Before she could throw her boots at the figure, he slipped an arm around her waist, crushing her back against his front and clamping a hand over her mouth.
"Shh. It’s me, Tuck." He dropped his hand from her mouth and turned her to face him.
"Damn it, Tuck. You can’t go around scaring a girl to death all the time."
"You were so deep in thought, I’d have startled you either way. At least, this way I got to hold you in my arms for a moment."
He wore a tank top, gym shorts, and tennis shoes.
"How’d you find me?"
"I pulled a few strings." He bent to sweep her lips with his. "Are you mad?"
"I don’t want anyone getting the idea we’re fraternizing."
He eased her into the deeper shadows between a tent and a Quonset hut made of sturdy metal. "How’s this?"
She raised her arms, pressed her body into his, her damp towel, T-shirt and flight suit dangling down his back. "Better." All he had to do was part her robe and...
Tuck slid his hand up the back of her thigh and beneath the edge of her robe, cupping her naked bottom.
She’d gone to the shower with only her robe and what she’d been wearing, so flustered by her talk with Lindsay, she’d forgotten clean underwear and her pajamas.
Now she was glad she had.
Tuck lifted her, wrapping her legs around his middle, his cock nudging her entrance through the fabric of his shorts. "You make me hotter than a desert scorcher."
A thrill of excitement seared through her veins like a lit fuse racing toward dynamite. "Are you sure no one will see us?" The potential of getting caught added to the nerves and lust fluttering in her belly. Her breathing grew rapid, shallow, barely able to keep up with her lungs supplying the oxygen to her brain. All the blood in her body seemed to rush to her core—heating, slicking and sensitizing her to his every touch.
"Everyone is asleep, or manning their guard posts. We’re alone here," he said.
"But we’re in the open."
"Not behind this tent. No one comes through here."
"How do you know? You’ve been in this camp less than an hour."
"Long enough to find you." He reached between them, locating her warm, wet opening and sliding two rough fingers into her.
Oh, yeah, he’d found her all right. Delaney bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep from moaning. She arched her back, her robe falling open, giving his mouth access to her breasts.
He accepted the offering, sliding his tongue across a turgid peak, making the nipple harden to a tight little bud. Then he nipped, rolling the tip between his teeth, while pumping his fingers in and out of her.
"This is so wrong." She gasped.
"But it feels..."
"So right," she said, her words rushing out as his thumb slipped between her folds and stroked the nubbin of her desire.
He chuckled as he shifted his attention from one breast to the other. "I don’t suppose you brought protection with you?"
"I always take a condom to the shower." She snorted.
"I’ll take that as a no." He sighed. "I guess I’ll have to wait, but that doesn’t mean you have to." He grinned, kissed her lips, and settled her on her feet.
A rush of disappointment filled her, only to be brushed aside as he pressed her against the metal building, the darkness concealing them from prying eyes. With his knee, he nudged her legs apart, parted her robe, and trailed his hand from the curve of her neck downward, over her breast, past her ribs and lower, his lips following the path of his fingers, distributing feather-soft kisses and tempting nips along the way.
Delaney squirmed, wanting more. Wanting to tell him she wanted more, but biting hard on her tongue to keep from begging out loud. They couldn’t be caught; being found could mean a court martial offense. At the very least, if caught, they’d receive an Article 15 and she might be grounded or sent back to the States. She might even jeopardize her position with the 160th Night Stalkers.
For a moment, the weight of the consequences threatened to overwhelm her and make her call him off.
Then he dropped to his knees, parted her folds, and tongued her, there.
All thoughts were propelled into the darkness as the feel of his mouth on her most sensitive parts sent her spiraling out of control, her heart beating like the rotors on a helicopter, faster and faster until she thought it might explode out of her chest.
Tuck slid his tongue into her channel and swirled it around, then returned to stroke her pleasure center until she dragged her nails across the metal building behind her, seeking purchase as her senses launched into the stratosphere. Her head spun and her muscles tensed like a tightly loaded spring. The tingling started at her core, shooting outward as her body jerked in spasms.
