Scandalous Heroes Box Set (30 page)

Damn.

Parking, he couldn’t help but notice how quickly she bolted from his vehicle. Mulling over his next move, he got out and followed her up the walk. He just needed an opportunity.

* * * *

Dinner passed and was a lot of fun; however, exhaustion had set in by the time they’d finished the after-dinner drinks. The kids had been put down, including the twins, Ethan and Logan, who rested in Brodie’s room with him.

“You know you can stay here, Affrica,” Scott said as he sat back down after retrieving more coffee.

She gave him a grateful smile even as she shook her head. “Thank you but no.”

He appeared so different now than when he’d come to her rescue. The face paint gone, his blue eyes full of love and contentment versus how indifferent and hard they’d been in the desert. Tyson also. These men amazed her, doing what they did. For her. And knowing they did it for their country on a regular basis.

Then, there was Reeve Leighton. Dark brown, almost black, hair where his brother was a blond. Cornflower blue eyes for Scott while Reeve had deep chocolate ones. Unbidden, her gaze drifted to Reeve. He sat beside her, one hand curved around the glass coffee mug resting on his knee.

“Or our house,” Jayde said, drawing Affrica’s attention from Reeve.

She licked her lower lip as she stared at her friend. Of all the women who were with the men of SEAL Team Seventeen, she enjoyed Jayde the most. A fellow artist, they would often spend much time discussing shots or paintings. And she truly admired Jayde’s inner strength.

“I dinna wish to be a bother, and you all hae already done so much for me.” She glanced pointedly to the men. “I’ll get a hotel room and take a taxi to the train station.”

“Nonsense,” Reeve said. “I have an extra room at my place. Sleep there, and I’ll take you to your train.”

Scott and Tyson voiced immediate refusals. Tilting her head, she caught Reeve watching her, a hint of challenge in his eyes and an arched brow.

“It makes perfect sense. Y’all have kids, and I have no plans come morning. What do you say, sweetcheeks, think you can handle being that close to me all night?”

Sweetcheeks. She ignored the fluttering of her heart and stomach as she held his unwavering gaze.

“I was shot in the arm, not the head to make me lose common sense. You make a valid point—these men work as do their wives, so I’ll take ya up on yer offer.”

“Affrica,” Tyson said.

“Leave off, Tyson. Affrica can make her own decisions.” Jayde’s calm voice came next.

Everyone stood. Affrica couldn’t miss the glares from Tyson and Scott toward Reeve. Deciding not to mention it, she helped Lex clear the table then hugged the women before their husbands.

“Thank you,” she said. “For not letting me die there.”

Scott pulled her close for a hug. “You never have to thank us.”

Then, it was Tyson’s turn. “Are you sure about this?” he asked as his arms banded around her, mindful of the injury.

“Aye. He’s harmless. Not to mention scared o’ ya.”

Harmless. Not even she believed that one.

“Humph.”

She drew back and held hazel eyes before glancing to Scott and back again. “Find him, please.”

Both men grew somber and nodded. She knew they would do everything in their power to locate her brother whose plane had gone down in Antarctica. Scott stepped away and called to his brother for a private chat. Five minutes later, she walked beside Reeve down to his car and climbed in with a final wave over her shoulder to all.

Bag on her lap, she closed her eyes as he drove, maintaining easy breathing. She had no clue where he lived and, honestly, right now, was too tired to care. Sleep was essential for she had a job lined up in Oregon before she eventually flew back to Ireland. Granted, she could sleep on the train but her body still hadn’t caught up from her jaunt in the desert for her nights were plagued with nightmares.

She stirred and looked around when the car slowed and turned. They drove into a garage, and the door lowered behind them. A light overhead illuminated the area fit for two cars. The place was immaculate and a surprise.

“Come on, sweetcheeks,” Reeve said after he climbed out, opened her door, and took her bag.

“Must you call me that?”

“Must? No. But I love the way your eyes sparkle indignantly when I do.” He winked and walked off toward a door she assumed led inside.

She followed with an amused sigh. His place was open and also as spotless as the garage had been. She gazed about the condo. Tile and hardwood floors and stark white walls with some framed pictures, which to her felt out of place. It deserved to be mentioned that she wasn’t all-knowing of what made Reeve tick, so perhaps it did fit him.

