“I see the gears turning in your head, Kayla.”
She looked at him in surprise, then laughed softly. “I guess they are. I was just thinking about the future. Wondering if you might regret getting married.”
“Regret taking care of you and Ana when you need me? Not likely.”
She didn’t say what she was really thinking. That he would regret her. Saddling himself to her. That she was manipulating him into something the same way she’d manipulated Bailey and Alexei into caring for Ana when she’d gone into hiding several months ago.
“You can’t really know that.”
His eyes flashed hot with anger. It surprised her and she sat back, blinking at him. He didn’t tamp it down though. He held her gaze and spoke very deliberately.
“You need to stop trying to make me into someone who’s going to let you down. I know you’ve had a lot of that in your life, but it stops now. I said I was here for you and I am. You can’t push me away, Kayla. You should realize by now that a SEAL lives and dies by his honor. And even if I wasn’t a SEAL, I’d still keep my word. I said I’m going to marry you and protect you both, and I am. We’ve got just as much of a shot at making a go of this as any of my teammates and their wives and fianceés.”
Her heart throbbed. As much of a chance as Bailey and Alexei? Chloe and Ryan? The others? She didn’t know. She’d seen them all together and they were clearly in love.
He leaned forward as if he knew what she was thinking. “Yeah, I know they’re all madly in love with each other—but love isn’t all it takes to make a successful marriage. We don’t have the love part, but nothing says we won’t get there. But if it’s going to happen, you’ve got to stop feeling guilty and thinking you have the power to force me into doing what I don’t want to do. You don’t. I’m committed to marrying you. Stop trying to second guess everything I say and do.”
Her heart was pounding. Those were passionate, heated words. Not words of love, but words of honor. She wanted the love, desperately, but she’d take the honor.
“Okay.”
“Do you mean it?”
She pulled in a breath scented with the odors of delicious food and fresh air. It was sunny out, but shady under the trees, and life at this very moment was good. She needed to be in the moment.
But she couldn’t shake a lifetime of conditioning.
“I’m trying. Very hard. Growing up, the only person I could trust was Bailey. Everyone I’ve ever put any faith in, other than her, has let me down. And I’m not saying you’re going to do it too. I know you’re honorable. It’s me and my stupid baggage, that’s all.”
He leaned over and pressed his lips to her cheek. “That’s an honest answer, beautiful. I can live with that. Don’t ever feel like you have to gloss over what you’re feeling or what you need to say. Just tell me. We’ll figure it out. Now how about we eat lunch and enjoy ourselves this afternoon? No pressure about anything else. Sound good?”
Her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. And her skin tingled where his breath had tickled it. Memories of the night they’d shared flooded back. His breath on her skin, his mouth doing things that ought to be illegal…
Kayla shivered. “It sounds really good.”
Except she didn’t mean lunch.
They spent the afternoon at the park, pushing Ana around and talking about the logistics of getting married and telling everyone. The day was fine, warm and breezy, and Kayla looked beautiful in the long skirt that fluttered around her ankles. Neo kept dropping his gaze there, feeling like a guy from the 1800s who got excited by the barest flash of skin. It was ridiculous, but he enjoyed it.
Kayla had finally given up and twisted her long hair into a knot at the nape of her neck when it kept blowing around her face. She wasn’t the most talkative person, but he managed to get her talking about work at one point. She loved working with Chloe and the other ladies at the salon. She thought she might like to go to beauty school someday, but she didn’t know if she’d have the time until Ana was older.
Neo listened more than he spoke because he wanted to hear what she had to say. Kayla was younger than him by a few years. She’d turned twenty-three recently, and he was almost twenty-eight. He forgot how young she was most of the time because she seemed mature beyond her years. He knew she’d had a rough childhood, but he didn’t know all of it. He suspected she had more to say about that when she knew him better. He hoped so anyway.
By the time they got back to the car, Ana was asleep in her stroller.
