Ride The Mustang (SEALs Going Hot) (8 page)

Mustang eased his fingers through the hot crevice, pressing lightly on the twist of rope lodged there.

“Rest a moment,” he told her, caressing her cheek with his fingers. “I have something special to add tonight, and I want to make sure you fully appreciate it.”

She wet her lips. “Could—could I ask you a question?”

His fingers stilled on her face. “Depends on what it is.”

“Are the other…women you…enjoy this with experienced? Or are they new like me?”

He was silent for so long she wasn’t sure he was going to answer. “I choose my partners carefully,” he said at last. “Even those outside the private club where I play know the score.”

“So, if I had never pushed you, we’d never have done this?”

Again he hesitated. Then he placed a kiss on one cheek of her ass. “But we’re doing it now. That’s what counts.”

And that, apparently was the only answer she was going to get. The one she’d have to be satisfied with. Anyway, at the moment, every pheromone in her body was so ramped up she was done with conversation.

“I think it’s time now for the blindfold.”

“I didn’t get one—”

“Brought my own tonight.” He held it in front of her so she could see it before placing the soft fabric over her eyes and knotting it at the back of her head. Then he trailed his fingers along her arm and down to her breasts where he tweaked a nipple. “In this bedroom, you are mine to do with as I wish. You know that, right?”

She just nodded.

“So. Something new to try.”

In a moment, strips of some soft material dragged back and forth over her buttocks. She guessed it was the toy he’d placed on the bed with the braided handle.

“Not a real flogger,” he told her. His tone was conversational, but his voice was roughened with barely contained lust. “But enough to see how you like it. Deep breath in and out.”

She adjusted her body as best she could, drew in air, and let it out slowly. As she breathed out the little flogger bit into her bottom. Ravenous need shot through her like an electrical surge. Mustang’s fingers probed her pussy, checking her wetness.

“A delicious liquid. Too bad you can’t see me taste it.” He dragged the leather thongs across her stinging skin again. “Your ass is so beautiful this color. Does it tingle?”

“Yes,” she breathed, barely getting the word out.

“Good. We’ll make it burn even more.” His mouth was next to her ear, his breath tickling her. “Does it make you want me to fuck you?”

“Yessss.”
God, yes!

“Then this will make you crave it even more.”

The short flogger fell in even strokes, one globe, then the other. With each blow, the temperature of her skin rose and the heat radiated to her inner thighs and pussy. She squeezed her legs together, but with the ropes and knots, all it did was stimulate her more. By the time he finished, she was biting the pillow, her cheeks were stained with tears, and her nose was running.

Something soft touched her face, and she realized Mustang was cleaning her very gently. She wanted to thank him, but she had no breath left. When she heard the crinkle of foil that signaled the unwrapping of the condom, she almost cried again, this time with relief.

The bed dipped as he climbed on behind her, his hands holding her hips firmly.

“Remember,” he warned. “You don’t come until I give you permission.”

At this point, she didn’t know how she’d hold on, especially once he filled her with one powerful thrust. She bit into the pillow again and let her mind drift away on an electric cloud of pleasure. Just like the other night, in this place she could go on and on, riding the hot point of desire. He rode her hard, like the wild horse he was named for, bucking and plunging, driving into her over and over and over.

Her body ached and burned, her pussy demanded release, and the blindfold was soaked with new tears.

“Now,” he ordered as he had the other night. “Come with me now.”

With a sigh of relief, she gave herself over to an orgasm so intense she wasn’t sure she’d survive it. Every muscle in her body clenched, her heart raced, her entire body shuddered, and Mustang emptied himself again and again.

April had no idea how much time passed before he finally slid from the grasp of her cunt. Movement, a clink, and the handcuffs were unlocked, releasing her aching arms. The knot at her ankles was released so he could stretch out her legs.

“Let me attend to business, and then I’ll take care of you.” He kissed her cheek. “You did very well.”

