False Perceptions

by Michelle Heard

  “Sure,” I say, then quickly add, “Bye, Max. It was nice to hear your voice.”

  “Bye, Emilie.” Just as I walk into the kitchen, I hear Max say, “Sounds like you’re settling down there. Something I should know?”

  I stop dead in my tracks, waiting for Hayden’s reply.

  “I’m trying to convince Emilie to give me a chance. I’m tired of sleeping on the couch and too lazy to go buy a bed of my own.”

  My eyebrows dart up into my hairline. Now that’s definitely something I’ll have to take care of. Can’t have my man sleeping on a couch.

  CHAPTER 48

  HAYDEN

  “Did you find anything?” I ask Commander Foster.

  “Nothing, Hayden,” he answers.

  Shit, I’m sure Senator Swanson is behind Emilie’s kidnapping, but he’s covered his tracks well.

  “My gut tells me he’s behind it,” I voice my thoughts.

  “We can’t find any proof,” Foster responds. “Bring me something to work with.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” I say before we end the call.

  Standing by the window in my loft, I stare down at the house.

  Emilie is in danger. I can feel it. Senator Swanson might just try to kill her if it will help him win. To save her, I have to take on a powerful political player who will do anything to further his career. Fuck, that’s not good.

  What the hell am I going to do to keep her safe? The threat to Emilie’s life lies much closer to home than we thought when we rescued her.

  Voting is in a couple of weeks. Hell, Evie’s wedding is in two weeks. I need to get home for that. Time is running out, and we’re both stuck in this web of false perceptions. Realizing how little time I have left my mind switches over into mission gear.

  I start to work on a plan on how I can confront Senator Swanson. If I can get him to confess, and record it, then it will be all the proof I need to take him down. With his ass behind bars, Emilie will be safe.

  But first I’ll have to tell Emilie. I’m not hiding this from her any longer. She needs to know that her father is a potential threat to her.

  I grab my phone again to call Max. I need to talk my suspicion through with someone I can trust.

  “What’s up?” he answers. I can hear Michael crying in the background.

  “Is everything okay there?” I ask, concerned with the crying.

  “Yeah, Michael is just exercising his lungs. How are things there?”

  “Good. I wanted to run something by you if you have time,” I reply, getting right to the point of the call.

  “Let me go downstairs,” Max says, and I wait as he walks. “Go.”

  “Remember how easy the rescue op was? We all had something to say about it.”

  “Rescuing Emilie? Yeah, there was something off about it,” Max agrees.

  “I don’t have any proof, but I’ve been asking Emilie about her relationship with Senator Swanson, and they aren’t close. Not at all. He keeps insisting that she do interviews so he can get sympathy votes, and that just has my gut screaming. I think he orchestrated the kidnapping to win the public’s sympathy. I just can’t prove it and confronting him would be looking to get dishonorably discharged.”

  “Fuck, that is a problem. I get why you’re suspicious. It would make sense. He could’ve hired that group to hold her, so he could act the loving father who’s mourning his daughter being missing, but not giving into their demands for the greater good of America. But if you can’t prove shit, there’s not much you can do.”

  “That’s where I’m at. Foster couldn’t get anything to go on. I only have my gut feeling,” I say, not happy about the situation at all.

  “Shit, Brother, I have nothing. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the fucker will make a mistake. Just do me a favor. Don’t go after him by yourself. Say the word, and I’ll get my ass there.”

  “Thanks, Max. I’m going to talk to Emilie about it, see if she has anything we can look into. I’ll let you know if I need you to come out here.”

  “Good. I’m gonna go make Gabs some coffee. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Soon, Brother,” I say before hanging up.

  Yeah, my only shot at getting to the bottom of this is that Emilie knows something she hasn’t told me.

  It’s time to talk to her about her father.

  I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to tell Emilie when she knocks at my door.

  “Hi,” she says, looking anxious as hell.

  “Is everything okay?” I ask as I walk the distance from the window to the door.

