Hot SEAL

by Lynn Raye Harris

  Sweat beaded on her skin, and her limbs were boneless. She lay on the bed, her body zinging with sparks, and thanked the heavens that she’d asked him to come to her room. Maybe it wasn’t wise with their history, but considering the long drought in her sex life, it was the best idea she’d ever had.

  Until morning, of course.

  “Maybe I should take this slower, but that’s not going to happen,” Dane said, crawling up her body and positioning himself between her legs. “I need you too much, Ivy.”

  Then he plunged inside her and her body came alive once more.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Dane ignored the voice in his head that told him this was probably not the best idea he’d ever had. Who could pay attention to a chiding voice when it felt so fucking fantastic not to?

  Whatever the consequences, he’d pay them tomorrow.

  He was buried inside his ex-wife, her taste still on his tongue, her legs wrapped around him, and he couldn’t think of another damned thing except what it felt like to move his hips and pull out of her before slamming back inside her again.

  She gasped, but he knew it wasn’t from anything other than the deepest pleasure. He knew Ivy. Still knew her body better than he thought he would. Still knew what made her come unglued.

  He fisted his hands in her hair and tilted her face up so he could kiss her. She met his mouth eagerly, her tongue rolling against his. He lifted his hips and plunged into her again and again.

  Her pussy gripped him tight, her walls slick and hot and wonderful. He loved being inside her, loved the way his balls tightened and tingled as he rocked into her.

  He’d fucked other women since their divorce, but it hadn’t felt like this. Why hadn’t it felt like this?

  Stop thinking, dude.

  But he couldn’t, not really. Oh, he could shove the thinking part of his brain to the back and enjoy the physical, but deep inside he wanted to know why it didn’t feel this good with anyone else. Why it never had.

  From the moment he’d seen Ivy in that bar over five years ago, nothing had ever been the same. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, but he’d known he had to have her. And then he’d known he had to keep her.

  Life didn’t always work out the way you intended though.

  Ivy arched and writhed beneath him, her body a beautiful instrument of pleasure.

  He wanted it to last this time, and he was already dangerously close to coming.

  He pulled out of her as she cried out, then urged her onto her hands and knees. She looked at him over her shoulder, and he thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life—Ivy’s sensual eyes watching him, her wet lips parted slightly, her naked skin gleaming in the moonlight streaming in the windows, and her glistening pussy beckoning him inside.

  “Don’t stop, Dane.”

  “I’m not stopping.” He put his knees on the outside of hers and put her legs together. Then he positioned his cock and glided inside her welcoming body.

  Like that, she was incredibly tight. She moaned and dropped her head to the pillow. Her fists gathered handfuls of the sheets.

  “Is it too much?” he asked as sweat beaded on his forehead.

  “Yes—no—oh, God.”

  Alarm rolled through him. “Ivy, am I hurting you?”

  “Not like this, no.”

  When he hesitated, she reached around and cupped his balls. “Fuck me, Dane. I need you to fuck me.”

  He held her hips and plunged into her body again and again. He had no idea what it felt like for her, but if it was half as good as it was for him, it had to be pretty fucking incredible.

  “Yes, oh yes,” she cried as he pumped harder into her.

  He reached around and stroked his index finger over her clit and she stiffened. Then she bucked against him and he knew she was about to explode.

  He wanted to go with her. He let loose the tight rein he had on his control and stroked her harder even as he moved faster inside her. The walls of her pussy tightened, and the tingling in the base of his spine grew stronger.

  And then he lost it. He shot himself deep inside her, his cock swelling even as her walls gripped him hard.

  Ivy moaned his name as she came, her body stiffening for a long moment before going limp beneath him. He let her down easy, coming down on top of her, his cock still buried inside her.