Stainless steel appliances graced his kitchen, and a large glass window area overlooked Chesapeake Bay. She smiled as she stared down at the boats out there at night, their lights beacons through the darkness.

“Nice place.” She peeked over her shoulder at him.

He didn’t respond just jerked his head in silent indication to follow, ambled down to an open door, and gestured inside.

“Here you are. I’ll have the bed made up in moments.” He paused and swung around toward her, his eyes liquid heat. “Unless you want to stay in my bed, with me.”

She didn’t pretend to think on it. Sure, they may go toe to toe and argue but the sparks never diminished between them. Sparks which had been there from the very beginning. There was no declaration for the future; this was all about the here and now.

Affrica stepped flush to him and dragged her tongue along her bottom lip as her arms simultaneously wound around his neck. The pain of her injuries drifted to the back of her mind.

“Dinna wish it any other way.”

A deep rumble rose from his chest, and his hands settled along her lower back. They stared at one another, breaths coming shallow and fast. Her exhaustion faded away with each breath she took, the rich and heady scent of Reeve Leighton giving her energy.

Reeve flexed his fingers before he removed them to curve along the sides of her face. His thumbs traced her bottom lip before he lowered his mouth to hers.

Finally.

Since his impromptu and way-too-short kiss outside Godric’s country club, Towering Oaks, her mind recalled very little else. He didn’t take and demand. No, Reeve gently licked along her lips before sliding his tongue along the seam, seeking entrance.

She opened for him, heart hammering against her ribs. He tasted decadent and masculine. She moaned and sank closer. He stroked everywhere, sides, roof, and along her tongue. Against her belly pressed the evidence of his hard arousal.

“Jeez,” he rasped, tearing his mouth from hers. “So fucking sweet.” Another deep kiss. “So damned addictive.”

She felt the same. Except she’d substitute masculine for sweet. Still, he
was
damned addictive. He kissed her again, and she forgot all else. He lowered his hands to her ass and, with a singularly smooth motion, lifted her. Without him saying it, she wrapped her legs around his waist.

When he stopped walking and placed her on her feet, she was ready to come at the slightest touch. A row of lights shone from the far side of the room. She held onto him, her limbs a bit shaky, until she was confident of standing alone, then she reached for the buttons on his silvered green shirt.

Reeve stood immobile as she undid each pearled button, until the silk hung open, exposing his muscular torso. A moment’s pause before she shoved the material off his shoulders to flutter to the floor. A soft golden tan dusted his skin, and she chewed on her bottom lip while her fingers familiarized themselves with his defined abs.

Silent, she reached for the black leather belt at his waist. His hand captured her wrist, and she regarded him with a slight tilt of her head. Heat swirled in his gaze, and she felt an answering tug in the pit of her stomach.

“Article for article, sweetcheeks.” He released her.

With a nod, she lowered her hands to the hem of her own shirt. Again, he stopped her. “Only fair I get to do this. You removed mine.”

Her belly clenched tighter. And so it went. Article for article. Piece for piece. By the time she faced a naked Reeve, she burned. Inside and out. She’d honestly expected a rush, tearing clothes off and going up in flames from the explosive heat.

He exhibited total control and took his time. His eyes kept her on the cusp with their passionate need. His fingers touched her ever so lightly as he removed her clothing, leaving her desperate for more.

She ran her hungry gaze over his nude physique. She lingered on the length of his jutting shaft. Drops of pre-cum caused the broad mushroom head to glisten. He was magnificent.

“Come here.” He beckoned her, and she stepped close, savoring the first experience of pure skin on skin. So warm. So strong. So aroused.

He carried her to his bed and laid her back upon the king-sized mattress. She stared at him as he looked down upon her.

“You’re a beautiful woman, sweetcheeks.”

He cut short her response by cupping a breast and rolling the tip in his fingers. She gasped at the sensation, arching into his touch. He gave a wicked grin and ducked his head. His mouth showered attention on her other breast, and he kept it up until she cried in pleasure to the room.