  “Yeah, will you come with me?” she asks as she holds her hand out to me.

  “Yeah, sure,” I say, wondering what this is about. I take Emilie’s hand and closing the door behind me, I follow her back to the house.

  As we step into the kitchen, she takes a moment to lock the back door. I frown at her, but she avoids my eyes as she leads me through the kitchen, past the living room, and down the hallway.

  When we step into her bedroom, my lips tip up at the corners. Not wanting to assume why she’s brought me here, I wait as she turns to face me.

  She bites her bottom lip, and letting go of my hand, she twists her fingers together.

  “You don’t have a bed,” she says as her cheeks redden. She waves a hand at her bed, and continues, “I have a bed.”

  Damn, this woman is fucking cute when she’s being all shy. The caveman in me could get addicted to that.

  “Are you asking me to stay the night?” I ask as I step closer to her.

  She rolls her eyes at me. She actually fucking rolls her eyes, which makes laughter rumble up my throat.

  “Yes, Hayden,” she says, scowling up at me. “You sure aren’t making this easy for me.”

  “Sorry, babe,” I say as I place my hands on her shoulders and brush them down the length of her arms. “You’re cute when you’re flustered. You like it when I’m bossy, and I love it when you’re all shy.”

  “Alpha males,” she huffs as a smile tugs at her lips.

  “You’ve got a thing for alpha males. Admit it,” I growl as I lower my mouth to her throat.

  “Uh-huh,” she breathes as her head falls back.

  Placing one more kiss to her neck, I pull back and wait for her eyes to find mine. The lust darkens her eyes, and it instantly makes me hard.

  “Are you sure about this?” I ask, not wanting her to do something she’s not ready for.

  “Yes,” she whispers as she reaches for the top button of my shirt. Yeah, talking to Emilie about her father can wait. Now is definitely not the right time.

  I stand still, watching as her hands move down until she reaches the last button. Slowly her hands take hold of the sides, and she pulls the fabric open and down my arms.

  She stands back, and I watch her swallow hard as her eyes take in my bare chest. When she reaches for my left arm, I let her look at the scar. Her fingertips brush softly over the length of it as if she’s admiring a fucking work of art. She touches every bullet wound, every scar left by a piece of shrapnel.

  A tear slips over her cheek, and I reach for it, wiping it away with the pad of my thumb.

  “You’re so handsome,” she whispers as she looks up at me.

  “Scars and all?” I ask, teasing her.

  She smiles through the emotion. “Especially the scars.”

  “You have a fetish for wounded men I should know about?” The question makes her laugh, easing away some of the emotion loading the room.

  “No,” she says, still laughing. “I do however have a weakness for a certain Navy SEAL who has proof all over his body of how courageous he is.” Her face becomes serious as she locks eyes with me. “I’m scared, Hayden,” she admits “I’m falling in love with you, and it terrifies me. But I trust you. I trust that you’ll keep me safe.”

  Fuck. She’s slaying me with her words. This is what I want for her. To trust just one person – me.

  “I’ll never give you
any reason to doubt me, Emilie.”

  I close the distance between us with one step. I loosen her ponytail and let her hair fall down, never taking my eyes from hers.

  I lean down and just before our lips touch, I say, “I don’t fall easily, Emilie, but I have fallen in love with you.”

  CHAPTER 49

  EMILIE

  Placing my hands on his chest, I savor the feel of his warm skin.

  This man. How’s it even possible that he’s real?

  The integrity shining from his eyes makes me fall deeper in love with him. Deeper than I’ve ever fallen.

  I love Eagle.

  I love Hayden Cole.

  I love every part of who he is – the man, the protector, the hunter.

  Standing on my toes, I press my mouth to his. I love that he immediately responds, wanting to share in the moment as much as I do. It’s never one-sided with him. He’s here, his attention entirely on me, experiencing this with me.

  As if he can read my mind, he whispers against my mouth, “I see you, Emilie. I see every part of you, and I love it.”

