by KaLyn Cooper
Dex had seen a lot of bad shit in his life, rescued dozens of hostages, but this one was going to haunt him for years. Twice he had seen Jaja hold a gun to a young girl’s head. It was bad enough in the video, but standing fifteen feet away, unable to help her, seeing the terror in her eyes, smelling her fear, rocked him to his very soul.
He would be forever thankful to Rayne for taking the shot. There was gratification in watching Jaja’s head explode. Then to see his magnificent woman swoop in and grab the child, protecting her from the gruesome scene. He was so fucking proud of Rayne. She was such a special and unique woman.
The mental picture he had taken of her hours before, limp from the orgasm he had just given her, naked, splayed open to him on the couch, made him smile inwardly. All-woman when she chose to be, all hard-ass when she had to be. One hell of a combination.
He wanted more of her. More of them. He’d left her twelve years ago, warm and sated in a bed, because his job and career had called. It happened again a few hours ago.
He was done with living for the job. Damn it, he was retired. He wanted to live for life…a life with Rayne. He could forgive her for claiming that he had hired the hookers for their men back in Nigeria. Perhaps she thought that he had. That single black mark on his record hadn’t damaged his Navy career, which was now over anyway, so who gave a damn. He certainly didn’t.
He wanted Rayne in his life forever. He hoped she wanted the same thing. He might just have to be persuasive enough to convince her that she wanted the same thing.
When the helicopter landed at St. Thomas airport, Dex had insisted that the other members of his breaching team fly out on the Homeland jet immediately, while they still could. He personally thanked Will Edge, Stephen Clayborn, Devin Martindale, Robert Taylor, Ethan Steadman, and Liam Bridger. He didn’t need to remind them that this mission was top-secret. So far, they had been able to keep any indication of the kidnappings out of the media.
Alex and his team headed to the house they had rented. The Guardian Security pilot had given them approximately four hours to wait out the next storm band.
An hour later, Dex was determined to find Rayne. Randy Oster, the helicopter pilot, told him that she had been met by FBI agents and they were taking her and Callie to an agency facility established for the hostages.
Although Dex had never been there, the former clinic—abandoned after the duel hurricane punch the previous year—wasn’t that big. It was set up like a picture frame around a lush tropical garden. As he strode down the hall, exam rooms and offices on each side, he saw Rayne as she turned the corner toward him.
“Sweetheart, I’ve been looking all over for you.” Dex quickened his pace.
Her smile didn’t reach her eyes, but it seemed as though she was trying. “I was looking for you, too.” She unbuckled her holster and handed it to him, gun and all. “Deputy Director O’Brien has ordered me to surrender my weapon to you as the mission commander. After Homeland Security completes the initial investigation, and hopefully admits that it was a necessary kill, they’ll turn it over to the Secret Service which will conduct its own investigation.”
He reached out and grabbed the weapon and stuffed it in one of his many pockets. Then, he reached out for her. Someone exited a door at the end of the hall and turned the other direction.
He needed to touch her. Hold her. Make sure that she was okay. Glancing across the hall, he dragged her into one of the exam rooms. As soon as the door clicked behind him, Dex pulled Rayne into his embrace and held her.
“It’s going to be okay,” he reassured her. “We have video of the scene proving you had a clear line of fire. Jaja had been a sanctioned kill since you and I first hunted him twelve years ago. Everything will work out.”
“I know,” she said with confidence. “It’s just, they won’t let me work until I’m cleared, first by Homeland, then by my bosses, and finally, the agency psychologist has to approve my return to the field. In the meantime, effective immediately, I’m on administrative leave. I know that’s standard operating procedure for any federal agent who discharges the weapon, but what if they don’t clear me? What can I do in the meantime? Since mine ended up in death, it might take a month before I can go back to work.”
“Even though that wasn’t your first kill, you should take some—”
Rayne talked over him. “Both you and Alex may be questioned by Deputy Director O’Brien from the Secret Service because the two of you were witnesses to the shooting.”
