any easier. I was pretty sure I was going to move to Coronado. They don't ask just anyone to teach."
"No, but you said you never wanted to do it."
He shrugged and looked out over the beach. It had been a secret desire of his for years, but he had only told one person that. "The job over at Camp Smith is looking more and more attractive. Hard to resist views like this one seven days a week. Maybe I should move to New Orleans and steal Shannon from you?”
“I’d have to kill you, Chief.”
“She could file for an annulment,” Deke said.
Kade gave him a big smile. “Too late for that.”
He shook his head. “Sex has to happen after the marriage.”
“And your point?”
Deke laughed. “I should have known when you guys disappeared it wasn’t about the pictures.”
Mal looked from one to the other then made a face. It was at that moment, Deke heard a laugh dance over the air to him. Mal was saying something, but Deke ignored him. He knew that laugh.
He knew it better than he knew his last name.
"Chief?" Mal asked.
"What?" he asked, irritated. Dammit, if Mal didn’t shut up, he wouldn’t figure out where it was coming from.
"You have an odd look on your face."
He didn't answer Mal. Deke knew she was there. He could feel it in his bones. It always seemed to happen like this. They would finally break free of each other, able to move on to healthier relationships, then by chance they would run into each other. It was as if the universe was bound and determined to keep them together when they both knew it was wrong.
Then he saw her. She was walking with a group of women. God, she was gorgeous. Even ten years later, she still made his temperature rise. She had her hair up, with a few blonde curls trailing down her neck. The blue dress reached her ankles and clung to every luscious curve. She wore a pair of strappy sandals, and he just knew she had painted her toenails.
Damn.
She was still laughing, and he had to, also, in the sight of her. She was never a woman who had one of those tinkling giggles. Her joy was out loud and for everyone to see. The sound was one of the greatest things he had ever heard.
He also knew what she sounded like when she moaned his name.
She spotted him and came to a dead stop. He couldn’t help the way his heart turned over when she made eye contact. They were so far away, but he knew the moment she did. Her smile faded. The woman standing next to her said something to her, and she shook her head.
Mal stepped up beside him. "Pretty. But she doesn't look like she thinks you're her type."
Deke drew in a lusty breath and let it release slowly. "Oh, but I am."
"How can you be so sure?" Mal asked.
"She wouldn't have married me if she didn't like me."
With that, he took one last swig on his beer, set it down on the table, and marched in her direction.
* * * *
"Holy Jesus in a skirt," Zoe said beside Sam. "Is that military dude coming over here?"
Sam didn't dare look at her friend. She couldn't tear her gaze from Deke. Something warm unfurled in her belly as she watched him stride down the path that led to her. She wanted to run the other way, screaming, but that would make her a coward. And Samantha Walters wasn't a coward.
"I think he’s coming over here," Fiona said from behind her. “I can't see, though, because you’re both standing in front of me."
They ignored her until she kicked Zoe in the back of the knee.
"Woman, I am going to smack you upside the head,” Zoe said, but she moved out of the way. “I swear to God, one of these days I’m going to leave you in a deep hole you can't get out of."
"Is that a short joke?" Fiona asked.
“No, but you are.”
“Shut up. Just shut up,” Sam muttered beneath her breath. Usually she took joy in her friends’ bickering, but she couldn’t today. “What the hell am I going to do when he gets over here?”
“You’re going to say, ‘This is my friend, Zoe. She would like to meet you and have a one-night stand.’” Zoe took a sip of her drink. “Also mention I like to be spanked.”
Sam laughed, but there was no humor in it. “I’m not about to throw you at my ex-husband.”
There was a beat of silence, which with her two friends, usually took a miracle. There was one thing she was certain of, Deacon Berg was no miracle. There were times she had thought he was a curse.
“The ex? The one you say drives you crazy? The one who you can’t keep your hands off of?” Zoe asked.
She nodded as she watched him walk toward her. As always, people moved out of his path without realizing it. It had always been that way ever since she’d met him years ago in California.
“Oh, mama,” Zoe said.
“You let that go?” Fiona asked. “I think you need some help.”
“It was do that or one of us was going to kill the other.”
She still couldn’t look away from him. He was in his mess dress, which meant he had gone to something formal. He could always fill out a uniform so well. The setting sun sparkled off the wealth of medals that crowded his chest.
God, the man never failed to turn her on when he was in his uniform. Of course, he could be wearing a lounge-lizard suit and she would be ready to jump his bones. Or nothing. Yeah, she would really like to see him wearing nothing at all.
She shook her head, trying to clear the image, but she knew it only too well. All those sculpted muscles and that little line of fair hair that bisected his abs. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Hell, her panties were damp already and she hadn’t even spoken to him.
Sam opened her eyes.
“Who is that tall drink of chocolate next to him?” Zoe asked.
It took her a second to realize that there was another man beside Deke. He was in mess dress also, but the rank on his arm told her he was an officer.
“I have no idea.”
He came to a halt in front of Sam. He hadn’t looked anywhere else as he had walked to her. Now, he was looking at her as if she might disappear. “Samantha, what are you doing here?”
It took her
a second to gather her thoughts. “I live here now.”
She had picked it because she had thought never to see him. It wasn’t that there weren’t a ton of military on the island, but she knew that he never wanted to be assigned to the vehicle teams the Seals had here.
“Sam?” Zoe poked her in the back, and she shot her friend a nasty look before looking back to Deke. He hadn’t taken his gaze from her.
“Oh, right, this is Zoe Anderson and Fiona Farelli.”
He glanced at her friends and smiled. “Nice to meet you, ladies.”
Then he turned his attention right back to her. She could practically hear her friends sighing. She couldn’t blame them. Inwardly, she was sighing also. And melting.
When he didn’t introduce his friend, she nodded her head in the man’s direction. For a second, he didn’t react. Then Deke glanced over at his friend.
“Oh, sorry. This is Malachai Dupree.”
The other man gave her a smile that normally would have stopped traffic. The fact that Malachai was dressed in mess dress with a chest full of medals also made him impressive. Sam was pretty sure Zoe and Fiona melted beside her. But, as always, when Deacon Berg was in the vicinity, she didn’t notice other men.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Wedding. One of our friends got married to Mal’s sister, Shannon.”
“Ah.”
The silence strung out for a few moments while everyone else just stood by. She could hear the music from the wedding reception along with the low murmur of tourists milling around on a Saturday afternoon. She was about to make an excuse to leave, but his friend stopped her before she had a chance.
“Hey, why don’t you ladies crash the wedding?” Mal asked.
Before she could say no, Zoe stepped up next to Mal and took his offered arm. “I would love to do that. Come on, Fee.”
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