Freaking fantastic.
“This is Patrick Foster, leader of SEAL Team Alpha,” Ryan said. His gray gaze settled on Lexi.
Patrick caught her eye and nodded.
“What’s this about?” Christopher asked, eyeing his commander.
Ryan cleared his threat, glancing between the two of them. “As you know, Lexi’s been sent down from the Pentagon to address the attempted hackings.”
“Yes, sir.” His lips pressed tightly together, his face giving nothing away. This man was the hardened SEAL, the warrior. He was all business meeting with his CO and didn’t even bother to glance in her direction.
Lexi nodded at the senior officer, her face flushing. Christopher seemed unaffected, unfazed. His face was set in hard lines. Maybe he was good at compartmentalizing his feelings, but he’d made love to her all night long. Kissed her intimately, thoroughly. It was difficult to pretend there was nothing between them. She could practically feel the heat radiating off his large frame.
Lexi cleared her throat. “Did something happen overnight pertaining to the attempted hackings that we’re unaware of?”
“You met Captain Edwards, head of network security on base, yesterday.”
She nodded in agreement.
“What did you think of him?” Patrick asked, cool blue eyes assessing.
Lexi looked back and forth between Patrick and Ryan in confusion. “He was very persistent. He checked in with me several times throughout the afternoon, kept wanting to know the status of the progress we were making. He was just….”
“What?” Patrick asked
“I got a strange vibe from him.”
“In what way?” Ryan asked.
Lexi shrugged. “Honestly, I didn’t like the way he looked at me.”
Christopher stiffened beside her. She had an urge to reach over and grab his hand, or run her hand down his arm in a soothing gesture, but that certainly wasn’t appropriate at the moment.
“We’ve received some intel that he may be playing dirty,” Ryan said, his gaze flicking back and forth between Lexi and Christopher.
“Sonofabith,” Christopher muttered.
Lexi cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing. “He’s the one attempting to hack into the systems?”
“He’s involved,” Patrick clarified.
“He set it all up,” Lexi marveled. “All the attempted hacks were to cover his tracks—to keep us running on a wild goose chase.”
“That’s what we fear,” Ryan said. “You’ll continue working with the rest of the staff this week, as planned. But I want you and Christopher working on this after hours. That’s why I asked him to sit in on the briefing yesterday. He’s a computer expert, despite his role here as a SEAL. His involvement in the briefing yesterday wasn’t questioned due to his skill set. But we don’t know who else may be working with Edwards. We need this taken care of under the table. Find proof that Edwards is involved, and he’ll be court-martialed. Find out who he’s working with. Whoever is on the outside that wants this info will be taken care of. I don’t have to remind either of you that this is top secret, sensitive military information. The repercussions of said data leaking out into the public would be astronomical.”
A chill snaked down Lexi’s spine. Working to uncover hackers located at the ends of the Earth was one thing. They were hidden behind computer screens, burying themselves in lines of code. She’d smoke them out but never actually come face-to-face with any of them. Working to uncover the betrayal of a US naval officer, on base, a man who held security clearances and credentials to do anything, was quite another. Edwards had already creeped her out yesterday. How was she supposed to act nonchalant around him all week? How could she look him in the eye knowing his end game?
“Why the hell would be betray his own country like that?” Christopher asked, clenching his fists. His entire body tensed, looking ready to pounce and unleash its anger.
“Money. Greed. Power. Take your pick,” Ryan ground out.
“How’d you get pulled into his?” Christopher asked, his gaze sliding to Patrick. Lexi wondered the same thing. Certainly the SEALs had their own missions and training. Why any of them were involved defied explanation. Just because Christopher was a computer whiz who could hack into anything didn’t mean there wasn’t a guy already on the IT staff who could be trusted to assist with outing Edwards. Did they really trust know one?
“I’ve got a few friends at the Pentagon. I asked around, and they recommended Lexi be the one to come down here.”
“Hell,” Christopher muttered.
Lexi’s gaze flicked to Patrick. The man didn’t even flinch under her questioning gaze.
“See what you can find out this morning,” Ryan continued. “Edwards will be here by oh-eight-hundred, so you don’t have much lead time.”
“Roger that,” Christopher said, standing.
Lexi stood beside him, tossing her empty coffee cup into the trash. “Let’s go,” Christopher said, finally addressing her for the first time since they’d walked into the room. After saying their goodbyes, she followed him into the hallway, practically running to keep up with his brisk pace.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“We’ve got a traitor on base, and Patrick pulled you down here on purpose,” he said, his voice cold.
“Yeah, I gathered that. So what the hell’s your problem? This is my job.”
Christopher abruptly halted, his hand lightly gripping her arm. His thumb skimmed across the sensitive flesh on the inside of her elbow, and she softened.
“I don’t like him jeopardizing your safety.”
Lexi laughed. “He didn’t even know who I was. Chill out, sailor.”
Christopher nailed her with a gaze. Warmth seeped through her at his touch, and the aggressiveness in his eyes rendered her speechless. Christopher was fiercely protective of those that he cared about, but the idea that he was angry with his SEAL team member for seeking her out was absurd.