Reeve kissed his way down her chest and belly until he sat poised over the apex of her thighs. She tensed, waiting for the first touch, only to moan in frustration when he moved past. His rich chuckle filtered back to her.

“All in good time, sweetcheeks. I want to enjoy you at my leisure.”

And he did.

When Reeve moved back up her and kissed her, she tasted the heady combination of their flavors. Fire coursed through her veins, and she craved but one thing now. Him. Deep within her.

She watched from behind lowered lids as he opened a condom and rolled it over his turgid length. Her legs widened in silent invitation. He teased her with just the broad head of his cock before sliding into her, inch by torturously slow inch.

“Fuck,” he uttered.

His expletive jerked her lids back up again. He had a clenched jaw, and she followed a droplet of sweat as it rolled down his face and neck. She couldn’t speak. Never had she felt so full. He seemed to touch places she’d not even been aware of. She shifted beneath him, eliciting a groan from him.

“Move.” It took her a few attempts to get the word out.

He pinned her with his gaze and did as she’d ordered. Back and forth, he built up a rhythm which had her toes and fingers curling into the bedspread. They moved in the perfect sync of a dancing duo. She undulated. He rolled. She arched. He thrust.

So close and yet so far was completion. The tingling from her approaching orgasm had her panting his name as he continued on with the deep, penetrating strokes. Her legs locked high around his waist, the angle hurtled her closer and closer to the edge.

“Oh…I…harder…” Her babbling continued as their sweaty bodies worked in tandem with one another.

She focused on the set of his jaw, the passion in his eyes, and the pleasure of his touch. Reeve bent forward so his mouth hovered near her ear. He smelled of sweat and sex.

“Come with me,” he murmured, in a darkly seductive tone.

Nothing else need be said. She arched, coming hard, a cry of passion exploding from her mouth as colors flickered behind her lids. She tightened around him as he powered twice more within her and came with a roar all his own. She rode out the tremors until she sank bonelessly back into the mattress. His body followed, a hot and welcome weight.

Damn!
They lay there, hearts pounding and slowly starting to calm. She wriggled her fingers, amazed to find them in the thick locks of his hair, which was dampened by their exertions.

He pushed up and stared at her. His gaze hooded and almost mysterious yet she could still see the heat in them. It hit her in that moment. Her life had just changed.

Chapter Six

Reeve leaned against the doorjamb and stared at Affrica while she slept. Hell, he’d only just recently woken up himself. They had both fallen asleep after the first time of making love. He’d never been so sated, not to mention never so drained, after.

Two more times since then they’d done a repeat. Each time for him, it got better and better. He expelled a sharp breath and rubbed his bare chest.

Affrica slept diagonally across his bed, lying on her stomach. Her head almost fully covered by a pillow, keeping morning’s first light from her. He’d woken up a full hour before his alarm would have gone off and spent most of it watching her as she continued to slumber.

Now, it was time to wake her. He padded to the side of the bed her head was nearest and sat. With one hand, he trailed his first two fingers up the curvature of her spine. She moaned low and shifted beneath his touch. Gathering her hair to one side, he bent and kissed a bared shoulder.

“Mmm.”

“Wake up, sweetcheeks.”

“Time to go already?” Her sleep-laden voice was deep and sensual, stroking him to an even harder state.

“You are welcome to stay as long as you desire.” He realized how very true the words were once he spoke them.

She rolled onto her back and gave him a sexy smile. “I have to work.”

He smoothed some of her hair back and paused when he felt the remnants of a scar. Stroking his fingers along it, he met her shuttered gaze.

“What’s this from?”

Affrica sat up, ignored the sheet which showed off her beautiful breasts as it pooled at her waist. “Motorcar accident.” Her accent thick and difficult to understand as her body held rigid.

“Did you—”

“Leave it alone, Reeve.” She voice left no room for argument. “Now, come shower with me.”

She stood and sauntered away until all he could see was her hand. Her finger crooked, and he went, kicking off his sweats on the way.

Once they stood under the pounding heated spray, she grabbed his cock, pumping it with her wet hand as she sank to her knees before him. Fuck! He’d been dreaming of this since the day he met her and had zoned in on her full lips. Dropping his head back against the smooth tiled wall, he held his breath in anticipation.