His Willing Prey (Cinco de Mayo)

by Marteeka Karland

  His Prey

  by

  Marteeka Karland

  &

  Shara Azod

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All references to real places, people, or events are coincidental, and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving eBooks is a copyright infringement.

  Copyright © 2011 Marteeka Karland & Shara Azod

  Editor: Stephanie Parent

  Proof Reader: Novellette Whyte

  Cover Artist: Shara Azod

  Cinco de Mayo

  Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. While the day is celebrated in the state of Puebla, Mexico, over time it has become more widely celebrated by those of Mexican ancestry in the United States. The largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world in held in Los Angeles which holds a mile long street fair every year with music, vendors and games. In the United States Cinco de Mayo has become a celebration of Mexican American heritage, much in the same way St. Patrick’s Day celebrate Irish-Americans.

  Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which is September 16.

  Chapter One

  Joaquin wanted her. He’d wanted her for so long, it was as natural to him as breathing. When he’d left for the Navy Academy she’d been a child. A very beautiful one, but way too young for a serious young man of eighteen. Then came his junior year, when he’d come home for his sister’s graduation. Seeing her had been like a punch to the gut—real low in the gut. The growing desire for her began then and had only grown throughout the years. Through the grueling physical training, the challenging academic course, his first ship, and Special Forces training, she’d been in the back of his mind. Always present, but always just out of his reach for reasons he’d imposed on himself. Whenever he felt in danger of giving up, it was her image, the memory of her honeyed voice that helped him push through. Somewhere along the way she’d become his talisman, the thing he could concentrate on when times got rough. All the rules he’d created didn’t seem to matter anymore. He wanted her too much, needed her with him too badly.

  She’d been too young at first, then in college, then just starting out in a career. The truth was even though he was a big bad United States Marine Officer, he was chicken shit when it came to her. And she didn’t have a clue. Whenever he came home to visit his family, he steered clear of her. Quite a feat seeing as how she still lived right next door. Her parents had given her the house when they retired and moved to Florida. Plus she was his sister Carmen’s best friend. He simply had no idea what to say to someone as sweet as she was. She would probably slap him silly if she only knew all the dirty things he wanted to do to her, with her.

  Now Joaquin no longer had a choice. He had to either make his move or lose her to a man who would never deserve her. The irresistible draw he’d felt since being shocked into the acknowledgement she was indeed all woman was on full prowl tonight, and her love was his prey.

  Dawn Rutledge, soon to be Dawn Rodriguez, was all his.

  Tonight Joaquin had waited from the confines of his parents’ home, searching for the most opportune moment. Slipping out of the side door, he clung to the shadows. Stealth was second nature to him now. This would be the first time he’d used it for something good, and he knew it would be oh so good between them.

  He found a dark corner and stayed there, having the perfect view of his prey. Dawn was flittering about like the beautiful social butterfly she’d always been. In honor of the Cinco de Mayo block party, she was dressed in vivid red, green and white—a white spaghetti-strapped shirt and a long flowing skirt of red and green. The skirt clung to her curvy hips, flaring out at the knees to lift and fall on the breeze when she twirled. The shirt clung to her generous chest, making his mouth water. He could see his children nursing from that chest. Her burnt toffee skin gleamed in the lamplight, clear and smooth without a hint of makeup. He loved that about her, her natural beauty. She had one of the most open and honest faces he’d ever seen.

  Even from where he lurked in the dark he could see her doe brown eyes alight with laughter. She stopped at every group huddled in the prospective territories, making the usually grumpy older folks laugh, making the tiny tots laugh even harder, even getting the too-cool-for-a-laugh party teenagers to crack a smile. Yep, she was definitely still the queen of the quiet, multi-racial Southern California neighborhood. Joaquin couldn’t have been prouder.

  Soon, he would wrap his arms around that tapered waistline and pull her close. When he did, he was never letting her go.

  *****

  Dawn knew the moment Joaquin slipped from his parents’ house. She knew where he was hiding, knew he was looking at her. He always watched her when he was home, ever since her high school graduation. But as always, he just watched, never coming forward to say more than a few words at a time. It sucked, especially since the schoolgirl crush she’d had on him as a kid hadn’t faded even a little bit. Instead, the giggly warm feelings that went along with harmless crushes had intensified into a full-grown ache. Just imagining what he might be thinking as those hot chocolate-brown eyes ran up and down her body was enough to make her moan out loud, something she’d barely managed to swallow one too many times.

  More than once she wished she were the bolder type. Watching women sashaying up to him made her grind down on her teeth until her jaw hurt. Unfortunately, Dawn was painfully shy when it came to the opposite sex. Just because she’d known Joaquin all her life didn’t mean she knew what to say to the man he’d become. While he wasn’t exactly the most jovial teenager, the military had made him more intense in every sense of the word.

