by Zoe York
It was all incredible, and the best part of all was how he pulled back to look at her, his eyes wide and searching, before crashing back into her with another kiss, another matching thrust.
Like he couldn’t really believe they were doing this, too.
She was spinning fast already. Each quick stroke pulled her higher, tighter, and then with one hard, deep thrust, Jason shifted, widening his stance and slowing all the way down.
If she was close before, now she was teetering right on the edge.
“You’re so big inside me,” she gasped, and he grinned, a white, feral flash in an otherwise serious face.
A serious, gonna-knock-you-up face.
“Come with me,” she whispered, and he tipped his head back, baring his throat. She reached for him, tugging him closer so she could lick him there, slide her tongue up the salty-sweet skin until she hit the rasp of his stubble. “Fill me up, Jase.”
He tangled his hand in her hair and pulled her head back. He held her gaze as he rocked his hips. Heavy, thick, hard pulsing. Had it ever been this good?
Of course it had. It was always good. It was always amazing.
But this was…
He swore under his breath, then laced his fingers with hers and jerked hard. His orgasm triggered hers, the hard surge of his body sending bliss spiraling through her entire being. She cried out, too. It was elemental and primal. No words could touch what this felt like.
He was her mate, she was his, in every way.
Chapter Seventeen
Four weeks later
Six other couples were staying at the hotel with them. Some of the single SEALs had booked into the next closest hotel, a basic motel on the other side of the highway, and everyone else was in town. Nathan and Emme, the best man and matron of honor, were staying at a rental house with Nathan’s parents, so the grandparents could watch the baby during the activities on Friday. Jared and Cassie Sutter were next door, and they’d brought a babysitter with them as well. Both kids would be at the wedding, and Julie was looking forward to whatever adorable, tiny outfits their moms had picked out for them.
Friday morning, Jason headed out for a round of golf, and Julie hit a local spa with the wives and girlfriends of his SEAL teammates.
“I don’t know why they play golf,” Emme said as she slowly perused the wall of nail polish options. “It’s not the game I would have imagined they’d love, you know?”
“I’m not convinced Jason does love it,” Julie responded. She grabbed two shades of pearly pink. She’d let the nail girl choose between them. “But he likes the ritual of it. The tradition.”
“I like the tradition of being pampered,” Cassie said. “Also, babysitters.”
Julie laughed. “I bet.” Then she smiled to herself. She hadn’t gotten pregnant the previous month, but the timing might be right for it to happen this weekend.
“What is that smile about?” Emme said, wagging her finger in front of Julie’s face.
She blushed. “Nothing.”
“Oh, man. You’re blushing over babysitters? That’s either super dirty—and I don’t want to know—or you guys are talking about kids.”
She held up the nail polish. “I’m thinking pink. What did you choose?”
“Gossip. I choose gossip, every single time.”
They all laughed, and then they were saved by the staff coming to get them.
They sat in a long row of pedicure chairs, Julie in the middle. Emme and Cassie sat on one side, Cassie’s best friend Mel at the far end. On her other side was Gaby Ellis, a kindergarten teacher married to Trick, who Jason worked out with a few times a week, and Piper Harrington was next to her. Annie Castle took the last seat in the row. She’d been invaluable to Julie over the last little while because she’d grown up in L.A. and one of her best friends from high school had moved to Laguna after marrying. So Annie had driven up with Julie twice over the last month to check out restaurants and this spa, drop off supplies at the hotel for the reception, and just get stuff taken care of.
Most of her life, her friendships had been centered around work. Other flight attendants, who were coming and going and changing home airports all the time. Few of those relationships lasted. Some—she had a few friends arriving later that night, and she’d be thrilled to see them.
But this kind of sisterhood? A bond because they shared the common experience of sending their men off to war? It was different.
“I’m so glad you guys are here,” she said, lifting her voice over the bubbling water their feet were soaking in. “I wasn’t sure if with the change in dates…”
“We wouldn’t miss it!” Gaby said. “Especially because…” She trailed off and gave a rueful smile. “Sorry.”
Julie shrugged. “Can’t pretend it’s not happening. I’m getting married and then my husband is heading overseas. Gotta be strong, right?”
They all nodded. And then Mel Vincent held up her hand, and in walked a staff member with a tray of champagne flutes. “And sometimes, being strong means having friends who know when you need a drink,” she said with a wink. “To the bride!”
A happy, surprised warmth flooded through Julie’s chest. “You guys are the best.” She wiped away a tear. “And the waterworks start. Sheesh.”
Everyone laughed and cheered their glasses with the women on either side of them. And even overwhelmed with emotion, it felt right for Julie. The teasing, the friendship, the understanding.
So she leaned over and whispered to Emme, “And yes, by the way. On the baby-plans front.”
Emme just smiled and took a sip of her wine.
