Giving It All

by Arianna Hart

  “Damn. I guess I never really thought about how lucky I was to have all of you. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in all the things I lost. It’s good to remember everything I still have.” He leaned over and kissed his mom’s forehead. “Thanks for always being there for me.”

  “Aww, you’re gonna make me tear up.”

  “Don’t do that. I hate to see you cry.”

  “Then leave me alone. I love a good spell of weeping when my baby says something sweet.”

  Grant kissed her again and left before she’d done more than sniffle. He poked his head into the den, but his dad was sleeping so he left him alone. As he headed to his room, he thought about what his mother had said to him about Ellie.

  She had no one in her life to back her up. No family anyway. Grant knew friends could be closer than family. Lord knew, he’d go to the mat for any of the guys on his team, and they’d do the same for him. But Ellie didn’t have that. Sure, she had friends, but were they looking out for her best interests? Who was out there making sure some bastard didn’t come along and take advantage of her?

  Some bastard like you?

  Damn it, he wasn’t taking advantage of her. He genuinely cared about her, worried about her.

  But how much of that was because she was available and had been helpful with the business and his dad? What if he’d met her away from this situation? Would he still be interested in her?

  Grant pictured the first time he’d seen her walking down the stairs in that black dress that fit like a second skin. Even though she wasn’t what he’d consider his type, she’d caught his eye and held it for a second look. If he’d seen her walk into a bar dressed like that, he’d have made a play for her for sure.

  After taking off his BiOM and making sure both batteries were charging, he stripped down to his shorts and climbed into bed. Would he really have noticed Ellie in his normal life? She was so damn quiet sometimes. When they’d been at the bake sale, she’d practically disappeared into the woodwork. Her looks were appealing but understated. Next to Pansy or Chastity, she’d look like a wren among peacocks.

  Just the thought of Chastity and Pansy made him grimace. He didn’t know about Pansy, but Chastity wouldn’t get the morning paper without being fully made up. God forbid he’d want to make love to her in the morning. She’d put him off until she’d showered, sprayed, powdered and did whatever the hell else it took to make her feel “done”.

  Ellie had his dick straining dressed in cut-offs and a ratty T-shirt. She didn’t need a pound of makeup and hairspray to make her attractive. Sure, he’d liked seeing her all done up in the fuck-me heels, but he’d liked her just as much in her lawn-mowing attire.

  Maybe it was a good thing he’d met her under these circumstances. If he hadn’t, he might not appreciate her for the down-to-earth beauty she was.

  Had he ever told her that? He’d told her she was hot when she was coming, but that wasn’t exactly the same thing as saying she was beautiful in her own right. When had he become such a dork with women? He knew the power of a well-placed compliment. Ellie had him so tied up with the need to get his hands on her, he’d reverted to caveman behavior. Hell, he’d even thrown her over his shoulder and carried her to bed. Maybe next time, he could grab her by the hair and drag her up the stairs.

  Fuckwad.

  He seemed to be having this conversation with himself a lot in regards to Ellie. Maybe it was time to stop being an ass and actually treat her better.

  You could start by being honest and not hiding yourself from her. She doesn’t need some smooth talker. She needs a partner, someone who’ll be there for her.

  Grant shut out the light and closed his eyes, but thoughts of Ellie continued to run through his mind. She needed a lot more than he could give, but the idea of cutting her loose so she could find someone else bothered him just as much as the thought of opening himself up to her, or anyone for that matter.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It was mid-afternoon by the time Ellie got back into Dale. Her hangover had subsided into just a mild headache and she felt good about how much work she’d accomplished even though she’d felt like absolute crap that morning.

  Her afternoon client cancelling had been a gift from God. Now she had plenty of time to try on the different outfits Mel had gotten her, and maybe she’d see if Grant wanted to come over for dinner. She’d picked up the ingredients for lasagna in town. Maybe after dinner he’d be interested in seeing what she’d picked up at Victoria’s Secret.

