His By Sunrise: A Military Erotic Romance (Sexy Siesta Series Book 1) (7 page)

At first, it just irritated him that he’d missed the first dance with Ema. Then he had seen Bougainvillea. Red’s warning reiterated Gabriel’s beliefs, he would stop at nothing to put as much distance as possible between Ema and the woman-slaughtering drug lord.

His instincts had kept him out of a few scrapes in the past, and they were screaming at him now. How had Lucas failed to mention a wanted criminal had made it to the VIP list? Gabriel would chat with him later.

“Those are some smooth moves you’ve got there,
hermano
.” Bougainvillea flashed a grin meant to send a man’s heart into his ass with fear. Lucky for Gabriel he knew a thing or two about intimidation. He also knew how to break bones and if the man didn’t remove his hand from Ema’s arm pronto, Gabriel wouldn’t be responsible for the ass-kicking to follow.

He offered her his hand. “May I, sweetheart?” She looked at him a moment, the fire simmering in her eyes, but slowly placed her hand in his. The tension in his body uncoiled a fraction. He pressed his luck and snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

Bougainvillea’s eyes darkened, darting to Gabriel’s arm where his unit’s tattoo peeked out from the short sleeve of his cotton shirt.

“You Marine boys always move in packs? Where I see one there’s two or three…
como perros
. Like fucking dogs.” His voice, thick with his Mexican accent, made deeper by anger.

Gabriel leveled his stare at the man. Their heights leveled out to the same, but Gabriel’s build across the shoulders and arms dwarfed Bougainvillea’s thinner frame.

Gabriel knew better than to mistake a small man for a small enemy though.

“That’s devil dog to you, asshole.” His voice just as smug as Bougainvillea’s.

Ema obviously wasn’t as thick-skinned as he was. Her body tensed beneath his touch and her nails dug into the skin of his arm. “
Señor
Bougainvillea, you’re talking about my family and my friends.” Her tone harsh and just as sharp as her nails.

Cold, calculating eyes turned to Ema, disgust twisting Bougainvillea’s features. He tilted his head to the side as if assessing her worth, and it took all Gabriel had not to plant his fist in the other man’s face. Bougainvillea’s eyes darted between them before landing on his. “I didn’t realize the dog had his bitch.” Bougainvillea shifted his weight and focused squarely on Ema “Running with this Marine marks you as a traitor to México and your mama,
Señorita
Vega.” Bougainvillea snarled, his words barely audible above the music.

Ema drew back, and Gabriel tightened his hold just enough to let her know she was safe.

Gabriel caught a gleam in her eye a split second before she pulled out of his hold, her hand raised to strike Bougainvillea. Gabriel caught her just in time. If anyone needed to be knocked on their ass that was his job.

An arrogant smirk lifted Bougainvillea’s mouth in contrast to the waves of anger that rolled off the man?

Gabriel held his ground, not giving Bougainvillea the satisfaction of seeing how close he was to giving him a taste of his fist.

He understood all too well how men like Bougainvillea operated. They played and used people until they had their hooks so deep the person had no way out. Then his true nature would come out to play. Gabriel wouldn’t let that happen to Ema.

“All good here?” Gabriel sensed Ema’s cousin before he spoke up from beside him.

“Peachy. The man was just confused about who we are. I set him straight. Now he’s taking his leave.” Gabriel kept his voice level as he spoke to Lucas, never taking his eyes off Bougainvillea.

Bougainvillea’s calm and collected persona slid into place like a glove, masking the snake again. “
Si
,” he drawled out. “
Por ahora
. For now, it seems so. Unless…” Bougainvillea’s gaze anchored on Ema. He stepped closer, placing a hand on her lower arm.

Ema stiffened and pulled back. Bougainvillea flinched but continued, “Unless you’d like to take this talk private.
Solo tu y yo
. Just you and me?”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed. A deep base pulsated along the heated air, cranking up the tension. Guests gave them a wide berth, instinct driving them away from danger. “Not a chance, slick, and if you don’t take your hand off her right now, you and I’ll be the ones dancing.”

