SEAL Protected (4 page)

Tom did a double take, blinking. “Yeah,” he said. “SEAL, actually, but he told you that too.”

“It shows,” I said. Tom cocked an eyebrow in question. “Taryn’s ex-army and she guessed it by your stance before I even mentioned it to her.” Tom let out a low whistle of appreciation. “Yeah, she’s good with that stuff.” Another minute of silence passed and I stood, coughing awkwardly. “Well, I should get going or else my boss is going to wonder where I am.”

“Where do you work? Your father didn't fill me in yet.”

“I’m a vet,” I said. “Have been for a few years.” Tom nodded and I walked to the door, pausing with my hand on the frame. “Get well soon, Tom, I’m not done terrorizing you yet.”

“Joy,” he said. A smile touched his eyes though, and I knew he was joking. “Have a safe trip, Michelle.” His low voice when he said my name sent another shiver down my spine and I twitched, hoping he wouldn’t notice. No one in the world should have been allowed to say my name like that. I shook my head and walked out the door, not bothering with anymore good-byes. As I walked down the hall I patted my cheeks to get rid of the heat that still insisted on rushing through them.

It wasn’t that the attraction surprised me, or the sudden rush of lust. He was attractive enough and it had been a while since I had found company in anything but the neon colors inside my bedside table. I knew it was only natural, but still, I couldn’t help but shake my head at it. My bodyguard was the object of my lust. Even if I wanted to sleep with him – which I shouldn’t, and, for the most part, I wasn’t even sure if I did – it would have been a conflict of interest.

I sighed and walked out of the hospital, still shaking my head. It was rare that fantasies made any sense, and this was no different. Besides, if I couldn’t sleep with him, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to, the way he said my voice and the way he laughed would fuel my fantasies for a few weeks at least. Grinning, I jogged to the bus stop. Until then, though, I had work and my friends to think about. I’d worry about Tom once he was back on his feet.

Chapter 5

A week later, not long after Tom had been released from the hospital, I woke up before the sunrise. The first signs of winter had well and truly set in by then. Early morning frost coated the ground well into the afternoon and almost every brightly colored leaf had fallen in the city.

That morning, I pulled on my running gear and grabbed my music player. Twisting the doorknob, I headed out the door of my apartment. Tom was waiting for me down in the lobby. He wore sweat pants and a hoodie – a sharp contrast to my tank top and tight, black shorts.

I grinned when I caught him staring at my outfit. “Like what you see?” I asked, wiggling my hips for emphasis. Tom flushed and ducked his head, coughing and looking at the ground.

“Won’t you freeze dressed like that…” His eyes flicked up to me for a second and he swallowed, trailing off mid sentence

I raised an eyebrow at him. “You don’t run much, do you?” I asked. He shook his head. “Then prepare to be schooled.” Without waiting for his response, I shoved my headphones into my ears and jogged out of the lobby and into the city. The first mile of my run was always a warm-up. Stretching did part of the work, but nothing beat a good jog for a warm-up. As I turned the first corner, Tom fell into step behind me. I wasn’t sure if he was staying back to watch the surroundings, or because he couldn’t keep up. I pretended it was the second one and picked up my pace.

The dark of the sky lightened as we ran. It was only now beginning to lighten to deep, grey-streaked blue. All around us, the city slept. I breathed deeply. Early morning air had a sharp, untouched smell to it that always raised the hairs on my arms. I could see my breath as I ran, but I didn’t feel the cold even in my shorts. Few cars drove the frost covered streets this early, and even fewer people walked them. I took another breath, watched the way it dissipated in front of me, and picked up my pace. The warm-up jog faded into a run – not quite a sprint, not yet. The sidewalks beneath my feet did not betray my destination. I turned the next corner and headed toward the city’s waterfront.

My focus slipped from my surroundings and turned inward to my running. My feet pounded in rhythm with my heart. The heavy bass of my music set the speed of my run. I let my breaths come in deep, steady sets. As my focus sharpened on these, the rest of the world faded away. For a while, there was nothing else. Nothing but the heavy music in my ear buds and the beat of my feet and my heart.

