To Dare a SEAL (Sin City SEALs) (9 page)

“I need to go,” she said as she stepped forward and broke his hold on her. “I can’t skip tonight’s dinner. And neither can you.”

He glanced down at his revived erection. “Yeah, but I’m going to have a helluva time facing the other guests. Especially if you’re in the room.”

She smiled. Knowing that he’d be fantasizing about her too—oh yes, that would comfort her as she attended one wedding event after another. Her imagination might take a side trip—or twenty—to revisit this moment, in his shower, with his cock practically begging her to stay.

She pushed out of the glass door and reached for a towel. Behind her the water turned off, but she didn’t turn to look at him. She saw now how to bring him to his knees and leave him wanting more. And knew she could win no matter what happened with the bet.

She glanced over her shoulder at the dripping wet sailor tracking her movements, his gaze filled with a mix of amusement and desire. And one look at his lower half confirmed that he still wanted her.

Her opponent was still standing, but she’d won this round.

“This feels good,” she said, securing the towel at her breasts and relishing her victory.

He raised an eyebrow. “I can do better than a towel.”

She laughed. “Good. Because you’re going to need to up your game if you plan to win the next round.”

U
p my game? Win the next round?

Naked and still dripping, Jack followed Natalie out of the bathroom. She pulled on her clothes with stunning efficiency. But her gloating grin remained firmly in place.

He stole a glance at the untouched bed. He wanted to toss her on the smooth surface and keep her there until they were tangled in the sheets, hot, sweaty, sated, and ready for another shower. He wanted to claim the ultimate victory.

But he could wait. They’d get there. After that shower, he felt pretty damn sure he’d win the bet. Another time. Right now, he wanted to keep that smile on her lips.

He placed his hands on his hips and cocked his head, ready to challenge her. “That was just a shower, Natalie.”

She arched an eyebrow. “When was the last time you had a shower like that?”

“Never,” he admitted as he closed the space between them.

Her dark eyes dropped to his dick, lingered a moment, and then shifted back to his face. He stopped in front of her. He was close enough to reach out and pull her close, but he didn’t dare.

“I played by your rules in the shower,” he said, his gaze locked with hers. “No sex. Take away that rule…and trust me darlin’, you’d never look at a shower the same way again.”

“Maybe not,” she said with a wide, daring grin. She stepped back until she bumped into the door. She reached for the knob. “But you won’t win.”

She opened the door and disappeared into the hall. She moved quickly, seemingly determined to have the last word.

“Yes, I will,” he murmured to the empty entryway.

Because he didn’t lose. Ever.

And because Cade was right. Jack cared a lot more than he should for the woman who’d made it clear she didn’t want him—not in her bed, not in her shower, and not in her life.

Except when he issued a challenge…

Chapter Thirteen

“I
hear Jack survived the afternoon,” Cade said in his familiar baritone. “How about a drink? I owe you for giving my best man a ride and entertaining him today.”

Natalie looked up from the creative seafood display and raised her champagne flute. “Thanks, Cade, but I’ve already taken a trip to the open bar.”

He sighed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Determined to hide behind the shrimp all night?”

“I’m not hiding,” she lied, which was foolish because a) Cade would call her bluff, and b) she’d won. She’d walked out of Jack’s room and left him wanting more. And yes, maybe she should have done that before they’d taste-tested the chocolate body paint. But it had ended up working out for her anyway.

Just knowing she’d been able to step into the shower with him—nothing between them but water and soap—and resist the temptation to jump him, that knowledge sent a wave of confidence through her. She could do this. Hell, she’d done it.

The bad thing was that now, having seen him naked and felt his hands rub her body…

Every time she closed her eyes, she pictured climbing up onto his gigantic hotel bed and stretching her arms overhead. And her imagination didn’t stop there. She pictured herself spreading her legs as he knelt between them, ready to sweep her off into the land of sweet dreams and orgasms.

“Natalie?” Her best friend’s voice pulled her out of the fantasy. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” she said, refusing to look up at Cade. She couldn’t risk him seeing the stoked desire flowing through her.

“You sure? You look a little…flushed.”

She laughed, hoping that would mask her feelings. “Just mentally preparing to walk down the aisle looking like a blind and bat-shit crazy ballerina.”

“Do you want me to talk to Lucia?” he asked. “I don’t know if she can fix the crazy, but there’s a chance she’ll let you wear another dress.”

Natalie shook her head. “No. I owe my sister for sending you to Vegas to babysit her.”

And for leaving her alone with our drunken asshat of a foster father because my stupid need to rebel, to claim control of my life, trumped everything.

“If you change your mind, just say the word,” Cade said.

“Natalie, there you are,” Jack called as he headed over to her.

Great, now she was trapped in the corner, her back to the wall, shrimp in front of her, and a Navy SEAL on either side.

Except she had nothing to be nervous about. Not after that shower. She’d
won
, and Jack coming over here was the perfect opportunity for her to remind him of that fact.

“You look down,” she said to Jack. “Something not go according to plan?”

He raised an eyebrow at her and smiled. Yeah, he knew exactly what she was talking about.

