The Darkhorse_A Powerplay Novella

by Selena Laurence

  "Hi," she said, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks. God, the one thing they hadn't mastered in their new situation was how to handle each other when they weren't having sex. They weren't at the house all that often together. A handful of hours most nights after work, but Lisa often had papers to grade and Jeff often had work from the office to handle as well. They'd eaten a couple of meals together, fucked like bunnies a few times, and other than that weren't really in the same space. Today was going to be nothing but together—without sex—and Lisa wasn't sure how that was supposed to play out.

  "Coffee?" he asked, turning to the Keurig and pressing the on button.

  "Thank you."

  He turned back, looking at her under his brows as he brought his own cup of coffee up to his lips. She was fixated on his mouth, her pulse ratcheting up when she remembered what those lips had done to her just two days ago on the kitchen counter.

  "Did you have fun with Nell last night?"

  "Yes, I did. How about you? Good night with the boys?"

  He nodded, watching her like a predator stalking prey.

  She tried to busy herself putting a piece of toast into the toaster.

  "You need to eat more in the mornings," he told her, moving to the refrigerator.

  She looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

  "Protein. It's especially important in the mornings. Helps keep away blood sugar spikes. You know how you suddenly get really tired? Feel like you need a nap?"

  He took out a carton of eggs and some bacon, pulling a frying pan down from the pot rack that hung over the stovetop.

  "They teach you nutrition in the Army?" She was kind of snappish, but really, she didn't need him telling her what to eat.

  "Mmm," he murmured as he cracked the eggs in the pan and laid a couple of slices of bacon alongside.

  He shifted, moving quickly to box her in before she could move away. His thick forearms trapped her against the counter, as his head dipped to her neck while he placed slow, hot kisses up the length.

  "More protein will make you less prickly in the morning too," he whispered, making her shiver in delight.

  She gasped as his teeth found her earlobe. "I'm not prickly, you're just bossy."

  He chuckled, taking her bottom lip in his teeth and tugging gently. "Maybe you need a little bossing."

  "What would you tell me to do?" she whispered.

  He pulled away, his eyes dark with desire. Her heart raced, half in fear, half in anticipation.

  "Take your clothes off," he answered simply before reaching over to the stovetop, switching it off, then stepping back, putting no more than a few inches between them.

  She bit down on her lip, that rush of thrill coursing through her.

  He merely looked at her with a raised eyebrow, so she slowly reached down and lifted her tank top over her head, exposing her braless breasts. He licked his lips like a lion about to devour an antelope.

  She never broke his gaze as she unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied them off as well, kicking them across the kitchen floor along with her panties. Her skin felt raw and goosebumps broke out up and down her arms. But she didn't give in to the urge to cross them in front of her chest. She merely stood there, waiting for his next instruction. Wondering if it was something she'd be able to comply with or if he'd push beyond her boundaries. Then she wondered if she actually had any boundaries where this man was concerned.

  "Touch yourself," Jeff commanded quietly, because he didn't have to do it loudly. His training, along with his own innate authority, made him formidable no matter how softly he spoke. He was entirely in control of the room, and of her body.

  Both of her hands lifted to her breasts, but he stopped her. "One hand on your pussy—like you were in the shower when I found you fantasizing about me." His lip curled in pleasure. Her breath became heavier, coming in long hard puffs.

  She did as he instructed, cupping one breast while her other hand smoothed down her soft abdomen and in between her legs. She could see Jeff's erection outlined against his jeans now, his chest heaving with shallow breaths.

  Her eyes closed as she ran a finger across her clit, slick arousal spreading with the movement.

  "Eyes on me," he intoned, his voice gritty and deep.

  She looked at him directly and it was like sparks flew across the air between them.

  "You're so fucking hot," he rasped, his fists clenching at his sides. She moved her finger faster, playing with her breast with the other hand, her tongue running across her lips as if she had no control over it. "Slip it inside. Where it's nice and hot and tight."