  Electricity tingled through her body at the thought. One of the outfits Mel had gotten her was a sea-foam-green sundress that made her skin look creamy instead of deathly pale. It also made her eyes greener and her legs look a mile long. She wished she had some cute, strappy sandals to wear with it instead of her boring flats, but Mel hadn’t bought her shoes, so she had to go with what she’d worn yesterday.

  As she pulled into the driveway, Mrs. Anderson was pulling out. She stopped and rolled down the window, so Ellie did as well.

  “Oh, you’re back. Did you have a good time with your friend?”

  “Yes. It was great to catch up with her. How are you and Mr. Anderson doing?” She could see him sitting in the passenger seat and he waved with his left hand.

  “We’re good, busy. Today is speech therapy and Ed is gonna show off to his therapist. Isn’t that right, honey?”

  “Y-you b-bet,” he said, slowly.

  Ellie clapped her hands together, so excited for them. “That’s so great. You give her the business, Mr. Anderson.”

  “I’m sure he will, the old devil.” She smiled fondly. “By the way, if you get a minute, you might want to stop in and see Grant. He didn’t get the message you weren’t coming home last night until late and he was worried something had happened to your car. He’s been in a bear of a mood this morning too, so maybe you can cheer him up. We’ll be gone all afternoon, and I’d appreciate not coming home to Mr. Grumpy if at all possible.”

  “Oh, no. He called me, but my phone was in my purse and I didn’t hear it ring in the bar. By the time I realized he’d called, it was too late to call back. Let me put my groceries away and I’ll go see him.”

  “Thank you, dear. Just go on in when you get a chance. There’s a fresh pitcher of tea in the fridge, and if you hurry, the brownies on the counter might still be warm.”

  “Thanks. Good luck at your appointment,” she said.

  Mr. Anderson gave her a thumbs up and Mrs. Anderson waved before she eased out of the driveway.

  Ellie put the groceries away in record time and laid her new clothes and lingerie on the bed. Grant’s message had been simple. “It’s Grant. Call me back.” It hadn’t sounded urgent so she hadn’t been too concerned about getting back to him right away. Now she felt badly that he’d been worried.

  The back door was shut but not locked, so after knocking and not getting a response, she let herself into the Andersons’ kitchen. The smell of chocolate made her mouth water as she spied the brownies.

  “Grant? It’s Ellie,” she called and got no response.

  Mrs. Anderson said he was home, so why wasn’t he answering her? Maybe he had his headphones on and couldn’t hear her. Ha, maybe she’d sneak up on him for once. After kicking her shoes off by the door, she crept across the kitchen. A door closed upstairs, and she smiled in anticipation. It would be nice to be the scarer instead of the scaree.

  When she reached the top of the stairs, she could see steam on the bathroom mirror and realized he must have been in the shower. Heat shot straight between her legs as she thought about finding him all wet and naked. She quickened her pace, hoping to catch him before he could get dressed.

  As she rounded the doorway, she saw him sitting on the bed in nothing but a towel tied loosely around his hips. All the moisture in her mouth dried up as she got a good look at his broad chest and well-defined abs.
The towel covered his thighs, but she could see scars along the outside of his left leg all the way down to the softly rounded stump just below his knee. Her heart ached for the pain he must have suffered, but at the same time, her body throbbed with the need to touch all that naked skin. The sun shining through the slats of the blinds painted him gold and shimmery, reminding her of a gilded statue.

  “Ellie.” He quickly flipped the afghan at the foot of his bed over his left leg. “I just got out of the shower, why don’t you go downstairs while I get dressed.”

  “Don’t get dressed on my account.” She licked her lips and edged farther into the room. His insecurity about his injury had gone on long enough. She wanted to see all of him, scars and everything.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked. His gaze scanned the room as if looking for an escape.

  Ellie didn’t plan on giving him one. “Your mom told me you were worried when I didn’t come home last night. She wanted me to come see you so you’d stop being a grouch.”

