Coming Undone

by Stephanie Tyler

  He was going to relax even if it killed him. And, if this kept up, it was going to.Go with the flow. Take it easy. Stop worrying about everyone else. When he looked down and saw his fists clenched, he knew it wasn’t working.

  Son of a bitch.

  He wondered how many body blows one man could handle before he went down, and realized he was on the verge. All the training in the world wasn’t helping right now, and he needed to get his head on straight.

  He got out, suited up and headed for his CO’s office. Jason sat at the meeting table, a mountain of paperwork in front of him. Funny thing, he didn’t look very relaxed either. Maybe it was catching.

  “Sir, have you seen Cash?” Hunt asked.

  “He got a fax and started mumbling something about Candy and Valentines. Said he’d spend the afternoon surfing up near Daytona,” Jason said.

  Not if I get to him first. “Thank you, sir,” Hunt said, was on his bike thirty seconds later heading down the highway. When he got to Carly’s house, he didn’t stop to think, just stormed up to her place and rang the bell, once, twice, and then pounded on the door.

  Yeah, this take-it easy, go-with-the-flow approach to life was really working out well for him.

  Carly answered the door about two minutes later, and he noted first, with relief, that she was dressed and didn’t appear out of breath.

  “Where is he?” Hunt demanded, holding on to the door jamb for dear life so he didn’t storm into her house. And why the hell was she smiling when he was so apparently pissed off?

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, and he was done fooling around.

  “Tell Cash to get his ass out here now.”

  “Why don’t you come in and tell him yourself?” She moved aside and motioned for Hunt to follow her and he saw red.

  He walked in bellowing Cash’s name. After the third time, he stopped because he knew that Cash would never break the unspoken code and that he’d never hide from a fight. A nice ruse, and Hunt had fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. Like a jealous fool.

  He was still going to kill Cash, though. Take whatever body parts were left over, after Jason got through with him, and finish the guy off because he had to be involved in all of this.

  Suddenly, instead of leaving, which is what he should’ve done, Hunt sat on the back of her couch and shook his head.

  Carly was trying to hold back a smile and wasn’t successful.

  “Nice job,” he said. “You got me here. So what’s up?”

  “You’re very good at, what did Cash call it? E & E?”

  “Evade and Escape? That’s my specialty.”

  “I thought you didn’t run from anything.”

  “I don’t. I’m not. We’ve been through this, Carly. This was supposed to be a way for you to prove something to your parents and you did that. But I’m tired of being the stand-in.” He paused.

  “Suppose I told you I wanted you as more than a stand-in?”

  “You told me that’s all you wanted.”

  “And you told me you didn’t want anything more than a few nights of fantasy.”

  “I didn’t. I don’t. Look, you got your life back, Ty’s happy and it’s time for me to head to work.” He stood and got the surprise of his life when Carly pushed him hard, palms flat against his chest.

  “I’m not letting you run out on me again, Hunt. So you’d better get used to it.”

  HUNT LAUGHED FOR A SECOND, supposedly at the absurdity of it. He moved Carly’s hands easily from where they remained flush against his chest.

  When she’d pushed him, she hadn’t even made a dent, but the tone of her voice begged her seriousness. She wasn’t letting him out of here without a fight and she was betting he didn’t have much fight left in him.“The first night we met,” she began, “you asked me…no, you told me, that I needed to learn to have fun again. You were right, even though I didn’t want to admit it. Now I’m telling you, I think it’s time for you to have fun.”

  “I had fun. I have fun. Dammit, it’s different for me. While you were out raising hell, I was raising Ty on my own,” he said.

  His jaw was tight, his shoulders set in a stance she recognized all too well.

  “I didn’t have time for fun, Carly, because I had responsibilities.”

  “And now?”

  “Now I just want…” he faltered, trailed off and shook his head. “I don’t know what the hell I want. It’s never been about me.”

  “Maybe it’s time that it was,” she said. “You worry more about Ty’s future than your own.”

  “Without Ty, I’ll be alone. I guess I’m trying to live the way I do so I stay used to being alone. I don’t like having the rug ripped out from under me.”

  Nobody did, but Carly saw immediately that for Hunt, that scenario was the worst thing that could happen to someone who was used to being, and expected to be, in total control of a situation.

  “You wanted to hear another fantasy,” she said finally, ready to give it all she had.

  “Carly, I…” He stood, made a move that indicated he’d leave at the next opportunity.

  “It involves you not interrupting at all.” She walked over to him, pushed him back on the couch with a force that clearly surprised him.

  “I’m not in the mood for games.”

  “What are you in the mood for?” she asked.

  Hunt paused, looked her up and down and his body turned complete and utter traitor. The rise in his pants was unmistakable. “How could you want something so much at the same time you didn’t? Nothing made sense anymore,” he murmured.

  “The game is called Yes.”

  “Never heard of it,” he said gruffly. “Is this another Candy Valentine special?”

  “As a matter of fact, it is. And I understand you’re a fast learner, so you shouldn’t have any trouble if you follow my directions.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Let’s say that neither of us will be very happy. And I don’t think that’s what you want.”

  “Carly, I…”

  “All you have to do is answer yes to every question I ask you.”

  “Sounds stupid,” he mumbled. Although Hunt looked as if he may have changed his mind when Carly lifted her tank top over her head, exposing bare breasts with thin tan lines from her bikini.

