Arrogant Neighbor: A Navy SEAL Romance

by Kira Ward

  “She wants you to stop pretending you aren’t part of Water—”

  “One thing has nothing to do with the other.”

  “Doesn’t it? You refusing to acknowledge your family legacy—”

  “Enough, Jack.” I stood up, crossed to the breakfast bar to pour more wine into the glass I’d emptied without realizing it. “I have this discussion with my mother once a month. I’m not going to have it with you, too.”

  “Does that girl know who you are? How do you know she’s not just using you because of that?”

  “Because she doesn’t know.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure. Do you really think that’s the only way I can get a girl?”

  “That’s not what I meant. I just…the two of you are mortal enemies, and then suddenly she’s hanging on to your every word.” Jack gestured toward the bedroom door. “That makes a person wonder.”

  “Well, your suspicion is unfounded. She doesn’t know. But if she did, it wouldn’t matter.”

  Jack stood up and took a step toward me, but then he stopped. He looked almost apologetic, but not quite.

  “I’m just trying to watch your back.”

  I swallowed the last of the wine and set the glass down with a satisfying thud.

  “You should probably go now, Jack.”

  He nodded as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he must have thought better of it. He turned and walked out, slamming the front door with a final punctuation to his argument. I just stood there for a minute, anger burning deep in my belly. I picked up the wine bottle and threw it. It crashed against the fireplace, the tiny amount of wine that was left inside of it bleeding over the stones. And then I felt like a fool because I was the one who’d have to clean it all up.

  In the morning.

  For now, I wanted to be with Sloane.

  I let myself into the bedroom as quietly as I could, not surprised to find her asleep already. She seemed overly exhausted lately. Her job appeared to take a lot out of her. But she was beautiful, her long hair spread out over the pillow, her creamy skin pale against my dark sheets. I undressed quickly and climbed onto the bed behind her, tugging at the sheet to pull it up over my hip. And then my hand on her hip, my palm sliding slowly over her lower belly.

  She sighed in her sleep as I nibbled at her shoulder. Her skin was sweet and salty, a combination that brought to mind long afternoons at the beach. My dad used to take me to Galveston quite often when I was kid. We’d walk along the water’s edge and talk about everything and anything, just spending time together away from the stress of his job and the routine of my childhood troubles. Those were some of my most treasured memories.

  I wanted to take Sloane there. Walk hand in hand. Talk about nothing.

  It would be paradise.

  My hand slid further down her belly, following a path that was familiar but still so exciting. I pressed my nakedness against hers, my fingertip finding the top v of her full outer lips. She wiggled her hips a little, her thighs separating just slightly. Even in her sleep she knew what she wanted. She may have thought she was innocent, but she wasn’t. Sloane was a temptress capable of driving me out of my mind.

  I slid my hand deep between her legs, cupping her pussy in the palm of my hand. She moaned, her hips moving again. And then I ran my fingers over her lips, parting them ever so slowly, greeted with just enough moisture to tell me she was more than a little aware of what I was doing. I kissed her neck and she rolled toward me, her lips seeking mine.

  “Is Jack gone?” she asked after a long, searching kiss.

  “He’s gone.”

  She ran her hand over my jaw, her thumb dragging itself over my bottom lip.

  “I don’t think he likes me.”

  There was no self-pity in her voice. Just a statement of fact.

  “He’ll come around.”

  “Maybe.”

  She reached down and pulled my hand back up against her heat. A dirty smile slipped across her lips even as she moved close to kiss my neck. I shifted so that her lips landed against my chin instead. Then I lower my mouth and grabbed her bottom lip between my teeth, running my tongue slowly over the soft skin there. She sighed, her hand moving between her legs again, pressing the heel of my hand tighter against her clit.

  I pulled my hand away and she moaned in soft protest. I pushed her down against the bed, my hand sliding slowly over her throat to the place where the swell of her breasts began. He nipples were hard, sticking up like little flags marking conquered territory. I loved the way they looked, the way they seemed to call out to me. I could almost feel them in my mouth already, could anticipate the way they’d feel when I drew one, then the other, deep inside of me.

  I kissed the top of her breasts, kissed the soft, pillowy mound of flesh. But I ignored her nipples in favor of pressing my face against her belly, loving the smell of her perfume and lotion, of her soap, her clothes, the scent of her day. She was so warm and feminine and a million things I couldn’t put into words. I could live right there for the rest of my life, just spend the rest of my days with my face pressed against the beauty of her flesh.

  She ran her fingers through my hair and gave me a little push. She wanted me to move on, wanted my tongue against her swollen clit. And, as much as I love tasting every inch of her, I wasn’t in a hurry. I kissed her as I worked my way down, peppering kisses all over her belly, her ribs. Ran my tongue along the outer ridge of her navel. She sighed, her fingers still locked in my hair. But instead of moving further down the length of her body, I moved upward.