Still, Tuck didn’t let up until she could take no more.
Delaney grabbed him by the ears and dragged him to his feet.
"Hey, easy there. I need those." He laughed, sliding his body up hers until he pressed her against the metal, warm from the day’s desert heat. "Like that much?"
"Too much," she whispered as she dragged air into her starving lungs. "Want more."
"Sorry, baby. I didn’t come packing." He cupped her cheek and brushed his mouth across hers, then dove in to take her tongue as aggressively as he’d taken her down there.
His mouth tasted of her musk. Delaney threaded her fingers through his short hair, pulling him closer. "I don’t care. Take me. Here. Now." She ran her hands down his arms to where his shirt disappeared into the waist band of his shorts. Hooking her fingers in the elastic, she tugged the shorts over his hips, far enough for his cock to spring free.
"Uh uh." He shook his head. "It’s too risky."
"Like what you just did to me wasn’t?" She ran her leg up the back of his thigh and curled it over his hip then, bracing her hands on his shoulders, wrapped both legs around him. "Sure I can’t change your mind?" Leaning her back against the building, she lowered herself down over him, taking his thick girth into her wetness, sliding down over him like a well-lubed glove.
"Baby, your argument is very convincing." He thrust into her, pinning her against the wall.
She raised herself up to the tip of his cock. "How so?"
"You cover the point implicitly." Again, he thrust into her—slow, hard, and filling.
Her breath rushed from her lungs and she had to refill them before she could speak again. "Are you not challenging my supposition?"
"You bet I am. I challenge you." He powered into her, slamming her back against the wall. "And raise you one." He rammed into her again. "No, two. Ah hell. You make me crazy." He hammered into her over and over, until he drove into her one last time, burying himself deep inside her. He held her hips so tightly his fingers dug into her flesh. His member throbbed against her channel and he held his breath, his jaw rock hard.
Then he pulled free, loosened her legs from around his waist, and turned to the side as he ejaculated, his hand easing his straining cock.
A smile slid across Delaney’s face, a surge of power making her chest swell. "Turn you on much, frogman?"
"Too much." He eased his member back into his shorts and turned. "I wish we could go somewhere for the night."
Delaney shrugged. "I have a roommate."
"I’d take you back to my place." Tuck ran a hand through his hair. "But I’m sharing a tent with Cory."
"About Cory..." She sighed. "He won’t let me tell him no."
"You can’t marry him." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Not after what just happened."
"Cory thinks he loves me." Delaney leaned her cheek into his palm.
Tuck pulled away his hand, his eyes narrowing. "Love doesn’t last."
Disappointment tugged at Delaney, even though she’d known how Tuck felt about long-term commitment. "It did for my parents. They loved each other from the time they started dating in high school until the day they died."
"They were the exception."
The war
mth of their lovemaking slipped away with the cool desert breeze. Delaney pulled her robe tighter around her body and stepped out of the shadows. "So, you don’t think it could happen for you?" And me? She wanted to add, but bit down on her tongue, afraid if she said it, he’d run the other way as fast as he could. Not that Tuck was a coward when faced by enemy gunfire. But commitment was a four-letter word to him. Any sign of it and he ran the other direction.
He was already shaking his head. "Look, Delaney, I like you and all..."
Her disappoint blossomed into a slow-burning anger. "I feel a but coming."
"I told you from the beginning, I’m not into commitment."
"What are you afraid of?" Delaney tapped a finger against his chest. "Afraid you might find some happiness? Cory isn’t afraid to go after what he wants."
He grabbed her finger and held it, his grip punishing, hurting her hand. "Cory isn’t right for you."
Chilled in the moonlight, Delaney tugged her hand, trying to break Tuck’s hold. "You’re hurting me." In more than one way.
He finally let go. Tuck moved, and the full light of the moon shone down on his face, exposing the hard lines and a muscle twitching in his jaw. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he clamped his lips tight and stood as still as the stone his heart was carved from.
