True Beginnings (The Lost and Found Series Book 3)

by Amanda Mackey

  It took a few more heartbeats, but finally, Viper looked at his beer before taking a long swig. Very slightly he gave a nod, ending the dialogue. Relaxing slightly, I changed the subject, grabbing Mac’s attention.

  “So, speaking of work, what’s been happening?”

  Happy to be free from the spider’s web of awkwardness, she proceeded to fill me in on what had been going on, leaving the boys to quietly engage in their own conversation. I couldn’t help but notice the way Dec rubbed his thumb up and down Mac’s wrist, almost absentmindedly. Like he had to be touching her. She really was lucky. I wondered if Viper would ever be so unconsciously tender and then balked at the thought.

  He rarely did tender. He only did fierce. Actually not so true. When I’d had a meltdown in the shower, snippets of his tender side lodged in my brain. But for the most part, he acted all macho and alpha. Not that I’d complained before Mac and Dec had turned up. My mind turned to what would have happened if they hadn’t arrived. Would we be in the bedroom right now? He’d definitely proven how turned on he’d been. Oh, God. He wasn’t small by any means. My skin tingled and I had to change positions on the chair to push away the images of being taken by the beast of a man.

  “Char? Did you hear me?” asked Mac, dragging me to the present.

  “Huh? Sorry. What were you saying?” I could feel all eyes on me. Lucky they couldn’t see into my head.

  “Are you okay? You seemed miles away.”

  “Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” Remembering the last thing I’d heard Mac telling me, I hoped she believed me. “Just trying to picture old Mrs. Morris attempting to chat up Dr. Andrews.”

  She seemed to buy it. Mrs. Morris had been brought through Emergency two weeks ago with pneumonia. The sprightly eighty-six year old, now in a ward, apparently still attempted to humor staff, in between bouts of coughing. The thought of her flirting with handsome Jace Andrews was particularly funny, considering the fine doctor was gay.

  A quick glance at Viper showed me his concern mapped out on his face. Perhaps he thought I was going into another meltdown. Giving him my best smile, I turned back to Mac and made sure to pay attention.

  ***

  After a couple of hours, we bid our friends farewell. Fatigue had me wanting to skip my now cold dinner and just head straight to bed, but I knew I needed to eat, regardless of my appetite, which had waned since being wrapped up in one hardened soldier earlier.

  Moving into the kitchen, I pulled the plate from the fridge and ate the salad before reheating the chicken in the microwave. Viper hadn’t joined me, which I was glad of. Instead, I heard the shower switch on.

  Was he pissed at me for defying his request to take more time off work? Too bad. It was my life and I only had myself to answer to.

  Images of a hot, wet body flashed across my vision, causing me to squeeze my eyes tightly to get rid of it. Nope. Didn’t work. With the sound of the water forging through the pipes and remnants of him over my skin, I became a hot mess. Normally, I’d be like old Mrs. Morris and flirt my ass off for a one-night stand or quick fling, but somehow with Viper, I knew that even after one round of intense sex, I’d be ruined forever. Ruined for other men. Did he do the casual hookup thing? Or had he sworn off women altogether after his ‘almost marriage’?

  So many questions. So few answers.

  Too tired to overthink anything further, I threw the small piece of chicken left in the trash, rinsed my plate, and loaded the dishwasher.

  On autopilot I shuffled down the hallway, almost at my room when the bathroom door opened, leaving me breathless.

  Naked, except for a sliver of a towel, stood the man of my fantasies. Literally. In an instant, I was alert and focused. He stopped directly in front of me in a taunting manner and damn if I didn’t almost crumble.

  Small trickles of water pebbled on his torso, new ones dripping down from his wet hair. Healed scars added to his edge. His chest rose and fell as he stood, motionless and silent. Stealthy. I stepped back, needing room to pass, but he took a step forward. Dear Lord, I felt like the prey of a giant predator. Small and helpless.

  Don’t look, Char. Don’t look. But I’d always had trouble following my brain. I rose my chin to find heaven and hell combined. Heavenly good looks mingled with a fire straight from hell. I was in so far over my head that I decided to stop fighting and just concede.

