“I bet. How’d your brother react?” Dawn asked.
Sarah laughed. “He was happy for us. I don’t think he was all that surprised—I mean, I’m over at Ryan’s most of the week anyway. I practically live there, so I’m sure he saw it coming.”
“So when are you officially moving here?”
Sarah shrugged. “Not sure. There are a million details to work out. This weekend we were so excited, we planned the beach bonfire for Saturday night and then just relaxed at home all day yesterday.”
“That sounds pretty perfect to me.”
“For sure,” Sarah agreed. “Coming into work and back to the real world today was brutal. I don’t think we’re going to have a long engagement either. Ryan and I talked yesterday, and we’re both excited and ready to move forward with the next part of our lives. Which means I need to start planning big time.”
“The wedding or moving?”
“Yes.”
Dawn laughed. “Then let’s do it! I’ll help with planning the wedding.”
“Really?”
“Of course, girl! I’m going to live vicariously through you for the time being.”
“Morgan wants to help plan also,” Sarah said, taking another sip of her smoothie. “Maybe after work one day we can go dress shopping? I want something beachy and ethereal, you know, with kind of a bohemian vibe? There’s a few shops nearby I want to check out, and of course there are bridal stores back in Norfolk.”
“Yes!” Dawn squealed. “Let’s go dress shopping. If I can’t plan my own wedding yet since I’m totally single, I’m one hundred percent here for planning yours. Want to grab drinks tonight and take a peek at some?”
“Is that a rhetorical question?” Sarah asked with a laugh. She glanced at her phone. “I’ll text Morgan. We’ll swing by one of the shops and see if we can just take a look at some. I heard some places want you to make an appointment or whatever, but we can pop in just to look.”
“Sounds like a plan!”
AFTER WORK, SARAH PULLED into a row of shops in the business section of Virginia Beach. Although restaurants and bars dotted the long stretch of boardwalk, the center of the city had office buildings and shopping centers. She shuddered slightly as she caught sight of the bank down the block. There’d been a robbery there not too long ago, and Jessica, the girlfriend of a guy on the Delta team, had been one of the people held hostage inside. Of course Jacob and some of the other guys had come to her rescue, but good grief.
That was not something she wanted to even think about.
Climbing out of her Mini Cooper, she waved as she spotted Morgan down the street. “Hi hun! Did you go home and change?” Morgan asked, eyeing the swingy sundress that Sarah had traded her scrubs for.
“Yep. Ryan’s working late on base, so I quick ran home since I figured we might be out a while. I couldn’t get pictures of shopping for dresses in my scrubs,” she said, running her fingers through her long hair. Her hobo purse slid down her arm, and she gripped it lightly in one hand, practically skipping over to Morgan.
“Well don’t show the pictures to him,” Morgan teased. “Just text them to your mom or something.”
“Well duh,” Sarah joked. “Ryan can see the dress on our wedding day. And I told Rebecca I’d send her pictures, too, but she has to promise not to show Patrick.”
“You really think he’d chat about wedding dresses with Ryan? Doubtful.”
“Hey, just covering my bases.”
“Cute sandals,” Morgan said, eyeing the strappy pair Sarah had put on.
“Ryan loves them,” Sarah confessed. “He acts all macho and stuff, but I swear he loves when I wear dresses and feminine sandals and jewelry.”
“He’s a man,” Morgan said dryly. “Of course he does.”
Sarah shrugged. “I just had assumed a man like him would be more into the outdoorsy type. Obviously I was wrong.”
Morgan giggled. “Amongst other things. You two fought for a year before getting together. Now you’re inseparable.”
“Touché.”
“So tell me more about the party,” Morgan said as they walked over to the dress boutique. “The bonfire was a hit?”
“It was fab—perfect weather, awesome food, and everyone from both of Ryan’s teams made it. You should’ve come!”
