She flushed as she wondered how many women he’d spent the night with. He’d told her that he and his buddies went to bars and the beach to meet girls. Was she anything special to him? Not that it mattered, she told herself. They’d part ways at the end of the day. They had to.
She heard the shower turn on and felt a brief pang of sadness. They were in a hurry, she rationalized. Of course they couldn’t spend the morning gently touching and pleasuring one another. Not that she’d touched him at all. Blake had insisted last night was all about her, and she’d been too exhausted and overwhelmed to do anything but bask in his attention.
He came back out a few minutes later, a towel wrapped around his waist. “I’ve got to check in with the team.”
She nodded.
“I should’ve asked if you needed my help again. I figured we’d just distract one another in the shower—not that I wouldn’t have loved the company.”
“I’ll be okay. I’ll just skip washing my hair this morning anyway. We have to leave soon.”
Blake dressed quickly as she moved into the bathroom, already feeling a sense of sadness wash over her. It took her longer than him to shower and get ready, thanks to her wrist, and he’d already packed his gear when she walked back into the room.
“We’ll grab some food quickly and then catch the flight. The guys have already eaten.”
“Oh. I’m slowing you down, aren’t I?” she asked.
“Not at all. I’m here to see you safely home.”
She nodded, looking around the room. Looking anywhere but at him. Of course he still thought of her as part of his mission. He’d found her and rescued her after all, and they were still here on foreign soil. She’d be part of his job until they made it back home.
“Hey,” he said, walking closer. He cupped her cheek with one hand as tears smarted her eyes. “Why the tears?”
“I just feel overwhelmed with everything. It’s silly. We haven’t even left yet, and I already miss you.”
His eyes softened. “Who said I’m going anywhere?” he asked, thumbing a stray tear away. “We’re flying back to the States together, remember?”
“Well yes, but only for a few days. I have to fly home to Texas at some point.”
“So, I’ll come visit you in Texas. Or you can come visit me. Aren’t you off for the summer or something? Maybe you can do some research in California instead of Colombia. Take samples of the Pacific if you want.”
“Yeah, maybe.” She let out a small laugh but shrugged helplessly as a few tears slid down her cheeks.
“Hell, sweetheart. I don’t want this to end just because we’re leaving. I mean, the mission I’m happy to be done with, but you? I never thought I’d meet anyone like you.”
“This is crazy though,” she protested.
“Why?”
“We hardly know each other. We just met a few days ago.”
He pulled her into his arms, his lips at her ear. Blake’s strength and heat surrounded her, and she could feel the hard planes of his chest, the muscles in his arms, and his thickening erection as he held her close.
“I know you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met,” he said, his voice gravel. “I know what you sound like when you come. What you look like in my arms. And I know I won’t be happy until your body is beneath mine, and I’m buried inside you as we make love under the stars.”
She gasped, and he softly kissed her on the tender skin behind her ear.
“You’re mine, Clarissa. You may not know it yet, but one way or another, we’ll work this out. We’ll be together. Because I don’t have the strength to let you go.”
Chapter 19
BLAKE STRETCHED HIS legs out on the flight back, Clarissa asleep at his side. Jackson smirked at him from across the aisle, but Grayson gave him the thumbs up. “The women of San Diego will be bummed you’re off the market,” Troy quipped. “But at least we can all go to Salty Sunset again.”
Ethan chuckled. “But Gray is into that chick from the country bar. We’ll have to head there one night.”
Grayson waggled his eyebrows. “As soon as we land and debrief, I’m texting Shawna. Hell, I’ve been dreaming about her gorgeous curves. The way she fills out her waitressing uniform is sinful.”
“A little late-night booty call?” Logan asked. “Guess you can’t go wrong with that.”
Blake shook his head, letting his fingers trail through Clarissa’s hair. She’d seemed embarrassed when she and Blake had walked up to the plane together early that morning, but the guys hadn’t given her a hard time. And he’d let them know in no uncertain terms earlier that she was his.
She was a part of the team now, whether she knew it or not. The rest of the guys may have been single, but Blake had watched his friends on the Alpha SEAL team in Little Creek all meet women one by one over the years. Damn. He never thought his own crazy crew would end up like them, but here he was. Leading the way with a woman at his side and happy as hell.
He sure saw the appeal of being with a single woman once you met the one.
He paused for a moment. Was she the one? He’d been chasing after pretty girls for years, half of his lifetime, really. At thirty-two, he’d resigned himself to being single. At least while he served as a Navy SEAL. But damn. The past few days with Clarissa had been like a punch to the gut.
Blake realized that he’d been missing out on a whole entire part of his life. He couldn’t imagine not seeing her again, not touching her, or never making love to her once she was ready. Being with an endless stream of anonymous women held no appeal for him anymore.
Clarissa was the one he wanted to hold in his arms, wake up with in the morning, and make cry out his name night after night. She was the one he needed in his life and in his bed.
The hours flew by way too quickly, Clarissa content to sleep at his side, and before he knew it, they were already coming in for a landing back in California.
“I can’t believe I slept for most of the flight,” Clarissa murmured, rubbing her eyes.
