by Violet Paige
“What?” His voice was deep and low. The sound sent a shiver down my back.
“I have a year to decide what I’m going to do.”
“I don’t know why you’d leave Washington. What more could be out there? Warm weather is overrated.”
“You leave, don’t you?” I protested. It didn’t seem as if he was in a position to lecture me on staying in one place.
He chuckled. “True. But my job has different traveling requirements. I don’t have a say in where I go.”
We paused when the waiter returned to the table. Brett stopped to order for both of us before dismissing the server.
“The only thing I know about your job is that you’re in the Army. What do you do for them? What kind of job keeps you away for two full years?”
“I don’t really talk about it.” He looked around us as if he was scanning the people at the nearby tables. “Sometimes it’s just better not to.”
We were in a small restaurant. Most places in Havenville were quaint and quiet. It was one of the things I liked about the town.
I grinned. “If you’re worried I’m going to spill your secrets, I think you can trust me. I have your blood pressure on file. I’m excellent at confidential information.” I giggled, realizing how light my voice sounded.
“Sounds like you’re trying to put in an application to be a medic.”
I shook my head. “Me? In the military? No way. I like hot showers and my silk pillow case. Oh and I love TV.”
He chuckled. “Can’t say that I’ve had any of those things lately.”
“Are you going to tell me why?” I pressed. “I think it would be good if you had someone in Havenville you trusted.” I looked at him. “I could be that person, Brett. You can trust me.”
He leaned back in his seat. “All right, doc. You’re right. I do trust you. And I don’t trust many people. It’s not easy in my line of work.”
“And that line of work is…” I wanted to know what made him so guarded. What kept him from letting the wall between us fall. What kept him from his home for so long.
“I’m in Special Forces.” His voice was low.
“Holy shit.” I almost choked on my wine.
“Delta Force to be exact. But that’s about all I can say about it. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
I knew there was an elite group attached to the Army unit close to Havenville at Fort Helix, but I had never met any of the men on the team. The townspeople talked about them as if they were urban legends. Ghosts who circled in and out when they were needed. And one of those ghosts was sitting across from me now.
“What you do is very dangerous, isn’t it?” I asked.
His eyes softened. “It can be. But I’m good at my job. I’m here now, having dinner with a beautiful woman because I’m good at what I do. Because I don’t make mistakes.”
I swallowed hard. His words hit me with sudden force. I didn’t know where it came from, but there was an urgent need to tell him to quit Special Forces. To drop out of the Army. To get as far away from secret and dangerous missions as he could, but that had to be the wine talking. I had only met Brett a few hours ago. Being concerned for his safety as his doctor would make sense. That was slightly logical. But Brett wasn’t my patient. We didn’t have that kind of relationship. He was my date.
Pheromones. I told myself. It’s the damn pheromones controlling everything. They had to be the reason my pulse raced, and my eyes refused to blink. It’s why my voice was high and I couldn’t stop the silly giggling. Yes, there was a medical explanation for everything. Even crazy, life-altering physical attraction. As a doctor, I could trace every physical effect back to its source. But as I looked into Brett’s eyes I had to wonder how much science was a part of this date. Right now it felt like the stars were spinning and my body wasn’t under my control any longer.
Seven
Brett
I stared at her over the candlelight. The flames bouncing off the green in her eyes. When in the hell did this happen? Why was I staring? Why was my cock aching?
This morning I was alone. A Delta determined to get back to the mission. A soldier leaving my family in my cousin’s hands. Now I was staring at this woman, feeling compelled to leave everything behind and take her to bed. Fuck her until the sun came up.
This wasn’t the plan. This had never been the plan. I didn’t want complications. I didn’t want things to get messy. I didn’t want attachments. I never had. But Gretchen was fucking all my plans up.
“Since we’re talking about our deep dark secrets, I have another secret.” I leaned across the table.
“What’s that?” I could see the questions in her eyes.
“I know the best place in Washington to watch falling stars.” It was out of my mouth before I could think about what I was saying.
Her shoulders relaxed. “I thought you were going to tell me something completely different. You like to surprise me, don’t you?”
“I do.” I grinned. “Want to see it?”
She nodded. “Very much.”
I had waited for a lot of things in my life. Hell, I spent years waiting for targets to emerge, so my team could capture them. I’d camouflage myself for hours, even days if I had to. But the thought of waiting another minute before I could get out of this restaurant and be only with Gretchen seemed like an impossible thing to ask me to do.
I didn’t know how many nights I had left in Havenville, but I knew I wanted to spend this one with her.
I paid the check, and ushered her out of the restaurant.
The wine was flush on her cheeks. She slid into the seat. “Where are we going?”
“Secret remember?” I closed the door and ran to the driver side of the truck.
It was hard not to feel like we were running away. The tires kicked up bits of gravel as I turned onto the road. There was sexual tension between us that was so thick it filled the entire cab. I had to will myself to take things back to the basics. We both wanted the same thing—it was worth getting to the good part.
