by Dani Jace
“I can read between the lines, Jax.”
More than that, she read him. But why did he like it? He never let women into his work life. He might mention he was in the Navy, but no more.
The sun projected jewel-shaped reflections off the water below the Wright Memorial Bridge as they crossed the Currituck and Albemarle Sounds. It looked lazy and unassuming, but Jax had been around large bodies of water enough to know even shallow water could quickly become treacherous. A thunderstorm could capsize a small vessel in seconds. He’d been in numerous situations. Even before becoming a SEAL, he’d had respect for the water, having grown up along the coast.
After the bridge, the road turned into a busy, divided four-lane. Vehicles from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and even Kansas passed them. “Is everyone here for spring break?”
“OBX is a weekend getaway for a lot of people who live within a few hours driving distance. Let’s get on the beach road.” Peri motioned for him to get into the left turn lane.
True to its local name, Route 12 bordered the beach. Salty air infused the truck cab, reminding him of some missions at the beach. Cottages and dunes dotted the shoreline intermingled with restaurants and hotels. All had ground-level parking. So different from other large-area beach resorts. The place felt small town and family oriented. He already liked the laid-back vibes.
“How far is the hotel?” According to his phone’s map, Route 12 ran the entire way to Hatteras.
She reached in her purse and produced a set of keys. “One of my longtime patrons has offered his beach house for a getaway since my divorce. I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity.” She licked her lips suggestively. “Keep driving. I’ll give you the full tour.”
He couldn’t wait.
* * * *
“What a house.” Peri double-checked the address. Three stories and on the oceanfront at the head of a cul-de-sac. She couldn’t wait to see the inside.
Jax’s brows arched over his dark aviator shades as he braked the truck to a stop. “Damn, is he a retired admiral or something?”
“I don’t think so.”
Considerate, he’d already opened his door and started unloading their bags. “Maybe his wife is loaded.”
“She’s loaded with double Ds.” She snickered. Their prelude on the pool table still had her amped. She opened the door and let Jax pass with the luggage.
If Phil hadn’t showed, she’d have let Jax have his way. She must have had a guilty look on her face for her partner’s comment. His encouragement shocked her, yet she’d always trusted Phil as a good judge of character. TJ and Phil couldn’t both be wrong about Chief Taylor.
Inside, the house’s clean lines and open-beam ceil gave the feeling of space. The owners had spent a ton of money on Crate and Barrel furniture and wood flooring. Though she didn’t like stainless, the kitchen would have satisfied a five-star chef.
Jax squinted at an obscure piece of sculpture on one of the tables in the living area. He turned it around and eyed it from different angles. “What is it?”
“I know what it looks like to me.” She stroked the phallic piece, trying not to smile, before setting it down. “Come on. I bet the view is spectacular.”
She led him to one of the several glass doors overlooking the deck and beach. After opening it, she stepped outside and soaked in the gentle sea breeze. A calm washed through her.
“Awesome. And totally alone.” He squeezed close in behind her, eyeing the lazy afternoon waves over her shoulder.
The spring sun warmed them and tinted the ocean a striking shade of turquoise. A light breeze skimmed along her arms while his teasing breath tickled her ear. He made her feel petite, even though she stood a couple inches shy of six feet.
Peri lolled her head back against his chest, his hard body tensely inviting. The next couple of days, she’d soak in his utter maleness and accept ecstatic orgasms and how he made her feel womanly again. It’d probably have to sustain her indefinitely.
“Where is home, Jax?” His upbringing mattered. It had made him a SEAL. A determined man who succeeded where most failed.
“Used to be Corpus Christi.” He tucked her hair behind her ear.
His lips played along the side of her neck, making her nerves tingle, and proved more intoxicating than drugs or alcohol. In that moment he became center of her universe. Her stomach dropped at the thought. Believing anymore would lead to heartbreak. No, Peri. Just sex. Only sex.
She stepped to his side, needing a bit of distance. “So you claim San Diego as home now?”
