To Sierra’s surprise, Hayden quickly agreed and tightened his grip around her shoulders. After they said their goodbyes and walked the couple out, Sierra once again found herself in Hayden’s lap on the couch.
He nuzzled her neck, lightly kissing that sensitive spot behind her ear. “Even though I want to take you right here, I think it’s time for bed. You need rest.”
She lightly pushed his shoulder, making him look at her. “You need it just as much as me. But first…are you okay with what happened?”
His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “I hate what happened to you.”
“No, I mean, killing Marty.” It felt weird to even say the words.
His expression immediately cleared, but he paused and she could see that he was choosing his words carefully. “I’m not sorry he’s dead and I won’t suffer from any guilt over killing him if that’s what you’re worried about. I did what I had to in order to protect you and I’d do it again.”
She was tempted to ask him if he was sure, but she could see the truth in his eyes. They’d talked about his Navy career many times and though he’d never been able to tell her much about his missions, she realized now that he’d killed in the past. She’d figured he had, but now she knew without a doubt. Considering how much he’d given for his country, she was more than okay with that. Seeing death up close and personal had jarred her and it wasn’t something she ever wanted to experience again, but she didn’t want to talk about that right now. If he could deal with it, she could too. “Okay.”
He continued looking at her, an intense expression on his handsome face. “I love you,” he blurted.
She blinked.
Before she could even think of a proper response, he continued. “I know it’s the wrong time and probably too soon for you, but it’s true. I’ve felt this way for a long fucking time. Since about two months after we met.”
Sierra blinked again. “Why didn’t you say anything then?” The words came out louder than she’d intended, but Lord, she’d been harboring a crush on this man since the moment she’d met him. And she felt the same way too. Especially now.
“I…didn’t think I was good enough for you. I knew you were pretty innocent and I was still trying to transition to civilian life. You remember what I was like,” he muttered.
She laughed lightly. “Yeah, you were kind of a bear to be around.”
“And you were the only one to call me on it. At first I was just insanely attracted to you. You wouldn’t believe the fantasies I had about fucking you at Cloud 9 after hours.”
Sierra’s face heated at his words because she’d had more than a fantasy or two about him too. Probably not as dirty as his though. “I love you too, Hayden. I—”
Whatever she’d been about to say was lost as he crushed his mouth over hers. As his tongue danced with hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Thoughts of sleep and the insanity of the past couple days faded to nothing when she was with him. After everything that had happened, she was right where she wanted to be. Safe and in Hayden’s arms.
CHAPTER EIGHT
One week later
At the sound of Hayden’s front door opening, Sierra slid the covered pan into the pre-heated oven and pressed start on the timer. She’d done all the prep work early so this would be ready to go as soon as he returned. It would give them an hour and a half until dinner was ready. There was plenty she wanted to do in that timeframe.
She was a gourmet chef, but for the last week he’d pretty much refused to let her do anything. Well, unless it involved her being naked, and cooking without clothes wasn’t something she was brave enough to try yet. The traditional style beef pot roast was incredibly simple but she’d spiced it up just a little. He ate at Cloud 9 all the time so she had no doubt he’d like the meal.
But she hoped he liked her surprise even more.
“Sierra?” Hayden called out in that voice that made her toes curl.
“In the kitchen.” She kept her back to the entryway, but looked over her shoulder, wanting to see his expression. Wearing just heels and a dainty little apron—which she’d changed into after prepping the meal—she’d wanted to do something fun for him tonight. It was a small apron, the square front cut barely covering her nipples and it was all lace and ruffles. Totally impractical for actual use, but she hoped Hayden found it sexy.
He’d had to stop by work to go over his schedule and to head up a meeting regarding next week’s security plans. It was standard for him, but for the last week they’d been so wrapped up in each other he had a lot of catching up to do. And that was because of her. Not that she felt guilty or anything, but still…
Hayden stepped into the doorway, his tie loosened and his button down shirt undone at the top. With a bouquet of flowers in his hand, he started to smile then froze, his arm falling limply to his side as he took in her outfit. The apron tied in a neat bow at the middle of her back but he could see pretty much all of her backside.
“Holy shit,” he growled.
She loved that she got that reaction out of him. Turning to face him, she didn’t bother fighting a smile as his gaze skated over her from head to toe. The way the black and white ruffled apron fell, it just barely covered her breasts. Walking toward him, she’d only taken two steps when he covered the distance between them in long, determined strides.
He dropped the flowers on the table before grabbing her hips and hoisting her up. Familiar with what he wanted, she wrapped her legs around his waist, plastering herself to him as he claimed her mouth in a hungry kiss that had her arching into his rock hard chest.
Surprising her, he pulled back after a few intense moments. Dazed, she blinked. “Why are you stopping?” She’d been thinking about this from the moment he’d left.
