A SEAL at Heart (6 page)

Most assuredly, he hadn’t enjoyed apologizing, because it wasn’t something he did well. Of course, he
had
made it work. He
was
still in the room and she had agreed to work with him. Several steps of his plan were happening correctly.

“Instead of attacking the history of your injury today, why don’t we get started with an examination? Let me take a look at that head and neck,” she said, putting clean sheets on the padded massage table and tucking the elastic part underneath to hold the cushy fleece heating pad in place. A top sheet and thin cotton blanket went on next. The mood of the room was much lighter than when he first entered. Laurie’s gentle manner was soothing to his senses.

He raised one eyebrow. “Okay. What else?”

“I was thinking more about talking about your incident… with the therapy. This should encompass part of your psychological, emotional, and physical wellness. What do you say? Ready to get on my table?”

Automatically he shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’m not ready to have someone mucking about in my head. I’m not a fan of that stuff. Though, you did say table? Maybe doing something physical, like massage, would be okay.”

“Naturally, because you don’t mind someone mucking about with your body,” she teased.

“Nope.” His smile widened and his eyebrows went up and down. “Have at it.”

“Gee, thanks, Jack. You’re such a guy. Cute, and I might have one or two soft spots for you, but don’t take advantage of it.” She gestured toward a table laden with crisp white sheets. “Okay, let’s get started.”

He was out of his clothes and on the table before she could say another word. A chuckle came from deep inside of him as he moved without hesitation to obey her command. “I’m ready.”

“Guess I should have told you that you didn’t have to be naked.” As he started to sit up she pushed him down. “But since you’re here. Let’s get started.”

Anything could happen in this room, and as that message telegraphed through his mind, several parts of him became very awake.

“Um, we’re not having that kind of appointment.” She said, pointing to his erection. “I don’t do ‘happy endings’ or stuff like that. If you’re here as a patient, then our job is to work, and you will be paying for the honor of my time. Got it?”

“Yes ma’am,” he replied, hopping up on the table completely naked. There wasn’t a shy bone in his body. “I’m at your mercy.”

She smiled wickedly at him. “Yes, you are.” Walking over to the other side of the room, she lit a cone of incense and the smell of salt and sea filled the room. Turning off the air conditioner, she guaranteed the frigid edge to the temperature would ease. She pulled a loose sheet over him, the one he had dumped on the floor. It was hard to provide modesty for someone who didn’t have any.

Laurie moved her fingers gently over his neck and head. Probing expertly, she found several tender areas and then worked slowly down over the first four cervical vertebrae. “No extreme damage. A little swelling and tenderness, but your alignment is good.”

“Do I get any rubbing with this?”

“Relax, Jack. Breathe deeply and let’s begin.” Laurie’s hand lay flat on his chest, and he slowed his breathing to sync with hers. His mind was focusing on the sexy woman and being blank. When her fingers began gently tapping on either side of his temple and then over his heart and chest, it shocked him when anger filled his body like a raging fire. He’d gone from zero to one hundred and ten miles per hour in seconds.

The emotion was thick and combative, and he had to growl, “Stop.”

Her hands froze and then lifted slowly from his body. “It’s my turn to apologize. I should have prepared you. That form of therapy is called tapping, and it can bring some potent feelings to the surface. Would you like to talk about it?”

“No,” he ground out. “Just give me a few minutes.”

Laurie backed away from the table. There was a funny look on her face, but he couldn’t think about that now.

Working to get his emotions back under control, he closed his eyes and used a SEAL technique. Granted it was rookie stuff—transforming an emotion into fuel—but he rolled the anger around in his head, making it turn from red to white and then forcing the energy to push through his shoulders and arms, torso and back, and then down his legs to his feet. When he felt himself come back under control, he opened his eyes and looked at her.

“I should have known better,” she said, crossing and then uncrossing her arms. Finally, she came back over the table to within reach of him. “A client once swung a fist at me. I didn’t think you’d have that much emotion hidden in there.”