It was half an hour later when the waterfront came into view. I swung left at the next corner and pushed myself into a sprint. The muscles of my legs flexed, feeling the burn completely in the last stretch. My shoes slapped the ground as my music reached its crescendo. I bolted across the park, leapt over a rock, and touched down with a slight skid. The water was mere feet away when I slowed to a stop. Bending over with my hands on my knees, I reminded myself to breathe. My ear buds fell into the dip of my sports bra, but I couldn’t be bothered to pull them out.

It took all of my concentration to force myself to keep the steady, deep breaths I had maintained for most of my run. In and out, I reminded myself. One breath at a time. As I breathed I could feel my heart rate slowing down.

Beside me, Tom came to a stop as well. His own breathing was fast and uneven and he was soaked from head to toe. His face was drenched, his hair and hoodie were sticking to his skin, and he was redder than the apples I kept in my kitchen. All in all, it was quite the sight to behold. I couldn’t quite believe it. Here was Tom, a SEAL who had taken down kidnappers only days before, defeated by a simple run.

“Not bad,” I managed to say. A smile broke the rhythm of my breathing for a moment.

He shook his head. “God, you are fast,” he said between gulping breaths. I started to laugh, but choked after a few seconds. Still coughing, I looked out over the water. On the horizon, the sky had turned from deep blue to streaking orange-red. Slivers of pale, yellow light scarred the water and broke the solid blood tinted sunlight. I managed to slow my breathing again as I watched the colors. “Do you do this every morning?” asked Tom. I didn’t answer at first; I continued to stare out at the water. Pale pink and purple were flicking into the clouds now, and what was left of the navy sky bled into the ocean, leaving behind yellow, orange, and palest blue.

“Every morning I can,” I finally replied. Tom started, his head twisting to look at me. He had been as enthralled with the sunrise as me. “You know, for a Navy SEAL, you startle easily.”

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was trained to keep an eye out for enemies and threats to the country, not joggers who enjoy sunrises.”

“Fair enough,” I replied. I stretched my arms over my head and yawned. “Now this,” I said, gesturing toward the water, “this is the best part of my day. Everything is quiet and peaceful – the world is asleep, the sun is just coming up.” I sighed. “Times like this I like living in the city.”

“Huh.”

I looked at him. “What?”

He shook his head. “Nothing, just… you surprise me, every time we talk.”

“You expected me to be some kind of… aggressive, daddy-hating, dance girl, didn’t you?” I asked. I folded my arms and shook my head at him.

“Yes,” he admitted. “Your first words were to me were to tell me to not to touch you.”

I shrugged. “I don’t regret that, I don’t like people touching me. And besides, I had had a long night.” I didn’t have to make excuses. Tom was nice, but he didn’t need to know my life story inside of a month of us meeting. It simply wasn’t how I worked.

“All right, I can understand that.” He rolled his shoulders and lifted his chin.

“You really are military,” I murmured.

“How do you know that?” asked Tom. “I know your father told you I was a SEAL, but you’ve pointed out a dozen details about my military background since we met on your own. As far as I know, you aren’t military, so how do you know them?”

“My friend, Taryn, the flirty one, she’s ex-military. I mentioned her before. She had you clocked as navy before she said a word to you. I distinctly remember you thinking she was impressive.” Tom nodded. “Anyway, she picks it out and I have picked up some of her skills over the years.”

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking,” said Tom. “Why is she ex-military?”

“I don’t know the whole story myself, she never told me.” I shrugged. “But Taryn went overseas, as a foot soldier. The things she saw… they couldn’t have been good.” With a sigh, I shook head. “But she manages, and I know she and Cindy are closer. Closer than we are, at any rate.” Tom nodded, pressing his lips together.

“I’ve seen some things too, that I wish I hadn’t seen. It’s the price of living the way we do,” he said. He fell silent after that, his shoulders hunched and his gaze flicking back to water. The sunrise had finished now, but a faint pink remained on the horizon. I shuffled awkwardly, rubbing at my arm and wondering what to do next.

“Michelle?”

“Yeah?” I looked back at Tom. In my running shoes, I realized just how much shorter I was than him.

“Thank you, for showing me this.”