His jaw tightened. “No. It’s just where I share an apartment with another sailor and pay rent for hardly being there.”
“You are the perfect roommate.” She let her flip-flop slap again her heel.
He stroked along her shoulder. “What about you? Have you lived in Virginia all of your life?”
“Yep. Graduated high school in Virginia Beach and got married a year afterward. I love Haley, so no regrets.”
“You have family nearby?”
“Dad took an early pension last year. He and Mom are seeing the country.” Not that they were around much even when they lived only a few miles away. “My brother is engaged and lives in Florida. What about your folks? Are they still in Texas?”
Anguish marred his handsome face. He answered in a hollowed tone, “Mom remarried after Dad passed. I only wished he knew I had made the team.” His smile seemed forced.
She kissed his cheek. “I’m so sorry. You know, I think he probably does.” She glanced heavenward.
“You seem to know the right things to say.” Then he jerked his head toward the water and stiffened.
She flinched at his sudden frown. Jax shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand. “Shit.” His cell phone, wallet, and the rental keys hit the deck. He crossed over the railing and palmed the deck before dropping nearly eight feet into the sand.
A small shape in the water frantically waved an arm. In the grip of a rip current, the swimmer struggled. White water foamed around him.
Jax charged for the breakers, his T-shirt and shoes dropped onto the sand along the way. He disappeared into the surf.
Peri’s stomach knotted as adrenaline flooded her veins. No lifeguards were stationed the beach this time of year. Her mouth dried and she crossed her arms as she trembled.
Christ. She shifted from foot to foot as she waited for the man she loved to surface. Loved. How could she have fallen in such a short time?
His head popped through the water first. In long, powerful strokes, he swam toward a faceless victim. Fear gripped her heart for him and the person he sought to save. She picked up his phone and called 911.
She raked a hand through her hair while waiting for the operator. SEALs were highly trained for such rescues. Hell, they were dropped from boats miles out and had to swim to shore. He was in his element. Her misguided panic subsided allowing her to breathe again.
She couldn’t help but admire his grace and speed. Even the hapless swimmer quit struggling and floated, seemly aware of their rescuer’s rapid progress. Awestruck, she remained on the deck, describing the scene to the operator.
* * * *
Hell! A beautiful woman practically begging him to make love to her stood on the deck as he dove into the chilly Atlantic Ocean. Instinct took over and he tunneled through the water. Between waves, he kept a bead on his target.
Thankfully, the man realized his pointless struggle. Good. Now he wouldn’t have to knock out a near-drowning victim to keep from being pulled under.
“Let’s get you out of this rip.” He hooked his elbow under the guy’s chin. “Relax and let me do the work.”
He’d lost count how many times he’d trained for this, playing the victim and being the rescuer. Swimming parallel to the shoreline, he concentrated on his strokes and regulating his breathing as his muscles burned. Pushing past the pain was mind over matter. When the current released its grip, Jax turned for shore
.
“How close?” his victim asked.
“About fifty yards.” He paused for a second.
“I can make it in.” The guy pulled loose.
Jax let go. “Go on and I’ll follow you.” After such an ordeal, he could cramp.
A small crowd had gathered by the time they made it to the breakers.
A terrified woman, pale from fright, barreled for the victim. “Jesus, Patrick!"
“Sorry, baby.” He hugged her. “Thank my new friend.” He gestured toward Jax. “Thanks buddy. You’re like a frogman.”
Jax managed a smile, but ignored the comment, struck by the tears streaming down the woman’s ruddy cheeks.
A beautiful blonde with pale green orbs stood with her shoulders razor straight.
Still dripping wet, he stepped toward her.
Before he reached her, she bit her lip and directed a horrified stare at Patrick.
Was the guy hurt? Standing beside his lady, Patrick was probably mid-thirties and a little doughy around the middle, but looking no worse for wear.
