Fall for a SEAL

by Zoe York

“Nice cover.” He turned and found her smirking at him, arms crossed. The door clicked shut behind her.

  “Hey, I wasn’t even thinking about that.”

  “I know.” She trailed her gaze down his body and back up again. “You only had eyes for me out there.”

  “I only ever have eyes for you.” He swallowed hard. “I’m sorry that was awkward.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not. That was, like, the best kind of awkward. Embarrassing. Funny. And now it’s done.”

  Huh. How about that. She looked him up and down again, and Trick finally clued in. Notching his thumbs in his belt, he rocked on his heels. She could look her fill. He was hers to consume, with her eyes and her hands and her mouth, as much as she wanted.

  She sat on the edge of the bed and took off her shoes, then moved slowly around him to put them in the closet. He watched over his shoulder as she approached him, touching his waist, then his arm, her fingertips cool like marbles as she trailed them over his skin.

  Stopping in front of him again, barefoot in that pretty dress, she looked small but mighty. And never more beautiful.

  “Gaby…” He settled his hands on her waist. He wanted to pick her up and toss her on the bed. Show her how much he wanted her, but she was doing something here and he had to be patient.

  “We’ve been silly, Patrick.” She tipped her head to the side and gave him a look he couldn’t quite figure out. “Or maybe just me.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve been so, so silly.”

  “Never, pretty girl.”

  “All that fear. All that noise. When you came to see me today…it all just fell away.” She ran her hands up his chest and around his neck, tugging his head down so she could kiss him. “I want you, Trick.”

  “You’ve got me.”

  She smiled against his lips. “No, I mean, I want you. Inside me.”

  Trick had been holding himself back, Gaby knew that, and she knew telling him she was ready for sex would get a reaction.

  She hadn’t prepared herself for how much of a reaction.

  The second her words processed through his brain, he took command of their kiss. Holding her face, he tugged her lower lip between his teeth, his tongue tracing the softness just inside her mouth as he moved her backward to the bed.

  Deepening the kiss, he simultaneously worked her skirt up to her waist and got her sitting on the bed, all without taking a breath. He didn’t break their embrace until he dropped to his knees, whipping off his boots and shirt before sliding his hands up her thighs and tugging her panties low on her hips.

  “Up,” he ordered, and she fell back, lifting her hips as ordered.

  As soon as they were both partially naked, he slowed down, crawling on top of her to kiss her senseless again. He carefully worked the row of buttons down the front of her dress, revealing the extra-pretty bra she’d changed into before dinner. The matching panties were now tossed on the floor somewhere, but it didn’t matter—she hadn’t needed to put on anything fancy.

  He still gazed down at her like she was everything he’d ever wanted, just like this—rough and raw and real. She didn’t need to excuse herself to put on something staged. He wanted her.

  Her breath caught in her throat as he ever so slowly worked her breasts out of the lace cups. He circled his fingertip around one nipple, then the other, before dipping his head and suckling on her.

  Her hips arched off the bed as flames of desire shot through her body, straight from his tongue to her soaking wet sex.

  “Please, Patrick. Please.” She wasn’t above begging.

  “Do you have condoms? I was tested after we started dating, but…”

  “In the drawer.” She was on the pill, but she’d never been tested, and fair was fair. There’d be time for that when they weren’t hazy with lust.

  He leaned over and grabbed one, then paused and grabbed two more. When she squeaked, he pounced back on top of her. “I’ve been waiting for months for this, Gaby. Once is not going to be enough.”

  “It hasn’t been months,” she protested, her voice eager and breathy.

  “No,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re right. I’ve been waiting for you for years. I just didn’t know it.”

  “Trick—” He cut her off with a hard kiss, all tongue and teeth and firm, strong lips that zinged her all over. Damn him, not giving her a chance to tell him she felt the same way.

  But she could show him.

  She wiggled her arms between them, working at his belt and his fly until she had enough play to shove his jeans down his hips. She had to reach to grab his ass, but as soon as she had a handful of him, she yanked them together.

  He groaned as she rolled against him, showing him how wet she was, and for a second she thought he’d just slide right inside—and oh, how she wanted that. She wanted him to take her and make her his. He was already branded on her heart, might as well make it official.

  But while he tightened his hold on her and rocked against her, he was more in control than she was. “Need this,” he ground out, ripping the wrapper open.

  Once sheathed, he pressed up on his elbows, watching between them as he slowly pressed his erection between the lips of her swollen, aching sex. She rocked her hips up to welcome him inside her body, but he wouldn’t be hurried, and as he pressed, then pulled back before slowly thrusting again, she understood why.

  She hadn’t been thinking about how big he was.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered as he stretched her. She’d never felt so full in her life. Full to the aching point.

  But she wanted even more.

  On his next thrust, she tipped her hips again, and he stroked against something inside her, that same place he’d already found with his fingers, and she felt herself grow even more slick around his shaft.

  He growled at the easier slide and picked up the pace, rocking in and out of her in ways that made her eyes roll back in her head and her nipples tighten to sharp little points.

  “So tight.” He stared down at her, his eyelids heavy and his lips wet. She reached up and wrapped her hand around his neck, holding his gaze as he thrust deep again, his eyelids fluttering almost shut. “So good.”

