Steel Rain: A Military Romance Collection

by A. Gorman

  “Did they actually do anything to prepare you for that possibility?”

  “Not so fucking much, no.” Bernadette blew out a breath. “They were still trying to help me deal with the survivor’s guilt. Still are. It’s the main focus of my therapy.”

  “I think you have to tell your therapist that it’s time to start to add other things to your weekly.”

  “Twice weekly.”

  “That’s even better. One for the survivor’s guilt and one for the implications of possibly losing your foot. What do you think?”

  “I think that you’re just here because you’re being nice.”

  Gavin raised an eyebrow. “Don’t start trying to push me away, Bernadette. I came here because I was worried about you, and I clearly had every right to be. You’re not in a good place, and I’m hoping that my being nice is a good thing.”

  “I’m busted and broken, Gavin. Don’t you get that? Do you really want a woman who has no foot? Who will need to rely on someone for some of her tasks for the rest of her life? I can’t even wash dishes!”

  She was about to sweep the food off the table when Gavin grabbed her arm. “I’m not interested in your foot, Nadi. I’m interested in all of you.”

  “That would be a first.”

  “You can’t tell me that you’ve never had someone who cared about you that wasn’t family.”

  “I have trouble enough getting blood from that stone.”

  Gavin heaved the table off to the side, out of his way, not spilling a drop of the food on the floor. He knelt up, looming over Bernadette who sat on the floor, legs crossed. Carefully, gently, he put his arms on her shoulders and pressed back to the floor following her down. “Let’s get something straight. I’m not here because I’m intrigued by your foot. I’m not running away because you can’t load a dishwasher. I’m here because I want to get to know you. I want to take you out and show you off and shower you with flowers and kisses.”

  His lips met hers and crushed against them, in a desperate hard kiss that had Bernadette whimpering with want in just a few seconds. “I’m here for you, Nadi. You. Nothing else.”

  Chapter Six

  Gavin could see the confusion in her eyes. She was lost and worried, and it made her all the more beautiful to him.

  “Are you real?” Her question was so innocent.

  “Of course I am.”

  “You’re not running away from me. You should be.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m broken and breaking more each day.”

  Gavin didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in and gave her another blazing kiss. “You’re not broken. You are gorgeous and strong and there’s nothing that going to change that.”

  She leaned up and caught him in a kiss that was as blazing as his had been. Shit, he wanted this woman, so much he ached in all the right places. He trailed his lips down her throat, the heat of her skin scorching him and his hand found her soft breast, plumping it carefully and enjoying their fullness in his hand.

  “Shit, shit, Gavin. Not here.” He pulled back and looked at her, disappointed but willing to wait for her. She kissed him hard again. “Upstairs. I have a goddamn king size bed upstairs.”

  Smirking, Gavin scooped her off the floor and made for the stairs while she whooped in surprise and laughed the whole way up. “Which door?”

  “Last on the left,” Bernadette directed him.

  Gavin pushed through, made a beeline for the bed, and carefully laid her down. He kissed her hard again, and slipped her shirt up and over head, revealing her breasts, nestled comfortably in sexy little bra. “Oh those are pretty.”

  “Hey, if you’re going to get in this bed with me, you have too many clothes on.” Bernadette gave him a seductive little smile. “I think you need to lose a few of those.”

  Gavin cringed. “Nadi, do you have a condom.”

  Smiling, she pointed to the drawer in the nightstand. “In there. My friend gave them to me as a joke last week at a bachelorette party.”

  Pulling the drawer open, he saw a box of six, and a rush of relief. He hadn’t planned well; the box was a boner-saver. He dropped them on the nightstand, and yanked his shirt over his head. Nadi’s grin spread, and her eyes filled with lust. He moved to the edge of the bed and maneuvered out of his pants as well. Sitting up, Nadi reached for his erection and wrapped her hand around him, still in the boxers.

  “I did that.”

  He stopped her tender caresses. “You. All you. And if you keep going you’re going to ruin the fun.”