  His natural quiet intensity had gotten forbidding in a way, but it wasn’t a turnoff. In fact, it acted as just the opposite. The long, lean body that had been eye candy to her as a tween had gotten all hard and delicious, with bulging muscles that looked like they could easily hold her against the wall as he took her five ways from Sunday. And that mouth! She may be shy, but she knew exactly what lips like his were designed for. That mouth of his could make a nun blush with all kinds of carnal thoughts. Dawn drove herself crazy thinking of riding his mouth until his lips were all puffy and moist with her own all-natural brand of lip balm.

  “Black women aren’t supposed to blush like that.” Dawn jumped at the sound of her best friend’s voice right next to her ear.

  “Shut up, Carmen.” Of all the people to catch her in the midst of an erotic daydream, it had to be the subject of that dream’s sister. One who knew how badly she wanted her brother.

  “Why don’t you stop staring at him like a lovesick puppy and go talk to him?”

  Carmen had been repeating that sentence for going on three years now, since they’d both graduated from college. It was all well and good for Carmen to say—she was fearless. How could Dawn possibly talk to him? He’d certainly ceased talking to her more and more over the years. All in all, that was not a positive sign.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She turned her back both on Carmen, and on the shadowy corner Joaquin sulked in.

  She needed to put distance between herself and both Rodriguez siblings. Scanning the crowd, she look
ed for a place she could escape to. Anywhere else was better than staying here, where she’d be forced to face something she’d tried to suppress.

  “You two are pathetic.” Carmen wrinkled her pert little nose in her brother’s general direction before turning back to Dawn again. “He’s here for you, you know. I mean come on, like there aren’t way better Cinco de Mayo parties in San Diego? Besides, I might’ve accidentally mentioned you were going out with Miguel Estrada.”

  Dawn whirled back to face her friend so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. Her mouth fell open as she stared at Carmen as if the other woman had just announced she was going to have a virgin birth.

  “You did what?!” This was so not happening. It couldn’t be. Dawn prayed it was only a joke, but knowing her friend, she seriously doubted it.

  Carmen tossed her silky black locks over her shoulder and smiled all benignly. For a woman Dawn swore could’ve been Satan’s handmaiden, her friend’s face was deceptively angelic. She even had the nerve to bat her eyelashes at Dawn, looking the very picture of innocence.

  “Look, my brother has been driving himself batshit over you for years. He is forever pressing info out of me and Mom about you. I decided to give him a little push. You have no idea how much he can’t stand Miguel; they’ve been like archrivals since they were both in kindergarten. And speak of the devil…”

  Dawn would’ve cheerfully pulled out her best friend’s fingernails one by one until she explained that little bomb she just dropped. Unfortunately, Miguel Estrada had just alighted from his dark gray luxury car, parked way too close to the partygoers in Dawn’s opinion. He’ spotted her and of course was making a beeline to where they both stood. Dawn had been on a date with the overweening peacock once; once was more than enough to get over any mild attraction a woman may have to him.

  “Dawn.” He smiled that bog-wolf grin of his, opening his arms wide as if she would really consider walking into them for a hug. That would be a giant hell no, considering how his hands liked to wander. “A little birdy told me you’d be here tonight. Come and give me a hug.”

  So not gonna happen. However, before Dawn could open her mouth for a gentle rebuke, she felt a presence at her back. Not just any presence either. It was Joaquin. She didn’t need to turn around to sense him.

  “She’s with me, Estrada. Keep moving.”

  Chapter Two

  Through five heavy fire battle missions, seven covert op missions, and three out-and-out dog fights in the field, Joaquin had never felt the overwhelming anger he was experiencing right now. He didn’t have anything against Miguel personally, until the man made a move toward his woman. And there were no ifs, ands, or buts about it—Dawn was his.

  “Dawn and I happen to have a very special friendship.” Miguel obviously didn’t understand the danger he was courting, because the man kept talking. “Aren’t you stationed somewhere south?”

  The implication was clear, though Joaquin would bet his last dime Miguel had no clue the challenge he’d just thrown in Joaquin’s face. What kind of Marine would he be to ignore it?

  Ignoring his sister’s pleading hand on his chest, he carefully moved Dawn behind him so he could stand chest-to-chest with the man who thought he was bad enough to come between him and the woman he loved.

  Yes, he loved Dawn. He’d probably loved her longer than he’d cared to acknowledge. She was far too honest and forthright to be with anyone as slick as Miguel. The man might not be a full-fledged scumbag, but he was close. Miguel had always considered himself God’s gift to women; Joaquin would be damned if Dawn would be a notch on his bedpost. There wasn’t any doubt in his mind Dawn had never given it up to the creep, no matter what his sister’s letter had implied. Joaquin was good at reading body language—there was no attraction on her part. She’d tried to put physical distance between herself and Miguel the second he pushed up on her.

  That made Joaquin see red. Obviously Dawn wasn’t interested; besides, she was his.

  “I would strongly advise you go say hello to your parents before you have no chance to say goodbye to them.”

