by Amy Brent
She deserved it, deserved more than this. He looked down at her, still curled up next to him. She had changed him, made him better in a matter of days. He had never lost control of anything and yet here he was with a woman curled up in his bed, something he never did. What’s worse is that he wanted her there, liked her there. She ran a finger down over her face as he watched her sleep. What was he going to do when the time was over, how could he let her go now?
Sleep came eventually for him, and he never felt better the next morning. As she slept, he made coffee, waiting for her to come join him. He wasn’t sure what would happen, but he would tell her truth today, before anything happened to change her mind about him. He glanced at his watch and decided to run over to the other office to get some paperwork, so that he could show her everything. He smiled as he left.
Megan
She felt him slide into bed with her, slipping an arm under her body and pulling her closer to him. She smiled to herself as she reflected sleepily, but the night before. She should have gone to her own room, but instead she had stayed here with him. She felt the heat of him against her, and she curled up into him. As she did, she felt his hands slide up her hips and rest there.
“You are a curvy one aren’t you?” He whispered against her ear.
Her eyes fluttered open and she frowned. Something wasn’t right, not at all. She felt his grip tighten as he held her there when she tried to move. Panic set in as she couldn’t move, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Eventually he laughed and let her go, watching her scramble to stand beside the bed, taking a sheet with her.
“Roman?” He wasn’t himself, not even a little. There was something different about him, his eyes a little more sinister, with his gaze leering at her.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am Roman. What game are you playing with my brother lady, and what the hell are you getting out of it?”
As the day went on Megan piled her things into her car and wasn’t able to relax until she was far from the hotel for good. It wasn’t until she was on the highway that she let the tears fall, her heart in pieces. Roman… or Nicolai had lied to her, had made her believe something, and then played with her emotions… and her body. She left right after Romans explanation, right after her heart had shattered. She didn’t want the money anymore, didn’t want anything but to go home where she belonged.
She climbed the stairs to her apartment and sighed as she fell onto her bed finally. Nothing could take away from what they had, but she would have to work hard to forget all about him if she ever wanted to move on. She fell back into her routine, calling work and getting herself back on schedule at the diner. The routine fell into place and after three days she finally was able to go to bed without crying at night.
She glanced around the diner, taking in the two customers left to care for before her shift ended at 11pm. The door chimed letting in another one and she made her way over to take his order. She never even looked at him until he didn’t respond. He looked up at her, and she felt ice, pour over her. She spun around to leave, but he followed her.
“Megan. Please. Just let me explain.” He grabbed her hand in his stopping her.
“You don’t have to explain Nicolai, Roman filled me in on what you were up to.”
“I’m sure he did, but I also know he didn’t tell you everything. Just give me five minutes.”
She looked at him, obviously hurting and she relented. They sat in a booth and he told her everything. She waited, watching him as he spoke, missing his touch more and more with every word.
“I’m sorry Megan, for everything that led up to making love to you. That I’m not sorry for.”
He gave her a once over, and then glanced around the room. “You don’t belong here anymore, Megan, I never gave you the money and the necklace was for you. Not for the part you were playing, but from me to you. Why didn’t you care enough to let me explain?”
She felt anger rise up, though she tried not to let it show. “I left because I woke up to feeling your brother groping me. He pretended to be you. Then he told me everything. What was I supposed to do?”
“Son of a…” He grabbed her hand pulling her behind him.
“Where are we going?” She felt herself being pulled outside and into his car.
“First, we are going to get back to my rooms, where I will then proceed to kill my asinine brother for touching you. Then we are going to have some people go pack your stuff away from that shabby place you live that terrified even me. He pulled the ring she had once worn and slipped it back on her finger.
“Wait, I am not playing the game anymore. It’s over Nicolai, Roman won’t stand for it. I did my best, but just take me home.” She glanced out the window, wiping furiously at the tears that seemed to slip from her eyes despite her efforts to hold them at bay.
He moved to sit next to her, holding her hand in his as he pushed the ring back up. “I don’t want to play a game Megan. I want you to marry me. I want to love you and I want to be with you.” He whispered it and stared into her eyes as he spoke the words.
“Really?” She let the tears fall freely now.
“I swore to never get married, but you have changed me Megan, and after I came back and you were gone I almost lost my mind I was so scared. I even had to contact the agency that hired you to get your personal address.”
She giggled then, and smiled as he kissed her deeply.
“I love you Megan.”
“I love you too Roman… err, well”
He pulled her close. “Not funny young lady, not funny at all.” But he said it with a smile.
*****THE END*****
SEALED BY DESIRE
CHAPTER 1
Blake
When I stormed out of the office, I was still livid at my commanding officers. I knew that I had left in a rush of anger and emotions, but they probably expected that.