“What makes you think it’s hidden?” he asked, though he knew it was there. The rest of the world was allowed to see the calm, affable Jack, but inside he was completely torn up about the death of Don and the loss of his memory. His life as a SEAL was at risk, and his greatest enemy right now was himself. Yes, he was certainly a volcano of issues and the lava spewed all day long, despite the redirection of the flow.

“Tapping is a gentle therapy that often unleashes a multitude of issues, and we should have discussed the method and concept beforehand. I can see you have a lot going on in those fierce eyes, and when you’re ready, I’m here. Why don’t we focus on something soothing instead, like massage and acupressure? Let’s open the valve without emotion or words.”

Relief filled him. She wasn’t going to force him to talk. The session would have ended then and there, and on a distinctly sour note, because he wasn’t ready to talk to anyone. Being pushed where he didn’t want to go—like every other SEAL—shut down the chat function quickly.

“Next time we’ll do a history and very frank physical exam before we start working.”

He relaxed. He needed action.
Who
am
I
going
to
talk
to? Speaking to myself isn’t solving the issue!
The words echoed in his head. Were the therapists right? Did he need an outsider to walk him through his own mind? If it were true, he didn’t want those medically oriented, note-taking sharks mucking up his record with their comments and the vast weight of his extremely personal frustrations. Some shit had to be personal!

Could he trust Laurie? Did this lady keep her mouth closed or would she be anxious to spread his inner secrets to the far corners of Coronado and beyond? He had dated someone like that, and it had been a painful lesson to learn.

“Jack?” Her voice was light, though he could hear the concern in it. As much as he didn’t want to put his trust in her, Laurie really seemed to care. It was either her or no one.

He nodded, making the decision, and finally relaxing his muscles. The fight-or-flight reaction had been resolved. Staying was the right choice. He watched her like an eagle watching a mouse. “I’m ready.”

“Okay, time for some deep-tissue relaxation.” Filling her hands with a cream that heated with her touch, Laurie began by rubbing the soles of his feet. “I’m very good at this. Most of my clients fall asleep in minutes.”

“I rarely sleep.” The statement sat between them like a palpable creature.

“Why not?” Her words were gentle, yet he didn’t want to answer. She did not give up easily, though. “Well, then, try
not
to sleep. For me.”

The corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. She was funny!

His masseuse played “This Little Piggy” with his toes, and the action touched something inside of him reminding him of his childhood. When she tickled the soles of his feet, he laughed outright.

Laurie’s hands made magic. She was true to her promise. Her fingers pushed and pulled and dug until he felt a relieved groan slip from his lips. The tension and pain, which had been solid walls of ache, released slowly by degrees and then suddenly by layers. It was a strange sensation to hear his own voice sighing and know his body was lifting into her touch.

“Are you doing well?” she asked gently.

“Great,” he moaned as he realized the predatory side of him had given way to the tactile joys of being touched. God, he wanted more of it!

“Yeah, I figured you could use it. I’ve never met a man who didn’t like a good rub.” Her hands were moving up his body, working his calves and thighs, pushing on places and digging deeply into other spots. “I’m adding some shiatsu massage techniques, too. Very few souls get to feel this.”

“Why? You’re amazing,” he said, though his body was beginning to feel like mushy oatmeal.

“The physicality takes a lot out of me,” she replied. “It tires me out. This is the end of the day, though, and you did apologize to me, and—well, as a person with a healing spirit I feel this is what you need. So, enjoy your reward.”

“A helluva gift. Thanks…” His words felt distant as the layers of relaxation took hold, and for the first time since his accident, he started to really let go. The room seemed to slip away, replaced by a feeling of distance and floating.

Syllables and images slipped from his lips as he drifted. “Maybe you can find the hole.”

“What hole?” she asked, whispering in his ear. The tips of her soft breasts rubbed against his skin, and he could feel the nipples even through her shirt. He wanted to respond to ask her to get more intimate, but he was being pulled away.

His exhaustion dragged him further under. The last conscious thought he had was of his own voice murmuring, “It’s a setup, Don. I think one of us is going to die.”