“It was for all of Ryan’s military guys,” Morgan protested. “Maybe if some of them were single or something, but a whole bunch of couples and me? No thanks. We’ll celebrate your engagement with some friends another time.”
“Sounds like a plan! Oh, and Dawn’s meeting us here, too. She texted that she’d be here in a few minutes.”
“Your coworker, right?” she asked as Sarah nodded. “Sure, sounds good.”
The sound of a car door shutting had them both looking up, and Sarah was surprised to see the Hispanic man she’d seen outside of her office here. “Well hello Ms. Nurse—I mean physical therapist,” he joked as he walked over. “What are you doing here?”
“You two know each other?” Morgan asked, frowning.
He stopped a few feet away, his gaze sliding between the two of them. “Not officially,” he said with a slight accent. “But we’ve talked before. I’m Juan.”
“Sarah,” she said immediately, holding out her hand. He reached out and gripped it, a little bit too tightly, but then he was letting go and shaking Morgan’s hand. “And this is my best friend Morgan. I thought you were in town for a few weeks or something?”
“That’s right,” he said. “I’ve got an appointment down there,” he said, cocking his head toward a massage place at the end of the strip of shops. “I need to relax while I’m on vacation, right?”
“Absolutely,” she agreed.
“And you’re...engaged?” he asked, glancing down at the ring on her finger and up at the dress boutique. “Ah, congratulations! What a lucky man he must be.”
Morgan shifted from one foot to the other. “So how do you guys know each other?”
“Oh, he was outside my office last week, and we chatted a few minutes,” Sarah said. “I meet lots of people that way since my office is so close to the beach.”
“Right,” Morgan said. “Well, we better head inside and get started. Bye!” She grabbed Sarah’s arm and tugged her into the store.
“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked, looking at her in confusion once they were inside.
“I got a creepy vibe from him,” Morgan said.
“Oh, he’s harmless,” Sarah said. “He hangs out around the beach in the morning, so I’ve seen him on my way into work. He’s just sitting there having his coffee.”
“Then what’s he doing over here now?”
“Getting a massage apparently. Who cares? We’re here to try on dresses, not talk about some random guy from the beach.”
“I don’t know. He had a creepy look in his eyes when he was watching you,” Morgan said. “He seemed a little too eager to see you here.”
“Oh, you worry too much,” Sarah said, smiling as one of the sales associates walked over. “I talk to people by the boardwalk all the time when I’m coming and going from the office. He’s harmless.”
“Hello ladies, I’m Lily,” a redheaded woman said as she walked over. “Could I get you each a glass of champagne? And which one of you is the lucky bride?”
“That’s me,” Sarah said. “Another friend is meeting us here, too. And yes, we’d absolutely love some champagne.”
Chapter 10
RYAN DRUMMED HIS FINGERS on his desk, reviewing the last of the SITREPs before he finally headed home. It had been a hell of a long day. After briefings all morning, he’d been reading through reports all afternoon for various incidents unfolding all over the world.
It looked like he’d possibly have to send the Delta team off to the Middle East soon to deal with a new terror cell that was emerging. The Alpha team was still on standby for if and when the other woman in Mexico was located. A new lead had given them some hope, and although they’d just gotten
back, he knew they’d be as eager as he was to rescue the other woman. The Secretary of Defense had called him personally at sixteen hundred today to thank the men for their work in retrieving the first kidnapped woman.
Hell.
It was a wonder that women trusted anyone these days with all the damn crazy people out there in the world. Those poor women had met the wrong guy at a club and then vanished.
Would he and Sarah have kids one day?
With the way things were going, if they ever had a daughter, he wouldn’t let her date until she was thirty. At least.
It was crazy that he’d figured he’d spend the rest of his life alone and now he was engaged to the woman he loved and thinking about starting a family with her. Having children. Becoming a father.
Sarah had practically smacked right into him when they’d first met and stolen his heart before he even knew what hit him.