  At that point, I couldn’t figure out which part I liked more.

  “Tell me, Red. Do you always push people to their limit?”

  Only you. Only you. I kept that one quiet. Instead, my mouth moved of its own accord.

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  Gripping the back of my neck, he towered over me. “You know exactly what I mean. I think you like pushing my buttons. I think you get off on it.”

  He smelled of fresh soap and it looked like he’d had a quick shave in the shower. Earlier two-day growth had vanished, along with my willpower.

  “Do you?” he moved his face ever so close.

  Lips so fine jutted out at me, waiting for…something. My vision blurred. My ribs ached from my thundering heart. I shrugged.

  I swallowed, wishing he’d just put me out of my misery. He had far more restraint than I gave him credit for. Years of military work had paid off, although, by the strain of his neck and the firm grip he had on my neck, I’d say he held on by a thread.

  Suddenly empowered by that thought, wanting to push him even further to see when his wall of cool would crumble, I shot my tongue out and swiped it over my top lip, firming my spine, as if having him so close didn’t turn me into a pliant minion.

  Following the path of my tongue, his eyes narrowed a second after they showed his arousal. I held my breath, waiting for his next move.

  With no time to react, his mouth caught mine at the very moment he growled. His pillow-soft lips had all the ferocity of a raging storm, firm and insistent. The hand on my neck rose to the back of my skull, to angle me better.

  As if Mac and Dec had never visited, we were back to where we were in the kitchen.

  Delving with his tongue, I collapsed into him, unable to remain standing. His other arm came around my waist, anchoring me. I swam in him, neither here nor there, but somewhere in between, immersed in pure sensation.

  I let out soft sounds of satisfaction so he amped up his assault.

  “Put your hands on me.” At his command, I complied, forgetting I didn’t like to be bossed around. This was a whole other world of domination.

  Ironing both hands flat over his abs and chest, I let them roam where they pleased. Damn, he had a body to die for. I hadn’t seen Dec without his clothes, but I couldn’t imagine him being as ruthlessly chiseled as Viper. He sucked in air through his nose at my touch as if I stung him, but with our vision still in line, it wasn’t pain I saw. Totally the opposite.

  “You think you can take me, Red?” he forced out, his mouth moving to the apex of my neck and shoulder, biting just shy of discomfort.

  Nothing more than a nod came from me. Instead, I let out a moan as he sucked on a sensitive spot which zapped pleasure hormones through every cell. I became the pleasure and nothing else.

  I heard a vague snicker against my skin and then I was lifted off my feet, legs splayed around his waist and we were on the move. His mouth still suckled on the way to his room where he didn’t even bother shutting the door.

  “One chance only. Do. You. Want. This? I know you’re still healing from your assault.”

  I couldn’t have stopped. Not now. No way in hell. “Yes.” It left on a breathless oomph as we landed on the bed in a maze of limbs. Desperately he ripped my shirt off. A seam tore as he wrenched my arm free. Surveying my cleavage in the scrap of a bra, he smiled, and then looked from my chest to my eyes.

  “Fuck, Red. You continue to amaze me.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Viper

  I didn’t have a clue what in the hell I was doing. My body craved the gorgeous redhead beneath me. Fumbling for
the clasp on her bra, I eventually found it and pulled the hindrance off, revealing two perfect peaches for breasts atop a flat belly. A gold ring jutted from the cute button, causing me to officially lose my mind.

  She wanted me. Oh, yeah! Rigid nipples and shattered breathing proved it. It took all my restraint and training as a soldier not to ravage her like a beast and have it all over in less than a minute. Breathing in and out through my nose, I centered myself, relishing in the noises coming from her as I adored her chest. Who would have known, hidden beneath her hospital scrubs and casual clothing, lay a man’s wet dream? Now that I’d thrown caution to the wind, I was all in. She writhed beneath me, hurrying me up, but I ignored it, fully in control now.