The car ride to the cabin was quiet. I had let the dial land on an oldies station and left it there. Gretchen looked out the window as we drove deeper into the woods.
I parked in front of the house and walked around to the passenger side to help her from the car, but she was already halfway out of her seat.
“Let me grab some drinks. Wait right here,” I offered. “I’ll show you the top secret spot as soon as I have a few things.”
She giggled. “Do you need some help?”
“Nah. I’ve got this.”
I left her by the car while I ran in the cabin. There was a quilt on the bed I grabbed, along with a few beers from the fridge. I wasn’t much for romance, but I hadn’t thought through what would happen when I was with Gretchen. How I would react to her, and how badly I wanted her to feel safe with me.
It might only be a night of star watching, but I didn’t know when I’d be back. I didn’t know if this chance would come along again.
I met her at the car, my arms loaded with star-watching supplies.
“I think I’ve got everything we need to make this night happen. Ready?”
She looked at what I was carrying. “Don’t we need a flashlight? It’s dark out there.”
I shook my head. “Nah. I have excellent night vision.”
“Let me guess…part of your training?” She smirked.
She followed closely as I led her down a path and along the trail until we ended up on the edge of a ravine. There was a small clearing just large enough for us to sit together.
I spread the quilt on the ground and handed her a beer.
“I promise it will be the best night show you’ve seen.” I watched her intently.
Gretchen touched the beer to her lips. “This is probably the only spot in the entire forest where you can look up and see sky.”
“It is.” I sat next to her. All I wanted to do was pull her body under mine, but I was trying to use res
traint. Trying to act like a man and not give in to his instincts all at once.
“How did you get us through there? And where are we?” she asked.
I looked around, knowing every tree, every bush surrounding us. I had spent my childhood exploring this forest.
“It’s part of my family’s land.” I took a swig of beer. “We own everything on this side of the creek and another family’s land starts on the other side. The Osborns are on that side. Jacksons on this side.”
“Did you play here as a child?”
“Yeah, I did. I had a lot of cousins growing up. We took over the woods. That’s the tree that I fell out of and broke my arm.” I pointed to a huge towering bough near us. I chuckled. “And about a hundred feet back is where Cane and I built a fort. I could walk these trails blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back. We ran and climbed every inch of this forest.”
Gretchen smiled. “I bet that was fun. I didn’t really grow up with much family. And definitely not in a place like this. It would be perfect for kids.”
“Where is your family, doc?” I wanted to know more about her. What made her tick. How she ended up being a doctor.
“Mainly New England,” she answered. “My parents still live there. But I don’t have any siblings. I guess you could say I didn’t spend my childhood outside. No cousins to run wild with like you did. I was more of a bookworm.”
“You? No way.” I chuckled.
She shoved my arm. “Don’t make fun of me. There is nothing wrong with bookworms. Or nerds,” she added.
“Oh I’m not making fun.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her. There was something about the way the moonlight lit her hair that made me want to run my fingers through it.
“Do you know any of the constellations?” she asked, breaking my gaze. Hey eyes turned to the sky.
“Sure.” I wedged myself behind her and pulled her against my chest. I smiled when she nestled into me. I knew she would fit perfectly. “If you look right there, you’ll see the big dipper.”
I guided her hand in mine as I pointed toward the largest constellation overhead.
She nodded. “Oh there it is. I see it.”
“But that forms part of the Great Bear. That’s my favorite.” I inhaled her scent. Sweet shampoo and perfume. “But if you look right over there you can see the North Star, and that will help you see the Little Bear.”
“The Little Bear?” She sounded confused.
My hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her against me tighter. “Yes, Little Bear.”
She smiled and nestled further into my chest.
Suddenly, all I could think about was being closer. Skin on skin. Making Gretchen mine. Claiming her in every way possible. I felt a rumble in my chest. She was too intoxicating. Too soft. Too beautiful. And it had been too damn long.
“I think I like that Little Bear one too. It’s strong with the North Star, but you have to look hard to see all of her,” she whispered.
I swallowed hard. My cock jerked to life, aching and pulsing to be inside her. My hands wanted to roam over her flesh. I could barely hear the words she was saying. My body was humming from the nearness of her. There was no way to put myself back in check. It was as if I was falling over a cliff.
She turned her head slightly, rotating her body so that her eyes locked on me, and that’s when I knew I couldn’t hold back for another second.
My hands tangled in her hair as I tugged her lips to mine. Her mouth was sweet with the taste of beer as I moved my lips against hers. She moaned as my tongue slipped inside. She spun in my arms until she was pressed against my body. All her soft curves leaning into me. I sucked hard against the corners of her mouth, nipping at her full lips.
Her breathing was rapid and I could hear her heart beating quickly against her chest. I eyed her throat before my lips blazed a trail against her skin. I didn’t have control of my hands or my mouth anymore. The instinct to make her mine fired through me.
She was finally in my arms and there was only thing I wanted to do.