One moment he’d been a lifelong bachelor, and the next? He’d looked forward to seeing her every chance he got, and when they’d finally clicked at Patrick’s barbeque that night? His entire world had been thrown off kilter, and things had never been the same since.
A knock on his door had him looking up from his computer screen.
“Congratulations,” another officer said from the doorway. “I heard you and Sarah got engaged over the weekend. Fantastic news.”
“Thank you,” Ryan said as he logged off from his computer and stood. “I’d been thinking about proposing to her for a while but couldn’t wait any longer.”
“I don’t blame you—when you know, you know. Might as well pop the question, right?” he asked with a chuckle. “Do you two have a date picked yet?”
“Not yet,” Ryan said with a smirk. “I’d go down to the courthouse tomorrow and marry her if she’d let me, but Sarah wants a beach wedding. Flowers, bridesmaids—the whole nine yards. Neither of us wants a long engagement though, so it’ll be sooner rather than later.”
“You’ll be a new man,” he joked.
Ryan guffawed. “We’ll see about that.”
“Yep. That’s what they all say. Life is never the same again, but it’s a good thing. I’m heading out, so I’ll catch you tomorrow. Goodnight.”
Ryan nodded and grabbed his things, shaking his head. Jesus. Everyone had advice for him nowadays.
Thirty minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of his house. Climbing out of his SUV and shutting the door, he scrubbed a hand across his jaw. It was dusk, and his gaze swept the low-lit area out of habit. He probably should add more lighting out here—maybe something on a motion-sensor in case anyone was prowling around.
He didn’t usually have reason to worry, but the whole incident down in Mexico had him on alert. He hadn’t been too concerned over the weekend at the bonfire with two entire SEAL teams there, but when Sarah was alone?
He needed to remind her to take some extra precautions for the time being.
Sarah’s car was already in the driveway, and he was glad she’d already made it home from her night out with friends. She’d texted him that they were going dress shopping, and he could tell she was excited based on the string of emojis she’d added after every single text.
Ryan smirked.
He was a simple guy, with his words, actions, and even his text messages. He always cut to the chase. Sarah’s texts were as frilly and flowery as texts could be, but damn if he didn’t enjoy that about her.
She was spontaneous and spirited. And he loved how excited she was about life in general.
Typing in the numbers to the keypad on his front door, he stepped inside, frowning as he realized Sarah hadn’t set the alarm.
“Hi baby!” she called out from the living room.
Ryan dropped his things down and locked the door, setting the alarm before he walked down the hallway. Sarah was stretched out on the sofa in a tank top and skinny joggers, the pink polish on her toenails standing out against his dark gray couch. Her face was flushed with excitement, and she set down her phone as she looked up and smiled at him.
“I was scrolling through pictures of all the dresses I tried on tonight—no peeking!”
“As if I’d dare,” he said dryly, walking closer.
His gaze raked over her, and he could see her nipples poking through her top.
Hell.
She was sexy without even trying to be. He’d planned on grabbing something to eat after he walked in the door, but Sarah stretched out on his sofa like that, a combination of both sexy and sweet, was irresistible.
“How’d shopping go?” he asked, his voice gruff, and he ducked down for a kiss before she could answer. She whimpered beneath him as he deepened their kiss, and his cock hardened. He finally broke off the kiss and nailed her with a gaze, his arms caging her in. Her mouth parted as she looked up at him, her cheeks pink, and her eyes wide with arousal.
“It was fantastic—I actually found a dress I love already.”
“Let’s get married soon, baby girl,” he said. “I don’t want to wait to make you mine.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed her there, the whiskers from his five o’clock shadow rubbing against her sensitive skin. His teeth grazed her neck, and she arched into his touch.
“Ryan, God,” she murmured.
“I need you,” he said roughly.
His hands ran over her body, cupping her breasts through the thin top. His thumbs rubbed across her peaked nipples, and his erection strained against the confines of his uniform.
Damn, she was beautiful.
