“Just a minute,” Jake said, got out his phone, and dialed his daughter.
“Hey, Daddy!” The smile in her voice warmed him to his soul and gave him hope for an improved relationship with her and her growing family.
“Hi, hon.”
“What’s up?”
“I’m in Florida.”
“Oh, cool. Let’s get together, but not tonight. I’m slammed. How long will you be in town? Never mind—you never know,” she said, talking fast and answering her own question.
God, he hated that his daughter had become so accustomed to him being here one day, gone the next.
“Wait. There’s a slight problem.”
Jake glanced back at Soleil. She was pulling the cloth away from her body, trying to get it to dry a bit and unwittingly providing a peek-a-boo show. Suppressing a groan, he looked away. “Yeah. I just met her.”
“Oops.”
“You should have told me,” he said, trying to keep the accusation out of his tone, but it was there anyway.
“I didn’t think you’d mind.” She sounded truly apologetic.
“I get it,” he said. Even if the camping was a problem, he would have told Caroline to let Soleil stay at the house. Caroline had a key to the place, after all. “And you’re right, it would have been fine except, well, it was a surprise—finding someone here.”
“Oh my God, Dad. Tell me you didn’t pull your gun on her.”
“Um, okay?” Damn. She knew him too well.
“Daddy!”
“Sorry, sweetheart.”
“Well, as I’m sure you’ve already seen, she’s super cool. I’m positive the two of you can work something out.” She spoke to someone in the room, then came back and said, “Hey, I gotta run. Call me tomorrow, and we’ll get together.”
His daughter disconnected the call, leaving him staring at a dead phone. He put the cell in his pocket. He really didn’t want a stranger staying on his property, but she’d already set up camp at his daughter’s invitation. “It seems we have a dilemma.”
“We do indeed,” Soleil agreed as her gaze slowly swept over his body.
Was she checking him out?
“You won’t know I’m here, I promise,” she said.
He cleared his throat and her gaze shot north. “Except for when you need to shower?” he said. The shower was attached to his house. He’d hear the water running anytime she used it, and then he’d have to imagine her out here, naked. And that was a problem for him. A big problem.
She stood there, a serene look on her face. She emanated calm and light. How did a person do that? “I can go back to showering at the truck stop,” she offered.
Oh, hell no. That wasn’t safe. Shit. Add to that, he hated disappointing his daughter. “How long did you say you needed to stay?”
“I didn’t,” she said, then added, “I’d be happy to help you out around here, at least with the shower.” Her clear blue gaze swept the dilapidated condition of the stall, it seemed, without judgment. “I can be pretty handy.”
Her words sparked an image of her hands on his body. He shook his head to clear the thought. This was never going to work.
* * *
Soleil let her gaze explore Jake Stanton’s long, muscular body. She’d never met him, but she’d heard plenty about him. Her younger sister and her friends had dubbed him the “hot dad.” When Soleil had come to visit her sister at Christmas and birthdays, they’d gone on about Caroline’s dad, even though Soleil had tried to discourage them from making the inappropriate comments. But she remembered being a teenager. There was always someone in a group of friends with a hot dad, and Jake certainly fit the description.
This time, Soleil had come home unannounced to get away, spend time with her sister, and rethink her life, but Luna was all grown up now, had finished college, and was busy with her new job at the hospital. It helped that the wildlife refuge had been after her for some time to do a photo shoot for them, but she already had most of what she needed, which left her with too much time to think. She did need to figure some things out, like all of her life choices up until now, but instead of solutions and a plan of action, her self-doubt had pretty much taken over. What she needed was a distraction, and as far as distractions went, Jake Stanton would absolutely do.
His crew cut was mostly silver with some black, as was the closely trimmed beard covering his firm jaw. He had classic bone structure with high cheekbones and beautiful hazel eyes she imagined changed colors with his mood or what he wore. His dark tan showed he spent a lot of time outdoors.
Yes, staying here with Jake Stanton could have the added benefit of being quite diverting. She moved closer to test the waters. “So, what do you say?” she said softly. His nostrils flared as he took in her scent, his heart rate changed—she could see the artery in his neck moving in a steady, fast rhythm. Encouraged that he hadn’t moved away, she got into his personal space. “Were you planning to stay here?”
“Yes.”
One word. Nothing more, but he was openly looking at more than her face now, and that really worked for her. “We could do a trial run. See how it goes,” she suggested.
His gaze settled on her lips and his eyes darkened. “What are you proposing?”
“Are you suggesting that I have an agenda that includes more than camping?” she teased.
He stepped back and held up a hand. “Sorry. That was—”
“Unexpected. I get it,” she said. She hadn’t expected him either. This attraction could be just the thing because, holy hell, he was big and built and badass. She didn’t like guns, but seeing him with one had cued up a dangerous bad boy fantasy.
“Look,” he said firmly, “you can stay, but there are some rules you’ll have to follow.”
She moved with him. “I’ve never been much for following rules.” She also hated being told what to do. Alphas were fun to play with, but then there was the rest that came with the type—namely the need to be in charge of everything and everyone.
