by Kate Kinsley
“Mm-hmm.” I wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her right off the ground. I sucked the chocolate into my mouth but then leaned in to kiss her, letting it melt as I sealed my lips over hers. Our tongues curled around it, the ball of chocolate making it harder to kiss but more fun and definitely more delicious. She was petite, so holding her up was no problem, except I needed more. I gently lowered her onto the bed, with me on top of her, our mouths still locked together.
By the time the chocolate was mostly gone, I paused to swallow and then reached for the bottle of champagne, taking a pull and then holding it over Vivian’s mouth. “Open,” I teased.
Her lips parted and I drizzled champagne into her mouth, letting her swallow before reaching for the other piece of chocolate.
“Chocolate kisses,” she breathed, reaching up to wrap her arms around my neck. “This will forever be our thing.”
I popped it between my teeth, letting it stick out so she could lick it, but she used her tongue to push it into my mouth and then planted a kiss on me that made my toes curl. Playfulness was still there, but it was slowly being replaced by urgency and she had no problem taking the lead. Even though I was on top. Even though I’d been the one to essentially pick her up and toss her on the bed. And I fucking loved it.
“Take this off,” I murmured between kisses, gently tugging the fabric of her dress.
She sat up and I pulled it over her head, revealing a long torso with silky skin, a smattering of tattoos and a pair of luscious breasts. They were small but perky, with light pink nipples that made my mouth water.
“I’ve been thinking about going down on you again all night,” I whispered, “but now I might have to play with those first.”
She reached down and grabbed my crotch, squeezing lightly as she leaned up for another kiss. Damn, I was going to be lost in her tonight.
“Clothes,” she whispered.
I’d already shed my jacket, but I made short work of taking off everything else and then we were skin-on-skin, somehow lying on our sides now, facing each other, still nibbling the last of the chocolate in my mouth.
“You’re beautiful,” I whispered, trailing my hand along the curve of her hip.
“Don’t stop touching me,” she whispered back. “I love the feel of your hands on my skin.”
“I love touching you.”
This was so not what I’d been expecting. I’d never had a one-night stand that included so much intimacy. I was a slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of guy in these situations, but I couldn’t muster up the slam, the bam, or even the thank you tonight. I wanted to enjoy every second of this, touching her, kissing her, pouring champagne into her mouth. When had I turned into a romantic sap?
I’d just reached for the champagne bottle again when someone knocked on the door. I glanced over my shoulder, intending to ignore it, but a second later there was another rap. Then Lennox’s voice through the door.
“Gunnar! Are you in there? Gunnar, open up.”
Chapter Five
Vivian
Gunnar and I both sat up and he hurried to the bathroom, coming out with a bathrobe for me and a towel he promptly wrapped around his waist.
“Coming!” he called out. He opened the door a crack. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Is Viv with you? It’s important.”
I yanked on the robe and peered around Gunnar’s side as he opened the door wider.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“Taco’s gone.”
“What?” I let out a little squeak. “What happened to the woman watching him?”
“She took him for a walk and he got away from her.”
“Seriously?” I glared at her though I wasn’t mad at her. “And they seriously interrupted your wedding night to find me?”
“Jenna’s in a panic, so she called security, who sent out an alert, and of course, since Sandor never goes anywhere without his phone, it went off.”
“I’m so sorry!” I whispered. Lennox was in a bathrobe much like mine. “Had you guys already…gone to bed?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “We were at an after-party up on the third floor.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Daniil’s…very special after-party?”
She squinted at me. “I don’t want to know how you know about that.”
“I was invited. We opted to get naked by ourselves. Unlike you, apparently.”
She shrugged. “It’s my wedding night. I can get naked wherever I want to.”
“I don’t know who you’re talking to about getting naked,” Sandor’s baritone voice reached us from down the hall. “But I hope it’s Vivian, because I have a present for her.”
I peeked out and sure enough, Sandor was carrying Taco, who started to wiggle ferociously when he saw me.
“You’re such a bad boy,” I said, squatting down as Taco ran to me. “Why are you such a troublemaker?” I glanced up at Sandor. “I’m really sorry.”
He smiled. “No worries. He’s a cute little guy, but I think he’s too strong for poor Jenna. He broke away when she was walking him.”
“I’m a hundred pounds soaking wet and I’ve never lost him,” I muttered.
“Hey, there, big boy.” Gunnar was squatting too, and to my surprise, Taco sniffed his hand curiously and then rolled over, looking for a belly scratch.
“He usually only does that with me,” I laughed.
“He’s beautiful,” Gunnar said.
“Well, thank you for finding him,” I told Lennox and Sandor. “You guys can go back to skinny-dipping or whatever you were doing.”
Sandor looped an arm around Lennox’s neck. “Don’t mind if we do.”
“See you at brunch,” Lennox called over her shoulder at me. “And don’t be late!”
We brought Taco inside and Gunnar shut the door.
“You’re super cute,” Gunnar told Taco, looking into his big brown eyes, “but you’re giving new meaning to coitus interruptus.”
“I’ll have to take him back to my room,” I said with a sigh.
“How come? Do you take him out in the middle of the night?”
