Search and Seduce

by Sara Jane Stone

  6

  “I WANT TO FEEL you move.” His voice was low and rough. With one finger, he stroked the length of her neck. “Beneath me, on top of me.”

  Oh, God, she wanted that, too. Every inch of her body begged for it. She stepped forward, but he caught her before she could run her hands over his muscles—the ones she’d admired and longed to touch.

  He put his hands on her shoulders and held her in place. “I need to know you want this, too. I need to hear you say the words, Amelia Mae.”

  “I want this,” she whispered. “I want you.”

  His hands moved over her shoulders to her bare arms. Thank goodness for sleeveless shirts. She arched her back, craving more. He reached her wrists and paused, wrapping his hands around them and holding her tight. She closed her eyes, excitement pulsing through her.

  “Say my name,” he demanded.

  “I want you, Mark. Just you.”

  Somewhere, deep inside, her subconscious screamed, This is Mark! And panic rose. What was she doing here? She needed to leave, to break free and walk away...

  His lips touched her neck, trailing kisses up to her ear, and she closed her eyes.

  No, she couldn’t leave. It had been so long since anyone had touched her, kissed her.

  He released her wrists, but didn’t let her go. Holding her hips, he ran one hand up the side of her body, stopping before he reached her bra line. His palm moved around to the front, teasing and taunting, but never touching her breasts as he shifted to her stomach, teasing the top of her drawstring pants. His fingers dipped below the elastic band, and her breath caught. As if he sensed her anticipation building and swirling, he stopped, his fingertips running along the top of her underwear.

  “Are you feeling lucky, Amelia Mae?”

  She nodded.

  “Good.” His index finger traced small circles over her lower belly. “Spread your legs for me. Let me in.”

  She obeyed, moving her feet apart. And he rewarded her, the circles moving lower until they brushed back and forth over the one place that could make her scream.

  “I’ve wanted to touch you like this for so damn long,” he murmured. “I’ve fought it, but seeing you again...I can’t fight it anymore. I need to feel you, wet and ready for me. I want you out of your mind with pleasure, screaming and calling out my name as you come. First like this, with my hands on you. And then when I’m inside you.”

  His fingers moved lower, one slipping inside as the heel of his hand pressed down against her, driving her closer and closer. But something was holding her back, preventing her from falling headfirst into a mind-numbing orgasm.

  “Mark, please more!”

  Amy opened her eyes, the sound of her words echoing in the empty room. Her fingers clutched the sheets. Her body shifted restlessly, craving release. But unless she replaced Mark’s imaginary hands with her own...not going to happen.

  She’d been having the most amazing dream. And now she was alone, Jango the only other living being in the room. Her heart raced and her breath came in short, quick gasps. She’d been so close. If the dream had continued, just a minute or two longer, she might have come just from the thought of him touching her.

  Mark. My friend.

  “Oh, no,” she murmured. “No, no, no.”

  She’d screamed his name. What if he’d heard her? What if he’d woken up to the sound of her voice begging for more?

  “Oh, God,” she whispered to the empty room.

  “Woof!” Jango placed his front paws on the bed and panted down at her.

  “Five minutes, boy. I need five minutes.” Jango cocked his head to one side. He didn’t understand her words, but he knew from the tone of her voice something was bothering her. And he was right.

  She needed to get her head on straight and collect her thoughts. How could she face Mark this morning, after last night in her truck, and now this? Waking up screaming his name? He was sleeping in her home, for goodness’ sake!

  “Stupid dream.”

  Jango’s face was the picture of canine concern as he nuzzled her. She patted his head. “Maybe he didn’t hear me.”

  Jango licked her face as if to say, Poor silly woman.

  “You’re right. Hard not to hear a woman screaming when there are no doors,” she said, pushing back the covers and climbing out of bed. “Who knows what he’s thinking now?”

  That he wants me so much he’s willing to push aside all the reasons one night together is a bad idea and just see where our mutual desire leads?

  Jango barked. Downstairs, she heard the chorus of puppies waking and asking to go out, too.