Delaney wanted him to say something, wanted him to rant and rave and tell her she couldn’t marry Cory. Not because he wasn’t right for her, but because he loved her himself. But snow would fall in the desert before Tuck admitted to loving anyone.
"Face it, Tuck, you’re not in a position to tell me who is right or wrong for me." She backed away from him. "Do me a favor and l leave me alone." She spun and marched away, thankfully before the tears slipped from her eyes. She hurried to her quarters, hoping, but not betting, that he would follow her and declare his love. Ha!
She stumbled back to her tent, tears streaming down her face, ashamed that she cried at all. Kicking herself for loving a man who couldn’t love her back.
Tonight, she’d allow herself to cry.
Tomorrow, she’d move on.
Chapter 4
Tuck paced outside his tent until the sun pushed up over the desert landscape to the east. No matter how he went over the conversation he’d had with Delaney, the ending didn’t come out any better. As always, he drove away the women he met. Purposely, and with no regrets, for the most part.
Until Delaney.
Most of the women he’d pushed out of his life had been civilians, clueless about the life he led as a SEAL. All they saw were his taut muscles and sharp uniform. They never understood why he worked out, why he remained in top physical condition, or the pressures of running an operation. They would never know what killing someone felt like or understand the aftermath of losing a buddy in combat. That hollow, aching feeling and the constant instant-replay going on a SEAL’s mind analyzing what went wrong, what he could have done differently that would have saved his fallen comrade’s life.
Delaney would. She was as close to the action as she could get without being boots on the ground. As a member of the 160th Night Stalkers, she flew into areas most pilots would be afraid to fly. Being shot at was part of the job description. She’d accepted the danger along with the responsibility and honor of being a part of the squadron.
She was a good pilot, a strong woman, and so beautiful she made Tuck ache. Then why the hell had he pushed her away?
Because she wanted what he couldn’t give. Commitment. She’d never asked for it, but he could see it in her face.
Damn Reaper for exposing the elephant in the room. The one thing he’d always shied away from. Now, if he didn’t come to terms with his deep-seated aversion to long-term relationships, he’d lose Delaney. Possibly to his best friend.
The man foremost in his thoughts emerged from the tent, shirtless, wearing his PT shorts and tennis shoes. "Hey, you up for a morning run before the temp gets too hot?"
Exhausted from a sleepless night, but too wound up to rest, Tuck grunted. "Yeah. Might as well." He pulled his tank over his head, and tossed it into the tent. "Let’s go."
They set off, heading for the perimeter of the compound, remaining inside the wire where running was relatively safe without fear of tripping an improvised explosive device (IED). For the first lap, they ran in silence.
Then, breaking silence, Reaper said, "I’ve been thinking about how I can show O’Connell I’m serious."
Tuck’s heart and feet missed a beat and he stumbled, righting himself immediately. After several more paces, he responded. "Are you sure she’s the right one for you?"
"Never more sure in my life. She’s special."
Unfortunately, Tuck couldn’t argue with that. She was and he knew it. Then why the hell couldn’t he tell Reaper to back off, that, Delaney was his?
Reaper shot a glance his way. "You think she’s holding back because she’s got someone else in mind?"
"You’d have to ask her." Tuck gritted his teeth.
"Not that I’m afraid of a little competition. I know there are plenty of men for her to choose from, and she’s hot enough to have her pick of the litter."
"She’s not choosing puppies." Tuck wished Reaper would stop talking about Delaney. "Hell, she might not be in the market to choose anyone. Seems to me, she’s pretty career-minded. Didn’t she say she plans on being a lifer?"
"That doesn’t mean she can’t have a relationship, get married, and have kids."
"Flying for the 160th kinda precludes that, doesn’t it?"
"The kids part for the time being, but not necessarily the rest."
"You two are in different branches of service. You’ll never get stationed in the same place."
"I can live with a long-distance relationship. We won’t be in the military forever." His arms chugged at his side. "And when we do retire, we’ll have the rest of our lives to spend together."
