Ride The Mustang (SEALs Going Hot) (2 page)

Then April Coe’s breathy greeting reached deep down inside his gut and jerked back to life again something he thought was dead. She just looked and acted so differently than other women he’d been with. She was so much
more,
she totally knocked him off his pins.

And that scared the crap out of him. There were just so many traps and pitfalls. She touched hidden parts of him that he wanted to keep buried. And then there was the whole issue of sex. Oh, April was damn hot in bed. Giving and responsive. But there were things he wanted that he’d never brought up to her.

The other women he spent time with knew the score. The ones at the dungeon were there for the same reason he was. The others, his casual dates, he exposed as much of his Dom personality as he felt they could take. But it didn’t matter because it was all short term. That was his style. But keeping the sex compartmentalized with April was becoming a huge problem because the thought of introducing her to his personal world of sexual activity excited him.

He wasn’t sure she’d even heard of BDSM and/or experienced it. But god, he dreamed of binding those luscious breasts with silken rope and threading it between her legs to press teasingly on her clit. Binding her hands behind her so she was helpless to his touch. Spanking that mouthwatering ass until the creamy flesh was a hot shade of red.

She had no idea how much he wanted to let himself go with her. Do all the things that would, hopefully, give both of them pleasure. Would she be shocked if he tried gradually to introduce his favorite games into their lovemaking? Pulled out his handcuffs and paddle? Ordered her onto her knees?

Would it terrify her? Disgust her? Or would she unexpectedly embrace it? He wasn’t sure which option, which reaction frightened him more. Shit. He was getting rock hard just thinking of it, and this was not the time or place for erotic fantasies.

What if she took to it and that became just another invisible cord binding them together? Then what? She would have expectations he had no intention of fulfilling.

So as hard as it was, he held himself back in the bedroom. Not taking that next leap in their relationship, or whatever this was.

Maybe it was finally time for him to walk away before he took that step and it turned out to be a mistake. He was getting in deeper and deeper as it was, something he’d sworn he’d never do again. Not under any circumstances. He was never going there again. He’d barely survived the last time.

No, looking at this long term just wasn’t happening. Been there, done that, threw away the T-shirt. He’d have to figure out a way to ease out of this. And not piss off Iceman or his girlfriend. Crap. He felt like he was back in high school again.

Jesus, how did my life suddenly get so complicated?

“Hey, Mustang.” Iceman nudged him again, jerking him back to the present. “Almost time to get your head back in the game.”

Mustang checked the time on his watch. They’d be coming up on the jump area pretty soon. His brain automatically clicked back into mission mode, and he blanked out everything else. Across the cabin, the other members of this four-man team—Jimmy “Casino” Fong and Alvaro “Bandit” Diaz—were checking their gear. Mustang and Iceman would jump, the other two would stay in the helo to help rope them and the rescued hostage back up and lay down covering fire if they needed it.

As with the team in the other chopper as well as others at the base at Dam Neck, they had all gone through BUD/S together. When you survived that hell as a group, it bonded you forever. He never doubted they would have each other’s backs. It was what made their missions so successful.

His breathing slowed, and his mind blanked everything but the jump ahead and the landing spot. Once again, he called up the visual of the map, the images of the jungle, its thickness of trees and foliage, and the one spot they could target for the extraction. The other team’s mission was to get the hostage there. That was it. By whatever means. Mustang’s team would retrieve and extract.

The pilot turned and shouted back into the cabin. “Five minutes, guys. Get ready.”

HALO jumps—High Altitude, Low Opening—were always tricky. They had to estimate exactly when to deploy the chute or they were in a world of hurt. He had done them more times than he could count, but he could never take anything for granted.

At the pilot’s signal, he and his teammates moved to the cabin door and slid it open, pushing against the force of the air outside. And began the countdown.

One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi.

Iceman leaped and disappeared into the dark of the night sky, Mustang right on his heels.

Extending his arms and legs to balance himself, he let his body fall through the air currents, waiting until the last minute to open his chute. They landed in the small clearing he had memorized from the map and pulled in their chutes. Both of them stared into the jungle, listening for the sound of running feet.

