by Naomi Niles
“Screw Michael. This is about us.” I took her hand and squeezed it. “I’ll put him in line.”
“I’ll let you handle it, then. It’s probably better to do it sooner, rather than later.”
“I don’t even want to talk about him. He’s not going to matter in the long run.” I took a sip of my drink. “My brother’s coming to town next Friday. He’s doing a show.”
“I’ve never seen him play. Is he any good?”
“He’s amazing — when he can stand up straight.”
“He’s a country singer.”
“Yeah, I never got it. There’s no point in playing a genre that most people hate, but he’s done pretty good. He’s been on tour several times and has three albums out.”
“It’s not easy to break into something like that. He might be a complete screw up — and I know he is — but it sounds like he’s got something.”
The waiter came out with two steaming plates with thick strips of filet mignon. Gillian dug into her food while I watched, eating slowly. She wasn’t putting up a front. She really felt comfortable being herself around me. It was refreshing.
When I finished, I set down my fork and took a drink of wine. “Do you want to know what that girl said?”
“Yes,” she took a sip. “I’m dying. You have to tell me.”
“She said that you were sad and now you’re happy.”
“She said that?”
“Yes, she did. You want know what I told her?”
“What’s that?”
“That I’m going to make sure you stay happy.”
She set down her glass and leaned in to kiss me, this time taking control — her lips, like a flower bud opening slowly, her tongue bursting into my mouth. I let the moment go on as long as I could, relishing every second of her gentle touch.
When she pulled back, my body was on fire, tingling, soaring, my heart pounding out a pagan beat. I looked down to see goosebumps on her arm. I traced my finger over them. “You’re beautiful.”
“I don’t know how you do this to me. You’ve got me thinking about you all day, looking for excuses to call you. I feel like I’m sixteen.”
“Sitting on the bleachers, pretending to do your homework.”
“You remember that?”
“Yes, and I knew that you were there to watch me. I liked you, too. I wanted to talk to you, but I was always too scared…and I knew that your brother would kick my butt if I did.”
“He still might.”
I flexed my arms and watched her shiver. “I can whoop him.”
Gillian downed her wine. Her movements were flowing, and her face was flushed. “Why don’t you let me drive?” I suggested.
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” I paid the bill and brought her back to the car. We drove back to her house. She was too buzzed to drive home when she dropped me off, so I thought I’d give her time to come down and clear her head.
When I stopped the car, she pulled me towards her and kissed me. “You’re coming inside.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gillian
We were kissing and pulling off our clothes the second we got in the door. By the time we got into my room, Dwayne was naked, and so was I. He laid me down softly on the bed, his body pressed against mine, his tongue pouring into my mouth, like a much-needed taste of water after a trek in the Sahara.
The closeness and the feeling bare flesh sticking to flesh, all compounded the sense of intimacy that I’d first felt in the restaurant. We had no walls between us, no judgment, no hesitation. We were two naked people moving together for one shared purpose.
It wasn’t self-satisfaction that was driving me. It was my need to let him know how much I appreciated him. I reached down to grab his cock while he focused on my neck. I slipped my hand over it and watched a shudder pass over him.
He reacted instantly, rose his head up in a growl, and dove down, his teeth, digging into my skin. He wanted to pleasure me as much as I needed to pleasure him. It wasn’t about me any longer. It was about the act of appreciation, a deeper need beyond the physical.
He took his time, his lips and teeth moving down my body, lapping at my nipples, over my stomach, to the space between my legs. He dove his head in, his tongue so warm and wet as it moved through me. His fingers were teasing my clit. He was watching my reaction as he swept his tongue through.
To him, the pleasure of seeing me happy was enough, but I couldn’t stand it. I wanted him to feel the way I felt. I needed him to know I cared. He kept at it, his finger going the places his tongue couldn’t while a raging storm built up inside me.
He moved faster, in time with my pulsing body, begging to take him in. His eyes never left mine. There was no predatory grin this time, no laughing or teasing. This was serious business, something sacred that we shared together.
“Ah,” I gasped. He dug his finger in deep and hit my spot, letting it rest there while he watched my mouth flutter.
Then he worked his tongue through, focusing on my clit, and that electric sensation it brought. I was starting to grow frantic. The tension was rising, an explosion was coming — and I wouldn’t hold up to it.
He pulled back, his eyes still on mine. “You’re so beautiful.”
He reached up to kiss me, his cock sliding up my thigh until it rested in the spot between my legs. He rose up so he could see the reaction on my face when he pushed it through. He was gentle, and slow, but my body was screaming. I couldn’t sit through this. The pressure was too much. It was too overwhelming, and he was moving faster now, his lips still pressed against mine.
He rolled in hard, let his cock rest on my spot, then jerked back and slammed through over and over, all while his finger circled my areola, teasing my nipple. He knew what I wanted, where to push in and when to pull out. It became a dance, a carnal rhythm, and we were moving together.
