Lucky SEAL (Lucky Devil #2) (4 page)

While she was trying to think of a way to extricate herself from this date, Evan’s conversation turned into an argument. Evan grabbed the other guy and slammed him against the bar. There were fists thrown, and a struggle ensued, but it ended quickly when Evan reached for a holster hidden under his jacket. Evan had a gun. He was threatening the other man’s life convincingly while Jennifer watched in horror.

This whole evening was such a shock to Jennifer, but not as shocking as being hauled out of the building through dark corridors and down a private elevator by a group of none too gentle bouncers and tossed into the alley with threats of violence if they ever returned. Jennifer had never been so embarrassed or frightened in her life. At least not until that point. Things changed for her after that fateful night. She’d seen too much to frighten that easily now.

Just before she and Evan were shoved out the back door, a large man stepped out of the shadows. This man wasn’t security. He looked expensive in his tailored suit. His slightly waving black hair was perfectly styled. His equally dark eyes glittered with anger. The sound of his voice was terrifying in its calmness as he informed Evan that his membership to Hell had been permanently revoked.

It was Luc Christianson, for sure. She’d never forget that face, but he was nothing like the man she met in the soup kitchen. The man in the soup kitchen was bossy but well-mannered and had obvious respect for the homeless people he was serving. The Luc she’d crossed that night in the depths of Hell was cold, distant, and scary. Very, very scary.

When Jennifer was dragged past Luc, he looked her up and down with disgust written on his too-perfect face. The expression of pure loathing made Jennifer pray she’d never run into the man again. Then she was deposited in the alley like trash in a silk dress.

When Jennifer brushed herself off and asked Evan to explain himself, he’d told her it was just business. That was it. Just business. He refused to explain any further. What kind of business would an investment banker do in a club at one o’clock in the morning that involved a fucking gun?

On the way back to his car, Evan raged about Luc Christianson, calling him every nasty name she’d ever heard and a few she hadn’t. Evan ranted on about Luc believing he was the fucking king of Vegas. He said somebody needed to teach Luc a lesson, and Evan was going to see to it.

Then Evan blamed Jennifer for the incident. “If I hadn’t been on a date with you, my men would have been with him when he went to Hell. I’m sick to death of pussyfooting around you, Jenny!”

Jennifer didn’t know Evan had men. What kind of men would he have? He was pussyfooting around her? Who was this maniac, and where was the charming sophisticate who's been courting her?

This was her first true glimpse of who Evan MacGraff really was: a liar, a thief, and a murderer. A chill ran down her spine. Jennifer had seen things she’d never be able to forget, but she was trying to put it all behind her.

Jennifer’s thoughts returned to the present. She’d been looking forward to helping out in the soup kitchen that day until Pastor Davis introduced Jennifer to Luc. Her heart had nearly stopped on the spot. She knew it was the same man from Hell. He was unforgettable. Jennifer’s nerves had been on edge all day just waiting for him to point a long elegant finger in her direction and pronounce her trash that needed to be removed, but he hadn’t.

Luc was domineering but polite for the most part. Jennifer kept her head down and tried not to engage him at all. It was best not to nudge his memory. Her day was totally ruined by the unexpected appearance of someone connected to Evan, but she couldn’t let the pastor down now. Pastor Davis needed her to help serve the meal while he took care of other things.

Jennifer was trying to avoid Luc when she walked in on Rourke and Dolce embracing. She’d immediately believed the affectionate pair was a couple. Dolce was a stunning woman with dark eyes and hair. Her skin was so creamy and perfect, her lips a natural red hue. The overall effect brought Snow White to mind: a tall, confident version of the princess. Rourke was Dolce’s fair-haired, muscular opposite.

Jennifer couldn’t hold a candle to a woman like Dolce. Not that she had any damn business even thinking about competing with another woman for a man, even a man as striking as Rourke. She had enough trouble of her own.

As the day went on and Jennifer observed their interaction, it became apparent Dolce and Rourke weren’t a couple. They couldn’t be siblings given their differences, but that’s how they behaved, bickering and teasing each other as a brother and sister would. Maybe they were half siblings. Who knew, and who cared? Jennifer needed to mind her own business and hope they did the same.

