Marine Under the Mistletoe (Always a Marine) (11 page)
Read Marine Under the Mistletoe (Always a Marine) Online
Authors: Heather Long
Tags: #Always a Marine Book 19
A long time then. He gave himself another hard squeeze and controlled the wince of pain that lanced through his desire. Slow. She needed slow, gentle, and patient. “Okay.” He softened his voice. “Slow then….”
And putting word to action, he eased into her, sinking against the hard clamp of tight muscles. Her respiration increased, coming out in rapid little gasps. Sweat beaded along his back, and his spine burned with the control it took, wanting to drive into her, but he couldn’t. No way in hell would he risk hurting her.
It took an agonizingly long time and then he sank all the way, balls deep, and he sucked in a harsh breath, fisting the covers on either side of her head. “You okay?”
“Oh…yes….” The hitching pauses between the words stroked him and her sex clenched hard until he thought he’d come right on the spot. But he wasn’t some dumbass teenager. He could do this. Checking her expression for confirmation of her words, he began to slide back out and then in again. The pace would kill him, a long slow drive into madness, but damn if it didn’t feel good too.
Rocking gently, he deepened his strokes with each glide until she began to writhe and lifted her hips in welcome. When she clasped his ass and dug her nails in, he gave her a hard kiss and continued his ruthless pace, driving her toward the peak and himself to insanity.
She cried out, meeting him thrust for thrust until his body went liquid, the rhythm frantic and, fighting for one last gift, he braced his arm and slid his hand down to tease her clit. That was all it took to send her head back and tear a scream of pleasure from her throat. She bucked and he slammed into her once, twice, and then the fire raced out of him, his body melting into hers as he came in a mind-blowing torrent.
With a groan, he buried his face against her neck, their ragged breathing the only sounds punching the air around them. It was so much better than he’d imagined. The numbness—the ice chipping away at his soul—all dissolved under the radiant warmth of her kindness and passion.
It took walking through hell to truly understand heaven—but he got it. Opening his eyes, he lifted his head to study her. If possible, she’d grown even lovelier.
He really had come home.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey.”
“So...I have a confession.” She licked her lips, the shyness a hint in her gleaming, passion-drenched glaze. He’d put that look there.
His heart thudded with pride. “What do you want to confess?”
“I found something I like better than chocolate.”
Laughter rumbled out of him and he buried his face to her neck again, nuzzling her soft skin. “Give me a little while and I’ll get you seconds so you can be sure.”
Her answering groan sent a shiver up his spine, even as her softening muscles tightened around his cock. “Can you die from good sex?”
“I don’t know. But I aim to find out.”
Six months to the day, Rowan sat on the edge of the lake at the house and sighed. Summer Solstice meant rising temperatures, lazy heat, and a restlessness she couldn’t contain. Had it really been six months since she spent Yule with the best man she’d ever met? He’d followed her home from the Lake House, staying with her in her too tiny apartment for the next week. Fortunately, Christmas break meant she only had to work three days before having five days off.
They never did make it to her parents’. Before New Year’s, though, she had to drive him to the airport—kiss him goodbye, and wait. Ten days of bliss and six months of waiting. He’d not waffled once, calling her every chance he had and, three days after he left, she’d received a delivery of three roses, one red, one white, and one yellow along with a spring of mistletoe—and she’d received similar deliveries once per week since. They always said the same thing.
Save me the kiss
….
“How do you feel about North Carolina?” The deep voice was the last thing she’d expected to hear. Whirling around, she saw only Kaiden’s smiling face and let out a whoop. It took her no time at all to leap to her feet and race toward him. He caught her in a tight hug, and then his mouth was on hers and everything else faded away.
When she came up for air, her heart raced and her soul sang. “North Carolina?”
“Camp Lejeune. That’s my assignment. I don’t know for how long, but they’re looking for a few civilian contractors for their IT needs—we’d have to get you clearance, but….”
“Yes.” She didn’t care. Hooking her arms around his neck, she grinned. “If it means I get to be with you, then yes.”
His smile dimmed and his expression sobered. “Rowan, I need you to be sure—you’d be leaving everyone here.”