“We’ll do whatever it takes to clear you.” And he would. So would Alex. His gaze swept over her. “Haven’t they let you shower? At least wash up?”
“They would have, but Callie refused to let go of me. I’ve been holding her since we left…left that house.” She shrugged. “Besides, I have nothing to change into. All my clothes are over on St. John in my villa.”
Dex smiled and took her hand. “Come with me. You can thank Alex. By the way, where is Callie now?”
“Still with Vanessa.” She squeezed his hand. “I have to tell you; Senior Special Agent Vanessa Overholt is awesome. She was waiting for us with a team of physicians at the airport. Congressman Sedgwick was there, too, but Callie wouldn’t leave my arms. She gave her dad a one-armed hug. When he looked hurt, I heard Vanessa tell him that it might be months before she trusts any man again.”
Dex suddenly remembered the body bag in the chopper. “Did he ask about his wife?”
Keeping pace, she glanced up at him. “Not. One. Word. After Callie finally agreed to allow me to leave, Brian and I were able to have a short conversation, although technically, he shouldn’t have been talking to me. Silas called Congressman Sedgwick just as they were landing and gave him the good news, and the bad news. All the congressman kept saying was my daughter is safe.
They entered a glassed-in area that had been used for patient records and reception. Their bags sat in a corner.
Bending, she grabbed her two duffels. “Remind me to thank Alex the next time I see him.”
Dex grabbed his own bags and headed back out. “As mission commander, they’ve given me a small hotel-like room. At least it has a shower, and for now, the water is still running hot.”
“You have no idea how wonderful that sounds.” Her sigh shot straight to his cock.
Images of Rayne, naked in his shower, making those little mewling sounds she does when she’s excited, made Dex walk faster. “Speaking of Alex, I sent the Homeland Security plane back with the rest of the breaching team. I’m flying back in the Guardian Security plane. You need a ride?”
“No. Since technically this mission is over, my attachment to your joint task force is finished.” She stopped right behind him as he unlocked the room. “Deputy Director O’Brien has asked me to fly back to DC with Congressman Sedgwick, but since I am no longer on his detail, I’m not even supposed to speak to him. I guess they don’t want me talking about everything that happened.”
“How soon is he leaving the island?” Dex tossed his bag on the floor.
“The pilot told us about…” She looked at her watch. “Well, we’re down to three hours until this outer hurricane band passes through. We’ll have a short period of clear skies to take off. How long are you going to be here?”
Dex pulled out his shaving kit. “Same.” Stepping close to her, he started unbuttoning her camouflage shirt. “That means we have three hours to shower, and sleep.” He kissed her then, long, slow, and very sweet. “I don‘t need sleep.”
She shrugged out of her wet shirt, then grabbed the bottom of the tank top she wore underneath, yanking it over her head. “Sleep is overrated.” She grinned up at him. “I bet I can beat you to the shower.”
That was one bet he was willing to lose. Rayne did a little striptease for him as she removed each piece of clothing while he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.
Completely bare in front of him, she reached over and stroked his erection through his wet pants. “You’d better hurry up. I might just have to start
without you.”
The idea of watching a woman get herself off in front of him had never been exciting before, but damn, he’d pay to see Rayne play with herself.
She was already wet and soapy when he stepped into the small shower. He used her gel to create a mountain of bubbles in his hands before cupping her breasts from behind.
“Do you still like backwards cowgirl?” He all but moaned in her ear as he rocked his erection into her tight butt cheeks while gently kneading her breasts.
“I like everything.” She pressed her ass against him and moved it up and down.
He smacked her ass and she spun on him, ready to slap his face. Fortunately, he was quicker and grabbed her wrist before she made contact. “So, you don’t like everything. You’re not into spanking.”
