“Why? Why should you have to share that with me? No one else needs to go through that. No one needs to deal with my demons, but me.”
“Because I have my own demons.” She swallowed hard as her heart hammered, thinking of the thoughts she'd harbored for so long about her dad. Abandonment. Loneliness. Shame. It was everything Noah felt. He understood her. And more importantly, she understood him. “You shared my darkness. You were my light. Now let me be yours.”
His chest rose and and fell in quick bursts, heaving for breath. Shaking hands grabbed her face and yanked her to her tiptoes as he swept her mouth with powerful strokes of his tongue. She pulled out all of the sadness and anger and let him take it out on her in the kiss. Rough hands raked her skin, as if searching for something, clawing at something.
His thick fingers gripped the hair at the nape and tugged her head, exposing the taut flesh of her neck. With hard and determined strokes, he swept his tongue along her skin, sucking it in over his teeth. A hiss parted her lips, but not her teeth as she gnashed them together at the intensity of the pain and pleasure mixing inside her. His grip tightened at her sounds, as if driving him, releasing the caged animal inside him.
His strong hands picked her up by the waist, and slammed her back against the wall behind her. She wrapped her legs around his hips, and he thrust his pelvis to hers. With force, he gripped the back of her hair and entered her at the same time. Lunging at her neck once more, he sucked at her flesh, pulling it between his lips and teeth as he released his bottled up emotions with each thrust.
Her long dark hair fell over her shoulders and she held tight to his chest, grinding against him with her own wild rhythm. Pain and anguish bubbled up from her gut, clawing its way up her throat and released in a scream she'd held back for so long. Noah joined her, roaring as he climaxed.
The thunder hid their paired sobs as they stood pressed together, releasing the last of their emotions. But the lightning that returned lit them up, showing each of them the bared soul of the other. He swiped at her tears, and she kissed away his.
His wide eyes looked up at her as he processed what had just happened. “Why did you let me do that?”
She sniffed and blew out a hard breath. “Because we both needed it.”
“I'm sorry. You don't need to get dragged down into my darkness.” His body shuddered against her.
“How long was that pent up, Noah? Sometimes, you need to release the emotions, not only with words, but with a tangible, physical outlet. A funnel, channeling those emotions outward.” She placed her palm against his chest. His racing heart thumped hard against her skin. “It was either that or we start throwing shit. And since it's dark, and we don't know what's in this room, I figured sex was the next best option. Plus, wall sex. Wall sex is amazing.”
He looked her in the eyes and a soft smile twitched on his lips. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Pretty much anything you want at this point. Or you could sleep.”
He swallowed hard and eased her off him. Tucking her against his body, he carried her back to the floor. A shiver hit her, and he did his best to cover her with his body to keep her warm. And she'd never felt safer or more content. She almost wished that it didn't have to end. For tomorrow life would go back to normal. They'd go their separate ways. Their separate lives.
But tonight, if only for one night, they were one. Each fighting their own demons. Each one slayed through a moment of passion.
Chapter Ten
Noah tightened his hold around Jayla. Her heart thumped a slowing rhythm beneath his palm as she drifted to sleep in his arms. He didn't want to let go.
He'd just bared himself to her in every way possible. He'd never shared that with another person on the planet. And he had no idea why he did. It all tumbled out of him in a moment of vulnerability. It scared the piss out of him and felt freeing at the same time. She held some kind of power over him, and he laid there at a loss as to how she'd done it.
Numerous therapists, grief counselors, family members; none had ever gotten him to talk about what had happened. He'd joined the Navy to escape. He became a SEAL to repent. He went to war to avenge.
A night in Jayla's arms and he'd unzipped layers of himself even he didn't know were there. He pressed gentle kisses against the back of her head. In the morning, they'd be rescued. They'd be broken apart. Hopefully they'd take a piece of this night with them. He'd tuck her away deep in his soul and never let go.
