by S. M. Butler
Chapter Seventeen
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He didn’t take long to secure the doors and windows. Ivy was kneeling on the bed, her heart pounding, when the door to her room opened. Dane was silhouetted against the light coming from the microwave clock. Butterflies soared in her stomach.
Why? It wasn’t the first time they’d had sex, and she had no reason to be afraid. Except she felt vulnerable in a way she hadn’t before, and she couldn’t seem to make that feeling go away.
The sensible thing to do would be to send him away. But she couldn’t. If she could have done that, she’d have never opened her mouth to ask him to stay with her in the first place.
Ivy very much feared she was still somewhat enamored of him in spite of the pain of the past. He was here, and for a short time he could be hers again—and she desired it with every cell of her body.
He came inside and walked over to the bed. Then he reached for her shirt and tugged it up and over her head, tossing it aside. She wore nothing underneath, and cool air slipped over her skin.
“That’s one of my old shirts, isn’t it?” His voice was a low rumble that vibrated through her.
“Yes,” she whispered. She’d slept in the thing for years now, rotating it with two others he’d left behind. They’d long since ceased to smell like him, but they were soft and huge on her. And she knew they were his even if they no longer carried his scent.
He palmed her bare breast and she gasped a little. “I can’t begin to tell you how excited that makes me, knowing you’ve slept in my shirt for all these years. Did you ever touch yourself and think of me, Ivy?”
His thumb scraped over her nipple and she bit her lip. Her pussy was so wet that her juices would drip down her thighs at any minute. “Yes. All the time.”
“I’d ask you to show me, but I think I’d be jealous of your fingers for getting to touch your sweet pussy.”
“Then you touch me.”
“Oh, I intend to.” He lowered his head and took her swollen nipple between his lips.
Ivy threw her head back and moaned. “Dane—oh.”
He sucked hard, tweaking her other nipple with his thumb and forefinger as he did so. Her legs trembled and her back arched as she tried to press her breast farther into his mouth.
He slid a hand down her belly, over her hip, and then skimmed the hairline of her pubic curls. She wanted him to touch her so badly it hurt.
He didn’t at first, his fingers dancing lightly over her labia and then down her left thigh.
“So wet,” he said against her nipple.
“You haven’t even touched me yet. How do you know?”
“I can feel your heat, Ivy. You’re practically burning up with need.”
This time, he slid his fingers into the seam of her sex. When he stroked across her clit, she nearly came undone. How could she be so excited when it had only been a couple of hours ago that they’d had sex in the alley?
“Do you have any idea how hard it makes me that you’re this excited for me?”
“I hope you’ll show me. Soon.”
He laughed. “I will… but first I need to taste you, Ivy. Lie down and spread those pretty legs.”
Ivy did as he said, lying back on the bed and opening her legs. Dane eased between them, putting his arms beneath her thighs and lifting her higher until his mouth hovered right over the place she wanted him to touch so badly.
“I’ve missed this,” he said, and then he dropped his head and slid his tongue into her slit.
Ivy cried out. Her clit was swollen and aching, and when he traced his tongue around it, she thought she might come out of her skin.
“You’re exactly like I remember. Velvety soft, sweet.”
Ivy reached down and threaded her fingers through his hair. She arched her hips up to meet his mouth, riding against the smoothness of his tongue and the roughness of the stubble on his face.
The combination was enough to send her rocketing over the edge into a screaming orgasm that shook her with its power. When she came back to herself enough to open her eyes and look at him, he was watching her with one arched eyebrow.
“Good?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you need another to make sure.”
“No, not yet,” she gasped. She was still too sensitive, and she clutched at him as he dropped his head. But he didn’t stop. He licked her mercilessly until her body caught fire again. It didn’t take long. Soon she arched her back and cried for more—begged for more—until the pressure inside her crested and she came with a sharp, shuddering cry.
Sweat beaded on her skin, and her limbs were boneless. She lay on the bed, her body zinging with sparks, and thanked the heavens that she’d asked him to come to her room. Maybe it wasn’t wise with their history, but considering the long drought in her sex life, it was the best idea she’d ever had.
Until morning, of course.
“Maybe I should take this slower, but that’s not going to happen,” Dane said, crawling up her body and positioning himself between her legs. “I need you too much, Ivy.”
Then he plunged inside her and her body came alive once more.
Chapter Eighteen
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Dane ignored the voice in his head that told him this was probably not the best idea he’d ever had. Who could pay attention to a chiding voice when it felt so fucking fantastic not to?
Whatever the consequences, he’d pay them tomorrow.
He was buried inside his ex-wife, her taste still on his tongue, her legs wrapped around him, and he couldn’t think of another damned thing except what it felt like to move his hips and pull out of her before slamming back inside her again.
She gasped, but he knew it wasn’t from anything other than the deepest pleasure. He knew Ivy. Still knew her body better than he thought he would. Still knew what made her come unglued.
He fisted his hands in her hair and tilted her face up so he could kiss her. She met his mouth eagerly, her tongue rolling against his. He lifted his hips and plunged into her again and again.
