A Little Harmless Military Romance Bundle (A Little Harmless Military Bundle) (5 page)

She wanted to yell at him, but he gently slapped her pussy. The act would get a normal man yelled at, but he had her so aroused, ribbons of lust slipped over her flesh and down into her bones at the action. He did it again, and her body responded even more willingly.

“Damn,” he said. Without explanation, he set his mouth against her, slipping his hands beneath her rear end and pulling her up. Relentlessly, he assaulted her senses, pushing her almost to the pinnacle but pulling back just in time to keep her from reaching it. Over and over he teased, pushing her right up to the edge, but not allowing her relief. She moved against him, pressing her cunt as hard as she could against his mouth. The way he was holding her, she really couldn’t get leverage.

By the time he lifted his head and set her down on the mattress, she was out of her mind. The only thing she could think of was release. She would do anything to feel the rush of her orgasm.

He slipped his fingers into her sex. “Come for me, baby. Do it.”

The order sent her spiraling into her orgasm. Her body convulsed as she screamed as ripples of euphoria washed over her. She could do nothing else. She arched off the bed and allowed the orgasm to take over. Just as she was coming down, he sent her over again as she writhed against his hand.

She was still shivering moments later when he grabbed a condom and donned it. Without any words, he flipped her over onto her stomach, pulled her up to her knees, and entered her from behind. His hands gripped her hips as he thrust in and out of her with such force that the headboard banged against the wall. After her two intense orgasms, she thought another would be impossible, but he smacked her ass. The action sent a mixture of pleasure and pain. He did it again, thrusting even harder into her, and she screamed as another release slammed through her. After a few more thrusts, he shouted her name and followed her.

Several minutes later, he pulled out of her, got rid of the condom, then settled beside her on the bed. He pulled her into his arms, and she cuddled closer.

“Hoo-rah,” he said, his voice filled with sleepy satisfaction.

“I have to say I agree, Seal.”

He chuckled then kissed her forehead. It was sweet, not sexual at all, but it had a lump filling up her throat. She slipped her hand up to his chest, could feel his heart beat against it. Shannon tried to stay awake, wanting to savor every moment they had together, but soon his even breathing relaxed her, and she drifted into sleep.

* * * *

The sun was barely peeking through the curtains when
Anchors Aweigh
woke Shannon from a dead sleep. She heard Kade curse then grab the phone.

“Yes, sir, McKade here.”

He was silent as he listened for a moment or two.

“Understood. Have you talked to Dupree?” He waited. “Okay. Expect us on the next plane we can get out of here.”

He turned off the phone and glanced at her. “Gotta go.”

She nodded. As the sister of a Seal, she understood. She knew there would be no discussion about where he was going, what he was doing. And he had no control over what would go down and when.

She gave him a kiss. “I understand. Did he talk to Mal?”

Kade studied her for a second. “Yes. So, more than likely, he’ll be looking for me.”

Again, he was studying her, and she couldn’t stand it any longer. “What?”

“I…I thought we might have more time.”

She sighed. “You might want to have more time, but you know the military. You get what you can and be happy for that.”

She couldn’t look at him, not right now. It hurt too much to think of him going away, of being in danger. Shannon had been through this before with both Mal and Kade, but this time was so much different. This time she had so much more to lose.

He slipped his finger under her chin. “Don’t be mad.”

She frowned. “I’m not mad. I just hate thinking of both of you in danger.”

He nodded and gave her a soft, quick kiss. It was really innocent, but she felt the heat, the need behind it. It curled her toes and had her heart turning over. Then it turned hot, his tongue slipping between her lips and stealing into her mouth. Kade started to ease her back, but she stopped him. He pulled back just far enough to talk.

“What?” he asked.

“Don’t you have to find a flight?”

“It can wait.” His lips curved. “I need one more taste of heaven.”

The way he said it had her resistance crumbling. As she allowed him to ease her back onto the bed, she told herself to enjoy the moment. There was time enough to fall to pieces after he left.

Chapter Five

Four months later

“When did he say he was going to be here?” Verna asked as she settled against the barstool.

Shannon looked at her. She saw the expectant look on her employee’s face and inwardly cringed. Damn Mal for flirting with her employees. Verna didn’t hold a torch for him, but since his last visit, Shannon could tell Verna had been itching to get her hands all over him. If he chased off another employee, she was going to shave his eyebrows off.

“Not sure. He’s driving in.”

“Kade’s not coming?” Verna asked.

Shannon couldn’t help but feel the sharp slash at her heart. Verna didn’t mean anything because no one, as far as Shannon knew, had guessed she’d spent Kade’s last night in Hawaii with him. Almost every time Mal had come into town in the last few years, Kade had come with him.

“Not that I know of.”

She finished wiping down the counter and walked back to her office, not wanting to talk anymore about Mal’s visit. It was a slow night. Off-season in New Orleans and the weather sucked. A bad storm had hit just thirty minutes earlier, which meant they would probably be left with no customers. Seemed like everyone was staying in. She shut the office door and then collapsed into her desk chair. With a sigh, she indulged in a little pity.

Four months and no word from Kade.

When he had left, he had said he would get in touch. And he had. There had been a few texts, two calls, then nothing. She tried not to panic. After years of Mal in the Seals, she knew exactly how it went. This time was different. Her worry had kept her up at night and rode on her shoulder during the day. Probably because she had no one to talk to about it. She hadn’t even told her sister what had happened the night of Chris’s wedding.