  Again, she did as he said, groaning at the teasing pleasure. It was too much, but not enough. She wanted him.

  She shook her head, her hair falling forward as her head dipped and she watched him from under the cascade. "You'd feel better," she whispered.

  "Don't you worry, I'll take care of you, but you have to take care of yourself first. I like being able to see it—the look on your face when you're thinking about me, listening to my voice."

  She circled her clit again, languorously, eyes closing, her hips thrusting slightly in response.

  "I can't," she gasped.

  "Yes, you can," he answered. "Look at me."

  She did, and as her gaze traveled down from his eyes burning with desire, she saw he'd undone his jeans, and had his cock in his hand, stroking it up and down slowly.

  "You do this to me. Every time I see you, every time I think of you. I wake up aching. I go to bed aching."

  She took him in, standing there like some sort of golden god. He was trim, but muscled in all the right places, broad shoulders, narrow waist, that damn eight-pack. And his cock was swollen, the head shiny with arousal, his big hand pumping up and down the length like he had all damn day.

  "I want you to come," he commanded.

  And she did. The tension ratcheting up in a burst, the waves crashing over her like a tsunami of wicked pleasure and pain. She cried out, her voice sharp in the quiet of the kitchen, and then before she'd even had a chance to open her eyes or settle her breathing, he was there, wrapping his arms under her thighs, spinning them both until she was pressed against the refrigerator door.

  "I want you to come again," he whispered in her ear as he pushed in, first an inch, then a couple more, then all the way to his base.

  Lisa made a choking, gasping sound, his mass setting off a series of aftershocks that seemed as though they'd never end.

  "That's it," he coaxed as he began to pump in and out.

  Her arms were slung over his shoulders, and her nails scraped across his back as she sought purchase in the onslaught. He moved faster, hitting home harder, until his neck arched back and he growled like a warrior going into battle, grinding into her hard as he came, and she followed right behind him.

  When the world finally came back into focus, Jeff's head was on her shoulder, his breathing rough, as she stroked the abused skin on his back, softly kissing his neck and shoulder.

  "I'm afraid if we move I'll drop you and melt into the floor," he muttered with his mouth on her skin.

  She laughed. Jeff didn't say as much as some people, but what he did say was always worthwhile. Whether it was funny or sexy or sweet—he never wasted words on something unnecessary. She loved that about him.

  Her heart stopped as the word love drifted through her brain. No, no, no. Absolutely not.

  "I'm willing to take the risk," she told him. "I don't think my hips can stay in this position much longer."

  He slowly set her down, a warm smile on his face as he brushed a strand of hair from her eyes.

  No, she repeated in her head. No charming smiles. No warm, mushy feelings. This was an arrangement. He was only here with her to get a promotion, and odds were he'd be off to another deployment as soon as their year was up. Because soldiers left. And they were soldiers because they wanted that freedom. The freedom to keep moving—from place to place and woman to woman.

  So just NO.

 
"How about that breakfast now?" he asked, grinning as he did up his jeans.

  She had to get out of this fast. If she spent one more moment looking at his shirtless self and drowning in his heated gaze, she was going to fall over a cliff she couldn't come back from.

  "I'm going to go shower, actually," she said, not meeting his gaze. "If there's anything leftover I'll grab it later." She paused, scooping up her clothes from the floor and really wishing she had them on now. "Will you be ready to go to the tree lot in an hour?"

  He nodded, his brow wrinkled in confusion.

  "Ok, see you then."

  She bolted to her room, what little survival instinct she had left telling her she'd come oh so close to making a mistake that would last a lifetime. Falling in love with Jeff Thibedeux could ruin a girl forever. And Lisa had been ruined one too many times already.