Jax lowered his gaze. Patrick’s Speedo swimming trunks were hiked on one hip and nearly falling off the other, leaving his junk dangling. It shouldn’t have been funny, but he gritted his teeth to keep from howling in laughter. The guy had almost drowned.
Jax quickly stepped over, blocking Patrick from a growing crowd. “Ahh buddy, you need some readjustment.”
His woman’s eyes bulged and she let out a shriek.
After he covered himself, Jax patted the man’s shoulder. “Good luck, Patrick.”
He jogged to Peri and guided them down the beach at a rapid clip. He couldn’t risk a glance at her, or he’d double over in hysterics. “Sorry Angel.”
“Sure you are.” She handed him his cell phone. “I called nine-one-one, so we better get out of sight if you don’t want to be on the evening news.” Then she stopped, latched on to his neck and laid a lip-lock on him. “I’m glad you saved him and you’re okay. I was about to get choked up when the angle of his dangle—” She burst into giggles.
His leftover adrenaline and tension vanished in a hoot of laughter. She kept him on the light side of things, and Lord, he needed a woman like her. He wrapped her in his arms.
Her warmth spread through him like the sun.
In all his years, no woman had made him think of a future together with her. It was a little unsettling.
Chapter 11
The passion Peri found with Jax would be difficult to replace when he was gone. Would a temporary fix with him be enough? Or would she become an addict needing more? For an addiction, she’d sure picked the hardest to replicate. Love. She studied the glass of dark red Pinot Noir on the table in front of her.
To her right, Jax sipped his whiskey. He’d proven to be a romantic as well as a man who could ring a woman’s bells. She’d lost count during his version of afternoon delight. While she’d lain in a post-orgasmic coma, he must have searched online or through the local beach guide for the elegant restaurant where they dined.
“Thought it was your favorite brand.” His eyes twinkled as he nodded at her wine.
After a long sip, she set her glass down and ran her finger along the rim. “It’s been replaced.”
The subtle glow in his cheeks could have been from the alcohol, or she’d surprised him. Peri hoped the latter.
His broad shoulders fit snugly in the restaurant’s lent sport jacket.
She decided he’d be drop-dead handsome in a tux, but she’d rather see his hot-as-fuck physique in his Navy dress blues.
“I believe I’ve discovered a new favorite brand, too.” He finished his drink and licked his bottom lip. “Trident blonde.”
Heat ignited in her lower belly and flowed south. Her nerve endings remembered the sensual pressure of him inside her while he rained hot kisses over her breasts. Heat flamed her cheeks. “So, has the trip been exciting enough for you? I don’t want you to get bored.”
He chuckled. “It started out as a rescue, but things turned around this afternoon.” He flipped over the small wooden cutting board that was the establishment’s menu. “What did you decide on for dinner?”
The restaurant he’d chosen, The Galleon, had a high-dollar reputation and backed it up with a world-renowned chef and gourmet seafood delicacies. The richly patterned red and black carpeting, dark furnishings, linen tablecloths, and candles didn’t match the replica of a rustic pirate ship serving as the entrance and bar area.
Was Jax used to such fine amenities during his leisure? Or had SEAL training taught him to blend in and seem at ease in any surroundings? “The pepper-crusted tuna. How about you?”
“I’m pretty basic. The prime rib with steamed shrimp.”
With the face of a model, man-of-steel physique, and his ability to provide out-of-body orgasms, he represented the total package. The down side: his career kept him away for large chunks of time. “You just saved someone’s life. You’re beyond basic, Jax.”
He shrugged and displayed a lopsided smile before clasping her hand. “Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy simple things in life. You know, I really wanted to finish my burger at your place the other night.”
Simple and basic she liked. However, she sensed Jax wasn’t okay with the simple fact he’d been sent back to the States for his injury. Hopefully, his meeting with TJ had helped him put things in perspective again. “Hmm…Speaking of not finishing your burger, you never finished telling me about your visit with TJ this morning?” Would he change the subject again, or had she earned some of his trust?
He drummed his fingers on the table. “The CO of the team here in Little Creek has been checking up on me.”
