“Mack,” she whispered, covering his hands with hers, showing him how to caress her. One of her hands guided one of his down to her pussy, and he happily obliged. When he inserted two fingers into her slick heat, she thrust into him, and he mimicked the erotic dance his cock would do soon—in and out, each time deeper. He squeezed her breast, desperate to grasp every bit of her and never, ever let go.
He flicked her clit with his thumb while continuing to drill her sex, relentlessly. Soon, she trembled, coming apart in his arms, and he didn’t let up until her moans lost their energy. She panted, and he lifted his palm to her chest, reveling in the maddening rhythm of her heart.
Sweat glistened on his forehead and neck. His body contracted, his stomach clenching with tension. If he didn’t screw her, he’d go insane.
“Get ready, baby. Now we’re really going to have some fun.”
Chapter Six
Jenny gasped, still recovering from the delicious orgasm enhancing all her senses. Her knees wobbly, she reached for the trunk for support—the scent of morning dew, tree sap, and sex swirling around her.
His animal-like groan filled the air, his breath fanning her hair. Mack had wanted her too…not just now, but when they’d been younger. Her heart rate kicked up another notch, and she quivered backward, longing for the release only he could give.
He caressed her ass, prickling her skin, peppering her with little sparks of awareness. “I’ve dreamed of being with you for so long,” he said. “Even when I was awake.”
She moaned, her heart thumping in her throat, anticipation overwhelming her.
At last, he pressed his hand on her back, bending her slightly and nudging her thighs apart. She let out a hoarse little growl that could belong to one of the animals in the woods. Teasingly, he played with her folds, caressing her flesh, sending hot arrows of lust to her clit.
When he thrust his cock inside her, she gasped, clenching the tree trunk. This time, he didn’t give her much time to adjust and began fucking her with steady, powerful plunges. She bucked her hips into him, her folds clinging to his cock. Holy shit. Excitement rushed through her, and even though they’d made love before, now—it felt like the first time. The first time since they’d told each other how they felt.
He tugged at her hair, and another wave of desire washed over her, as real as the pearly essence dripping down her thighs. With his other hand, he cupped her breasts, catching her nipple between two fingers and squeezing it. She mewled, leaning into him, desire blurring her vision.
Groaning, he pulled her hair, positioning her neck just under his mouth. He nipped her skin, then traced his tongue over it, making her tremble.
“Too much,” she whispered. It was too much. He didn’t let up and continued to fuck her, cupping her breast and teasing her neck. When he slid his tongue to her ear, she quivered. Slowly, he licked the outer shell, then grazed his teeth over it.
Heat built inside, radiating from her chest to every part of her. “I’m coming,” she said, urgency lacing her voice. He withdrew his cock a little just to return back with a deep, hard plunge. She moaned, her hands dropping from the trunk as she trembled. Delicious strands of pleasure sizzled through her, contracting and then releasing, claiming her from top to bottom. She let out a gasp, sated and exhausted, when he continued to thrust into her.
Once.
Twice.
When the third time hit, he shouted her name, clutching her shoulders, and she felt him shiver behind her. He filled her with his hot load, then they both fell to the ground, their limbs entwined.
Damn it, she didn’t know where to go from here where he was concerned. But here was the best place she’d been in years.
…
“Where are you taking me?” Jenny instinctively touched the piece of cloth he’d used to blindfold her minutes ago. “If you want to have sex and have some weird ideas, I hate to disappoint but I’m literally screwed for the day.”
The hearty rumble of his chuckle echoed in her heart, raising the little hairs at the back of her neck. “Don’t worry. Just a few more steps.”
He kept guiding her, pressing his strong palm against the small of her back and leading her like he had for the past five minutes since they left their cottage. Our cottage. After the day they’d shared, it seemed like the two of them belonged there. Belonged together.
