Wyne and Dine (Citizen Soldier Series Book 1) (17 page)

“I bet that caused a stir.” Connor
chuckled.

“Seven women with hot dogs in their
hands running after the guy in Grand Central Station? Yeah, you could say
that.”

Wait…what?
His stomach
suddenly knotted. Who were they running after? Were they trying to get hurt?
He’d been too distracted by Lea’s beauty to let her words sink in.

“Dude picked the wrong place to
snatch-n-grab.” Brandi laughed.

“R
ight in front of a
Texas sheriff,” his sister continued.

Jordan nodded. “Lights were on, but
nobody was home.”

Cole hugged his wife’s shoulder and
kissed the top of her head.

How could he be okay with that?
Jesus, they could’ve been hurt. They had no business running after a thief. The
knot in Ben’s stomach twisted.

He hated that goddamn city.

“Well…” Kevin rose to his feet. “My
cousin’s getting married in the morning, so I’d better get my beauty sleep so
as not to embarrass the kin.”

Kade rose, too, slapping his cousin
on the back. “Not enough sleep in the world for that, Kev.”

A collective laugh went around the
group, all rising to their feet. Good. He could call it a night, too. The newly
disclosed information about the girls doing a rundown in the city had ratcheted
up his tension, and caused a dull throbbing behind his eyes.

But he wouldn’t sleep. He was too
keyed up to sleep. He’d probably exchange his beer for a scotch and sit outside
for a bit.

“Goodnight,” Brandi said, hugging
and kissing everyone.

He was hanging back, talking to the
McCalls as the room cleared.

“You’ve got a great spread here,”
Connor said, dropping his arm around his wife as Cole and Jordan nodded in
agreement.

 “Thanks,” he said. “Brandi was key
in getting the place up and running.” Something he and his brother never took
for granted.

“Well, I’m warning you now, we’ll
be back up here again next year, but we won’t be alone.”

Ben had been surprised to discover
at dinner both Kerri and Shayla were in a first trimester or something of
pregnancy. Other than their pallor, the two hadn’t shown any signs.

He smiled, and held out his hand.
“Congratulations. I heard.”

The big guy’s grin couldn’t have
grown wider or his chest broader. “Thanks,” Connor said, shaking his hand. “But
I had help.”

Ben laughed with the others. “Well
then, congratulations to you, too, Kerri.”

“Thanks.” She smacked her husband’s
chest, then yawned. “Sorry, I never realized how tiring it could be. I’m
exhausted, but haven’t done much all day.”

In a swift move, the cowboy scooped
up his wife, and her startled cry echoed around them.

“Put me down, you big goof. I can
walk.”

“I know, darlin’.” Connor winked at
his wife. “But I like you right where you are.”

And with a nod to him, Cole and
Jordan, the cowboy ambled out of the bar and disappeared.

Jordan glanced up at Cole and
smiled. “Did you ever, in million years, think that would happen?”

“No,” her husband immediately
answered, gaze full of affection and warmth. “I just thank my lucky stars every
day that our parents had 40
^th
wedding anniversaries that brought you
and your sister back into our lives three years ago.”

Ben stilled for a minute. Their
parents were both married
over forty years
? Well hell, he’d never known
anyone married that long. And still happy, by the looks of it, too. He’d met
the older McCalls and Masters yesterday when they’d arrived with Kade’s cousin
Jen, her husband Brock and their five-year-old son Cody, whom Tyler had been
ecstatic to see again. The two couples still held hands. He had to admit, it
had been nice to see.

“Uh oh. Lea forgot her bag,” Jordan
said, holding up a small, light green gift bag Brandi had given to each of her
attendants. “She’s staying in the guest room in the residence area by you. Can
you give it to her?”

Shit. No.
“Sure.”

She handed him the bag and smiled.
“Thanks.” Then she turned to her husband who had a small smile twitching his
lips as he shook his head for some reason.

“Come on, Mrs. McCall, before you
get into more trouble,” Cole said, then glanced at him, his gaze appearing
almost apologetic. “Good night, Ben.”

“Yeah, have a good night, Ben.”
Jordan’s grin grew wicked before she turned around and walked out of the room
with her arm around her husband.

