SEAL Brotherhood 06 - SEAL My Destiny (24 page)

He stood behind her, placing his hands on her hips, palms down, gently pulling her back against him so she could feel his erection.

As if she didn’t already know.

She knew she should stop him. But it wasn’t what she was going to do. Though it was probably the dumbest thing she’d done in her life, she’d go with him wherever he wanted her to.

She just hoped to God she had the strength to stop at her own personal boundaries. His illness she knew somehow she could handle. If he ever stopped wanting her,
that
she probably would not be able to handle.

‡

L
uke hoped the
guys entertained Julie’s girlfriend in a respectful manner, giving him time to clear things with Julie. Well, not exactly clear things, because he wanted his body pressed against hers so much he’d do anything to get it. Including tell himself he was well enough to handle all this.

He didn’t know how he felt about it, had avoided feeling anything, just focusing on his job, and the guys. Putting thoughts of Julie out of his mind. But when he saw her sitting across the room, those eyes needed him. He suddenly felt like the guy who could do it, could give her the love and devotion she so deserved. He saw her need of him. But he also saw her strength. He needed that, too.

He didn’t ask her where they were going. He just followed her through the crowd. Cigarette smoke was getting to his eyes. He had her hand so tight he wondered if it was too tight, so he loosened it to check out her temperature. She squeezed him back so hard it nearly hurt.

He was going to go for it. The whole enchilada. She was what he’d always wanted. Trick was to convince her of something he wasn’t entirely sure he understood. The doc had told him to be careful, but to follow his gut. And to tell her when he was feeling rocky so she had some advance warning. It was only fair. And to go on with meetings, support groups. Connect with other elite warriors who were dealing with the same issues. At least he didn’t have to deal with a physical injury like some of the guys he’d met.

Dr. Brownlee had been hopeful on their last visit. Took it as a good sign he decided to come in early and not wait. He had so much he wanted to tell her. He hoped to God she wanted to hear it.

He’d been afraid to look at her until they got to the elevator.

“You good with this, honey? Because I can stop now, but I won’t be able to later. Honest, sweetheart,” he said with his palms on either side of her sweet pink cheeks. The sight of her face, begging him to kiss her, made his chest rise, blood pumping all over, especially in his lower abdomen. Her soft kiss was something he could sink himself into and spend the whole day, just there. If she’d let him, and if her friend didn’t interrupt them, he’d spend every second pleasuring her enough so neither one of them would be able to walk afterward.

But first they’d have to talk. Painful as it would be, they had to clear the air. Say the things which should be said, whether or not either of them wanted to hear it. It should happen in a certain order, and just screwing her didn’t show her the respect she deserved.

The elevator door pinged open to a gathering of Chinese tourists, packed so tight it took them a minute to un-wedge the first passengers off.

A couple was starting to walk on, following Luke and Julie inside, but he barred the way. “Sorry, folks. You’ll have to take the next one.”

She chuckled and leaned into him, fostering in him the need to wrap his arm around her, protecting her from the space in the elevator. He’d never felt so fuckin’ hard or big. “Missed you, baby.”

The doors opened on her floor, and in seconds they were standing alone in a room just now being warmed by the bright lights of the strip. He thought he’d like to say what he wanted to say while he watched the shimmer of those lights on her beautiful face.

“Baby, I’m getting better. I want to get better for you. I want to be a whole man. I’m not there, but I’m going to work on it.”

She nodded and said the words he’d dreamed about every night for the past few days. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“This isn’t just a hookup for a few hours and then we go our separate ways, Julie. I can’t propose to you until I got all my shit together—”

“Shhh, Luke. There is no hurry. You know we have time. There is no race.”

But of course there was a fuckin’ race. He needed to be inside her. He needed to touch the gateway to her soul while he filled her with all the power and love he possessed. He was grounded with her, found, seated on a solid foundation that could withstand any earthquake or tidal wave.

He pulled her onto his lap when he sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve got one more tour, and then I’m thinking I’ll get out. I don’t want to do anything that sets me back into the dark ages, but I don’t have to think about it for a while. I’ve got a few weeks, maybe a few months, to decide. But I’m promising you right now, I’m going to make getting healthy a priority, to work on it.”

“I don’t want you to change anything for me. I want you to do and be what you would do and be if I wasn’t around.”

She was fiddling with the hair at his temples, toying with him, making his ears buzz. The way her heaving breast leaned into his bicep, the little nipple teasing his grateful body part, made the blood in his veins pound.

He looked up at her, rubbing a palm over the top of her thigh, needing to see her close her eyes while his fingers pressed between her legs. “Not possible, baby. I am who I am because of you. You make me the man I want to be by loving me in return.”

“I want you to teach me what I need to do to assist, Luke. There’s so much I don’t understand. But I’m willing to try. Teach me.”

“With pleasure, baby. I just wanted you to know. I just didn’t want you to think—”

She pressed her lips so hard against his he almost bit her. “Take me, Luke. Please take me. Love away all the doubts. We’ll figure it all out later. I promise. But I need you now or I’ll go insane.”

Well, hell, if that wasn’t the biggest fuckin’ green light of the century.

