Love Runs Deep

by Gail Chianese

  Looking down at their clasped hands, she realized she didn’t want to win this discussion. It felt right being with Kyle. She didn’t know how long it would last, a week, a month, a year, or longer. She found she didn’t care. Marriage wasn’t something she was after, not that she had anything against it, and imagined someday she’d be ready to take that step. It had just never been a life goal. That didn’t mean she wanted to hop from one guy to the next either. She liked relationships that lasted, liked the rush of a new attraction, but also the comfort that came with being with someone you knew.

  She also liked the times when she was on her own. They gave her the opportunity to explore what was going on in her own head without the influence of hormones or another person, because both could really screw with a person’s thoughts. Time on her own gave her the chance to grow and to experiment and to heal and be open for what life brought to her.

  Like Kyle.

  He’d been a pleasant surprise and she wasn’t ready to let him go.

  She worried her bottom lip, biting down on it as a thought crossed her mind. “Won’t it seem odd? Us hooking up so soon after you leaving the boat?”

  “Not really. We’re both single. I was your sponsor, which meant we spent a lot of time together. We found out we liked each other. We waited until I transferred and then I asked you out.” He brought their hands to his mouth and kissed hers.

  It sounded like he’d put a lot of thought into the two of them while she’d been gone. All of her defenses came crashing down as she looked at this man before her, who put so many others before himself and took care of everyone else around him. He tried to ease her worries, yet he had his own problems to deal with, ones she had a feeling were going to wreak havoc with his well-ordered life, and he’d need a rock of his own to lean on.

  “If you’re not comfortable going public with our relationship for now, we can keep it under wraps. Or if you just want to be friends, we’ll be friends. Either way, I’m here for you when and how you need me.”

  There was a loud, internal crash as the last defense she had went tumbling down. The man knew just what to say and when. She let go of his hands. He closed his eyes and his face went slack. She reached down to grab the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head. His eyes were wide open as she dropped the shirt on the floor and reached behind her back to unclasp her bra and let it drop. For a split second his chest didn’t move and she wondered if she had given him a heart attack, but then the corners of his lips lifted as his eyes locked on her breasts.

  He ran his tongue across his bottom lip and she laughed.

  “You know if you’re still hungry I think there was mention of peanut butter cookies.” She scraped her nails down his bare chest.

  “Not what I’m hungry for. Now come here because I’ve taken so many cold showers I should get a second or third Blue Nose certificate.” He leaned forward, caught her nipple with his soft lips and grazed it with his teeth before his tongue did a slow sweep around and over bringing it to tight bud.

  “Yes,” Nic moaned as she slid her hands to the back of his head pressing him closer.

  He switched sides and her head dropped back as another moan escaped.

  Uncontrollable sensations swept her away, replacing thought and logic with pure emotions and instinct. The time for talking had ended and the last thing she wanted to do was examine her emotions. Right then and there, she wanted to feel, to lose herself, to escape.

  He released his hold on her nipple and trailed kisses up the long column of her neck, over silky soft skin. They’d come together so quickly their first time. He wanted to take his time tonight to give her hours of pleasure, to explore and learn and taste ever inch of her, to drive her as crazily out of control as she’d done to him.

  He kissed the underside of her jaw, while his thumbs traced lazy circles around her beaded nipples until she moaned his name. It came out as a half-protest, half-plea.

  He nipped her lower lip. “Tell me what you want,” he demanded.

  “More.” She sat forward pushing her breast into his hand and nipped his mouth in return before turning it into a kiss that practically set the room on fire. His dick strained against the soft cotton of his sweat pants and Nic wiggled closer pulling a groan from him. A few more minutes of this and he’d wouldn’t last.

  Sliding his hands down he cupped her ass and pulled her in tight as he stood. Automatically she wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her into the bedroom. Carefully he laid her on the bed and Nic reached out for the waistband of his sweats, but he grabbed her hand and stopped her.

