by Aliyah Burke
on her.
She knew he waited for her reaction.
“Mom?” Dakota asked from behind her.
Tempest shut the door on her Envoy. “Yes?” Her gaze
remained on the wickedly handsome James Lonetree.
“Does it bother you? Me calling him Dad?”
The wind blew some of her hair into her face. Staring
through the strands, she held Maverick’s black eyes. “No,
Dakota. He is your dad.”
The emotion on Maverick’s face nearly brought her to
tears again. He dropped the bags on the ground and was before
her in two powerful strides.
Without a word, he pulled her into his embrace. Ironlike
bands closed about her. She could smell tobacco and his
own natural scent, and hear his beating heart.
“Thank you, Tempest. For giving me my son,” he
whispered in her ear. Before she could say anything he
continued. “Come here,” he said in a gruff voice.
In a second, she felt her son’s arms going around her as
well. This was her family. No matter what, their lives were
intertwined.
The whisper that had been in her mind during Dakota’s
birth and her time in the mountains returned.
This is your destiny.
Tempest just smiled. This was not the time to deal with
voices in her head.
They had dinner together with Shelia. It was almost like
a family dinner. After the meal, Tempest and Maverick sat
together in the living room as the younger ones cleaned up.
“Thanx for dinner, baby. I should get going.”
Going? She jerked her head toward him. “Where’re you
going?”
Maverick heard the shock in her voice as she blurted out
her question. He smiled and turned toward her on the couch.
“I have to get a hotel room.”
Her eyes grew large briefly before she stammered, “Oh.”
He smiled mischievously and asked, “Gotten used to
sleeping with me, have you?”
An adorable blush crossed her skin. His eyes lingered on
her mouth as she struggled for some kind of response.
He leaned close to her tempting full lips. “I’d love to
stay in your bed, in your arms. Tell me, Tempest. Do I go,” he
paused and touched her lips with his, “or stay?”
“Stay,” she breathed. “Stay with me, James.”
He kissed her and pulled her onto his lap, her khaki
shorts riding high on her legs as she straddled him.
“Why do you always call me James? Everyone else calls
me Maverick.”
“Didn’t mind me saying it when you were deep inside
me,” she whispered. “But if it truly bothers you, I can call you
Maverick.”
A grin crossed his face. He didn’t care. He was getting
used to her calling him James. Hell, he was beginning to like it.
And didn’t want her to stop. “Baby, You can call me whatever
you like.” His mouth moved over hers in a passionate kiss.
“Ewww! Gross! Get a room!”
Tempest jumped back and Maverick’s fingers dug into
the flesh of her ass, keeping her on his lap. He winked at her.
“Hush,” Maverick ordered lightly, glancing around the
woman in his lap to his son standing there. “Are you done
cleaning up?”
“Yes. I was going to see you two were ready for
dessert.” Dakota crossed his arms. “I guess you are.”
Tempest squirmed again and Maverick let her off his
lap, but kept her beside him. “I’d say we’re ready.” His hand
moved up and down her bared arm.
His son stared at them for a moment before heading
back into the kitchen. Shelia took a seat on the loveseat and
smiled at them both. Maverick returned her smile. He really
liked her. Shelia was an amazing woman. He would bet
anything somewhere in her past was someone with special
abilities. She had an aura about her like his grandfather had.
Within moments, Dakota reentered the room holding a
tray with cake slices and coffee. Soon the talk had fallen on
Shelia and her plans after college, and then they played Trivial
Pursuit. As he watched the trio of people with him, Maverick
knew this was what he wanted. They were his family.
It was well after midnight when they called it a night.
The sting of tears hit him as Shelia hugged him, kissed his
cheek, and called him “Dad.”
I’m becoming a sap.
“’Night, sweetheart. Drive safely and call when you get
home.”
“It’s late,” Shelia protested.
“I don’t care. Call me when you’re safe at home. How
long does it take for you to get there?”
Maverick watched the slight smile turning up Tempest’s
full lips.
“Twenty minutes or so,” Shelia said with resignation.
“Good. I’ll expect to hear from you then.” Touching her
cheek, he said, “Call from your home phone. Not cell.”
“Okay, Dad,” she returned softly.
Maverick took Tempest’s hand as Dakota walked Shelia
out to her car.
“They are a great couple,” he told her as he kissed the
hand he held.
“I know. They’ll give me beautiful grandbabies.”
“Us. They’ll give us beautiful grandbabies,” he
corrected.
Tempest squeezed his hand before heading to the table
and began stacking their empty plates on the tray. He watched
her move effortlessly before he joined her.
Reaching for the full tray, he said, “I got it.”
The smile he received melted his heart. He was so in
love with her it scared him.