Come on, come on. We need to hurry the fuck up.

Five minutes. That was what they agreed based on the time of the other HALO drop. Otherwise, he and Iceman would have to go hunting in the jungle. He alternated between checking his watch and scanning the area. High above, the chopper hovered, waiting for the signal to extract them.

At the four minute count, his ears picked up the sound of feet rushing through the jungle, disrupting the foliage, and then they were there, Cliff “Falcon” Schrader from the other team and the rescued captive. Mustang pressed the button on his radio.

“Come and get us. Now.”

The helo flew lower until it hovered scant inches above the ground.

“Get your ass in gear,” Bandit shouted.

Falcon dragged the pale, bedraggled man to the chopper and practically threw him into the cabin. Falcon heaved himself in as Casino and Bandit took up positions in the open doorway, feet braced on the skids. Mustang and Iceman backed toward the helo, guns at the ready, watching for the enemy. The two of them had just reached the chopper and were being hauled inside when Mustang heard the heavy pounding of footsteps headed in their direction and loud voices shouting. He and Iceman paused and sprayed bullets into the foliage as men emerged.

“Haul ass,” Bandit yelled. He and Casino began laying down cover fire with their
HK MP5N 9mm NATO
assault weapons. Mustang and his teammates loved
the compact MP5s, developed specifically for the SEALs. The heavy artillery certainly gave pause to the rebels who burst into the clearing. The two SEALs never took their fingers off the triggers as the chopper lifted into the air, only scrambling back inside once they were safely in the sky.

Mustang sprawled on the cabin floor with his teammates, taking deep breaths, weapons by their sides. Mission executed as planned. Falcon looked over their rescued hostage, handing him a bottle of water, checking his body for injuries.

“Just another day at the office,” Bandit joked. “Right?”

“Without a doubt,” Mustang agreed. “Didn’t miss a step.”

Would he be able to say the same about his relationship with April?

Chapter Two

April leaned back in her chair and rocked her head from side to side, stretching out her neck. She’d been sitting in the same place since morning, taking only a short break for a lunch she’d ordered in. The bankruptcy case she was working on for one of the partners was complicated and involved a lot of interrogatories. Documents that were part of her job to prepare.

She loved the law, its intricacies and complexities. She was sure she didn’t want to be an attorney, but all the prep work fascinated her. And if any of the cases made it to court, she tried to find an opportunity to slip into the courtroom and see the lead attorney in action. Knowing she had a hand in putting a case together was all the satisfaction she wanted or needed.

When the door opened, she looked up to see Diane sliding in, balancing two Starbucks coffee cups. She closed the door with her foot and carried the cups to the table.

“Skinny decaf mocha latte,” she smiled, handing the cup to April.

“You are a goddess,” April told her, lifting the lid and inhaling the steam. “How did you know this was just what I was craving?”

Diane pulled out the chair next to her and plopped into it. “Because you’ve been in here all day, and if it was me, that’s what I’d be dreaming of.”

“Are you okay to take a break now?”

Diane nodded. “I just have cleanup paperwork left to do. Won’t take me much time at all.” She sipped from her container. “So what’s with you and the wild horse? You still riding him? Got him broke yet?”

“Diane!” Heat crept up April’s face, and she bent forward over her coffee. “We’re just…having a great time.”

“Uh huh.” Diane chuckled. “Iceman says he’s a wild man with the women. Like the horse. That’s where he got his code name, you know.”

“So I hear.” She snorted a laugh. “From you and too many other people who show way too much interest in my sex life.”

Diane grinned. “He’s a legend, sweetie.”

April tore the corners off her paper napkin. “I don’t want you to think the sex between us isn’t great, because it is.” Heat crept up her cheeks. She wasn’t used to discussing her sex life, even with Diane. “But I’ve had the feeling from Day One he was holding something back.”

“In the bedroom? You mean he’s distracted when you’re having sex? Damn, April. That sure doesn’t sound like him.”