“Unfortunately, I have an agreement with the wildlife refuge that includes no camping on the property.” He tripped over a large palm frond on the ground. It slowed his progress.
“No worries. I’m aware of their restrictions,” she said. “No lights after dark, no fires. I found a small clearing and made sure I wasn’t disturbing any wildlife before I brought the camper in.”
“Just bringing it in probably disturbed the wildlife,” he pointed out.
“No more than a heavy storm,” she said. “Which Florida gets on a regular basis during hurricane season.”
He’d stopped moving. “Fair enough. Where are you set up?”
“At the rear of the property, by the lagoon.”
After another moment passed, he finally said. “You can stay. But tomorrow, we’ll bring you up here closer to the house. I’ll run an extension cord, and that way you can have lights and at least a fan. It can’t be comfortable for you out there.” His brow wrinkled. “It has to be unbearably hot.”
Unbearably hot. Now that was an accurate description for Jake Stanton. “I’m good with heat,” she said suggestively.
“Then you’re not like most women I know,” he said. “Most can’t stand to sweat.”
Just hearing him say the word “sweat” cued up another hot fantasy. “I have ways of coping,” she said.
“Such as?” he prompted.
“I spend a lot of time naked.”
2
“Not only do I sleep naked,” she continued. “I enjoy being naked in the moonlight and when I do early morning yoga.”
Jake stood motionless, trying to process.
She wagged a finger and said, “Your mouth is open.”
“Sorry. Um, I wasn’t expecting that,” he said honestly.
“So, it’s better for me to stay where I am,” she said. “Unless . . .”
Jake swallowed hard, not sure how having a reasonable conversation included informing your host, whom you had just met, that you enjoy g
oing naked. And God help him, the images that flashed through his mind . . .
“Unless?” he prompted.
She shrugged. “Unless you don’t mind.”
His discomfort made him clear his throat. “To each his own. We’ll figure it out tomorrow,” he offered, but his voice sounded strained even to his own ears.
“Thank you,” she said and came closer. With a hand on his chest, she went up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Surprised, he grasped her arms and turned his head before he realized what she was going to do. Their lips collided. They both froze, staring at each other. Then instinct and hot desire kicked in, and he moved at the same time she did.
The kiss was soft, both of them with eyes open, gauging the other’s reaction. He tugged at her lower lip, then the upper. She kissed him back, but they both kept it to a tentative exploration, not taking it deeper. Then she got a determined look in her eyes and curved her hand behind his neck just before she teased the line of his lips with her tongue. Because he’d gone stupid, he dipped his tongue into her mouth, getting his first taste of her. She sighed her pleasure and closed her eyes. Her body melted into his and, well, hell . . . a first kiss only happened once, and he wanted to savor it.
She stroked his tongue, matching the rhythm he set. He angled his head and went deeper, and so did she, matching him move for move, but then she swirled her tongue around his and retreated, biting his lower lip. His body’s reaction was swift and strong. And damn, this was his M.O. He found a woman he had chemistry with and moved quickly. He’d never had time for more. But this wasn’t just any woman. She was here on his daughter’s invitation.
He broke the kiss and stepped back. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
Jake ran a hand over his head and sucked in a few breaths, trying to regain control. Soleil bit her finger, and he’d never seen anything so sexy in his life. This woman was a natural seductress. She pushed all his buttons, and he had no doubt she’d be explosive in bed.
“I can practically hear you thinking,” she said.
“This is . . . awkward.” He should never have touched her or kissed her that way.
“It seemed pretty natural to me,” she said.
He turned away because looking at her wasn’t helping him keep his hands to himself.
“We just met. We barely know each other,” he pointed out, trying to be sensible.
“Funny thing about that is I feel like I’ve known you for a long time because of my sister and her friendship with your daughter,” she said.
Damn if that didn’t make sense, except—
“I didn’t know about you, so you have me at a disadvantage.”
“Okay. That’s fair.”
She walked over to the house, leaned against it, and propped a leg behind her, uncovering her shapely leg, which wasn’t helpful at all.
“I’m thirty-two,” she began. “Single. Never been married, no children. I travel the world with my job, so not staying in any one place for long periods of time makes relationships difficult to impossible. So my relationships, if you want to call them that, are more short-term in nature.” She gave a nonchalant shrug. “My work is very important to me, so I’m willing to sacrifice relationships for now, but someday, I’d like to have a partner.”
Her lifestyle sounded all too familiar, but he keyed in on one word. “Partner?” he asked. He crossed his arms and propped a shoulder against the concrete wall of the house, facing her. It was warm from the heat of the day. Or maybe that was Soleil.
She turned her head and smiled. “Marriage seems so outdated and unnecessary, don’t you think?”
He shrugged. “Call me old-fashioned, but I think marriage is a sacred thing that celebrates the commitment between two people who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together.” It didn’t escape him that his own marriage hadn’t worked out that way, but he had hopes that maybe someday, he could have this with someone.
“Marriage is a legal contract that has nothing to do with love and commitment,” she countered.
