Chayton's Tempest

by Aliyah Burke

  disheveled Lex striding towards him.

  Maverick stood and met her halfway, enclosing her into

  his arms. For a while, there were no words passed among the

  eight people there. Hugs were given freely as the men tried

  valiantly to hold onto their emotions.

  Their mission had gone horribly wrong. Not given the

  proper intel, the team had gone in essentially blind. All of the

  men had received some type of injury, but the worst by far was

  Harrier. He’d taken three bullets in the chest and another two

  had barely missed going through the main artery in his leg.

  The doctor on the carrier had stabilized him the best he

  could, but the entire Team had been flown to the closest

  military hospital within fifty-two hours, which was in Spain.

  Someone had notified Alexis and so it was not any big surprise

  to see her at the hospital.

  They’d believed that he was going to be okay; but

  unfortunately once they landed, Harrier had slipped into

  unconsciousness and then began to flatline while they were

  trying to prep him for surgery.

  The doors to the OR swung open and eight sets of eyes

  turned anxiously to the doctor who appeared. Alexis stepped

  forward and demanded, “How’s my husband?”

  With a deep breath, the somber man opened his mouth

  to deliver the news.

  _

  Ring. Ring. Ring.

  Tempest groaned as she leaned over to pick up the

  phone. She’d just fallen asleep. “Hello?”

  A feminine voice crossed the wire. “I need to speak to

  Sarah Whitehall please.”

  Instantly awake, Tempest sat upright in her bed. “I’m

  sorry you have the wrong number. No one by that name lives

  here.” Trembling, she placed the phone back down.

  It hadn’t even been there for five seconds when it rang

  again. This time, Tempest turned on her bedside light and

  stared at the phone. One the fifth ring, she picked it up again.

  “Hello?”

  “Don’t hang up. I know you used to be Sarah

  Whitehall.” This time the voice was laced with more than a

  little bit of scorn.

  “Who are you?” Tempest demanded.

  “I want you to stay away from my son. Tell him you lied

  before and that thing you call a son isn’t his. I don’t care what

  you say; just make it so he stays away from the likes of you.”

  The light bulb flickered on. It was none other than

  Maverick’s mother, Dawn Lonetree. “First, I told you no one by

  that name lived here so you need to keep your fucking mouth

  shut, talking to me like you are all high and mighty.” Her

  fingers dug into the smooth sheets of her bed. “I don’t lie, so

  you just need to accept that. Now stop harassing me.” She

  hung up again.

  It rang again. Tempest wasn’t trembling this time, at

  least not from trepidation. Now she was pissed. “Look, you

  bitch, stop calling my house,” she snarled into the phone.

  “He’s got a kid you know. With Talli. She’s pregnant.

  He’ll never be yours. He knows to stay within the tribe.” The

  voice was scathing. “He can’t wait for the child to be born. He

  is so looking forward to be a father.”

  It was like a knife was shoved into her chest. The room

  began to spin as she turned off the phone and let it drop to the

  mattress beside her as she slumped over. Fighting down the

  nausea, Tempest turned off the light and despite the hot

  summer night, she climbed under the sheets and pulled up a

  blanket to try and contain the shivers that racked her body.

  That night, her dreams were filled with images of

  Maverick standing next to a beautiful Native woman and their

  children. His face was scrunched with scorn as he told her he’d

  found the one he was to be with forever.

  Two hours later, with no chance of falling asleep,

  Tempest swung out of bed and went to her backyard to begin

  meditating. Her body finally sinking into a relaxed state, her

  mind found the peace it so desperately sought.

  Tempest was still in the lotus position when a shadow

  fell over her. Cracking open one eye, she looked up to see her

  son standing there. In his hand he had her cordless phone. As

  they made eye contact he held it out to her.

  Considering the calls she’d received early this morning,

  Tempest was hesitant to accept the offered object. Her son

  waited until she took the phone, then he sat down on the chair

  and watched her.

  “Tempest speaking,” she said into the receiver. “I’ll be

  there in less than an hour.” She shut off the phone and

  groaned. “There goes the rest of my morning.” Carefully

  moving out of the lotus position, she got to her feet and smiled

  tiredly at her son.

  “I have to go into work. Mimi’s sick and can’t take the

  shipment.” Leaning over to kiss his smooth cheek, she

  continued, “I’ll see you later on this evening. Have a nice day at

  school.” Then she disappeared into the house to shower and

  dress.

  As much as she tried, Tempest couldn’t get the hateful

  woman’s words out of her head. It had been a month since

  Maverick had pressed her body between his and her bedroom

  mattress. He filled her dreams at night and her thoughts during

  the day. While she knew he was working, Tempest found that

  late-night call extremely disturbing.