“I swore I wouldn’t jump you the second I got home.” His voice was raspy and oh so sexy.
Sierra laughed lightly. “Why not?”
“I feel like all I’ve done is keep you naked the last week.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Starting to feel self conscious, she loosened her legs but he reached back and gripped her calves to hold her in place.
“No, I just wanted tonight to be special and…move in with me. Please,” he added.
Her eyes widened but her grin grew. “Okay.”
Now it was his turn to blink. “Okay?”
“You want me to argue?” It would have happened eventually and his place was huge and…she loved him.
“No, but I had a whole list of reasons prepared why you should.”
She let out a bark of laughter. “Always ready for everything,” she murmured.
Hayden instinctively tightened his grip on her smooth legs, then slid his hands back around until he cupped her ass.
When he’d seen her standing at the stove practically naked and her ass framed by the opening at the back of the apron, that familiar wave of possessiveness and love had welled up in him. He felt it every time he saw her.
It was jarring, foreign and…perfect. She’d filled a hole inside him he hadn’t even realized existed. Making the transition to civilian life had been the hardest thing he’d ever done. Somehow she’d made it easier, just by being herself. He couldn’t imagine his life without her. Didn’t want to.
Now that he’d finally surrendered to his feelings for her and they’d crossed over from friends to lovers he knew there was no going back for him. The fact that she’d agreed to move in so quickly soothed the most primal part of him. Because he wanted a hell of a lot more from her than that.
He wanted forever. It was too soon to ask the big question just yet, but by Christmas of this year, he was going to make sure a diamond ring was on her left hand ring finger. He wanted the whole world to know she belonged with him.
Too soon, he reminded himself as he skimmed his hands over her bare ass. He shuddered at just the feel of her smooth skin and lightly squeezed her. When he did, she moaned into his mouth. The woman was so reactive and he couldn’t get enough of her. H
e pulled back, and she opened her eyes.
“Bend over the island,” he barely managed to rasp out.
Her green eyes lit up with desire at his words. She let her legs drop and though he missed the feel of her wrapped tightly around him, he was dying to take her from behind. For the past week he’d tried to be as careful and gentle with her as he could. But her bruising had almost completely faded and he was hiding behind that excuse anyway. She wasn’t some breakable, fragile thing.
Sierra was one of the emotionally strongest women he knew. Yeah, she had insecurities like everyone else on the fucking planet, but she kept it together like no civilian he’d ever met. After the shooting he’d expected…something different from her. But she’d been so composed about the whole thing and that by itself, was hot.
“You’re trying to kill me,” he managed to rasp out as she bent over the marble island and pushed her ass toward him, grinning cheekily over her shoulder at him.
“You love it,” she murmured.
He did. The sexy getup she wore stunned him. He’d never expected to come home and find her wearing nothing but an apron and fuck-me heels. It only reaffirmed what he knew about this woman. She was going to keep him on his toes. Keeping his gaze on her, he slowly undressed. First with his shirt and tie, then his shoes and pants. He’d gone commando because he’d known he’d be coming home to her. Her eyes tracked his movements and each article of clothing he lost, the heavier that gaze grew.
“I’ll try and be gentle,” he said as he gripped one of her hips and slipped a hand between her legs from behind. He dragged a finger down her slit and found her slick with need.
“I don’t want that.” Turning away, she let her head fall forward, her inky dark hair falling down her back in seductive waves.
“What do you want?” he asked quietly, smoothing his hand down the length of her spine. With her bent forward in such a submissive pose, his cock throbbed almost painfully. He pressed a finger into her, closing his eyes when she tightened around him.
She didn’t respond, just pushed back, trying to get him to move. He slipped another finger inside her tight sheath, loving how she molded around him.
Sometimes he liked to tease her; other times he enjoyed getting her off quickly. Tonight he had a feeling it would be the latter. While he wanted to drag out the foreplay, he needed inside her like he needed his next breath.
“Need in you.” He couldn’t even formulate a complete sentence.
Sierra didn’t seem to notice, just rocked against his fingers, her breathing growing erratic the faster he moved. He couldn’t believe how primed she was, as if she’d been thinking about this all day. Maybe she had. God knows he had. He’d hated going into work, even for a few hours.
Without warning, he withdrew his fingers.
She let out a yelp of frustration, her fingers clawing at the marble top. “Don’t tease.” Instead of sounding demanding as he guessed she intended, her words were breathy and needy.
Feeling almost frantic, he retrieved a condom from his discarded pants and quickly sheathed himself. Until her birth control kicked in, he’d be using these but he couldn’t wait to feel her pussy tightening around his naked cock. The thought of being inside her without any barriers was almost enough to push him over the edge, so he reined himself back in.
Until he guided his hard length to her wet opening. Feeling her wetness on the head of his cock was too much.