“Let me,” Neo said when Kayla bent down to unbuckle the baby and lift her into the car seat.
Kayla tugged her lower lip between her teeth as he carefully lifted Ana. He knew Kayla feared he’d wake Ana, but he successfully got her into the car seat and buckled in without incident. Kayla double-checked the straps. He wasn’t offended by it. When she was satisfied, she straightened and smiled at him. It was a soft smile.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re welcome.”
Seized by an impulse he didn’t feel like denying, he tugged her against him and dropped his mouth to hers. She didn’t resist. She clutched his arms in her small hands, tipped her head back, and opened her lips.
Neo hadn’t intended the kiss to be anything more than a quick, chaste one. But that opening…
He groaned as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, his body aching immediately as he remembered what it’d been like to be inside her, the silky walls of her pussy gloving him tight. He didn’t know why she twisted him up inside the way she did, but he wasn’t planning to fight it. Not anymore. What was the point? He was marrying her and he meant to share a bed with her whenever she was ready.
She tasted warm and sweet, like the strawberries on the cheesecake they’d split. Her hands slid up his arms to wrap around his neck, trailing fire in their wake. Her body was pliant against his. Melting. As if she too remembered how they’d fit so well together.
He’d tried not to think about that night too often, but he couldn’t stop when it was late and he was alone. He’d jerked off more times than he cared to admit to the memory of her wet heat surrounding him, her tits bouncing as she rode him with her head thrown back and her fingers curled into his pecs.
Yeah, Kayla Jones’s hot, luscious body was the feature film in his spank bank these days.
Their tongues moved together, tasting and stroking, until his dick started to throb and he had to remind himself where they were. When he broke the kiss, Kayla’s eyes were glazed as she looked up at him. He saw the moment they cleared, the moment she realized what they’d been doing. Her cheeks flushed pink and her mouth dropped open before snapping shut again.
“Oh dear. Sorry,” she said.
He didn’t let her go. He’d meant to, but then she’d apologized and he wasn’t letting that shit fly. “Why are you sorry?”
“I, um….” She dropped her gaze.
He tipped her chin up, made her look at him. “I kissed you first. And I’m not sorry. Wait, no I am sorry. Sorry we aren’t alone and there isn’t a bed nearby, because I’d really like to kiss the rest of you, Kayla. Everywhere.”
Her breath scissored in. “Oh.”
He stepped back to give her room and held the door while she got into the car. He bent down to meet her gaze.
“I don’t want to intimidate you, beautiful. But I want you to know how much I want you in my bed again. I don’t want you ever again thinking you somehow forced me to sleep with you, or that I don’t want it to happen. Got it?”
She nodded. Then she grinned suddenly. “It sounds ridiculous when you put it that way. How could I have ever forced you into sex?”
He laughed. “Exactly.”
Chapter Seven
Neo waited at the entrance to the courthouse for Kayla. He’d offered to pick her up, but she’d wanted to meet him so Bailey wouldn’t ask questions.
Yesterday afternoon, Camel and Bailey had been home by the time he and Kayla got back. They’d b
een planting flowers, and Neo offered to help Camel with the mulching. It’d turned into a pleasant afternoon as Bailey directed them where to put the bags of mulch and gave them fresh mint iced tea that she’d brewed. They’d worked up a sweat, which meant more tea, and by the time they’d finished placing everything where she wanted it, Bailey suggested subs for dinner.
They’d all agreed, and Bailey drove off with Kayla to pick up dinner while Ana stayed with the men. Once the women returned, they ate outside on the patio and had nice time together.
Bailey seemed to accept their relationship at face value, which was good, but Kayla had yet to realize that her sister was going to need a whole lot more convincing once they moved to the actual wedding phase of the courtship. He knew it was coming even if she didn’t, but he wasn’t pointing it out yet. She’d figure it out.