  “Okay, I get it, guys. Time to stop thinking about Mark and focus on work.” She stripped out of her pajamas and pulled on a pair of jeans, bra and T-shirt. “Everyone is moving into the kennel today. Except you, Jango. You stay with me.”

  If dogs could smile...

  Amy slipped her feet into her shoes and headed for the stairs. Whatever he thought now, she couldn’t hide up here all day. Mark had made it clear last night that there were some lines he wouldn’t cross. And he was probably right. She couldn’t afford to lose him as a friend. Maybe they could both pretend she hadn’t screamed his name, her voice sounding suspiciously like a woman on the edge of an orgasm.

  Amy tiptoed around the couch and found it empty. She closed her eyes, savoring the relief. Opening them, she glanced at the stack of folded sheets and a note scrawled on the back of a gas station receipt.

  Went to give the guys a hand.

  “Thank goodness for the Benton brothers,” she murmured, leading Jango to the door.

  * * *

  AN HOUR LATER, after she’d walked and fed the dogs, Amy headed for the kennels. She saw T.J. out in the field finishing up the obstacle course. He’d inflated a small kiddie pool and was filling it with plastic balls. Amy smiled and waved, knowing the puppies would love it. And it would be a good first step to learning to swim with the SEALs.

  Inside, she found Mark and Luke putting the finishing touches on the whelping room, the puppies’ new home. Nova would have her own quiet space at the other end of the kennel beside Bullet.

  “Morning,” Mark said from the top of a ladder. He was hanging a speaker in the corner of the room.

  “Hey there, Ames,” Luke said. “How’s the ankle feeling today?”

  “Better.” She scanned the metal crates, each containing a dog bed. “Are we ready for the puppies?”

  “Hanging the last speaker now,” Mark said, glancing down at her with a teasing smile. He didn’t look the least bit uncomfortable about last night. She felt a tinge of disappointment. Maybe she wanted to see him rocked off his axis after the way he’d touched her on the way home.

  “Amy,” Mark said. “Mind telling us why the puppies require surround sound?”

  “In the beginning I’ll play different noises,” she explained. “Cars, planes, explosions. I use sound-effects tracks to get them accustomed to different environments so they won’t flinch later on.”

  “I can’t imagine my girl reacting to the sound of an explosion,” Luke said, referring to Zulu, his K-9 partner. Having chosen the army instead of the navy, Luke worked with the military police’s K-9 unit, joining different teams to detect explosives.

  “She’s well trained,” Amy said. Outside, a car door slammed. “I’ll go see who’s here.”

  “Probably Gabe,” Luke said. “He was running late, but said he’d bring doughnuts.”

  Amy frowned. She had a good idea why the oldest Benton brother was behind schedule this morning. Eloise. With Jango at her side, Amy headed for the kennel’s reception area. Inside, she found Gabe opening a box of doughnut holes and popping one into his mouth. Her cousin stood beside him, setting out coffee, cups and creamer.

  “Morning.” Amy walked into the room. “Eloise, I didn’t expect you today. Don’t you have patients to see?”

  “Nope.” Her cousin turned, her face shining with the happy glow of someone who’d enjoyed he
r fair share of orgasms the night before. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot from too little sleep. “I’m taking the day off to help you move the puppies.”

  “Thanks.” Amy forced a smile while alarm bells sounded in her head. Eloise rarely did the morning-after thing with the men she dated. But here she was, standing beside Gabe, handing him a cup of coffee. “Why don’t we head up to the house and start bringing them down? Gabe, would you mind seeing if T.J. needs a hand in the field?”

  “Will do.” Her former brother-in-law nodded, grabbing a handful of doughnut holes.

  Eloise watched Gabe leave, smiling like a punch-drunk fool. “You know, I think I was right.”

  “About what?”

  “I think Gabe looks the best without his shirt.” Eloise selected a doughnut from the box. “Not that I’ve seen the others, but I can’t imagine a man with a better body. His—”

  “No, no, no,” Amy jumped in. “No details. I saw enough last night in the parking lot. More than enough.”

  “Sorry. We thought about waiting, but then...” Her cousin shrugged.