By the time they were preparing to leave, Jennifer had thought her neck would snap from keeping her head down and her face away from Luc. She breathed a sigh of relief until she realized Rourke wasn’t going with them.

She was doing busy work, just trying to stay out of Rourke’s way, but he was still watching her. Rourke was also attempting to look busy. He was sweeping a floor that she’d just seen Dolce sweep before leaving. Rourke had seen Dolce sweep it too, so why was he stalling?

Rourke’s inquisitive gaze shifted from accusing to interest in a short time. Judging by the subconscious licking of his lips and roaming eyes, he was very interested. She’d caught him looking at her ass more than once. He was a big man, the opposite of the leaner dancer types that usually caught her eye. Maybe that was why she was so affected by him. There might be something to that whole sexy man-in-uniform thing. She’d never seen the attraction before, but holy hell, Rourke was hot in his BDUs.

It didn’t take long for Rourke to start asking questions Jennifer wasn’t prepared to answer. He was curious about this stranger at his church. He was feeling her out, too, looking for any signs of interest in him. She found Rourke dangerously attractive, and Jennifer was doing her best to hide her fascination with the sailor.

Pastor Davis interrupted Rourke’s inquisition of her with news of donations that needed to be put away. Jennifer was thankful for the disruption. Rourke chatted with her pleasantly while they carried in the boxes of food. He was solicitous and just a little flirty but not overly so. Jennifer could tell Rourke was trying not to scare her off. Little did he know, she had no place else to go.

Jennifer had to keep reminding herself that she was not in the market for a boyfriend. She’d heard Luc and Dolce talking about Rourke being fresh off the boat. He was home on leave from the Navy. If she were looking for a man, which she most certainly was not, she wouldn’t go for a man who would be returning to his Superman duties for the U.S. Navy SEALs. She was no man’s port of call. Fuck that. She needed to put him out of her mind.

Jennifer wanted to do was crawl into her bed and forget that it was a holiday. She wanted to forget the sad truth that no one in the world would be missing her. This isolation was a hard thing for a woman who longed for her family. It was Thanksgiving, and people all over the country would be gathering to celebrate and be grateful for their blessings. Jennifer didn’t have any blessings, except the kindness of a preacher and his wife. Now that was something she could be thankful for if nothing else.

Jennifer shook off her melancholy. She put on a fake smile and went to see if the pastor needed anything else done. She’d stalled in the storage room for as long as she could to avoid sex SEAL. Hopefully, Rourke would be gone by now as well. Then she could go to bed and wallow in self-pity. The holiday season was going to be hard for Jennifer, more so this year than ever before. Jennifer found Rourke and Pastor Davis in the kitchen after she deposited the last box in storage.

“There you are, Jennifer,” the pastor extended a hand to her. She took his offered hand and tried to look happy. “Rourke has just agreed to have dinner with us. Isn’t it wonderful to welcome a member of our armed forces home on such a blessed holiday?”

Jennifer’s nearly fell out of her stilettos. Dinner? Her? And Rourke? She hadn’t expected the pastor to invite her to Thanksgiving dinner. It was so tempting to spite her wish to get away from the impossibly attractive man as quickly as possible.

The pastor must have noticed her surprise. “Come now, Jennifer. You didn’t think we’d let you get away before dinner, did you? It’s Thanksgiving. You shouldn’t be alone.”

Warmth and gratefulness spread through Jennifer’s chest. She hadn’t had a holiday meal, or a family meal for that matter since her father disowned her for choosing a career in dance instead of going to the Ivy League college for the law degree he’d decided was best for her.

The pastor must have sensed she was beyond words with that lump lodged in her throat. He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder and gently guided her to his car. They could have walked the short distance to the pastor’s home, but Jennifer was happy to get off her aching feet.  She was also wary of being out in public for too long, so driving was better. The pastor and Rourke were talking about the delicacies Mrs. Davis had prepared for them. Rourke was pleased to put off some much-needed sleep for a hearty home cooked meal.