  Was he off with this Talli woman? She remembered a

  child in that area who had gone by that name. She’d been

  beautiful. But then, most Native Americans were in her

  opinion. And James “Maverick” Chayton Lonetree was most

  assuredly blessed in the looks area.

  Stifling a sigh, Tempest grabbed another case of rum

  and moved to the steps to take it up to the bar. Standing at the

  top was the man she’d been thinking about way too much. He

  wore solid black, his hair a bit longer than she remembered, but

  he still made her heart skip a beat and her body flood with

  desire.

  His arms were crossed over his marbled chest as he

  stood there watching her with eyes like black diamonds.

  “James,” she breathed out on a long exhalation. The box

  was placed back on the floor as she looked up at him.

  “Hello, beautiful.” His voice flowed over her body like

  Amaretto DiSaronno being poured over ice. He moved towards

  her with the ease of a jungle cat. Each step was smooth,

  graceful, and lethal.

  His tall body halted before her. He didn’t say a single

  thing as he drew her into his powerful embrace. The only

  sound in the basement was their breathing.

  Closing her eyes, Tempest allowed him to hold her. The

  rich scent of Maverick infused her senses. Her hands wound

  into his skintight shirt, clutching him closer.

  It felt so good to be clasped in his embrace. But he felt

  different. Tension emanated from his body into hers. Tempest

  stepped back so she could look at him.

  The concern in her eyes nearly brought tears to his. He

  didn’t want to talk
right now. He wanted to feel. He wanted to

  forget.

  One blink and his hands slid down the cotton of her

  yellow shirt and came to a rest on the denim of her shorts. With

  one easy motion, he lifted her off the ground and walked them

  back until she was pressed against the cool wall.

  Tempest moved her hands up to latch around his neck

  and her mouth found his. The kiss was tentative until she

  released a moan into his mouth. Primal need to possess and

  conquer her flared to life within Maverick.

  His hands moved up underneath her shirt, barely

  slowing before he jerked it off her head and left her clad in her

  bra, a white, lacy thing that barely cupped her full breasts. Its

  stark pale color stood out vividly against her smooth dark skin.

  Maverick’s eyes softened as his hands moved almost

  reverently over the firm nipples. His hands trailed over her

  ribcage and down to the swell of her hips. The bronze of his

  skin blended so sweetly with her darker hue.

  With a deft movement, his fingers unbuttoned the shorts

  she wore. Tempest never said a word as she watched him

  observe her body. He unwrapped her legs from around his lean

  waist and steadied her until her feet hit the floor.

  Lowering the zipper on her shorts, he slid them down

  over her hips and they pooled at her feet. Dropping to his

  knees in front of her, he was face to face with the womb that

  had housed and protected his unborn child. A light touch with

  one index finger, traced the stretch marks on her belly.

  “You are so beautiful, Tempest.” His lips followed the

  path his finger had just taken. With extreme care, he lifted one

  foot after another to remove her shorts from her sandaled feet,

  leaving her in bra, underwear, and her sexy strapped sandals.

  His hands moved up her satiny legs, reveling in their

  softness. Never before had he touched anything so supple, so

  intoxicating, and so enticing in his entire life.

  Maverick looked up to see her staring down at him. He

  couldn’t read her expression and it scared him more than he

  wanted to admit. A small furrow appeared between his brows

  and he opened his mouth to say something when two of her

  fingers placed themselves over his lips.

  Tempest shook her head. His tender touches left her

  body aflame and she wanted more, so much more, but he

  seemed to be hesitating. It was as if he weren’t sure he was

  doing anything she wanted.

  She knew he desired her; the hard ridge in his pants

  when she’d been pressed against him had told her that; but for

  some reason, he was trying to keep that under control now.

  The uncertainty on his face spurred her into action.

  Taking her fingers off his mouth, she knelt down on the cold

  concrete floor and put her hands on either side of his face. Her

  callused hands cupped his smooth cheeks and her thumbs

  caressed his lower lip.

  “I need you, Maverick,” she whispered moments before

  she pressed her lips back on his.

  “I need you, too, mitawin. By the Great Spirit, I need

  you.” His mouth enveloped hers as he reached around and

  undid the clasp on her back. “Let me love you, for once. Just let

  me love you.”

  As her bra straps slid from her shoulders, his mouth

  covered one nipple while his hand covered the other. She

  moaned in pleasure as his warm mouth tugged on her, sending

  jolts through her system.

  His tongue swept over the pointed tip only for a teasing

  graze of his teeth to follow. She shuddered and knew he felt it.

  Suddenly, it felt like it was one hundred degrees down in the

  cool basement.

  Sweat popped up all over her body as she let her head

  lean back and rest on the wall behind her. His right hand fell

  away from the breast it held and trailed down her side,

  memorizing each dip and swell of her curvaceous body.

