by Tina Maurine
Volition A Uniform & Lace Romance
Noah & Tessa’s Story
Tina Maurine
Contents
Icelandic Phrases
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books
Veneration
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright 2018 Tina Maurine
Volition by Tina Maurine
ISBN-13: 978-1718923256
ISBN-10: 1718923252
All Rights Reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher or author constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. No part of this book may be used without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. If you would like to use material from this book, not for review purposes, prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
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Photo credit: DollarPhoto
Cover design: Kari March Designs
Copyediting by: Simone Beaudelire
Formatting by: JC Clarke
Except for the original story material written by the author, all songs, song titles, and lyrics mentioned in the novel Volition are the exclusive property of the respective artists, songwriters, and copyright holders.
Printed in the United States of America
To my sweet T. & K.
If you want it badly enough, you can make it happen. Always push forward in the face of adversity, bullies and naysayers. Their opinions aren’t the ones that truly matter.
Your opinions of yourself are the most important.
Always believe in yourselves.
Always believe in your dreams.
Always make things happen for yourselves.
I believe in your greatness and support your dreams, no matter what they may be.
I love you bigger than the universe.
To B.
Thanks for believing in my greatness and supporting my dream.
I love you forever.
Icelandic Phrases
ISL….. Frá krakkar spila á borðið þremur
ENG….From the guys playing on table three
ISL….. Svo, þú vilt frekar sitja hér hjá mér ha
ENG….So, you’d rather sit here with me huh
ISL….. Ahh já, en ég mun ekki segja neinum ef þú ert ekki
ENG….Ah yes, I will not tell anyone if you don’t
ISL….. Komdu
ENG….Come
ISL….. rekur bar fyrir eiganda’
ENG….runs the bar for the owner
ISL….. Ég hef sýnt þér meira af mér
ENG....I have shown you more
ISL..... En ég hef sýnt einhver á löngum tíma
ENG....than I‘ve shown someone in a long time
ISL..... Þú verður að vera orsök fyrir að hætta við
ENG....You‘ll be the reason for my undoing
ISL..... Ég er vakin á þig
ENG….I am so drawn to you
ISL….. Tessa mín
ENG….My Tessa
ISL..... sæta mín…………….(sæta)
ENG….My cutie……………(cutie)
ISL….. Hvenær munum við ríða aftur
ENG….When will we fuck again
ISL….. Ég hef saknað snertingu þína, lyktina þína, kossana þína
ENG....I have missed your touch, your smell, your kisses
ISL..... hrífandi
ENG....ravishing
ISL..... Þú veist, Tessa mín, myndi ég elska að sjá þig aftur. Bráðum
ENG…. You know, Tessa, I would love to see you again, soon
ISL….. Ég myndi elska að grafa mig í fullkomnu litlu kisa þinn aftur
ENG…. I would love to dig myself into your perfect little pussy again
Prologue
“Tessa! Are you ready yet? You’re taking forever.”
I looked in the mirror to put the finishing touches on my curly bob, ran ‘Cancan Red’ over my lips and smacked them.
Lindy—only my best friend since the second grade—walked up behind me and gave me a disapproving shake of her head. “Well, if that hooker shade doesn’t knock a few socks off…I am not sure what will!”
I laughed but knew full well that was her kind way of saying the lipstick color I’d chosen made me look cheap. “Hey now, be nice. It’s my last night up here in the Pacific Northwest. If I can’t let loose and party my last night, then why the fuck are you throwing me this shindig?”
“Alright—I’ll give you that.” She hooked her arm in mine and began pulling me away from the mirror. “Come-on… you’re good enough!”
“Okay,” I conceded and followed her back into the throes of the party.
The evening evolved into night, and with it, the progression of my inebriated state. It seemed every time I finished my drink, a new, fuller one appeared in my hand. Thank God the party had started as an intimate BBQ. Without food, I’d have been a total goner.
“So, you’re the girl of the hour?” A voice grated from behind me in a husky tenor that dripped with sex appeal.
“That I am.” I giggled my drunken reply but gave pause when I turned, as the guy standing before me was, well… I wasn’t expecting him at all. “I, I… I mean I leave tomorrow for boot camp.”
