by Susan Stoker
“You need to watch your back,” Mustang warned. “I don’t trust that guy.”
“I will,” Aleck said.
“I mean it. We all read the report Baker sent you, and he’s unstable. There’s no telling what he might do to try to bring you down,” Mustang said.
It wasn’t Aleck’s proudest moment when he’d shared the info Baker had sent with his team. But they shared everything. And Aleck knew without a doubt that none of them would ever admit how they’d gotten Braun’s service record. That was the kind of bond SEALs had.
“I’ll be careful,” Aleck said.
“Good. All right, let’s get back inside and see if we can find out more about this Iran situation. I really don’t wanna cross the mountains to get into the country to get this guy out. Let’s hope negotiations are successful and we don’t have to,” Mustang said.
“Oh, come on, you know a thirty-mile pleasure hike over a ten-thousand-foot-high peak into hostile territory is just what you want to do next week,” Aleck joked.
Mustang just shook his head and headed back inside the conference room so they could continue going over maps and intel.
The rest of the team followed. Aleck grabbed the door and held it open for his friends. Slate was the last one to approach, and he stopped, giving the others time to get far enough ahead so they wouldn’t hear him.
“You want me to fuck him up, just say the word,” Slate told Aleck.
“I appreciate that,” Aleck said, and he did. “But the day I can’t handle that pencil-necked douchebag, is the day my Budweiser pin should be taken away.”
Slate eyed him for a long moment before nodding once. Then they both headed inside after the rest of the team.
Chapter Eight
Kenna opened her apartment door and beamed at Marshall over a week later. Their plans the Sunday before had been canceled when Marshall had to participate in a training exercise. But now it was the following Sunday, her day off, and they were going to attempt to sneak onto the private beach at the Coral Springs condo complex she’d been drooling over for quite a while.
“Hi!” she said happily. He looked good. Really good. She enjoyed gawking at him in his uniform, but Kenna thought she liked this laid-back Marshall even more. He had on what looked like a pair of swim trunks with a white T-shirt emblazoned with a large pineapple. It was whimsical and seemed out of character. Which made her like it even more.
“Hi, back,” he said before stepping into her personal space and reaching for her. Even though this was only their second in-person date, Kenna was more than comfortable with him initiating a kiss. Probably because of the hours and hours they’d spent talking on the phone and via text.
When he leaned down, she didn’t hesitate in the least. She wanted this man.
His lips landed on hers, and Kenna mentally let out a girly squeal.
This kiss was more confident, hungrier, than their first had been. On both their parts.
Kenna eventually forced herself to pull back, when all she really wanted to do was pull him inside her apartment and throw him down on her bed.
They continued to chat every night after she got home from work. What had started as texts to let him know she was home safe, had led to Marshall asking her to call. Every night for the last week, she’d fallen asleep with the memory of his deep voice in her head. She’d even masturbated a time or two while thinking of that rumbly voice saying all sorts of not-so-innocent things.
Marshall licked his lips sensually, and it was all Kenna could do to control herself and not jump him right there. It had been a while since she’d been with a man, and she had a feeling Marshall would be well worth the wait. At least she hoped so. God, if he was bad in bed or had a tiny dick, she might be devastated.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Marshall asked.
Kenna blushed. There was no way she was going to tell him she was thinking about the size of his cock. “I’m just happy to see you,” she hedged.
He smirked as if he knew she was lying through her teeth. But as the gentleman he’d proved himself to be time and time again, he merely smiled at her. “Same,” he said, lifting a hand and smoothing a piece of hair behind her ear.
Man, she loved when he did that. She loved this man’s hands on her anywhere.
“Come on, let me show you around. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s home.” Kenna gestured behind her and Marshall came in and shut the door. She walked him through the galley kitchen, definitely not pointing out the peeling Formica countertops or the appliances that had probably been there for twenty years.
“I love that I can watch TV while I’m in the kitchen,” she said, playing up the positive aspects of her apartment. “I never miss anything when I’m doing dishes or grabbing my popcorn from the microwave.”
Then she led him into the small living area. “Here’s where I spend a lot of my time. I know the beanbag is a little ridiculous for someone my age, but seriously, it’s the most comfortable thing ever.”
Marshall raised an eyebrow.
“What? You don’t believe me? Go on. Sit in it.”
“It’s okay. I believe you,” Marshall said.
“Nope, now that I’ve seen your skeptical face, you have to.”
“My skeptical face?” he asked with a laugh.
“Yup. Admit it, you looked at it and thought it was ridiculous,” Kenna teased.
“I’m gonna plead the fifth on that one,” Marshall said as he walked toward the ginormous beanbag Kenna had splurged on.
He lowered himself into it and wiggled around until he was comfortable.
“It’s called a Lovesac. I know, I know, the name is horrible, but I did a ton of research and it had amazing reviews. And believe it or not, this isn’t even the biggest one they had. I got the second to largest one, and I probably could’ve gone a bit smaller. There have been plenty of nights that I’ve fallen asleep in that thing, it’s that comfortable. I do have to turn it around and plump it up every now and then, but otherwise it’s perfect.”
“There’s one thing wrong with it,” Marshall said.