  She was breathing hard, and so was he. He shifted his weight so he wouldn’t crush her into the mattress. Then he dipped his head to her shoulder and tasted the warmth of her skin and the saltiness of her sweat. His heart swelled with feelings he’d thought long buried. The intensity of it nearly choked him. He told himself it was only a temporary resurgence based on nostalgia and great sex. He didn’t suddenly love this woman again. That was impossible.

  “Regrets?” he asked her, because now that the heat of the moment was over, maybe she’d want him to go. And maybe he should go, quite honestly. Sex on a mission wasn’t standard—then again, he’d never been on a mission with his ex-wife either.

  “Lots,” she breathed. “But this isn’t one of them. You?”

  “I regret that it’s over and I can’t do it again immediately.”

  She giggled, and his heart turned over at the sweet sound. “Losing your studliness, Dane? I remember when you used to come four or five times in a night.”

  He was still hard and he flexed his hips until she gasped. “Plenty of studliness, Ivy. I was talking about you. You said it had been a while, and I’m trying to be a gentleman and not make you too sore.”

  She turned her head and met his lips. He kissed her softly.

  “I’ll worry about that tomorrow. I’ve been sex-deprived for far too long to not take advantage of you while I can.”

  He withdrew from her body and rolled onto his back. She climbed on top of him and sank down on his cock. They both groaned.

  “I like the way you take advantage of me,” he said. “Feel free to use me up until I’m a shell of my former self.”

  She lifted her body and then lowered herself again, sinking farther down than before. He loved seeing his cock disappear inside her, loved watching her slick walls devour him.

  “Hang on tight, Dane. I’m not going to be the only one who’s sore tomorrow…”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  It was before dawn when Dane bolted awake. He sat upright, listening hard in the darkness. Something woke him, but he didn’t know what. Beside him, Ivy slept soundly, her naked form curled under the sheet, her hair fanning out over the pillow. His heart kicked in his chest at the sight of her. It was a familiar feeling, and a difficult one to process at the same time.

  He reached for his gun on the night table and slipped from the bed. Then he crept through the bungalow, listening for noise.

  A scraping sound came from the front door as if someone was trying to force the lock. A moment later, the door opened—but the chain stopped it from going any farther.

  Dane’s blood rushed inside his veins as adrenaline pumped through him. Someone—some asshole—had the nerve to break into his bungalow. It was unbelievable.

  A cold fury rolled through him. He wasn’t scared. Not even close. He was a military machine, ready to protect and defend his territory. He crept closer to the door, his gun held high, waiting for the bastard’s next move.

  It came when someone heaved their weight against the door in an attempt to dislodge the screws holding the security chain in the wall. Another shove and a grunt. There was a low curse—was it Spanish?—and then someone shoved again.

  “Dane?”

  Dane swore as he turned and saw Ivy silhouetted in the bedroom door. She’d slipped on a T-shirt and she stood there, swaying softly as if she were still half-asleep.

  He crossed swiftly to her side and took her arm. Then he bent to her ear. “Go back in the bedroom, Ivy.”

  But she was more alert now, and she stiffened as she spied the light coming inside the partially opened front door.

  “Is someone try
ing to break in?” she hissed.

  “Yes. Go.”

  She turned and went back into the bedroom, and he breathed a sigh of relief. But then she was back, her pistol at the ready, and his stomach fell.

  “What the fuck?” he asked in a furious whisper.

  Her eyes glittered. “What do you mean what the fuck? I’m as qualified as you,” she whispered back.

  “Hardly,” he growled.

  Outside, someone shouted—and whoever was at the door stopped trying to break it in. Dane swore as he sprinted for the door. He flattened himself against the wall and waited for a moment, but no one tried to come inside. Then he yanked off the chain and ripped the door open.

  No one was there. He slipped down the walkway, sweeping his weapon wide. When he got to the end, he stopped and searched the empty pathways. The pink light of dawn was beginning to cut into the gloom of the thick foliage. Up ahead, someone moved down the path. He sprinted but drew up short when the figure turned and he came face-to-face with Ivy’s partner.