  “So good,” she repeated, her breath hitching as he moved inside her. They didn’t even have their clothes off, and it was off-the-charts amazing.

  He shifted his weight to his right arm, sliding his left hand down her side, rumpling her dress into a narrow band of fabric around her waist. He slid his hand under her, lifting her bottom as he picked up his pace, fucking her harder and faster.

  She wasn’t sure what was going to happen first—orgasm or spontaneous combustion. She was okay with the latter if she got the former first. She’d never wanted that explosive release more.

  “Do you need to touch yourself? Want me to—”

  “No,” she gasped, dragging breath into her lungs. She was so close. “That’s perfect, just like that.”

  He surged into her again, rolling against her clit as he bottomed out, and she cried out for him to do it again.

  He did, his muscles bunching under her hands as he worked hard to get them both to that blissful peak.

  “Gaby…” He groaned her name, dropping his face into her neck as she locked her legs around his waist, trembling as she started to clench around him on the inside as well. “My pretty girl,” he whispered, his breath coming hard and fast as he jerked roughly above her, finishing nearly at the same time.

  They clung to each other, breathing hard, until Trick angled out of her and rolled to the side to ditch the condom. Then he shoved his pants all the way off and pulled her against him.

  “Best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he whispered.

  She kissed his chest, then pressed her cheek to the same spot. “You really are my superhero, you know that?”

  He huffed and settled his hand on her hair.

  I love you, she thought. It was blinding, the truth of her feelings now that all the boundaries had fallen away.
She burrowed closer. She’d show him, again and again with her body, then hold him so he could sleep.

  And hopefully one day soon he’d be ready to hear the words themselves.

  He deserved them so much.

  Chapter Eleven

  Two days later—the first Thursday night Gaby hadn’t had to work in three months—she was heading home and the sun was still up, but she was already thinking about crawling into a bed with her boyfriend at the end of the day.

  Her boyfriend. They’d made love twice more Tuesday night, as Trick had promised, and when he’d crept out at dark o’clock for work, he’d kissed her and promised to text.

  His first one had come forty-five minutes later.

  By the end of the day, she’d been grinning from ear to ear, and when she left the school, he’d been waiting for her with a single red rose, leaning against her car.

  She’d driven them back to his place where he’d fucked her senseless in the shower, then on his bed, and they’d eaten pizza naked when they needed fuel.

  Early this morning she’d gone back to her place to get changed and pack a bag just in case tonight was a repeat at his place, but she hadn’t heard from him all day.

  He’s only a US Navy SEAL. Jeez. Not like he might be busy or something.

  She smiled as she passed the shawarma shop, then she spun around at the next intersection and double-backed.

  She should surprise him with a dinner that would remind him of their first date. Or pre-date, depending on whose definition they were working under.

  Twenty minutes later, she pulled up at his apartment. She didn’t bother to text him. If he wasn’t home, she’d call him and find out where he was, but a surprise would be fun.

  She knocked playfully, wondering if there was a way to sexily present shawarma. Probably not.

  When the door swung open, though, Trick had a very unsexy frown on his face. “Oh, Gaby.”

  “Hey!”

  Instead of stepping back and letting her in, he just stood there staring at her. An uneasy worry slithered into her gut.

  She gripped the bag, trying to hold at bay the frown of her own that wanted to settle between her eyebrows. “I brought some food…”

  “Patrick?” a man’s voice called from inside the apartment. “Who is it?”

  Trick shook his head and blinked at her. “I’m sorry. Come in. It’s just…my parents are here.”

  “Oh.” She smiled. “Okay, well, no worries.”

  “No, I want you to come in. It’s…I was just surprised. Come in.”

  He stepped to the side and gestured for her to enter.

  She tried to think of everything he’d said about his parents. They lived in Orange County. His mom bought stuff for his apartment. His dad was an investment adviser. Not a lot to go on.

  “Mom, Dad, this is my friend Gaby.”

  My friend. Her smile froze on her face. At least it didn’t drop off. She nodded and looked for a place to dump the sandwiches. Like the garbage.

  “Nice to meet you, dear.” Trick’s father was standing, and he stepped forward, offering his hand. She shifted the plastic bag to her other fingers and accepted the handshake.

  “The pleasure is all mine, of course. Patrick has mentioned you, but I didn’t know you were visiting. I’m sorry for intruding. I just brought him some dinner because I know he’s been working hard and his arm…” She trailed off because she was blabbering and really, what did it matter?

  His mother rose from the couch and came around to stand next to her husband. “We were just talking about going out. I’d suggest you should join us, but maybe we could order in some more food?”

  Behind her, Trick groaned. “First of all, I’m not a teenager, Mom, so I’ve got food. I can make stuff. And really, it’s not a great night for visiting, so maybe you guys should get going.”

  “No!” Gaby shook her head. “I’ve interrupted, I’m the one who should go. These are big sandwiches, there’s enough there for all three of you, I’m sure. I’ll just…”

  She turned to leave again, but ran straight into the immovable wall that was known as Trick. The man she loved. Her friend. God, if she stayed a second longer, she might just start crying.