He pushed forward in one hard thrust. She was so wet, but let out a gasp as he buried himself in her tight body. Though he wanted to move, he was so damn primed right now. He wanted to make her come, wanted to feel her climaxing around him.
Staying buried inside her, he slowly pulled the bow from her apron free. He’d noticed that she was sometimes self conscious about her body, so the fact that she’d been waiting for him, practically naked under the bright lights of the kitchen, told him how much she trusted him. That she was okay being vulnerable in front of him.
Thank God because he would give anything to make her happy. As the apron strings slid away, he reached up and lifted the part that secured around her neck over her head, letting it fall to the ground.
Sierra, bent over and waiting for him to fuck her. Wearing just sexy heels.
He didn’t think there had ever been anything sexier. Yeah, his brain was going to short circuit any second now.
Sliding his hands up her hips and over her ribs, he only stopped when he was cupping her breasts. She was practically trembling, her body shaking with a need he understood all too well. Just lightly enough to tease her, he flicked his thumbs over her nipples.
“Faster, harder,” she demanded on a breathless moan.
He wasn’t sure if she meant his fingers or his cock and he couldn’t make his throat work enough to ask. Strumming one of her nipples with more pressure, he let his other hand slide lower as he started thrusting inside her.
His movements grew harder with each drive into her tight body. Her inner walls clenched around him, growing tighter and tighter the harder he slammed into her. She was so close. He could feel it.
So was he, but he was desperate to make her come first. Tweaking her clit between his thumb and forefinger, he increased the stimulation on her sensitive bundle of nerves with just the right amount of pressure to push her over the edge.
“Hayden.” The way she said his name was almost like a prayer as her the orgasm surged through her. Her body shook and trembled and she cried out even more loudly as she came.
He wasn’t far behind her, his own climax hitting him like lightning, the pleasure pumping to all his nerve endings until finally he was just blindly thrusting his hips against her. Forcing himself to stop, he gently held her hips as he pulled out.
She made a soft protesting sound but barely moved a fraction while he disposed of the condom. When he was done, he turned her around to face him, pleased by the sated expression on her face. “I love you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her soft breasts against his chest.
“I love you, too.” He’d never get tired of saying it, either. Holding her and being held by her was the best feeling in the world, and he was never letting her go.
Dear Reader,
Thanks so much for reading First Surrender. For those of you who have read my Red Stone Security series, you will have recognized Wyatt and Iris Christiansen. Because the Red Stone series has been so popular, and because of reader requests, I decided to do a spin-off series and First Surrender is the launch novella. I’m so excited to be part of the Wicked Firsts anthology and to give you all the first peek into my new series. The official new series name is The Serafina: Sin City series and will feature people who work at; you guessed it, the Serafina! The rest of the stories will be longer and the second one will feature Jay and Ellie because their story is just beginning, so be on the lookout for more in this world.
Happy reading,
Katie
Complete Booklist
Red Stone Security Series (romantic suspense)
No One to Trust
Danger Next Door
Fatal Deception
Miami, Mistletoe & Murder
His to Protect
Breaking Her Rules
Protecting His Witness (September 2013)
Deadly Ops Series (romantic suspense)
Targeted (October 2013)
Non-series Romantic Suspense Books
Running From the Past
Everything to Lose
Dangerous Deception
Dangerous Secrets
Killer Secrets
Deadly Obsession
Danger in Paradise
His Secret Past
Paranormal Romance novellas
Destined Mate
Protector’s Mate
A Jaguar’s Kiss
Tempting the Jaguar
Enemy Mine
Heart of the Jaguar
Moon Shifter Series (paranormal romance)
Alpha Instinct
Lover’s Instinct
Primal Possession
Mating Instinct
His Chosen Wolf (January 2014)
Avenger’s Heat (February 2014)
About the Author
Katie Reus is the USA Today bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.
However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. For more information on Katie please visit her website: www.katiereus.com. Also find her on twitter @katiereus or visit her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor
First Temptation
By
Joan Swan
Copyright 2013 by Joan Swan
Cover art and design by Joan Swan
CHAPTER ONE
SUPERVISORY BORDER PATROL AGENT ZOE BROOKS muscled the ATV beneath her at top speed across the rock-studded desert terrain of El Centro, California. Her heavy breathing echoed in rough pants over the headset.
“Boss.” Nighthawk’s voice scraped over Zoe’s headset. The chopper cut through the sky almost directly above her and the whap of its blades sounded simultaneously in real time and in the background over the radio. “You’ve got three runners due east, copy?”
With a jerk on the handlebars, she steered east and scanned for the smugglers through her night vision goggles.
“Copy. Do they still have the cargo?” Zoe said, the rough earth bouncing under her tires, making her voice jerk.
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