Boy, that was smooth, Tessa! I leave for boot camp? Ugh…Our eyes met the instant I turned around, and a bolt of electricity shot through me… through us. He looked off balance and an expression of surprise crossed his face before it flitted away. His translucent blue eyes captured my gaze. I held his intense stare, swam in it actually, until he cleared his throat and looked away. He cracked his neck and shook out his shoulders a little before looking back at me…
“So, you’re leaving for boot camp, huh? Let me introduce myself. Call me ‘Ren’—your personal encyclopedia for all things military for the night.”
“Oh? That’s an interesting service to offer a lady.” I winked at him and laid my hand on his muscular forearm before taking a drink of my 151-proof jungle juice. “Ren. Ren, Ren, Ren… I like that. I like the way it leaves me breathless when I say it.”
Ren narrowed his eyes at me and cocked his head as though he were trying to
figure me out. I took another drink.
“Well, Tessa,” he took a swig of his whiskey as he advanced on me, backing me into the wall. “You’re going in and I’ve been in, so I figured if there was anything you wanted to know… I’m the exact person you should ask.”
“Hmmm… anything I want to know, huh?” I cocked my eyebrow as my mouth curved up into a particularly sly and flirtatious smile.
Ren—this incredibly intriguing, sexy stranger—had me thinking all kinds of ‘things’ that were crazy, considering I had just met him. What’s wrong with me? Where did this magnetism between us come from? How can it be so instant and consuming?
“How about you answer this for me?” Ren moved close and now leaned into me, so our bodies were mere inches apart. I felt his breath on my neck, and it sent shivers through me. His smell didn’t help me any either… he smelled of whiskey, cedar and his musk… a heady scent that had me on the verge of a good, ol’ fashioned swoon.
Clear your head Tessa—you just met him.
I know… but he’s so… everything right. It’s my last night here… I won’t ever see him again…
True…
I jumped slightly when I felt Ren’s thumb on my chin. He tipped it, so his full and insanely kissable lips hovered millimeters from my full, lustful ones. His heated eyes darkened.
“How is it that someone as insanely sexy as you is here all alone?”
Before I could answer, his lips descended on mine in a soft, seeking kiss. I hadn’t even had the time to respond, I was so shocked, before he lifted his head. “What is it, Ms. Tessa Christy—that thing about you that I…?” His voice trailed off as though he were working something out in his head. He cleared his throat. “It’s too bad I’m just visiting and you’re going in for four years.”
I reached up, placing my hand on his cheek and rubbing my thumb over his lips. “We have tonight.”
“We do—so let’s refill your drink and make the rounds!”
We headed off in search of Lindy and some more 151 rum punch. We wove through the crowd, Ren’s strong, rough hand never letting go as he led the way. Once we stepped out in to the tiki torch-lit back yard, he guided me with his hand on the small of my back over to the kegs and make-shift bar.
“Holy shit, Tessa! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Lindy looked as exasperated as she sounded.
“She’s been in good hands.”
She looked over at me and raised a brow. “Is that so?”
As I downed what was left in probably my fourth or fifth drink, either his hand lingering dangerously close to my ass or the booze… lit me up and made me tingly all over. I smiled coyly at Lindy.
Her eyes widened. Smart girl. She can see what’s going on. I smiled back.
She looked directly at me. “Tessa, girl, you’d better watch out for him…” she nodded her head at Ren. “…the stories I have heard.” She winked at him and halfway scowled at me.
Ren raised is cup to her in a silent toast, all the while keeping his eyes pointedly on me. His intensity unnerved me. Something unsettling about him that inexplicably drew me, not just that he was so fucking hot and fit, more like I craved him somehow.
What? Like that’s even possible…
It must be the booze.
After Lindy took off, an awkward silence hung over us in spite of the party going on all around. Finally, Ren grabbed my hand and took off in the direction of the mosh pit in the living room. Okay, not really a mosh pit, but everyone had crammed in there, dancing their asses off to House of Pain’s “Jump Around.”
“Down your drink and give me your cup.”
“I will if you say please…” a weak attempt to flirt with him, I’ll admit.
“I’m not generally in the business of saying please.”
I raised one eyebrow. “Oh? Why’s that?”
He flashed me a cocky-ass smile. “I usually don’t have to.”
“Well, Mr. I’m-so-hot-I-don’t-have-to-say-please-because-girls-do-whatever-I-say, with me, please goes a long, long way.” I winked at him and tipped back my cup—letting the icy, boozy punch slide down my throat.