A breeze caressed her skin, prickling her flesh. Because of her lack of sight, she heard the sounds around her with more intensity. Crickets chirped, and as they walked, she felt a switch from the smooth concrete of the sidewalk to a pebbled path.
The sound of metal clanging on metal made her turn her head in its direction. He opened some sort of gate and guided her inside once more.
“We’re here,” he said, in that deep baritone that sent ripples down her spine.
She removed her blindfold and glanced at the medium-size pool a couple feet from them. Candles outlined the path from her to the border of the pool, the only light besides the glorious moon casting its shine over the still water.
“A pool?”
“I thought you could relax after so many strenuous activities.”
“I don’t have a swimsuit.”
He removed his shirt. “No problem. This pool is a bit far from the other cabins, and there’s a lot of green surrounding the fenced area,” he said, gesturing with his hand. Then he continued to take off his pants and underwear and toss them aside.
Ice spilled into her belly. Skinny-dipping? “What if someone comes?”
“I talked to the manager and rented the pool for the rest of the evening. If someone asks for the key to have access, he’ll say it’s closed for cleaning.”
“You talked?”
A small smile curled his lips. “Well, offered him some money for his cooperation.”
She touched the waistline of her jeans. “And the candles?”
“More money.”
She wriggled out of her jeans, excitement quickening her pulse. He’d done it all for her. Why? Why would he go through the trouble of setting this romantic ambience when they’d not only already had sex, but shared a cabin and could do it again without much foreplay? Because he cares about me.
A wave of warmth washed over her. She walked over to the pool and grasped the curved handle of the small ladder and got in. The cool water reached her shoulders, and she quivered for a moment, adjusting to the temperature. “Thanks for doing this.”
“Pool isn’t heated, but the temperature is probably good to help relax your leg after today. I don’t want you to overdo it.”
“Oh.” Her heart shrank to the size of a pearl, and she covered her mouth. Was that why he was helping her? Because of all the walking and fucking, and the possible exhaustion it could cause her? “I’m fine, Mack. You don’t have to worry about my health,” she said, bitterness lacing her voice.
“Oh, but I do,” he said, erasing the distance between them. A gleam sparked in his eyes, water dripping down his face. “I worry about everything when it comes to you, Jenny Sadler.”
She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. Damn it. Why would she think he pitied her? He caught a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Thanks. I’ll remember tonight forever. I’ve never been skinny-dipping before,” she said, adding some lightness to her voice to dispel the tension. “Have you?”
He played with the water, and little waves rippled around him. “A couple times.”
“Who was she?” she asked, nudging his arm. Who was she, besides a lucky woman? Well, not that lucky—it’s not like she had snatched him for good. A strand of jealousy surged through her, but she brushed it aside. They both had a past, but none of it mattered. Not anymore.
“Doesn’t matter.”
She touched his cheek, coaxing him to look at her. “Maybe you don’t remember.”
“I remember a lot.”
“Like what?”
“When you turned eighteen, you wore a polka-dot dress to the dinner party your fami
ly threw for you. You had your hair combed to the side. The dark red lipstick was so damn sexy I kept telling myself not to gawk at you.”
Wow. Not even she remembered her dress from so long ago. A warm sensation filled her chest. “The only thing I remember from the day was my heel—”
He brought her closer to him, her body gluing to his. Even though his hard-on poked her, a different energy zapped through her, bringing all her nerve endings to life. “It broke. I know. You weren’t used to such high heels, and it got stuck in between the wood panels of the terrace. Your mother cracked a joke about you needing to get used to it, and you dashed to your room and picked other shoes.”
“Tennis shoes,” she said, remembering the cute pair of red Converse she’d favored, thinking it’d add an air of informality to her outfit. Not to mention comfort. “My mom hated my choice.”
“Yeah. But you didn’t go back to your room to change,” he said, with a pang of pride. “You were who you are today much before you knew it, Jenny.”
