by Seton, Cora
Mitchell grabbed both of their jackets and hurried after him, glad she’d worn her boots that morning, instead of tennis shoes. Snow and ice crunched under her feet as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of her insulated jacket. The acrid scent of smoke stung her nose and lungs, but she didn’t stop until she caught up with Remy.
He headed straight for a cluster of people, one of whom appeared to be in charge, alternating between talking on a radio and to the men working around the towering flames spewing from the hull of what once had been a building. Pushing into the crowd, he spoke to the leader, his brows dipping.
Mitchell caught up with him. “Remy, we really shouldn’t get in the way.” She laid a hand on Remy’s arm and tried to draw him back. “We should go to our rental and leave them to their jobs.”
Remy snorted, the warm air pushed from his lungs making steam come out of his nose. “That would be kind of difficult.”
Mitchell half-listened as she held his coat out to him, urging him to shove his arms into the sleeves before he got frostbite. “Why would that be difficult? Surely, there’s another road around this traffic jam.”
“Maybe, but the house fire they are working is the address of our mountain getaway cabin.”
Chapter Six
‡
Her hands froze in the process of helping him drag his jacket up over his shoulders. “What?”
He nodded toward the house. “That burned-out hull was where we were supposed to stay.”
Mitchell’s heart sank into her boots. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Wish I were.” He zipped his jacket and slipped an arm around her waist. “I guess this mountain cabin is out of the question. What say you and me go find another place to stay?”
The frigid cold seeped through the opening of her own winter coat, and the wind stung her cheeks. “Maybe we should go back to Virginia. I’m getting a bad vibe about this vacation.”
Remy’s dark brows dipped as he stared down at her. “Babe, things can only go up from here. I promise to make it better.”
She looked up at him. “I think the odds are against us.”
“I consider it a challenge.”
“You SEALs are far too optimistic.”
Remy puffed out his chest. “The only easy day was—”
“—yesterday.” She took his hand. “Come on, let’s find a warm room with a soft bed before morning.”
Thirty minutes later, and at their fourth large resort complex, Mitchell was beginning to curse the No Easy Day philosophy. Already past midnight, they were starting into their second difficult day in a row.
Remy marched up to the desk with a smile. “Please tell me you have one empty room. If you don’t, we will be forced to sleep on one of the couches in your lobby.”
Tired and past caring if the young woman behind the counter smiled at Remy and batted her eyes, Mitchell was ready to kiss her, if she found them a room with a bed. Three other resorts with their hundreds of rooms were completely full.
“It’s Christmas season, and we’re usually sold out by Thanksgiving,” the previous three resort clerks had each explained.
This resort was their last chance. If they didn’t find a room, they would be forced to head back to Denver. Mitchell was beginning to think that was a great idea.
“As a matter of fact, we had a two-room cancellation earlier this evening, due to weather in Chicago. I’ve filled one of those rooms, but the other is still available. But it’s the honeymoon suite.”
“We’ll take it.” Remy slapped his credit card on the counter.
Mitchell caught his arm. “You might want to ask how much it is. Sounds expensive.”
“I don’t care. We need a room. It’s the only one available.” Remy squeezed Mitchell’s hand. “Let me worry about it. I haven’t been on vacation in years, and I promised you this one would be special.” With a wide grin at the clerk, he repeated. “We’ll take it.”
A sleepy bellman gathered their bags onto a wheeled cart and led the way to the elevator. When the doors opened on the top floor, Mitchell and Remy followed the bellman down the long hallway to the end room.
Remy opened the door with his keycard and held it open for the bellman, who entered, unloaded the cart, and backed it out of the room.
“Thank you.” Remy shook hands with the bellman, leaving behind a twenty in the man’s palm.
The ever-thrifty Mitchell could appreciate the smile on the bellman’s face, but she worried that Remy was being too extravagant. “You don’t have to impress me by spending a lot of money.” She started across the threshold, but Remy grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
“It’s the honeymoon suite. We might not be married, but we should honor the tradition.”
Before she could figure out what the hell he was talking about, she was scooped up into his arms and carried across the threshold.
She wrapped an arm around his neck, finding being cranky with the man very difficult. After all, the trip was his vacation, and his money. He worked hard, was in constant danger, and deserved some downtime between missions, and she was one lucky girl to get to spend it with him.
As the door swung closed behind them, Mitchell kissed his lips, loving the way he kissed back. Everything with Remy was full-on. He never did anything half-assed. Including his kisses. It only took one of those maddening smooches to rock her core and make her so hot she could warm the entire room.
His tongue swept past her teeth and claimed hers. Without breaking the connection, he lowered her legs and let her slide down his front, over the hard ridge beneath his jeans.
Oh, yeah, he was as hot for her as she was for him. They never lacked in that department. And after a very long day, anticipating getting him naked, the time had arrived to make it happen.
Mitchell kissed him hard and pushed him to arms’ length. “Let’s start this vacation.”
He grinned. “What you’re trying to tell me is that you’re tired, and ready to get some sleep?”