  “Ladies first.”

  He kissed her on the forehead, then each eye, and the corners of her mouth before laying claim to her full lips. What had started out as a need to satisfy a basic urge had turned into something more.

  Something he couldn’t explain, but that something had taken over and he knew this was more than just sex.

  He should know; he’d been with enough women to know the difference. Not that he’d call himself a man whore. More like a connoisseur of the fairer sex. After all, what was there not to like about women and all their soft, wonderful curves, especially when they were pressed up against him?

  But with Nic it was more than a physical reaction. If she had asked to keep their relationship in the friend zone he would have agreed. He’d miss this part, but he’d have made the sacrifice for her. She whispered his name and he gave thanks to the Fates for having mercy on him.

  He continued his exploration of her body, taking his time, loving how she called out his name, pleading for him to end his torment. He pinched her nipples and she arched her back and called out “Yes.” She was so responsive to his touch. His tongue circled her bellybutton and she squirmed. As his hands unbuttoned her jeans and slowly slid the zipper down, he trailed feather light kisses along her abdomen leading to her hipbone and she suppressed a laugh.

  So his girl was ticklish? Good to know.

  Hooking his thumbs into the loops on her pants he inched the jeans down, taking her silk panties with her. She lifted her butt to give him easier access and he pressed a kiss to her pelvic bone.

  “Kyle, you’re killing me here.”

  “We’ve got all night.”

  “No, you’ve got all night. I’ve got duty in a couple of hours.”

  “Damn.”

  He slid his finger between her slick folds and smiled. He stroked and caressed, gently circling her clit before slipping it deep inside of her as she moaned his name. His mouth joined in next. Slowly, his tongue circled and then flicked her clit before grazing his teeth across her. She cried out and raised her hips, pressing closer. He repeated the process, never stopping the slow and steady in and out rhythm of his fingers. With each stroke, each pass, her breathing sped up. Her fingernails dug into Kyle’s shoulders as the climax hit her and she whispered his name.

  Her hips dropped back to the bed and Kyle placed a kiss in the middle of her stomach as he reached over to the nightstand drawer to pull out a condom. While she caught her breath, he rolled it on. Nic lay sprawled across his bed, arms flung out, eyes closed, chest heaving with a serene smile. He kissed her again, this time on her right rib cage and then the left before planting one in between her beautiful breasts. Nic wrapped her arms around his head and held him.

  “Wow. Thank you. That was amazing.” She released her hold and let him look up at her. “Is it my turn to return the favor?”

  “Nope, I’m not done with you yet.”

  She arched her brow and the smile grew.

  He positioned himself over her, holding himself up on his elbows. Slowly he entered her and felt her muscles clamp tight.

  “Omigawd, that feels incredible,” she moaned.

  “I haven’t even started. I’m going to fuck you six ways to dawn tonight. Slow, fast, rough. Whatever it takes to hear you scream my name.”

  Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened and she gave him a little
nod.

  He inched his way in and then slowly withdrew, taking his cues from her body language and facial expressions. After a few minutes, she shifted, bringing him deeper.

  That was the clue he’d been waiting for. He hooked her knee over his arm and brought it up to her chest, opening her wider, giving him deeper access and drove in hard. Bodies slapped against bodies. He pulled back and slammed in again and again until Nic was panting and begging, little broken pleas of “yes, more, please” tumbling from her lips.

  “Fuck,” he growled. He was so close to coming and there was no way he was going before she came again. He bent his head forward and grazed her nipple with his teeth before sucking it into his mouth.

  The muscles around his dick contracted and Nic cried out his name as the orgasm hit her and she dug her short nails into his back.

  He’d hate to have broken a promise and not have given her multiple orgasms. But then again, he’d promised her a record and two definitely wasn’t it. He shifted and let go of her leg.

  “Hold your leg for me.”