But how would he get over the enigma that was Jayla “Fox” McFadden? Spy. Seductress. Smartass. Savior. He doubted she even realized just how amazing she was.
She rolled over in his arms, tucking her head against his chest. He curled around her, brushing the back of her head with his hand. Thoughts ran wild in his head of falling asleep with her in his arms like that every night.
* * *
Noah woke with a cramp in his arm and the driving need to piss. Forcing his eyes open, he tried to roll over, but realized Jayla pinned his arm down. She'd not moved all night. She still lay tucked against his chest as she had when she fell asleep. A smile broke on his lips as he watched her suck in little wisps of air through her pouty puckered lips. For a brief moment he thought about giving her a pleasurable awakening. But nature called louder, and he had to answer, which meant disturbing her.
With his free arm, he reached for his shirt, now dry, from the nearby chair. He balled it as best he could and laid it down. Careful to cradle her head in his hands, he pulled his arm out from under her and laid her on the makeshift pillow.
Daylight revealed the aftermath of the storm. He would have just run outside naked, but glass littered the floor from the blown-down door. After working his way back into his pants as fast as he could, he trotted out the door, crunching glass beneath his boots. But the closer he got, he realized it wasn't the wind that had shattered it, but a palm tree that had either been struck by lightning or uprooted by the winds. Leaves and bark stuck through the bottom of the door, the base of it blocking the way in or out.
But that didn't stop nature. Noah knelt on the trunk and did his best to aim out the door.
“Didn't get enough last night?” Jayla said from across the room. “You know, more than two shakes is playing with yourself.”
He tucked himself back into place and crawled off the trunk and back in through the door. Sunlight beat in through the hole, giving the sharp glass separating them a brilliant, but deadly sparkle against the white linoleum.
“Stay put. You don't have any shoes, and there's glass everywhere. If you need to use the restroom, I'm sure there's one somewhere in the building.” Glass crunched under his boots once more as he made his way back over to her.
She held up a hand. “I'm good, thanks.”
His tan t-shirt draped her body, hiding every curve he'd become so familiar with last night. If he closed his eyes, he could retrace them with memory touch, the darkness heightening their every move. But he couldn't kid himself, he'd love to be able to see her full on in the daylight and appreciate every part of her with not only his hands and lips, but his eyes.
“So, now what do we do?” Jayla looked around the room. “Don't suppose you have an ax in that magical vest of yours, do you?”
He shook his head with a smile. “No. But maybe I can get it moved enough that we can get past it.”
“You're gonna try and move an entire tree by yourself?” Her brow arched into a quirky squiggle that made her nose scrunch up. He fought back a chuckle at her cute facial expressions.
“That's the plan.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. How exactly he would manage to accomplish that maneuver had yet to be determined.
Jayla gasped and her eyes shot wide open. “Oh. My. Gawd. Is that a pair of Swans?”
Noah spun around trying to find the pair of said swans. He arched a brow. “I don't see any swans.”
She rolled her eyes. “There. The transmitter and receiver.” She pointed to a far wall in the corner. “The radi
os!”
He spun around the opposite direction and followed her line of sight. A pair of black and teal radios sat stacked on a table. “Oh.”
“Shit, if we can find some coax in here, I can get us off this island.”
“Coax?”
“Coaxial Cable. So I can hook up the radios and make an antenna.” Her eyes lit up like Christmas, waiting on his reaction. Noah shrugged, and her lips puckered to a pout. “To radio for help?”
He pushed back the thought of licking that pout right off her mouth, finding himself as hard as the trunk blocking the door. The distraction she provided was both delicious and annoying. She made it difficult to focus, especially as thoughts of last night replayed in his mind on a loop. “Fantastic. You work on that, and I'll work on the tree situation.”
More gasps echoed through the room, each one twitching his dick, reminding him of the sounds she made when they made love.
“Holy Shit. There's even a Yagi here. These people were Ham radio operators,” she said, all but hugging the equipment.
