“What do you usually do after a competition?” There were hundreds of people yet to ride, thousands milling around.
“The team usually hangs together until we’ve all ridden, then we go back to our hotel, get showered, and go out to supper.” She shrugged. “We’re exhausted by then and call it a night.”
“Tonight, there’s fireworks, and we can supposedly see them from my balcony.” Tanner had been around enough veterans to know that fireworks are not always a favorite.
“Are you sure I’m not taking you away from a team celebration? I can bring you back after you get cleaned up, or we can go out with them if you prefer.” He really didn’t want to do anything with other people. He wanted to be alone with Bailey.
They loaded the dogs in the back seat, and she went to the passenger’s side. When he reached for the handle, she stepped into his arms. “I am exactly where I want to be. With you.”
Their kiss was so tender, brief and yet enough. Tanner opened the door and lifted Bailey onto the seat.
Behind the wheel, he checked that everyone was in and ready. A feeling of family ran through him as he started the truck and pulled out into traffic.
Tanner had never hauled so much gear for an overnight. He’d been on operations in Afghanistan with less equipment. It was ridiculous. Two extra-large animal cages, dog food, four bowls, a feeding mat, chew toys, and all the human bags including a hanging bag for his jacket. At least Bailey had moved in days ago. As they set up in adjoining rooms, he looked at the king-sized bed in each and wondered if they’d finally sleep together.
Around six, there was a knock on Bailey’s door. He could hear her through the open door that connected the two rooms.
“Come with us to celebrate,” a female voice encouraged. “Dan and I are going to grab something quick so we can come back and watch the fireworks, then create a few of our own.”
“No, thanks, Jessica. Tanner and I have reservations. Fact is, we’d better get going.”
“Have fun. I’ll see you in camp in three weeks,” the other woman said.
“See you then, roomie.” He heard Bailey shut the door. “Tanner. We need—”
“I’m ready.” He stood in open doorway. She took his breath away. In a long flowing skirt, no it was really pants made to look like a skirt with shear material over top. She’d curled her hair so if fell in soft waves to her shoulders. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“Now, that’s a lie.” She grinned. “But thank you.”
“I’m afraid to touch you.” He didn’t want to mess anything up and ruin their first date before they’d left the hotel.
She stretched up and pressed her lips to his. “You look so handsome all dressed up.”
No one had ever said that to him. He had no idea how to respond. “I guess I clean up pretty good.”
“Oh, yeah.” Her smile said she approved.
Three hours later, filled like they’d eaten Thanksgiving dinner, they rolled back into her room. “I kept eating because it was so good.” Bailey collapsed into the chair. “You should have stopped me.”
“No way.” He held up both hands. “You were replacing calories. After that race today, you needed all that food.”
“My stomach is filing a protest as we speak.” She giggled.
Boom.
Bailey hit the floor and scrambled under the desk.
Through the sheer curtains, Tanner saw the explosion of yellow light the night sky. The fireworks had started. When his gaze dropped to Bailey, she was shaking, her eyes darting around the room. Both dogs pawed at their cages and whined. They understood and wanted to help.
Tanner dashed to the balcony and whipped the blackout drapes closed. “I’m right here Bailey.” He turned down the bed on his way to her.
Kaboom. Shush. Pop. Dozens of whistles filled the air.
Her hands were over her ears as he knelt down beside her. “Come on, Bailey. You’re safe with me.” She scrambled out from under the desk and into his arms. He laid her on the bed and removed her shoes, wondering how to get her leg off.
“I haven’t had a reaction like this in over a year. I’m so sorry, Tanner.”
With his fingertips, he moved a stray strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You’re safe. You’re with me, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
Three in a row went off and they could hear people cheering.
Mentally, he sifted through the items in his shaving kit. He didn’t have anything to stuff in her ears to dampen the noise. He started to search the room.
“How about some television?” His gaze drifted to the open bathroom door. “A shower? That might drown out the noise.”
“No.” She held out her hands. “Just hold me, please.”
He kicked off his shoes and lay down on the bed beside her. Rolling to face her, he pulled her to his chest. “How’s this?”
“Perfect.”
Those twenty minutes were the most heart-wrenching of his life. Every time a mortar blasted off, she cringed and shook when it released its spray of color, transfixing thousands of others but terrifying his Bailey.
Finally over, Tanner suggested, “Let me help you get ready for bed.”