Her eyes flashed. “Nor am I into bondage, any kind of BDSM, and don’t you ever asked me to call you Daddy.” She grabbed his dick and gave it a gentle squeeze. “And don’t you ever try to stick this up my ass. There are only two places in my body that this can go.”
She stroked his shaft and ran her thumb over the slick head. “I owe you one.” She kneeled on the shower floor and took his cock into her mouth.
Dex wondered if this was a dream as he looked down at the wet black hair on the top of her head. She licked the pearl drop that had escaped before she covered his tip with her mouth, swirling her tongue. With one hand she pumped his shaft and held his balls in the other, gently rolling them. The hot water pelted his tight shoulders as the muscles in his legs constricted. She took him deeper, sucking the length, then bared teeth to the sensitive underside as she bobbed up and down.
His balls drew up tight and he knew he was close.
Grabbing her under her arms, he pulled her to her feet and kissed her, invading her sweet mouth. He couldn’t remember ever tasting himself from a woman, but with Rayne, it was hot as fuck. And he wasn’t going to fuck her in the shower.
He broke the kiss. “Bed.” Was the only word he could choke out.
He lifted her and she wrapped her strong legs around his waist. “Hang on,” he ordered.
She leaned forward and nipped at his neck. “I want you inside me.” She started to lower herself, wiggling to position him at her opening.
“Condom,” he said on a moan as he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. One handedly, since the other was supporting her superior ass, he grabbed a towel from the rack and tossed it over her back. He easily carried her to the bed and laid her down on the sheets. Fumbling through his bag, he finally found the box of condoms he always carried in his go bag. He flipped a small strip on the nightstand.
Rayne laughed. “You really think we can use all of those? We’re not as young as we used to be.”
He grinned at her. “I still have fast recovery time.” Especially with her.
“We need to be at the airport in less than three hours,” she reminded him.
He bent and kissed her as he slid under the covers next to her. “Then we’d better get started.”
He slid his fingers through her wet folds. Her clit was hard and swollen, begging for attention. With his thumb he circled it, pressing firmly on the top when he slid two fingers into her channel. Her walls immediately clenched in her hips bucked. She gasped in a ragged breath.
“Damn, woman, you really want this.”
Rayne grabbed his face, her palms on his cheeks, and captured his gaze. “I want you.”
That was all the invitation he needed. He rolled and she spread her legs wide. He quickly slid the condom over his pounding erection, having to still his entire body for just a moment to hold back his release. He was that close. But he had to make this good for her.
With his body under control, he slid the tip into her. Damn, she was tight. He couldn’t remember when he had been this engorged, but she either hadn’t had sex in a long time or hadn’t had someone his size. “Fuck, sweetheart, you’re tight.”
“Please tell me that’s not all you’ve got to give me,” she warned.
He chuckled as he gave her more, giving her time to adjust. “Oh, no, sweetheart, there’s a lot more.”
She bent her knees and lifted her hips, forcing him deeper. “What the fuck are you waiting for?”
He bent and nuzzled her neck, kissing her just under her ear. “I love when you talk dirty.”
She smacked his ass. “Fuck me, then. Hard.”
He slammed into her to the hilt. “I thought you didn’t like spanking.”
“I don’t like, or need, anyone spanking me. But if spanking you is what it takes to get this,” She rocked her hips up off the bed and he swore he hit bottom. “I’m more than happy to oblige.”
She squeezed his hips with her thighs and her walls tightened around his cock.
“Christ, woman, you’re going to kill me. I’m so close already.” He slid out and pumped back into her.
“Then get moving faster. It’s not going to take much for me, either. It’s been a long time for me. I think I have OBU.” She met his thrust with one of her own.
“What the fuck is OBU?” He stilled and looked down at her. “That isn’t some kind of new STD that I haven’t heard of yet, is it?”
When she laughed, her walls vibrated around his dick, almost making him shoot off. Thankfully, the fear of a sexually transmitted disease had put it damper on everything.