Kenna frowned. “What?”
He held out his hand and without thought, Kenna grabbed it.
He immediately yanked her forward, and Kenna let out a yelp as she landed half on top of him in the oversized beanbag.
“You weren’t in here with me,” he said, finishing his thought.
Kenna laughed. “Jeez, Marshall, I thought there was really something wrong!” she accused.
“As far as I’m concerned, I stand by my statement.”
Kenna was plastered against Marshall’s side, the beanbag seeming to smoosh them together even tighter than they’d be if they were in a bed. Her hand rested on his chest and she could feel the thumping of his heart under her fingers. She stared at him as he gazed into her eyes.
“You look amazing,” Marshall said quietly.
“Thanks.” Kenna didn’t think she was wearing anything special. She had on a brightly colored cover-up dress that went down to her knees. It was black with huge purple and yellow hibiscus flowers. It was gaudy, but when she’d seen it in one of the iconic ABC Stores in Waikiki, she couldn’t resist.
“I haven’t seen you in a dress yet,” Marshall told her.
“It’s not really a dress,” Kenna admitted. “Just something to wear over my bathing suit.”
“Please tell me you’re wearing a bikini,” Marshall said with a twinkle in his eye.
Kenna rolled her eyes. “You’re such a guy.”
“Yup, I sure am,” he agreed.
“I don’t own a bikini. I’m fairly confident with how I look, but I’m just more comfortable in a one-piece.”
“You have nothing to worry about,” Marshall reassured her. “Remember, I’ve seen you in nothing but a sports bra and shorts when you jumped on top of me.”
“Don’t remind me,” Kenna groaned, wrinkling her nose. “And I didn’t jump on you.”
Marshall’s hand came up and
he brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek before moving his hand to the nape of her neck.
Goose bumps broke out on her arms, and of course he noticed.
“You like when I hold you like this?” he asked.
Kenna nodded. “It’s been a while since anyone’s really touched me. If you grabbed me and hauled me around, I’d hate it. But you touch with me with the perfect mix of assertiveness and gentleness.”
“You don’t like anything I do, all you have to do is say so. Or push me away or something,” Marshall told her. “And I love touching you. I feel as if it’s my reward for getting through the week without seeing you. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed talking to you and getting to know you. But I’ve missed this…being with you in person.”
“This is only our second date.” Kenna felt obligated to point out, even though she felt exactly the same way he was describing.
“So?” he said. “I know you, Kenna Madigan. And I more than like what I’ve learned about you. Being with you is icing on the cake.”
“Shit, you’re being too nice. You need to stop,” Kenna begged.
“Nope. No can do,” Marshall said with a smile. “And, by the way, you’re right.”
“About what?”
“This is the most amazing beanbag I’ve ever sat in, and now I want to order one for myself.”
“They’re super expensive,” Kenna told him. “How about you borrow mine whenever the mood hits?”
“Every night?” he asked.
Kenna couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not, and decided he had to be. His nickname was short for smart aleck, after all. “Sure. You can just move on in and take up residence in my beanbag,” she joked.
He didn’t respond, but his thumb swept back and forth over the sensitive skin of her neck as he stared at her.
“I do have to warn you, it’s tough to get out of,” she said.
Marshall licked his lips, and suddenly Kenna had no desire to go anywhere. She took the initiative and leaned toward him, feeling his hand tighten subtly on the back of her neck as she moved.
How long they made out in her beanbag, Kenna had no idea. All she knew was that his hand had moved under her cover-up to her bare thigh. Her own hand had snaked under his T-shirt. He was nothing but rock-hard muscles, and she felt extremely powerful when he inhaled sharply as her hand brushed against his nipple.
He pulled back and took a deep breath in through his nose before saying, “Holy shit, woman.”
Kenna smiled. She could still taste him on her lips, and she really, really wanted more. But she was aware that this was technically only their second date. She wasn’t ashamed of her sexuality; she was more afraid she’d fall head over heels for him, then find out something about him that she couldn’t live with…thus breaking her heart.
“This beanbag is lethal,” he quipped.
“Right?” she replied.
“Come on, we need to get up before I cross a line I swore I wouldn’t cross today.”
Kenna tilted her head as she stared at him. “Oh?”
“Yeah. I want you, Kenna. I don’t think that’s any surprise,” he said, nodding down his body toward his erect cock. She hadn’t missed it but was trying to do the polite thing by not staring.
“But I also want to spend more time with you before rushing our physical relationship.”
Aaaaand, there he went again, being considerate and irresistible. “Tell me something negative about you,” she blurted.
Marshall smiled as if he could read her mind. “I drink straight from the carton. Milk, orange juice, soda…you name it,” he said without hesitation. “You?”
Kenna smiled. That was gross, but she could probably live with it. It wasn’t as if they weren’t swapping spit already. “I hate doing dishes and usually let them pile up until I literally can’t do anything in the sink, so I have to give in and do them.”
“I have a dishwasher,” he told her.
“La-dee-da,” she singsonged.
Marshall laughed. “You ready to go?” he asked.
Kenna nodded.
“Okay, I’ll push to help you get out.”
