“What could it hurt?” Sarah asked with a shrug. “I’ll take any lead I can get at this point.” She pulled her cell phone from her purse and keyed in his cell number, sending him a text so that he had her number, too. “Oh, there’s my friend Morgan,” she said, waving. “We’ve got to finish up this massive to-do list. Thanks again for your help!”
“All right, Sarah, I’ll be in touch.”
“Sounds good. Enjoy your massage!”
She turned and walked down toward the bridal shop, meeting Morgan at the front door. Morgan’s gaze went over her shoulder, watching Juan walk off in the opposite direction.
“Was that the weird guy again?” she asked.
“Juan? He’s not weird; we were just chatting. His friend is a hairstylist, and he’s going to see if she has any openings. At this point, I’ll take all the help I can get. I may not be a total girly-girl, but I want to be pampered a little on my wedding day. Anyway, let’s go inside and check on my dress!”
“Yeah, let’s go inside. That guy still gives me the creeps though.”
“Hun, he’s totally harmless,” Sarah said, linking arms with her best friend. “And besides, my fiancé is a Navy SEAL. What exactly do you think is going to happen?”
Chapter 13
Ryan parked on a side street off Atlantic Avenue on Friday evening and sauntered down the block. He’d changed from his uniform into pressed khakis and a polo shirt, but he still felt overdressed compared to some of the tourists wandering around.
He passed a couple of bars and restaurants along the strand, watching as cars drove down the busy drag with windows down and radios playing. Couples walked along the sidewalk together, friends met up outside bars for happy hour, and families pushed strollers along.
He shook his head with a smirk.
Sarah would love this type of thing—the atmosphere, the party, the crowd. Too bad the night was for him alone.
The guys from base were throwing him an impromptu bachelor’s party at Anchors. As much as he hated a big event like that, he needed to stop by for at least an hour or two and have a beer since the entire thing was for him.
Ironically, most of his team didn’t spend much time at Anchors anymore either. A local pickup joint, it was more for the singles crowd. That didn’t stop the memories from flowing as he pulled open the door. Music blasted over the speakers, conversations went on around him, and ice clinked in glasses.
“Captain Mitchell!” Taylor called out, smiling as she walked by holding a tray of drinks.
“Call me Ryan,” he murmured in a low voice as he nodded, heading toward the back of the bar where his officer friends and SEAL teams were. Taylor was the girlfriend of Mason, one of the guys on the Delta team. He always forgot that she worked here at Anchors.
Other officers from base were sitting at tables in the back, and some of the guys from his SEAL teams were off to the side as well. Although officers weren’t exactly supposed to fraternize with the others, Patrick was about to become his brother-in-law, so it was a bit of a unique situation.
“Sir,” Brent said, tipping his beer toward him as he walked by. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. Two weeks, huh?”
“Two weeks,” Ryan confirmed. “It’s hard as hell to believe it. Let’s just hope nothing big arises between now and then to throw a wrench in our plans.”
Brent chuckled. “I hear you. You can’t exactly have a wedding if you’re stuck on base while we’re out on an op.”
“Ryan!” one of the other officers called out. “Let’s get this man a beer!”
He chuckled as one was immediately handed to him.
“Let’s have a toast!” one of the other men called out. “To the Captain!”
There were loud whoops and hollers as the men raised their glasses and beer bottles. Ryan clinked his longneck against Brent’s and then took a swig.
Hell.
Although it was good to see the guys from base, he was glad this entire bar scene was behind him. Going out for beers every weekend, meeting women—that felt like a lifetime ago, and thank God for that.
“Congrats again, sir,” Hunter said as he and Patrick walked up to Ryan, beers in hand.
“Thanks, fellas. I couldn’t let all my men get married while I stayed single forever,” Ryan joked. He looked back and forth between the two of them. Damn. Each of them led a SEAL team into battle. Patrick was married with a few kids; Hunter was engaged with a kid on the way.