  Ace Martin looked pissed—but it was the gun pointed at Dane that made him pause. Then Ace cocked an eyebrow.

  “Nature walking, SEAL man?”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Ace’s gaze dropped. “The package, pretty boy. It’s all dangling free. And I have to say that I’m mighty impressed.”

  Fuck. Dane hadn’t thought about the fact he was naked when he’d slipped from bed.

  “Did you see anyone?”

  Ace frowned. “No, I’m just hanging out here for my health. Of course I saw someone, asshole. Two men, trying to break into your bungalow. When I made them, they ran. I couldn’t fire because I didn’t wanna risk hitting either of you inside.”

  “Why the fuck did you stop them? I could have neutralized them, and then we’d know who they’re working for.”

  “Excuse me for trying to save your fine ass, but I saw dudes trying to break in and I reacted.”

  “Why were you near our bungalow so early anyway?”

  Ace flourished a hand over his clothing. Shorts, an armband with his phone tucked inside, earbuds, and a moisture-wicking shirt. A runner. Figured.

  “I was up anyway. Thought I’d check the perimeter.”

  “What’s going on?”

  Dane spun as Ivy came up behind him on the path. She was still in the T-shirt, still holding her weapon, and his heart clenched at the sight of her looking so small and vulnerable in the early-morning light.

  “You need to take cover, Ivy,” Dane said. “It’s dangerous for you to be here.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not the one who’s naked.”

  “Those men are long gone,” Ace said, coming up beside him. “They weren’t professionals. Probably petty thieves looking to rob guests.”

  “You can’t really be that stupid,” Dane said. “This is the second time someone has specifically targeted a bungalow where Ivy was staying. And then there’s the threat on her answering machine.”

  Ace’s eyes flashed. “Then why didn’t they stay to complete the job? Why run away when I show up? They could have shot me and finished the job they’d come to do.”

  “Not if they’re here for something more than a hit.” Dane shook his head. “They haven’t gone anywhere, except possibly back to their base of operations. They’re waiting for the right moment to do what they came here to do.”

  He thought Ace would scoff, but the dude looked thoughtful. “You think they want to grab her?”

  Dane didn’t like that thought at all, but it was the one that made the most sense to him. “Yeah.”

  Ace’s chest puffed out. “If what you say is right, Ivy can’t stay here. She needs to be in protective custody.”

  Ivy drew herself up then, her expression hardening. “No. No way. We’re here for a reason, Ace, and I intend to see that those bastards don’t make it to the mainland. This is far more important than any threats to me.”

  Dane wanted to argue that point, but now wasn’t the time.

  “We aren’t solving anything by standing here fighting about it,” Dane said. “We need to keep searching.”

  “You’re going to get arrested, hot stuff,” Ace replied, his gaze sliding over Dane yet again. “People are waking up, and some little old lady is bound to take exception to the sight of your naked ass strolling through the resort. Take Ivy back to your bungalow and alert your team. If there’s anything to find, they’ll find it.”

  Dane hated that the dude made sense. “You’re right. Ivy?”

  Her chin was in the air. “Fine, yes, let’s go.”

  She turned and started moving back down the path, but Ace called out one last time. “You’re wearing the shirt your ex was wearing yesterday. Don’t think I don’t know what this means, naughty girl. Don’t come crying to me when it all goes to shit, okay?”

  Ivy flipped him the bird and kept walking. When they reached the bungalow, Dane did a quick check, then bolted the door behind them. The chain was still intact, but it was looser than before. Obviously, they couldn’t stay here.

  “You should get dressed,” he said.

  Ivy looked up at him with soft eyes that contained a hint of frustration and perhaps even fear. “Last night…” She dropped her gaze, and he knew he wasn’t going to like whatever she said. “It can’t happen again. It was… amazing—but we know how it’s going to turn out.”

  He wanted to grab her, and he wanted to howl. He did neither. He’d expected this quite honestly. Because he knew her, and he knew she’d run. “So that’s it, huh? I’m a one-night stand now?”