“Yagi?” He had no idea about any of that stuff.
“Nevermind, just go monkey around with the tree. I'm gonna be over here orgasming over these vintage electronics.”
A wave of dizziness spun through his head at the mere mention of the word orgasm. Shit. All he could think about was sex with her. Everything she said last night was true. He looked down at his hands. The hands of a soldier, a warrior, a killing machine. And his aching dick that needed a release.
He glanced over his shoulder to her, bent over the radios, his shirt riding up her skin revealing the white g-string she'd put back on. Two beautiful round mounds of flesh were on display, just there for his taking, and his fingers itched to grab them, massage them. She had the most perfect ass.
Too bad he was one. She deserved so much better.
He channeled all his sexual frustration into his arms and worked to move the trunk back out the door. A loud grunt burst from his lungs as he heaved the fucking heavy thing as hard as he could. With a roar, he lurched forward, and the palm tree slid enough that his body could inch its way through the opening.
Letting out a huff, he stood back up, brushed away the beads of sweat on his brow and tossed a quick glance at Jayla. Their eyes locked. Her face flushed the cutest shade of pink, and those haunting blue eyes of her popped wide open.
A laugh bubbled in his belly, inflating with pride and amusement at the thought that she enjoyed the sight of him as much as he did her.
“Please, don't stop on my account,” she said.
He wandered over to her. “Were you watching me?”
“Who could miss all your primal animal noises? It was very entertaining.” Soft fingertips traced the outline of his bicep. “Seriously, are you on steroids?”
He let out a laugh, hiding the groan burning deep inside him at her touch. “This is all natural hard work, Sweetheart.”
Sexual tension hung as heavy in the air as the humidity. Sweat glistened on both their skin as the heat of the day made its appearance. They stood locked in a gaze, as if waiting for the other to make the first move. But making another move on her in the aftermath of last night might lead her to conclusions he wasn't ready to admit yet. She'd surely take it as solidifying something between them. And he didn't want to lead her on.
Besides, she'd never give her heart to a SEAL. And he had no heart to give back to her. He'd lost his the day his mother died. The day his dad drank himself to death after years of being unable to get over the loss. All because of him. He would never let anyone get that close to him again. For his sake, or theirs.
“Umm, I think I'll try and go find that bathroom now,” she choked out, scooting out from under the weight of their stare. “Not that there's running water or anything here.”
“Right.” He nodded, thankful she spoke first before he did something really stupid like kiss the hell out of her. “I'll go try to find us something to eat outside. There's got to be some fruit trees or something.”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “Excellent plan.” With a salute, she spun on her toes and took off in the complete opposite direction from him.
* * *
Jayla scurried down the dark hallway, only a smattering of light shone in through the small slat windows at the top of the walls. Safely around the corner and out of his line of sight, she slid down the wall with her back and cradled her head in her hands.
It took all her willpower not to throw herself at him like a horny monkey. His gorgeous tanned body glistened in the sunlight. Beads of sweat kissed his skin, falling over every hard line of sinewy muscle in his arms. The man was built, all hard-core soldier. And just looking at him shirtless in the daylight sucked the air from her lungs, choking her with thoughts of all the evil things she and her tongue could do to him.
Shit, Jayla. What the hell are you thinking? You cannot fall for a SEAL. You cannot set yourself up for heartache.
But the words fell on deaf ears, for her heart had already slid down that slippery slope. She'd fallen for him. Hard. From the moment their eyes met at Caroline's BBQ, to their first kisses, to their heated banter, to his dedication to her safety, protecting her at every turn, to his vulnerability last night, opening himself up to her with a rawness she never expected. The way he made love to her, with a hunger and need. With passion, and drive, and caring. Surely he didn't have sex like that with just anyone, right?
Shit … Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Jayla fanned herself with her hand, forcing back the ball of frustration and tears mounting at the back of her throat. Gawd, she really wished she could talk to Melinda right about then. Blowing out a hard breath, she eased herself up from the floor and peeked around the corner.
