Ice (Elite Forces #1)

by Hilary Storm

“You get used to it, and once you get out into the open field or roam around the trails, you can’t smell shit out there.” I love how Harris uses her words and shoves them right back in her face with a laugh. She needs it.

  “Fuck Harris, these horses are beauties. Never pegged you for this.” Kaleb strolls up to a reddish-colored horse that’s all saddled up and ready to go. Three more of the same-colored ones are ready to go. They are breathtakingly beautiful. It’s all a little intimidating, but the shiny coats are absolutely perfect.

  “That’s Serena. This is Tiger Lily, that one there is Diego, and the other one is Tinkerbell.” He points to all of them in turn.

  “Tinkerbell is for you, chicken shit.” He walks over and grabs the reins, never taking his eye off of Mallory.

  “I never said I was chicken.” Mallory crosses her arms under her breasts. Harris’ eyes divert right to them.

  “Come on, mouth. I’ll show you around, while these two can drift off to wherever they want.” He reaches for her hand and guides her up on the horse.

  “Oh shit,” she squeals.

  “Yeah. That’s what I thought. I got you.” He takes hold of her reins, heaving himself up on his horse with ease.

  “You know what you're doing, Maverick?” he asks while showing Mallory how to hold the reins, pulling back slightly for the horse to stop. I’m more into watching these two interact than anything else. I’ve never seen her act so skittish. Either that or she’s faking her damn ass off just so he’ll touch her.

  “Yeah, I got this.” I give these two a lot of credit. What started out as a hell of a raw deal for Harris and the way Maverick has treated him, has turned into respect for one another. Over breakfast they joked around, chatted a bit. I felt comfortable for the first time around them together since they met. I was also very aware of the small glimpses of concern Harris kept shooting Maverick’s way. Something else is going on. It doesn’t have a thing to do with the three of us, but yet somehow it does. It’s different though, like Kaleb is keeping something from me and Harris is warning him to tell me. All of my training and my gut tell me that whatever it is, I’m not going to like it at all.

  “Good, just stay on the trail I told you about. You’ll see the lake not too far from here. We’ll meet you guys back here in a few hours.”

  “You ready?” Kaleb turns in my direction.

  “Yes.” Even though I’m nervous, I manage to get my foot in the stirrup and start to drag myself up, only to be guided by a strong pair of hands palming the curves of my ass.

  “What? Those damn shorts leave nothing to my imagination. If that fine ass is going to be shoved in my face, then I’d be a damn fool not to touch it. Keep looking at me like that and I’ll find something to bend you over out there and fuck that sweet ass again. This time while you scream my name.” Well, shit. My legs are spread across this damn horse, making it impossible to clench them together, but my ass cheeks flex. God, that seems like forever ago.

  “We’ll see,” I say sarcastically as I grab the reins and take charge of the horse like Harris instructed us to do over breakfast. It doesn’t take Kaleb long to catch up with me as we trot side by side down the trail, taking in and enjoying the view. He pulls out of his shell and shares so much information with me about himself. He went to school in Florida and joined the Army right after high school. His father left his mother when he, a younger brother, and his sister were young.

  “Your mom sounds incredible to have raised all of you by herself.”

  “She is. That’s one of the reasons for my tattoo and why it’s my favorite. She’s great, so is my sister. They would love you.”

  “What about your brother? Are you close to him too?” I hear his breath catch. My head snaps to look at him. I’m not sure what I witness on his face; sadness, or maybe it’s frustration.

  “I’m not ready to talk about him. Can we leave it at that?” He looks my way. It’s bitterness I see.

  “Okay.” That’s all I manage to say. We travel in silence for a bit. He looks like he’s lost in his own thoughts and memories.

  I have every intention of inviting Kaleb to dinner with my family this weekend. I would love for him to meet my family before I meet his. Not sure why that’s overly important to me, it just is. I blurt it out before I lose my nerve or he disappears deeper in his thoughts.

  “My family is getting together for dinner Friday night. Would you like to come with me?” God, why does it feel like I’m in high school asking some guy to come and meet my parents? He stops his horse and exhales loudly.