I have not yet begun to fight.

—John Paul Jones, aboard the
Bonhomme
Richard

“I told you from the beginning we shouldn’t be doing this Op. Something is seriously fucked up with the Intel. None of this is sitting right in my gut. Don, are you listening to me? You’ve got to explain it to the others.” Jack’s words were hard, forceful.

His shoulder muscles tensed beneath her hands. His words were low and gravelly. “Shit! No, I’m not being superstitious. Remember: Swepston’s Rule of Three has already gone into effect—count them. One, be alert to the first hurdle—it can be a feeling or an actual object blocking your path. This is your first clue there’s a problem. Two is the second action gone wrong—reassess the mission or path, immediately. Three is for seeing the truth—the third screw-up has occurred and it is time to wrap up and go home, because the fourth incident will most likely have us boxed in and dead.”

Spit flew out of his mouth as he yelled, “This is FNG shit! We’re not fucking new guys. We need to abort. Don! What the hell!
Don!
”

His body shook as if his entire being was having convulsions. Then, as suddenly as it started, the movement stopped.

Crap! This guy didn’t just have a heart attack on her table, did he? Jack was deathly still and very pale.

Hurriedly, she placed a finger against his neck and found his carotid artery. The beat was strong. She sighed. “Jack, thank God!”

His lips expelled one long intense exhalation. Then his breathing became ragged, slowly smoothing out, until it once again became regular and easy paced.

Laurie could hardly believe her ears. Had Jack just said that they were going to die, and what did he mean that there was something wrong with the Intel? Softly she spoke next to his ear. “Tell me more Jack.”

“Argh.” He only grunted and then fell silent. His body tightened and twitched now and then. Otherwise, if the sounds of his snores were any indication, this man was very much asleep.

Thoughts swirled in her brain. This guy had some major issues. As her hands moved over him, she realized with each touch, she only wanted more. Maybe he’d be a bed buddy, a lover. That could work for her. If they just had sex now and then, she wouldn’t have to worry about the girlfriend thing, the marriage and family stuff, and her concerns about the military aspect could just wash away.

A liaison with Jack could be a “hit it and quit it” proposition, and oddly enough, the candor of it could fit her life right now. Concentrating on business was important, because it was beginning to thrive, and being with Jack wouldn’t distract her. She wouldn’t have to worry about them when they weren’t together. Her inner core was all SEAL ideology. Early in life she’d learned that “not getting caught” was terribly important and so was living by your instincts. Jack showed up on her radar in twenty different ways, and she had to know more.

She smiled. Her reasoning worked for her. Her moral measuring stick would be used to gauge how she helped him heal. Using every trick and technique she knew, she would do her utmost to give him what he requested.

Straightening, she continued to work her way down his back. Her hands gripped the muscles, working over the contours and dipping in between the ridges. There were old scars in places, and she gently traced them with her fingers as she pondered his body wrapped around hers.

Jack intrigued her. His body. His situation. His determination. And the wrap of his steely hard arms around her had been pure heaven. If he weren’t unique, she knew she’d never risk her peace of mind and possibly her heart in this situation. His body was loosening up.

She felt a calcium deposit the size of a baby’s fist lodged in his right hip and her fingers pushed and probed against it, working the edges until the lump broke and dissipated. A feeling of accomplishment surged through her.

Sweat beaded on her cheeks and she wiped them on the bottom edge of her T-shirt before moving down his body. The heavy lines around his face encouraged her to continue her path of healing. Her instincts told her that Jack was severely stressed out and needed the rest, so she kept her word—pounding and pushing on as many kinks and knots as her own body could handle eliminating.

When she had sweat so much that her clothes were completely soaked, she knew she was getting close to being done. She could only exert as much energy as she was willing to sacrifice. Her number one rule was always to keep some energy for herself. It was basic emergency-responder doctrine—take care of yourself or you won’t be able to take care of either your partner or the patient.