Since most of their guests were staying at B&Bs and hotels downtown, that’s where they went out that night. First for a nice dinner with their parents, and then a larger get-together at a bar. It wasn’t a bachelor or bachelorette party, really. More of a casual gathering. People came and went, and Jason had his arm around Julie’s waist the entire night, his hand splayed possessively on her hip.
But when Nathan Meyers, Jason’s closest friend and the best man, circled back at the end of the party, Julie knew she’d have to push her fiancé to go back out with the guys for a little bit.
He was tipsy enough for his eyes to be bright as she kissed him. “Come with us,” he whispered too loudly, and everyone laughed.
“That’s how you know a guy is totally ready to be married. He wants his woman to come out with the guys.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “You bunch of jerks are optional in this equation. We golfed. We’re good.”
Julie giggled and waved her hands. “Go. I’m going to have one last drink with the girls, then we’ll meet you back at the hotel.”
“We get married in twelve hours,” Jason said, this time his whisper low and just for her as he swept her back into his arms. “I can’t wait.”
She kissed him lightly. “Go. It’ll give me a chance to slip into something special, too.”
He deepened the embrace, caressing her lips with his until the hooting and hollering got out of control, then he released her, but his gaze stayed on her mouth until she turned her back, wiggling her fingers over her shoulder.
Jason was at the happy point of being tipsy—loose enough to be distracted by how hot he got for his soon-to-be wife, for sure. But he didn’t miss the fact he was walking into a trap.
He went anyway.
He was loose enough to admit how much he loved his guys, too.
“Come on, get it over with,” he joked as they piled into cars. Nathan and Jared were both driving, and everyone just fit, although Henderson had to fold into the trunk of Nathan’s SUV.
“Shush your pretty face,” his best friend just said.
Instead, Jason turned around and told the guys in the back seat how much he loved them.
Okay, maybe he was past the tipsy point. Dawn was going to come mighty early the next day.
“You heard Julie, right? She’s going to slip into something special. This can’t take too long.”
&n
bsp; Novak groaned. “Shut up, man.”
“I love my wife-to-be. My woman. My—”
“We are all aware. We love our wives, too. But you still need to take your pummeling like a man.”
“You can’t take me.”
Novak just snorted. It was ten to one. Jason might have trouble getting out of whatever—
Nathan turned into a parking lot and stopped.
The beach.
Jason hopped out and jogged out onto the sand, his team following behind.
“The LT is getting hitched, guys.” Nathan laughed. “This is big.”
Jason shook his head. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I don’t know, sir…” Nathan winked as he added the sir. “We gotta mark the occasion.”
Jason laughed and jogged sideways. Zig zag. Evade. “Pretty sure we’re going to do that tomorrow with champagne and an exchange of vows!”
“Yeah. And I had to learn how to play a number of painfully romantic songs for the occasion.” His best friend crossed his arms over his chest, and that was when everyone else charged.
He was going into the surf whether he liked it or not. He still took off like a bat out of hell.
It hurt like a bitch when Jared Sutter tackled him. “You giant fucking oaf, get off me!”
Jared rolled away and someone else—Cade Duncan—held out his hand, but as soon as Jason took it, he went sailing into the air, Drew launching him from behind, up and onto Cade’s shoulders.
“I hate you all,” Jason said, but he was laughing because he really loved them.
“Sure you do. In we go,” Nathan said as he sauntered over. “And then we’ll deposit you back at your hotel. With love. I’ll even sing you some John Legend on the way back.”
“That’s not—” The cold, frothy embrace of the ocean cut him off. Necessary, he finished the sentence in his head as he twisted through the wave and found his feet. He surged up and turned, ready to charge back to shore, but his team had surrounded him, and they lifted him onto their shoulders.
They carried him back to the car, chanting all the way.
Chapter Eighteen
5:00 am
Wedding Day
The alarm was quiet, but it had barely made a sound before Jason jerked his arm out and silenced it. They had thirty minutes to shower and eat something before everything started.
Photos before a morning ceremony.
This had been his idea, he reminded himself.
“I’m awake,” Julie mumbled, and he laughed.
“Good.”
“We can have a nap this afternoon, right?”
“Definitely. We’re consummating this thing before lunch.”
She giggled and rolled into his side. They could take five minutes for a cuddle.
“Are you nervous?” he asked, brushing his lips against her forehead.
She shook her head. “Excited.”
“Me, too.” He breathed in the scent of her hair, her shampoo from their lazy drunken shower together the night before. “Did you have fun last night?”
“I did. I can’t believe they threw you in the ocean.”
“I can. We don’t always do stuff like that, but I probably had it coming. They love to razz the officers when they can.”
“They’re good guys.”
“They are.”
She burrowed closer. There was so much he wanted to tell her. That they’d have his back, that they’d keep him safe. But the truth was, he was their leader and at every possible opportunity, he’d be the one stepping out first. Leading the way and saving their lives if he had half a chance.
“I need to shave,” he murmured.
“I need help getting into my lingerie. It requires some…lacing.”
“I’m an expert lacer.”
“Race you to the shower?”