  “I just hope you know what you’re doing, El. He’s leaving any day now. And who knows when he’ll be back.”

  Or if he’ll come back.

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt,” Amy added. Jango moved to her side, and she started stroking the dog’s head.

  “It was one night. Just fun. I’ve known Gabe forever. I feel safe with him. I’ll spare you the details, but trusting him allowed me to take risks I wouldn’t with another man.”

  Like being tied up in the front seat of a truck.

  “But there is a difference between wild sex and emotional risk,” Eloise continued. “I’m not falling in love with Gabe. I’m a big girl, Amy, and I know better. I was torn apart when we lost Darren. But what I felt, it was nothing compared to your loss. I’ve watched you crawl your way back. After witnessing that, I’d never hand over my heart to a soldier.”

  “What if you fall in love anyway?” Amy challenged.

  Eloise raised an eyebrow. “In one night? Maybe two?”

  Amy shook her head. Maybe Eloise was right. A night or two with a man she could trust did not spell true love and heartbreak.

  “We’re not kids anymore, Amy. You met Darren when we were teenagers. Back then, we had our hearts set on happily-ever-after. But now? I’m building a career. Yes, I’m still a little boy crazy at times. But I have my priorities. One man isn’t going to upend my life, believe me.”

  Her cousin sounded so certain, Amy found herself nodding. And maybe Eloise had a point. What did Amy know about relationships? She was starting all over again. It had never occurred to her that she could write her own rules.

  But she could. She wasn’t a teenager anymore. Still, she didn’t know where to start.

  Not with orgasm-inducing fantasies about Mark...

  “But Gabe’s also a friend,” Amy said, knowing she sounded like Mark.

  “And now we’re friends who get naked together.”

  Amy frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “It can’t be that simple.”

  “Yes, it can,” Eloise said. “Simple and fun. Promise.”

  * * *

  BY THREE THAT AFTERNOON, Amy and her team of volunteers had settled the puppies into the whelping room, introduced Nova to her new home and unloaded the rental truck. Leaving her cousin to play with the pups, Amy stood outside in the cool spring air surveying the piles of tent parts, lighting booms and fixtures, outdoor space heaters, tables and chairs. Thank goodness the caterers were handling the dishes and glasses for Saturday’s event. With less than forty-eight hours to go, setting all this up with only four men was a tall order.

  “Are you guys sure you know how to put the tent together?” Amy asked.

  Luke draped his arm over her shoulders. “We’ve got this. Don’t you even think about calling the company back and paying their crew to do this. With the joint efforts of the air force, army and navy working for you, we’ll have it up in no time.”

  Mark glanced up from a pile of metal parts. She swore his jaw tightened when he saw Luke’s arm around her.

  “You’ve put so much into this,” Mark said. “Let us help you now. Go work with your dogs. When you come back out, we’ll have your tent built.”

  Amy turned to head inside.

  “Amy, dear, just a moment,” her former mother-in-law called.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted Elizabeth Benton marching across the field. She was a tall woman with a full head of gray hair. In her own way, Mrs. Benton—Amy still couldn’t think of her as Elizabeth—was just as imposing as her sons, a strong matriarch for her family.

  “Mom, I thought you were cooking,” T.J. called. “I’ve been dreaming about your biscuits for months.”

  “They’re in the oven,” Mrs. Benton said, heading straight for her. Amy briefly considered escaping inside the kennel, but she knew Mrs. Benton would follow, determined to talk about the menu or the chairs or any of the other small details connected to the dedication.

  “Is there a problem?” Amy asked. Maybe the caterers had called to cancel. Or all the guests had decided they had something more important to do.

  Mrs. Benton stopped in front of Amy. “I wanted to talk to you about your speech.”

  “My speech?” Amy repeated. She’d intended to say something about the dogs and her plans for the kennel, but nothing more.

  “Before you address the crowd, I would like to say a few words,” Mrs. Benton said, her lips forming a warm smile. “I don’t know another woman who would go to all this trouble for her late husband. My boy was so devoted. To his country, his family, his beliefs, and to you.”

