by Jaime Lewis
He walked over to his desk and picked up a framed picture of Tenley and ran his finger down it. She was a fucking bombshell, and he couldn’t wait to have her back under him, literally.
Tenley thought she had outsmarted him by hiding out in that damn hospital she worked in, but she had to leave it sometime or another, and when she did, he would be waiting. He and Esteban made their intentions clear with her the other night, but Tenley was stubborn. That was okay because it was nothing that a hard hand and additional training couldn’t cure. Soon she would know her place. Plans were already in motion to whisk her out of the country. Nobody would even know she was gone until it was too late, and by then, there wouldn’t be a trace of her.
They both had plenty of competent people working for them who could run their businesses while they spent time seducing Tenley.
“You will be mine one day, sweetheart.” He said, staring at the picture. A hard knock on the door interrupted his thought. He looked up and saw Kip sticking his head in.
“Hey, I just wanted to give you an update. I called the hospital, and the lady there told me that Tenley called off sick for a few days. I saw Les and Simon head out. They said they were heading over to her house to check things out and see if she ever made it back home.”
“Thanks. Call Les and Simon and tell them if they see her friend Alex to lay some heat on her. If Tenley’s not at home, then Alex will know where she is.”
“That’s the hot bitch who lives next door?”
“Yes, and she’d do anything for Tenley, including helping her hide from me.”
“You do know she lives with that big Navy guy, right? Are you sure you want to stir up trouble there?”
Chaz turned and shot daggers at his usually compliant employee and friend. “If you and your men have issues with following orders, I’ll gladly find others who are capable of getting the job done.”
“No, sir. It won’t be an issue. We’ll handle it.”
“See that you do. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a business matter I need to see to. I don’t want to be interrupted unless you have news on Tenley.
“Yes, sir.”
As Kip shut the door, Chaz went around his desk and sank into the chair. He glanced back down at the picture in his hand and smiled. “I love a game of hide and seek. You can run sweetheart, but you can’t hide forever.”
Chapter Fifteen
Derek sat in Potter’s living room, along with the rest of the team listening as Tenley explained everything. The more she told them her story, the more his anger spiked. His control was hanging on by a thread.
He couldn’t believe that her ex was involved with Esteban Sanchez. The same guy who was trying to disrupt Miguel’s operation. But now, Tenley’s involvement was all starting to make sense. The poor woman was just an innocent bystander in all of it.
Derek held Tenley’s hand as he looked her in the eye. Jesus, the news he was about to deliver was going to rock her world. “Sweetie, I know Potter explained to you who Miguel Dias is.”
“Why do I have a feeling there’s a ‘but’ coming?” She asked nervously.
Derek nodded his head and gave her a sympathetic smile. Damn, he didn’t want to do this.
“Tenley, what I’m about to tell you is classified information and goes no further than this room, understood? Since you somehow have been put in the middle of this situation, I feel you have a right to know what’s taking place.”
Tenley shook her head, “No, Derek, I appreciate you wanting to do that, but I don’t want you putting your job in jeopardy. Whatever it is, I’m fine without knowing.”
“It’s already been decided. The guys and I talked about it, and I made a call to a government official who we worked with on a recent mission. We all agreed that with your recent altercation with Chaz and Esteban, along with your run-in with Miguel a few weeks ago, you must be brought into the loop.”
Potter placed his arm around Tenley’s shoulders. No matter how many times Derek went over in his head how he planned to tell Tenley that Miguel was her father, he knew it was going to be one of the most painful conversations he would ever have with her. And that tore him up. For the last twenty-four years, Tenley had been like a daughter to him. And it was because of that relationship he had to be honest with her.
The rest of the team was on edge about everything that had taken place, but they too were worried about how Tenley was going to take the news, which was why they all wanted to be there to support her.
“Sweetie, Miguel Dias’ real name is Dante Cortez. He’s your biological father.”