“I have something you want,” he said.

Her eyes widened. She looked at Cade to keep from stealing a glance below the best man’s waistline. Thanks to this afternoon, she knew for a fact that his jeans, her fears, and the fact that he’d win the bet were the only obstacles between her and
what she wanted
. Oh, and the room full of friends and family.

Her best friend’s mouth formed a thin line. “I thought you promised,” Cade said. “No more one-liners.”

Jack laughed. “This time, it’s true. She left the bachelorette party favors in my room. I would have brought them down, but I didn’t want to reveal the surprise.”

Cade glanced at her and raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t say a word.

“Leave the bag at the front desk,” she said. “I’ll grab it later.”

“Sure you want to pick up a giant plastic bag from a sex toy shop from the bellhop?” Jack challenged. “I could bring it by your room later.”

“No, I’m—”

“I thought you were having a tea party,” Cade said, his arms dropping to his side. “What happened to champagne and chocolate—”

“Enough.” She turned to her best friend. “Cade, this party is for my sister. Unless Lucia decides to share her favor with you, it’s none of your business.”

“Fair enough,” Cade said, still frowning.

“Don’t try to weasel clues out of the best man,” she ordered. And then she turned to face Jack. “And you. Not another word about this afternoon.”

She pushed past Cade and headed for her sister. And she kept her head high. Dammit, she’d won this round—even if it had left her wanting a late night visit from a SEAL.

T
hree flirtatious waiters. Two tipsy social workers. And one drunken mother of the groom. Natalie scanned the private party room at Chocolatini. The bachelorette party site wasn’t that much different than Bottom’s Up—apart from the drunken mother of the groom and the scenery. The floor to ceiling windows looking out over the Strip offered a better view than her bar in Coronado. And the velvet couches and low coffee tables would have looked ridiculous alongside her wooden barstools.

But if she kept telling herself it was the same, maybe she wouldn’t feel so out of place attending the party instead of serving the drinks.

A shirtless man—another sight she generally only witnessed at Bottom’s Up during a bar fight between hotheaded, drunken sailors—flashed a smile as he delivered yet another pitcher of “tea” to her sister’s giggling coworkers. Lucia had moved to California a little over a year ago, and while she’d made a few friends, there were only a handful she’d felt comfortable inviting to a destination wedding. Her sister claimed she wanted to keep it small—one maid of honor, no bridesmaids for the wedding party. But Natalie had a hunch her sister didn’t exactly have a lot of friends from her years spent in Tennessee.

“When I made the reservation,” Natalie said, leaning closer to her sister, “I didn’t realize they served rum punch in the teapots.”

“I don’t think Cade’s mother did either,” Lucia said, frowning at the slim, silver-haired woman, who was about three minutes away from falling asleep on one of the sofas. “Or maybe it’s the jet lag.”

The waiter stopped in front of their sofa. “Another special daiquiri for our bride-to-be. With two umbrellas. And a beer for the maid of honor.”

“Thank you.” Lucia accepted the drinks. Her sister thrust the beer into her hand as the waiter slipped out of earshot.

“Do you think his muscles are better than Jack’s?” her sister asked.

“Well, Jack doesn’t rub baby oil all over himself, so I’d say Jack wins this one,” Natalie said. “But maybe if you gave the waiter a bath… No, he’d still look like a gym rat compared to the type of guy who hunts down bad guys.”

“So you’ve seen Jack’s muscles up close and personal,” Lucia said.

“So have you.” Natalie raised her beer to her lips and took a sip while her sister’s eyes widened. “At the pool yesterday, all of the SEALs were walking around without their shirts at some point.”

“I had the impression you saw more,” her sister said. “Yesterday in his room?”

So much more.

And while she’d never forget the way he looked on his knees in the entryway, or the way his hands felt on her breasts in the shower…she couldn’t risk another private look at Jack’s muscles. Not if she wanted to win the bet.

Remember the sweet taste of victory.

“He helped me with some shopping.” Natalie stood and pulled out the plastic bag she’d tucked behind the sofa. “I have party favors. There are extras if you want two.”

Lucia plucked a wrapped can from the bag and tore into the tissue paper. She tossed the wrapping aside, and then her eyes quickly filled with unshed tears. “Chocolate body paint,” she murmured, her voice trembling.

Most brides went a little crazy before the wedding. But tears over what was essentially a gag gift at the bachelorette party?

“Were you really hoping for plastic penis straws? Or did you have a bad experience with body paint once?” Natalie asked as she reclaimed her spot on the sofa beside her sister. Thank God they hadn’t unwrapped the favors in front of Lucia’s tipsy coworkers.

“No, I’ve never used body paint.” Her sister bit her lower lip. “Well, not real body paint—”

“Stop right there,” Natalie warned. There were some things she never, ever needed to hear.

Lucia laughed, wiping away the tears. “Before I met Cade, I never thought I’d have a reason to use this kind of paint. Finding someone who saw beyond the scars—it felt impossible.”

