Dog Tags: A romance anthology featuring military and canine heroes

by Kate Kinsley

  “I felt bad boarding him. He’s only sixteen weeks old.”

  “Well, I guess if Lennox said it was okay…”

  “She did, and mostly he’s sweet, but into everything. I’m exhausted. Not too exhausted to dance, though. That way, my mother may not notice the dress.”

  “Then let’s go.” I offered her my elbow and she took it.

  “So where do you live?” I asked as she moved into my arms on the dance floor. People were getting ready for dinner, but there were half a dozen couples out there with us.

  “Fort Lauderdale,” she said. “You?”

  “I’m stationed at Quantico in Virginia.”

  “Have you been there long?”

  “A year.”

  “So you won’t have to move any time soon?”

  “Probably not for two more years, unless my unit deploys, but we haven’t heard anything yet.”

  “Please take your seats for dinner.” A voice came through the speakers and we moved apart reluctantly.

  “Where are you seated?” I asked her.

  “Table four.”

  “I’m at fifteen,” I said. “Dance again after dinner?”

  “You can count on it.” She flashed me a smile as she moved away and I watched the swaying of her ass with interest. I wasn’t sure why I was so drawn to her, but we’d been having a blast together so far, and I wasn’t going to question it.

  Lennox and Sandor cut the cake after dinner and then had the traditional first dance. Lennox danced with her stepfather and Sandor danced with an aunt, and then the dance floor opened up again. Before I had a chance to look for her, Vivian was right in front of me.

  “Do you know the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ dance?” she asked me.

  “I don’t,” I said, slowly getting to my feet. “But I’m guessing there’s a challenge involved here.”

  “No challenge. I’ll just teach you.” She took my hand and pulled me to the dance floor, where half the room had lined up in uneven rows. A song I’d never heard before was playing and it appeared to be a line dance. Vivian stood in front of me, giving me a great view of her shapely backside, and showed me the steps.

  Okay, this wasn’t too bad. Four steps to the right, four steps to the left…shit. Now we had some turn thing happening. It wasn’t hard, though, and with Vivian wiggling in front of me, I picked it up relatively quickly. Lennox had dragged Sandor out here too, and he looked as uncomfortable as I felt, but everyone was laughing and having fun, including him. I was glad to see Lennox had found a man that looked at her the way Sandor did. She deserved happiness. Something I’d never thought about much for myself, for some reason.

  We moved from that song to a slower one and Vivian moved into my arms without hesitation.

  “That wasn’t bad, right?” she asked, looping her arms around my neck, her lithe body lightly pressed to mine.

  Shit, what had she said? I was so busy envisioning her naked, I had a hard time concentrating.

  “Do you have a girlfriend, Gunnar?”

  My eyes snapped to hers.

  “Honey, I wouldn’t have my arms around you right now if I did.”

  Chapter Three

  Vivian

  I probably should have played hard to get or something, but I didn’t care. I was essentially on vacation, away from all the stresses of my life, and hooking up with a sexy green-eyed hunk was just what the doctor ordered. I had a lot going on back home and this was the perfect opportunity to let loose without impacting school or anything else that would get me into trouble with my parents.

  “I need champagne,” I whispered to him after we’d danced four or five in a row. He wasn’t a great dancer, but he was light on his feet and could follow if I led, so that worked for me.

  He kept a hand at the small of my back as we walked over to the champagne fountain where we’d first met.

  “We’re over an hour past dinner,” he said, taking two glasses from the side of the pyramid. “How long before people start to misbehave?”

  “We still haven’t done the bouquet or garter throws, so I’m betting that’s when things take a turn for the wild.”

  “I don’t think it’ll happen until some of the older people in the room say good night,” he said. “Once that happens, this crowd might get a little rowdy.”

  “I’ve never seen Lennox get rowdy.” I chuckled. “You think she’ll start at her wedding?”

  He opened his mouth and closed it again. “I plead the fifth on this one.”