She was too weak to argue. He stripped her down to a sexy black bra and lacy panties. “Did you wear these for me?” He looked at her through lust-filled eyes.
She nodded. “This is not how I had planned tonight. I wanted you to see me as a beautiful woman, one that you wanted.”
He took her hand and placed it on his hard erection. “I do want you, Bailey. My body can’t lie. But you are in no condition to make love tonight. Now, what do you sleep in?”
She opened a drawer and removed a t-shirt and baggy running shorts.
“Do you want to shower now or in the morning?” Tanner didn’t know what he’d do if she wanted help in the shower. He could resist a lot, but a naked, wet Bailey was asking a lot of him.
“Morning,” she replied and headed for the bathroom. “Tanner, will you still hold me?”
“Of course, sweetheart.” He glanced into his own room. “I’m going to change, and I’ll meet you back here.”
Sunlight found the tiny crack where the curtains met and slashed across Tanner’s eyes. This was not exactly the way he’d intended his first night with Bailey to go, but he was glad to be there for her.
At the sound of a snore, he glanced over at Bailey. On the other side of her, stretched out almost the same length, was Noel. Tanner was losing his touch. Somehow, the Houdini of a puppy had escaped her cage and crawled into bed with them. He was about to congratulate himself that at least Katlin’s dog was safe inside his cage when a snort from beside him drew his attention. At least her dog knew his place was on the floor.
“Thank you for last night,” Bailey said as she stretched, raising the t-shirt temptingly high over her naked belly.
“I’m glad I could be here for you.” It took every ounce of Tanner’s control not to touch her exposed skin. Then his resistance failed. With the fingertip of his index finger, he ran an invisible line over her lower rib cage.
Heat filled her eyes a second before the devil in her grinned. “I’m completely fine now,” she reassured him and ran her hand down his chest, under the sheets and discovered why he was laying there with one knee propped up. The boxers he’d decided to sleep in were tented, like every morning since he’d reached puberty. He was a healthy male and it was a normal physical reaction, especially when there was a gorgeous woman in the bed next to him. She wrapped her small fingers around him and he almost exploded when she gently squeezed.
“I had planned to make love with you last night, but I am more sorry than you can know that it didn’t happen.” She moved her hand and he covered hers with his to stop her.
“If we do this, I need you to know, I don’t share,” Tanner stated plainly. “If you are going to be with me, we’re exclusive.”
“Right back at you,” Baile
y shot. “I won’t tolerate a cheater.”
He rolled out of bed and almost stepped on Damnit.
In a small voice, Bailey asked, “Where you going?”
“Condoms.” At the connecting door he stopped and looked back at her. “I had a plan for last night, too.”
With a whistle, both dogs followed him into the other room. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m not into voyeurism.” When she laughed, he was sure she’d heard him. He quickly put both dogs into their cages, and made sure the clasps locked tight.
Epilogue
Bailey sat next to Tanner on his couch admiring the Christmas tree, decorated with memories of the past year. She’d printed out the pictures he’d texted her, starting with the first ones of Noel and ending with a picture of the two of them, the valley at Rio De Janeiro below and Christ the Redeemer statue behind them, as though he was blessing their relationship. And they had been blessed.
Her silver medal hung eight inches underneath the glowing angel. The Paralympics had been a turning point in their relationship. At the last minute, her military friends thought they couldn’t make it, but not only did they show up, they’d brought Tanner and Noel in their private black jet.
Once she’d been selected for the team, her time with him had literally been moments stolen here and there as she trained almost constantly on the west coast.
Rio had been magical. They’d played tourist in between her training sessions and spent every night in each other’s arms.
When they’d returned from Brazil in late September, she’d decided to take a few months off from racing. The lease on her apartment was up and she wanted to find some place for Noel to run. Tanner had asked her to move in with him. She’d been in his house, and in his bed, every night since. They’d even established date night once every two weeks.
“Hmm,” Tanner leaned over and picked up a large rectangular present.
“Looks like a Yoga cube to me.” Bailey grinned. “Just like the one Noel ate three weeks ago.”
“You might be right,” he said and placed it back under the sparkling tree.
Choosing another present, he shook it. “It’s for me. I wonder what’s in here?”
“I’ll bet it’s something you really need,” she teased. She’d bought him a new pair of slippers, since Noel had shredded his a month ago.