I cried out as a storm erupted through me. It swallowed me quick, powerful bursts, one after the other until they melded together and there was nothing left, no individuality, just one, beautiful entity. I could actually feel him as if he were a part of me, sighing softly as a hot stream poured into my body.
He collapsed beside me. “You want to take me home?”
“Stay with me.” I rolled over to face him.
“Really?”
I nodded. He pulled me close and let me rest my head on his chest. It was the first time I’d ever let a man stay the night. I’d never wanted this kind of intimacy before, but I couldn’t live with the thought of him leaving after what we’d just done.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Dwayne
I woke up to the scent of sweet lilacs and sex with Gillian resting on my shoulder. I lay there quietly, careful not to wake her up, watching her sleep, her chest rising and falling slowly. My stomach jumped when her eyes began fluttering open and she smiled.
“Mmm,” she sat up. “That was amazing.” Her voice was low, profound even. She propped herself up with her head resting in her hand. “Breakfast?”
“I don’t want to leave this room.”
“Don’t. Stay right here. I don’t have to go to work for a few hours, anyway.”
I glanced at the clock on her nightstand. “I have to be at work soon.”
“Aw, come on.” She kissed me. “One more go,” she urged and reached out to grab my bulging cock.
“God,” I groaned. “I want to so bad, but I have to go.”
She kissed me. “Call me the second you get off. I don’t want to go the rest of the day without hearing your voice.”
“You couldn’t keep me away.” I stood up and started getting dressed.
The drive to work was slow. Traffic was heavy and my mind was still back in that room, staring down at her while I slammed into her. She was so pliable, so responsive. I needed to be gentle and handle her with the care and devotion she deserved, but nothing I did would ever be enough. She deserved a king, not a security guard.
Fred was at the front desk on the ground floor t
alking to a woman wearing a pale blue skirt suit with blonde hair. She turned to me when I walked in, her cold glare a clear sign of trouble. Fred excused himself and pulled me aside.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“The cameras still don’t work, and they’re starting to notice. That’s the office manager, Julie. The woman is a snake. She said that we need to get things working as soon as possible and find out what is going on or she’s going to go with another company.”
“Seriously? She must know that it isn’t our fault.”
“It’s about results,” she interrupted as she walked up behind me. “I have to find men that can take care of the job. If you can’t do that, then maybe somebody else will.”
“This is the guy I told you about,” Fred told her. “He’s fresh out of the navy after a decades-long stint in the SEALS. You can’t ask for a better guard.”
She looked me up and down like a piece of meat at the supermarket. “I don’t care who he is. Find the people sabotaging the security system and get those cameras working. Am I understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
“Good. You’re working nights.” She walked away.
“What does she mean?” I asked Fred.
“They came by last night to take out the cameras again. We need somebody here at all hours.”
“Are you sure that’s going to be enough? Shouldn’t we notify the police department?”
“They’ve already been notified, but there’s nothing they can do without some sort of identifying information that we can use to hunt these men down.”
“What about prints?”
“They used gloves.”
“These guys are professionals.”
“I know. That’s why you’re here. Find whoever is doing this.”
“Yes, sir.”
My hunting instincts had been dulled by the thought of Gillian. When I sat down in the office, I saw her face when she was sleeping. Instead of the cameras, I saw her body below me. She’d become my obsession.
I was falling for her. In the back of my head, I knew that it would happen. She’d always been there, that little girl staring at me with wide eyes or sitting on the bleachers watching me run. My feelings ran deeper than I thought. They had always been there, I realized, buried under the Afghani sands, hiding in the night during basic training. They were dormant, and now that I’d left the navy, they were coming back to life.
I shook my head and went back to the cameras, watching as the contractors walked into the building to fix the cameras that’d been taken out the night before. When the feed came back up, I watched closely, zooming in and out, hoping to find something that would lead me to the men trying to sabotage the building.
I spent all day going over the feed form the night before. I watched as a man, wearing the same hoodie he wore last time, got out of the same Toyota and walked to the back of the building. He sliced the wires with his knife and got back into his car to drive away.
His face was covered, so I couldn’t see him. I tried looking over the car for identifying marks like faded paint or dents, but the image was too grainy. All I could get were the last two numbers in the license plate: 65.
At the end of the day, I locked up and drove to the store to buy a bouquet of flowers. I wanted to do something for Gillian to let her know that I appreciated her. When I pulled in, she was leaning against the building, talking to Lexie. She hopped up to run over to the car, clearly excited to see me.
When I got out, she threw herself into my arms, showering me with kisses. “These are for you.” I reached back to hand her the bouquet.
“They’re wonderful. Thank you, Dwayne.”
“I had to get you something.”
“I’m just glad you’re here.”
“I want to talk to you about something.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Remember I told you about the guy that was trying to sabotage the security system?”