“You needed your rest,” Blake said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “There’s going to be an ambulance standing by when we land so we can get you the medical attention you need. They’ll take you to the hospital for x-rays and get a cast on your arm. And I hate to say this, but the video Abboud took of you was put online.”
Her face fell.
“Our CO let us know about it. Our SEAL team operations are Top Secret. Nobody knows you were rescued yet or that you’re here in San Diego. Once the footage gets media attention though? You might be all over the news and Internet whether you want it or not. It’s a big story, although one I can never comment on or admit to.”
“I hope they don’t focus on me,” she said, shuddering.
“I know. We’ll take it one step at a time. My team’s involvement will never be confirmed by the U.S. government though, even if they get wind of the full story. I want you to realize that. You don’t even need to acknowledge the media if you don’t want, just focus on healing your wrist and resting up. The guys and I all have your back.”
The plane sped down the runway after touching down, Clarissa peering out the window as everything flew past. A few minutes later, the ramp lowered on the C-17, and Blake took her hand, walking down to the tarmac with her. He had his gear with him like usual but Clarissa at his side was obviously a first. He never in a million years imagined he’d arrive back from a mission with a woman. Or that his buddies wouldn’t be giving him shit about it.
He guided her over to the waiting ambulance, promising to come check on her as soon as he met with his CO on base. Shaking his head, he hopped a ride with his teammates, grabbing a seat alone.
“What?” Blake asked as they all looked at him.
“She’s good for you, buddy,” Grayson said. “Different than the bimbos you’re usually with, but—”
“Hell. No one needs to tell Clarissa about any of Blake’s one-night-stands,” Troy said.
“We wouldn’t,” Ethan s
aid seriously. “Not that who you dated before her should matter.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call those dates,” Blake said wryly. “And believe me, she knows I’ve been with my fair share of women over the years. The wrong types of women, I might add.”
“Well hell, when’s the wedding then?” Ethan joked.
Jackson smirked and shook his head. “Damn. This might be the weirdest mission we’ve ever been on. Sure, we grabbed the mofo we were after, but Blake nabbed himself a girl.”
“Yeah. Too bad she lives in Texas. I can’t exactly up and go there all the time with our SEAL training and ops. Now I just need to convince her to come here for a while this summer, maybe stay with me. See where it takes us.”
“Show her the magic stick, lover boy,” Ethan quipped.
The other guys howled with laughter. “Is that what you’re calling your dick these days?” Grayson asked. “God damn.”
“We’ve got a few days off. I’m going to ask her to stay with me. Hopefully she’ll just need a cast for her wrist and then be released from the hospital. State got her a new passport, but she doesn’t have her other things.”
“Oh hell, that reminds me,” Grayson said. “I have her backpack.”
“What?” Blake asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Yep. Someone from the Colombian military handed it to me right before we took off. The ground crew put it in when we were loading up the rest of our gear.”
“Damn. I wish I would’ve known to tell her.”
“Sorry man,” Grayson said. “We were in such a hurry to go wheel’s up, it just slipped my mind.”
Blake nodded. “I’ll get it to her later. I’m going over to the hospital as soon as we debrief. Aw hell,” he said, noticing the media lined up near the road. “How’d they get wind of this?”
“Goddamn Colombians,” Jackson muttered.
“You think they tipped them off?” Blake asked. “Told them about Clarissa?”
“After her video was posted? I’m guessing so.”
“She’s not going to like that,” Blake said. “Although that will make it a hell of a lot easier to convince her to stay with me for a few days. She knows I’ll keep her safe.”
CLARISSA WATCHED AS Blake opened the door to his SUV later that night, helping her inside. The hot-pink cast on her wrist was brighter than she’d expected, but her arm sure the heck felt better than it had in days.
The doctor had reset her broken bone and given her some pain medication. Although there was security around the hospital, Blake had warned her about the media near base. Apparently, some news crews were even camped out near Little Creek in Virginia, since the media didn’t know which SEAL team had been involved in her rescue.
It was crazy to know that her image was being broadcast on the nightly news, but at the moment, she just wanted to relax in the safety of Blake’s arms.
“My backpack!” she said in surprise, seeing it on the ground by the passenger seat.
“Yep, the guys got it before we flew out. They didn’t tell me until after we landed stateside.”
“Oh my God, I can’t even say how relieved I am. My samples are ruined of course, but my keys and driver’s license and wallet are in there. My phone and notebooks.” She smiled up at Blake, and he leaned inside the car to buckle her in.
“So you’re good with staying at my place tonight?” he asked.
“Yeah. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“Mind? Hell, I’d keep you there forever if I could.”
She giggled but caught the intensity of his gaze. Blake took her good hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles. She stared at him, speechless, and he shut the door and rounded the front of the SUV.
“What was that for?” she asked as he climbed in.
“I like touching you. Kissing you.”
She flushed but smiled at him. “I like it, too. And it’s not just because you rescued me,” she assured him. “I like you. Blake.”
“I’m happy as hell to know that, sweetheart.”
“How far is your place from here?” she asked.
