Red Hot Steamy Romance Boxed Set: A Steamy Military Romance Series Collection

by Penelope Wylde

  Shay drew back, and Dyson tightened his hold just enough to let her know she was safe.

  Dyson caught a gleam in her eye a split second before she pulled out of his hold, her hand raised to strike Bautista. Dyson caught her just in time. If anyone needed to be knocked on their ass that was his job.

  An arrogant smirk lifted Bautista’s mouth in contrast to the waves of anger that rolled off the man.

  Dyson held his ground, not giving Bautista the satisfaction of seeing how close he was to giving him a taste of his fist.

  He understood all too well how men like Bautista operated. They played and used people until they had their hooks so deep the person had no way out. Then his true nature would come out to play. Dyson wouldn’t let that happen to Shay.

  “All good here?” Dyson sensed Shay’s cousin before he spoke up from beside him.

  “Peachy. The man was just confused about who we are. I set him straight. Now he’s taking his leave.” Dyson kept his voice level as he spoke to Diego, never taking his eyes off Bautista.

  Bautista’s calm and collected persona slid into place like a glove, masking the snake again. “Sí,” he drawled out. “For now, it seems so. Unless…” Bautista’s gaze anchored on Shay. He stepped closer, placing a hand on her lower arm pulling a snarling growl from him.

  Shay stiffened and pulled back. Bautista flinched, but continued, “Unless you’d like to take this talk privately?”

  Dyson’s brow furrowed. A deep bass pulsated along the heated air, cranking up the tension. Guests gave them a wide berth, instinct driving them away from danger. “Not a fucking chance in hell. Either back the fuck off or we can have it out right here. Up to you. I don’t mind spending a few hours in the brig as long as you go down with me. And if you don’t take your hand off her right now, you and I’ll be the ones dancing.”

  Bautista’s eyes flashed with a warning, daring Dyson to make a move. “Bautista, it’s best you leave, but my wife and I thank you for joining us on our day.” Diego rested a hand on Dyson’s shoulder and stepped between them.

  Smart move.

  The man turned his attention to Shay, calculating his move a moment before turning toward Diego. “The pleasure was mine.” His words clipped and dry. “And, amigo, get your friend on a leash before something bad happens.”

  Bautista turned on his heel and Dyson watched as the viper slowly wove his way through the packed dance floor. Several suits peeled off from the crowd to follow. His goons, no doubt. This wasn’t the last they’d meet up—he could feel it deep in his bones.

  “What the hell was all that about, Dyson?”

  Dyson cringed from the lethal cut to Shay’s words when she turned on her heel and peered up at him.

  Now that he could focus on her one hundred percent, the familiar scent of her shampoo washed over him. Or was it her body wash? Mango with an underlying hint of vanilla—as exotic as the woman. Fuck, he could eat her from mouth to pussy where she stood.

  He couldn’t blame Bautista for wanting a chance at his lover. On second thought, after his latest misstep, he might need to attach former to that last thought.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” he countered, crossing his arms. Normally, he was the rational one of the team—the one to ease the pressure and deliver solutions to tight situations. Tonight, all that took a back seat where Shay was concerned. Maybe that made him a prick, but he had no problem with the act-now-ask-questions-later, method.

  “So neither of you think to ask me if you’re welcome to just waltz right into the middle of my dance with Bautista? And you can wipe that arrogant smirk off your face because I’m not in the mood for your puns and jokes, family or not. Damn cavemen, the both of you.”

  Shay shook a finger in her cousin’s face and Diego had the common sense to keep his mouth shut. When neither of them gave an excuse or answer, she whipped around and headed toward the tables lining the far side of the dance floor.

  A slow number replaced the faster salsa beat. A whole lot of kissing and groping was already going down and he burned to be right in the middle of it with Shay. Being this close felt so right, but out there he could get a hell of a lot closer.

  Diego shot him a dirty look, but he wasn’t sorry one bit.

  “Hold up there, little cuz, we’re not laughing. Do you know what the hell you were dancing with?”

  Dyson didn’t give her time to answer. He grabbed her arm and whirled her around to face him.

  “What the hell are you doing with that guy, and why the hell is he here to begin with?”

  Dyson stood his back to the dance floor, attention fully on Shay. “He’s my plus one. Or was. Everything else is none of your damn business.” Her eyes were daggers aimed right for his heart. “Or yours, Dyson. And really, he might have deserved it, but did you have to be such an ass?” Damn, he loved her accent—how she drew out her words with a sexy cadence.

  He shrugged. “Seems to be the theme of the night.”

  She inched around an empty chair that separated them and drove her point home with a finger to his chest. So petite to his taller stature, and so damn sexy all fired up.

  He’d bet every last star in the fucking universe her lips would taste spicy as her attitude and he was dying to find out.

  After he sucked on that sweet tongue he’d slowly work his way down until he had one of her sweet nipples in his mouth. He wouldn’t stop until she gave in to his charms, until he worked out the fear eating at his gut, and convinced himself she was safe.

  At the thought of tasting her skin again and her pink pussy blood shot straight to his dick. It might have been six months since they’ last hooked up but he swore he could still taste the sweetness of her pussy every time he closed his eyes.