I smiled, my eyes crinkling. “Everyone deserves to see the sunrise over the ocean. It’s one of the best and most relaxing things in the world.” He nodded. “You’re welcome.” Then I reached out, half-heartedly slugged him in the shoulder, and jogged backward away. “Race you back!” I called. With that, I spun on my heels and bolted for the street.

The run back was a bit more competitive than the one there. Tom jogged up to me halfway up the first street and we pushed forward together. Our feet synced up and by the second corner we were pushing to be ahead of one another. Feet pounding with our hearts, faces flushed with exertion and a will to win, and our mouths pulled up into smiles that sometimes made it difficult to run and breathe at the same time.

Tom kept pace for most of the run, but at the end his feet started to falter. As much as he had stamina, he obviously wasn’t used to running at this kind of speed, and I couldn’t help but grin as I shot forward in a final sprint for my apartment building.

I skidded to a stop in front of my building and turned to grin at Tom, who was jogging across the parking lot. He was shaking his head. I breathed hard and bent double, pulling in long, even breaths just like down at the waterfront. This time, Tom did the same thing and we both looked up to smile at each other mid-pant.

Above me, a low rumble sounded off in the sky, and as I looked up, it began to rain. There were barely any clouds in the sky and the sun still shone brightly as the flash of cold, refreshing rain tumbled from the sky. I laughed and threw back my head, letting it soak me completely. My sweat mixed with the rain and the light wind chilled me, reminding me that it was already November. I caught Tom’s hand and tugged him into the lobby of my apartment building. He blinked a few times when we stopped and I snickered at the rain dripping off his nose.

“What?” he asked me, frowning curiously. I shook my head and fought back a giggle.

“Nothing,” I said, my smile strengthening to a grin. “Absolutely nothing.”

Then, without a second thought, I leaned up and kissed him square on the mouth.

Chapter 6

The few minutes after I kissed Tom became a blur even as they were happening. Tom kissed me back, with more passion than I’d ever seen him muster for anything else, but his hands hadn’t touched me even then. I pulled them to me. As we parted, I dragged him up to my apartment, heedless of the people around me and Tom. There was a want in my stomach, a deep, hot want, and it would not be denied.

Inside the apartment I kissed Tom again, tugging his head down to mine with my fingers buried in his hair. He wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and groaned into his mouth. It was nothing to him, and he didn’t even stumble from my weight. I guided him to my room with mumbled words against his lips.

We tumbled back onto my bed a moment later. With my hands, I scooted back to my headboard, grinning. He grinned back, his face was flushed. I knew mine was too. Tom went to stroke my leg, but stopped just short.

“Is it all right if I touch you?” he asked. I blinked, remembering what I’d said to him before, and nodded, pressing my lips together.

“Yes,” I said, thankful that he’d asked. Tom nodded back and his hands slid up my bare, soaking legs. As his fingers skimmed my shorts, I let my head fall back against my pillows. His hands were rough and calloused. His gaze so strong I could feel it more than see it. His hands found my shorts and he ran a finger across the inseam. I pressed my lips together. He pressed a bit harder and found my sex. A hiss passed through my lips.

Tom chuckled, a low sound that lodged a lump in my throat. I gasped. His mouth pressed into the inseam, nuzzling and pressing deeper. A moan escaped me. Then his mouth was gone and I looked down to find him smiling up at me. He slid up the bed, hands running up my sides, and nudged at my shirt. I pulled it off without a second thought. His mouth found my neck and he pressed hot, wet kisses to my collar bone. Another moan left me and I tipped my head so he could get better access. Heat rushed around my body, my heart pounded in time with my want. A wanting so powerful it made me see spots and filled me to my core.

Tom unhooked my bra and we tossed it aside. I was naked from the waist up, but he was still fully dressed. “That’s just not fair,” I murmured, reaching for his shirt. He twitched out of my reach and shook his head. His head came back down and his usually grim set mouth latched onto one of my erect nipples. I gasped, a sharp sound that followed me as I arched into his touch. Pleasure danced across my body, lighting a fire in my veins. I wanted more. No. I
needed
more.