Having no idea what any of that was
about, Ben eyed the scotch behind the bar, longingly, but left with the damn
bag clutched in his hand instead. Picking up his pace, he headed for the
residence area, hoping to catch Lea before she made it to her room. The last
thing he need was to be alone with the woman in a room with a bed. Ah hell,
what was he saying, they didn’t need a bed.

The sexy woman’s sweet scent drove
him crazy all night. She smelled like cotton candy, and he wanted to eat her
up, and go back for seconds. And thirds.

Shit.

Now he was hard. Again. His zipper
dug into the erection he’d sported most of the night thanks to her sexy, damn
dress with peek-a-boo lace and her mile-long legs.

By the time he passed through the
common area, it was quiet. Too quiet.
Damn
. Everyone was in their rooms.
Including Lea.

Making his way to her door, he set
a time limit in his head. One minute…two minutes tops, that was how long he
gave himself to hand over the bag and get out of her room.

No. Hell no.
He wasn’t even
going to
step foot
in her room. Just hand over the bag from the hall.
Yes
,
he nodded to himself as he stopped outside her door, staying in the hall was
the smart thing to do.

Shoulders back, resolve set, he
checked the time on his phone, then knocked on her door.

One minute. Two tops.

“Ben?” Lea frowned as she opened
the door, still wearing that sexy, damn dress. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes…no.”
Damn it.
He
cleared his throat and shoved the bag at her. “Jordan said you forgot this, and
asked me to bring it to you.”

Mission accomplished in less than a
minute, and he was still in the hall.

“But it’s not mine.”

Shit
.

He pushed the bag back at her, this
time
into
her, his knuckles brushing fabric and skin...soft skin.

She took the bag, small smile
tugging her lips as she stared at him. “I’m almost afraid to look inside.”

Not my problem. Turn around.
Walk away
. “Why?”
Damn
. He was pathetic.

“That’s why,” she answered,
pointing to something just inside the door.

Careful to keep his feet in the
hall, Ben leaned in a little and glanced at…an identical bag sitting on the
credenza.

“So, if Jordan said this is mine,
then…”

He watched, pulse beginning to
pound loudly in his head, as she stuck her hand inside the bag and pulled
out…another sexy, damn negligee. His heart rocked in chest as she sucked in a
breath and choked out a laugh. He was going to kill Jordan…right after Lea
finished killing him, with the flush that swept into her face and heat seeping
into her gaze.

“She is so wicked.”

So were his thoughts.

And the woman didn’t help when she
dropped the bag and held the light green lacy number against her lush body.

“She sure knows my size.”

So did he.

And oh, look it was all ready for
her. Standing at attention. Behind his zipper. Wrinkle free.

The same couldn’t be said for his
mind; it was rutted with restrictions and caution as it battled with his body’s
need to step over the threshold and take her up on the silent invitation
blazing in her eyes.

“What do you think?” she asked,
molding the silky material to her curves.

He wanted her, there was no denying
the fact, but Ben knew by giving into need this time, if he
let go
, he
was agreeing to have sex as friends for the next few weeks until she left.

Sex with the sexy-as-sin woman.

Often…

What the hell was wrong with him?
Of course he wanted that.

Leaving the hall and his
restrictions behind, he stepped inside her room and closed the door.  “Any
chance of you slipping into that?”

The thought made him throb. A
sinful gleam entered her eyes and stopped his heart.

“Yes, but I’m pretty sure you’ll
like the one I’m already wearing.”

Ah, hell. His stopped heart dropped
to his throbbing groin. “You’re wearing sexy lingerie under
that
right
now?”

Her lips curved into a secret
smile. “Yep. I’ve been wearing it
all
night.”

Everything inside him stirred.
Hard.

“But before I show you, I think we
need to be clear on what we’re doing. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“So…what
are
we doing, Ben?”

Damn, he hoped this wasn’t a trick
question, because he wasn’t firing on all cylinders. A serious blue gaze stared
at him…waiting.

He sucked in a breath and latched
onto the first thing that came to his mind. “Having fun?”

Apparently, it was the right
answer, because her smile returned; the one that always reached in and chased
away the chill around his heart.

“For a few weeks?” she asked, gaze
hopeful and wide. “Until I leave?”