  “What’s the matter, Red? You seem frustrated.” Biting down on her distended nipple, her cry let me know just how much. Mmm. If she kept reacting like that to my touch, I’d be done before we even got to the good part. Perhaps that would be best. Knock one out and then I’d be good to go for longer.

  In the back of my mind, I heard whispers of being gentle. She was still extremely fragile. I’d toyed with the idea of not touching her while she sorted through her emotions, but damned if I could hold back. She had this magnet attached to her that even with my fierce restraint, I couldn’t resist. The other part of my brain told me that if she didn’t want this, she’d tell me so. Perhaps this was her way of not thinking. Just feeling. Her therapy. I’d give her what she wanted.

  Lifting her hips, I chuckled at her need. I loved a woman who could match my own desire in the bedroom, and by the look in her heavy eyes, nails digging into my shoulders as I took my sweet time, nipping and sucking while garnering her reaction, she filled that role perfectly. Who would have thought? I guess it’s true about redheads being fiery. Well, I already knew she had a red-hot temper, but never did I guess it would play over into other areas. Damn.

  “Viper!” she cried as I bit hard. Her torso rose off the mattress in want, making me snarl in response.

  My towel had disentangled from my hips and lay on her thigh, so I wrenched it free, leaving myself totally naked. Rubbing against her, I needed to rid her of the rest of her clothes. With one hand, I undid her button and zipper and then sitting up so I knelt with my knees on either side of her, I dragged her jeans and panties south, revealing smooth, fully shaved skin everywhere. Not a hair to be seen. Moaning at the sight, I stilled, getting an eyeful.

  “Red?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You shave for me?”

  “Uh…” She didn’t get to answer further because I couldn’t resist kissing the baby-like soft skin between her legs. Sweet heaven. She tasted all musky and feminine. A scent I’d been deprived of for too long. Way too long.

  Holding her hips down when she bucked upward as my mouth fed off her, I indulged in the delicacy, starved. She lit up like a Christmas tree at my touch, spurring me on. I was lost in my own pleasure while listening to hers.

  I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t, but hell, I was leaving in two days. Who knew when I’d be back or if I would? I wanted to be reminded of this exact moment while I flew into enemy territory. I wanted to think of it while I slept.

  “Yes!’ she screamed, rocketing out of the stratosphere as I worshipped her with my tongue. Her cries had my ego smirking and my loins ordering some sort of release.

  Lifting myself off her and letting my gaze follow the curves up her body, it fell on her sated expression. Head thrown to the side, slight smile tilting her lips. Eyes gently closed.

  Stalking to the bathroom, I fumbled in the bottom drawer where I knew a pack of condoms lay, untouched. I ripped the box, taking two back into the bedroom. Yeah, two was a little arrogant, but once wouldn’t be enough, I could tell.

  Climbing up on the bed, I hovered over her. “You with me, Red?”

  “Unnnhh.”

  Nothing more needed to be said. I threw myself into her, getting lost, relishing in the ability she had to help me escape the brain clutter of war. We both needed the escape.

  I gloried in her touch and sounds, our bodies fitting together perfectly. She took as much as she gave, making me realize for the first time ever I didn’t have to try too hard to please her. She adequately fulfilled all my desires. She had passion and fire, matching me kiss for kiss and stroke for stroke. My hands hooked onto her ass and held on for dear life as she turned us and rode me as if her life depended on it. All the while her mouth ravished my lips and neck, her hands gripping my hair, hard. Just the way I liked it. I caught and held her sensuous eyes, watching the pupils dilate further as she got closer to heaven. I hadn’t been to heaven in so long, I knew I wouldn’t last much longer. She pulled every morsel of pleasure I had and then some.

  I drifted on the tide of euphoria as she came undone around me, causing me to splinter into a million tiny fragments, our pieces combining and falling back into place so that I now carried some of her with me.

  How did this happen? It was just a release. Some fun before my deployment. Right? Why then were pieces of her taking up residence in my heart?

  I listened to her breathing as her head lay in the crook of my shoulder, that fiery red mane cloaking my arm. Could I go there again with a woman? My brain said no, but that’s not what was leading the race at the moment. I wanted nothing more than to be able to push her away, but she still had a vulnerability about her, even after the amazing sex we’d just shared.