  “Don’t go,” he said quietly.

  “I have to,” she whispered, staring into his shirt. “I forgot something.”

  She could feel his gaze, but she wasn’t going to look up. He cleared his throat. “Excuse us for a minute. Gaby and I just need to have a private chat.”

  He walked around her, shielding her from his parents as he pressed his hand into the small of her back and moved her without any effort into his room.

  “What’s going on?” he demanded as soon as the door closed.

  “Nothing,” she said quietly, looking at the floor. “I’m being silly.”

  “Yes, obviously.” She snapped her gaze up to meet his at the hard edge to his voice. He glared at her, but he didn’t look mad exactly, just confused. “Is this because I called you my friend?”

  Her mouth fell open, but no words came out. “Well…” she said after a moment.

  “Because we are friends,” he said, frowning again. “And a hell of a lot more, but we haven’t talked labels, so I thought that was a safe one to start with.”

  “Start?”

  “I don’t know. Should I have assumed that I could call you my girlfriend, to my mom, without asking you?”

  “Oh.” Heat crawled up her neck and wrapped around the edge of her face. With it came the threat of tears, and damnit, she didn’t want to cry. “Sorry.”

  He scrubbed his hand over his face and up into his hair. “No, I’m sorry. I should have assumed you’d want to come over tonight. They arrived mid-afternoon and time just got away from me.”

  “It’s okay.” She hated that little hitch in her voice.

  “Gaby?” He waited until he had her full attention, then he smiled at her. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

  “Jeez, Trick!” She laughed, a suspiciously watery noise that was so not hot. “Are you sure? I’m clearly a neurotic mess.”

  “Ah,” he said, closing the gap between them. “But you’re my neurotic mess.”

  “Yours?”

  He wrapped his arms around her. “All mine. My girlfriend. Hmm. I like that.”

  “I like it too,” she whispered.

  “You can make this up to me later. After they leave.”

  “A naked apology?”

  He grunted. “Nope. Can’t think about that. My mom is on the other side of that door.”

  “Okay.”

  “Damn. Too late.”

  “What? I didn’t say anything.”

  He shrugged and tipped her chin up so he could brush a light kiss across her lips. “I imagined you riding me, asking me if I was okay as you slid onto my dick. Instant hard-on.”

  “Wow.” She kissed him. “Time to think of math.”

  “Instant teacher fantasy.”

  “This is hopeless, isn’t it?”

  “Maybe you should just stand in front of me.”

  His parents had been far too amused when they emerged from the bedroom and Trick informed them that Gaby had just agreed to be his girlfriend. Gaby had been less impressed, blushing prettily, but he’d made it up to her after they left. They took turns with the naked apologies until nearly midnight, when they fell asleep wrapped around each other.

  He’d been sleeping like the dead when his cell phone went off. He sat up with a jerk, swiping into the call before the first ring ended, wanting the noise to stop before it woke up Gaby.

  “Hello?”

  A crackling sound had him on his feet. This wasn’t a call from around the corner.

  “Hey, Trick!”

  “Miles. You asshole, it’s the middle of the night.”

  “So sue me, I had a few minutes of downtime and thought you’d appreciate hearing from me. The last time you heard from me was a bit hot.”

  They couldn’t talk much on this line, the
y both knew that, but Miles wasn’t wrong. That audio recording had messed Trick up, even though the intel promised the fire team was fine. “Yeah. Glad that all worked out okay.”

  “Tell me something good, man. This place sucks.”

  Trick glanced at Gaby, curled up on her side. He headed for the living room. “What’s new…saw Jared’s wife last week, she’s looking great.” He opened the fridge and pulled out the carton of orange juice. “Says she’s excited about flying to England to see him next month.”

  “Yeah, I’m heading that way for my break as well.”

  “No island babes for you?”

  “Nah. How about you? Super lonely without me?”

  Trick snorted and took a swig of juice. “Not lonely at all, in fact.” He put the carton down, surprised at what he’d just realized. “Actually, I think I’m in love.”

  “Yeah? That’s cool.”

  “It is cool. Her name is Gaby, and man, she’s so feisty—” In the background, a buzzer sounded, and Trick knew that meant that his roommate’s allotted time on the phone was up. “Anyway. Life here is good. Be safe.”

  He waited until the line disconnected, then crawled back into bed. Gaby murmured something incomprehensible in her sleep, and he kissed her hair.

  I love you, he thought. It wasn’t nearly as terrifying as he thought it might be.

  It just felt right.

  Saying it out loud, on the other hand…Trick shook his head at himself and slid his hand around to cup one of Gaby’s breasts. He didn’t know about that. What if she didn’t say it back?

  No. It was enough for now to just know she was his.

  Mine. He loved the sound of that—in his head and out loud.

  Chapter Twelve

  The only thing prettier than Gaby blushing was Gaby blushing naked, but since her apartment was full of people, that probably wouldn’t happen.

  Not until later.

  Trick handed his girlfriend a glass of champagne. “Did we do a good job surprising you?”

  “We?” Lila gave him an amused look from the other side of the birthday girl, who’d officially been his girlfriend for six weeks.