There wasn’t an inch of her body that wasn’t in some kind of pain, yet she felt more fulfilled than she could ever remember. Her affinity for this shocked her, but even more startling was that she wanted more. Much more. And she wasn’t sure when or how to ask for it. Would tonight be their last night? Was this a farewell fuck?

Don’t be crude, April.

She heard water running, and finally, Mustang was back, turning her over, unwinding the silk rope. He removed the blindfold last, using it to blot the remainder of her tears. Lifting her in his arms, he reached toward her nightstand and picked up a bottle of something. Then he carried her to the bathroom where water was running in the tub. With a move more practiced than she wanted to think about, he stepped into it, sat down, and arranged her in front of him so she leaned against his chest.

“Relax,” he said. “I worked you hard tonight for a novice. Let me make you feel better.”

When the water reached almost chin level, he turned it off. Then he proceeded to rub whatever was in the bottle over every muscle and joint in her body. It soothed her immediately, along with the wonderful pressure of his fingers. The man had the touch of a god. She closed her eyes and let herself fall into it, feeling the calming effect of the cream and the water and Mustang’s touch.

She was nearly asleep, the worst of the aches and soreness sliding away, when Mustang flipped the drain open with his toe and lifted her from the tub. He braced her with one arm while he used his free hand to dry her off, then set her on the edge of the tub while he dried his own body.

Then they were back in bed again, the lamp off, and his big body curled around hers, one hand cupping a breast.

“You’re sleeping here again tonight?” She could hardly believe it.

“Yes. Ssh. Just close your eyes.”

As she drifted off, she thought she heard him say, “What the fuck am I doing?”

Chapter Six

“Are the Peruvian jungles always this stinking hot?” Mustang whispered to Iceman.

It took every bit of his iron control not to swat at the insects buzzing happily around his head. Sweat streaked his face and mixed unpleasantly with the black camo face paint, and the steaming air made it difficult to breathe.

You’re a SEAL, shithead. Suck it up.

“When we blow this asshole to kingdom come,” Iceman whispered back, “our ride will be waiting and so will an ice cold shower and an equally cold beer.” He winked at Mustang. “Along with our hot women.”

Mustang didn’t comment. The woman waiting for him back in Virginia Beach was certainly hot. So hot she was singeing every part of his body. Including his heart. And it scared the crap out of him. He kept breaking his own rules with her and then staring into the yawning pit of disaster. When he should have walked away, he sank in deeper.

He and Viv had started out the same way, with an instant connection that led to very incendiary sex. He was a newly minted Dom and eager to introduce her to the games he liked to play. She’d taken to them as avidly as April, and in his mind it all blended together. Now, he felt it choking him. He had made a firm vow never, ever to risk his heart again. Never to lay himself open to the intense pain it had taken him a long time to deal with.

Yet both times he’d gone to April’s to tell her it was over, the situation got out of control and he’d gotten himself in deeper. And this last time, it was his own doing.

Idiot.

This weekend he would just go there, tell her they had to talk and lay it out for her. He would do it as nicely as he could but it had to be over. He couldn’t risk himself again.

“Better pay attention,” Iceman whispered. “It’s almost showtime.”

The platoon was deployed to take out the headquarters of a major drug cartel in Peru, working on a joint mission with the Peruvian
Junglas
, the Peruvian Special Forces Group that fought enemies in the jungles. Peru had recently taken over as cocaine king from Colombia, and the government had asked for help to eradicate this especially powerful cartel.

Infiltrating at night, they had made their way to the well-concealed fortress-like base of the head of the cartel, also the location of his major factory and surrounded by rich green fields of the coca plants. The joint group moved silently through the thick jungle growth to their destination. More silent than a whisper, they had all moved on their assigned paths, laying explosives, first around the part of the fields, then close to the compound itself. Every plastic pack was connected to another with detonator cord, and timers were placed at strategic points.

Iceman and Mustang, like all the other two-man teams, were waiting for the signal in their earbuds from the team leader to pinch their remote detonator button along with the others. Then, with the mother of all explosions rocketing in the air, they would head back as swiftly as they’d come to the extraction point and hopefully get out of there without getting their asses shot off.