  He takes hold of my shirt and pulls it over my head before dropping it on top of his. We move slowly, reverently as we remove each other’s clothes until we’re left with only our underwear.

  Hayden places his hands on my shoulders and moves them down my arms as if he’s relishing the feel of my skin. We get lost in just touching each other, our hands memorizing each other.

  When his right hand cups my cheek, he lowers his head to mine and kisses me deeply. With one kiss, he erases everything I’ve ever believed about love.

  I was so wrong. All along I’ve had a flawed perception of love. Love is not a feeling. Love is standing by someone no matter the consequences. Love is choosing to be unconditionally faithful.

  Love also hurts. It’s a storm which breaks your will. It demolishes your defenses and leaves you vulnerable so it can build you back up, stronger than before.

  Love shows you what loyalty is. It honors promises.

  Love doesn’t fail.

  It doesn’t fade.

  As Hayden lifts me to his body and walks us to the bed, I finally know what it’s like to be loved.

  There’s no doubt left in me about being with Hayden.

  He’s not just my hero. He’s every dream I thought I had lost.

  He lays me down, and even though there’s a fire burning in his eyes telling me that he wants this as much as I do, he doesn’t rush.

  Positioning me in the middle of the bed, he crawls over me, every muscle in his body rippling as he moves. I place my hands on his biceps, wanting to feel his strength as he keeps himself braced over me.

  He places a kiss to my collarbone, then to the middle of my chest. My back arches so he can unclasp and remove the bra. Being over forty, I should feel self-conscious about my body, but with the way Hayden is looking at me, it’s not an option.

  He drags my panties down my legs, before crawling back over me. When I reach for his boxers, he stops me by taking hold of my hand and pressing it to the bed.

  His mouth finds mine, and tasting each other, he keeps his body braced over me while his left hand trails a hot path over my skin. When his hand slips between my legs, I gasp into his mouth.

  He’s not just touching me. This isn’t just sex. It’s unlike anything, I’ve ever experienced.

  His touch is ruining me, branding me, claiming every inch of me.

  Breathlessly, he sets me on fire as his fingers caress the most sensitive part of me, lifting me so high it feels like I’m soaring the heavens with him.

  Overcome with emotion, I whisper, “Hayden.”

  CHAPTER 50

  HAYDEN

  The last time I’ve loved a woman was Josephine, the mother of my child.

  What I feel for Emilie is different. It’s older, wiser, and more profound than anything I’ve ever felt.

  When she comes down from her orgasm, her eyes open, meeting mine with the same look of passion.

  “Do you have protection?” I ask as I press a kiss to her shoulder.

  “Yeah,” she smiles, a mischievous smile lighting up her face. “You.”

  “Smartass,” I grumble, loving that she can be playful in bed.

  “In the drawer,” she says as she stretches beneath me so she can reach it. She takes out a sealed box, and I watch while she opens it. She hands me a condom as she places the box somewhere above her head.

  I kick off my boxers and hear Emilie say, “Damn, I’m glad I went with the biggest size.”

  I let out a chuckle, not even pretending that I’m not flattered by her compliment. “Only the biggest and best for my woman,” I tease.

  She lets out a burst of laughter as I settle my body over hers. I take a moment to drink in the happy smile on her face.

  “You’re so beautiful when you smile,” I whisper as I rest my arms next to her head. “Wrap your legs around me,” I growl, knowing it will be a turn on for her.

  She does as I ask, her eyes never leaving mine. Slipping my arm down between us, I take hold of my cock and position it at her entrance.

  Her eyes dart to my mouth, but before she can kiss me, I say, “I want to see your eyes when I enter you for the first time. Keep your eyes on mine.”

  She relaxes into the bed, and I let the anticipation stretch a little longer, imprinting this moment to my memory.

  Slowly, I push inside of her even though every muscle in my body is begging me to move faster. Her lips part as her breaths speed up. Emotion fills her eyes, and I watch as her irises grow impossibly dark.