Unable to find any words, he stood and carried the stuff
to the kitchen. Tempest followed behind with the coffee pot.
He could feel her eyes on him as he loaded the dishwasher.
“Just planning on staring at me, mitawin? Or did you
have something to say?”
“Thank you.” Her whisper floated around him like a
cloud.
Closing the door of the machine, he looked at her. Her
eyes were shiny with tears. He frowned and stepped toward
her. “What’s wrong, baby?”
Tempest held up a hand to stop him. “Nothing. I just
want you to know how much having you with me has helped.”
Tempest licked her lips and wiped her palms on her shorts.
“Part of me did want to step off that cliff. I just wanted
something. Needed something.” She moved toward him. “You,
James. You were what I needed.”
Maverick pulled her into his arms and she never
hesitated. She sighed as his strong arms closed around her.
“Thank you for not letting me fall,” she mumbled into
the fabric of his shirt.
“I will always be there for you, Tempest, if you’ll let
me,” he said in a sincere voice.
“I just wanted you to know how much what you did
means to me.” She held him as tight as she could.
“Baby. I’m so sorry I put you through all that.”
“Hush. Stop apologizing. It’s over. I just wanted you to
know, how much it meant to me having you here with me.”
His heart constricted at her
words. Tell her, his mind
screamed. Tell her you love her.
He opened his mouth, but the words didn’t come.
Instead, he closed his eyes and tightened his hold on her. His
nose buried into the thick strands of her hair.
They stood in silence until Dakota stuck his head in and
shook his head with a slight smile. “I’m going to bed.”
“Night, Dak,” Tempest said, turning her head toward
her son.
“Night, Mom.” He walked over and kissed her cheek.
“I’m glad you’re back home.”
Without leaving his embrace, she touched her son’s
cheek. “Me too.”
Maverick watched as eyes identical to his glanced at
him.
“Goodnight, Dad.”
“Night, Son.” He laid a hand on Dakota’s arm and
squeezed.
Dakota trotted out of the kitchen, yelling, “Don’t do
anything I wouldn’t do!”
Tempest buried her head deep in Maverick’s chest and
moaned. He could only laugh and then he kissed her.
“I’m gonna kill him,” she groaned.
“Well, I think we have a pretty open book on what we
can do tonight.”
She smacked him. “Shut up. I don’t want to think of my
son having sex.”
He laughed again. “Where do you think you’re going to
get grandbabies from?”
Pulling back, she stuck her lower lip out at him. “Is it too
much to pray for a stork?”
He scooped her up in his arms. This was where she
belonged. In his embrace. Spinning her around, he said, “No
storks for you.”
“Damn. I was hoping to keep him a virgin forever.”
His phone vibrated. “Hang on, baby.” Once her arms
tightened around him, he used on hand to answer. “Maverick,”
he answered.
It was Shelia calling as ordered. He said goodnight to
her again and clipped his phone back on his pants. With a
quick move, he tossed Tempest over his shoulder and smacked
her on the ass. He kept her there as he locked up her home,
despite her struggles. Entering her room, he shut the door and
set her on the floor.
“You are an amazing woman, Ms. Burnell.”
She winked and pulled off her shirt. “You’re not so bad
yourself, Mr. Lonetree.”
His cock pulsed in his pants. The white of her bra was
vivid against her beautiful skin. He arched a brow and prowled
closer. His hands ached to touch her. He wanted to lose
himself in her body. Longed to make love to her in her own
bed.
I want her for the rest of my life.
Her dapple-brown gaze was filled with mischief as she
undid the button on her short shorts. He growled low in his
throat an immediately closed the remaining distance between
them.
“Temptress.” He hauled her up against him. I have plans
for this woman. “My sexy little temptress.”
The buzz awoke Tempest. She cracked open her eyes in
time to see the man in her bed reach for his cell phone.
“Maverick,” he said in a low whisper.
She snuggled deeper into her mattress. They’d been
asleep for barely an hour. Maverick had made slow tender love
to her until both were exhausted.
“Really?” he asked. “Okay. I’ll be leaving now. I’ll get
the next transport and meet you there.” He paused. “Yes, I’m
with her. She’s sleeping.” He grumbled. “No, I’m not letting
you talk to her. I’ll call for a ride. Goodbye.”
Tempest rolled toward him and scraped her nails down
his muscled chest. His skin was smooth, hairless, and warm.
One of his hands covered hers as he placed another call. He
brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on it. His voice
smoothed across her naked skin as he spoke to someone on the
other end. She knew he was leaving. That was what a call at
four in the morning meant.
She slipped beneath the covers and took his cock in her
mouth. A chuckle escaped her as he gasped and hung up
within seconds.