“The only damn reason he did that was because of me.”
“That’s crazy. I haven’t even seen you for ten years. How the hell would he know who I was?” The answer registered the second it was out of her mouth. He’d told Patrick about her? Yes, she’d told her best friends about what an asshole her ex was, but what man talked about a woman he’d been with years earlier?
Only the kind that regretted what he’d done.
Shaking it off, she took a step away from Christopher. “Let’s just get this taken care of.”
“Lexi—”
She hurried down the hall. “It doesn’t matter. We’ve got work to do. Let’s put a keystroke trace on his workstation, maybe pull up the data of what files he’s recently accessed. We need emails, phone records, and bank statements. If he’s in on this with outsiders, he’s getting paid. We nail him, and we’ve got the hackers. I’ll be back in Arlington by the weekend.”
She reached the door to the server room, but before she could punch in the keycode to enter, Christopher grabbed her waist with one large hand. She froze in front of him, the feeling of his massive chest against her back enticing. Unnerving. He stepped even closer, crowding her into the doorframe, and she could feel his erection through his trousers.
His hand brushed some of the hair back from her neck, holding it away in a firm grip, and his lips were hot on her flesh. She let out a soft moan and arched against him, unwittingly thrusting her breasts out. No doubt he had quite a view from behind her. The camisole she had on beneath her suit jacket dipped low. She hadn’t expected any man to hold her this closely. She had work to do.
Christopher nipped at the tender flesh on her neck, and she gasped. His teeth grazed over her skin, sucking, marking her. Heat coiled down from her center, arousal dampening her panties.
“Someone will see us,” she whispered breathlessly.
“Thank fuck no one’s here yet,” he growled. “Because right now you’re all mine.”
***
Christopher’s
breath caught as he pulled Lexi’s curvy body against his. He could gaze down over her shoulder from this position at the full globes of her breasts. He longed to skim his fingers across the tops of them. To dip his tongue into that gorgeous cleavage. To kiss her swollen breasts and suck on her rosy nipples until she begged him for more.
“Let’s go inside.” His voice was dark. Desperate. If anything happened to Lexi, he couldn’t stand it. He needed to have her again, to take her pleasure, and to give himself release. Blood rushed to his groin, making him uncomfortably hard. His balls tightened, on edge, ready to explode into Lexi’s warm heat. His teeth grazed over her neck, commanding, domineering. She held still, and the little whimpers coming from her nearly made him come undone.
He hastily punched in the keycode, pushing her into the server room. A quick scan showed no one around. As the door clicked shut, he pushed her against it. It was cold in here, and her nipples pebbled against the silky top that she wore. There was no time for lazy lovemaking or restraint. He was taking her hard, making her his. Showing her what a fucking mistake it would be to ever leave.
He kissed the swells of her breasts, thanking the heavens above she had on another skimpy little top. He didn’t have time to undress her. His thumbs grazed her nipples as he palmed her breasts, then his hands slid down, and he tugged up her skirt. It bunched around her curvy hips, leaving her skimpy little red panties on display for his viewing pleasure.
Holy shit. He was going to explode just looking at her.
He kissed her roughly, covering her sex with his hand, trying to restrain himself. She bucked her hips against him, and he slid his hand into her panties, tracing his fingers through her creamy folds. Her silkiness coated his fingertips, and he wasted no time rubbing her arousal around her throbbing center, leaving her panting for him.
“Come for me, Lexi,” he commanded, circling his fingers faster and faster. She tensed, but he didn’t let up. His fingers teased her, unrelenting, making her gasp, and finally she cried out. He covered her mouth with his, drowning out her cries of ecstasy. She trembled as he unzipped his trousers and pulled out his throbbing erection. He hitched one of her slender legs over his hip, pulled the red lace aside, and pushed his swollen head into her opening. She gasped and clenched down around him, her walls still pulsating.
She was so fucking tight, he tried to hold back, but his release was imminent. He thrust into her again and again, chasing down his own sweet surrender.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered, ripping her panties right off. His hand slid under her other thigh, and he lifted Lexi up, pinning her against the door, holding her legs wide open. She was his for the taking.
Lexi bucked wildly against him, her sex clenching down around his throbbing shaft.
“Oh God, Christopher,” she whimpered. Her face was flushed, her violet eyes wide, and her lips swollen and ripe from his kisses.
He slid a hand to where their sexes joined, rubbing his thumb over her swollen clit. She gasped and bit down where his neck met his shoulder, muffling what otherwise would have been a scream of pleasure. Her inner walls milked him, making him even harder, and he exploded, detonating inside his girl. Her limp frame collapsed against him, gasping for breath, and he softly kissed her forehead, which was damp with perspiration.
This crazed need to claim her was overwhelming. Unstoppable. He’d never get enough of Lexi in one week, let alone in a lifetime.
He met her gaze, her eyes a mixture of lust, desire, and sadness.
“Lexi, I—”
“Don’t say it,” she said, putting one finger to his lips.