“Right.” She shook her head and unzipped her winter jacket, letting it drop to the floor. Stepping away, she backed toward the bedroom of the suite, crossed her arms in front of her, grabbed the hem of her sweater, and yanked it over her head. With another step backward, she unbuttoned her trousers and slid down the zipper, her hand slipping inside to cup her own sex, teasing him with the possibilities. She knew how aroused he got when she pleasured herself.
His eyes widened, his nostrils flared, and he followed her, one step. His jacket flew across the room. Another step and his shirt followed.
Mitchell toed her boots, kicking them off, almost losing her balance in the process. She dug her hand in her pocket for the condom she’d tucked away that morning and held it up. “Wonder if we’ll need this.”
“Damn right, we will.” Wearing a wide grin, Remy advanced.
Mitchell backed away. When she finally let her trousers slide down over her hips, Remy was almost on her.
Laughing, she turned and ran for the bedroom.
He caught her as she burst through the door.
Swinging her up in his arms, he carried her to the king-sized bed and tossed her onto the mattress.
Mitchell landed across the puffy, white down comforter, wearing nothing but her Christmas-red panties and lace bra. Too busy focusing on his hot look to scan the bedroom furnishings.
Remy stood back, naked and rock hard, his gaze sweeping over her, pausing at the bra before moving lower to the panties. “Nice.”
Warmth filled her chest and rose into her cheeks at the gleam in his eyes. Not the typical girly-girl, she was glad she’d taken the time to find the matching undergarments at the local Victoria’s Secret store while Remy had been deployed. Not that the satin-and-lace wisps would be on her for long.
He crawled into the bed beside her and lay on his side, his finger tracing the pattern of the lace on her bra. “Are these my Christmas presents?”
The reminder that she hadn’t gotten him a gift made her hea
rtbeat slow for a moment. With two days left to shop before Christmas, she had to find time and the privacy to get into a store in Vail and buy him something. Hell, this vacation alone was costing him a lot. The least she could do was find a gift that meant something, that had thought and heart in it. God, she was awful at romance!
Remy slid down the straps of her bra, exposing one full breast. “You’re frowning.”
“Sorry.” Mitchell’s breath caught when he pinched the tip of her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
“Were you thinking about Rocco?” he asked.
She took the easy out. “Some.”
“Then I’m not doing my job.” He winked and bent to take her nipple into his mouth, tonguing the tip into a tight little bud.
Her insides tightened in anticipation of more.
“Better?”
“Mmm.” Mitchell arched her back, pressing her breast deeper into his mouth. “Yesss.” She reached behind her and unhooked the catch on her bra, eager for him to take the other breast and suck it hard. The attention he gave each had her entire body warming, her blood coursing through her veins, the heat pooling at her core.
“Tell me what you want,” he insisted.
He never took her needs for granted. A woman could get used to having him make love to her. “Naked,” she whispered.
Remy released her nipple. “What?” He kissed a path down her ribs to her navel.
“Not fair that you’re naked, and I’m not.” Her voice hitched as his finger pushed aside her panties and slid into her.
“We can fix that, you know.” He chuckled, the warmth of his breath heating the little triangle of fabric covering her sex, causing her nerves to ignite and her channel to moisten.
“By all means.” She hooked a thumb in the elastic band of her thong panties and slipped it down over her hip.
Remy took charge of the elastic band at the other hip, tugged it downward and off her legs, dragging his knuckles over her skin.
The rough texture of his knuckles scraping across her skin sent shivers of desire through her body. When she finally lay naked against the comforter, she let her knees fall to the side, opening herself to him.
He settled between her legs and kissed the tuft of hair at the apex of her thighs. “Is your day getting better?” Parting her folds, Remy blew a gentle stream of air over her heated flesh.
“Oh, yes.” She dug her fingers into his thick, dark hair and rode the waves of lust building at her center, radiating outward.
With a stroke of his finger across the sensitive strip of nerves, he had her body tense, her breathing compromised. He replaced his finger with his tongue and laved her in a long, sweeping stroke, sending her rocketing toward the heavens. Her body pulsed with her release, the sensations so potent they stretched on, sending tingling bursts of electricity to the very tips of her fingers and toes. Finally, she sank back to Earth.
After a last caress of her hip, he climbed up between her legs and claimed her lips once again, his mouth tasting of her musk. He reached for the condom she’d laid on the pillow beside her, tore it open, and rolled it down over his engorged member. Then he paused with his cock poised at her entrance.
Mitchell grasped his ass and tried to pull him into her, but he withheld.
“Mitchell Sanders, you are an amazing woman.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, frogman,” she said, her voice raspy, her satisfaction incomplete, dependent upon him filling the aching, throbbing empty space between her legs. “Please,” she begged.
“I will. But first, I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me.”
“You’ve already told me.”
He shook his head, a patient smile on his face. “I want you to know that what I feel for you isn’t just about the sex.” Tipping his head to the side, he grinned. “Although that’s great.”
Her patience thinning, she wrapped her legs around his hips and tried to force him into her. “I’d like to know how great that sex is. Now, if you please.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Greedy, are we?”