  “I can’t. I won’t be here. I was waiting for the right time to tell you, Jade.” He looks me in the eyes. I’m not liking what I see reflecting back at me at all. I bring my horse to a stop and gather the reins, turning us both to face him.

  “Is it another mission? So soon?” I swallow. Please tell me no. Tell me you're taking me to some deserted island in the middle of the Caribbean. Or to bum fuck nowhere land. Just not a mission.

  “Yes. We received a call from The President himself. It’s highly confidential. I thought I had a week, but I don’t. Kase called me this morning, and I have to fly out Monday morning. You and Harris leave Thursday.” I close my eyes as his words are sinking in. I know I’m cleared. But am I really ready for this?

  “Jade.” His calling of my name snaps my eyes open.

  “I’m fine. I can handle it.”

  “I know you can. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked you to go. That’s not what I need to tell you.” My brows shoot up. What the hell else is there to say?

  “What?”

  “Both you and Harris have to go AWOL for this mission.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  KALEB

  Fuck me. The look in her eyes is nothing short of a knife to the gut. She’ll be giving up her life in more ways than one for this mission. Every damn thing she has fought to achieve and succeeded by doing so. This shit has been beating the hell out of my brain all damn morning.

  After what we shared last night, the connection we now have, talking openly and freely for the past hour, I’ve ruined it.

  The fire flares in her stare. A pissed-off Jade is sexy as fuck. Every time I fucked her before our last mission, I ended up treating her like shit, ordering her around, demanding she do exactly what I said.

  Things are different here at home. I’m trying like hell to make this work, to let her in. When she asked about my brother, I became lost thinking about Kane. He has no place here. I don’t want his name or his presence anywhere near her. He’s tainted. And the worst bastard I’ve ever known.

  This time is for us to get to know each other on a personal level, and this mission I’m about to discuss with her could fuck it all up. I’m not going to let it happen. No fucking way. If she’s not willing to comply, then I won’t try to convince her. She means too much to me. Whatever decision she makes, I will stand by her, but she needs to hear me out. She needs to understand why The President has asked this of us.

  “Baby. Before you go all crazy on my ass, you need to let me explain. Remember these orders came from The President, this is not coming from me.” She doesn't say a damn thing, only edges past me with her horse, her head down. She climbs off of him, ties his reins to a tree, and sits down several feet away from me. Fuck. She’s distracting with her legs spread out in front of her, those boots on, and those fucking shorts that have my cock hard. I’m the biggest asshole to be thinking about fucking her up against a tree out here. Christ.

  “Explain then. Tell me why I have to do this. Other than for the love of my country. Which I believe I’ve proven. This is our lives. It’s all Harris and I know. We’ll have nothing after this is over. The Army doesn’t care why you go AWOL. We’ll both be discharged. We’ll lose everything. I’ll have nothing. So you tell me why? Why would I want to do that, Kaleb?” I sit here watching her shake her head in exasperation. She looks defeated. Fuck, it kills me to the point I’m ready to say fuck it. I’ll take someone else. But dam
n it, I can’t. No matter what, she needs to understand.

  I climb off the horse and pull him over to the same tree, securing him tightly. Then I go to her and kneel down directly in front of her, placing my hands on her thighs. Not sexually, but intimately.

  “Like I said, these orders came from The President, Jade. He doesn’t want ties to the Army or to him. This man is dangerous. He also has information he needs. Is this request uncommon? Yes. What I do know is, there is no way in hell he would ask someone to give up what they’ve fought their entire life to achieve if it weren’t important for the safety of our country. Besides, do you really think he’d allow you to lose everything?” I sit back on my hunches and remove my hands from her silky skin. That same sullen expression on her face increases.

  “If he doesn’t want ties to the Army, then yes, Kaleb, I do lose everything. This is what those strange looks you and Harris were giving each other earlier are about, isn’t it? He knows. You’ve asked him to do it too, haven’t you? What did he say? Is he willing to give it all up?” Taking a deep, long breath, I tell her.