  As she did as instructed, he reached down, circled her clit with his thumb and then pinched it, all the while driving into her as fast and hard as he dared. This time when her contraction clamped down on him, he knew he couldn’t hold out. He gave one last thrust and exploded. He held still as he called out her name before collapsing half on top of Nic. At least he’d had enough brain cells functioning to try not to squash her.

  Nic wrapped her arms around him.

  Together they lay, both breathing hard, neither making any attempt to move.

  Not that he thought he could even if wanted to, and that was the thing, he really didn’t want to move. He wanted to wrap Nic up in his arms and keep her there.

  Maybe even forever.

  Damn. Fuck. Double Damn.

  He was in uncharted waters with no rescue in sight.

  Chapter Eleven

  The past couple of days had zipped by and he hadn’t had more than a three-minute conversation with Nic. He couldn’t remember what they’d talked about—something work related, as there had been eight other officers in the room with them—but he remembered the way she said his name and the way his dick sat up and paid attention. That had been yesterday, his last day on the boat. He’d spent all of today running around checking into his new command before making the quick drive to the Providence airport where he sat and waited for his brother’s plane.

  He kicked back at a table in the Starbucks café. It was situated in the middle of baggage claim, at the bottom of the stairs that every arriving passenger had to descend. Which meant he had zero chance of missing his baby brother.

  The display screen on the column across from him announced Keith’s flight had been delayed. No big. Hurry up and wait was standard operating procedure in the military. If you showed up on time and were seen right away…shit was about to get real. So he didn’t mind the delay. Besides, it gave him time to enjoy his caramel macchiato in peace.

  People came in waves down the stairs and escalators as flights landed. Grandparents, parents, kids, loved ones ran to greet each other with laughing smiles and welcoming hugs.

  Yeah, he so didn’t see that happening for him.

  He’d probably get the finger.

  According to their mom, baby bro only got on the plane when she’d pulled the bad heart card on him. For not being Catholic or Jewish, Bonnie Hutchinson had guilt down to an art form. Kyle had his doubts on how well this would work. He was practically a stranger to his brothers. They’d been eight when he’d left for college; from there he’d gone straight into the Navy with only a quick trip home once every couple of years. There was no reason why Keith would listen to a damn thing he said to him, except maybe he didn’t want to end up in a cell next his twin. Kyle had agreed to do what he could to make sure that didn’t happen because yeah, he carried his own guilt at not being there to help guide his brothers and keep them away from scum like Woody.

  His phone pinged and he looked down and read the text from Mace:

  What the heck? I return from leave and find out you transferred. What gives? Nic?

  Family stuff, he texted back. At PVD picking up baby bro now. Will fill you in tomorrow over a slice. How’s Amber?

  Prego and grumpy.

  Yours?

  Honestly? Don’t know. Fill you in at lunch. Hug the mini-me.

  Yeah, right. Hug his brothers? Only if he wanted to get punched. He read the message again. Crap. He couldn’t imagine having a pregnant wife, never mind not knowing if it was his or not.

  Another wave of passengers swarmed the escalators and Kyle searched the crowd for a familiar face. According to the status screen, the flight had landed. He waited patiently as the crowd thinned to couples every minute or two, to a straggler here and there.

  What the hell? Did he parachute out of the plane over Pennsylvania? Just as Kyle picked up his phone to call, his brother appeared. With a backpack slung over his shoulder, ratty jeans, a disheveled T-shirt and hair, along with an attitude that said screw you he sauntered over to Kyle. Keith stopped in front of him, removed the top from the bottle of soda he held and took a long gulp, then burped in Kyle’s face.

  Nice.

  Why again did he agree to this?

  Oh yeah, that guilt thing.

  “Bags?” Kyle asked.

  Keith held up his backpack and Kyle lifted his brow in question. Not much to live on, but then that didn’t really surprise him. “Okay, let’s go.”