He yanked off the covers and she yelped before jumping up and sprinting for the bathroom. He’d have caught her if a knock hadn’t sounded at the door. “Room service.”
He grabbed his wallet and fished out a twenty. Cracking the door open a hair, he slid it out and motioned for the waiter to leave the tray outside. “Thanks, man.”
The waiter took the tip and grinned. “No, thank you. And congratulations!”
Everyone knew it was their special day.
Jason didn’t care if it was dorky to care about that. It was a special day. The most special ever. Ms. Julie Collins had agreed to be his wife. He puffed his chest and joined her in the shower.
After the world’s fastest suds-up, with her hair carefully pinned out of the way, because she’d washed it the night before and the hairstylist suggested it not be too squeaky clean to better hold in the updo, she toweled off and liberally applied her favorite body lotion.
“You smell good,” Jason said as he bumped his hip against hers. He smoothed shaving cream on his jaw, and she slowed her movements, turning to watch him as she rubbed the last of the lotion onto her arms.
He shaved quickly, confidently, and when he finished, he warmed a washcloth and smoothed that over his face, removing the last trace of shaving cream.
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You smell good, too.”
He caught her by the back of the neck and held her there, his eyes glittering. “We should get married, then.”
“I need clothes for that.”
“The lacing. I can’t wait.” He nipped at her lower lip, then kissed her deeper, softer, only releasing her when she made a weak little moan in the back of her throat. He was going to torture her all morning, clearly.
She’d love every second.
He followed her into the main part of their suite. He’d brought in their breakfast, so she poured herself a cup of tea to sip as her hair was being done, then pulled out the underthings that would make her dress look extra-incredible.
Jason let out a low whistle as she held up the corset, then took it from her. He turned her around gently, and together they got it into the right place. There was something intensely intimate about being dressed by her partner. She shivered as his fingers grazed her skin.
She twisted around and looked at him. “I’m glad we slept together last night. I’m glad we’re getting ready together.”
He just smiled and gestured for her to turn around.
Then the lacing began. He did it quickly, confidently, and then once she was wearing the thing, he tightened it—not too much, just enough to make her stand a little straighter. He dropped a kiss on her shoulder as he palmed her bare bottom. “I like this look on you, but no underwear?”
She turned and winked, reaching for the stockings. She rolled them on slowly, giving him a bit of a show as she fastened them to the corset with the built in garters. Then she reached for the matching lace boy shorts. “These go on last…so they can come off first.”
Understanding dawned on him and his eyes got really big. “So at lunch—”
“Or later.”
“Definitely lunch.” He grinned wolfishly.
She wiggled her hips. “Yep. You can take those off and leave the rest on as you have your wicked married way with me.”
“I love getting married. It’s the best.”
She tipped her head back and laughed hard at that. “Good. But we’re only doing this once, right?”
He kissed her quickly, then wrapped her robe around her. “Definitely only once. Unless you might wear this again for a vow renewal, in which case we might do that somewhat frequently.”
“We can renew our vows whenever you want at home…”
He groaned. She loved that they did this to each other, and she melted into a second, longer kiss that only ended when the next knock at the door came.
“I’m sorry, my husband-to-be,” she whispered against his mouth. “It’s time for me to get beautiful now.”
Chapter Nineteen
7:00 am
Photos
The next hour passed in a flurry of activity. Their mothers arrived, then the photographer. Fat
hers, friends…more people than Jason thought possible crammed into their suite, but before he went squirrelly, they were heading outside. The valets had his car ready, and with some careful folding, Julie fit perfectly in the passenger seat.
The photographer followed behind with Nathan and Emme, and they headed down to the beach where the photographer’s assistant had been scouting some locations for them.
They found the young woman waiting beside the parking lot—holding a bicycle. It was big and red and he could see the appeal, but…
At least he’d decided not to wear his uniform at the last minute. He’d known Julie had wanted some more casual beach pictures, and that was a no-go in the dress uniform. So he was in a suit, and…
Hell. They were only doing this once. “Shall we take a ride?” he asked Julie, and her eyes lit up.
The list of photographs they’d wanted went out the window, and they spent the next half hour playing with the bike. Jason pushed Julie on it as she sat side-saddle. Then he rode it while she balanced most precariously on the handlebars.
And finally, they parked it just out of the surf and he pulled her into his arms, dipping her back for a tender kiss.
“I love you.” He brushed an errant lock of hair off her face. Her updo was loose, in a good way, and her cheeks were flushed. With bright eyes and a ridiculously happy smile, she was so beautiful it hurt his chest to look at her.
The pain was totally worth it, so he looked his fill.
“That’s perfect,” the photographer murmured, and Jason tightened his hold on Julie.
“She’s taking our picture while we make out,” he murmured.
Julie giggled and nipped at his lower lip. “Good.”
“Gonna be awkward if she captures that I’m getting an erection right now.”
She shifted forward. “That’s why wedding dresses have big poofy skirts.”