His words clutched her heart, then released it, and clutched it once more. He circled his arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace. Tears pricked behind her lids. She wanted to speak, to push past the lump expanding in her throat. An agony stabbed at her, maybe because his truth made her feel more naked than the lack of clothes.
He kissed the top of her head, and she sighed, softening in his arms, melting into his hug. He said he cared for her even in the past, and now she fully believed it. “No woman has moved me the way you have, Jenny. I’ll never forget tonight, either.”
She withdrew and kissed his jaw. “Thanks.”
He kissed her, a slow, languid kiss that held the intimacy of two former lovers, reunited and carefree. When he wrenched his mouth from her, he watched her. “We better stop. I didn’t bring you here to make love, and you said you were—”
She touched his shoulders, sliding her fingers down his strong arms. “Maybe I lied,” she whispered, capturing his lips with hers again.
…
Mack finished brushing his teeth, then put the toothbrush on the counter. Jenny lathered shampoo in her hair, and it took every bit of self-control not to join her in the shower. Again. Today was Monday, and he had business to do.
He washed his hands, then wiped them on the towel. She was humming the tune of some atrocious pop song. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, catching his smile broadening at her rendition of already-crappy music. God, what he wouldn’t give to listen to her every morning.
His gut contracted, and he witnessed his smile fading. Her father would be against their relationship. Hell, she left medical school to pursue movie reviewing. His heart loosened, a sense of peace spreading through him. I’ll ask her. He’d ask her to keep seeing him, to start a relationship, to let him take her out on proper dates back home.
“Mack,” she shouted from the shower. “My phone’s ringing. Can you tell my sister I’ll call her back? I’m worried if I don’t answer she’ll think something’s wrong.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks. It’s on the nightstand.”
He strode out of the bathroom, and when he picked it up, he recognized her father’s face on screen. Shit. Without thinking, he brought the phone to his ear and said, “Hello.”
“Hello. Who is this? I’m calling to speak with Jenny.”
“Hi, Mr. Sadler. It’s Mack Hunter,” he said, injecting some enthusiasm in his voice. “Jenny is unavailable right now.”
A sigh from the other side. “Oh, Mack. Miranda told me you flew her and there’s been some sort of an accident. How is she? Do I need to fly somewhere?”
“She’s great.”
“Doesn’t seem so great if she can’t answer the phone.”
Mack’s gut clenched. “I guarantee she’ll call you as soon as she’s out of the bathroom,” he said in a steady tone. He’d excelled as a pilot because of his cool demeanor no matter what the situation. Didn’t mean Mr. Sadler didn’t annoy the hell out of him, but he still had to show respect.
“I’d appreciate that. Is everything okay? I thought the mishap was two nights ago,” he said, accusation lacing his voice.
Silence. Mack ran his fingers down his face. Would she be upset if he broke the news to her father without telling her? To hell with it. If he wanted them to have a chance, he needed to clear the air with her father first. That was his job, not hers. He’d been the one who gave Mr. Sadler his word in the past. And he was the one who was breaking it.
He cleared his throat. “Yes. I’m making sure she’s okay.” He grasped the phone a tad tighter than needed, gratitude filling his chest.
He snorted. “What does that mean?”
“We’re together.”
“When did you make this decision? I never even heard of you two being together.”
“Doesn’t matter. I understand in the past you had some reservations but—”
“Listen, just have her call me. Jenny always finds a way to be different and—”
“Mr. Sadler, I’m not your errand boy anymore. Have a good day,” he said, then hung up, his blood pounding. The phone buzzed again, and he lifted it, ready for a comeback, when a text message flickered on the screen.
Are you still going to go ahead with the plan to marry Lewis?
Miranda’s face displayed on top.
He ran his fingers through his hair, reading the message again to make sure he hadn’t made a mistake. What the hell?
I’ll support you no matter what. But please think it through. A woman doesn’t have to marry just cuz she’s 30.