  Joaquin had spoken softly, only intending Miguel to hear. Unfortunately, as he could tell by the shocked gasp behind him, Dawn had caught every word. Not sure if the hand that crept around him to clutch his shirt was a good or bad thing, he laid his hand over her much smaller one for comfort. Damn, touching her felt so damn good! This was so not the right time, but he couldn’t help closing his eyes and inhaling her fresh floral scent. She always smelled like a fresh spring day.

  Focus, he needed to focus. Get rid of the asshole and then claim the woman. If only she wasn’t pressing her body up against his back. It was damned hard to think of what the hell he was about to say when all those soft curves were pushing into his skin. He could feel her heat through their collective clothing, and he wanted nothing more than to turn around and immerse himself in her.

  “You don’t scare me, Rodriguez.” Miguel did his best impression of a tough guy growl. At least that’s what Joaquin hoped he was doing. The total effect was just comical. Despite what Miguel had just said, he was beginning to sweat, his body trembling ever so slightly.

  “You should, gordo.” Throwing the fat boy reference in there was a low blow, harkening back to elementary school when Miguel was more than just a little on the heavy side. However, this was war—the most important campaign in Joaquin’s life. Fair could take a flying leap. “Dawn belongs to me, and I will do anything…anything…to protect what’s mine. So step.”

  *****

  Unless she was hearing things, Dawn had just heard Joaquin declare that she was his. Point blank, without equivocation. The whole thing seemed a bit surreal. Joaquin stood there looking like the promise of a slow and painful death, Miguel looking like a scared boy about to crap in his pants, and she…. Good Lord! She was clinging to Joaquin’s back like a true damsel in distress. And Carmen, damn her eyes, looked like she was about to bust out laughing at any moment.

  When had her life gotten so weird?

  Finally, like a dog realizing he was whipped, Miguel dropped his gaze and stepped back. It was all Joaquin needed. He moved backwards a couple of steps, pushing Dawn along with him, until Miguel turned and almost ran into the crowd of partygoers. Only when the possible threat of an attack was gone did Joaquin turn his back on the retreating Miguel.

  “Come on,” he said gruffly. Dawn should have been offended, should have protested, but things were just happening so fast, she couldn’t seem to take time out long enough to realize she needed to protest. Maybe she really didn’t want to.

  As Joaquin clung to her hand, half leading and half dragging her with him, Dawn looked back at Carmen, who gave her an exaggerated thumbs-up and a huge smile. Dawn would have rolled her eyes if she hadn’t been trying too hard to keep up with Joaquin’s long, fast strides. She had to practically jog to keep up with him.

  A few minutes later, he was leading her through her own front door and tugging her inside. A few seconds after that, he’d locked and secured the front door and turned to face her.

  Dawn’s heart had never beat so hard. She felt like she’d run a marathon and, Lord help her, she was creaming her panties. Joaquin had always been the man of her dreams, but that man seemed to have gotten a whole lot bigger this close up. Now, he moved toward her slowly, as if he were a wolf stalking his prey. She almost took a step backwards out of sheer reflex, but she didn’t. She stood her ground and lifted her chin a notch. She might be the shy girl next door, but Joaquin did not scare her. He thrilled her beyond imagination, and there was no way she was shrinking away from him now.

  “I know you heard what I said to Miguel. Just so you know where we stand, I meant every word. You’re mine.” He kept moving toward her until they stood nose-to-nose. Well, nose-to-chest. Miguel was a large man indeed, and the difference in their sizes sent another shiver racing through her body. “If you don’t feel the same way, you’d better say so now, because that’s the only way I’m leavi
ng here tonight, or any other night for that matter.”

  Dawn knew she had to say something. This was his way of giving her an out, though from the proximity of his body to hers, not much of one. Her mouth was suddenly too dry, and she knew if she said anything, she’d only embarrass herself by squeaking it out, so she did the only thing she knew to do in a situation like this. She slid her hand slowly up his chest until her arms encircled his neck, pulled him down to her, and pressed her lips to his.

  It wasn’t anything more than a pressing of mouths together for a moment or two, until Joaquin quickly took control, just like she knew he would. He licked the seam of her lips until she gasped, then gently, carefully slid his tongue inside her mouth. It was as if he were savoring the taste of her. Dawn knew she was certainly enjoying his own exotic, spicy taste. She couldn’t help the little whimper that escaped. His own groan of approval answered her, and Joaquin immediately scooped her into his arms and headed down the hallway.

  He didn’t ask directions, seeming to know the exact location of her bedroom. Which was fine by her—Dawn doubted she could have told him where to go anyway. She was out of breath and shaking so hard in anticipation, it was a wonder he didn’t drop her. She clung tightly to him, taking the opportunity to kiss his face, smell his skin, his hair. She wanted to run her tongue over every square millimeter of his body before dipping him in chocolate and doing it all over again.

  Unfortunately, there were just too damned many clothes in the way for that, For now, anyway.

  The second he set her on the bed, she got to her knees and started undoing the buttons of his shirt. Rather, she tried to. The damned things seemed too small for her impatient fingers to manage. With a frustrated growl, she finally just jerked the damned thing open. Buttons went flying in all directions.