Jennifer missed being a part of a family. Even if hers had been demanding and overbearing, they’d been her family. It was so nice to be among people who cared for her. She swallowed hard and fought the building tears. She’d been through so much since she left the shelter of her parent’s protection. Being alone in the world was harder than she’d ever imagined. Maybe she would call her parents. Not to beg forgiveness or to admit that they might have been right. Just to tell them she loved and missed them very much.

After an excellent dinner accompanied by stories of past holiday celebrations and the childhood antics of Rourke and his friends at the home of Pastor and Mrs. Davis, Jennifer and Rourke did the dishes. Rourke chased Mrs. Davis out of the kitchen to go relax with her husband. She’d earned a chance to put up her dainty feet after toiling in the kitchen all day.

Rourke and Jennifer chatted and laughed while tidying the kitchen. The big, stern looking man turned out to be quite chatty with a dry but witty sense of humor. Rourke was telling Jennifer about a prank he’d pulled on a teammate that involved stretching clear cling wrap over the toilet bowl. The person who settled in to use the facilities would get a nasty surprise.

“Tank, that’s what we call him because he’s the size of a damn tank,” Rourke explained, and Jennifer wondered if Tank could possibly be larger than Rourke. “So Tank is in the latrine doing what people do in there while the rest of us tried to control our laughter. In no time, Tank was shouting and cursing. He came barreling out of the stall with his pants down. Well, needless to say, the joke was on us. I swear I’ll never get the image of a naked Tank with his junk swinging out of my head.” He shivered with male revulsion.

Jennifer laughed uncontrollably at the mental image of Rourke being chased by an angry man with his pants around his ankles and shit smeared on his ass. Rourke smiled down at her and seemed to relish her enjoyment of his outrageous tale.

Jennifer’s heart played hopscotch in her chest. He didn’t look like the kind of man who smiled often, and that was probably a good thing for womankind. His smile was devastating. Rourke was such a surprise. He was easy to talk to and even easier to look at. Her ability to withstand Rourke’s charm steadily crumbled the more time she spent in his company.

Rourke placed the last dish in the washer and turned to Jennifer. He blinked a few times as if confused, and then shook his head. Some internal struggle played out on his face before he stepped closer to Jennifer. Rourke stood squarely in her personal space. Jennifer’s mind told her body to step back. Don’t let this captivating man get too close. Her body, however, had other plans.

“You should laugh more often, Jennifer,” Rourke told her, and he sobered. His smiling eyes turned hot and hungry as they dropped to her mouth. “This mouth'” He lowered his head to brush his firm lips over Jennifer’s softer ones. “These pouty lips,” he growled. “It’s enough to drive a man insane.”

Jennifer’s lips parted in surprise, but neither of them moved to deepen the kiss beyond the teasing whisper of Rourke’s lips over Jennifer’s mouth. Their breath mingled, and she took him into her lungs. Rourke’s pupils dilated. A needy sound rose involuntarily from her throat. He was so large, so overwhelming, so perfectly shielding her from all of her fears when he wrapped those big hands around her waist and pulled her body against the long, hard planes of his.

Then, he was kissing Jennifer, really kissing her, and she wanted it. He massaged her lips with his own, nipping and teasing her with little licks. Jennifer clutched Rourke’s shoulders, trying to pull him deeper into the kiss. He chuckled, nipped her lower lip one more time, then he went in for the kill.

When Rourke’s tongue invaded her willing mouth, Jennifer opened completely to him. He consumed her entirely. He overwhelmed Jennifer with his sheer masculinity. His tongue delved and retreated again and again in a simulation of what she wanted him to do to her body.

Jennifer stretched upward to get as much contact with all that muscle as she could get. Rourke groaned and cupped her ass, pulling her hips flush against his. The straining proof of his desire pressed into her belly. Jennifer rocked her hips into his and reveled in the heat of their mutual need. His cock felt thick and rock-solid. She pressed closer, wanting what he had to give her.

Rourke tried to pull away, tried to stop the runaway train of their passion, but Jennifer refused to let him go. When he retreated, she followed, sucking and lapping at his mouth until he gave up the fight and returned the kiss.