  We kissed, our tongues dancing, our breath mingling. Her legs moved around my waist and her hips forced my shaft against her silky flower, her body moving just enough to make me wish I was buried deep inside of her. She groaned, and I knew from the depth of the sound, from the fact that it came from deep in her belly, that she was so ready to welcome me. And that drove me so close to the edge that I had to close my eyes and think about work, about measurements and logistics and electrical issues just to maintain control.

  “Do you remember the first night I was in my apartment?” she suddenly asked.

  “What?”

  “The first time I called the building manager on you? When you had that screamer in here?”

  I brushed a piece of hair out of her face. “Sloane…”

  “I want you to fuck me like that.”

  There was fever in her eyes and color on her cheeks. She touched my face again, her hand moving slowly over my jaw. I liked it when she did that. It was reassuring in some sort of way. Then she reached up and kissed me again, her lips moving very slowly against mine.

  “Please,” she whispered.

  “Why?”

  She shrugged, but a new light came into her eyes. “I want to be the best memories you have. I want to be what you want.”

  I groaned as I touched her face. “You already are.”

  “Please,” she repeated.

  I didn’t know what to do. I barely remembered that girl—some drunk I picked up at a concert. But I knew it wouldn’t have been like this. I rarely fucked girls in the missionary position. I didn’t want to look them in the eyes, didn’t want to make them feel like they mattered to me. They didn’t. But Sloane…she was different. Only a month and already I’d broken all my unspoken rules with her.

  I sat back on my knees and lifted her, turned her around. She made a funny sound, something between a giggle and a moan, as I pulled her hips high into the air while pushing her head down against the mattress.

  She had a beautiful ass. I loved to watch her walk away from me when she was naked, loved the way her rounded cheeks moved with every step she took. And now…damn, it was so beautiful, the way her crack spread as it disappeared between her thighs and her plump little pussy stuck out just enough to make my balls ache. I grabbed great handfuls of her ass, squeezing the ample flesh between my hands. And then I scooted a li
ttle closer, releasing one side to grasp my cock. A little tickle against her cunt and she made a sound that no one could mistake for laughter.

  I almost forgot. Again.

  Ten years I’d been fucking beautiful women and never once did I forget to use a condom. I was paranoid about the idea of an accidental pregnancy. It was the last thing I needed, the last thing anyone needed. Who wanted a kid they didn’t plan for? But the first time I touched Sloane, protection was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to be inside of her so desperately that it didn’t even cross my consciousness until the next time we lay together. And it had been hit and miss ever since, though I didn’t always mention it to her. I assumed she was on the pill. The one time I asked, she didn’t deny it.

  But still. It never hurt to be careful.

  I reached over and grabbed a condom from a drawer in the nightstand. She twisted her head and watched as I put it on, the smile of anticipation on her lips that again forced me to close my eyes and think of something else. Once I was firmly in control, I guided the head of my cock against her thick lips, groaning when it slid easily against her opening. I felt her hand against me as she reached under her body and used her fingers as a guide.

  She sighed as I buried myself slowly inside of her. I held her hips, forced her to remain still for a minute as I waited not only for her body to adjust to me, but for my thin hold on my reality to strengthen. Her fingers were still there, rubbing against her clit. And that made my head spin. I loved that she knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to take it for herself.

  I started to move, a little roll and then a slow thrust. And then again. Slowly, methodically. I ran my hand over her ass, over the small of her back. Watched her face, the side I could see, the way her mouth opened as I touched something deep inside of her that sent shivers of pleasure through her body. I liked to imagine I was the only one who’d ever seen her like this, so overwhelmed with pleasure that she couldn’t control her own movements. Logically, I knew I probably wasn’t. But I liked to think I was.

  My movements seemed to speed up on their own accord. I couldn’t help myself. It felt so good, I couldn’t put off the inevitable, couldn’t wait for her to keep up. But she was right there with me. Her hand moved away from her clit. Instead, she pushed herself up on her hands and used the leverage to press her hips hard against me, moving with every thrust I offered her.

  And we were moving, shaking the bed so that the headboard was banging against the wall. If anyone had been on the other side of that wall, I’m sure they would have had quite a complaint to file with Todd, the building manager. But the other side of that wall was Sloane’s pretty-in-pink bedroom. And she wasn’t complaining.

  I knew I was going to come soon, knew I was just seconds ahead of her. And I so wanted to feel the quiver of her muscles that signaled her climax. I pulled her up, wrapped my arms around her as the length of her body pressed back against my chest. I held her breasts in my hands, squeezed them a little harder than I probably should have. My movements slowed, had to because of the way I was holding her, but her moans were just as intense as they had been before. And when my finger brushed against her clit, I thought she might jump out of her skin.

  “Oh, yes,” she whispered, leaning back to brush her lips over my jaw. “You feel so good!”

  I kissed her throat, bit her neck. And offered her a breathless kiss. She tried, but her bones had melted, her muscles turned to Jello. She fell forward again, caught herself on her hands. And she screamed as my finger against her clit set off a chain reaction that sent her over the edge. I could feel it, the way her muscles began to squeeze like a hand milking my cock. And it was quite proficient, that movement. My balls let loose, and I exploded, crying out, my voice drowning hers out, even.