My hands found his hair and buried deep into the short, dark strands. “Tom,” I moaned, the sound stuttering off as he let his teeth just barely graze my sensitive skin. It was a thousand sparks dancing across my body, each tipped with pleasure. “Tom!” And it had been so long since I’d have any company in this bed other than my hand that I didn’t care if I sounded desperate. But, if the rumble that came from Tom’s throat was any indication, he didn’t really care.

Tom hooked one thumb into my shorts and had them, my socks, and my shoes off in one quick movement. “Navy teach you to do that?” I asked.

“In a matter of speaking.” His attention returned to my neck. One of his calloused hands ran over a nipple, giving it a light pinch before rubbing tight circles around and over it. I arched into the touch, letting my fingers run down his covered back. They slid back up and found his hair again. One of Tom’s hands slid lower, into my panties, and tugged them off with a deft touch. He grinned into my neck as I wriggled with impatience.

His hand pressed into my sex and he ran his fingers over the nub of my clit. I hissed, twitching back from the touch. I was too over-sensitive there right now. He hummed in understanding and went lower, pressing a single finger inside me. The heat rushed up my body, sending pounding blood to my head and leaving me dizzy and breathless. It really had been too long. Tom coaxed me open slowly, his finger twisting and curling as it set fire to my insides and turned me to liquid heat. His mouth slid lower and lower, finding my nipple again. As he sucked on the nipple he slid another finger in. I gasped and tightened my hold on his hair, reveling

Wet heat around my breast and a rough finger in my own heat left me dizzy. I stared at the ceiling, as I didn’t think I could handle looking at Tom. He chuckled and the sound reverberated through my body. I shivered again. And he chuckled once more. Then his mouth slid lower and another finger joined his first and I lost thought for a while.

Heat. Always heat. More and more building in me. Two fingers, rolling and flexing together to crook and brush and find those spots of lightning within me. His mouth kept sliding lower and lower. It found my ribs, my stomach, and my belly button. His tongue dipped and swirled into my belly button. He trailed wet kisses lower and lower, down the front of my belly and to the tight, curly hairs I kept mostly tamed. I felt air as he exhaled slowly. Then his nose was buried in the hairs and his tongue found my clit.

I jerked, hips arching against the sudden spike of over-sensitive pleasure. Tears pricked my eyes and held for seconds. His tongue swiped to the side, lessening the pressure. A tear slipped, but the rest dried. I lowered myself, panting hard and gripping the sheets. I would not break. Over-sensitive or not, I would not break. Tom chuckled again, his mouth and tongue rumbling as he did. I pulled his hair in a fit of mischief and the chuckle turned to a startled yelp. Before my smugness could overtake me, he pressed his fingers deep with me and crooked them. They brushed a spot that sent lightning through my body once more.

The heat and lightning points built. His hands and tongue sent me spiraling up and up into the sky. I could barely feel the bed beneath me anymore. My body ached with want and need. The heat pooled, condensing. The lightning fast sparks came quicker and quicker. I gasped, letting the pressure overtake me. For a moment, I hung at my peak and time seemed to stop. Tom’s tongue dancing around my clit, his fingers curled within me – it all seemed to slow. Then it rushed forward and white hot heat rushed through me as I found my climax. I moaned. The heat overtook me. My vision was gone. My senses were gone. Everything was focused on that one point of pleasure. I gripped hard at my only lifeline – Tom. I gripped and I moaned and I felt. I
felt.

And then it was over. I was blinking at the ceiling, gasping for air. My hands were aching from clenching around Tom’s hair and I felt strangely empty. Tom was leaning next to me, a curious expression on his face.

“Wow,” I managed. He laughed - a light sound that lit up his face. I grinned at him. “You are amazing.”

He shrugged. “It was my pleasure.” Pleasure? I blinked as something came to me.

“But you-” He shook his head.

“Don’t worry about me.” He kissed my forehead and slid out of my head. “Get some rest, won’t you?” I wanted to protest, claim it would be
my
pleasure to give him what he had given me. But I couldn’t move, let alone stand up. He had completely drained me. With some reluctance, I smiled tiredly and nodded to him. My eyes drooped as I watched him stand up. By the time he was walking out the door I was almost asleep, and seconds later the world faded as sleep claimed me.