◆◆◆
Tenley wasn’t sure if she had heard Derek correctly. She was trying to get her head to stop spinning. When she looked at Derek and his serious expression, she knew he hadn’t stuttered.
Slowly she got up and walked over to the sliding glass door. She focused on the ocean and the horizon as Derek’s words sunk in. The moisture started to build in her eyes. All her life, she had imagined what her father would be like or where he was. Now she knew. The man who left her mother while she was pregnant was a criminal! Tears started to fall, and she buried her face in her hands. No! Derek had it all wrong.
Then she recalled something Miguel had said to her. I have eyes everywhere.” Now she understood his meaning behind that statement. He had been keeping tabs on her, her entire life. She thought he seemed to know more about her than he let on, but at the time, she had blown it off.
Her body started to shake, and she didn’t know if it was from crying or if it was adrenalin. Suddenly she was picked up and consumed by warmth as Potter held her. Someone covered her with a blanket. She buried her face in Potter’s chest and cried. Not only for herself, but for her mother.
A few minutes passed, and Potter whispered in her ear as he rocked her gently side to side. “Come on, baby. We’re all right here with you.”
Tenley slowly sat up, feeling numb. She had many questions, but most of them, only Miguel could answer.
“I don’t even know what to say. I was speaking to my dad and didn’t even know it.” Another tear escaped her eye, but Potter quickly wiped it away.
“From the information we were given, he walked away from your mom because he wanted the two of you to be able to live your lives without any danger following you. He wanted to give you and your mom the life you both deserved. A safe one. If he would’ve brought you both into his world, you would have never avoided the danger of being connected to someone with that amount of power.”
She wiped her eyes. The hurt and sadness she was feeling started to turn into aggression. “He may be my father by blood, but he’ll never be my father at heart.”
Derek just looked on, and Tenley slid off Potter’s lap and scooted over next to Derek. She took his hand in hers.
“You, Derek. You have always been there for me every single day I’ve needed a dad. You are the person I’ve always thought of as a father—someone besides my mom, who I could always count on being there for me. I know I’ve never said this to you before, but I love you, Derek. If anyone deserves a dad title, it’s you.”
Derek smiled and pulled Tenley into an embrace and kissed the top of her head. “Your words mean so much to me, Tenley. I love you too honey.”
◆◆◆
Later that evening, Potter and Tenley laid in bed together. She had her cheek pressed against his shoulder while gliding her fingers through his chest hair.
What a rollercoaster of a day it had been. After all of the drama had been hashed out, Derek and the guys ended up staying for dinner. During dinner, plans for Tenley’s safety were discussed. She couldn’t stay holed up in Potter’s condo forever, but until they came up with an actual plan, they all agreed she should lay low.
She did find out from Ace that it was Alex who took care of getting her car back to her place and for calling into work for her. She wished she could see her best friend right now, but Ace and Potter both squashed that idea because they believed Chaz may be watching Al
ex’s movements as well. At least that was their thought after the confrontation Alex had with two of Chaz’s guys earlier in the day when they went snooping around her house.
She felt bad for getting Alex involved. Alex didn’t take shit from anyone, and she let the two guys know she wasn’t some pushover. One of the guys made a threatening move toward her, and she countered with a punch to his face, breaking his nose. The other guy was smart and didn’t engage.
Ace wasn’t too happy when he got the phone call from his friend at the police department telling him he was at his and Alex’s house and explaining what had happened. A neighbor heard yelling and called the cops. They had pulled up right as Alex punched the guy. Both officers saw the guy lunge toward her and said she was acting in self-defense, so she wasn’t arrested or charged for assault, although the thug with the broken nose argued.
Tenley had a lot to think about over the next couple of days, but right now, she just wanted to focus on her future with the sexy man lying beside her.
She shifted in his arms. “You know you’ve never told me how you got your call-sign.”