  Mrs. Benton’s words came from the heart, sending a wave of guilt washing over Amy. Why did part of her fight so hard to make this place hers? She’d known when she put Darren’s name on the building that everyone would think she’d opened the kennel to honor him. And there was some truth to that. Darren deserved to be remembered. But worshipped? Placed on a pedestal for his devotion?

  Darren had been a good man and even better soldier. But Amy knew the truth. He wasn’t perfect. And while he’d been dedicated to his team and his country, it hadn’t extended to her, not toward the end.

  “No one could ask for a more perfect daughter-in-law, Amy,” Mrs. Benton continued. “You’re like my angel. And I would like a chance, while we have a microphone and a captive audience, to tell everyone how proud I am of you.”

  Amy tensed. Closing her eyes, she stepped away, needing space before she screamed, I’m not perfect! She felt a presence at her side, a strong solid wall of muscle. A hand, familiar and welcome, grasped hers. This time it wasn’t Jango who’d come to her rescue, but Mark.

  “Sounds like a plan, Mrs. B,” Mark said. “But I’m with T.J.—you might want to check on those biscuits. I’ve been dreaming about them, too.”

  Elizabeth Benton chuckled. “You boys and your appetites. You’ll get your biscuits. And, Amy, please think about it. I would love to say a few words.”

  She nodded, squeezing Mark’s hand. “Of course.”

  “I’ll see you both for dinner,” Mrs. Benton said, turning toward the grass field separating the two properties. “Tell Eloise to come, too. I have enough food to feed an army.”

  “We promise to eat like one,” Luke said.

  “We’ll be there,” Mark said, drawing her through the kennel’s front door. He kept going, leading her away from the voices to the relative quiet of the veterinary exam room. She could still hear the dogs, but not the Benton brothers.

  He released her hand. “Are you okay?”

  “I hate the way they see me,” she said, her voice wavering. Part of her wanted to scream or cry—maybe both. “I can’t stand the fact that Mrs. Benton thinks I’m perfect. I’m not.”

  “Come here, Amy.” Mark drew her into his arms, holding her tight. There was so much comfort here with her face resting against his chest.

  “I
’m not perfect,” she repeated. “And neither was Darren. Did you know he never did the laundry when he was home? Not once. He told his mother he loved her brussels sprouts, when I know for a fact he hated them.”

  The words came out in a rush. It was as if she’d kept them sewn up inside, but the stitching had come loose.

  “He forgot our wedding anniversary,” she continued. “More than once. Even when he was stateside, he forgot. And my birthday. And...”

  Our wedding vows. The moment he’d gone to bed with another woman, Darren had broken the promises they’d made to each other before he’d become a SEAL, before the never-ending deployments. Before life tore them apart, shattering her faith in him. It took trust to know your husband was fighting half a world away. She’d given it to him. And he’d tossed it aside.

  Of course his family didn’t know. No one had known her marriage was crumbling. She’d never said a word, not wanting to tarnish his memory then. She still didn’t. What good would it do? They couldn’t possibly understand how much she’d wanted Darren to come home. She’d wanted him to witness the downfall of their relationship, or work at her side to pick up the pieces. Even after he’d betrayed her, she’d loved him. She’d wanted to fight for their future.

  “I wish they could remember him for who he was, not this god among men,” she said. “When he died, I didn’t lose a war hero, I lost my husband. And that man, he was not perfect.”

  “I know.”

  Amy drew back, looking up into Mark’s eyes. Did he? Had Darren told his best friend about his affair?

  “I know he had faults,” Mark said. “Maybe not about the laundry or the brussels sprouts, but I never saw him as perfect. Still, he was a damn fine friend, brother and son. His family can’t help remembering the good.”

  Wrapping both arms around her, he hugged her tight. “I just wish his family wasn’t so determined to bind you to his memory. Because I look around and I see what you’ve built, and I see a woman who has set out to make a place for herself. I think this kennel is you, Amelia Mae, standing on your own two feet.”

  His words pushed past the memories and the turmoil they carried with them. For the first time, she felt as if someone saw her.