Bougainvillea’s eyes flashed with a warning, daring Gabriel to make a move. “Bougainvillea, it’s best you leave, but my wife and I thank you for joining us on our day.” Lucas rested a hand on his shoulder and stepped between them.

Smart move
.

The man turned his attention to Ema, calculating his move a moment before turning toward Lucas. “The pleasure was mine.” His words clipped and dry. “And,
amigo
, get your friend on a leash before something bad happens.”

Bougainvillea turned on his heel. Gabriel watched as the viper slowly wove his way through the packed dance floor. Several suits peeled off from the crowd to follow. His goons, no doubt. This wasn’t the last they’d meet up, he could feel it deep in his bones.

“What the hell was all that about, Gabriel?”

Gabriel cringed from the lethal cut to Ema’s words, but stood his ground as he turned to face her. Now that he could focus on her one hundred percent, the familiar scent of her shampoo washed over him. Or was it her body wash? Mango with an underlying hint of vanilla—as exotic as the woman. Fuck, he could eat her where she stood.

God, what a combination to play with a man’s senses. He couldn’t blame Bougainvillea for wanting a chance at his lover. On second thought, after his latest misstep, he might need to attach
former
to that last thought.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he countered. Normally, he was the rational one of the team—the one to ease the pressure and deliver solutions to tight situations. Tonight, all that took a back seat where Ema was concerned. Maybe that made him a prick, but he had no problem with the act-now-ask-questions-later, method.

“So neither of you think to ask me if you’re welcome to just waltz right into the middle of my dance with Bougainvillea? And you can wipe that arrogant smirk off your face,
primo
, because I’m not in the mood for your puns and jokes, family or no. Fucking cavemen, the both of you.” Ema whipped around and out of his arms, heading toward the tables lining the dance floor.

A slow number replaced the faster salsa beat. A whole lot of kissing and groping was already going down out on the darkened dance floor, and he burned to be right in the middle of it with Ema. Being this close felt so right, but out there he could get a hell of a lot closer.

“Hold up there, little cuz, we ain’t laughing. Do you know
what
the hell you were dancing with?” Gabe stifled a laugh at Lucas’s words. He’d obviously picked up on the snake vibe, too.

“What the hell are you doing with that guy, and why the hell is he here to begin with?”

Two for two. The man read his mind perfectly.

Gabriel stood, his back to the dance floor, attention fully on Ema. “He’s my plus one. Or was. Everything else is none of your damn business.” Her eyes were daggers aimed right for his heart. “Or yours, Gabriel. And really, he might have deserved it, but did you have to be such an ass?” Damn, he loved her accent—how she drew out her words with a sexy cadence.

He shrugged. “Seems to be the theme of the night.”

She inched closer and drove her point home with a finger to his chest. So petite to his taller stature, and so damn sexy all fired up. Temptation rode him hard. He wanted to grab her hand, then kiss his way up her arm. He’d continue along her neck, her chin, then devour her tongue before moving down until he had one of her sweet nipples in his mouth. He wouldn’t stop until she gave in to his charms, until he worked out the fear eating at his gut, and convinced himself she was safe.

At the thought of tasting her skin again, her feminine folds, blood shot straight to his dick. He could still taste her nectar on the back of his tongue.
Damn
. His body flushed with heat. Any hotter and he would surely catch fire.

Before he exploded, Lucas stepped in and brought his thoughts back on track. “Looks like you two have some issues to sort out and I have a beautiful bride waiting to dance with me.” Lucas threw a wink at Ema, which brought a small smile to her lips. “And you know it doesn’t end there.”

Gabriel nodded his understanding. “Thanks, buddy.”