Life would never be the same for any of them.
“And now you two will be brothers-in-law,” Hunter said with a chuckle.
“Life’s changing,” Patrick agreed, taking a swig of his own beer. “But I’m happy for you and Sarah. Speaking of my sister, Rebecca said Sarah and some of her friends are getting their hair done tonight or something?” He raised his eyebrows.
“The hell if I know,” Ryan said with a laugh. “She found some new hairstylist for our wedding. She always looks beautiful, but apparently women need to pay for a special person to do it on their wedding day. And they also have to try out the fancy hairstyles before the actual wedding.”
“Women,” Hunter muttered. “Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.”
Ryan’s lips quirked. “So you and Emma haven’t set a date yet?”
“Negative, sir. We’re waiting until after the baby comes. Emma wants a big, fancy wedding but refuses to do it while eight months pregnant. Hell, I don’t care when we get married. We already live together, and the baby is on the way. We’ve got enough on our plate right now. After we get used to dealing with a newborn, we’ll probably pick a date.”
Patrick chuckled. “I hate to say it, but you never get used to a newborn.”
A waitress came around, bringing some of the guys more beers, and platters of appetizers appeared on the group of tables as well.
“Just between us,” Ryan said, “I’m hoping nothing big comes up between now and the wedding. Obviously, the job and any missions would take priority, but it would just kill Sarah not to get married when we planned.”
“And unfortunately, it seems like there are a few things coming up on the horizon,” Patrick said with a frown. “There’s never a good time to make plans in this business.”
“Don’t I know it,” Ryan agreed.
Hunter set his beer down and turned to the two men. “What about the missing woman down in Mexico? That shit is eating me up, knowing there’s an American teenager still stuck down there.”
“No new intel,” Ryan said. “The woman Ice’s team rescued that’s in Miami is in decent shape, all things considered. I’ve gotten minimal updates due to privacy issues, but I do know she’s been released from the hospital and is resting and recovering at home.”
“That’s good to hear,” Patrick said. “She was scared as hell when we grabbed her.”
“That sex-trafficking ring is pure evil,” Ryan ground out. “We’d all like to rescue the missing American, but there are so many others that go missing all the damn time. We don’t even know if some of them left of their own free will or were taken.”
“Our guys have been keeping an eye out because of the leaked names,” Hunter said in a low voice. “We haven’t noticed anything unusual around base or at our own homes.”
“Us either,” Patrick said. “That doesn’t mean someone isn’t lurking around though. We should continue to take all precautions. Hell, Rebecca’s worried about even letting our kids play alone outside for a few minutes while she’s in the house dealing with the baby. It’s stressful for everyone.”
“We’ll all remain vigilant,” Ryan said. “In all likelihood, this will blow over within a month or two. Their money and business is trafficking women, not getting revenge on Navy SEALs. The men who escaped from jail will move on and start a new operation. They want money and don’t have time to waste chasing after our men.”
“Until then, we’ll be careful,” Hunter said. “We’ve all got families now.”
The men
looked up as some of the other officers came over, ready to have a celebratory drink with Ryan. He nodded at Patrick and Hunter. “Thanks again for coming tonight. I know all the men on your teams couldn’t be here for the party, but it means a lot.”
“And we’ll be back in two weeks celebrating more when you’re standing there with your beautiful bride,” Hunter said.
“Appreciate it, Hook,” Ryan said with a chuckle. “Whew. What a life.”
Patrick chuffed out a laugh. “Are you getting sappy on us now? That’s not like you, sir.”
“It’s your sister,” Ryan confirmed. “I don’t know what that woman does to me, but damn.”
“You two are good together,” Patrick said. “It’s nice to see Sarah so happy.”
“All right, men,” one of the officers, Lt. Commander Morris, said. “Time for us to have a little man-to-man chat with Ryan, too.”