They wanted me to get some therapy. Therapy? Me? I was a Navy Seal and was taught to handle situations on my own. I didn’t ask for help. Working was everything to me, and it was bad enough that I was home in Maryland now due to an atrocious mess that happened back in Afghanistan. Sure, it was great to take my bike around on rides here and there, but I had been home for two weeks now. I was starting to get restless.
I found the shiny Harley in the parking lot and started the engine with a roar before I veered out into the street.
The accident still played through my mind. Accident wasn’t even the proper word. We were out in a small village over there in Afghanistan looking for a missing soldier and practicing the same safe techniques that we always did. It was supposed to be quick and thorough and quite honestly, something we did a lot.
I loved being a Seal. I knew back in Senior year in high school that I wanted to join the military and get out there. I wanted to derive my country as the other men in my family had done and do it well, just as they had. I chose the Navy with the hopes that I would be selected to train as a Seal, and I was just after I finished boot camp.
That was ten years ago, and I had never looked back, even though I was thrown off a little. Just a little and not needing therapy like they suggested back there. Fucking therapy. That was for really crazy people, and I had never made a move like that in my life. I lived very methodically, and all of my training was always in my mind, and I lived my life by all of those rules since joining the Navy. Hell, even before that I had a plan for my life watching my grandfather work his way through twenty years as well as my father in the Navy.
I remembered my mother accepting that is what her husband chose, and she did a great job raising me. I also knew that she was lonely a lot despite having my brother and me around, as well as visiting with other military wives on the various bases that we lived on over the years. I had made a pact that I wouldn’t do that to a woman, that I would just focus on my job and the chaos that I would be surrounded by. There wasn’t room for a wife and a family in my life plan. I spent the night with a girl every so often to get my growing
needs met and feel the warmth of a body, but they never stuck after the evening was over. They barely stayed the night most of the time.
I saw one of the most popular bars that the guys frequented and pulled into the lot to park by the door. I needed some bourbon to clear my head so I could argue with my bosses tomorrow and not be angry and uncommunicative as I had been today. It might be a good night to find a woman and work out some of my frustrations on her. That would do the trick.
I remembered the incident as I started to walk through the thick door. We were in the middle of our search around the village when suddenly I saw movement up ahead, and shots were fired. I dropped to the ground while preparing my gun to shoot back and watched as several others joined me behind the small hill and did the same.
It was a mess of gunfire and voices as we responded to the attack and ended up killing off the group of men that had opened fire first. Once it was all said and done, we stood up and took a good look around. First, we made sure that all threats seemed to be down, and then I trudged around to see who didn’t get up with us to do the same.
I found seven men down and checked pulses as I moved along. It killed me as I had to do this but my training told me to keep calm and pay attention to my surroundings.
The newest guy on our team was first, just a young twenty-year-old. His head was blown open, and I choked down my anger as I looked at him and contained it within my body.
The others helped me, and I heard someone call my name as I left one of the older men dead on the ground of a gunshot to the chest. “Brandon?”
“Yeah?” I asked as I glanced over to see my Lieutenant Commander James looking at me with an intense gaze and I frowned.
“Come over here.” His voice was sad as he spoke and I took a substantial step forward. I knew that I hadn’t heard Roger’s voice in this madness, and I prayed silently for my best friend to be alive. If anything, I wanted my best friend since grade school to be one of the ones that didn’t make it.
I found myself at the bar as I blinked and was forced back into the present. I slid into the nearest barstool and rested my hands on the smooth wood as I took a deep breath, “What can I get for you?” Matt asked me with a grin as I stared back at him. He was well-known by all of us, but I couldn’t make myself smile back.
“The best bourbon you have,” I said as he raised an eyebrow and nodded. “I’m on a break, man. I’m not working today.”
“Coming right up.” He turned and got a thick glass and reached up to get the nearly full bottle on the shelf as I became lost in my thoughts again.
We had all come back from the mission immediately, though I didn’t remember most of the last two weeks since I saw Roger’s broken body on the ground. I was home recovering from the mild bumps and bruises that I had received and the loss of Roger as well as the other men on my team. We spent so much time together that they were all like family to me. My commanding officers were looking into the details of the attack and giving us all a breather, but that also meant that I had a series of funerals to attend.
They were all awful, but Roger’s would be forever in my mind. I could still see his parents weeping in the front row with his two younger brothers and older sister staring stoically at the pristine white coffin with the flag covering it. A picture of him looked at all of us mourning his loss as I felt tears slide down my cheeks. My parents sat beside me as Mom wept and Dad comforted her with his arm around her tightly while I sat still and silent.
His wife sat across the row from his family with her three kids as she clutched a tissue in her hands. Her parents were sitting with all of them for support, the kind I should be giving her instead of hiding in this row like a stranger I glanced at her for a moment as she bent her head forward to cry harder. I didn’t need to see her swollen stomach to be reminded that their newest daughter would never meet her father now. His wife would be raising her alone along with her other children, apart from any help from her family, as well as Roger’s. It just would never be her Dad.