“No, but…his bed is there and all his stuff.”
“Then let’s go back to your room together,” he suggested. “Maybe we can turn out the lights and he’ll fall asleep.”
“True. It’s way past his bedtime.”
“All right, let me grab what I’m going to wear to brunch in the morning and we can walk over. Are you on this floor?”
I nodded. “On the other side, though.”
As he gathered his things, Taco followed him around. Like a lost puppy. I shook my head at the irony, opting to stay in the robe instead of putting my dress and heels back on.
“Ready to go?” Gunnar asked, coming out of the bathroom with a small bag.
“Yup.” I picked up Taco’s leash and the bottle of champagne and we padded out into the hall.
“Bet you didn’t expect to be walking a dog down the hall at midnight,” I told him as I unlocked the door to my room.
“No, but I can’t remember the last time I had such a fun Saturday night, so it’s all good.”
He put down his things and I gave Taco some water.
“Okay, big boy, it’s time for bed, okay?”
Taco looked up at me, his tongue lolling a little.
“You’re going to be a stinker, aren’t you?” I asked him.
“Come here, handsome boy.” Gunnar snapped his fingers and Taco walked up to him. Gunnar bent down and rubbed his head. “You’re a good boy, but it’s bedtime and Mommy wants to have a little fun. Will you go lie down for me?”
Taco licked his hand and then walked over to his bed and curled up in it.
“How did you do that?” I asked, shaking my head.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “All right, I’m gonna wash my hands. And look—we have more chocolate.”
“Bonus.”
He disappeared into the bathroom and I took off the robe, sh
utting off all the lights before sliding between the sheets. This wasn’t how I’d expected the rest of tonight to go, and I didn’t know how Gunnar would feel about this new development, but he’d been pretty easygoing so far.
“Hey.” He came back into the room, naked, and slid in beside me. “What are we doing?”
“Whatever we want,” I whispered. “Just very quietly. I don’t know what Taco will do if we’re having sex, but I’m willing to bet he’ll be mellow if we are.”
“I can do quiet,” he said, pulling me close. “I can do mellow. In fact, I’m feeling pretty mellow right now. Horny, but mellow.”
I took the piece of chocolate in my hand and put it between my teeth.
“Chocolate kisses,” he murmured, leaning forward.
We kissed until the chocolate melted and our bodies were pressed together.
“Condom?” I whispered against his mouth.
“Right here.” He pressed the foil packet against my hip.
He moved over me, rolling me onto my back, as he sheathed himself. Then he was inside me and my world went black. Well, maybe it was white. Or red. Whatever it was left me speechless, completely swept up in the passion of this gorgeous, sexy man. I’d never met anyone who made me feel this way and what was supposed to be a casual lay turned into something that blew me away. Every thrust, every sweet kiss, every tender brush of his hands on my face, drew me deeper into whatever web he’d woven between us.
He drowned my cries with his mouth as we climaxed together and then lay there in the aftermath, bodies still intertwined, lips close together, whispering softly.
“We don’t appear to have disturbed Taco,” he said.
“That means we can do it again,” I responded.
“It does.” He kissed me. “I don’t think I’ll ever eat another piece of chocolate without thinking of you.”
“Me either.” I must have sighed a little because he shifted, pressing his forehead to mine.
“It’s okay,” he said. “We have all day tomorrow to come up with a plan.”
“A plan?” My eyes met his.
“To see each other again.” He brushed my hair away from my face. “Don’t you want to?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “I really do.”
“I’m going to use the bathroom and I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” I watched him go and nestled deeper into the pillows. I’d had a lot to drink and had been thoroughly sated. I wanted to curl into his arms and go to sleep, so I’d wait until he got back.
I lifted my head and looked over at Taco, who was fast asleep on his bed. He didn’t even look up and I smiled to myself.
“He seems pretty content now that you’re with him,” Gunnar said, getting back into bed.
“He’s a good dog. He has a lot of energy, but he’s a puppy; he’s supposed to have energy.”
Gunnar nodded. “Exactly.”
We must have dozed off but a noise woke me and I turned over in confusion. Gunnar was on his back beside me and he was moaning. He was mumbling under his breath, shifting uncomfortably. Was he having a nightmare?
I put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Gunnar, hey. Wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
“Lieutenant, look out!” His cry startled me and Taco growled.
“It’s okay, boy,” I said. “He’s having a dream.”
“No!” Gunnar’s arm shot out, his hand catching me on the side of my face. He was thrashing around on the bed now, completely oblivious to me or anything else, and my heart twisted painfully, watching him suffer.
“Lieutenant, wake up! Wake up!” He was crying in his sleep and I bit my lip, unsure how to help. Was I supposed to wake him?
Taco had moved to the floor by Gunnar’s side, pacing and whimpering.
“It’s okay, boy,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure that was true.
“Oh, god, get a medic!” Gunnar threw his hands up, but I was smart enough to get out of the way this time.
“Come here, boy.” I patted the spot beside me, and Taco jumped up on the bed. I didn’t usually let him on the furniture, but this seemed like a special occasion. “Gunnar, please wake up,” I said, putting my hand on his arm again, shaking him slightly. Taco nestled up to Gunnar’s side, gently licking him. Gunnar moaned deep in his chest and then sat straight up.