  “I wasn’t being a grouch. Much.”

  Two more steps into the room and she could smell the soap he’d used. Her mouth watered at the sight of all that bare skin on display. Without his prosthesis, he couldn’t run away. She had him right where she wanted him. Heat rushed between her legs and her nipples pebbled up at the thought of having Grant at her mercy.

  His gaze zeroed in on her chest and she knew he could sense her arousal.

  “Where’d you get that dress? And what do you have on under it?”

  “Mel got it for me in Atlanta, and not much.” She’d worn a thong because the silky material showed every panty line, and Mel had insisted a bra was ridiculous with the halter top.

  Without taking her eyes off him, she tugged at the knot holding her dress up. It took only a little shimmy to drop it to the floor. She stepped out of the puddle of silk wearing nothing but a triangle of white lace over her mound.

  Grant’s mouth dropped open, and she felt like the most powerful woman alive as she crossed the final two steps to him under his heated gaze. He didn’t resist as she pushed him back so he lay on the bed with his foot on the floor. With two quick pulls, she had the blanket and towel off and he was totally exposed to her gaze.

  He was magnificent. “You’re gorgeous.” She sighed and knelt by his side on the bed. “I feel like a kid at a candy store. I don’t know where to start tasting first.” She stroked her hand between his well-defined pectoral muscles, pausing to tease a nipple with her fingernail. When he shivered, she smiled and traced the small, brown nub with her tongue.

  Her hand trailed down the ridges of his abdomen until she felt the wiry hair at the base of his cock. Not wanting to end her play just yet, she only feathered her fingers along his shaft before moving to his thighs. He had legs like tree trunks and she squirmed as she remembered feeling them between her thighs. Licking and nipping lightly, she tasted the taut flesh of his navel while her hand drifted lower.

  “Ellie, don’t—”

  She captured the head of his cock in her mouth and swirled her tongue over it to stop his protests as her hand explored his left leg. Again, her heart broke for the pain he suffered. The scar tissue along his outer thigh was thick and ropey. Keeping her eyes on his, she only explored his leg by feel, trying to show him with her eyes that his scars didn’t bother her.

  When he tried to capture her hand, she sucked his length deeper in her mouth. She was going to show him that he had nothing to hide from her, darn it. Using her free hand to cup his balls, she fondled them as she continued to lick and suck his shaft. When he threw his head back, she resumed stroking his damaged leg.

  By the time she reached the spot below his knee where his leg had been amputated, Grant was writhing on the bed, his hips arching as she pulled her mouth away. She knelt alongside him on the tiny twin bed and dragged her sensitized breasts across the hair on his legs. Her butt went into the air as she bent over him to lick her way down his injured thigh.

  “You have the sweetest ass,” he groaned, stroking it with his big hand.

  His finger slipped under the thin string of the thong and yanked it down. Before she could work her way around to pull it off her foot, he had her positioned over his chest with his mouth right at her opening.

  Ellie let out a whimper as she felt his hot breath against her clit. She couldn’t stop herself from trying to wiggle closer, but he held her legs in an unmoving grip.

  “I’ve been dying to taste you, to drown in your juices. I want to lick you like a lollipop until you explode.”

  He buried his tongue in her slick nether lips and she gasped at the pleasure he gave her. His cock bobbed near her cheek and she swam up through the fog of lust swamping her long enough to realize two could play at this game. It was his turn to groan as she scraped her teeth gently along the underside of his shaft.

  She wanted to make him feel as good as he was making her feel, but when he slipped a finger inside of her while sucking on her clit, she couldn’t focus on anything but the tide rising up inside her. He drew his finger out and she whimpered, but then he pushed a second one inside her sheath and she gasped at the tight fit.

  Pressure built and built until she couldn’t hold back. She gasped as the orgasm rolled over her like a tidal wave. Grant kept licking and stroking her until she couldn’t take it anymore. She tried to squirm away, but he held her against his mouth for one final lick.