“It’s almost your wedding night. Do we need to explain the birds and the bees to you?” one of them joked.
The men all howled with laughter, and Patrick and Hunter moved off to grab some food while Ryan stood there talking with some of the other officers.
“You look happy as hell,” one of them said. “I’ve been married ten years—I’m glad you found someone.”
“I am happy,” Ryan admitted. “Who would’ve thought I’d be looking forward to settling down and starting a family?”
“It happens to the best of us,” another guy joked.
Ryan shook his head with a smirk, taking a swig of his beer. The guys from base surrounded him at the bar. Sarah was off with her girlfriends tonight doing whatever the hell preparations they needed for their wedding day hair.
It was hard as hell to believe that in a couple of weeks he and Sarah would really be getting married. Their friends and families would be there to watch it all, he’d slide a ring on Sarah’s finger as they stood there on the beach, and his life with her would just be beginning.
Chapter 14
“Are you sure you’re not going to stay here tomorrow night with me?” Ryan asked Sarah two days before their wedding. His bedroom was a mess, with Sarah’s clothes, shoes, and makeup scattered everywhere as she packed her things for their honeymoon.
“Of course I’m sure. It’s bad luck for you to see me the morning of our wedding.”
“According to whom?” Ryan asked dryly.
“It’s tradition or something,” she said, dumping out a pile of lingerie onto the bed as she searched through her things.
“Where did you get all that?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Don’t look!” she scolded him, stuffing some tiny scraps of satin and lace back into her smaller overnight bag. “I’m trying to organize everything. Some of it goes under my dress, some is for the wedding night, and most of it is for the honeymoon.”
“And you need that much lingerie for our honeymoon?” he asked, quirking his brow. “Because believe me, I’m planning to spend a lot of time with both of us naked. Clothing will be strictly optional.”
Sarah giggled, her hazel eyes gleaming with mischief as she glanced up at him. “You had your bachelor’s party at Anchors. When the girls took me out for drinks and dancing last weekend, we had our own little celebration. And believe me, bachelorette parties involve lots of sexy lingerie,” she teased.
Ryan practically growled from where he stood on the other side of the bed. “Is that so? Maybe I should see some of it on you now, in that case. It could be a dress rehearsal for our wedding night.”
“No way,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “This is for my husband’s eyes only.”
Ryan’s skin heated. “In that case, we could just run down to the courthouse tomorrow and skip the whole shebang. In fact, I think I know a judge I could call tonight….”
“Not a chance,” Sarah teased, walking around the bed toward him. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him, and he wanted to haul her into bed right then and there but knew she needed to pack. Still, with her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, a slim tank top that hugged her bare breasts, and those slim joggers she loved, she managed to look sexy as hell.
Jesus.
The woman could wear a brown paper bag and probably look good.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, catching the expression on his face.
“Nothing. And I’ll let you pack. I’ll miss having you in bed with me tomorrow night though.”
“Me too,” Sarah assured him. “But it’s just one night, because Saturday we’re getting married. We’re getting married!” she yelled, throwing her arms up in the air and twirling around in circles. “Can you believe it?”
Ryan’s lips quirked. “Well yeah, I can believe it since I proposed to you and was involved in planning the wedding.”
“Oh, you’re no fun,” she pouted. “I mean can you believe our big day is finally here? It’s crazy!”
“It’s about damn time,” he countered. “I waited too long to make you mine.”
Sarah looked up at him, and he swore he felt his heart catch for just a beat. With a few tendrils of loose hair framing her face, the row of delicate earrings she always had in each ear, and her cheeks flushed with excitement as she looked at him, he swore he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
He couldn’t even imagine watching her walk down the aisle toward him. He didn’t consider himself an emotional man, but damn.
The thought of Sarah in her wedding dress about to become his was more than he could handle.
“So did you pack for the honeymoon yet?” Sarah asked, breaking whatever trance she’d put him under.
“Not yet—that’s what tomorrow is for.”