“Did something happen? Are you OKokay
“I can handle myself, but he came by last night and disconnected the cameras again, and the office manager is freaking out. She’s going to drop our contract if we don’t stop the people that are doing this.”
“What are you going to do?”
I sighed. “They want me to work nights.”
“No, really?”
“Yes, and I’m sorry. It’s a huge hassle, I know, but it’s just until we catch the guy.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise.”
“Do we still get to go see Jesse tomorrow?”
“Of course.” I wrapped my arms around her. “I want a chance on the dance floor with you.”
“Anytime,” she leaned in to kiss me.
Lexie walked up and cleared her throat.
“What?” Gillian turned back.
“I’m starving. Let’s go.”
“Alright. Alright.” Gillian got one last kiss in before she left. A part of me left with her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gillian
I called Lexie the next morning after breakfast to ask her if she could help me find something to wear for my date with Dwayne. After some time in the mall, we settled on our favorite thrift store.
“What do you think about this?” Lexie grabbed a simple blue A-line dress off the clothes rack.
“No, there’s no shape.”
“You don’t want to give everything away. You’re just getting started.”
“We’re past that point.”
“Alright.” She went back to the clothes rack.
“How about this?” I pulled a pair of jeans off the rack. “They’re tight and the fabric is stretchy. It’ll fit to my skin.”
“You’d be leaving nothing to the imagination.”
“He doesn’t have to use his imagination.” I put the jeans in my shopping cart.
“You’re really going to get those?”
“You walk around in a leotard all day, and you’re worried about me wearing a pair of skinny jeans.”
“I think you’re moving too fast, Gillian. What if this doesn’t work?”
“I’m enjoying myself, and there’s nothing wrong with trying.”
“It’s a huge risk,” Lexie said as she shuffled through clothes.
“So was opening the dance studio, and that worked out. Besides, we already talked about this. I promised to be careful.”
“I still worry.”
“I know you do, but I’m going to be okay. He has no intention of leaving, and neither do I.”
Lexie nodded her head. “Those jeans do look good.”
“They’re sexy.”
We retreated to our favorite sushi restaurant for lunch and found a booth in the back so we could have some privacy. “I’m worried,” I said when our food came.
Lexie was mixing her soy sauce and wasabi with her chopsticks. “Why?”
“He’s having some trouble at work.”
“What kind of trouble?” She grabbed a piece of sushi and dipped it in the mixture.
“Somebody has been coming to the building where he works to cut off the cameras, and they’re having trouble finding the guy.”
“Why are they doing that?”
“It’s a financial building. That’s all I know. He thinks that they want to break into the records.”
“Is he in danger, Gillian?”
“I don’t know.” I took a sip of my soda. “Nobody knows. That’s what’s really bothering me.”
“The uncertainty.”
“Yes. He tried to confront them the first time they came to the building and they ran off. Now they’ve got him working nights so he can watch out for them.”
“I think he can take care of himself, Gillian.”
“That’s what he said, but nobody’s invincible. There’s always a chance.”
“You’re worried because you care, not because he’s in danger.”
“I’m not buying it.” I p
opped a piece of sushi into my mouth.
We got back to the house later than I wanted. I had to rush to get ready. I wasn’t worried about impressing Dwayne any longer. I was more worried about looking nice for him and adding little things like a gold bracelet and extra perfume. I wanted him to see me at my best because I wanted him to have the best.
When he pulled up to the house and knocked on the door, he was carrying a white and lavender orchid wrapped in plastic. “Those are my favorite.” I pecked him on the lips.
He took a moment to look me over, shaking his head. “You’re so beautiful. Every time I pick you up, I just want to rip your clothes off.”
“Let’s delay the moment. It’ll be more fun that way.”
“If you insist.”
“Come inside. I’ll pour you a drink.”
“That sounds wonderful. What’ve you got?”
“I have beer,” I said as I ducked down into the fridge to pull one out. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He popped the top off and took a sip, then took a seat on a stool in front of the counter.
“Have you heard anything from work?”
“No, I spent all day looking for clues to hunt these guys down, but it’s not working. They’re careful. They know what they’re doing. Just the other night, I got a call from somebody masking their voice telling me to quit.”
“You what? Dwayne… These people know who you are?”
“I don’t think they know me personally, but they found my number.”
“And, if they found your number, they might be able to find your address.”
He took a swig of his beer. “I’m a SEAL — an elite fighter — and I’ve been in a lot worse situations than this. Anyone who decides to come to my door is going to get a fight.”
Once again, that uncertainty crept in. It was a glaring reminder of just how fragile our relationship was. “Promise me you won’t put yourself in harm’s way. That building isn’t worth the risk.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t take any unnecessary risks.”
“I’m not going to get hurt.” He drank the rest of the beer and hopped off the stool to walk around the counter and wrap his arms around me. He stared down with a warm smile and kissed me. “Nothing is going to happen to me. I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere.”