  Diego stepped in and brought his thoughts back on track. “Looks like you two have some issues to sort out and I have a beautiful new bride waiting to dance with me.” Diego threw a wink at Shay, which brought a small smile to her lips. “And you know it doesn’t end there.”

  Dyson nodded his understanding. “Thanks, buddy.” He could handle everything from here.

  Dyson caught Shay’s hand in his and kept her from following Diego’s example and walking away from him.

  He lowered his voice. He should be furious she was here with another man. Fucking wild with anger that she let any else touch her beside him. But that was his fault to begin with. He’d let her walk away from him and di nothing to let her know how much she meant to him.

  He had no one to blame but himself. But he also didn’t have to step aside and let it continue.

  “I’ve been known to step on a few toes. More than a few, actually. I’m not worried about your date’s feelings. I’m worried about you.”

  “Get over yourself, Dyson.” She turned away, pulling back her hand, done with their conversation and him apparently.

  Well, how do you like that? Too fucking bad.

  He took a step closer, placing a gentle hand on her arm then trailed his fingers down the length to tangle their fingers together. He was good at pushing people to their limits, but he didn’t want her to feel she couldn’t open up to him, so he made an effort to rein in his possessive tendencies and the desire to hurl her over his shoulder and walk out.

  He wanted to forget all about tonight and Bautista, but they didn’t have that luxury. He needed to make sure Shay understood the danger she’d danced into tonight.

  “Shay, listen, I’m sorry. But I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with concerning Bautista.” He softened his tone and moved closer so she could hear him above the music while preventing any of the guests walking by from eavesdropping. “We’ve heard some pretty nasty shit about Bautista. Worse yet, we know he’s killed, Shay. Don’t blame us for being worried when we see you break a move with the guy.” He didn’t want to scare her with the unknown sadistic details of Bautista’s darker side. Not yet anyway. If she persisted, he’d have no choice but to tell her what was not public knowledge.

 
He wound an arm around her waist and pulled her deeper into his embrace. “But we can talk about that later,” he whispered, leaning in until his lips graced the soft shell of her ear.

  Her breath hitched and he could feel a shudder work through every inch of her body as he pressed closer.

  Tensions released from her muscles and her body molded to his.

  Good is not how she felt this close to him. Heaven was more like it. Perfection, even.

  He pulled her scent down into his lungs, desperate for more—so intoxicating he could get drunk.

  Her capitulation didn’t fool him for a second. It would take a lot more than a simple apology from him to ease her anger.

  She pulled away, her eyes darting everywhere but on him. Oh, there would be none of that between them, not after what he had planned.

  He caught her chin between his fingers, forcing her to show him her beautiful eyes.

  Stress darkened the skin beneath her eyes. His fingers itched to ease into the loose, wavy length of her hair and let his touch coax the truth behind tonight’s mess out of her.

  She pushed his hand away. “Listen, I know you mean well.” She let out a sigh powerful enough to damn near drop him to his knees. Something was wrong, and he was going to find out what. “On second thought, never mind. I have to go.”

  No way in hell she was shoving him to the side and shutting him out.

  “Not a chance, babe. You’re coming with me.”

  She looked cute with her brows pinched together and her nose scrunched up like that, but it wouldn’t work on him.

  He could almost see the war going on inside her head. She wanted to go with him, but something was holding her back. He grinned and pulled out all the stops.

  “We’re in a paradise, baby. It’d be a shame to miss out on the tequila and sunset.” He took her hand in his then brushed his lips across the soft, delicate skin answering one of his previous questions. The exotic, fruity smell lingered on her skin from her morning shower, no doubt. He couldn’t wait to help her with her next and maybe she would let him wash her with the tantalizing soap that tingled his senses. “Let me make it up to you, Shay.”

  She gave a charming little lift to the corner of her mouth. That was something in a positive direction.

  “Fine, I could use a few minutes to clear my head before heading back to San Diego anyway.”

  No way he’d let her out of his sight, much less make the long ass drive alone tonight. The sun was already dipping below the horizon. Once he had her to himself, all bets were off. He’d leave that little detail for her to figure out on her own. For now, he’d enjoy a moment with her and the sunset. And if he worked it right, and a miracle happened, he might even get the chance to soften her heart to his charms for an all-night kind of kiss.

  “We can’t forget this.” Dyson snatched the tequila bottle on the abandoned table along with two shot glasses.

  Shay whimpered. No doubt thinking about of the last time a bottle of tequila came between them from how the light in her eyes returned.

  “That’s right. I’m going to fuck that sweet pussy until you cum one hundred times for me and then you’re going to take my cum. Tonight, baby, you’re mine and if you haven’t caught on by now, I’m going to prove to you I’m yours.”

  She gasped and groaned low. “That’s a big promise. Think you can back it up?”

  She teased her lower lip with her teeth a small flirty smile playing with the corners and his cock stiffened behind the zipper of his slacks.

  He pulled until her ass pressed against his cock.

  “For a fact. And I’d bet everything in this world your pussy is dripping wet for me right now.”