He kicked off his shoes and quickly dropped his pants, while she slipped off her top and did the same with her pants. She arched to unhook her bra and he stopped her. “My rules. My job.”

She lifted his T-shirt off his head, folded her fingers behind his ears and then traced a finger down his jaw to his lips. He accepted her forefinger, pulled her whole hand up to his face and sucked two fingers loudly. Her other hand found the tent in his pants, and had slipped inside the elastic of his red, white and blue boxers, finding his cock, squeezing it, and then squeezing his balls.

He quickly shucked the boxers and brought her to the bed. She lay back, her knees apart, lacy cream panties barely covering the slit of her opening. When he reached under her to remove her bra, she arched toward him, bit his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

Her body was warm and friendly. It was like coming home after being scared shitless in some of those desolate places where he’d been deployed. She was all apple pie and parades and everything he loved about what normal people did. In his mind’s eye, he saw children in the streets, and dogs sleeping on the lawn. He saw the pleasure of a future with her.

He carefully pressed her knees apart and slipped his tongue under the lace to dip into her opening. The first taste of her almost made him weep. He’d been so sure they would never again have this kind of afternoon together, but the grieving he’d done for this relationship was suddenly over. The long winter, the cold, which had gripped the strange parts of his emotions, was lit by the fire burning within her. He would be her love slave for as long as she’d have him.

When his ministrations made her arch and writhe, her lovely, soft belly got concave. His hands smoothed over the cream of her thighs, moving along the backside to fondle the cleft in her butt cheeks. He used his forefinger to touch the dimples at the top of her ass and then snaked up her spine to hold her up to him.

Wet from her juices, reached her mouth, and she sucked his tongue while pressing her pubic bone against his thigh and rubbing hard with a groan. He decided he wouldn’t take off the panties. His cock was in need of immediate satisfaction. There would be time to explore that delicious pink pussy of hers later. Right now it was all about the feel of her pulsing around him while he came.

Then he remembered the protection he didn’t have.

“Honey, I don’t have anything.”

She examined his face. “Then we’ll have to risk it,” she whispered.

“No, baby. That isn’t smart. I can probably get—”

“Shhh.” She lifted her head, and he placed his hand under the base of her skull, helping her to reach his ear to tell him something. With a moan and a whisper, “Fuck me, Luke.”

Well, okay.

He moved her panties to the side, letting his forefinger slip up and down her slick channel. He pressed her nub with his thumb, allowing his fingers to lightly penetrate her, one at a time, and she was going wild. At last he pressed himself at her opening and allowed just the head of his cock to enter.

He cupped her lovely face, his fingers massaging her scalp, his thumbs rubbing across her lips. He looked into those chocolate eyes, gently kissed her lips and thrust deep, watching the little worry lines crinkle at the top of her nose even as he filled her.

Her face was filled with pain and it scared him. Tears shimmered. He stopped. “Baby, are you okay?”

“Are you going to leave me again, Luke?”

“Oh, honey,” he said, he tucking his head under her chin while he pumped her deep, in and out. Then he lifted and gazed into her eyes again.

“Never.” His own eyes had gotten moist. “Never leaving you, Julie. Never.”

“Your promise is your bond. I take you at your word. I love you, Luke. I don’t want to have to learn how to live without you.”

He moved himself in then out, then deep again, knowing they would have to have “the SEAL wives’ talk.” The one where she learns what to do in case he didn’t come home. She’d have to understand, if she was going to love him, it was always possible he would not return. Not likely, but possible. She had to understand what they shared was precious, but perhaps short-lived. And that he’d strive with every fiber of his being to come home to her, but it was never guaranteed.

But it was also what would make their life together more precious.

‡

L
azing in the
colorful lights of the strip and the noise of laughter, vehicles and music, she watched the colors move across his chest. She’d never felt so wrung out, or so satisfied. She kissed his left nipple and felt him stir, and then he rolled to his side and covered her hip with his thigh. The sheets were all over the place, but one hid the powerful thighs and hips which had loved her into oblivion. She knew it would always be like this. She’d always feel this way in his arms. She was safe. The world was right. Nothing could shake her belief that somehow they’d make it.

His eyes were open and he had on his sexy smile. The Luke who had loved her was still here, had fallen asleep and woke up being the same Luke who had pleasured her just an hour ago.

She reached down and stroked him. He pushed his hips into her palm, so she tucked her shoulder under his thigh, moving down on the bed and put her lips on his cock. Sucking and swirling her tongue over his crown, she was rewarded by feeling him stiffen and rise to life again. Then she slid her tongue down to his balls. She took them in her mouth and sucked, rolling them around, pressing with her tongue, then rolling them with her fingers while she licked her way back up to his tip.

He flipped her onto the mattress, pressing down her upper arms with his knees, holding on to the headboard of the bed while she sucked and pulled at his member. His hips worked in a fluid circular motion while she worked the length of him, up and down, then held still while he came. She wanted to wait, prolong their play, but his control was slipping.

“Baby,” he groaned, his hips jerking.

She reached around between his legs and pulled at his ball sack, and he lost it. His warm sperm spurted, coating her throat as she held him deep and absorbed him all the way to the hilt while he came. She sucked every drop he had to give, slowly and lovingly allowing him to sink back into the bed.