"You both have no less than ten years left on your commitment, right?"
"Right." Reaper frowned at Tuck. "So?"
"That’s ten years of seeing each other on weekends, if you’re stationed anywhere near the other’s base, or once a month if you’re not."
"If a couple loves each other enough, they can make it happen. I’d be willing to make the commute as often as possible. O’Connell is worth it."
Tuck thought about what Reaper said. Right now, he’d move heaven and earth to be with Delaney as often as possible. But would that longing last? For ten years or more?
None of his parents’ many marriages had lasted ten years. Five, tops. And they were together every day. What were the chances he could keep a marriage alive that long, if he dared to make the same foolish mistake as his parents and get married to begin with?
"Hey, isn’t that O’Connell ahead?" Reaper’s words knocked Tuck back into the here and now.
His pulse sped up at the sight of Delaney in her short, black shorts and gray army T-shirt, jogging ahead of them.
"No time like the present to start my campaign to win her heart." Reaper picked up the pace to catch up to Delaney.
His gut churning with anxiety, Tuck sped up as well.
"Uh, Tuck." Reaper slowed and shot a sideways glance. "You’re crampin’ my style, dude."
Tuck nodded and slowed, giving Reaper the lead, when he really wanted to trip him and take it himself. Without telling Reaper why he didn’t want him to catch up to Delaney, Tuck had no reason to be angry with his friend. But he was.
Angry, tense and...jealous.
Fuck.
Reaper caught up to Delaney and fell in step beside her.
Tuck slowed, jogging at a distance far enough away he couldn’t hear their conversation, but close enough to hear Delaney’s laughter. His chest tightened and before long, he had a hard time regulating his breathing. Finally, he slowed, turned, and ran in the opposite direction. He’d jog in the heat of the day rather than watch Reaper woo his girl. Instead, he ran sprints near the volleyball nets until he coul
dn’t stand it a moment longer. After a while, he walked back toward his quarters, the long way. The path that would take him back by Delaney’s tent. When he realized what he was doing, he almost turned around and headed back for more sprints.
Until he saw Delaney step out of the shower tent wearing clean shorts, a T-shirt and carrying her robe, towel, and toiletries in hand. That robe was the clincher.
Tuck’s groin tightened on sight at how beautiful she’d been wearing it last night in the moonlight. And how naked, soft, warm, and wet she’d been beneath.
He sped up, determined to catch her. What he’d say when he did, he didn’t know. Tuck only knew he had to say something. This deal with Reaper was eating at him and somehow the reaction had to stop.
Before he reached her, Reaper jumped out from another path, carrying a giant teddy bear with a big red bow tied around its neck.
Delaney ground to a halt and laughed.
At the sound, Tuck’s gut knotted. Even her laugh was sexy. Damn.
She accepted the teddy bear, hugging it close and burying her nose in the soft fake fur.
Where in hell had Reaper gotten a teddy bear in the desert?
Wherever he’d acquired it, Delaney was enjoying it more than Tuck liked. She leaned around the bear in her arms, lips puckered, aiming for Reaper’s cheek.
Reaper turned at the last second and her kiss landed square on his lips. The asshole grinned, captured Delaney’s cheeks between his palms, and kissed her again. "I knew you’d taste that sweet. And that’s just the beginning."
Tuck’s fists balled and he lunged forward. Before he’d taken two steps, Delaney shook her head. "Cory, I don’t—"
"Don’t decide anything." Reaper pressed a finger to her lips. "I’m not done yet. Be watching."
Reaper left before Delaney could complete her sentence.
Damn. Surely she’d been about to tell him to take a hike. After kissing her like that, she should have slapped him.
Unless...
Tuck stopped still in his tracks. Was it possible she could fall for Reaper?
After last night?
Delaney stared down at the bear. "What am I going to do with you?" She turned toward her tent, her gaze finding Tuck standing like a lunk in the middle of the path.
Uniform Desires (Make Mine Military Romance) Page 17