  I don’t scream. Never had. But Sloane had a way of making me lose myself, of making me do things I never even knew I was capable of.

  She was quickly becoming more than just the girl next door, more than the girl I spent the majority of my time with. She was… more.

  Chapter 22

  Sloane

  My body ached but in a good way. I lay with my back to him, his arms around me like I was a teddy bear and he was a child, but his cock pressed semi-erect against my ass kind of ruined that image.

  I closed my eyes, the exhaustion that had come over me after dinner coming back with a vengeance. I don’t know if I’d ever quite felt so tired before. But work was hectic—we were way behind on the number of books we were supposed to have ready for publication by the end of the quarter next week—and stress was always hard on my sleeping habits.

  “You never cease to surprise me, babe,” Major said, his lips against the curve of my jaw.

  “Don’t want to be boring.”

  “You could never be boring.”

  I smiled even though I didn’t open my eyes. But I ran my hand slowly over his forearm, pressing my fingers between his.

  “I’m sorry about Jack,” he said. “He’s just…he’s not used to me being with someone steady.”

  “He doesn’t like me.”

  “He doesn’t know you like I do.”

  “Do you like me?”

  “Very much,” he said, nuzzling his face against my neck. “Didn’t I just show you how much I like you?”

  “You did.” I squeezed his hand. “But that’s not quite what I meant.”

  “I like you,” he said again, pulling me tighter against him as he lay his head down with a little sigh.

  “Do you miss it?”

  “What?” he mumbled.

  “Going out to the clubs. Picking up strange girls.”

  His arm tightened against me for a second. “Not really.”

  “What about hanging out with Jack?”

  “I’d much rather hang out with you.”

  I settled down against the mattress, sleep just at the edges of my consciousness. I felt good. It didn’t seem like I’d ever felt quite so good in all my life. Content. Safe. Warm. Secure. I was happy despite everything else that was happening in my life and I wanted to hold on to that feeling as I drifted off to sleep.

  “Besides,” Major said groggily against my ear, “it’s not like we’re getting married, or anything. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of opportunities to go out and be stupid in the future.”

  Why did that make my heart sink? Why did it take away the little bit of the happiness that had buoyed my heart?

  Plenty of time to be stupid. True. But did I really want that?

  I slipped out of bed early the next morning, feeling just as tired when I woke as I’d been when I went to sleep. Despite the fact that we spend most our time at Major’s, all my things were still at my place, so I had to go home to get dressed every morning. I showered and dressed, dragged an eyeliner pencil under my eyes, and then decided I didn’t need anything more than that.

  I was walking out the door when my cellphone rang.

  “Come see me tonight,” my mom said before I even said hello.

  “I have stuff to do after work.”

  “You can do it after you see me. It’s been weeks, Sloane.”

  I glanced over my shoulder at Major’s door. He was probably still asleep. He didn’t have a full time job—which must have been nice—and spent most of his time on the phone or the computer. I wasn’t sure what it was he did all day. He told me he was a freelance architect, but I had no idea what that meant. But he didn’t seem to hurt for money. His rent was paid, and he always had expensive booze in his cabinets. Freelance architects must make good money, I thought. More than a junior editor, anyway.

  “I’ll try, Mom,” I said, mostly to get her off the phone.

  My little Prius sat where it belonged right next to Major’s old Chevy pickup. The new paint was just a shade darker than the original, not enough for anyone else to notice, but I did. And every time I looked at it, it caused this hot knot to form in my belly.

  How could Kyle do such a thing to me?

  I still couldn’t f
ully wrap my mind around it. My best friend since high school should have been someone I could trust, someone who told me everything about everything. Yet, he managed to forget to tell me he’d been in love with me since middle school and that our conversations about the guys I was dating hurt him. If I had known…but the point was, I didn’t know. He never bothered to tell me. So I had no warning when he’d had enough.

  It was like someone was trying to force me to see that you can’t trust anyone, even the people you thought you knew the best.

  I dragged my way through the day, trying to keep my eyes open with coffee and sugar. Maybe I should skip off on Major for a night? Jack would probably appreciate if he was free to go out for once. But the idea of going home and not seeing Major made my chest ache a little bit.

  “You look like a hot mess,” Sara said when she arrived at my office for lunch.

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “You feeling okay?”

  I stood up and slipped my shoes back on, grabbing my bag as I rounded the corner of my desk.

  “Just not getting enough sleep.”

  “That hot new boyfriend of yours, huh?” Sara smiled with one of those knowing smiles that annoyed the crap out of me in high school, but which I kind of appreciated at the moment. I’d never been the popular girl with the right boyfriend. It was kind of nice to be the one envied, not the one envying.

  I just smiled back as I walked past her and led the way to the elevators.

  She managed to keep her questions to herself as we walked down to the sandwich shop on the corner. But as soon as we had our food and were settled in a booth, she started in.

  “Please tell me he has like a twin brother or something.”

  Sara had met Major once, but she fell head over heels in that instant. Lucky me, I had his attention first.

  “Not as far as I know. But he has this friend, Jack.”

  “Oh? Is he just as handsome?”