  This time she met his gaze, her green eyes flashing fire. “What do you propose, Dane? A new relationship? I work for the DEA, and you’re a SEAL. It could be months before we see each other again.”

  He knew she was right, and yet part of him wanted to tell her it didn’t matter. That they’d figure it out. Because one thing he knew after a night with her was that he hadn’t stopped being addicted. Not at all.

  But what good was an addiction to someone when you couldn’t make anything else work? He wasn’t giving up his career for her. She wasn’t giving up hers for him. They’d already risked enough by falling into bed together on a crucial operation. Best to put it behind them and move on.

  “Whatever you want, Ivy,” he said, turning away from her and strolling over to flip the coffeepot on.

  He heard the door to the bathroom shut, and then he retrieved his phone to dial his team leader. Before he could press the first button, the phone buzzed.

  “Erikson,” he answered.

  “We have intel on Bad Medicine,” Matt said. “Need you to get over here ASAP.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Ivy felt like hell as she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn’t know why she’d told Dane they couldn’t be together again, except that she’d looked at him standing there naked and ready to defend her, and her heart had thumped impossibly hard. Her stomach had squeezed tight, and feelings she’d thought she’d buried slid and writhed beneath the surface of her skin.

  She was in danger of feeling too much, and she’d panicked. But it was the right choice, because she couldn’t go through the anguish. She couldn’t risk her heart again, knowing that she might not be enough for him. That he might get bored or fed up and leave her the way her father had.

  Ivy lowered her head a moment and concentrated on breathing. She knew why her father had left. Her mother never said so, but Ivy knew it was her fault. A kid changed things, and he hadn’t been ready for those changes. When Ivy’s mother wanted to settle down in one place and raise her, give her some stability, her father wanted nothing of it. He’d used the Navy as his excuse, sailing away for months at a time. And then one day he left for good.

  A rap sounded on the door and she jumped. “Yes?”

  “We have to get over to Matt Girard’s cabin. They’ve got intel on Bad Medicine.”

  “Be a few seconds,” she said before hurriedly cleaning up a
nd pulling on the silk tank and cropped pants she’d left hanging on the shower rod last night. When she emerged, Dane was dressed and waiting for her. He looked lethal in his cargo pants, deck shoes, and a white T-shirt that molded to his impressive pecs. She knew he had a gun tucked away in an ankle holster and a knife strapped to his belt. He was handsome and virile, and her belly fluttered anew at the thought of all they’d done to each other in the night.

  He looked up at her as she walked into the room. His eyes were chilly.

  “Grab your gear, Ivy. We aren’t coming back here.”

  She hurried to the room they’d shared last night, pointedly ignoring the rumpled sheets as she grabbed everything and stuffed it into her suitcase. When she reached the door, she paused to look at the bed one more time.

  It was one night of sex. One damn night—and already she felt as hooked on him as she ever had when she’d been his wife.

  When she turned to go, Dane was watching her. She didn’t speak, just stared back at him until he reached down and picked up his own bag, breaking the eye contact.

  “Let’s go,” he told her.

  They walked in silence to the cabin where HOT was meeting. It was still early, but there were tourists out now, walking the paths, going to the beach for sunrise views, getting an early breakfast, or hitting the gym. Some of those people looked happy, and Ivy envied them. What must it be like to be on a vacation with your lover, enjoying the amenities and having nothing more pressing to decide than whether to go to dinner or order room service because you were so into each other you couldn’t bother getting dressed?

  She wouldn’t know. She’d never known because she’d never stopped panicking long enough to lose herself in the moment.

  When they reached their destination, Dane opened the door and waited for her to go first. Several of the guys looked up when she walked in. She dropped her bag on the floor and kept on walking over to where someone had made a pot of coffee. She poured a cup, grabbed a donut from a tray, and took a seat beside Ace.