“What does your gut say?” She teased the short strands of his hair and wondered what it would be like if he were ever able to grow it out. She’d seen the pictures of him in high school; he’d had the most adorable curl that drifted over his forehead then.
“It says you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and if you can get a job there, then this assignment means we can be together.” He’d changed again, but she didn’t see darkness in his eyes—only hope.
“Then I’m certain.” She had a job. She could get another job. Moving away didn’t mean losing her friends, it meant they’d have to come and visit. “I’ve
missed
you.” More than she could express in words.
“Yeah?”
“Oh. Yeah.” Stretching up onto her tiptoes, she began to pepper his face with kisses. “And I believe I owe you about thirty of these.”
His laughter vibrated against her. “Those weren’t what I was counting.”
Heat scorched her and she leaned away. “Really?”
“Oh. Yeah.” He spread his palm over her hip and then stroked over the tattoo hidden by her tank top. “Thirty or more. At least.”
“I love you, Sergeant Grumpy.”
He nuzzled the corner her mouth. “Say it again.”
Feeling freer, fuller than she had in months, she giggled and obeyed. “I love you, Sergeant Grumpy.”
“Enough to be Mrs. Grumpy?”
Tears blanketed her vision and she swallowed. The proposal threatened to undo her. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” He scowled. “I’d have asked you before I left, but you didn’t believe me enough to trust my gut.”
She flushed and glanced down. “You’re right, I didn’t—but you didn’t give up on me.”
“Hell no, so you go ahead and say no. I’ll ask you again tomorrow.” He claimed her for a branding kiss, letting go of her long enough to say, “and then I’ll ask you the day after that.” Another soul-burning kiss. “And the day after that.”
“You don’t give up, do you?” she managed when he let her have some air.
“No, ma’am. I don’t. Not when you’re mine.” The declaration held such sensual promise and determination, she gave up the ghost of resistance. Six lonely months had been enough.
Pressing her hand to his shirt, over the steady beat of his heart, she smiled. “Yours.”
“Be sure,” Kaiden warned her, his grip tightening. “Because I can go to your apartment, pack you up, and rent the U-Haul right now.”
“Or you can take me up to the house and we can make love all afternoon while everyone else plays in the lake?” She didn’t even finish the question before he swept her up and over his shoulder. Laughing, she paddled his back. “Kaiden—everyone can see!”
From the lake, she heard the whoops and the whistles. Busted already.
“Let them watch.” His pace didn’t slow. “I’ve got some kisses to collect.”
Heather Long lives in Texas with her family and their menagerie of animals. As a child, Heather skipped picture books and enjoyed the Harlequin romance novels by Penny Jordan and Nora Roberts that her grandmother read to her. Heather believes that laughter is as important to life as breathing and that the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are very real. In the meanwhile, she is hard at work on her next novel.
You can visit Heather at:
Always a Marine
Series so Far (in order by release)
Once Her Man, Always Her Man
Luke & Rebecca
Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here
Logan, Jazz & Zach
Tell It to the Marine
James & Lauren
Introduction of Matt McCall and Damon Sinclair
Features an appearance of Logan Cavanaugh
Proud to Serve Her
Damon & Helena
Matt, James, Lauren, Luke and Rebecca mentioned
Her Marine
Brody & Shannon
No Regrets, No Surrender
Logan, Jazz & Zach
James featured
The Marine Cowboy
A.J. & Sheri
Phone call from Luke
The Two and the Proud
Rowdy & Kim
A Marine and a Gentleman
Brenden & Liam
Appearances of James, Logan, Jazz, Shannon, Rebecca, Lauren
Combat Barbie
Kyle & Mary
Jazz makes an appearance via phone
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Joe & Melody
James makes an appearance
What Part of Marine Don’t You Understand?
Matt & Naomi
Appearances by James and Logan, Damon is mentioned
A Marine Affair
Eli & Rick
Marine Ever After
Paul & Lillianna
Multiple appearances at Luke & Rebecca’s wedding
Marine in the Wind
Greg & Georgia
Appearances by A.J. & Sheri
Marine with Benefits
Derek & Kara
Appearance by Logan
A Marine of Plenty
Charlie & Jana
Appearance by Naomi
A Candle for a Marine
Isaac & Zehava
Appearances by Zach & Shannon