Her pussy gripped him tight, her walls slick and hot and wonderful. He loved being inside her, loved the way his balls tightened and tingled as he rocked into her.
He’d fucked other women since their divorce, but it hadn’t felt like this. Why hadn’t it felt like this?
Stop thinking, dude.
But he couldn’t, not really. Oh, he could shove the thinking part of his brain to the back and enjoy the physical, but deep inside he wanted to know why it didn’t feel this good with anyone else. Why it never had.
From the moment he’d seen Ivy in that bar over five years ago, nothing had ever been the same. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, but he’d known he had to have her. And then he’d known he had to keep her.
Life didn’t always work out the way you intended though.
Ivy arched and writhed beneath him, her body a beautiful instrument of pleasure.
He wanted it to last this time, and he was already dangerously close to coming.
He pulled out of her as she cried out, then urged her onto her hands and knees. She looked at him over her shoulder, and he thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life—Ivy’s sensual eyes watching him, her wet lips parted slightly, her naked skin gleaming in the moonlight streaming in the windows, and her glistening pussy beckoning him inside.
“Don’t stop, Dane.”
“I’m not stopping.” He put his knees on the outside of hers and put her legs together. Then he positioned his cock and glided inside her welcoming body.
Like that, she was incredibly tight. She moaned and dropped her head to the pillow. Her fists gathered handfuls of the sheets.
“Is it too much?” he asked as sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Yes—no—oh, God.”
Alarm rolled through him. “Ivy, am I hurting you?”
“Not like this, no.”
When he hesitated, she reached around and cupp
ed his balls. “Fuck me, Dane. I need you to fuck me.”
He held her hips and plunged into her body again and again. He had no idea what it felt like for her, but if it was half as good as it was for him, it had to be pretty fucking incredible.
“Yes, oh yes,” she cried as he pumped harder into her.
He reached around and stroked his index finger over her clit and she stiffened. Then she bucked against him and he knew she was about to explode.
He wanted to go with her. He let loose the tight rein he had on his control and stroked her harder even as he moved faster inside her. The walls of her pussy tightened, and the tingling in the base of his spine grew stronger.
And then he lost it. He shot himself deep inside her, his cock swelling even as her walls gripped him hard.
Ivy moaned his name as she came, her body stiffening for a long moment before going limp beneath him. He let her down easy, coming down on top of her, his cock still buried inside her.
She was breathing hard, and so was he. He shifted his weight so he wouldn’t crush her into the mattress. Then he dipped his head to her shoulder and tasted the warmth of her skin and the saltiness of her sweat. His heart swelled with feelings he’d thought long buried. The intensity of it nearly choked him. He told himself it was only a temporary resurgence based on nostalgia and great sex. He didn’t suddenly love this woman again. That was impossible.
“Regrets?” he asked her, because now that the heat of the moment was over, maybe she’d want him to go. And maybe he should go, quite honestly. Sex on a mission wasn’t standard—then again, he’d never been on a mission with his ex-wife either.
“Lots,” she breathed. “But this isn’t one of them. You?”
“I regret that it’s over and I can’t do it again immediately.”
She giggled, and his heart turned over at the sweet sound. “Losing your studliness, Dane? I remember when you used to come four or five times in a night.”
He was still hard and he flexed his hips until she gasped. “Plenty of studliness, Ivy. I was talking about you. You said it had been a while, and I’m trying to be a gentleman and not make you too sore.”
She turned her head and met his lips. He kissed her softly.
“I’ll worry about that tomorrow. I’ve been sex-deprived for far too long to not take advantage of you while I can.”
He withdrew from her body and rolled onto his back. She climbed on top of him and sank down on his cock. They both groaned.
“I like the way you take advantage of me,” he said. “Feel free to use me up until I’m a shell of my former self.”
She lifted her body and then lowered herself again, sinking farther down than before. He loved seeing his cock disappear inside her, loved watching her slick walls devour him.
“Hang on tight, Dane. I’m not going to be the only one who’s sore tomorrow…”
Chapter Nineteen
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It was before dawn when Dane bolted awake. He sat upright, listening hard in the darkness. Something woke him, but he didn’t know what. Beside him, Ivy slept soundly, her naked form curled under the sheet, her hair fanning out over the pillow. His heart kicked in his chest at the sight of her. It was a familiar feeling, and a difficult one to process at the same time.
He reached for his gun on the night table and slipped from the bed. Then he crept through the bungalow, listening for noise.
A scraping sound came from the front door as if someone was trying to force the lock. A moment later, the door opened—but the chain stopped it from going any farther.
Dane’s blood rushed inside his veins as adrenaline pumped through him. Someone—some asshole—had the nerve to break into his bungalow. It was unbelievable.
A cold fury rolled through him. He wasn’t scared. Not even close. He was a military machine, ready to protect and defend his territory. He crept closer to the door, his gun held high, waiting for the bastard’s next move.
It came when someone heaved their weight against the door in an attempt to dislodge the screws holding the security chain in the wall. Another shove and a grunt. There was a low curse—was it Spanish?—and then someone shoved again.