  When I’m in all the way, I hold still, letting her adjust to me. She brings her hands to my face and lightly traces her fingers over my jaw.

  When I finally pull out an inch before pushing back in, Emilie sucks in a sharp breath.

  I lower myself until my chest rests against her breasts. Dropping my left hand to her hip, my fingers dig into her skin as I pull out all the way. My hips start to move, and I find a slow and deep rhythm which feels perfect.

  When Emilie gabs hold of my ass, and her nails dig into my skin, I let myself lose control. Our mouths crash together as the air between us fills with an uncontainable need. Our actions become frenzied as Emilie raises her hips to meet my hard thrusts.

  “Hayden,” she groans as her body bows off the bed, pushing hard into mine.

  Wanting to give her everything and more, I push myself up, and use every bit of strength I have to power into her.

  “Oh my God,” she grinds out, her hands practically clawing at my ass.

  Fast and hard I take Emilie over the edge and as her body starts to spasm, I pump into her twice more before tingles race down my spine.

  “Fuck, Em,” I growl as I explode, my body going limp and dropping down on hers.

  It feels as if parts of me that I thought had died have been brought back to life.

  When the sun starts to rise, we’ve used half the box of condoms.

  “I love the letter H,” Emilie says as she snuggles closer to me.

  I press a kiss to the top of her head, loving the feel of her head on my chest, her arm draped over my waist.

  “Why H?” I ask.

  “H stands for so many good words. Hayden, hero, honor, humble, honesty.”

  Placing my left arm behind my head, I relax into the mattress.

  “I love E,” I say, glad she can’t see the smile on my face.

  “Why?” she asks as she starts to draw random letters on my skin.

  “E is for Eagle,” I say as a chuckle escapes me.

  Her hand freezes and then she starts to laugh. “Finally. I was starting to worry that you’re too perfect.”

  “You don’t like Eagle?” I ask, teasing her some more.

  “Oh, I love Eagle,” she groans as her hand slips beneath the covers.

  “I feel used,” I chuckle.

  “You’ll just have to deal because I’m about to use you some more,” she purrs, and it’s so fucking
sexy that I reach for the box and get a condom rolled onto my cock in record time.

  “You can use me all you want, babe,” I growl as I pull her over me.

  With every thrust, I give a piece of myself to this woman in my arms, and by the time our orgasms wash over us, she has all of me.

  CHAPTER 51

  EMILIE

  The past four days have been the happiest of my life. My greatest joy has been born from the ashes of my lowest hell.

  I’m sitting on the bench watching Hayden play with Peanut and Jelly in the lake. It was just too nice outside to stay inside today. The days are cooling fast as fall sets in.

  I made up a small picnic basket which didn’t last long between Hayden and Jelly.

  Enjoying the sun on my skin, I laugh when Jelly starts to stamp her hoofs in the shallow end, making water splash all over Hayden and Peanut.

  I need to get a camera. I want to fill the walls of our home with pictures like this.

  “That’s it, I surrender,” Hayden laughs as he wipes water from his face.

  I stare shamelessly at him as he walks out of the lake. Damn, I wouldn’t mind licking every drop from his body.

  “Are you checking me out?” he asks as he places his hands beside me on the back of the bench, dripping water all over me.

  Laughing silently, I say, “Yeah, definitely. I’d be stupid to miss a show like that.”

  “Want me to do it again?” he teases as he presses a kiss beneath my ear.

  “On repeat, please.”

  Taking my hand, he pulls me to my feet. He ducks down, and I let out a shriek of laughter as he tosses me over his shoulder.

  “I like the view,” I say, and before I can add more, he smacks my butt.

  “Yeah, the view is amazing,” he chuckles.

  Walking into the kitchen, my stupid phone starts to ring. Hayden lowers me to my feet and goes to pick it up.

  “Don’t answer,” I say quickly walking to his side.