Slowly, acid spread into his stomach. Mack tossed the phone on the bed, his fingers trembling. Lewis. Wasn’t he Jenny’s best friend, the reason she was flying to Houston? She was willing to marry him just to hit some goddamn milestone? How was she so different from her family? From her father, with his ridiculous expectations?
And worse, why hadn’t she mentioned it to him in the forty-eight hours they’d been together? Maybe her father had a point. She liked being different for the sake of going against her family’s wishes. And he…he had been an adventure, nothing else.
He gritted his teeth, confusion filling his mind.
Flying her to Houston was no longer an option.
Chapter Seven
Jenny slipped into her nightgown. Without telling Mack, she’d called the lobby and asked for a late checkout. Why not enjoy the honeymoon ambience one last time? Her heart skipped a beat.
I need to call Lewis, too. Or maybe just tell him in person the pact was definitely off. After her amazing weekend with Mack, she couldn’t just fly away and marry Lewis anymore. She needed passion, caring, and more. Why should she have to pick between passion and commitment? Since when were they mutually exclusive?
Hope filled her chest. “Mack?” she called as she entered the bedroom.
She glanced around the area, but no sign of Mack. She gazed at the place where he left his phone and wallet and couldn’t find them. No trace of his clothes, either, which meant he was wearing them.
She plopped on the bed. A nagging sensation settled in her stomach. When she found her cell phone, she clutched it—maybe he left her a message or something. Her sister’s text blinked in front of her, and she swallowed. Shit.
Mack had probably read it and connected the dots. Holy fuck. A nauseating sensation formed in her belly and rose up her throat. She swallowed, tasting the sourness. He’s seen it. God, he probably thought she was some two-timing, privileged bitch who’d used him for fun.
With trembling fingers, she reached for the phone and called the front desk. “Hi…” she started, then cleared her throat. Pull yourself together, girl. There’s a reasonable explanation for everything. “Is it possible Mr. Hunter checked out already?”
“He paid for the room but hasn’t left yet,” the clerk told her. “Oh, wait. I see him walking up to a pickup truck.”
What? No. He was going to leave. The bastard hadn’t told her, was probably pissed at
her, and chose to leave instead of staying and asking. Instead of giving her a hard time or talking things through.
“No,” she shouted. “Please, tell him to wait. I have something he needs.” A lie, but she needed to buy time.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, he’s far away and I can’t leave the desk right now. Would you like to leave him a message in case he calls?”
She hung up the phone. Her heart shrank, and her shoulders sagged. She’d thought Mack was different from the guys she usually dated. More mature, without playing games or any of the bullshit. Straightforward.
Hot tears prickled her eyes. She’d done it again—given in to a crazy impulse and made a fool out of herself. Regret burned in her chest, and she touched it, willing it away. The other times, deep down she knew she chose douchebag men even if she denied it to herself. But with Mack…he made her want more than just one weekend. He made her change her mind about Lewis and the practicality of their pact.
She wiped the tears from her face.
I have to explain it to him. If she explained and he didn’t want anything else to do with her, then at least she would have tried.
Remembering the front desk agent’s words, she rushed out of her room, forgoing shoes. When she stomped into the grass, she lifted her hand over her eyes to search for Mack under the blinding sun. Maybe she was too late, and he’d taken off already.
Her heart drilled in her chest. Her breath caught in her throat as the sound of an idling red truck caught her attention. She ran in that direction, forcing her legs to make it even if it hurt them. “Mack!” she shouted.
Mack, who was standing next to the passenger door speaking to the driver, turned to her. Surprise flickered in his eyes, then he did a quick exchange with the man and marched toward her.
“You can’t go. You can’t leave me without letting me explain.” I thought you were better than that, she added inwardly. She lifted her chin, even if she had to wrestle to stay upright. A cool morning breeze swirled around her, prickling her arms and legs.
The muscle in his jaw twitched. “I asked for a pilot to take you to Houston.”
Men In Uniform Anthology Page 31