  “You’ve seen my sister let loose? Like get falling-down drunk and do something she wasn’t supposed to?”

  He smiled. “You’ll have to take that up with her.”

  I downed the glass of champagne because I was thirsty and then grabbed another. “I need water,” I told him. “I don’t want to get dehydrated.”

  “I’ll get one for you from the bar.” He went in that direction and I watched him with a happy sigh.

  “You have that look,” Harlow said, joining me and following my gaze.

  “He’s pretty,” I said with a mischievous grin.

  “He is.” She was looking at something slightly off to the side though, and I turned my head to see what it was.

  “Who’s that?” I asked.

  She bit her lip. “Marcus.”

  “He’s hot.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  We glanced at each other and smiled.

  “There is definitely something in the air,” I murmured. “I want Gunnar so bad, I’m about to jump him right here on the dance floor.”

  “Uh-huh.” Harlow sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s into me. Marcus, I mean.”

  “Gunnar’s into me,” I told her. “But the difference is, you have time since you’re planning to stay here. I’m leaving in a few days, so I have to grab my chance now.”

  “Well, be safe, but go have fun.” Harlow smiled, waved at Gunnar, who was approaching, and walked off.

  I downed the glass of ice water he brought me and then dragged him back onto the dance floor. The DJ was playing everything from oldies to 80s metal to rap and hip-hop. We danced and sang, did two rounds of shots with Sandor and Lennox, and danced some more. By eleven o’clock, there was so much sexual tension in the air, I was pretty sure other people could see it.

  “You gonna tease me all night,” Gunnar whispered in my ear as I moved into his arms for another slow song, “or you want to go outside where I can kiss you?”

  I slid my hand into his and we walked out onto the balcony. This was apparently make-out central. Quite a few couples were kissing or cuddling in various corners of the expansive area and I pulled him further, along the side of the building. The palace was huge and this balcony went along the entire ballroom on two sides.

  I turned to him expectantly, my heart rate kicking up a notch. His eyes closed as he drifted closer and his lips found mine. We’d been working up to this all night and for some reason I’d been expecting rough. Instead, I got sensual passion with a touch of edgy and a pinch of tenderness. The way he slid his fingers into the hair at the nape of my neck made me break out in goose bumps, and the hand gently cupping my ass was sexy but not explicit.

  He was going to fuck me, of that I was sure, but he was going to take his time getting there, which made me a little damp in all the right places.

  A distinct moan of pleasure came from somewhere close to us and we pulled apart almost reluctantly, glancing around.

  “Holy shit,” I whispered against his ear. “Prince Daniil is going down on that redhead…”

  “He sure is.” Gunnar’s grip on my ass tightened and though neither of us said anything else, it was like watching good porn. Two beautiful people having erotic, consensual oral sex. The redhead was on a small bench, her dress bunched up around her thighs and Daniil was leaning between them, her legs over his shoulders. It was dark enough, and his shoulders broad enough, to block the view of her private parts, but there was no doubt what was going on or the cause of the sounds s
he was making.

  “Wanna play?” Gunnar whispered in my ear.

  I leaned back so I could look into his eyes. The passion lurking there made me forget all about my promise to my mother not to do anything that would embarrass Lennox, and I licked my lips. “Hell, yeah.”

  There was another bench, about twenty feet away from where Daniil and the redhead were still going at it, and Gunnar gently pushed me onto it.

  “Please tell me you’re not wearing panties,” he said, his eyes glittering.

  “Bare as the day I was born,” I said with a smile, moving my legs apart invitingly. Since my dress had a slit all the way up one thigh, it took no effort for it to ride up and leave me deliciously exposed. Part of me felt a smidgen of guilt for doing this at Lennox’s reception, but if Prince Daniil could do it… Oh, dear god, Gunnar didn’t mess around. He’d already moved between my legs and lifted one of them over his shoulder, opening me further.