  Tempest whimpered in frustration only to stop when his

  mouth switched breasts, tugging on that nipple just like it had

  on the first one. Her whimper changed into a purr of

  contentment.

  Maverick’s finger flicked the turgid tip of her free breast

  before both of his hands settled at the edge of her plain white

  bikini underwear. He pulled them down and tossed them to

  the side. Maverick let his eyes roam over the stunning beauty

  before him who stood only in her sandals with its alluring

  straps around her ankles.

  The smell of her sex wafted to his nose and he inhaled it

  deeply. She smelled of cloves and citrus. His cock twitched

  painfully in his jeans. He wanted to slam into her, dominate her

  and make her realize she was his. She belonged to him and

  there was no way anyone else was ever going to have her.

  Mind-numbing sex was what he craved to force his

  mind blank. But the second he looked upon her exposed beauty

  and witnessed the trust she had for him in her gaze, a need to

  show her what love was going to be like with him took over

  instead. What it should be. How it was destined to be between

  them.

  Maverick pulled her closer by her full hips. Closing his

  eyes, Maverick inhaled one last time then rose smoothly to his

  feet and pressed her naked body to his fully clothed one.

  Her brown eyes overflowed with unbridled passion. Her

  small yet strong hands untucked his shirt before moving it up

  his hairless, chiseled chest. When the hem was almost to the

  top of his shoulders, he took over and removed it.

  Tempest released a breath as she was faced with the

  most gorgeous torso she’d ever seen in her life. It was marred

  by faint scars and one fresh one that went from his left nipple

  down diagonally across his ribcage.

  Her fingers barely touched him as they skirted down to

  the button on his black jeans. She didn’t hesitate to undo it and

  slowly lower the zipper. Her eyes jerked up to meet his when

  his hand gripped her wrist.

  “I’m wearing boots, Tempest.”

  She didn’t care. Tempest could see the long outline of his

  hard penis and she wanted it. A sex-crazed woman was what

  this man made her just by being in her presence. “James,” she

  complained.

  “Touch me,” he said even as he let go of her wrist and

  ran his palm over the back of her head.

  Eager to do just that, Tempest slid her hand beneath the

  black boxers he wore and curved her fingers around his

  throbbing erection. Maverick groaned as he felt her willing

  touch on his body.

  Her eyes dropped down before moving slowly back up

  to meet his dark gaze. A tiny smile lifted the corner of her

  mouth. “You sure have grown up quite nicely,” she said softly.

  “Tempest,” his one word was strangled.

  “Yes, James?” Her hand began to stroke him.

  “Something you want to tell me?”

  “Aside from the fact I’m about to take you against the

  wall?”

  Her fingers tightened as she met his blazing gaze. “Then

  do it.” />
  Fourteen

  Maverick lifted her against the wall. His pants were

  around his ankles with no way of removing them without

  stopping and getting rid of his boots, but that didn’t matter.

  His thick, swollen cock knew just where to go.

  Tempest’s legs were wide in open invitation. “Please,

  James,” she said in a husky voice.

  One thrust and Maverick had thoroughly sheathed

  himself in her wet core. His eyes rolled slightly back in his head

  as her heat encased him. Nothing in his life had prepared him

  for this feeling.

  “Oh, hell.” He drew out on a long breath. His body

  rippled as he tried to not erupt within her.

  Hooking her ankles behind his back, Tempest used the

  wall at her back and his strong hands to support her. She

  sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth as pleasure washed

  over her.

  Looking at the woman who offered herself to him,

  Maverick knew he was in love with her. The feelings she

  brought out in him were ones his grandfather used to talk

  about. This was where he was to be. He knew it.

  Moving his hips slowly, Maverick began to pump in and

  out of her. Each stroke in her went to the hilt. When he

  withdrew, her muscles clenched around him as if never

  wanting to let him go.

  “Tempest,” he moaned as he thrust back into her wet

  body.

  Her fingers wrapped around his wrists as she fought to

  open her eyes. “What?” Her word was more of a grunt, as he

  sent her body back against the cold wall behind her.

  “I wish it had been better for you the first time.” He

  pulled back so only the swollen head of his cock was left in her.

  “I wish I had taken the time to love you as you deserved. I’m so

  sorry.”

  “Stop apologizing for that night. We were both young.”

  Her dark eyes opened fully and focused on his black ones.

  “Please, don’t dwell on that.” She shuddered as he slipped

  back into her completely.

  “As you command it.” Maverick began moving faster

  and faster within her. His fingertips dug into the flesh of her

  hips as he pounded deeper.

  Tempest had her mouth open and short panting sounds

  emerged from it. Despite the cold wall behind her, he saw the

  sheen of sweat that covered her dark body. Her breasts jiggled

  with every forward stroke he delivered.

  Looking down, Maverick slowed and watched his rigid