“Speaking of our puppy, it’s her birthday. I think we should let her have her birthday present.” There was something about Tanner’s delivery that sounded practiced.
“I already gave her that giant rawhide.” She looked at him. Yep. He was up to something.
He whistled and their not-so-little puppy trotted into the room, package in her mouth.
“What did you get her?” He was always buying her some kind of toy, hoping she’d leave his clothes alone.
Noel plopped the slobbery package in Bailey’s lap. “Oh, I get it. I have to open this, huh?”
“Works for me,” Tanner said, watching them both carefully.
Bailey unwrapped a blue ring, the size of a dinner plate, with a huge plastic diamond on one side. Noel promptly chomped onto the diamond and shoved the ring into her hands to play one of her favorite games, tug.
“Good choice. She loves this ring,” Bailey said and tried to hold onto it as Noel whipped her head back and forth.
“I hope this one was a good choice, too.” Tanner was on one knee, a small jewelry box open in one hand. He reached for her hand with the other and Bailey’s world went so bright she thought she might faint.
“Bailey, I love you.” He squeezed her hand. “I think I’ve loved you since the first time you zipped up my driveway to tell me about the extra training I should do for psychiatric service dogs. I know I loved you the night we brought Noel into the world together.”
As though the dog knew they were talking about her, she nuzzled her way between them and flopped the dripping ring onto Bailey’s lap.
Tanner rubbed the dog’s head. “I knew she was as special as you are.”
“There is no other woman in this world for me except you. So will you marry me?” He looked at Noel, “you, too, because I know it’s a package deal.” He returned his gaze to Bailey, “and make this forever?”
Bailey was on her knees beside him in a nanosecond. “Tanner Hill, I love you so much.” She cupped his face and kissed him.
She kissed him again and again while Noel licked the other side of his face.
“I’m going to take it that’s a yes, from both of you.”
The End
If you’ve enjoyed Noel’s Puppy Power, please tell others about the Ladies of Black Swan by leaving a review on your retailer’s site or Goodreads.
Consider other books by KaLyn Cooper:
Black Swan Series
Unrelenting Love: Lady Hawk & Alex (Black Swan Book 1) Katlin is a kickass SpecOps Team Leader but Alex still wants to protect her from terrorists and needs to claim her as his.
Related to (but not part of) the Black Swan Series
Explosive Combination – A disgruntled CIA agent rescues a beautiful, kidnapped explosives expert. Can he get them both to safety before the Colombian cartel catches them or she captures his hardened heart?
Noel’s Puppy Power part of the Dog Tags for Christmas anthology – He’s better at communicating with animals than women, but as an amputee she knows firsthand, it’s the internal scars that can be the most difficult to heal.
Smoke and Mirrors Novella #1 (Guardian Elite series Crossover with Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire and Rescue Kindle World) Coming October 13, 2016 – She’s not what she seems. Neither is he. But the terrorist threat is real. So is the desire that smolders between them.
Double Jeopardy Novella #2 Guardian Elite series (Crossover with Hildie McQuees’s Indulgences series) Coming January 10, 2017 FREE on Kindle Unlimited Guarding a billionaire and his wife isn’t easy when you can’t keep your eyes off your bikini wearing, gun carrying partner who is lethal in stilettos.
Cancun Series in order
Christmas in Cancun (Book #1) Can the former SEAL keep his libido in check and his family safe when the quest for ancient Mayan idols turns murderous?
Conquered in Cancun (Novella 1.5) A helicopter pilot’s second chance at love walks into a Cancun nightclub, but she’s a jet fighter pilot with reinforced walls around her heart.
Captivated in Cancun (Book #2) Since his job is tracking down terrorists, he’s not interested in a family. She wants him short-term, then needs him when their worlds collide.
Claimed by a SEAL (Cancun Crossover novella 2.5 with Cat Johnson’s Hot SEALs Kindle Worlds)
Crisis in Cancun (Book #3) (coming January 2017)
Coming Soon
Book #2 Black Swan series
Smoke and Mirrors Novella #1 Guardian Elite series (Crossover with Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire and Rescue) Coming October 13, 2016) – She’s not what she seems. Neither is he. But the terrorist threat is real. So is the desire that smolders between them.
Crisis in Cancun Book Book #5 Cancun Series
For the latest on works in progress and future releases, check out KaLyn Cooper’s website www.KaLynCooper.com
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