  “Damn, this is gonna be fun.” He lowered his head and, once again, surprised me. His touch was featherlight, lips grazing my inner thigh as he moved closer to where I wanted him. He didn’t rush, merely kissing me everywhere except the part of me that was wet in anticipation of what was coming, and using one finger to trace a line along the crease of my thigh.

  His breath was warm against my sensitive skin and he tortured me by running the tip of his tongue along my slit, barely making contact. I tried to move closer but he inched back, shaking his head.

  “I can see you like to take charge,” he murmured softly, “but this time, you’re going to let me do this my way.”

  I think I whimpered in frustration, but he just chuckled and went back to what he was doing. Well, what he was barely doing. I dug one hand into his short hair, urging him forward, but he was stronger than I was and held back, nibbling one of my ass cheeks instead.

  “I’m going to kill you,” I huffed.

  “Uh-huh.” He flattened his tongue and moved it right up my middle, and my breath escaped me in a rush. It had been more than six months since I’d had sex and this was unbelievably good.

  “Oh my god.” I inadvertently cried out when he slid his tongue inside of me, a finger teasing my back hole. He eased up the pressure and pressed light kisses on my clit, coaxing it out slowly before sucking it between his lips. I must have made another noise because I noticed Daniil and the redhead watching us now, but I was too far gone to care.

  Gunnar was swirling his tongue around my clit and that naughty finger of his slid into my ass. I hadn’t done any ass play in a long time and tensed a little, waiting for the familiar burn, but it didn’t come. Instead, I arched into his face and everything exploded white around me. I clapped one hand over my mouth to drown out my screams. It was that good.

  “That’s what happens when you relinquish control,” he said, finally pulling out his finger and lifting his head to look at me.

  Chapter Four

  Gunnar

  Yup, I’d just gone down on Vivian outdoors on the balcony, just a hundred feet away from where the reception was raging. With Prince Daniil and his redhead watching.

  “Skinny-dipping at midnight,” Daniil said, sliding an arm around the redhead’s shoulders as they walked past us. “Third floor pool. The password is pineapple. Do not share. Private party.” They disappeared inside and I looked up at Vivian, who still hadn’t moved.

  She met my gaze with a mischievous smile. “Skinny-dipping at midnight… You in?”

  “Hell, yeah.” I reached out to straighten her dress and helped her up.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, sliding to her knees and reaching for my zipper. “It’s your turn.”

  “Fuck.” I watched in amazement as she took a quick look around, decided it was safe, and sucked my dick out of my boxers with her mouth.

  She was amazing. I’d started out the night looking for a good time and now I was enthralled. It wasn’t just that she was sucking my dick. That was part of it, of course, but there was more to it. The way she laughed, the way she moved on the dance floor, and this streak of mischief that practically radiated from her.

  I dug my fingers into her hair, guiding her rhythm until I was ready to blow. She took me so deep I groaned, and when I hit the back of her throat, I had to squeeze my eyes shut to keep from shooting off right then and there. God, she was fantastic, and took a second to enjoy it. And best of all, she didn’t choke or gag, merely cupped my balls and gave them a little squeeze, using a simple gesture to let me know she was done. I pulled back and let her take control again before I shot off.

  She swallowed every drop and then looked up and met my gaze as she slowly, purposefully, ran her tongue over her lips. “Fucking delicious.”

  “Jesus, I might have to marry you someday.” I reached down to help her stand and then I kissed her. The taste of her pussy still lingered on my tongue and it mixed with my own flavor as our mouths fused together.

  “I can’t wait to see you naked,” she said in a breathy voice.

  “Is it midnight yet?” I groaned.

  “A little after eleven. But I need to clean up and get more champagne.”

  “Me too.” I slid my fingers around hers and we walked to the restrooms. “Meet you right here.”

  I went in and relieved myself, washed my hands and straightened my shirt and pants. I didn’t know what Miss Vivian had in mind for the rest of the night, but I couldn’t wait to find out.

  She was right there when I came out and she’d refreshed her lipstick with something shimmery and pink.