  “Wouldn’t want that,” she breathed. He heard the change in tone from curious to seductive and quickly joined her on the bed. Pulling her in tight to him, he sought her lips again, swallowing the sweetness there. She was willing, pliable…and so desirable his dick hurt from the want of her pleasure.

  He lay her back, and caressed the sweet alabaster skin the bra bared to him as his other hand slipped the strap down her shoulder. She watched his hands on her, mesmerized by his movements. She was enraptured as he pulled the cup of her bra down and over her breast, and captured the nipple in his fingers.

  With a hiss of delight, Nadi tossed her head back and Gavin took that as encouragement. He dropped his head to the other breast and caught the bead in his teeth.

  “Oh, God…” Nadi wrapped her hands around his shoulders.

  He feasted there, between the two perfect peaks, paying attention to one then the other. Nadi approved of his ministrations with happy little squeaks and sighs. Slowly, though, Gavin started to work his way down to what promised to be the sweet heat of her pussy.

  “Gavin, no. I don’t want to wait.”

  He glanced up at her and saw a desperate desire in her eyes. She wanted his tongue on her, but she wanted his cock more. “Please, please. I feel like I’m going to collapse without you…”

  His direction changed, moving up on her body while his hand dropped down between her thighs. She was wet, her panties doing nothing but getting in his way. He slipped a finger under the elastic and slid the scrap of clothing down her legs, flinging it to the floor. He reared up over her and pulled off his own boxers, sending them in the same direction.

  Nadi’s hand found him again, gripping his length in her fist. She pumped him slowly up and down.

  “Grab the condom,” he said. “You’re all about my dick right now, so go ahead.”

  It took her only a heartbeat to grab one, unwrap and cover him. She didn’t seem to want to let him go, but he coaxed her hand away a moment later and settled between her legs. He dipped a finger into her sex, and found her clit immediately, her eyes flashing wide and bright. Little mews and whimpers followed as he ran his finger from there down to her waiting entrance.

  “Oh, yes,” she breathed.

  “Tell me what you want, Nadi. Dirty talk is sexy to me. Nearly as good at these gorgeous tits.”

  “I want you to…” She took a deep breath. “I want you inside me.”

  “We’re going to work on the dirty talk, sweetheart.” He grabbed his shaft and guided himself to rest against her entrance. “You want this…”

  “Please, yes. Gavin.”

  Her depths were warm and welcoming, and he moved to possess her, teasing and conquering with an almost painful deliberate slowness.

  He was halted.

  Gavin stared down into Nadi’s bright blue eyes, shocked and amazed at the same time. “You’re…a virgin.”

  The look on Nadi’s face almost broke his heart. She nodded ever so slightly, and tears welled.

  He leaned down and kissed her hard, quickly reigniting her lust. “No, no, sweetheart. I just wish you’d told me. I would have done this differently.”

  “Don’t stop?”

  He took her mouth again, pressing in and tangling his tongue with hers desperately, and at the very moment he heard her moan from his possession of her lips, her breath, he thrust into her, past the barrier, sliding deep inside her.

  “Oh fuck,” she spoke the wo
rd against his lips. “Gavin…” His name sounded so glorious from her, sweetly reverent.

  “You feel amazing around my cock.”

  “Oh, shit, I get the dirty talk now.”

  “We can spend lots of time practicing.”

  “Move, Gavin. I want to feel you.”

  With the utmost care, he pulled back, pulling himself nearly all the way out, and then slowly pressed back in. Nadi’s breath hitched, and she whimpered with his thrust.

  “Sweetheart, you tell me if anything hurts. Once I start moving hard and fast, you stop me if it I do anything that hurts. You’re so tight.”

  “Kegels.” She smiled and squeezed him with her walls.

  “Ah, oh! Shit. Do that and I’m coming.”

  “Good.”

  Gavin reached down between them and moved his fingers to her clit. “There’s no way I’m leaving you behind. I want you to come.”