“OBU, orgasm back-up,” she said between laughs. It’s been a long time since I was with a man, and no matter what it says on the sex toy box, it’s just not the same.”
He loved her little confession.
“Well, then, let’s see what we can do about that.” He drove into her, pulling out full-length each time.
She hadn’t lied. He could feel her whole body start to tighten.
“You’re close, sweetheart. What can I do to get you there?” He needed her to go, and fast, because he was so ready. He then had a flashback to the time in Nigeria. Her breasts had been ultrasensitive.
He leaned down and took into his mouth, sucking hard.
She exploded when he nipped her nipple.
He followed her over on the next thrust.
A moment later, he had enough sense to roll off her, pulling her in to his side. With the tissues on the nightstand, he removed the condom and tossed it in the waist can. He loved the feel of her hot rhythmic breath on his chest as they slept cuddled together.
He woke first and watched her sated face. There was something about a freshly fucked woman’s face. He had given her that ecstasy and contentment. He wanted to do it again. This time, though, he wanted to show her what she meant to him. She was so much more important than a six-second orgasm.
Kissing her, he hoped to awake his sleeping beauty. She smiled and stretched, arching her back, offering him her bare breasts. Obliging, he took one in his mouth and the other in his hand, mimicking his mouth movements.
Rayne dropped her hand to his already growing erection. Her soft fingers ran circles around his dick as it hardened once again.
Within minutes, they were both ready. This time, they took it slow, savoring each other’s body, building the heat within until they went off together. They held tight to each other as their bodies quaked and collapsed in sleep.
When Dex rolled over for a third round, Rayne was gone. He padded naked to the bathroom, to find her shower gel and makeup bag missing. Trotting back to the bedroom, her bags weren’t there.
Where the hell had she gone? Did her plane leave early? Realizing he had no idea what time it was, he dashed past the pile of his dirty wet clothes to the nightstand where he’d left his watch.
No. Only two hours had passed.
He needed to find Rayne before she left the island.
Sweaty and sticky from hours of sex, Dex took one of the faster showers of his life. Donning clean clothes for traveling home, he set out to find Rayne once again.
“Hey, Dex, I was just coming to get you.” Remi said as soon as he stepped into the hall. “The storm pa
ssed through quicker than anticipated. The pilot’s ready to bug out. I’m here to take you to the airport.”
Dex glanced around the quiet building. “Where is everybody?”
“If you’re talking about Congressman Sedgwick and his entourage, they’re already gone.” Remi’s word hit him like a gut punch.
Rayne was gone. She had left him sleeping in the bed they had shared. Without a word.
Fuck!
“Look, Dex, we gotta go. There’s only a short break between the storm bands and we sure as hell don’t want to get stuck here during a fucking hurricane. Do you need help with your gear?” Remi looked past him at the door to his room.
The room where he and Rayne had made love for hours. No. They hadn’t been fucking. Maybe that first time, but after that, they were making love.
Yes. It was love. And he wasn’t going to let her go.
Chapter Seventeen
Ding, dong.
Rayne rarely had company so she couldn’t imagine who was ringing her doorbell unless it was a delivery that required a signature. The Secret Service may have sent her an official letter telling her that she was on administrative leave until further notice.
Just in case, she slid open the small drawer in the table next to the front door and checked her weapon. Loaded, one in the chamber. She flicked off the safety.
She peered through the peep hole.
Shaking her head, she flipped back on the safety and stuffed the gun into her waistband at the small of her back. With the twist of her wrist the deadbolt was unlocked, and she opened the door.
“Dex, I’m surprised to see you here.” She had no idea that he even knew where she lived. Reconsidering, he probably had access to unlisted addresses through Guardian Security, which spoke volumes about the company.
“Why the fuck did you leave without a word?” Dex jumped right into it.
“Because it was just sex. Remember?” She hissed. “A one-night stand to relieve stress. That’s what we agreed.”