“Well don’t forget,” she said.
Ryan chuffed out a laugh. “As if I could forget whisking you away and having you all to myself for a week? Not a chance.”
“Maybe not that part, but I do believe you could forget your clothes,” she teased.
Ryan paused a beat, raising his eyebrows, and then he pounced. He swept her up into his arms as she shrieked with laughter and held her close to his chest. “Clearly you don’t know me very well at all,” he murmured in a low voice, his lips at her ear. Ryan didn’t miss the way Sarah shivered, and he wanted to roar in approval.
“Of course I’m prepared, baby girl. I’m a damn Navy SEAL. I’m prepared to marry you in two days in front of all our friends and family, and I’m prepared to whisk you away on the honeymoon of your dreams.”
“Sounds promising so far,” she said breathlessly.
He carefully laid her down on his bed, amongst all her clothes, and ducked down, not missing her slight gasp. He pinned her wrists above her head, kissing her tenderly. “And right now, I’ve had enough packing,” he said, nipping at her rosy lips.
“Ryan…,” she whispered.
“I want your pleasure, sweetheart,” he said, his voice gravel. “I want you crying out my name, and I want to sink so deep inside you, you won’t know where I stop and you begin.”
“God, yes,” she pleaded. “One last time before our wedding night.”
Ryan growled in approval and moved his lips down, kissing her neck. He lightly grazed his teeth over her tender skin, feeling her arch up against him, but still held her wrists down, demanding all control. “You’re mine, sweetheart,” he said huskily. “I’ll make love to you tonight, and the next time it will be with you as my wife.”
He released her wrists, and her hands flew to his head, holding him to her as he kissed his way down to her breasts. Sarah gasped beneath him, and he kissed her nipples right through her tank top. They were pert and so ready for his touch.
“Don’t make me wait, baby,” she pleaded.
“You’re ready now?”
Her hands slid to his waist, and she unbuckled his belt. Ryan held himself above her, letting Sarah briefly take control. She unzipped his pants and a moment later, pulled his aching shaft free. It bobbed in front of him, thick and throbbing for her, and he nearly come undone feel
ing her soft hands gliding over him.
“Hurry,” she whispered.
Ryan pulled down her pants and thong, spreading her legs wide for him. Sitting back on the bed, her pulled her onto his lap, his cock jutting forward as it slid through her arousal. She reached forward and guided him to her entrance, and then he was finally sinking deep into her velvety walls.
“Ryan, oh God,” she whimpered.
His hands gripped her hips, holding her to him. For an instant, he wished he’d removed her top, so he could see her gorgeous breasts, but they were both too ready for him to stop now. He was buried deep inside her, exactly where he wanted to be.
Ryan began to move, thrusting slowly into her as she whimpered atop him, fisting the sheets. He slid one hand to where their sexes joined, his thumb grazing over her clit, and she cried out. Male pride filled his chest, but he didn’t speed up, just slowly thrust into her again and again until she was practically begging him for release.
Her cheeks were flushed as she looked up at him, her mouth parted, and with her legs spread wide around him, she was the most damn beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His balls began to tighten as her pussy clamped down around him, and he began moving faster, harder, bringing her closer.
“Ryan, oh God, oh God, oh God!”
His thumb slid over her clit again, and as he thrust into her faster, she screamed, bucking atop him as he chased down his own release. A beat later he was coming inside her, realizing too late that he’d completely forgot to put on a condom.
He pulled free a moment later, muttering to himself as he caught his breath.
“No condom,” she said, looking at him.
“Shit, no,” he said, shaking his head and collecting her in his arms. “I know we talked about stopping birth control after the wedding but—”
“It’s fine, baby,” she assured him. “I just got off the pill, but it takes months for a woman’s cycle to get back to normal. And we were planning to stop using any form of birth control anyway.”
SEAL Ever After (Alpha SEALs Book 15) Page 8