“I’m so sorry that you had to live like that for so long,” Natalie said, the familiar guilt rising up and taking hold of her. She didn’t wear the same physical scars, but “impossible” maintained a tangible presence in her life. The thought of letting someone in—it felt unattainable.

“It’s not your fault.” Lucia lifted the “special” daiquiri to her lips and drained the drink.

“Yes, it is,” Natalie said, her voice firm. “If I hadn’t left that day. Or if I’d tried harder with the other families…”

Lucia reached out and took her hand. “Stop. Please. I hid behind my fears. I decided to live a lonely life. But then I met Cade and…” A dreamy smile spread across her face.

Natalie narrowed her gaze and focused on the empty daiquiri glass. How many fruity cocktails had Lucia ordered from the baby-oiled waiters?

“I just hope that you’ll find someone who helps you lock the past where it belongs,” her sister continued. “Someone who makes you happy and helps you to look to the future.”

“I’m not like you,” Natalie said. “I’m the reason the first two families gave up on us. If I’d simply bowed to their authority instead of trying to fight them every step of the way. If I’d tried—”

“Maybe I would have been spared a few lonely years. Maybe not.” Lucia shrugged. “But maybe I wouldn’t have met Cade. And I can’t imagine my world without him.”

“I’m glad it all worked out,” Natalie said, pulling her hand free and reaching for her beer. There had been so many moments when it could have gone oh so wrong.

The wistful look returned, accompanied by a giggle. “You have no idea,” Lucia said.

“Are you drunk?” Natalie asked. It was her sister’s party. She had every right to pass out under the table if she wanted. But they should probably save the heart-to-hearts for when her sister was sober. “I know you’ve avoided the ‘tea,’ but what’s in those special daiquiris?”

Lucia leaned closer and whispered, “Promise you won’t tell?”

Natalie nodded.

“They’re virgin daiquiris,” she quietly said. “I’m pregnant.”

“You’re having a baby? Oh my God, Lucia!” She reached for her sister and wrapped her arms around her. And she buried her face against Lucia’s shoulder as she tumbled off an emotional cliff.

“You can’t tell anyone. It’s still early,” Lucia said. “And we honestly weren’t expecting it to happen this fast. I mean, Cade was home for a few days six weeks ago and we talked about it, decided we didn’t want to wait much longer. That night, we skipped protection. And it worked.”

“I won’t say a word,” she promised. “And I’m so happy for you. If this is what you want—”

“It is,” her sister said firmly. “I want to start a family with Cade. It won’t be easy. He’ll be gone a lot. But I know the good moments will make it all worth it.”

The good moments.
Her sister said those words and Natalie pictured Jack in the shower, touching her, teasing her…

But it was only a taste of happiness.

“You should have it all,” Natalie said firmly. “And I’ll be there to help you. I’ll be the best aunt.” She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. She meant it, every word.

“I know you will. Natalie, it feels like a dream. A really good one. Even better than Cade covered in chocolate body paint.”

Natalie pulled back. “That’s something I don’t want to think about. The father of my future niece or nephew.” She forced a laugh, but it sounded brittle. Her sister was bubbling with happiness, but that joy…

For her, it still felt out of reach.

“You could be dreaming about painting your very own SEAL in chocolate,” Lucia said, holding up the container.

Every time I close my eyes.

But that wicked fantasy didn’t lead to wedding bells and babies. Not for her.

“If you’d just give Jack a shot,” her sister continued. “I think he really likes you. You’ve been spending a lot of time with him since you arrived.”

Because there’s this bet I haven’t told you about…

But now, on the heels of her sister’s happy announcement, wasn’t the time to tell her about the bet. Still, the thought of losing herself in his touch, his kiss, in
him.
It was tempting to run away from the emotions inspired by her sister’s announcement and straight into Jack’s arms.

But how many times could she abandon her clothes, steal a taste of all the charming SEAL had to offer, and walk away the winner?

“No.” Natalie shook her head. “I’m better off on my own.”

Unless I want to forget my resolve and let him win…

She pictured Jack standing naked and very aroused in the entryway to his suite. Losing might feel very,
very
good…

“Chocolate body paint?” One of the tipsy social workers cried as she pushed off the couch and stumbled toward them. “Do you think Rick will let us try it on his abs?”

“The waiter,” the other drunken coworker explained as she turned to Lucia. “You can’t tell anyone at the hospital about this. But OMG, I want to lick chocolate off that man’s body.”

Lucia laughed and smiled at her friends. “My lips are sealed.”

Natalie smiled and tried to bottle up her ugly feelings. Lucia had suffered through so much. Her sister deserved to find happiness with her growing family. But next to Lucia’s I’m-in-love-and-pregnant glow, Natalie felt like she’d been thrust deeper into the deep, dark forest of loneliness.

She’d experienced a moment of genuine happiness with Jack. But the thought of loving a man, letting him into her life, and then sending him off to fight, not knowing if he’d ever come back…

She’d fall apart if she opened her heart to him and then lost him. That was the only given in this equation. Maybe other wives and girlfriends saw the glass as half full. These were highly trained soldiers. They were good at what they did. The best. There was a good chance they were coming home.