He nodded. “That’s one view. One that probably has more to do with other issues.”
“Such as . . .”
He shrugged. “A bad experience.”
“You mean a bad breakup?” she stated.
“Was it?” He asked, enjoying the easy banter.
She laughed. “No. But, my parents were never married, yet they had a long, loving relationship.”
“Why didn’t they ever get married?”
“My mother is white and my father is black. They got together in a time when interracial marriage was not only taboo, but against the law in most states. I guess for that reason alone, it made me hate the notion of what two people feel for each other being illegal. It’s absurd.”
“I agree,” he said. “But without a marriage certificate, your family doesn’t share in your job’s benefits.”
“Not true. Your children would receive your benefits whether you’re legally married or not. As for your wife, most women have their own careers which have benefits.”
He supposed that was true enough.
“Anything else you’d like to know about me?”
Surprised, he found he’d like to know a lot more about her. “You said you were here taking pictures for the reserve and my daughter’s wedding. I take it that’s your profession and not just a hobby. Why photography?”
“I’m fascinated with finding ways to shoot more than just an image frozen in time. I’ve worked for years to learn to capture a subject’s feelings, mood, personality.”
“I’d love to see your work,” he said honestly.
“I’d love to shoot you,” she countered.
“I hate having my picture taken.” For twenty-three years, Jake had shied away from cameras on purpose. His work was extremely dangerous, and there were those who would hunt him down and kill him for the things he had done for the United States of America. The identities of all special operators—Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and Marine SpecOps—were scrubbed from public files to protect them and their families.
“Why? Afraid you’ll give too much away if people see you? Really see you?”
“That actually sounds terrifying,” he admitted.
“It doesn’t have to be,” she said softly. “Unless you’re hiding something.”
She pushed away from the wall, her innately sensual movements numbing his brain.
“Anything else you need to know before you kiss me again?”
“Did I say I was going to kiss you again?” he said.
“You want to.”
She got closer. Close enough to touch.
“Are you with someone?” she asked.
She stared up at him with her mesmerizing, huge blue eyes. Her heat, the scent of tropical flowers, everything about her sucked him right in.
“I thought I was asking the questions,” he said, noting the subtle shift of power she’d just executed.
“Ask away,” she said.
Her hand on his chest short-circuited his brain.
“Since you’re hesitant, I’ll just say what we’re both thinking,” she added. “I’m here. You’re here. If we want to enjoy each other while we’re both in the same place, where’s the harm?”
Temptation had a face—an exquisite face, a sexy body, and a voice like smooth caramel.
“Think about it,” she said.
She swept her mouth across his, then broke the contact, a smile on her lips that promised unspeakable pleasures.
Jake stood there, hands on hips, fully aroused as he watched her walk away, hips swaying, before she disappeared down a narrow path that led to the lagoon. Two things occurred to him: first, he didn’t like that he couldn’t see where she was so he could make sure she was safe, and second, he didn’t know how he could be on the same property with her for the next week or so and not make love to her.
* * *
Soleil stepped into her vintage red and white camper
and grabbed an apple and a bottle of water. Outside, she turned on the radio that sat on a table, picked up a book she’d been reading, and got into the hammock she’d strung between two palm trees. She untied the sarong and let the edges fall away. The soft breeze from the ocean cooled her overheated skin.
Usually, the gentle rocking motion of the hammock, along with the soothing jazz from a local station, lulled her to sleep, but she knew sleep wouldn’t come quite so easily tonight. Kissing Jake had been a revelation. She didn’t normally kiss men she’d just met, but desperate times and all. She’d intended to just give him an innocent kiss on the cheek in thanks for his letting her stay on his property and then leave to let him consider her proposal. But then he’d turned his head, his lips had moved on hers, and plans changed.
She closed her eyes, tried to center, and focus on her breathing. Her hand moved across her stomach then lower to her belly, and she tuned into what she was feeling. The ache between her legs was there, unsatisfied, distracting. She could easily give herself release, but she didn’t want to. Not yet.
She opened her eyes and jumped. Jake stood there looking down at her.
He steadied the hammock and turned his back to her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
The man moved so quietly, she hadn’t heard him approach. She tied her sarong and covered the essentials, disappointed and frustrated at the same time. Not just with the situation, but with everything. Maybe she’d read him wrong, and he wasn’t really into her.
“I’m sorry,” he began and cleared his throat. “You did warn me that you’d be naked.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. It’s pretty far from the house.”
“I’m decent, so you can turn around,” she said. “I’m also fine. Being near the water is peaceful.”
Jake turned, but didn’t look at her. Soleil watched him as he focused on the lagoon where the sun was setting, turning the sky to stunning shades of red and orange and violet.
“It is beautiful,” he said. “But there’s wildlife. Maybe snakes and gators.”
“The property’s fenced, so I doubt I’ll see any gators.” She put a hand under her head. God, he was easy on the eyes. “I’m good. I blessed the area just after I set up camp.”
Brotherhood Protectors: Exposed (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Scandalous Moves Book 4) Page 2