She had asked him to stay the night and he would.
She deserved that much.
He hurried off the beach and back to the house. Pulling the keys from his pocket, he looked for the unfamiliar one. As bright and shiny as a new penny, it wasn’t hard to find the one for the front door. He opened it and stood there, peering down the dark hallway on the first floor and then up the stairway illuminated only by a few dim nightlights on each landing.
He hadn’t expected her to wait for him, although some unreasonable part of him said that she should have.
Moving toward the stairs, he remembered the two creaky treads and hesitated.
Warn her or not? he wondered and then took his first step up the stairs.
Chapter 6
Elena heard the noisy groan of the first tread followed by the lighter squeak of the second.
He was home, she thought, but tried not to let herself get too excited or relieved about that prospect.
She waited, mentally counting down each step up the stairs. As a Navy Seal, stealth was his game, so besides that first warning, she had no idea when he’d get there or worse, what he’d do once he did.
Every breath she took was measured. Deliberate so as to not give away that she was awake.
A slight scrape of a sneaker against hard wood came at the bedroom door. It was followed by barely imperceptible footsteps nearing the bed. The edge of the mattress dipped deeply with his weight as he sat and said, “I know you’re awake, Elena.”
She flipped onto her back and stared at him. Moonlight streamed in through the windows, but his face was in shadow, making it impossible for her to discern his mood. The entire time she had been lying there, replaying every word and moment they’d shared since his arrival, she’d told herself not to think about the future because it seemed so impossible. But that negativity fled when he laid his big hand on the sheet covering her midsection and said, “I never wanted to hurt you. I should have been more careful.”
“We were careful and we handled what happened in the best way we could,” she said and laid her hand over his.
“I should have been home for you. Maybe if I had been – ”
“The doctors said there was nothing either of us could have done differently and you came when you could.”
She tucked her hand into his and drew him down beside her. He went willingly and wrapped an arm around her waist as they lay there face-to-face silently. Each of them lost in thoughts about the past, but she knew it was time to set that aside and think about what could be between them for the future.
“Stay with me tonight,” she asked again and placed her hand over his heart.
The side of his mouth quirked up with the start of a smile. “If I stay, you probably won’t get much sleep.”
She grinned and shifted her hand to cup his pec with her hand. “Sleep is highly overrated,” she said and lazily strummed her thumb over the hard nub of his nipple.
“It is, but . . . what happens in the morning?”
“I don’t know. All I know is what I want to happen right now,” she said and inched closer to his hard body, needing the feel of him. Needing the comfort of his arms and the press of his big body against hers.
He held her again for long minutes, tension of a different kind growing between them until it became impossible not to do what they both wanted.
Rafe bent his head and kissed her, just a brief pass of his lips at first, but then he drove his hands into the thick strands of her hair and cradled her head close so he could open his mouth on hers. Tasting and biting her full lips. Slipping his tongue inside to sweep across her perfect teeth and dance his tongue against hers.
She tasted so sweet and fresh. So full of life just as she had the very first time they’d sneaked a kiss beneath the pier.
Over and over they kissed until they had to break apart and take big heaving breaths, the two of them staring at each other in the dark, only he wanted to see her. Wanted to watch every nuance of her face and those expressive eyes as they made love. Maybe that light would drive away the shadows in his heart and soul.
He reached over and snapped on a tableside bed lamp. The golden light spilled over her, revealing the need in her eyes and her kiss-swollen lips. Her gaze skipped over his features, as intoxicating as any caress. A second later she raised her hand and drifted the tips of her fingers along his temple, down his cheek, and along his jaw before coming to rest on his shoulder.
“I wanted to see you, too,” she said.
He smiled, thankful they were of a same mind on that at least. Wanting to lighten the mood, he said, “I hope you realize I want to see a lot more of you. Maybe touch you as well.”
She chuckled and in a flurry of motion, yanked off the cotton nightshirt she had on.
She was naked beneath. Totally and completely naked and at the sight of her, his dick jumped to full alert and she didn’t fail to notice the length of it beneath his jeans.
“I guess you like what you see,” she teased and stroked her hand along his erection, dragging his eyes closed from the sensation of it.
“I’d like to see you, too,” she said and ran her finger along the fabric over the head of his cock.
His body shook from that simple touch and he knew that as much as he wanted to go slow this time, it would be difficult. Even despite their earlier lovemaking, he wanted her badly.
He flew off the bed and tore at his clothes, pulling off his t-shirt while he toed off his sneakers. Barely getting his zipper undone before he was yanking off his jeans and skivvies in a rush until he stood naked by the bedside.
She licked her lips and he imagined them around his dick, especially as her gaze dropped to his erection.
“Do you want a taste?” he asked and stroked himself.
“Yes,” she said and moved toward the edge of the bed where she stood and gently pushed on his shoulder to get him to sit.
He spread his legs wide as she stepped between them, her gaze still locked on the sight of him stroking himself. “You asked me before to show you. Do you still want that?”