“Too fast,” she breathed. “Too much.” Her head reeled back as I palmed and squeezed her breast over the fabric of her tank top.
“It is,” I growled, dragging her mouth back to mine. She kissed me with the same kind of fever I had.
I groaned when her legs wrapped around my waist as she climbed into my lap. I was growing harder by the second. My cock strained against the stiff denim. She rocked her hips against me.
I kissed her throat and her shoulders, making a line for her breasts.
“This is crazy,” she whispered. But her hands were in the air, as I peeled the tank top over her head.
“Very crazy.” My eyes landed on her breasts. I shoved the fabric of her bra below her tits so her nipples were exposed. They peaked in the moonlight. God, she was perfect.
My mouth landed on the perked nub and drew it into my mouth sharply.
“Oh, God,” She grabbed the back of my head, jutting her breasts forward. Her hands drew me harder to her chest. I sucked viciously, wanting her to feel every indentation my tongue lashed on her skin. I bit and sucked, toying roughly with her pink flesh.
“You’re beautiful, doc,” I whispered before my mouth landed on her other tit.
Her hands locked behind my head and she began to rock against me, each time rubbing her heat harder against my growing erection. I could feel the power between her legs and I groaned, knowing I had to feel all of it before I lost my mind. I needed her out of those jeans. I wanted to strip her bare.
I wanted to know what it would be like to claim her, burying myself deep inside her while she screamed my name. I felt drunk just thinking about it.
Our mouths collided again as another kiss turned fiery. She made sexy purring noises. I held her face in my hand while the other twisted her nipple, pulling and tugging her into a frenzy. Her eyes opened.
“Brett.” She breathed.
“Too much?” I asked. I hoped like hell she wanted to keep going. I could fuck her on this quilt until we were both dripping in sweat.
She shook her head. Her arms wrapped around my neck.
“No,” she whispered. “I don’t care right now how crazy it is. It feels too good to stop. Please don’t stop.”
I grinned, kissing her more passionately this time. My hand slid between us, unbuttoning her jeans and then mine.
I reached behind her, unclasping her bra as the straps fell from her shoulders.
“Your tits are fucking perfect, doc.” My chest seized as I held her soft voluptuous tits in my hands.
Her eyes were big and round, watching me with innocence and the kind of purity I hadn’t seen in years. Gretchen was fucking incredible.
I lowered her to the quilt, hovering over her. I kissed her throat and along her shoulders. Her nails dug into my back as she bucked toward me, rubbing my cock through the fabric.
“These have to go,” I growled.
“Definitely,” she agreed.
As my hands began to tug the jeans over her hips, my ears perked. I heard a shout in the distance, followed by another. My eyes flashed to hers. I froze, Gretchen’s skin searing against my fingertips, but the sound was getting louder.
I sat forward.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Shh.” I put a finger to her lush lips. I looked around us. I didn’t see anyone in the woods, but the shouting wasn’t far away.
I shoved the tank top in her hands.
“You better get dressed. We need to get inside,” I urged. “We can’t stay out here.” Fuck.
“What’s wrong?” She pulled the shirt on, grabbing her bra off the ground.
I could see the hurt look on her face, but there would be plenty of time to change it to one of pure pleasure. Right now, I needed to get her away from the clearing and back to the cabin.
“I think it would be better if we take this inside.” I pulled her to her feet and led her down the path. “You know, wild animals.” I tried to joke as
we walked, but my ears were at attention trying to pick up any sound I could.
Gretchen stopped. “Is that someone yelling? Holy shit. Are there other people that live out here?”
I shook my head. “Just keep moving. We’ll be fine. We need to get inside.”
I scanned the tree line, but there was nothing. We were in the middle of nowhere. There were no other houses for miles. Who was out there? Who was on my property? And tonight, of all fucking nights?
We stepped on the porch and I felt a sense of relief. I opened the screen door.
I looked over my shoulder one more time at the woods. Maybe tonight wasn’t the night I would make her mine. I was ready to punch whoever had ruined this for us.
Eight
Gretchen
There was that time after prom when my date told me he had to get home before curfew and left me lonely and embarrassed. Then there was that time in college when my study partner said he had only slept with me to get an A, making me feel mortified because I had been used. But neither of those experiences felt like this.
Brett’s mouth and hands had been all over me and then suddenly they weren’t. I wanted more. I needed it. It was as if he had flipped a switch just when things had been hot and heavy. Instead of explaining it to me, he jumped into Delta mode and took over like a soldier in the field. Not the man who was about to have sex with me.
I sat on the couch, the quilt he had given me wrapped around my shoulders, but he was standing at the window. The lights were off, and the blinds were drawn. What in the hell was going on?
I started to think he did have some post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Paranoia would certainly be one of them. It was possible I was so attracted to him, I couldn’t think clearly. Everything between my legs told me to say yes. Clearly, I couldn’t think rationally about this man anymore.
His kisses were unreal. His hands even more incredible. I didn’t know how we had gone from that to this.
“Is there something I can do?” I asked.