“Damn right.” She wiggled her hips. “You were gone for two months. We have a lot of lovemaking to make up for.”
“Agreed. What I’m trying to say is that I l—”
The phone on the bedside table rang, the sound jarring Mitchell from her focus on getting Remy to make love. “Who the hell would call us at our hotel room in the middle of the night?”
“No one knows we’re here. Maybe there’s an emergency in the hotel.” He leaned over to grab the phone off the nightstand and held it to his ear. “Hello?”
For a moment, he listened. Then his brow rose and he shrugged, replacing the phone in the cradle. “Probably a wrong number.”
“Did they say anything?”
“Nothing. Dead air.” He leaned over her and brushed his lips over hers. “Now, where were we?”
A prickle of unease threatened to intrude on her concentration. When the pressure of Remy’s member against her opening registered, she shivered, all unease and thoughts of phones, Rocco, or work slipped completely from her mind. “You were about to make love to me.”
“Oh, yes. How could I forget?” He winked. “Mitchell Sanders, you are everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman, and more. I love you, and can’t imagine a life without you.”
Her breath hitched and warmth spread through her. “Then don’t.” She cupped his cheek and smiled up at the Cajun SEAL. “You know how much I care for you. When you’re gone, I can’t get you out of my mind. Hell, even when you’re with me, you’re firmly rooted in my thoughts.”
“Good. I wanted you to be clear on my feelings for you.”
Mitchell frowned. “Why?”
His smile widened but he rolled his eyes to the left. “Oh, no reason.”
The man was lying. He had a purpose for telling her how much he cared. Mitchell’s chest tightened. Was he about to go on another dangerous mission? One that could take him away for a very long time? A knot formed in her stomach. Or was he buttering her up to tell her that he didn’t want to see her again? That “I’ll always have feelings for you” before breaking up scenario she dreaded.
How many times had she pushed away from men so that they didn’t have the opportunity to push her away first?
Not often, because she never wanted to give away her heart so completely that it broke when she was rejected.
Crap. The tension of the past thirty-six hours was making her think crazy thoughts. She and Remy were good together.
Wrapping her hands around his neck, she pulled down his face, praying the chemistry they had between them was enough to make him want to stay with her, or at least come back after each deployment. “Make love to me before I forget what it feels like.”
Remy thrust into her, his cock surrounded by her heated moisture. Her channel contracted around him, drawing him deeper until his balls slammed against her bottom. God, she felt so damn good, he could die now and have known absolute joy.
He settled into a rhythm, pumping in and out of her, the movement so natural, the sensations incredible.
Mitchell wrapped her legs around him, digging her heels into his buttocks, urging him to thrust harder, deeper and faster. He worked it, his muscles tensing, the nerves throughout his body on sensory overload as he struggled to prolong the ecstasy as long as possible before he catapulted over the edge. The pressure built with every stroke, the friction sensitizing him in the most primal way.
When he couldn’t hold back any longer, he thrust deep and held.
Her legs tightened, locking him in.
For a long time he pulsed inside her, relishing every second, feeling more complete than ever before in his life. This woman was the ying to his yang, the Bonny to his Clyde. Oh, hell, she was the only woman for him, and he wanted to make their relationship official sooner than later. He wasn’t entirely certain he could wait all the way until Christmas to ask her to marry him, even though he’d been planning this for the pa
st three months.
With all the bad luck they’d had lately, the perfect time might never happen.
When at last he lay down beside her, he rolled her onto her side, to maintain their connection. “Yeah, you’re a keeper,” he said.
“If only for the sex,” she finished.
“Nope. I only need you. I could actually go an entire minute or two without sex, believe it or not.” He winked and kissed her forehead, her eyelids, and the tip of her nose, finally settling his lips over hers.
“Yeah, yeah,” she said when he eventually let her breathe again. “You might be able to wait a full minute or two, but I couldn’t. I don’t suppose you’re ready to go again?” She trailed a hand over his naked hip and grasped his butt cheek, pressing him closer.
Still hard, he could feel the magic beginning all over again. “Always ready with you, babe. Always.” He stripped the old condom and applied a new one.
This time she pushed him onto his back and kissed him, taking control of their lovemaking.
He liked that about her. She could give as good as she got. She straddled his hips and settled herself over him, taking him all the way inside.
Then she lifted up on her knees and slid back down, her long hair moving in waves. “Like that?”
Hardening inside her, he moaned and half-closed his eyes. “You know it, babe.”
Mitchell lifted his hands from her thighs and placed them over her breasts, rocking up and down, faster and faster.
He squeezed her breasts, pinched the nipples, and then left them to grab her bottom and lift her up and down faster.
When he came, she did too, her back arching, a low moan rising from her throat. After the tension released from both of their bodies, Remy guided Mitchell back to the bed and into his arms.
“This vacation is getting better by the minute.” Mitchell yawned and stretched her body, beautiful in the light from the nightstand. Within minutes, her eyelids drooped and her breathing grew slower and more even.
Remy lay for a long time, staring at her, drinking in the vision of her lying against the sheets, her long, sandy-blond hair splayed out in a fan across the cream-colored pillowcase.