  Jeff glanced at the woman next to him in the cab of his truck. He didn't know what had happened, but it was like a switch had gone off inside her after the kitchen sex. Had he pushed her too far with his demands and voyeurism? She'd been more than a little turned on, he knew this. But maybe some sort of guilt or shame had set in afterwards? She was so confident sexually, so alive and engaged, he couldn't imagine anything they'd done being off limits for her, but something was obviously wrong, something that related to their moment before breakfast.

  "You warm enough?" he asked her when they'd been on the road for about fifteen minutes.

  "Yeah, good, thanks," she answered, arms folded tightly in front of her.

  He nodded, falling back into silence. Damn.

  "So how does this Christmas tree cutting thing work?"

  She brightened up at that. He loved the way she got so excited over the Christmas stuff. It was fucking adorable.

  She shifted in her seat to face him. "First, we have to go to the main building and pay the fee, and we can get hot chocolate and gingerbread there."

  "Hot chocolate again, huh?" He smiled a touch.

  "Don't tell me you're tired of it after only once."

  "Not at all. I especially enjoyed the whipped cream." He looked at her heatedly, remembering the way the tip of her pink tongue swiped through all that fluffy sweet creamy goodness.

  She blushed, and his cock twitched in his jeans. He gave it a talking to in his mind. Given how she blew out of the kitchen this morning, further advances would not be welcome at this point.

  "Um..." She took a deep breath. "So, after that we can drive the farm until we find a tree we like, then we chop it down and take it home."

  That sounded easy enough. The day was mild, he had a beautiful woman at his side—even if she was upset with him about something—and he was getting hot chocolate. He might like the whole Christmas tree thing.

  Two hours later, Jeff stood holding a tape measure up as high as it would extend.

  "It's over ten feet," he said, just like he'd said at the last six trees they'd measured.

  The farm was set up with the oldest trees the farthest out. Lisa apparently had her heart set on one that would reach close to the peak of the vaulted ceiling of his living room. So they'd been meandering around the farthest lot for the last ninety minutes.

  He snapped the tape back down, turning to watch Lisa as she inspected the tree. His hot chocolate had run out forty-five minutes ago even though they'd purchased the thermos special. Now it was getting chillier, and the bacon and eggs he'd eaten earlier were running low, his stomach requesting a refueling.

  But Jeff had spent a hell of a lot more than a couple of hours waiting for something that seemed like it would never come. Waiting for terrorists to show themselves, waiting for commanders to make a decision, waiting for prisoners to break and give up information. He had infinite patience, so Lisa could screw with the trees as long as she wanted. He'd be here. Waiting to do whatever she needed him to.

  And damn if that wasn't metaphorical for what his life had become in such a short time. Days of waiting to do whatever Lisa needed. Yes, he had to admit, to himself at least, he'd crossed over into territory that told him he was developing some pretty strong feelings for this woman. Feelings that went beyond merely wanting her body. Feelings that went beyond their arrangement and dangerously close to real and deep.

  Dumbass, he thought, as he followed her to the next tree in her sights. A woman you stalked down and paid to marry you is hardly going to harbor real feelings for you. She hates soldiers, he reminded himself. You should count your blessings she was frustrated enough to agree to have sex with you. Anything beyond that was a total fantasy on his part. Brace up, soldier. She's not for you.

  But God, something inside him wished she was. Something inside him had sprung to life when he'd touched her the first time. Dreams of waking up beside her, fantasies of coming home to her at night, hopes of something real, not manufactured for a fucking promotion.

  He shouldn't be thinking these things.

  But he was.

  "What about this one?" He heard her call from where she'd wandered a few trees away.

  He walked over, looking up at the monster she'd found. It was a Scots Pine, fluffy and symmetrical, soaring a good twelve feet in the air, and with a circumference of probably eight feet at the bottom. He couldn't help but chuckle. Of course this was going to end up being the one she wanted.

  "I think it's big," he said as he examined it, his mind already calculating what he'd need to do to chop the fucker down.

  "Should we measure it? I mean, it looks tall enough, but—"

  "It's more than tall enough. Might have to lob a little off the top once it's home."