Kenna was used to getting out of the beanbag, so it wasn’t an issue for her. Of course she copped a feel while she did it, just because she could.
Marshall smirked, but didn’t call her on her boldness. He held up a hand.
Kenna grabbed it and, between the two of them, got him out of the super-squishy seat. He stood and shook his head. “I probably need to admit another annoying thing about me,” he said.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I can fall asleep anywhere, at any time. Usually within like five minutes. In that thing?” he said with a shake of his head. “It would probably be under two.”
Kenna liked the thought of him sleeping while she puttered around her apartment. It seemed cozy. “I’m sure you’ve learned to fall asleep anywhere because of your job. Assuming when you need sleep, you grab it where you can. I can handle that. But the real question is…do you snore?”
“No,” he said with a completely straight face, but Kenna saw something in his eyes that made her think he was lying.
“I wouldn’t think snoring would be safe in your profession.”
“It’s not,” Marshall said. “Which is why when I start, one of my teammates kicks me until I roll over and stop.”
Kenna laughed. “Noted. Kick the man when he snores.” The second she said it, she thought about what that would mean. That they were together in the same bed. And of course, that made some pretty carnal thoughts run through her head. Again.
“Right. On that note, we really need to go. That all you need for today?” he asked, nodding toward a large bag on the floor.
“Yeah, I packed an extra towel, just in case, and I’ve got plenty of snacks and cash. I have no idea if the beach will have a bar or food truck parked nearby or anything, but I don’t want to risk leaving to get lunch or something to drink in case we can’t get back in.”
“You gonna tell me where we’re going yet?” Marshall asked as he lifted her bag over his shoulder and put his other hand on the small of her back to lead her to the door.
“Nope,” Kenna said with a grin. “It’s a secret. But trust me, it’s swanky and posh, and the beach looks amazing from what I’ve seen online.”
“Do you have a plan for getting us on the beach?” Marshall asked.
“Yup. I’m a professional at this.”
“You ever been kicked off a property before?”
“Of course,” Kenna told him. “Probably fifty percent of the time. But the ones where I’ve been able to stay under the radar have been so worth it.”
“Right, then let’s get this show on the road. Because I’m super curious about this beach adorned with golden sand and mermaids and perfect snorkeling.”
Kenna burst out laughing as she locked her door behind her. “I’m not sure about all that,” she said.
“From the way you talk about these private beaches, I just thought they had to be lined with diamonds or something,” Marshall joked.
“Do you like the beach?” Kenna asked as they headed down the hall toward the stairwell. The elevator in the building had been broken for months. She didn’t mind, it let her get in a bit more exercise to counter the calories from the food she ate while on shift at Duke’s.
“Hate it,” Marshall said.
Kenna looked up at him in shock, hoping he was kidding. “Seriously?”
“Yup. I mean, who likes sand in their shorts?” he asked.
Shaking her head, Kenna said, “Well, I’m sure that would suck. But we aren’t going to be rolling around in the sand today. I can imagine Hell Week probably didn’t give you a great feeling about the beach, huh?”
“Cold water, covered in sand twenty-four seven, and feeling as if you were literally going to freeze to death? No,” Marshall said. “But I have a feeling if anyone can change my mind about spending time on the beach, it’s you. Hell, you could
probably change my mind about just about anything I don’t like.”
That was a really nice thing to say. Kenna was falling for this guy. Hard. “Trust me, I’ve seen pictures of this beach. It’s perfect. There’s even a grassy area we can sit on if you truly don’t want to be on the sand itself. The waves there aren’t terribly intense, but from what I’ve seen online, because of some rocks, the east side of the beach has waves that are good for bodyboarding, while the west side is calmer. There’s a huge pool if we want a change of pace, and they have free umbrellas and chairs too. It’s gonna be awesome.”
Marshall smiled down at her. “I can’t wait to spend the day together,” he said. “Doesn’t matter what we do, as long as I get to hang out with you.”
Kenna felt herself leaning toward him. “I feel the same.”
She smiled the rest of the way down the stairs and out into the parking lot. She was still smiling when he opened the door to the Jeep and handed her the seat belt.
“Where to?” he asked as he started the engine after he’d gotten into the driver’s side.
“Get on the interstate and head toward the Naval base.”
“You got it,” Marshall said as he backed out.
Kenna knew she still had a goofy smile on her face, but she was so looking forward to today. She hoped she and Marshall could sneak in without being caught. There was a backup public beach nearby if needed, but she hoped it wouldn’t be. The thought of doing something a little illicit with Marshall made adrenaline rush through her veins.
Shit, she was so screwed. If she was this excited about spending a day with the man, how would she feel when they eventually slept together?
Because there was no doubt in her mind that was where they were headed. And she couldn’t wait.
Chapter Nine
Aleck’s stomach dropped to his feet when Kenna directed him to turn into the Coral Springs condo complex the private beach was connected to.
His condo complex.
“Here it is,” she whispered as if a security guard might hear her all the way out in the parking lot. “I’ve been drooling over this place ever since I saw it online. They’ve got a beautiful beach, the pool has a slide, which is awesome, and they even have hammocks strung up around a grassy barbeque area. It’s perfect.”