No sign of him.
She wiped her eyes and marched back over to the radios and worked on getting the coax hooked up. But a thought hit her, she didn't have a source of power. Electricity had been an afterthought. She looked around the room for a possible generator of some sort, noticing her Yagi antenna had gone missing.
Glass crunching echoed through the room, and she spun around. Noah made his way back into the building, a small gray reef shark hanging from one hand, her antenna from the other.
“What the hell is that?” Her eyes widened to saucers.
A sexy smile turned up on his lips. “Breakfast.”
“No. I mean my antenna!” She pointed with both hands, a scream hanging in the back of her throat. “You fucking spear-fished a shark with my Yagi?”
Noah glanced down and his cheeks pinked. “Shit. Was this the antenna you were talking about? I thought it was just a metal rod.”
Anger bubbled under her skin as she glared at the blood and shark guts dripping to the floor off the rod. Anger. She needed it. Channeled it. Let it stir and swirl and infuse her. Because if she didn't, she'd throw down and kiss him like he'd never been kissed before. A shirtless man just wrestled a shark for their breakfast. He was like some damn super-hero.
Voices rang out in the distance. “Hound!”
“Holy Shit. Is that Steel?” Noah spun around, dropping the fish and the antenna. “Steel!” he returned the cry and headed for the door.
The lot of them piled in through the small hole Noah had made between the tree and the door. Steel gripped Noah by the shoulder and pulled him into a hug, slapping him on the back with the other hand. The others followed suit.
A dark haired soldier crossed the room to her. Deep-set hazel eyes stared back at her from under thick, but shapely dark brows. He could have been a model with those high cheekbones. His face would have screamed mafia hitman if it weren't for those big, kind looking eyes. Jayla scanned his body, right down to his feet, the same stock combat boots Noah wore. Only no sound echoed through the room as he passed over the glass. She quirked a brow. Now how the hell was that possible?
“Fox,” he said, extending a hand. “I'm Jinx. We've come to get you guys out of here.”
She gave a terse nod. “Thanks. Don't
suppose you brought an extra pair of boots with you?” Jayla pointed to the glass covered floor, then to her bare feet.
They locked eyes in a wordless conversation and heat flamed his cheeks, as if he'd been caught at something. “Right. No, but I'll carry you.”
Noah burst from the group behind him and jogged his way back over to her. “I got this, Jinx. Thanks.” Without warning, he scooped Jayla into his arms like a doll and marched off toward the door.
“How did you guys know we were here?” Jayla asked.
“Got a heat sync showing live bodies here on the island as we combed the area,” Digger said. “We've been looking for hours.”
She studied Jinx as she looked over Noah's shoulder. He let out a cough as he crossed the room, covering the fact that his boots didn't make the same sounds over the glass as Noah's.
“What's the word on Jinx,” Jayla whispered in Noah's ear.
“What do you mean?” he said, easing her to a stance outside the door so he could climb through.
Jinx pressed a finger to his lips and winked. She gave him a smile as he passed by. “Nothing. Nevermind.”
Noah scooped her back into his arms and carried her toward the rescue boat. Chopper blades whirred above them as a helicopter landed in the middle of the airstrip. A man in a dark gray suit jumped from the open door before it ever touched the ground.
“Looks like my ride is here,” Jayla said.
“What?” Noah whipped around and met eyes with the stranger coming toward them.
“Time to part ways, soldier.” She jumped from his arms and did her best to stretch Noah's t-shirt to her knees, feeling a bit exposed.
Noah grabbed her arm and jerked her to a stop. “Jayla, wait ...”
She forced a smile, biting her tongue nearly in half to hold back the floodgates watering down her eyes. They'd never see each other again. Best to make a quick exit and just rip the Bandaid off.
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: The Fox and The Hound (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Breaking the SEAL Book 1) Page 9