“Oh. Are you in trouble?” She shifted in her seat.
He let out a long breath. “The opposite. He’s trying to recruit.” He rolled the ice around in his glass and frowned. “TJ had a hand in it.” A storm swirled in his dark gaze.
Peri decided she never wanted to be on the receiving end of that look. “Sorry, I guess he put you in a bad situation.”
“He’s just trying to help my career.” He crunched on a piece of ice.
TJ might want to work with Jax again. SEALS wanted to be among the best and most trusted of their brethren. She laid hand on his arm. “And get you to the East Coast?”
“Possibly.”
“Is he mad you’re taking a trip with a mystery woman and not bromancing with him?” TJ had been in a relationship for a while. She’d even met Amy and didn’t believe TJ would want anything but the best for Jax.
“I won’t say what he said because it was crude. But no, he’s happy I’m enjoying my time here and on the mend.” He took her hand and caressed her fingers with gentle lips. His kiss reminded her how caring he could be. Warrior one second, lover the next.
The contrast drove her to naughtiness. She leaned toward him, reached under the table, and ran her fingers along the hard length of his thigh. “Good to know. And you did look in prime form during your rescue.”
“I still enjoy your kind of physical therapy, Angel.”
She loved hearing those words. “Whatever you need, sailor.”
* * * *
He’d forgotten about his injury while swimming out to save Patrick. Why hadn’t the Navy just released him to his team? Now, instead of a friendly visit with an old friend, he’d begun an affair he couldn’t end without hurting the sexy woman who’d taken him home like a stray.
After dinner, Peri suggested they visit Jeannette’s Pier. Jax gazed over the railing at the ocean, wishing he hadn’t mentioned his disagreement with TJ. He and Peri were friendly and she’d continue to see his friend at the Trident after he left. Looking back, he should have waited for a flight home. He’d have avoided TJ’s commanding officer and the woman making his compass spin like he was in the Bermuda Triangle.
Her light hair contrasted against her little black dress. He’d begged her to forgo the silky panties, but she
wouldn’t be pushed to the extreme yet.
“Do you fish?” Jeannette’s Pier reminded him of the smaller piers in California. During his quick study of the Outer Banks during Peri’s nap, he learned it was the only concrete fishing pier on the long chain barrier islands.
“I like to troll.” She bumped her hip against his.
Oh, yeah. She’d hooked him with her wide, dreamy eyes, and then reeled him in with her wit.
A beautiful woman he could stand toe-to-toe with. He clasped her shoulder. “You feeling a tug on your line?”
She softened against him.
“I’m sure it’s a strike, but he’s a smart one. He’ll snag the bait off my line and be lost into the deep before I can reel him in.” She let out a long breath and twirled a curl in her fingers.
“Cast a net and confuse him.”
“Looks like some others might be doing that for me.” She rolled her lips into a sad smile. “Are you going to tell TJ about us?”
Jax drew his head back indignantly. “Angel, I’d never out you. And I know you’re only seeing me because I’m not a regular at the Trident.”
“It’s not the only reason, Chief, and you know it.” She slid her arms around his waist.
One of the older fishermen whistled. “That’s some catch, son.”
“Yes, sir. She’s definitely citation.” In fisherman’s lingo, a beauty of a fish and one you’d get a certificate for reeling in.
The angler laughed and flung his line out into the water again.
Jax tipped her chin with a finger. Pressed his lips to hers. Their slight tremble excited him. The chatter and noise around them faded. Lost in the sensation of her pliant lips and sweet wine taste, he forgot about his injury, his team, and even his future.
After a walk along the pier, they wandered inside to a gift shop. Peri searched the racks for a T-shirt for Haley while he lingered at the ceiling-to-floor aquarium. A large striped angelfish of blue and yellow trailed behind a small school of orange and white clown fish. Not of the local region’s habitat, but they made for a colorful display.
With purchase in hand, Peri stepped next to him and tucked her arm in his.