  “Now why’d you go and do that?” I asked in a low voice, leaning towards her. “I’m going to have to kiss all that pretty pink right off.”

  “Later, Casanova,” she said, tugging me back to the champagne fountain. It was still going strong and we shared a knowing look.

  “Looks like you were wrong,” I said, “but the night’s still young.”

  She took two glasses, handed me one and downed hers. “Do you want to dance with me some more, Gunnar?”

  “I do.” I downed my own glass of champagne and followed her onto the dance floor. It was a slow song and I pulled her against me. “You’re something, Vivian,” I whispered against her hair. “I’ve enjoyed the hell out of tonight.”

  “The night’s not over yet, is it?” Her eyes met mine with a distinct question written in them.

  “No, it’s not.” I found her lips and kissed her. It was probably a little inappropriate for the dance floor, but it was nothing like what I’d do when we were alone. Would it be crazy to go down on her again before I fucked her? She’d needed more, but I couldn’t give her the full experience on a bench on the balcony.

  Ironically, I wasn’t in a hurry to get her alone. That was coming, but I also liked dancing with her, hearing her tell me funny stories about Taco the German shepherd, and even teasing me about everything I wouldn’t tell her about Lennox. Not that I had any deep, dark secrets about her, but it was fun pretending I did.

  Hell, everything about Vivian was fun. She was pretty, with pale blue eyes and a cute, upturned nose. Her lips were full and the top one had a little bow at the top, something I planned to nibble on all night. Despite the hell-raiser she pretended to be on the outside, I had a feeling there was a soft, more sensitive Vivian on the inside, and for some reason I hoped to see glimpses of her before we had to go our separate ways. Today was Saturday and I was leaving Monday, but I hadn’t yet asked her when she was heading back to the U.S.

  “When do you leave for home?” I asked her.

  “Monday,” she said. I’m supposed to be at work on Tuesday, but I might call out and delay by a day or two. I hate that I have to leave so soon but I’ve been here over a week already and I don’t want to lose my job.”

  “What do you do?”

  “Wait tables.” She shrugged a little. “It pays really well while I’m in school, so even though my stepfather is paying for school, I live off-campus and have to pay rent.”

&nb
sp; “Makes sense.”

  “What do you do in the military?” she asked.

  I paused. “I’m in…intelligence.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Like a spy?”

  I chuckled. “It’s a little different in the Marines versus the CIA or NSA or something, but yeah, kinda. For me it’s more about predictive reconnaissance, like figuring out what’s going to happen, not being sent all over the world to see what’s going on in real time.”

  “Like an analyst or whatever.”

  “Exactly.”

  “That’s very, very cool.” Her eyes met mine and lingered.

  Damn, every time she did that, I had to kiss her, and my cock was getting stiff as a board again even though she’d gotten me off an hour ago.

  “It’s almost midnight,” she whispered. “But I think I’d rather make love than skinny-dip.”

  “You just about read my mind.”

  “Shall we grab a couple more glasses of champagne before we go?”

  I looked around and saw one of the waiters carrying two bottles towards one of the tables in the back.

  “Excuse me.” I tapped him on the shoulder. “I need one of those. Thank you.” I snatched it off of his tray before he could reply and then grabbed Vivian’s hand as we hurried out of the room laughing.

  “Your place or mine?” I asked her.

  “Yours. If we go to mine, Taco will be all over us.”

  “Yeah, I’m picturing him bouncing on my ass while I’m fucking you.”

  She laughed. “He’s kind of big so let’s avoid that if we can.”

  We went up an elevator and turned toward the guest suites. I unlocked the door and let her walk in ahead of me. Someone had turned down the sheets and left several pieces of chocolate on the pillow. Damn, the palace was better than a hotel.

  “Mmm, chocolate and champagne.” Vivian scooped up one of the pieces of chocolate and slowly unwrapped it. But instead of eating it, she walked over to me and held it up to my mouth. “Do you like chocolate, Gunnar?”