He nodded, not trusting his voice,
because when he stared into her eyes, he wanted to touch her, hold her, be with
her. Those thoughts, those needs petrified him. But not enough to make him
leave.

“Good,” she said, reaching behind
her to unzip the dress and send his pulse into the outer hemisphere. “Because
I’m a friend, and you’re a-Ben-that-fits.”

He choked out a laugh, then
swallowed his tongue as her dress fell to the floor revealing a one-piece,
black satin number that hugged her hourglass curves to perfection. Still wearing
her sexy black heels, she stepped out of the dress then turned around so he
could have a heart attack.

There wasn’t one inch of her he
didn’t want to kiss or lick or touch.

She sucked in a breath. “W-what are
you thinking right now? Your eyes are like emeralds…”

“That you’re sexy as hell, and I
want to take you with your shoes on.”

She trembled in front of him, but
held his gaze, hers darkening to a delicious navy. “Then take me.”

Damn
. She was bold, and it
turned him on. Big time.

Years of practice at following
orders, Ben knew the drill and was more than happy to comply. He stepped to her
and lightly trailed his fingers up her arms, holding back a smile as she
trembled under his touch. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, wrapping his fingers in her
hair as he tipped her head to the side and leaned in to inhale her scent.

She smelled great, like woman and
candy and heat. He brushed her throat with his lips then sunk his teeth in the
curve where her neck met her shoulder. She gasped and clutched at his arms,
breathing his name.

“Yes, ma’am,” he repeated before he
covered her mouth with his, kissing her a little desperate, a lot hot, and very
deep.

Pressing his tongue to hers in the
same glide and pull his body ached to achieve, he ran his hands down her
curves, stroking and caressing with equal fervor. She was soft, so damn soft
and hot. He drew back, untied her satin straps and watched, his body
tightening, as he tugged the black satin down her mouthwatering breasts, until
her nipples were freed. “Perfect,” he muttered before dipping to suck one peak
in his mouth and cup the other with his hand.

“Mmm…” Her grip on his arms
tightened, and she leaned into him, filling his mouth with more of her
delectable curves.

When he switched his attention to
the other nipple, he trailed his hand between her quivering thighs, finding her
wet.

Her breath shuddered out in a sexy,
low purr, and his need to taste the woman increased to an unreasonable,
insatiable ache. He released her, tugged the silky garment down her body until
it hit the floor and she stood before him completely, gloriously naked—except
for her black do-me heels.

Finally.

“All damn night, I wanted you in
nothing but those heels,” he murmured, running his lips and hands up her naked
body, lingering on some of his favorite parts, until he had her panting and
sweating.

“I-I don’t think I…c-can stand,”
she said, voice shaky with need.

“No problem.” Kissing her neck, he
guided her backward to the cushioned bench in front of the bed and helped her
sit down. “I’ve got you.” He dropped to his knees, spread her legs with his
shoulders and kissed one inner thigh, then the other. Then in between.

Her breath caught as she grabbed
his head, and her fevered responses fueled his desire to give her more. Running
his tongue over her in feather-light strokes, he increased the pressure when
she wiggled against him.

The mewling sound she made nearly
ripped him in two.

He lengthened his stroke, and she
cried out and arched up into his mouth.

“You taste so damn sweet.”
So
damn sweet.
He licked her again.

“Ben—” She thrust into him and
clutched his head.

He upped the pace and pressure of
the stroke. With a long, low moan, she bucked up off the cushions, but he held
her, and stayed with her, watching her as she exploded, nearly taking him with
her. Eyes glazed over, head thrown back, she had her bottom lip pulled between
her teeth as she rocked against him.

So damned hot.

Letting her down gently, he moved
his mouth to inner thigh, then slowly drew back before he stood and stared down
at her. “I needed that.”

He also needed to be inside the
sensual woman eying him with a lazy, sinful smile.

“Me, too.”

Her satisfied sigh shook through
him.

“You have on too many clothes.”

What he wanted to have on was
her
,
so he stripped in several, swift, economical movements. “Better?”

She smiled a wicked ass smile.
“Almost…”

Before he knew it, her hands were
on his hips and she twisted them around so he was seated and she was kneeling.