“I have to go, Tempest,” he ground out.
“I don’t want to keep you; should I stop?”
His hands delved into her hair, holding her in place.
“Hell no!”
She took him in her mouth and didn’t stop until he
tossed off the covers and lifted her up only to bring her down
on his wet and ready erection. It didn’t take long before she
was screaming her release into his mouth. He shuddered
beneath her, thrust up two more times, and exploded within
her.
Her heart pounded as he rolled them over so she was on
the bottom.
“I have to go, mitawin.”
He pulled out of her but she kept her legs tight around
him. She didn’t want to be sad, but it was hard. “What does
that mean?”
He kissed her nose, got out of bed, and tuned on a light.
“It is a word I will never call anyone else. I have to get ready. A
car will be here soon to get me.”
“I could drop you off.”
“No, it’s fine. But thank you. I’m going to use your
shower real quick, okay?”
Tempest nodded. Why didn’t he want her to take him?
Sitting up more, she wondered what to do. She climbed out of
bed and tugged on some sweats and a heavy tee shirt. She had
the outside light on and a cup of coffee for him when he
emerged from the bedroom, bag in hand.
“Here,” she said, handing him the mug.
“Thank you.” He took a drink.
Words were clogged in her throat. She didn’t want him
to go. As if he understood, he dropped his bag, set the cup
down on the table, and gathered her close to him.
“I’ll miss you, icamna sapa.”
What was she to say? She didn’t know the appropriate
words at a time like this.
Headlights flashed in her living room as a car turned
into her driveway. Maverick had returned his rental before
dinner so there wasn’t even that reason for him to come back.
“Ride’s here.”
She walked from his arms to the door and opened it. A
very attractive blonde woman in a uniform greeted her.
Tempest ran her hand through her bed hair. She felt dowdy
next to the sharp-eyed woman before her.
“I’m here to pick up Lieutenant Lonetree,” she said.
“I’m ready, Petty Officer. I’ll be right out.” He pressed
up against Tempest and his clean, masculine scent swarmed
her.
Tempest crossed her arms and turned sideways so he
could pass. He stopped in front of her. The pretty blonde came
for the bag and she disappeared again, leaving Tempest alone
with Maverick.
He stared down at her, his expression muted by the
partial lighting. “Until next time, mitawin. I’ll see you soon.”
Blinking back tears, she said, “Goodbye, James.”
“Not goodbye. I will come back to you. I will always
come back to you.”
She swallowed her tears. “Goodbye, James.”
He frowned at her. “I’ll be back, Tempest.”
>
“You should get going.” Her voice was gruff and she
knew he could hear her tears.
His kiss was gentle, yet extremely thorough. “Don’t
forget me, mitawin.”
He walked toward the car with the waiting blonde and
climbed in. Tempest couldn’t see his eyes, but she felt them on
her. They were intimate and searching.
As the car backed out of her driveway, she closed the
door, not wanting to see him go. She headed back to bed,
shutting off lights on her way.
“James,” she whispered once more as she climbed into
bed, her nose burying into the pillow he used. Tears fell as she
returned to the world of Morpheus.
Twenty-Four
The days flew by. B’s Quarry being so extremely busy
helped keep Tempest’s mind off Maverick. Funny, she thought,
I think of him as Maverick but call him James. Either way, helped
was the operative word. It was hard not to think of him.
As she wiped down the top of her bar, the door opened
a lone, beautiful woman with long blonde-brown hair and a
black bag slung over her shoulder entered. Golden skin was
obvious by her tan shorts and white tee shirt. She moved with
an elegance that made Tempest stop and take a second look.
Wow!
Tempest noticed the men in the bar watching her as
well. I hope trouble doesn’t start because of her. It wouldn’t be the
first time a fight had started over a woman in her bar.
The woman came straight up to the bar and slid onto the
last vacant stool.
Tempest moved toward her. “What can I get you?” she
asked.
“Cuervo Black and Coke, please.” She had an accent
Tempest couldn’t place.
“Comin’ right up.” Tempest placed the drink down
before her. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” She slid some money across the table.
Tempest smiled and quickly made change. “Enjoy.”
As she moved away, the woman said, “Are you
Tempest?”
She turned back slowly. “Yes. Do I know you?”
The blonde smiled over the rim of her glass. “No. I’m a
friend of Maverick’s.”
Tempest’s heart sank. Do I have to go through this again?
“And?” she questioned, not censoring the bite in her tone.
The woman chuckled. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean for it to
sound like that. I’m married to Hondo. My name’s Xaria.”
Tempest smiled as she recalled the sole black man of the
group of men that had come to see Maverick, and, apparently,
her and her son.