Gabriel caught her hand to keep Ema from following Lucas’s example and walking away from him. “I’ve been known to step on a few toes. More than a few, actually. Stop dancing around the question and answer Lucas, Ema.” Gabriel’s tone came out harsher than he’d intended.
Damn
.

“Get over yourself, Gabriel.” She turned away, pulling back her hand, done with their conversation. And him.

Too bad
.

He took a step closer, placing a gentle hand on her arm then trailing his fingers down the length. He tangled their fingers together. He was good at pushing people to their limits, but he didn’t want her to feel she couldn’t open up to him, so he made an effort to rein in his possessive tendencies. He wanted to forget all about tonight and Bougainvillea, but they didn’t have that luxury. He needed to make sure Ema understood the danger she’d danced into tonight.

“Ema, listen, I’m sorry. But I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with concerning Bougainvillea.” He softened his tone and moved closer so she could hear him above the music while preventing any of the guests walking by from eavesdropping. “We’ve heard some pretty nasty shit about Bougainvillea. Worse yet, we know he’s
killed
, Ema. Don’t blame us for being worried when we see you break a move with the guy.” He didn’t want to scare her with the sadistic details of Bougainvillea’s dark side. Not yet anyway. If she persisted, he’d have no choice though.

He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her deeper into his embrace. “But we can talk about that later,” he said, leaning in to her ear.

Her shoulders relaxed, and her body molded to his. She felt so damn good. Her nearness made his head spin with pent-up desire. He pulled her scent down into his lungs, desperate for more—so intoxicating he could get drunk.

Her capitulation didn’t fool him for a second. It would take a lot more than a simple apology from him to ease her anger.

She pulled away, hiding her face from him. He caught her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

There was no hiding the stress evident in the dark shadows beneath her eyes. His fingers itched to ease into the loose, wavy length of her hair and let his touch coax the truth behind tonight’s mess out of her.

She pushed his hand away. “Listen, I know you mean well…” She let out a sigh powerful enough to damn near send him to his knees. Something was wrong, and he was going to find out what. “You know, never mind. I have to go.”

No way in hell she was shoving him to the side.

“Not a chance, babe. You’re coming with me.” She glared at him and he quickly corrected himself. “Please? I want to show you something.”

She raised her gaze level with his in question. He could almost see the war going on inside her head. She wanted to go with him, but something was holding her back. He grinned and pulled out all the stops. “We’re in a paradise, baby. It’d be a shame to miss out on the tequila and sunset.” He tentatively took her hand in his then brushed his lips across the soft, delicate skin answering one of his previous questions. The exotic, fruity smell lingered on her skin from her morning shower, no doubt. He couldn’t wait to help her with her next and maybe she would let him wash her with the tantalizing soap that tingled his senses. “Let me make it up to you, Ema.”

She gave a charming little lift to the corner of her mouth. That was something in the positive direction. “Fine, I could use a few minutes to clear my head before heading back to San Diego anyway.”

No way he’d let her out of his sight, much less make the long ass drive alone tonight. The sun was already dipping below the horizon. Once he had her to himself, all bets were off. He’d leave that little detail for her to figure out on her own though. For now, he’d enjoy a moment with her and the sunset. And if he worked it right, and a miracle happened, he might even get the chance to soften her heart to his charms for an all-night kind of kiss.

“Let me grab this.” Gabriel snatched the tequila bottle on the abandoned table along with two normal shot glasses.
Thank God for small miracles
. Now, to see how fast he could devise a plan that would have Ema opening up to him…in and out of bed.

****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Talina writes across multiple genres which include erotic romance, spicy romantic suspense & paranormal romance. Within her worlds you'll find steamy fast paced plots with unique characters filled with passion and grit. From sheriffs to military men to shape shifters and vampires, there is no hot blooded hero she doesn't love to write-and read-about. Visit her website to grab free wallpapers, excerpts, soundtracks and more!

Watch for This Summer’s Next Sunrise…

SUNRISE FOR THREE

Sexy Siesta #3

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