I would never have a family that way, one that I might only ultimately abandon in my job. I couldn’t live with the idea.
I slammed down the drink and took a deep breath as I signaled for another. Matt gave me a long look but brought the bottle over to refill my glass. I liked a man that sensed my need, and I drank that one back as well.
The words of my mentor Michael rang through my ears as I let the alcohol slide down my throat. He had always assured me to do the job the way that I knew I could and that bad things would happen along the way. Losing him five years ago in his mission had hit me hard but his words filled me with strength, and I just hoped that they could now.
I was aware that someone was sitting next to me at the crowded bar, and I glanced over as I signaled Matt over. It was a woman, curvy and exotic looking with olive skin and big green eyes and I felt my body instantly react to her. She was beautiful with her features and that full mouth that could make me forget all of my troubles, and I grinned at Matt as he looked at the both of us.
“I’m drinking bourbon. What would you like?” When she asked for the same, I felt my cock harden in my pants as desire surged through my body. Fuck therapy, I just need this woman in my bed tonight.
CHAPTER 2
Aspen
What a day it had been. I pulled up to the bar as I thought about how many patients I told not to drink to deal with their issues on a daily basis. Screw it. Talking a soldier through the killing of several children, enemies or not, made for a very emotional burden on my shoulders that I needed to release somehow. What a last meeting before I came here to start a new job.
Screw it.
I had stopped at my new home for my Harley since I wanted the power and the growl of the engine for a stress-relieving ride that would be perfect ending here. My big Tahoe had been ideal for all of my belongings that came with me, as well as my two dogs, but I needed some me time after the day long drive and the little bit of unloading I had done.
Parking around the corner from the bar a bit, since it was so crowded, I noticed that there was a shiny black bike similar to mine parked in the same area. It was beautiful, and I compared it to my gray one with a smile. I wondered if the owner was as hot as the bike but that was not what I was here for. I just needed a drink or two and then a good night’s sleep. I ran a hand through my thick brown hair after I removed my helmet from my head and sauntered through the door into the crowded room. My eyes searched for a spot as I nibbled on my pink lip, and then I smiled as I saw a seat right at the bar. Perfect.
I walked through the men and women with one focus in mind. I could feel the eyes on me, but that was nothing new at a military bar. I have had every pickup line used on me over the last several years that I had been working with the Navy, but I didn’t mix business with pleasure, for the most part. There was the rare example when I did go for something when it felt right.
That was just easier to do away from the military base.
I saw the man that was sitting beside me look at me with a lingering gaze as I fought the urge to roll my eyes. When he told me what he was drinking, and it turned out to be what I was already ordering, I smiled at Matt and nodded. A fresh drink was placed in front of me while Matt filled the glass in front of my new drinking buddy and I assumed that I would have to catch up a bit. No worries.
We chatted lightly about the base and the town surrounding it as we drank shot after shot. He was undoubtedly feeling it, and I was starting to get a real buzz as I looked him over.
He was a sexy guy with a finely chiseled torso under his fitted black t-shirt and cropped black hair. His eyes were a brilliant blue, and he oozed confidence as he started to lay on the charm on thick while turning to face me after he drank one more shot. Sexy…no, he was gorgeous.
He met my eyes boldly as he asked my name but I shook my head with a mysterious smile. Names weren’t needed for this night and this fantasy so I wasn’t giving mine up. I watched as he leaned closer and talked about bein
g a Seal with pride that lit up the room, even though I sensed something more underneath the surface.
I told myself to stop working as I ordered another drink and watched as our burgers were placed before us. We dug in as we slowed down on the drinks for a minute but the flirting didn’t stop. I found myself responding to his throaty tone and heated gazes with my own and I felt my thighs heat up as I pressed them against the stool to relieve the pressure on my clit. My lace panties dampened with the movement, and I looked at his face as he gave me a hooded look as I licked my lips. I wanted this man, and my entire body was feeling the effect of his seductive attitude.
We finished our burgers and had one more drink together as I felt his leg pressing against my thigh. We could not stop looking at each other, and I sipped the drink to slow down the time before I left.
I had a moment where I thought back to the heartbreaking loss of my father when he was working as a Seal as well as my brother Terry. They had both been all about their jobs and had the same pride that this man had, and sadness filled me as I looked at the floor for a moment. My remaining four brothers and mother were having a hard time moving on though they all assured me that I needed to follow my dreams of becoming a psychologist. I decided to focus on military PT SD just because I knew the hell that they went through. I also respected the people that had helped my family through our pain.
This man was not my father or brother. This man wanted me as much as I wanted him and I forced my gaze back to his eyes. “Are you okay?” He leaned close and asked me as he nearly brushed his lips against mine. I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and my breath came out in a short hiss.
“I'm all right,” I whispered as he moved forward just enough to press his lips against mine.
“That you are,” he told me as he pulled away. “Do you want to get out of here?”