Stepping back to look at him, she put her hands on her hips.
Why
is
it
that
men
look
so
angelic
on
the
outside
when
they
are
sleeping? Also, what is the circumstance or reason that pulls all of that sweetness back inside when they wake? What is the mystery, the lure?

His snores reverberated in the small office with a deafening refrain and made her smile. It reminded her of a very cherished memory—Josie. She’d had a Labrador dog that snored like that. The sound was sheer comfort to her. Of course, Jack might not appreciate the comparison, but it automatically put her at ease. She bet he’d like that part.

Her hands gripped his buttocks, working the muscles—pushing and pulling on them as if they were bread dough. Another part of her anatomy kicked up interest, and she had to talk her sexual desire back into its box.

For now, Jack was a client who sought healing and she was going to give it to him. Though her libido called dibs, having had first contact—well, kisses—she still wanted to be true to her work commitment. Yes, she was walking a fine line—doctors didn’t get involved with their patients—but physical therapists didn’t have the same type of code. It just wasn’t… seemly.

Of course, his interest in pursuing treatment seemed dubious, too. She wasn’t going to give up the opportunity for the most incredible pleasure she’d ever experienced in her life because of an inkling of doubt. Especially when it had been ages since her last “involvement,” or rather, love interest. But if she had to do the client/therapist gig, she supposed she could put her feelings on hold to provide Jack with all of her mind energy.

Her body wasn’t thrilled with the notion, but her sense of duty and professionalism appreciated the nod.

All of that was future-casting. Right now she was living in the moment and being present in the here and now. The heat got to her. Grabbing the bottom of her T-shirt, she peeled it off her body and dropped it in the laundry hamper. The service washed everything.

Looking at Jack, his body glistening with oil, she shook her head. He was drop-dead handsome and her body craved him as if he were a caramel-filled Godiva dark chocolate. Both made her mouth water for a bite… or a binge.

Walking across the room, she flipped the switch and stood in front of the air conditioner, silently begging it to pump out cold air faster. Even the Arctic wasn’t cold enough for her, though, and she cranked it up another notch. As the machine began to whirl louder, the motor kicked up to a higher gear, drowning out the sound of Jack’s snores and her own worries.

Placing her hands against the wall, she let her head fall back and allowed the cold air to draw away her looping thoughts. The noise roared in her ears as air whipped over her body, teasing her senses and making her nipples harden. She welcomed the blissful cold relief and partially surrendered her body’s tremendous heat.

“Hello, sweet Lilac Lady. How do you do that… smell so damn good,” said a voice into her ear.

Laurie practically jumped out of her skin. When she was steady on both of her feet again, she looked over her shoulder at the sexiest man she’d ever seen naked. It was hard to keep the smile from her lips. “I didn’t hear you move,” she replied, putting a little sass into the tone. She knew she should feel a little self-conscious, but she was too aroused to care. “And it’s called soap.”

He laughed, but his eyes glistened with a darker interest. “I’m glad you didn’t hear me,” he said as his lips gave her a very sensual smile and then kissed a path around her neck and shoulders. “I’m trained to do that. Surprise people.”

“Oh, do you mean surprising women by shocking them out of their skin, so they have to stay on their toes?” she teased back.

“Yes, I rather like you on your toes. Your pussy is almost even with my cock,” he said slyly. “And yes, we learn control. I can control everything. Watch me.” He pulled her body against his, and she could feel the outline of his cock against her buttocks. Giving into the wicked side of her nature, she wiggled against him.

He sucked in his breath and then turned her in his arms. Looking into her eyes, he said, “Sexy lady.” Then he grew serious for a moment; his eyes lost part of their gleam. “Laurie, thank you for the massage. That’s the first deep sleep I can remember having in a while. According to your clock, I was out cold for three hours. I’m grateful.” Before she could say anything else, he kissed her.

The emotion and tenderness of his kiss was so captivating that it reached into the inner recesses of her soul. This man gave a part of himself to her in that moment. She wanted to comment, say thank you or share what it meant… but the kiss turned hungry, rousing the lioness in her that wanted to mark him as hers.