This morning, Neo had managed to get a couple of hours off to take care of personal business. The military wasn’t the kind of organization where you called in sick or didn’t show up to work without an excuse, but HOT was a little different because everyone was elite. Since they were elite they were treated like it. Which meant he could ask for time to run an errand and nobody questioned it since they weren’t currently in lockdown for a mission.
At nine-thirty, Kayla strode up the sidewalk, looking pretty in coral capri pants and a white cotton top with little coral flowers on it. She wore white Keds and her hair was loose. She smiled when she saw him.
“Hey, Zach,” she said as she approached.
“Hey, beautiful. Where’s Ana?”
“Bailey doesn’t have class today, so she kept her for me.”
She came into his arms easily and he kissed her. They didn’t linger, much as he wanted to. One simple kiss and his body started to rev up.Would he always feel this insane heat with her? He hoped so.
He looped an arm around her and they walked toward the entrance. “You ready for this, babe?”
“Yes. You?”
“Yep.”
She stopped him before they went inside. Her expression clouded with worry. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
He hated that she always expected the bottom to drop out. “Yes, Kayla. I’m ready to get a marriage license. And I’m ready to marry you.”
He’d done a little covert inquiring this morning and learned that James Dunn was still in prison, so he hadn’t been the one to call her. But somebody had threatened her. Somebody had been watching her at the salon. He was going to have to do something about that, but he’d discuss it with her after they completed the first task of the day.
She sucked in a breath. Then a smile broke out on her face, transforming her features. He loved it when she smiled. She looked carefree then, even if she was anything but.
“Okay, so we’re getting married. Wow.”
“Yeah, wow.” He pulled the door open for her. “Let’s get this party started.”
It took less than half an hour to get inside, get to the license office, apply, and head back outside again. Neo walked Kayla to her car.
“I’ll follow you to the salon, babe.”
She blinked. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, I do.”
They stood in the parking lot beside her car and he could see the moment the fear returned to her eyes. He hated that, but she needed to be aware of her surroundings. He skimmed his fingers over her cheek.
“You can’t go anywhere alone anymore, you understand? Don’t go get lunch for the ladies either. You arrive when they do and leave when they do. You don’t go to the store alone, or the gas station. You act like the Kings of Doom are out there watching.”
She swallowed. “Yes, of course.”
“If you get another call, or see anyone hanging outside the salon who shouldn’t be there, you call me right away.”
“I will.”
“Give me your phone, Kayla.”
She pulled it from her purse and handed it to him after she put in the code to unlock it. She had an older iPhone with the button and he opened her contacts. He found his name and added a number. “I’m giving you the unsecure line to work. If you need me and I’m not answering my cell phone, you call that number and tell them it’s important. Someone will find me.”
She took the phone back and looked at what he’d typed. “Okay.”
“It goes without saying, baby—if the threat is immediate, use the silent alarm or call the cops. Call me after if you can.”
Her eyes were big as she nodded. He hugged her to him and she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. He kissed the top of her head.
“It’s okay,” he told her. “We’re just being cautious. Doesn’t mean anything’s gonna happen. They’d be stupid as fuck to try it in the daylight on that street with all the security cameras.”
He hoped like hell that was the case anyway. He couldn’t be there 24/7 and he couldn’t send HOT assets to guard her either. He also couldn’t expect her to hole up at home and never go anywhere. Not until they had a specific and credible threat against her.
She shuddered. “They might be that stupid.”
“If they were, I doubt they’d have called to warn you first.”
“That’s true.” She sighed and stepped back. “There can’t be many of them left anymore. Whoever it is, they’ll be careful to protect what’s left of the club. They also want me to suffer, because that’s how they operate. I betrayed them, which calls for revenge—but not before they terrify me first.”
He opened her car door for her. “Get in and follow me over to my car so I can follow you to the salon.”
She sank onto the seat, buckled her seatbelt, and started the car.
He was still holding the door. “I’ll see you after work,” he told her. “How’s pizza for dinner?”