  She gasped and her eyes flew wide open when he ran his finger over the bundle of nerves. “Like that.”

  “I feel so full…”

  Gavin hmm’ed. “I’m glad to hear that.” He kept his rhythm and found the staccato beat to tease her with. She was driving him mad by running her nails up and down his sides, raking over his skin. Between her hands and her tight pussy, he wasn’t long for this. It had been too long and she was too amazing.

  Angling differently, he drove his cock over the sensitive spot inside while pressing a little harder on her clit.

  “Oh, oh my God. Gavin…yes. Yes!” Nadi grabbed on to him, digging her fingers into his back and arching up from the bed. “Yes!” she screamed at the top of her lungs and he felt the orgasm wrack her body, tightening her walls against him, pulling him in—and he came, thrusting hard, calling her name.

  * * *

  Gavin’s hand trailed up and down Nadi’s smooth back. She was soft, and he could get used to the light tingle his hand felt as he touched her.

  “I didn’t know you were a virgin.”

  “Not something you advertise,” she whispered, dancing on the edge of sleep.

  “Just, most women aren’t. I wish you’d told me. I really would have done things differently.”

  She peered up at him from her place on his chest. “Done what differently. I literally had a screaming orgasm. You did me good.”

  Chuckling, he kissed her forehead. “Well, I always promised myself if I took a virgin to bed, she’d never regret her first time with me.”

  “And I don’t. But wait, you never slept with a virgin? You’re a virgin virgin?”

  Gavin didn’t stop the laugh. “I guess I was. We both had our cherries popped. Why’d you wait?”

  “Never had the chance or the inclination when I was younger. By the time I got back, most guys were running the other way. Either way.” She looked up at him. “Most I ever did was some heavy petting.”

  “I like it. I like all of it. I like that you were a virgin and I like that you’re not anymore.”

  Nadi smiled. “Mmm. I like that too.” She lifted her head from his chest. “Food’s cold.”

  Gavin laughed. He found himself doing that a lot around this woman. “We can reheat. That’s not the end of the world.”

  “Gavin…” Nadi paused. “Thank you. For restoring my faith in men. You’re not all assholes.”

  “No, we’re not. We’re also cocks and legs and arms and—Ow! Hey!” Nadi had slapped his chest. “I know what you meant, sweetheart. And you know that I didn’t come over here just to score, right?”

  “Well, even if you did, it was a good score.”

  Chuckling, Gavin wiggled a bit and started to climb out of the bed. “Bathroom?”

  Nadi pointed to the door, and he walked over to find a gorgeous red and white bathroom with a claw-foot tub and two sinks. He pulled the door mostly closed so she didn’t have to see him peeing. This was their first time and peeing with door open needed to be later in the dating process. “When is your appointment with the orthopedist?”

  “Next Tuesday, ten a.m.”

  “Will you know by the time you leave?”

  He could hear her rearrange herself on the bed, probably to sit up. “No. He consults with a board of doctors and surgeons before making a final decision. They’ll be meeting on Wednesday and I should know by Thursday what they recommend.”

  “Do you want company?”

  “What?”

  He pulled the door open again after quickly washing his hands. “Would you like me to go with you?”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I don’t have to, I would like to if you want the company.” He walked back over to the bed and sat down next to her, snagging his boxers and her panties. “It’s up to you, but the offer is good. There’s no reason you need to go through this alone, Nadi. I want to be here for you.”

  “I’ll be okay. I think.”

  He took her hand and kissed each knuckle. “I don’t want us to be fly-by-night, Nadi. I’m here for you. That’s serious. I know we don’t know each other really well, but I want to, and I want to be there if you need me. Don’t hesitate to call me, for anything. And don’t scare me like you did this week by not answering. I know you won’t be able to answer right away, but four days? Even Mister Homes noticed I was out of it. That man is good with money and finances, but he’s shit at social interactions. When he noticed I was out of it…”

  Nadi gave him a coy look. “You’re not going home right now are you?”