“Twenty minutes or so. There’s no traffic this late at night. I’ve got a townhouse I’m renting. It’s nothing fancy, but we can sit outside on the deck if you want and listen to the ocean crashing in the distance.”
“Okay. I’m sure it’s a million times better than staying on base last night.”
He chuckled. “Nicer than that, yes. But I didn’t mind sleeping there since I got to hold you in my arms the entire night.”
“What did your friends say earlier? They were all looking at us curiously when I woke up after we landed.”
“Don’t worry about those guys. They may flirt and chase after women, but they’d be the exact same as me if they met the right woman.”
“And you’ve met that woman?” she asked lightly.
“Hell yeah,” he growled.
She giggled beside him, catching the quirk of his lips on his profile as he smiled. He pulled out of the parking lot, confidently heading toward the highway. She realized she’d never done anything normal with Blake. They’d ridden in a helicopter and flown together on a cargo plane. She liked him driving her around, she decided. It was comfortable and safe, but she was thrilled nonetheless to be at his side.
“Can I charge my phone when we get back to your place?”
“Of course. I’ve been gone a few days, obviously, but we can order some food for dinner. I can grab whatever else you need in the morning. I’ve got the next couple of days off, so you’re welcome to stay here with me. I’d like it if you would.”
“I...think so.”
He reached over and lightly took her hand. It was the one with a cast, so he gently held her fingers more than her actual hand. “I won’t pressure you. And if you stay, it’s with no expectations. I’d love to hold you in my arms, but I’m not inviting you here just to sleep with me.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got a guest room, and that’s fine if you’d rather stay in there. I just want to be with you. I’m not ready to let you go.”
“I want to be with you, too. I trust you, Blake.”
He looked over at her, his eyes blazing with an emotion she couldn’t describe.
Her admission echoed what she’d told him days earlier, but this was a different kind of trust. She’d trusted him with her life, true, but in no uncertain terms, she knew she could also trust him with her heart.
Epilogue
Three weeks later
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU talked me into camping with you,” Clarissa said, following Blake along the dirt trail into the forest.
“You love to camp.”
“I do, but I just got my cast off. I’m still doing physical therapy and won’t be able to help much with setting up the tent and everything.”
Blake chuckled. “Sweetheart, I’m a damn Navy SEAL. You think I can’t set up a tent by myself?”
He glanced back, nailing her with a heated gaze. She’d just flown in from Texas a few hours ago, and she and Blake had planned on a romantic weekend getaway. He’d already come to visit her in Texas, the weekend after she’d gotten home. Two weeks apart had been too many though, and she was starting to seriously consider his offer to come stay with him for the summer.
“Of course I don’t think you need my help,” she said lightly. “I just wanted to offer.”
“Being here with me is all you need to do,” he said gruffly.
They hiked for another fifteen minutes or so, finally coming to a clearing near a creek. “This is where I like to come when I camp alone,” he admitted. “It’s quiet and peaceful, but it’ll be a hell of a lot better with you.”
“We’re right by the water,” she said, smiling.
“Yep. There’s a clearing in the trees over there, so you can lay outside your tent and look up at the stars.”
“God. It’s beautiful,” she admitted. “I thought I’d want to try camping on the beach, but this is absolutely perfect
.”
“Next time,” he murmured, coming to stand beside her.
“I missed you,” she said, looking up to meet his dark gaze.
“I missed you, too,” he said gruffly. “It was hard as hell leaving you there in Texas. Hell, I deploy all the time, but that trip was one of the worst because I was finally leaving someone behind. I’m glad you could fly out here so soon.”
“Me too. I’ve got another six weeks before classes start in the fall.”
“Think I can convince you to spend the summer with me?” he asked, brushing a strand of her hair back.
“Maybe,” she teased. “If you play your cards right.”
Blake chuckled and set their gear down. He’d insisted on hauling most of it, although she did have a small backpack with her. Blake and Clarissa had gotten more and more intimate each time they’d been together, but they still hadn’t made love. She had a feeling it would finally happen this weekend—on this trip. Not that she’d been purposefully waiting or counting down the days. She just knew it was finally time.
Blake had been nothing but patient with her, a careful and attentive lover. They’d pleasured one another and kissed and slept naked in each other’s arms.
This felt right though. Her arm had healed, her nightmares had subsided, and she was falling harder for him every day.
Blake pitched the tent, tossing their sleeping bags inside for later. He got a campfire started, and soon they were sitting around it roasting hot dogs over the open flames. After dinner they had a few drinks and then just relaxed in each other’s arms. The crickets began to chirp as the sun set, fireflies dotting the dark evening.
“This is perfect here. So peaceful,” Clarissa said.
Blake pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “I love being here with you. Hell, I never thought I’d find a woman interested in the same things I was.”
She looked up at him, grinning. “You were looking in all the wrong places.”
Blake zipped their sleeping bags together, putting them outside of the tent so they could lie near the campfire, looking up at the stars. The fire crackled near them, casting everything in a warm glow. Blake got settled with Clarissa in his arms, and soon they were kissing and caressing one another, the night sky long forgotten.
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