Finishing, I reached in to grab the piece of pineapple from the bottom. Just as I was about to polish it off, he snagged my hand and took the last small bite into his mouth. He drew and pulled on my sticky fingers, sucking them until my toes curled. Ren studied my reaction intently. Instead of it being weird like it should’ve been, for some reason I preferred him to be near and paying this much attention to me. Weird. I know.
“You’re finished,” I found his commanding voice beguiling, “so, can I please have this dance?” Sure, he said please, but the sarcasm dripped from his beautiful mouth.
Did I mention his features were to die for? He stood maybe a foot or so taller than me. His worn t-shirt hugged his nicely-shaped delts and pecs. When he’d leaned against me earlier, his firm abs had flattened against mine and had brought about a serious yearning for more in my core. So, of course, I followed him onto the ‘dance-floor’ where everyone was dirty dancing to R. Kelly’s “Bump n’ Grind.”
We found our spot amongst the grinding couples. I looked up at Ren, and his eyes focused on me as he wrapped his strong arm around my waist. With his right arm, he effortlessly pulled me against his deliciously firm body. He placed his other hand at my side, over my ribs, and began to dip and grind to the music. My hands started on his biceps, but halfway through fucking with our clothes on to that damn song, my other dropped to his hip, where I kept it to hold on for dear life.
He sang to the lyrics in a lust laden voice, choked with desire.
My eyes shot up to Ren’s. What I saw instantly—no shit—soaked my panties. His eyes brimmed with passion for me.
He wants me?!
I held his intense gaze as we felt every pulse and beat from the music, even after the song switched to R. Kelly’s “Your Body’s Callin’.” I couldn’t begin to explain why my level of comfort with him was already so strong; perhaps it was the 151 I’d had… but in any case, it was there. I wasn’t going to fight it.
Someone smacked my ass, and I swiveled my head. Lindy threw me the thumbs up sign. I smiled back. I hadn’t had this much fun in a very long time.
The song’s lyrics resounded in my head, but how Ren handled my body, and how he looked at me resonated in my soul.
Who is this guy?
Ren’s hands splayed on my back and ass, snugging me in tightly to his pronounced arousal. My hands made their way up to his neck and played with his nape and shoulders as we danced. The whole affair on the dance floor couldn’t have been any more intimate if we’d been sequestered somewhere.
Ren leaned in even closer, placing his mouth at my neck, just below my ear. I could hear him singing the song lyrics. It was so goddamn hot, as though he were singing the lyrics to me, begging me to lie under him.
I was there. I wanted him.
Fuck it…
“Ren…?” My voice hitched and came out in a barely audible whisper. I didn’t even recognize it.
“Mm hmm…” His mumbled response echoed at my ear and resounded through my body.
I didn’t respond. What was I going to say? ‘I want you?’ My non-response brought Ren to his full height. His eyes met mine and he and I both knew… we only had tonight.
He led me off the dance floor and up the stairs. Pausing at a door, he looked at me again. I flashed him a demure smile. I so wanted this.
No sooner had we pulled the guest-room door tightly shut, then he pinned me against it. His hands cupped my face and ass simultaneously, pulling me harder into his erection. His lips met mine for a kiss that dipped and pulled, scoured and ravished. He explored my mouth completely, leaving me breathless and him fighting for more. He made short work of my delicate shirt, and I struggled to pull his off. He helped me, revealing a perfectly sculpted chest with what looked like a bullet wound in his shoulder and ‘Lisa’ tattooed over his heart. His body was every bit the sexy specimen I had cook
ed up in my brain, unscathed by the typical tattoos most ‘bad boys’ had.
“I. Want. You.” A half pained, desire-laden groan escaped from Ren’s swollen lips. “God, I want you. I just… I can’t get enough of you.”
I responded by reaching for his fly and pulling at the fastenings until it splayed wide. I may have been a virgin, but I was not shy, nor was I inexperienced. I reached out, working to release him, and as my fingers touched his stout, engorged cock, he hissed. He ripped open my jeans and made haste to drag them and my thong down and off my legs. No sooner did they tumble to the floor, then his hungry mouth captured mine again, and his fingers went to work preparing me.
I threw my head back as waves of sensation assaulted me. He was way better at this than the frat boys I had been playing around with for the past year. WAY, way better.
Then, he stopped.
Cold.
“Tell me you want me, Tessa.”