“Sounds great.”
“I’ll bring one over around six. Does that work?”
“Yes.”
“Any preferences?”
“My favorite is cheese.”
His eyebrows rose. “Just cheese? Nothing else?”
“Yep, just cheese.”
Neo made a show of frowning. “I dunno, Kayla. That’s pretty weird. I’m not sure we’re going to be compatible after all….”
She laughed, which is what he’d hoped for. “Goofball,” she said. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t eat whatever you want, just that cheese is my favorite. Put whatever you want on it. I can pick it off if I don’t like it.”
He dipped down and kissed her. He was liking this courting thing. “I promise you’ll like what I bring. See you tonight.”
“I can’t wait,” she said.
“Me neither.”
Kayla fed Ana and changed her into her jammies by six. Ana sat on a blanket on the floor, playing with her soft cloth blocks. Kayla kept on eye on her in case she started crawling off the blanket, but she was content at the moment so Kayla got plates and napkins out, poured herself a small glass of wine, and waited for Zach to arrive.
He’d followed her to the salon today, waited for her to park in the employee lot behind the building, then waited for her to walk inside. Once she was in, she turned and waved at him. He didn’t pull away until she’d shut the door and locked it. She’d been on the lookout, but she didn’t see anyone suspicious all day. By the time she left work at five with everyone else, her nerves had relaxed again.
Zach knocked on the door at five after six. Kayla went to open it. The sight of him started the butterflies swirling in her belly again.
He was tall, dark-haired, sharp-eyed, and looked like he could bench press a small car. Not that he was overly muscled, but he had the hard look of a man who didn’t lose any of the challenges he set for himself. He was still in uniform, which told her he’d gone to pick up pizza and come straight over instead of going home first.
He grinned at her. “You look pretty, Kayla.”
She fought off a blush. She’d changed into a soft jersey shirt dress when she’d gotten home because Chloe’d had a perm cust
omer today and Kayla didn’t want any of those smells around Ana. She hadn’t smelled the chemicals on herself, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
“Thank you.”
Zach held up two pizza boxes. “I came prepared.”
“You can put them on the table,” she said, stepping back so he could enter. A quick glance outside after he walked in told her that Bailey and Alexei were home, and there were no cars she didn’t recognize parked on the street. She’d never really gotten out of the habit of checking her surroundings, but these days she was even more alert. She had to be.
Kayla shut the door and went over to the table where Zach had put the pizzas. “How much do you think we’re going to eat?” she asked as he flipped open the boxes.
“I don’t know about you, but I can eat a lot of pizza after a day’s training.”
Her heart squeezed when she realized he’d brought a cheese pizza and a pizza loaded with meat.
“The cheese is for me,” he said with a straight face. “I figured you’d like a bunch of meat on yours. Barbarian.”
Kayla blinked, and then she laughed when it hit her that he was teasing her. “That’s right, mister. I love a pizza loaded with saturated fats. My favorite thing in the world. Mmm, more meat for me!”
“Knew it.”
“Seriously though, you didn’t have to get a cheese pizza just for me.”
He shrugged as he picked up two of the cheese slices and set them on her plate. “You’re my girl now, Kayla. I’m going to take care of you to the best of my ability. You want cheese, you get cheese.”
She sat down and lifted a slice. “Thank you, Zach. That’s sweet of you to say.”
He put three big slices of loaded pizza on his plate and flipped the covers closed. “Wasn’t trying to be sweet. It’s an easy thing to do, so I did it.”
James had done nice things for her at the beginning, but they hadn’t been the kind of things where he paid attention to what she wanted. He went for the grand gesture, like flowers and chocolates and little things like bead bracelets, and then he told her what he thought she wanted to hear. All a part of softening her up for easier exploitation. He’d never done anything like brought her a cheese pizza because he knew it was what she preferred.
HOT SEAL Devotion Page 7