Her gaze drifted up for the barest second before she nodded and licked her lips again.
His balls tightened and he fisted his hand tighter around the root of his cock, fighting back the desire rocketing through him.
“On one condition. You show me later how you satisfied yourself,” he said in a low growl.
This time her gaze shot up and stayed on his. That shy blush that was so much a part of her erupted along her breasts and flooded her cheeks. “You want to see how – ”
“Yes, I want to. I need to. Just like I need you to touch me. Wrap those amazing lips around me and make me come,” he said and finally stroked himself again, a long slow pull from root to head.
The blush deepened, but she reached down, cupped his balls and encircled his dick with her hand. “Like this?”
“Fuck, like that, Elena,” he said and closed his eyes against the pleasure of having her hands on him. It felt way better than he had imagined on those many nights alone.
Her hands were warm and sure as she massaged his balls and dragged her other hand up and down the length of his shaft.
“Show me, Rafe. Tell me if you like it hard or soft.”
He wrapped his hand around hers and did as she asked, guiding her on what pleased him the most. Shifting her hand along his cock and up to the head, where the first hint of his release dampened her palm.
“I want to kiss you, Rafe. Do you want that?”
Visions of her going down on him exploded through his brain, but he wanted to see the real thing. Feel it after so many months of just imagining it.
“I want that, babe. I want it bad.” He opened his eyes, braced himself on his elbows as she bent and licked all around his head, the heat and wet of her mouth nearly undoing him. Somehow he held on, but every nerve ending in his body was on high alert as she deepened her kiss and took him into her mouth.
He was shaking, savoring the feel
of her mouth working him. Her tongue swirling all around him as he tightened his legs around her and felt the soft skin of her body against his thighs.
She wrapped her arms around his legs and worked him harder, her body pushing into him as she did all kinds of wonderful with her mouth and her sure hands on his balls, kneading him. He moaned and fisted his hands in her hair, urging her on until with one long drag of her mouth along his shaft, he came hard, her name exploding from his lips.
She kept up her caresses, sucking him in deep, but gentled them as his climax ebbed and he slowly softened.
He urged her up to lie along his body and kissed her. Held her close to him until his breath was back to normal and only a fine tremble remained in his muscles.
He had no words that were adequate enough to describe how he felt. How she made him feel. Awkwardly, he finally said, “Thank you.”
She leaned up on one elbow, a relaxed grin on her face. She smoothed her hand across his chest and idly ran stroked her thumb across his nipple. “I’m glad you’re home, Rafe. I’ve missed you.”
How he wanted to believe that with all his heart, but there was still so much for him to process and if he were truthful, to accept. But he wasn’t going to let those doubts spoil this one night.
“I’m glad, too,” he said and reluctantly, he worked them off the edge of the bed, into the center, and beneath the sheets. He cuddled her close, loving the feel of her against him. The way all her soft spots fit perfectly against his hard body. The spill of her thick silky hair against his chest as she used him as a pillow.
He smiled, feeling peace for the first time in a very long time. Feeling that maybe, just maybe, when the morning came he would know that staying would be the right thing to do.
Chapter 7
His soft little snore confirmed that he had drifted off to sleep.
She should do the same and get some rest. The last few days she’d been running around like crazy, trying to get everything ready for his return. She had wanted to make everything just perfect in the hopes that she could wipe away the shadows in his eyes and close the distance that she’d been feeling from him recently.
While a part of her hoped that the passion between them was a good first step, the logical part of her brain reminded her that passion was fleeting. It took more than that to keep a marriage alive.
But it was a start, she thought, snuggling closer to him. How she had missed the feel of his big body next to her. The warmth of him on those cold winter nights when the stiff ocean breeze created icy drafts that stole into the house and her soul.
Those winter months were the hardest, the vastness of the ocean reminding her of just how alone she was without him. Of course she had family and friends, but for some reason, none of them had ever really understood her the way Rafe had.
Only now he didn’t seem to understand her at all.
“You really will be dog tired in the morning if you don’t shut down that brain of yours,” he said in low tones and peered at her with a half-open eye.
“You’re not sleeping either.”
He responded with a wry grin and closed his eye. “I’ve gone days without sleep, babe. I’ll be fine in the morning.”
His comment got the better of her mischievous streak. “Really? So maybe you can help me shut down my brain with something more pleasurable?”
His eyes popped open and a strangled chuckle escaped him. “I’m a Navy Seal, not a super hero.”
“If I remember correctly, I made you a promise before.” She leaned one hand on his chest and moved over him to the nightstand, intentionally brushing her breasts against him as she opened the nightstand and reached inside.
Despite his earlier comment, just that action alone elicited an immediate response as his penis twitched to life against her thigh.
She wrapped her hand around the vibrator and slid back over him, teasing him with her body. Keeping her thigh tossed over his cock where she applied soft pressure as he continued to harden beneath that sensitive skin.
“This is it,” she said, dangling the brightly colored, inches long toy in mid-air.