Opening her mouth, her tongue darted in and out. She licked at the thick warmth of his lips and fed on his heat as if it were food from the gods.

When their tongues dueled, skyrockets of desire burst through her body as she locked her arms tightly around his head and drew him closer. Time was lost to the multitude of sensations shooting through her body. One minute, he had scooped her up in his arms and was walking with her, and the next, she was stretched out on the massage table and he was on top of her.

When he broke the kiss, her breath panted out and she couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. “So, what’s your next move, Jack?”

His grin was wicked. “I’m going to show you why they call me Red Jack.”

The gleam in his eyes made her shiver. “Will I like it?”

“You tell me,” he said softly as his eyes devoured her. Then his hands and lips were blazing a trail of heat along her skin. Deft fingers released the bikini top that she wore for quick dips in the ocean, which was right off her patio. As he released the knot, her skin prickled with the cold air, making her shiver in his arms.

“Laurie…”

She couldn’t stop her body from moving, lifting into his touch. Turning and sighing, she was undulating beneath his ministrations. “Jack, please.”

“Please, what?” He asked with one eyebrow raised.

“You’re going to make me beg, aren’t you?” she asked, needing his cock inside her with a desperation born of pure chemistry and attention.

“No,” he said softly as he made his way back up her body. When he was gazing into her eyes, he spoke with his eyes and mouth. There were many messages there. The words she heard were, “You only need to ask.” But his eyes spoke volumes:
Lose
yourself
in
me. Let me lose myself in you.

“Plea—” She didn’t even get to finish the word, before he moved. Grabbing his pants, he fished inside, withdrew a condom, and sheathed himself. Within seven heartbeats, he was primed between her legs and prepared to push in. His cock teased gently between her slick lips, causing a shivery ride of mini orgasms to zip along her body. Her eyes started to close as she began losing herself in the sensations and the moment.

“Look at me. Keep your eyes on mine.” Jack’s tone was deadly serious.

Laurie’s eyes sprang wide open and the surprise at his tone must have been evident, because he softened it.

“Please look at me.” The tenderness of his words was like a caress.

She nodded and then kissed him, closing and opening her eyes quickly before she pulled back. Kissing with her eyes open had never been an art she could master. It just made her dizzy. But making love gazing into each other’s eyes would be a new one.

“Ah.” The sound came from deep inside her as Jack bumped the top of her cervix, sending a riot of feelings through her abdomen. He was so deep, she could hardly breathe.

He balanced himself on his elbows, keeping his weight from crushing her and at the same time retaining his ability for full control. Poised above her, he just stared at her. It was too much!

Bucking against him, she wanted him to move, but he was in charge and there was nothing she could do to change that. She finally stilled beneath him, deciding she could live with it—let him have this one. A small part of her objected, but she conceded control.

“Ready, lovely Laurie?” The evil rogue was back in his eyes. He whispered in her ear, “Red Jack is in charge.”

“Right, like I need to be… ready,” she said, half joking with him, but the other half was unsure and slightly nervous. She squeaked out, “I’m—”

Then he moved, ever so gently bumping the top of her cervix at the same time his fingers found her nipple. A hazy fog filled her brain as she became lost to the crazy play of sensations. Her sheath gripped his cock tighter and tighter until she spilled a massive climax of satisfaction on him. She sighed as her body shook and convulsed, milking him.

Her hands and nails raked and tore over his flesh, forcing him to move more.

He took the cue and began thrusting in and out of her with ravaging heat that went beyond anything she could imagine. Pulsing with need, her body built to another climax until she cried, “Jack!”

He rolled her on top of him. Yes! She was in charge now, riding him like a wild dolphin surfing the waves. Power surged through her mind and body as she watched him. The honesty was bold in his eyes. He liked her. Admired her. And wanted her body. “Cum with me,” she gasped between thrusts.

He gave a slight nod and then gripped her hips, guiding her into a short, hard rhythm that had her coming again and again. She was lost on the waves of pleasure.