He chuckled, and she felt the vibration in his chest under her hand. She loved seeing and hearing him laugh. It wasn’t something he did often.
After he didn’t say anything, she prodded, “Well?”
“Well, what?” He asked, sounding amused at his comment.
“Are you going to tell me, or is it some super SEAL secret?”
“No, it’s no secret. I love Harry Potter movies, that’s all. When I went through basic training, the guys found out, and that’s where the name came from.”
She snorted a laugh. “That’s cute. I don’t think I’ve met a man who’s watched a Harry Potter movie, let alone one who is fascinated by them. So are you a collector as well, or do you just like the movies?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you buy little Harry Potter mementos, knickknacks, you know, those sorts of things? Oh! Do you have a secret magic wand or stick thingy those wizards use?”
She was trying so hard not to laugh out loud, but her shaking body gave her away. With some quick move that she would ask Potter to teach her later, he had her flat on her back and had settled his large body between her thighs, letting his weight press her into the mattress. She accepted his weight loving the feel of his muscled body pressing against hers.
He looked down at her as she grabbed onto his shoulders, and he gave her a wicked grin as he rubbed his thumb back and forth across her lips.
“I do have a magic stick as you call it.”
Her eyes widened. “Really? Can I see it?”
“Oh, honey, you’ve already seen it up close and personal, but I’d be happy to let you play with it again. There’s still a lot of magic left in it,” he said, giving her a wink. He thrust his hips, and she felt his hard length against her sex, and she groaned, making him chuckle.
Who knew serious and sexy Potter had a playful side. She loved it and wanted to see more of this side of him.
She ran her hands up and down his chiseled chest. “I like playing with magic.” She lifted her head to kiss him, and at the same time, she brought her legs up, then used her toes to hook the waistband of his briefs and slid them down his long-muscled legs releasing his hard cock.
“I want you, Potter,” She whispered against his lips. “Make love to me, please.”
“Damn, Ten. You set me on fire. I need to be as close to you as two people can possibly be.” He kicked off his boxers and began placing gentle kisses along her jaw and down her neck.”
Potter, please, I need you,” Tenley said in a breathless moan. Potter gave her a playful look and continued trailing kisses down her neck and along her shoulder. He cupped her breasts in his strong hands, causing Tenley to arch her back.
He stared at her body. “You are gorgeous and all mine.” He lowered his mouth and sucked a nipple into his mouth, eliciting a moan from her. His whiskers chaffed her skin, arousing her even more.
“Please, Potter. Don’t tease me. I need you inside me. Now!” She was panting as she ran her fingers through his short dark hair.
He released her breast with a plop and locked gazes with her. His eyes were on fire. “First, I need to taste you, Tenley.” He took the edges of her panties in his mouth and ripped them right off of her. Tenley gave a playful laugh, which quickly turned to a moan as Potter took her in his mouth. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. She needed this; she needed to let go of the past several months.
“Tenley,” his deep voice said in a low growl, “you taste so fucking good.”
Her heart was racing as she panted for more. His tongue plunged into her again, and when she thought she couldn’t hold back any longer, his lips wrapped around her clit. He sucked so gently.
“POTTER!” Her back arched, her hands gripped the sheets, and her tiny body shuddered around him. “Oh, My. God.” Tenley whispered, barely audible. Then she playfully teased, “when you said you had a magic stick, I thought you meant your cock, not your tongue.”
Potter smiled. “Oh, I’m going to show that to you next.”
He relished in satisfying Tenley. He missed her so damn much. He gave her a few minutes to recover. He looked at her with sultry eyes as he was nestled in between her legs. He pressed his hips forward and slowly entered her wet heat. She moaned and started to tighten up.
“Let me in, baby, let me love you.” He pressed his lips to hers as he thrust his thick cock into her channel. He made love to her mouth as he made love to her body. Making love to Potter was a full-body experience. She raked her fingertips up and down his back, causing his muscles to ripple under her fingers.