His brow furrowed as he glanced between the small dildo and his much larger and more impressive dick. “Doesn’t seem like much.”
“In the right spot it does the job, but I could use your help,” she said and with a push of a button, the vibrator kicked into noisy life.
“My help?” he questioned with a big gulp.
She rolled to her back, grabbed hold of his hand, and eased the vibrator into it. “Yeah, your help. I used to lie here and imagine it was you touching me like this,” she said and cupped her breast. Ran her fingers all along her nipple until it was beaded.
“I missed the way your hand felt there. So hard and strong, but gentle. You were always so gentle,” she said with a soft sigh as she plucked the tip over and over.
“I was afraid I’d hurt you, I wanted you so bad,” he admitted and his voice was rough with emotion.
“I know.” She shifted his hand that held the vibrator down to her center, just shy of her clit. “I love the way you touch me here. How you could make me come with just your fingers. I love it almost as much as having your cock in me.”
“Damn, Elena. You’re killing me with all this talk.”
She met his gaze. His hazel-green eyes glittered with hunger so intense, her insides clenched with need and became damp from desire.
Turning to face him, she slung her thigh over his, opening herself to him. She guided the hand with the vibrator to between her legs as she wrapped her other hand around his very erect dick.
“Touch me there, Rafe. Make me come for you,” she said and he needed no other invitation.
He gently eased apart the folds at her center and at the first touch of the vibrator, she jumped, the feeling was so immediately intense. He shifted the tip of it all around her clit and eased one finger down to slip inside her, but it wasn’t enough. Not when he was there beside her, hot and hard and so alive.
“I want you inside me, Rafe. I need you inside me,” she said and moaned as he thrust his fingers into her.
She guided him to her center and he slid right in, she was so wet already from their sexy talk and the constant hum of the vibrator against her clit.
“God, you feel so good,” he said and wiggled his hips to go ever deeper and stay there, buried inside her as he played her clit with the vibrator and his fingers.
She worked her nipples and he bent his head and kissed them as she did so, alternating sweet little bites and licks with her caresses.
Inside her the pressure was building and she had to do more. Had to reach for the release that was building with such force inside her. She arched her back and grabbed hold of his shoulders, giving him free rein to her breasts.
The action drove her hips tighter to his as he pressed against her clit with his fingers and the constant hum of her toy.
She moaned and dug her nails into his shoulders, needing something strong to hold onto as she had to move and rock her hips, riding him and the vibrator. Whimpering as each shift of her hips shot a pulse of pleasure through her until it became just a stream of sensation almost too strong to bear.
“That’s it, come for me, Elena. Come for me,” he whispered against her breasts and teethed one gently. That sexy little bite sent her over the edge.
She shook as her climax slammed into her and she had to grab hold of his hand at her clit because the sensation was almost too much to bear.
“No, don’t fight it, babe. You can’t imagine how it feels to be inside you right now. How good it is to be together like this,” he said and stroked her again with his fingers before another little tease with the vibrator sent another jolt of sensation through her.
She was shaking so hard, moaning and holding him tight as she ground against him, lost in the release as it built ever higher and another jolt of pleasure rocked her, so intense that for a moment she thought she might pass out.
“That’s it, E
lena. Let go,” he said and rolled her onto her back while hiking her knees up to his waist, driving him deep inside her.
Awareness filled her. His fullness. The heat of their bodies. The wet.
Being loved. Being complete.
He made her whole just as he had from the very first. No matter the hasty marriage, the lost baby or long separations, he was her soul mate.
The release that rocked her a heartbeat later was both physical and emotional.
She screamed his name, wrapped her legs around his waist, and dug her fingers hard into his shoulders, holding onto him as the world shattered around her.
Her climax exploded around Rafe and there was no way he could miss the power of it. The way his name on her lips twisted his gut with emotion. How her holding him as if he were her lifeline filled an empty spot in his heart.
It filled him with hope that come the morning, a future together would still be a possibility.
He pumped into her, extending her release and seeking his own. Driving into her warm welcoming body until he could no longer hold back.
His balls tightened and his gut clenched as he emptied himself into her, her name spilling from his lips. The sight of her, lost in pleasure, filling his gaze.
It was a sight he would never forget as long as he lived.
Chapter 8
[They slept entwined, legs and arms wrapped around each other.
Not that Rafe slept all that much. He was used to going days without rest and he didn’t want to miss a minute of being with her.
As the first hint of light colored the room with pink-gold light, he remembered an old sailor’s adage.
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morn, sailor’s take warning.
But he was not going to take that touch of rose as a portent of bad things to come.
Especially not as she roused beside him, dropped a kiss on his collarbone and drifted her lips up to his jaw and then to his lips.
“G’morning,” she said, her voice husky and her body warm from sleep.
“Totally good,” he replied as he kissed her and his body responded to the feel of her.
Stay the Night: A Navy Seal Erotic Romance (Take a Chance Book 4) Page 4