“Dane?”
Dane swore as he turned and saw Ivy silhouetted in the bedroom door. She’d slipped on a T-shirt and she stood there, swaying softly as if she were still half-asleep.
He crossed swiftly to her side and took her arm. Then he bent to her ear. “Go back in the bedroom, Ivy.”
But she was more alert now, and she stiffened as she spied the light coming inside the partially opened front door.
“Is someone trying to break in?” she hissed.
“Yes. Go.”
She turned and went back into the bedroom, and he breathed a sigh of relief. But then she was back, her pistol at the ready, and his stomach fell.
“What the fuck?” he asked in a furious whisper.
Her eyes glittered. “What do you mean what the fuck? I’m as qualified as you,” she whispered back.
“Hardly,” he growled.
Outside, someone shouted—and whoever was at the door stopped trying to break it in. Dane swore as he sprinted for the door. He flattened himself against the wall and waited for a moment, but no one tried to come inside. Then he yanked off the chain and ripped the door open.
No one was there. He slipped down the walkway, sweeping his weapon wide. When he got to the end, he stopped and searched the empty pathways. The pink light of dawn was beginning to cut into the gloom of the thick foliage. Up ahead, someone moved down the path. He sprinted but drew up short when the figure turned and he came face-to-face with Ivy’s partner.
Ace Martin looked pissed—but it was the gun pointed at Dane that made him pause. Then Ace cocked an eyebrow.
“Nature walking, SEAL man?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Ace’s gaze dropped. “The package, pretty boy. It’s all dangling free. And I have to say that I’m mighty impressed.”
Fuck. Dane hadn’t thought about the fact he was naked when he’d slipped from bed.
“Did you see anyone?”
Ace frowned. “No, I’m just hanging out here for my health. Of course I saw someone, asshole. Two men, trying to break into your bungalow. When I made them, they ran. I couldn’t fire because I didn’t wanna risk hitting either of you inside.”
“Why the fuck did you stop them? I could have neutralized them, and then we’d know who they’re working for.”
“Excuse me for trying to save your fine ass, but I saw dudes trying to break in and I reacted.”
“Why were you near our bungalow so early anyway?”
Ace flourished a hand over his clothing. Shorts, an armband with his phone tucked inside, earbuds, and a moisture-wicking shirt. A runner. Figured.
“I was up anyway. Thought I’d check the perimeter.”
“What’s going on?”
Dane spun as Ivy came up behind him on the path. She was still in the T-shirt, still holding her weapon, and his heart clenched at the sight of her looking so small and vulnerable in the early-morning light.
“You need to take cover, Ivy,” Dane said. “It’s dangerous for you to be here.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not the one who’s naked.”
“Those men are long gone,” Ace said, coming up beside him. “They weren’t professionals. Probably petty thieves looking to rob guests.”
“You can’t really be that stupid,” Dane said. “This is the second time someone has specifically targeted a bungalow where Ivy was staying. And then there’s the threat on her answering machine.”
Ace’s eyes flashed. “Then why didn’t they stay to complete the job? Why run away when I show up? They could have shot me and finished the job they’d come to do.”
“Not if they’re here for something more than a hit.” Dane shook his head. “They haven’t gone anywhere, except possibly back to their base of operations. They’re waiting for the right moment to d
o what they came here to do.”
He thought Ace would scoff, but the dude looked thoughtful. “You think they want to grab her?”
Dane didn’t like that thought at all, but it was the one that made the most sense to him. “Yeah.”
Ace’s chest puffed out. “If what you say is right, Ivy can’t stay here. She needs to be in protective custody.”
Ivy drew herself up then, her expression hardening. “No. No way. We’re here for a reason, Ace, and I intend to see that those bastards don’t make it to the mainland. This is far more important than any threats to me.”
Dane wanted to argue that point, but now wasn’t the time.
“We aren’t solving anything by standing here fighting about it,” Dane said. “We need to keep searching.”
“You’re going to get arrested, hot stuff,” Ace replied, his gaze sliding over Dane yet again. “People are waking up, and some little old lady is bound to take exception to the sight of your naked ass strolling through the resort. Take Ivy back to your bungalow and alert your team. If there’s anything to find, they’ll find it.”
Dane hated that the dude made sense. “You’re right. Ivy?”
Her chin was in the air. “Fine, yes, let’s go.”
She turned and started moving back down the path, but Ace called out one last time. “You’re wearing the shirt your ex was wearing yesterday. Don’t think I don’t know what this means, naughty girl. Don’t come crying to me when it all goes to shit, okay?”
Ivy flipped him the bird and kept walking. When they reached the bungalow, Dane did a quick check, then bolted the door behind them. The chain was still intact, but it was looser than before. Obviously, they couldn’t stay here.
“You should get dressed,” he said.
Ivy looked up at him with soft eyes that contained a hint of frustration and perhaps even fear. “Last night…” She dropped her gaze, and he knew he wasn’t going to like whatever she said. “It can’t happen again. It was… amazing—but we know how it’s going to turn out.”