Mustang knew, as did all the others, about how long it should take to complete setting the explosives and he counted down in his head. Then he heard the command in his ear.

“Now, now, now.”

He pushed the button on the little handheld device, and immediately the night was lit up like the Fourth of July, and the air vibrated with sonic booms. The SEALs and
Junglas
moved swiftly to the rendezvous point, well aware that if anyone survived the mass of explosions they’d be on the hunt for whoever did this. The goal of the mission was to cripple the operation and take out the leader. They couldn’t guarantee there would be no survivors, so hauling ass was the watchword of the day.

As all the teams converged on the rendezvous point, two massive Boeing Chinook helicopters dropped out of the sky like mammoth birds of prey. In the open doorway of each cabin, men stood with assault rifles at the ready as men raced forward and scrambled inside. In less than a minute, everyone was loaded, and the birds lifted off into the night sky, the ground below them one massive, blazing fire.

Mustang only hoped he could get out of his personal situation as smoothly and easily.

****

April crumpled up the wrapping from her sandwich and shoved it into the paper bag. She and Diane had brought deli takeout to the landscaped patio behind the building where they worked, deciding to enjoy the warm air and sunshine for a change.

“That doesn’t look like a happy face you’re wearing,” Diane commented. “I thought things were going better with the Mustang.”

April took a sip of her soft drink, weighing her words. She had carefully avoided this discussion for the past few days, ever since the team deployed on their mission. But she knew Diane wouldn’t wait forever. Not because she was nosy, but because April was her best friend and she was concerned.

She just hadn’t been able to get Mustang’s last words before he fell asleep out of her head.

What the fuck am I doing?

And the next morning he was gone before she barely opened her eyes. Not the hot, hungry kiss he always gave her when he left before morning. Not even the quick kiss on the cheek like he’d given her the first time he spent the night.

Nothing. Just…nothing.

“Okay.” She blew out a breath. “I’d say some better, some not.”

“I’m not even sure how to take that.”

“Me, either, to tell the truth.” She brushed at a fly buzzing around her head. “The sex is better, but I still get the feeling he’s drawing away from me.” She frowned. “It’s almost as if the better it gets in the bedroom, the more he wants to run away.”

Diane stared at her. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“I know, I know. I mean, all barriers are down once we get the clothes off. And he even slept over the last two times, which he never did before.” She studied the cookie on a napkin in front of her. “But the next morning, I see regret all over his face. I don’t know if I can keep dealing with this. He’s just giving me such mixed signals.”

“April, if you want my honest opinion, I think Mustang is sending himself mixed signals.”

April cocked her head. “Are we back to the
big secret
I can’t know about? Is whatever it is the root of the problem?”

“I’d say so.” Diane tilted her cup back and drained her drink. “But it’s not mine to share. I will talk to Charlie again, though, and tell him his friend needs to get his head out of his ass before he loses the best thing to walk into his life in years.”

“No.” April shook her head. “He has to want to do this. Whatever
this
is. Because if what we’ve got going isn’t strong enough for him to get over what’s in the past, then it isn’t worth fighting for.”

“Well.” Diane gathered her trash. “They’ll be back late tonight. I would imagine after tomorrow’s debrief he’ll want to get hold of you. They’ve got the entire weekend free so maybe the two of you can go off somewhere together.”

“I don’t think so.” She sighed. “But I’m sure he’ll show his face at some point. And I’m also sure we’ll end up hashing this out. You know, if he’s so determined not to allow anyone inside his heart, I’m not going to force my way there. It wouldn’t be worth it.”

“But maybe he just needs a little push,” Diane suggested.

“No. I can tell you he’s made an effort not to discuss anything more personal than what we do in bed. I’ll just have to see what happens.”

They both stood up from the table and Diane gave her a tight hug. “Good luck, honey. You know I wish that for you.”

“I do. And thanks.”