“Oh, god, Potter. You feel so good.” She wrapped her legs around his waist.
“Fuck, Tenley. I can’t hold back. Come with me now!” He thrust his hips one last time and hit that special spot that sent her spiraling into a whole other universe. Her body exploded around him as they both let go shouting each other’s names.
Potter rolled them to the side so he wouldn’t crush her, and pressed a hand to her cheek while staring into her lust-filled eyes. “I love you, Tenley.”
Tears formed in her eyes as she thought about how amazing Potter was. She tried so hard to blink away the tears, but it didn’t do any good as they leaked out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She kissed his jaw. “I love you too, Rex Richardson.”
He kissed her, gently brushing his lips against hers. “I’m never letting you go.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere else. I feel complete with you.” She could still feel his semi-hard cock inside her, and she looked up at him. “We didn’t use protection.”
He pulled out of her and rolled her onto her back as he hovered over her body. “I haven’t been with anybody since you, so I’m clean, plus you know I get tested because of my job.”
“I haven’t been with anybody else either, but I wasn’t worried if you were clean or not. I know the doctor said the last pregnancy was most likely due to the antibiotics I was on, but what if one of your super SEAL sperms captured one of my eggs?”
He laughed. “My super SEAL sperms, huh?”
She smiled but then got serious. “I’m serious, Potter. What happens if I get pregnant?”
He brushed her hair from her face and looked at her seriously. “In all honesty. I hope we just made another baby.”
Her breath hitched as she looked up into his eyes and saw the honesty and love held within them.
“Really?”
“Ten, I want the package deal with you. I want you as my wife and as the mother of my children. Hell, I’ll even compete with Ace and throw a dog in. I want to be able to tell stories to our grandkids. I want you for life, Tenley. If you’ll have me.”
Tenley was speechless, which for her was a miracle. The only sound she could hear was the sound of her heart beating.
“Potter, was that a proposal?” She asked cautiously, not wanting to get her hopes up if she was wrong.
He was silent for a few seconds as he stared down at her before he spoke. “I hadn’t planned on all that coming out at this moment. I had a plan to take you somewhere romantic because I know you women love that shit. But lying here with you in my arms right now after making love to you, seemed like the perfect time. I love you, Ten, and yes, if you’ll have me.”
He reached into the top drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a blue velvet ring box.
He opened it, and a sparkling square-cut diamond ring stood out. On each side of the larger diamond was a smaller diamond. He removed the ring from the box and lifted her left hand. He raised an eyebrow while smiling at her.
She looked at the ring in his hand, then back to him. She thought back to all of the lonely nights she spent crying over the last several months because she thought she’d never be able to have a future with him.
She heard him clear his throat as he was holding her left hand. He gave her a cute boyish smile that made her heart skip a beat. “What do you say, Ten? Will you be my wife?”
As the tears rolled down her face for the zillionth time today, she nodded her head a few times before she finally got out the word “yes” in between sobs.
His face lit up, and he slid the ring onto her left ring finger before bringing it to his lips and kissing it.
“I promise that I’ll protect you, cherish you, and love you every day for the rest of our lives.”
She straddled his lap and let the sheet slip down, revealing her naked body. She cupped his face with her small hands. Her bare breasts were pressed against his hard chest. She looked into his eyes and wondered what she did to deserve him. She pressed her forehead against his. “I love you so damn much. And I promise to be the best wife. I’ll be supportive of you, loyal to you, and most of all, I will love you with all of my heart. And I don’t want to wait to marry you.”
His smile was from ear-to-ear. “Whenever you’re ready. You just tell me when and where to be, and I’ll be there.”
She smiled back at him then looked down at her ring. She couldn’t believe she was actually going to marry Potter. She wanted to get married tomorrow if there was a way to pull it off. But her best friend was getting married in a few weeks, and she didn’t want to interfere with any of her plans or take the spotlight from her and Ace.