  “No. There’s cold Chinese downstairs.”

  “And a warm bed here.”

  “Is that an invite to stay the night?”

  She paused and smirked just a little. “Yes. Yes it is. I need more experience with this sex thing.”

  Gavin climbed on the bed and pulled her back down to him. “I think you need another perspective. Time for some riding lessons.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  Chapter Seven

  HURRICANE JILL FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER 14

  NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL

  2100 UTC TUE SEP 19 20XX

  CHANGES IN WATCHES AND WARNINGS WITH THIS ADVISORY...

  THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE EAST COAST OF MAINLAND US FROM THE DELMARVA TO CAPE COD.

  SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

  A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...

  *DELMARVA TO CAPE COD*

  *THE WATERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE*

  *COASTAL WATERS UP TO 100 MILES INLAND*

  A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN THE 48 HOURS. HURRICANE JILL IS CURRENTLY A CATEGORY 2 STORM WITH THE FORECAST PLACING IT AT A CATEGORY 3 FOR LANDFALL. CURRENT PREDICTED LANDFALL IS REHOBOTH BEACH IN DELAWARE.

  He almost didn’t remember to order the flowers and went running through the store like a maniac. The hurricane was consuming everything he had at the store and it was only the text message that reminded him he was sending Nadi flowers.

  Skidding to a halt, he grabbed the phone off the cradle.

  “It’s done,” Mellie called from her register.

  “No, I have to—”

  “It’s done. I called in yesterday and set up the delivery.”

  Gavin froze. “You did?”

  “Of course I did. I know better than that. I didn’t want you to miss the delivery window.” Mellie raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been ridiculously happy this week, and we want to keep you that way. Also, she’s a fox, man. Don’t screw it up.”

  “Mellie, I’d kiss you if the flowers you just ordered were for anyone but my girlfriend.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, Tony needs your help at plumbing. Go.”

  Gavin hung the phone up and ran back to the floor where he could help the insane amount of people. The Hurricane was coming, again, and with Sandy fresh in everyone’s minds, there was a run on everything that could be used to batten down the hatches on people’s homes: nails
, hammers, ropes, tape, two-by-fours, plywood. They had enough because he’d ordered, but people also didn’t know how to keep a head on their shoulders about this sort of thing. He’d already broke up four or five fights by ten in the morning.

  Still, he understood. His last place had a tree go through it half way through the nor’easter that had followed. He and four other residents had been out of luck, and out of a house. They had found a hotel to crash at, but Gavin decided to move a little more inland after that.

  The Jersey shore was still a hot place to live. The wealthy had second mansions, and the not so wealthy would rent them for a week. And all those houses were under threat of being destroyed by the hurricane. They were coming in droves to get their supplies, and the people on Long Beach Island were under the most serious threat of being washed out to sea.

  Gavin wasn’t having the easiest time paying attention. Along with the flowers, he’d sent Nadi, he was planning on showing up at her appointment with the orthopedist at four. It was the verdict as to what could be done with her foot, whether they were going to take it off or not. She had said she’d be okay, but he wanted to be there.

  The second shift manager was actually early showing up for his shift, so that was a huge relief. He had his messenger bag on his shoulder in a heartbeat and was out the door. The doctor was two towns over, and he didn’t have a lot of time to get there. There was traffic, and he just hoped that he could surprise her, walking in on time.

  Pulling up to the office, he knew something was amiss. There wasn’t another car in the lot. The building looked closed up tight, and there were no lights on. Not even the sign.

  He got out of the car and stared at the building. It was right building, with the right doctors’ names on the door, but it was shut up tighter than a drum.

  The phone in his pocket dinged.

  Bernadette: You’re very sweet, Gavin, but I have to do this alone. I’m sorry I told you the wrong place and time.

  Gavin: Where are you?

  Bernadette: Give me a day. I need to process what the doctors told me. Please.