  The walk to the car took all of four minutes and within ten they were on the interstate and on the way home. As soon as they’d gotten in the car Keith had slouched down in his seat, stuck in his earbuds, and closed his eyes.

  Fine. He got it. The kid was pissed off at the world. No one asked him what he wanted to do, they’d just told him he to leave. At least Kyle had left of his own choosing, but he’d met plenty of kids over the years who’d ended up in the Navy because they’d had no other place to go, didn’t want to live in their car/cardboard box or had gotten tired of doing so.

  The drive home passed quickly, the route a straight shot down the interstate, and he nudged Keith awake before slipping out of his baby—a black Charger, fully loaded.

  “Holy shit.” Kyle said and turned to look back at his car.

  Keith stood with his hand on the top of the car door, looking at him.

  “What?”

  Shaking his head, Kyle turned around and strode for the apartment. Telling the kid it had just hit him that he’d have to loan his pride and joy to the last person, well, one of the top five people he least trusted on the planet, wasn’t the best way to start things off. Kyle unlocked the door, pocketed the keys and caught the princess as she launched off the back of the chair into his arms.

  Keith sneered at him. “A cat?”

  “So?” Kyle walked into the kitchen and dumped a handful of kibble into her dish before depositing her on the floor. He grabbed a beer and flipped the cap into the trash.

  Keith stood in the same place, a bored expression on his face with his backpack slung over his shoulder. Kyle pointed out where everything was, including Keith’s room, but stopped him before he had a chance to escape.

  “We need to talk.” Kyle sat on the edge of the chair, hoping to diffuse the tension in the air. “Set some ground rules.”

  “I’m twenty.”

  “I know.” Not that Keith’s sneer or attitude backed his words. “I was there the day they brought you two home. Kind of hard to forget.”

  “Could have fooled me.” Keith shifted from one foot to the next while he fiddled with the earbuds to his iPod.

  “Who do you think changed your diapers? Taught you to read and ride a bike and hook a fish?” Kyle blew out a breath and counted to ten. “Look, I’m sorry.”

  “Whatever. Can I go to bed? My flight left at the ass crack of dawn.”

  “Keith.” He put a hand out to stop him. “I
should have come home more, should have called you and Kenny more… I should have been there for you. I’m sorry I wasn’t, but I am now and if this is going to work you’ve got to follow my rules.”

  “Fine. Just tell me what they are.” The kid flung the backpack on the couch and dropped down to the arm.

  Princess PITA took that opportunity to jump up into Keith’s lap. The kid looked down as the cat kneaded his legs before settling in. Interesting. She generally only deemed a human good enough to associate with after they’d fed her. For a minute, Kyle thought Keith would give her the old heave-ho, but instead his brother lightly ran his hand down the spoiled cat’s back.

  “Look, are you hungry? I could order a pizza.” At the go-to-hell look he received, Kyle gave up trying to play host.

  “It’s simple. Stay out of trouble. I’m not your maid. Pick up after yourself.”

  “And?”

  “If you have to borrow my car, you ask first and if you so much as even get a scratch on it, you better be bleeding and it better be the other guy’s fault.”

  Keith’s hand hesitated in petting the cat at the same time he snorted a laugh of disdain. “Nice to know you care. Don’t worry about your precious car. I’d rather walk.” The cat let out a roar of displeasure at being ignored. “Demanding, aren’t you?”

  At least they could agree on something, even if was a pain-in-the-ass cat.

  Keith shoved his iPod into his pocket and continued with his feline worshipping duties. He refused to make eye contact. “This wasn’t my idea, you know.”

  Kyle took a sip of the beer he’d been holding. It had started to grow warm but at least it wet his throat and gave him a few minutes to rein his temper in. As a Navy officer he dealt with kids like Keith, who felt like they were misunderstood, invisible, that no one listened to them, like they weren’t important, all the time.

  “Mom and I felt it best for you to get away, put some distance between you and the guy Kenny was working for.”