“No, no, no.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “He’s definitely enthusiastic and inventive.” She held up a hand. “I know. TMI. But sometimes I get the idea there are things he wants I’m not giving him.”

Diane took a sip of her coffee. “Are you sure you aren’t just imagining this?”

April lifted one shoulder. “No, it’s just…a feeling. A certain tension I sense when we’re together. Or sometimes a look I see on his face.”

“Maybe you should say something to him. It can’t hurt, you know.”

“I can’t. I’d feel really uncomfortable asking him something like that.”

“Like what?” Diane laughed. “Surely, when the two of you are, you know,
in the midst
, as they say, you can tell him how much he pleases you. And how much you’d like to please him. So if there’s anything he wants, you are totally open to it. You don’t want him to feel he has to hold back.”

“If you want to know the truth, I think he’s getting ready to live up to his reputation in more ways than one.”

Diane frowned. “What do you mean? You think he’s ready to break it off so soon?”

“Maybe.” April shrugged. “I think I’m already way past my expiration date.”

“What? Oh, honey I am so sorry.” Diane sighed. “I hoped you’d be the one to make him change his habits.”

“I’m not sure anyone can.” She fiddled with her cup.

“I’d at least like to think it’s not because of the sex. I know I’m repeating myself, but like I said, I feel as if he’s got some kind of invisible shield around himself where sex is concerned. As if he’s holding something of himself back in bed. Like he’s scared to really let loose.”

“Can’t help you there.” Diane leaned back in her chair and took a healthy swallow of her coffee. “I think that’s your department.”

April shrugged. “I thought we were setting the sheets on fire. But now I get the weirdest feeling the fire’s cooled down. I mean if he wants out of this, why doesn’t he just tell me? Or if he wants more, tell me that.”

Diane covered one of April’s hands with hers. “If that’s how you feel, you have to make him tell you what it is. It’s obvious the man has feelings for you of some kind or he wouldn’t keep seeing you. Ask him what the roadblock is.” Diane studied her coffee cup. “I really, really think you should talk to him about it.”

April tilted her head. There was something in Diane’s voice that tickled her nerves. “You say that like I’m crazy. Is there something you want to share with me?”

Diane was silent for a moment. Then she smiled. “No. Nothing. But I meant what I said. If you think he’s not giving his all, don’t let him hold back and walk away from you. If you really want to hang onto him, maybe that’s something that could tip the scales in your favor.”

“Do I want to hang on if he’s ready to leave?”

“I don’t know, girlfriend. That’s a decision only you can make.”

“I know, I know. And you warned me about him to begin with, so I didn’t go into this with stars in my eyes. And that’s okay,” she assured her friend quickly. “I went into this with no expectations.” She chewed her bottom lip. “It’s just that I have the feeling there really is something between us. That he knows it and is fighting it. And that whatever is holding him back in the bedroom is part of the whole picture.”

“I wish I had a better answer for you. But let’s say you’re wrong. Are you saying you don’t want it if he offers it?” Diane asked.

“That’s not the issue. He’s not going to offer. And it’s no good to want something it’s obvious you can’t have.” She stared down at her hands. “I just wish we could have found something like you and Charlie have. You guys have been together a long time.”

Diane’s smile softened. “He’s amazing, you know. Charlie, I mean.”

“I do, and I think it’s great you guys connected. I’ve lived here long enough to know a lot of SEALs never get into that kind of relationship.” She took another swallow of coffee, feeling a touch of sadness creep over her. “I just don’t think that’s in the cards for me. At least with Fletch. I just wish I knew what the real problem is.”

“Charlie said something once that made me think he was in a relationship a long time ago.” Diane frowned. “Only something happened and it ended badly. I don’t know what. Maybe she broke up with him, broke his heart, and now he’s gun-shy.”

April sighed. “Yeah. I just don’t want him to think—never mind.” She swallowed the last of her coffee. “I better get back to work. I have one more document to finish before I’m done, and Fletch is coming over tonight. I want time to get ready for him.”

“Then I’ll let you get to it. But take my advice. Speak up or toss him out. Don’t let this drag on. You be the one in control, okay?”