She had known they were back because Mal had called to tell her both of them had been injured. Mal had played it off, as usual, but she had sensed something had gone wrong. They had lost one member of the team. It had hit them all hard, she was sure. What she didn’t understand was why Kade had not called. It wasn’t like him at all. Even if it had just been a one-night stand, it wasn’t like them to stay away this long. She had worked through the pain and anger, and now…she just wanted an answer. But she apparently wasn’t going to get it. Her texts and calls were still being ignored. Whatever she thought they had shared had been an illusion, or possibly just one-sided.

Before she could get too depressed, she heard her brother’s voice booming out from the bar area.

“Where is my gorgeous sister?”

Excitement had her jumping up from the chair and running out to see him. He was drenched, but he had a big smile on his face and his arms open wide. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t think to. The entire family was close, and these last few months had been hard on all of them. She ran to him and jumped into his arms. Tears stung the back of her eyes as he hugged her tight.

“It’s so good to see you,” she said just loud enough for him to hear. Her voice wavered a bit, and she was afraid she just might start crying.

He gave her one last squeeze and then pulled back. Up close, she could see a new scar on his lip.

“Bad assignment?” she asked and was embarrassed that her voice caught.

He nodded. “But I came out of it with flying colors. Not like the losers I brought with me.”

He motioned with his head behind him, and she followed the direction. There, on the steps leading down into her bar, stood Kade. A rush of relief came first, her heart now happier to know that he really was okay. She knew Mal wouldn’t have lied about something major, but he might have hidden the injuries Kade had suffered.

In the next instant, irritation replaced it. There he stood in her bar, larger than life, if a little more ragged around the edge. Dammit, he should look apologetic. Still, she couldn’t say anything. Not with an audience.

“You know Kade, of course,” Mal said, his voice dipping a bit in a threatening way. She glanced at him, wondering if he had guessed what had gone on, but if he did, he hid it well. “I don’t believe you’ve met Chief.”

She realized that there was another man there beside Kade. She guessed he was older than both Mal and Kade by just a few years. Tall, blond, he was assessing the room like most of the Seals she’d met. His gaze roamed over her customers. He had his arm in a sling, telling her more than just Mal and Kade had been injured. When he focused his attention on her, she felt it to her toes. His gray eyes were as intense as the man. Damn, these men were dangerous.

“Chief,” she said.

“Deke, ma’am.”

She smiled. “Then you must call me Shannon.”

He looked at her for a second, then a slow, sexy smile curled his lips. Dangerous was too simple of a word for the Viking god standing in front of her.

“Certainly.”

Mal made a disgusted sound. “That’s enough of that.”

She hadn’t truly looked at Kade until now. He hadn’t said a word. Now, though, she turned her attention to him. If it had not been melodramatic, she would have gasped. He’d lost weight. He had a fresh scar above his right eye, and his eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, were cold. The sparkle was gone. He offered her no smile. As she allowed her gaze to drop, she noticed he was favoring his right leg.

“Hey, Kade.”

He hesitated. “Hey.”

She could barely hear him above the noise in the bar. His voice was low and gravelly and very un-Kade-like.

“I was hoping that you had room to spare for us,” Mal said.

Shannon tore her attention away from Kade and looked at her brother. He was smiling at her with the same puppy dog eyes that made most women melt. Not his sister. She was ready to say no and send them to her mother. She didn’t need to deal with three injured surly men, especially one who had just about broken her heart. But there was something else in Mal’s expression, something a little desperate. Their mama could fit them, and she would definitely fatten Kade up and baby the three of them. For some reason, though, Mal wanted to be with her.

She nodded. “Sure. You know my house is big enough for y’all.”

Mal kissed her cheek. “Do you have to close up?”

“No, she doesn’t,” Simon, her bartender said. He was watching her like a hawk, and she knew that he sensed her hesitation. “Go on, boss. I can handle this.”

She smiled. “Thanks. I’ll just get my things.”

Mal nodded.

“You know the way and you have a key. I’ll catch up with you in a minute,” she said.

He ushered the other two out. She felt Kade give her a look, but she couldn’t return it. Her emotions were too raw, too…unbalanced. She didn’t know what she would do. If she did, she would surely yell or cry. Or both.

She walked back to her office with Simon on her heels.

“So that’s the guy.”

She glanced back at one of her best friends and sighed. She should have known that he would figure it out.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been moping around since you returned from the wedding.”

“I have not,” she said, lying through her teeth as she pretended to shut down the computer.

“Yeah, sure. This is Simon, child.”

She sighed and looked at him. He was a year older than her and ten times prettier. Long brown hair, blue eyes, and a dimple in his chin made him irresistible to both men and women. Being the tramp that he was, Simon had no problem with either of them.

“Simon, how many times do I have to tell you that you’re white?
Really
white. When you talk like that, you sound stupid.”

He rolled his eyes. “And you’re stalling because you don’t want to answer me.”

“Yes, he’s the reason I have been out of sorts.”

Simon snorted. “Yeah, sure. ‘Out of sorts.’”

“Anyway, we had a little fun in Hawaii. Apparently it meant more to me than to him.” She shrugged, trying not to lose her composure. “No big deal.”

“Oh, hun, of course it is. I can tell by looking at you. And I really think you’re wrong. I know Kade. He’s been in here for years mooning over you. A guy that is that infatuated just doesn’t have a one-night stand with his brother’s best friend. Especially someone like Kade.”

She had thought so, but apparently she had been wrong. Very wrong. “Well, I haven’t heard from him in months. So I am assuming that the infatuation is over.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but she held up her hand. “No more. I don’t have time. Could you get Chef to prepare some of that jambalaya to go for me? Enough for the three of them—which will be a lot. Those Seals are going to eat me out of house and home. Oh, and can you handle tomorrow night? I know it’s a lot to ask, but I thought maybe I should stick around the house. I feel like Mal has something to tell me.”