  “He is. He doesn’t like it any more than you do. Like I told him, the decision is yours. I’ll support you either way. One thing I didn’t tell him that I need for you to know is, whatever decision you make, it won’t change the way I feel about you.” Instantly, I dread her response. I watch her hackles rise. She recoils back in shock.

  “I sure as hell would hope not.” She draws her knees up to her chest.

  “Christ, Jade. I apologize. Hell, maybe I need confirmation from you that it doesn’t. Fuck, I don’t know. We finally work this out and decide we're going to give this a shot, and then I drop this on you. You have to know you mean more to me than this mission. You and I have a long way to go to build something strong and beautiful. I want a lifetime. I’m fucking falling for you, Jade. Falling so hard for you that it scares the living shit out of me. I’m not going to lose you over this.”

  Her manner changes right before my eyes. I see it before she even has the chance to say it. She’s falling for me too. This is a fucked-up situation we’re in, starting with the way we met and my fucked-up infatuation to make her mine.

  “I… I’m scared,” she whispers.

  “Scared of what? Me? Us? Your career?” I ask honestly.

  “All of it.”

  “Jade. I’m not going to push you into making your decision. What I will push you on is us. You should know by now I’m a determined man. I don’t give up on a damn thing. Not when I want something or someone. I want you so fucking bad I can’t think straight at times. I want you in my bed every night. In my arms. I want to know what you want out of life. I want it all. And I want it with you.” Never in my life would I have dreamed I would say that shit to a woman. This indescribable feeling of seeing a future with someone. Like I said, we have a long way to go, but there isn’t a damn thing that will make me stop wanting or needing her. I don’t give two fucks if I sound like a fucking pussy right now. I’m a man who wants this woman. It’s plain and simple. One thing I do know is, when this mission is over, I’m not taking any more for a while. My first priority belongs to her.

  Her features soften, and my fucking heart beats wildly in my chest as she stares out behind me. Her mind has to be racing. Christ, I can see the wheels spinning in her head from here.

  When her gaze locks with mine, I clench my damn fist, fighting off the urge I have to pull her onto my lap and kiss the fuck out of her. That is until she speaks the words that nearly knock me backwards.

  “I’ve already fallen for you, Kaleb. You’ve proven to me you’ll catch me. Just don’t drop me. I’m begging you not to. I’m going to need you when this is over.” I jolt then. A man on a mission of his own, I grab her arms and haul her sexy little ass to me. This time I do fall. Flat on my back, pulling her down with me and her damn body flush on mine.

  “As long as you run, I’ll always catch you, Jade. I need some clarification here though, babe. Are you saying you’ll do it? You can take some time, talk to Harris and see where his head is at before you make a decision that affects the rest of your life.” Her expression softens even more. My mind flits back to how controlling this woman was when we first met. She was so stubborn, always challenging my every command and determined to take control. Her delicate side is peering her head. And fuck me, if that doesn’t have my cock raging like a trapped lion in a damn cage ready to come out. I need to fuck her. Hard.

  Her eyes sparkle from the intense sun. I see it in her eyes, the way she grinds her hips into mine, and the way her breathing turns ragged and those glistening eyes turn cloudy. To anyone else, this might be all kinds of fucked up, that we want to fuck out here in the open. She still hasn't answered my question. I’m not giving her what we both want until she does.

  “You going to answer me? Or do I have to spank your ass to get it out of you?” I tease. Her lips pucker, and she twists them to the side of her gorgeous face. Thinking.

  “If you need to spank me, then do it. But to answer your question. Yes, Sir. I’m willing to go on this mission. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t.” I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t proud of her. She’ll never have to worry about me not catching her, because the only time she’s going to fall is when she falls all the way with me.

  “I love it when you smile. And when you address me as Sir. You may want to remember that when I fuck you up against a tree. Now strip,” I demand, watching the expressions on her face change.