  “You taste like honey,” he said against her thigh. The timbre of his voice reverberated through her body, making her shiver with aftershocks.

  Rolling off him, she managed to get the thong all the way off without kicking him in the face. By the time she’d managed that, he was fully on the bed, his cock jutting up and waiting for her. She didn’t need any other invitation.

  “Condoms?” she asked, stroking him.

  “Ah, there might be one in the drawer. I haven’t had a chance to restock.”

  Ellie leaned across to open the night stand drawer. As she did, Grant drew her nipple into his mouth and sucked it hard against the roof of his mouth.

  “Your mom must have thought this might happen. There’s a full box in here.” Ellie ripped a foil packet open, not caring that the box went flying.

  “I don’t even want to think about that. Just get the thing on, quick.”

  “Yes, sir.” Her hands shook as she rolled the protection on him and then straddled his hips.

  They both groaned as his length disappeared inside her channel. Ellie threw her head back and rode him, pressing down to get every last inch of his cock. Her slickness made wet, sucking noises as she rose up and down, and the smell of sex filled the room. Sweat beaded up on Grant’s forehead as he clutched her hips and drove into her willing body. It was raw and earthy and the most amazing feeling she’d ever had.

  The width of his thighs made her legs spread far apart, and with every thrust, his sac pressed against the sensitive tissue below where they were joined. He rose up and captured a nipple in his mouth, adding another sensation to her already-overloaded system. When he used his finger to tease her clit, it was too much. Every atom of her body felt overwhelmed with pleasure. A starburst exploded inside her and she convulsed on top of him, her muscles pulling him in deeper as the shockwaves tore through her.

  “Jesus Christ, you make me lose control,” he growled as she fell over his chest. He pumped furiously into her, grasping her hips in a bruising grip.

  “If this is you without control, I’d hate to see you with it,” she muttered as he continued to thrust.

  “No, you wouldn’t, because I’d make you come until you lost your voice from screaming.” He nipped the side of her neck. “But you feel too damn good. I can’t hold back.” His strokes came faster, harder, until she was shot up and over the edge without knowing she’d even started the climb.

  He groaned as his release came, slowing his pace
to draw it out. Ellie couldn’t have moved if someone held a gun to her head. Her body felt loose and limber and so totally relaxed, she didn’t care if they stuck together like this for the rest of the day.

  At least until his mom came home.

  His mom. She’d put condoms in his night stand.

  “Oh, crap, your mom. She’s playing matchmaker.”

  “What do you mean?” Grant asked, nuzzling her cheek. “The condoms?”

  “That, and she told me to come over because you were worried. She must have known you were in the shower. Do you think she wants us to hook up?” Ellie didn’t know if that made her nervous or happy.

  “I’m positive she does. She thinks I need a good woman in my life to settle down with and start a family.” Grant’s face went carefully neutral and he eased her off his chest.

  “You say that like it’s a fate worse than death.”

  “It’s not that I don’t believe in marriage and all that. It’s just I know I’m a bad bet in the marriage and family department. I mean, seriously, I don’t even know what I’m going to do for a living and my disability payments aren’t enough to support a family.”

  “I’m sure your mother would tell you that doesn’t matter a bit,” Ellie said carefully. It was hard to sound objective when she wanted to change his mind with every fiber of her being. “She talks all the time about how she and your dad were poor as church mice when they got married. She’s always told me struggling made their marriage stronger.”

  “Times are different now. Besides, it’s not just the money.” He sat up and reached for his prosthesis. “The divorce rate for SEALs is around seventy percent. Seeing what we’ve seen, doing what we’ve done, it’s hard to turn off when you get home. Even when you’re no longer a SEAL. That shit doesn’t just go away because you’ve hung up your uniform.”

  “It’s like being a police officer or working in an emergency room. You have to shut yourself off to protect yourself.”