  She nodded, her eyes sparkling. She walked around it a bit, then came back. "It doesn't have any thin places or uneven spots like the others we've seen." Part of Lisa's plan for the tree was to put it in the dead center of the living room where it would be seen on all sides. This part of the equation had been a sticking point as most trees, like most people, weren't perfect.

  Jeff had refrained from making the suggestion they just put the tree against a wall where any flaws could be hidden. While he'd be fine with that, he knew Lisa had been waiting years for this—a Christmas where she had carte blanch to go big—and he wanted her to get her every desire.

  "It's about as close to perfect as I think you're going to find," Jeff agreed.

  She smiled at him and his whole world exploded. The pure joy—innocent, selfless joy—that emanated from her was game changing. Life altering. It was as if thirty-seven years of living had all been for this one moment, to see this one woman purely, unabashedly happy.

  "I know it's going to be hard to get down..."

  He smiled softly, his poor lonely heart almost overflowing with all the things it was feeling.

  "It's no problem. If this is the one you want, then it's the one we'll get."

  She squeaked in excitement and threw her arms around him, bouncing on her toes. "Thank you! Thank you!" she said, giving him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. She pulled away, clapping her hands together. "I never dreamed I'd have a tree this beautiful. I'll need to get more ornaments and lights, this is the biggest tree I've ever seen."

  Jeff smiled, his insides warmer than any hot chocolate could ever make them. As he walked back to the truck to get his tools, he realized today was his Christmas. Because he'd never get a gift greater than making one small school teacher sublimely happy.

  Chapter 13

  The party was going off without a hitch, but Lisa was still nervous as she watched Jeff in deep discussion with his boss, General Armstrong.

  "Are they planning something top secret?" Nell whispered in Lisa's ear as she handed her a glass of champagne.

  "I have no idea," Lisa answered, taking a sip while never letting her eyes leave the two men. The General was a distinguished-looking man, early sixties, still in fit fighting shape. A "silver fox" as Nell had described him. But he couldn't hold a candle to the man standing next to him. There was just something about Jeff. The saying still waters run deep se
emed so apt.

  "I think the party's gone well, don't you?" Nell asked, glancing around the room at the various clusters of people talking and eating the hors d'oeuvres Lisa had painstakingly chosen with the caterer.

  Lisa snapped her gaze from her husband. It made her nervous to see the General talking to him so seriously at what was supposed to be a fun event. She'd worked closely with Jeff's secretary to ensure everything was done according to the expectations of the high ranking military who would be attending, but what if she'd gotten something wrong? Made some faux pas that embarrassed Jeff?

  "I hope so," she murmured, taking another drink of her champagne.

  "The place looks gorgeous," Nell added. "And the food is perfect, there's plenty of it. I really can't imagine what else you could have done to make this whole thing a success. Your mom has even been keeping that mean old retired General in the corner laughing."

  Lisa had to grin at that one. "He is a grumpy one, isn't he?"

  "Not once your mom turned on the charm. I think he has a crush."

  "He's old enough to be her father."

  Nell smirked. "So maybe it's a fatherly crush."

  Both women stared at each other for a moment before bursting into giggles.

  "What's so funny over here?" Jeff asked as he sidled up to Lisa and put an arm around her waist before taking a sip of his scotch. She knew it was just for show, but damn she liked the feel of his warm weight across her back and hips.

  "Just girl talk," Lisa said, reaching up without thinking to wipe a drop of the scotch off the corner of his lips, his tongue darting out to take the liquid off her skin. Nell smirked and Lisa tried to ignore her as heat warmed her in places best left unwarm in public. "What were you and the General so serious about over there?"

  "Something I need to speak with you about, actually." He turned to Nell. "Can you excuse us for just a moment?"

  "Of course," Nell answered. "I think I'm going to go help that charming bartender to my phone number." She sashayed off toward the bar that was set up in the corner.