He wanted to pull his cock free and take her then and there, but he needed to see her coming first. He needed to hear her cries and watch her come undone for him before he took what was his.
Ryan tugged her tank top down so one breast was exposed, kissing and sucking at it as she whimpered. Ryan licked her taut nipple, teasing her, and she nearly bucked up off the sofa. His broad hands grabbed the waistband of her joggers, and then he tugged them down, revealing the satin thong she had on. Ryan growled in approval, kissing her mound through the silky fabric.
“You’re mine, sweetheart,” he said, his voice gravel.
She was already wet and ready for him, and his hands reached beneath her, cupping her bare ass as he tugged her closer. He pulled her thong down, tossing the skimpy piece of fabric aside. There was something sexy as hell at having her half naked on his sofa while he knelt before her, dressed in his uniform. Her pussy was bare to him, one breast was exposed, and she was flushed and aroused as he hovered before her.
Sarah was his. His woman. His bride-to-be. His everything.
Kissing his way up her silken thighs, he wanted to roar in approval as Sarah gasped and then grabbed onto his head, her fingernails raking into his skin. The scruff of his whiskers rubbed against the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs, but Ryan didn’t stop, just moved straight to her center.
“Oh God, Ryan, please,” she begged him.
His broad shoulders spread her legs wide for him, revealing her swollen sex, and then he kissed her intimately, laving his tongue through her folds, listening to her cry out in both surprise and pleasure.
She tasted sweeter than honey, and he swore that if he tasted her every night for the rest of his life it wouldn’t be enough. He licked her again, enjoying the feel of her fluttering against his mouth, then lightly thrust his tongue into her molten core as she gasped.
He wanted to consume her—to make her lost to everything except him.
He thrust his tongue in and out for a moment, loving her little moans and whimpers.
Pulling back slightly, he moved upward toward her throbbing clit. Ryan circled the swollen bud with his tongue, sliding his fingers into her sex as she whimpered. Sarah immediately clamped down around him, so hot, wet, and ready.
He flickered his tongue against her swollen bud, feeling her writhe against him. She was gasping for breath and moaning louder now, desperate for release. He slid his thick fingers in and out of her tight channel, loving the feel of her silken walls. Crooking
them just so, so that he touched that tender spot inside, he finally sucked the taut bud into his mouth, and she exploded, screaming his name.
Ryan didn’t let up, enjoying her cries, and determined to wring every last bit of pleasure from her.
When she lay panting on the sofa, he pulled his cock free from his trousers, sheathed himself with a condom, and then immediately sank deep into her swollen folds. He bottomed out inside her, his balls rubbing against her ass, and his cock twitched as he held the position a moment.
Sarah’s eyes met his, the heat between them nearly consuming him. He held steady for a moment longer, and then he began thrusting, pinning her with his gaze, spearing her with his cock, unable to restrain himself any longer.
Her legs were spread wide for him, her body laid out before him, and he swore he’d never seen anything more gorgeous in his entire life. Her light brown hair was tousled around her head, her hazel eyes wide, and she looked completely lost to him.
“Ryan, oh my God,” she whimpered as he began to thrust harder. “You’re going to make me come again.”
His gaze ran down her body to where their sexes joined, his cock hardening even more at the erotic image. He ducked down and captured her cries with his mouth, his erection still buried deep inside of her. Ryan felt her inner walls beginning to tighten with each thrust, and when her body finally clamped down around him, he exploded, catching himself with both arms so he didn’t collapse right on top of her.
He pumped into her once, twice more, prolonging her orgasm and feeling her spasm around him.
“I love you,” he said gruffly as they both panted for breath.
“I love you more,” she murmured between gasps, running her hand over his face.
He captured her delicate hand in one of his own, bringing it up to his mouth. She flushed even more as he tenderly kissed her knuckles, reluctantly pulling free from her body. “Come to bed with me, sweetheart,” he said as he helped her to stand.
SEAL Ever After Page 6