He kissed her softly and then pulled himself from her velvety walls, feeling like a jackass for not having anything to clean her off with. He’d taken her against the door on base for God’s sake. For some reason being around Lexi made him lose all control. He wanted to take her and claim her—to know she’d never be with another man again. At the moment, he’d give up damn near anything for her. His career, his life in the Navy. Whatever she wanted, she could have. If his being a SEAL was what would keep them apart in the future, then screw it. He’d get a job up in Washington with the rest of the suits.
Lexi watched him, the expression on her face unreadable.
He slowly lowered her to the ground. Snatching her torn panties from the floor, he wiped her off before tugging her skirt back down into place. He stuffed the red lace into his pocket, and Lexi smirked.
He met her gaze. “No way in hell are the other guys looking at your sexy little panties.”
“I can’t say I was expecting you to rip them right off me.”
“I have no control when it comes to you, honey.”
“When this is over, I’m going back to Arlington. My life is there now.”
The idea of losing her again was unfathomable. Not when he’d finally found what his heart had so desperately needed all these long years apart. “We’ll see,” he said, brushing a soft kiss against her forehead.
For the first time she looked uncertain, like maybe she didn’t want this to end when the week was over either. He’d move heaven and Earth to make her his girl again. Just as soon as they nailed Edwards and stopped the damn hackers.
Chapter 12
Lexi tensed as Christopher leaned over where she sat. Hands splayed on the desk, muscular arms on either side of her body, caging her in—it was difficult to concentrate on anything but the man behind her. She quickly typed out the code needed to track the keystrokes on Edwards’ computer. It’d be untraceable, but they’d have a clear view into all of his activities. Christopher made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded like a grunt of approval. Or maybe it was a groan of frustration, and he was just as aroused as she was, being locked together in close quarters like this.
After the frenzied, primal way he’d taken her against the door an hour ago, she’d barely been able to think straight. Her mind was swimming, overwhelmed by the power and control Christopher always had over her body. Holy crap. No wonder no ever man ever came close to making her feel the way she did when she was with him. He was large and in charge, and not at all hesitant to show her just how badly he wanted her. The attraction between them was powerful. Explosive. And once again becoming addictive.
Lexi had been trying to work quickly all morning, knowing the other men and IT staff would be here shortly. There was little time between when the night shift left and the daytime staff arrived for her and Christopher to have time alone in the server room. Christopher’s CO had said he’d make sure no one entered, but she didn’t want to worry about getting caught red-handed. They needed to get in and get out, maybe reconvene tomorrow morning to do a little more sleuthing. They had less than an hour left to collect as much data on Edwards as they could, and Lexi would work a lot faster if six feet of solid muscle hadn’t been right behind her.
“I’m going to have to leave soon,” Christopher said. “Everyone expects you to be working in here, but a SEAL would look suspicious since no one else is around.”
“Maybe they’ll think we’re having wild, crazy sex in the server room,” Lexi said with a smirk.
Christopher leaned even closer, his lips brushing against her ear. The hairs on her arms stood up, and she resisted the urge to shiver at his delicious closeness. “The only one who gets to think about you having sex is me. I’ll fucking kill anyone who touches you.”
“Chill out. Those guys are completely professional.”
“And Edwards?” Christopher asked, rising to his full height.
She spun around in her chair and stood, having to tilt her chin up to meet his eyes. “I didn’t like the guy, but he wasn’t hitting on me, if that’s what’s got your panties in a twist.”
His eyes darkened. “My panties in a twist? If I recall correctly, the only panties I have are yours. And I’m keeping them.”
Heat rose within her, but she shrugged, not willing to let him have the upper hand. “I have plenty more. Keep them as a souvenir to remember me by.”
“No one said it was. But I’ve got work to do, and you’re distracting me.”
“I’m coming over to your hotel tonight.”
The door to the server room opening had Lexi jumping back. Christopher turned, his large body blocking hers. She quickly turned and clicked on the mouse, closing out of what she was working on, pulling up the maps she’d plotted yesterday. She didn’t have to see who was there to know that Edwards had walked in. Christopher’s entire body tensed.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Of course not,” Christopher said smoothly as she stepped to his side. “Lexi and I go way back.” There was a threat hidden beneath his words—don’t mess with my girl. For once Lexi was glad Christopher could be so overprotective. Edwards had creeped her out yesterday, and knowing what she did now? It was hard to look him in the eye without spitting on him or letting him know what an asshole and traitor he was.
“I just stopped by to check on Lexi’s progress,” Edwards said, his eyes sliding to her. “Commander Mitchell mentioned you were in here. I didn’t realize you knew so many of the SEAL team.”
“I used to work in Coronado,” she said. That only explained how she knew Christopher, but she wouldn’t give him anything else. “I should get back to work.”
“I’m on my way to grab breakfast. I’ll check in with you and the IT staff later.”
He turned and swiftly walked back out, leaving Lexi standing uneasily beside Christopher.
“I don’t like this,” he ground out.
“What’s there to like?” she asked sarcastically.
“I’ll come by after work.”
A SEAL's Surrender (Alpha SEALs Book 3) Page 10