“What’s happening?” Gunnar looked around in confusion.
“You had a bad dream.”
Chapter Six
Gunnar
Vivian looked worried and Taco was pressed against my side, shivering slightly. I absently stroked his fur, my heart beating triple time.
Fucking nightmare.
The same one I’d had for a solid year after the attack.
The attack that almost killed me.
It hadn’t, but it had killed the rest of my friends.
But I’d worked through it. I hadn’t had a nightmare in over a year.
“I’m sorry, Vivian.” I reached for her hand and she slid it into mine.
“It’s okay. I was worried about you and wasn’t sure if I should wake you or not.”
“Damn, I’m really sorry.” I pulled her to my chest. “Did I, uh, say anything?”
“You were calling for a medic…and to your lieutenant.”
“Yeah.” I got quiet.
“You don’t have to talk about it,” she whispered, snuggling into my side. “I just want you to be okay.”
“I’m okay, babe.” I moved Taco to my other side, so I could wrap an arm around Vivian and pull her closer to me. “I’m sorry I woke you and upset Taco.”
“I think he was as worried about you as I was.”
“He’s a good boy.” I patted Taco’s head and felt him relax, starting to fall asleep again. Vivian had relaxed too, her breathing slowing down as she dozed off, but I was wide awake now.
What had brought on the nightmare? I’d spent a lot of time in therapy—on my own dime—working through the trauma of that day. Getting ambushed in the mountains. Watching my commanding officer die on the side of the road. Being taken prisoner. What they’d done to me.
It was ironic. I never dreamt about the things they’d done to me in that prison, but I had full-on nightmares about Lieutenant Connor dying. I’d discovered the reasons why in therapy, and that had helped. His death was permanent, but my torture had only lasted forty-eight hours before I was rescued. And though I’d been badly hurt, I’d been okay. I’d come home from that hellhole. Lieutenant Connor had not. He would never see his wife again or meet his newborn daughter, while I’d recovered, gotten a medal for being a hero, and was on the fast track to success in the military. Guilt had eaten at me for a long time.
The only question was why it had come back to haunt me now. It had been five years since that attack and the last year had been good. I’d moved on, gotten my head on straight, and was ready for the next phase of both life and my career. One night with a sexy woman unlike any I’d ever met had suddenly sent me spiraling. Was it the drinking? Or was it the fact that I’d truly relaxed tonight? I didn’t sleep much. That had been one of my coping strategies early on. The less I slept, the less opportunity there was for nightmares. With Vivian, I’d relaxed and hadn’t given sleep a second thought—I’d simply closed my eyes.
Shit.
She didn’t seem upset, though, which was both surprising and refreshing. The last time it happened when I’d been with a woman, I’d never heard from her again. That wasn’t Vivian. I knew it as sure as I was breathing, and I continued stroking Taco’s soft fur as I lay there. Sleep probably wouldn’t come anymore tonight, but I’d rest, keep Vivian and Taco close enough to ward off the bad thoughts.
Ironically, I did fall asleep. It had probably been around dawn, but I did, and that had never happened before. I opened my eyes to Taco licking my face and I grimaced, gently putting him a few feet away.
“Ease up on the slobber, okay?” I asked him.
Taco wagged his tail happily.
“Good m
orning.” Vivian looked up at me with a sleepy smile.
“Hey, beautiful.” I kissed the tip of her nose.
“What time is it?” she murmured.
I twisted to see the clock on the nightstand. “Nine thirty.”
“Brunch is at eleven. We have to get moving. Well, it probably takes you forty seconds to get ready, but I have to walk Taco and—”
“I’ll walk Taco. You go ahead and get in the shower.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.” I sat up. “Ready to go outside, boy?”
Woof! Taco seemed excited at the prospect.
Vivian got up and went into the bathroom while I dug around for clothes. Shit, I wasn’t in my room, and I’d only brought brunch clothes. Well, I’d figure it out. I pulled on what I had, put Taco on the leash and went to the stairs. We headed down to the ground floor and around the side, where the gardens were. I hadn’t even thought about a bag to collect any crap he might leave behind, but the guard at the door handed me one. Apparently, they were prepared.
We got outside and Taco strained against the leash, anxious to run.
“All right,” I told him, “but you’ll come when I call, right? None of this running away like last night?”
Taco thumped his tail in what I decided to take as agreement.
“Okay, off you go.” I unclipped the leash from his collar and Taco took off like a bat out of hell. And pooping was the last thing on his mind. He chased a butterfly for a few minutes, then zoomed around the fountain half a dozen times until he collapsed, flat on his stomach. As I approached, he took off again, going further down the path, and I ambled after him at a much slower pace.
I hadn’t slept much, but I felt okay. It had been a great night. I hadn’t had any expectations when I’d met Vivian and now I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I wondered if we could come up with a plan, as I’d mentioned last night, so we could continue to see each other. She was young, still in college, and I realized I didn’t even know how old she was. My guess was twenty-one or twenty-two, and that was plenty old enough, but we were at different places in life.