  “I’ll strip, but the Sir part you can forget about.” I quirk a brow. Then I lift a hand off of her firm ass and slap it hard. I swear to Christ the sound echoes. “Take everything off, Jade. Now.”

  “Tit for tat and all that, Maverick. You slap my ass again—” I cut her off by branding my mouth on hers. She needs to shut the hell up now. We have a hell of a lot to discuss still about this mission, but right now, I need to bury my cock in her.

  I watch her stand after I kiss the hell out of her. Her plump lips are swollen, and my cock aches like a bitch to be inside her. Fuck, she slowly tugs her shirt over her head, exposing a damn pink lace bra doing nothing to hide the swell of her breast or her nipples begging for my mouth. She is the sexiest woman I have laid my eyes on, and she’s mine. Every inch of her. She taunts me like the damn little seductress vixen she is when she shimmies those little shorts down her body, revealing her bare pussy to me. I can see how wet she is from here. If I didn’t want to fuck her so damn bad, I would chew her ass out for not wearing any panties.

  I curl myself up and stand, wasting no time and yanking my t-shirt over my head, then unsnapping and pulling the zipper down on my jeans with a speed of desperation. “As much as I want to swell those lips of yours more by having you on your hands and knees so I can fuck your mouth, my cock wants to feel your warmth. Wrap your hands around that tree directly behind you, Jade, and hold the fuck on.” I bend and let my jeans fall to my knees all the while having my eyes trained to her ass.

  I pick up my shirt. My cock is killing me when I walk over to her, tug her away from the tree, and place my shirt over her breast.

  “I don’t want the bark to scrape those beauties. I may have to fuck them later too.” I push her forward, grab her hips, yanking her into the position I want her.

  “God, Kaleb. I want you to fuck me,” she moans, her words teetering on the edge of begging.

  “Hang on, baby.” I line my cock up to her sweetness and plunge inside of her. “Jesus Christ. You drive me out of my damn mind. It doesn’t matter if I’m making love to you nice and slow or fucking your sweet pussy like a madman. Every time I slide my cock into you, I feel like I’m home.” She gasps when I start pounding into her. My thrusts pick up pace if only to get inside of her as deeply as I can go.

  My name is falling from her lips the whole time her pussy sucks me in with every deep drive. She grasps me tight with every outward stroke.

  “Oh fuck!” she screams and I release one hand from her hip
to grab a handful of her hair and pound her pussy like I own it. And I do, damn it. I lose control when I feel her hand right where we’re connected. Circling her clit. Her pants becoming quicker, her ass shoving back against me, letting her warmth so close I swear she’s damn near about to come all over my cock.

  “Let go. Fucking milk me and come, Jade.” I practically growl out in her ear, nibbling and sucking on her bottom lobe.

  “Fuck,” she whimpers out loudly, violently contracting her walls around my cock. I close my eyes and feel my release fill her. I may have said minutes ago I was falling. There’s no doubt in my mind I’ve landed. I love her. Christ, I fucking love this woman, and I’ve got to be out of my fucking mind taking her on this mission.

  JADE

  Feeling him fuck me after such life-altering news doesn’t cure the chaos in my mind. No, it only deters it until reality sets in again. I had no idea he was at a status to receive direct requests from The President himself. There’s so much to this man I don’t know, and I have mixed feelings about uncovering all that’s hidden. I can tell he has a past that would make a great novel, but unfortunately, we don’t have the time to cover everything from our pasts.

  I’m extremely attracted to this man. He intrigues me sexually of course, but his intelligence has quickly become what I love most. I was beginning to think he didn’t have what it took to be sensual with someone and he wouldn’t be sensitive enough for me to fall for, but this man seems to have the perfect balance of all the above. He literally consumes me, and I find myself craving him when he’s not near me.

  This mission will be tough; going to a country that neither of us really know much about to pull out a terrorist without the support of the military I’ve grown to love. This will be interesting.

  He tosses me his shirt to use to clean up the drips running down my legs. This leaves him shirtless and no doubt will raise questions from the other two, but I don’t care. It’s a simple gesture that I can appreciate and truly do.