  She turned in his arms. “Let’s take it slow, Dyson. Okay? There’s, just…I have a lot going on now and anything more than the fun times we’ve had… maybe it’s not such a good idea.” There went that lip between her teeth again.

  He tightened his grip, bent at the waist and scooped her up to the sound of cheers and whistles from the onlooking crowd.

  “Dyson Ward, you brute. You ever think I’d like to walk on my own?”

  He smiled, liking the way he made her lose her breath.

  “Why, when I’m here to carry you, precious?”

  Chapter Two

  Carry her? Like he wanted to shoulder her problems? Or did he just want to have a fun night and romance her?

  Ugh. So many questions. And now more to add to the growing pile. What was all that back there with Bautista?

  Dyson’s words weighed on her more than they should. Maybe she was being too damn emotional. No one needed to carry her. She’d been fine until he stepped in and ruined her whole plan.

  But he didn’t know. No one did and she preferred it that way. She’d let Bautista cool down and reach out to him tomorrow. Hopefully she could salvage their small business deal.

  Now, she supposed, all she could do was wait.

  Shay tightened her grip around Dyson’s neck. The man she secretly wished could be hers was carrying her away from peering eyes and off into the sunset.

  She damn near snorted at that romantic thought. That is not what this was. Irresistible he was, the settling, marrying, and raising a family kind of man he was not.

  This was another night in their string of multiple one-night stands when he was on leave. Dates and coming home to meet the family was strictly off the table.

  “It’s good seeing you again.” She kept her head against his shoulder as she spoke.

  “I’m glad you think so.” He tightened his hold as the sound of party music faded was replaced with the sound of waves crashing on the wide, empty shore. “There for a second I didn’t know what to think.”

  Truth be told it was just nice not being alone and with someone who was familiar.

  She’d spent the last year struggling to save the small family business her mother once loved then abandoned for the bottom of a bottle because her father left her. That paired with raising her younger sister left a lot to shoulder. With no one there to help her it had been a long, lonely road.

  From time to time, she had fantasized about her mother rejoining their small family of three, but depression, alcohol and finally, cancer, had robbed her of that dream.

  With no other family, she and her younger sister depended on the small florist shop, and with her late mother’s mounting medical bills and college tuition for Abigail, it just wasn’t enough anymore.

  Her best shot at getting the twenty grand she needed to push her business out of the red and into the black for good had just stomped out of her cousin’s wedding, taking his sizeable checkbook with him. If the stars found a way to align hopefully tomorrow, she would find the opportunity to present him the partnership offer she’d worked out in exchange for a loan.

  What the hell had happened with Dyson to make him react the way he had with Bautista, in the first place? She understood the man had a spotty reputation as a businessman, but the way Dyson and her cousin had reacted made it seem as if he was a secret hitman for some mob boss.

  Before her mother passed, in her more lucid moments, she talked fondly of a childhood friend in Cabos, Bautista, and how he had become quite the businessman.

  When her cousin and his new fiancée contacted her about doing the flowers for his wedding in Cabos and asked her to be maid of honor too, she’d seized the chance. Using her mother’s connection, she’d called Bautista to be her date—a two birds one stone kind of thing.

  Landing Bautista as her plus one had given her a small glimmer of hope. Hope that was now so far out of reach she was lucky she could see past the fear gripping her heart.

  And now, who knew what the future held. She certainly didn’t have a clue.

  She trailed a finger over the exposed skin peeking out of Dyson’s collar. She couldn’t blame him. What did he know?

  The fading rays of sunshine bounced off the water and mixed with a strong breeze to create the illusion of peace. She tried to relax, but the picturesque view
did nothing to her mounting frustration.

  Dyson slowed to a stop and placed her on the cooled sand.

  With her toes barely touching, he turned her and caught her lips with his.

  Dark, dangerous, dominant. Every last syllable of the words she’d heard whispered through shared friends about Dyson came back. Tonight she got to see a little bit of that.

  She wound her arms around his neck and let the silence cling to them as he devoured her. He groaned into her mouth, swirling his tongue around hers. His empty hand pulled her against him and the hard rod of his cock pressed into her lower abdomen.

  Part of her wanted to tear away and demand answers, but fear? Curiosity? The need to feel him parting her thighs and thrusting his big cock into her aching pussy drove her to return his kiss.

  Hell, all the above and more had her hands coming up to cup his face, the light stubble from the day rough against her soft palms.

  “Dyson, what are we doing?” Panting like she was in heat for him like some animal, Shay pulled back far enough to peer into his eyes.

  He nipped her bottom lip before answering. “I told you. I am dead serious about fucking you past wild and fun and taking you into claiming territory.”

  She blinked up at him.

  “Claiming?” she breathed out.

  He growled and dropped the tequila bottle and glasses in the sand beside them. “I didn’t stutter. Now talk to me. What’s bothering you? And don’t try to hide it. I can see it all over your face.”

  His dark gaze pierced hers and wouldn’t let her look away. Why did he have to be so perceptive and see so deeply into her? Who was she kidding? He’s always been able to read her moods and know when something bothered her.

  Shay smiled and turned toward the water, digging her toes into the sand.

  “Tell me, Shay.”