  Feathering my fingers up and down her back, I asked, “You okay, Red?”

  “Mmm.” Again, no words, just sounds.

  Laughing, I said, “Is this what I have to do to get you to remain quiet? I’ll have to remember that next time you’re giving me grief, woman.”

  She lifted her head and smiled groggily. “I’ll shut up forever if you keep that up.”

  And so I took her mouth and body again, keeping my demons at bay for a short while, falling asleep without nightmares for the first time in years.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Char

  What just happened? How had I slept with Viper? And more to the point, why had I enjoyed it so much? I mean, when I’d first met him I thought he oozed that sexy, badass military guy thing, but when he’d opened his mouth, my ranking of him had gone down dramatically.

  Listening to his breath as he slept while I rested my head on his arm, I had all sorts of weird emotions plaguing me. He’d proved every bit the warrior I thought he was in the bedroom, but at the same time, he’d let the rare tenderness show.

  He was leaving the day after tomorrow. Going to war. Fighting for his life and others. What if he never made it home? How did I feel about that? Thinking about it made my chest feel raw.

  I wanted casual. I hadn’t done anything more in ages. Why then did I want to snuggle in bed all day with him holding me? He made me feel safe. Glancing at my watch, the time read three forty-five a.m. I doubted I’d be able to go back to sleep now. Too much ran through my head. I let my eyes roam over his face, so peaceful in sleep. Gone was the hard exterior he always showed the world. Replaced by the true man. I believed when people slept, free of ego, this is who they truly were. Viper looked younger. Happier. I wondered if he was dreaming. And what it was about.

  He stirred as if sensing I watched him. He didn’t wake though. Instead, he mumbled something, rolled to his side facing me, and threw the arm I wasn’t still lying on, over me.

  I couldn’t move if I wanted to.

  I let me eyes drift shut, relishing in the feel of a man’s warm body cocooning me, and must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew, the sun was angling through the curtain and the warm mound I’d slept up against had vanished, as if he’d been nothing more than a figment of my imagination.

  Sitting up, trying not to let his absence worry me, I rose and walked to the wardrobe, throwing on a robe before shuffling down the hall into the living room.

  The smell of coffee hit me, so I followed it into the kitchen. I found Viper, shirtless, wearing only boxers, standing a
t the stove scrambling eggs. Two mugs sat on the table. I glanced from him to the table, and back again.

  His eyebrow rose. “Sleep okay, Red?”

  “Yeah. I guess. I woke around three forty-five but ended up falling back asleep. You?”

  I knew he’d slept well. He’d barely moved all night.

  “Like a baby, actually. Huh. I never sleep that well. Must have been all the sex.” He turned back to the stove, but I didn’t miss the smirk on his face. Switching off the gas, he plated the eggs and handed me some.

  “Thank you. I’m not used to being cooked for. Especially after…well…you know.”

  He sat opposite, his large frame blocking my view out the back window. “You’re in my home as my guest. What sort of person would I be if I didn’t feed you?”

  “Still, it’s nice to have it done for me.”

  I could sense a little awkwardness between us and the encroaching silence only accentuated it. Had he regretted it? I sure as hell hadn’t.

  “So…” I began. “What are your plans for today?”

  Chewing a large forkful of eggs, he swallowed, my eyes pausing on that mouth which had ravished me only hours before. A tingle shot down my center.

  “I’ve got some packing to do. Have to call headquarters. I gotta head out to the mall to buy a few things.” He watched me intently. “You want to get out and go to the mall with me later?”

  Feeling a little like a caged animal, I nodded. “Yeah. That would be great. Thanks. Just let me know when.”

  “Will do.”

  More silence. Shit. Talk about the morning after. Having to make small talk wasn’t something I’d done much of in the past. The fact that my insides were all over the place and my heart beat furiously had me off kilter. All I could think about was his body and the way it had felt…like steel coated in a softer glaze. I could stare at his torso all day.

  “Red?”

  “Hmm?”