  “Are you ready to play?” she asked, her voice husky, cheeks slightly flushed. His obvious arousal gave him away; he was more than ready.

  “No,” he said.

  But she’d stopped listening to him, leaned over him so her breasts were close to his face. “No touching. Or kissing,” she said when his mouth attempted to make contact with her nipples in a homing-device fashion. “Not until I say so.”

  “You didn’t tell me that part of the game.”

  “It’s not fun if you know everything up front,” she whispered, pulled his T-shirt over his head and using her tank top to tie his hands behind his back.

  “You didn’t say I’d be tied up,” he said.

  “A big, strong SEAL is scared of my restraints?”

  “I didn’t say I was scared,” he scoffed. “Scared, my ass.”

  “Now, are you ready to play?”

  “Guess so.”

  “Already not following directions. I see trouble in your future. Are you ready to play along?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” She urged him to his feet and pulled his pants down slowly, freeing his erection.

  “Do you want me to touch you?” Carly asked Hunt.

  “Hell, yes,” he whispered.

  “Still not following directions, so you get nothing,” she said, stretching her arms over her head to give him a full view. Goddamned, he was going to rip the T-shirt off his wrists and tie her down and show her what was what if she didn’t stop this soon.

  “You’re playing with fire, baby,” he whispered again, and he knew, by the way she looked at him, that she got it. Carly wiggled her hips a little and her lips curved and man, this was
hard. Very, very hard. And then she drew close to him again and he inhaled sharply as she ran her hand across his abdomen.

  “I know all about playing with fire, Hunt, so don’t bother trying to warn me. And I asked if you understood.”

  “Yes,” he said, his voice thick and almost unrecognizable.

  “Good. Do you want me to touch you?”

  “Yes.”

  Her hand circled his cock, fingers cool against his hot skin, and he bucked slightly at the touch. She moved her hand up and down his shaft slowly. “Do you like it when I touch you this way?”

  “Who wouldn’t?” The hand stopped. Oh, crap. “Yes, Yes.”

  Her finger teased the tip of his shaft, ran along the underside, and he groaned, completely in her power.

  “Much better.” She smiled, bit her bottom lip and went back to stroking him. When she stopped, he protested and then concentrated on her sexy maneuver to slip her shorts off instead.

  She stood in front of him naked and stared at him head to toe. “Do you want me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’ll do anything I ask tonight to get me?”

  “Yes.” He was starting to sweat despite the air-conditioning.

  Carly used one hand to trace his nipples, then flicked each one lightly with her tongue. She chuckled a little when he jumped and he willed himself to stay still as she continued. But he couldn’t stop the growl that came deep from his throat. “Carly, please. Cut this out or else…”

  “Or else what? You’re going to lose if you don’t play the game right. And you want to play, don’t you?”

  Hunt gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached, because she’d palmed him again and he’d do anything, say anything, as long as she didn’t stop now. “Yes.”

  “Good. Very good. Sit back down,” she ordered, and when he followed her direction she sank to her knees in front of him. He growled again. “Now tell me, do you like to lose control?”

  Every inch of Hunt fought a silent battle, waged a war so primitive he could barely draw breath. And Carly watched him carefully, waited for his answer.

  “Yes.” The word was barely a gasp, but it was out. Her head dipped, her tongue flicked the tip of his cock and Hunt bucked at the touch, though he forced himself to stay seated. She rewarded him by taking him, inch by devastating inch, into her and then swirling her tongue around the tender underside of his erection so it was encased in the unbelievable warmth of her mouth. He closed his eyes and put his head back and let her take him until he couldn’t hold back his groans, couldn’t stop his hips from moving to the rhythm she’d set. It would be so easy just to surrender to whatever she wanted, but a part of him wouldn’t bend to her game completely.

  “Oh yeah, don’t stop.”

  She pulled away, wagged a finger at him. “You’re not particularly good at obeying rules, are you, sailor boy?”

  “Told you, I don’t like that nickname.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m a man.”

  “So I see.” Her gaze was appreciative. “But a man’s got to learn when to let it all go. When to press on and when to accept going over the falls gracefully.” Her finger traced a maddening path along his stomach, up his chest, ending with her breasts at eye level. Carly straddled his lap. At mouth level. At the perfect angle to caress one perfect bud with his tongue…

  “Yes,” he managed and then repeated it for emphasis. “Yes, yes.”

  She bent lower and he captured her nipple in his mouth. Her moan was low, guttural, and she grabbed the back of his head to keep him there.

  Hunt couldn’t believe how far she’d pushed him. How far would he let Carly take him? Would he let her go all the way? Could he?

  “Do you like to touch me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then do it. Touch me. Any way you want,” she murmured.

  26

  HUNT’S RESTRAINTS WERE OFF in seconds, and Carly was under the comforting heat of his body, first pressing her heavily into the couch cushions, then rolling with her onto the floor. She lay pinned beneath him, but able to wrap her arms and legs around him as if she was never letting go. This was good because she wasn’t planning on it anytime soon, even after this was over.

  Given the way Hunt was touching her, though, it was going to be over sooner than later.“Do you like that?” he asked after he’d pushed in with one long stroke and took her breath away.

  The man had good hands, good everything, and she heard the begging tone in her voice. “Yes.”

  “You want it fast? Hard?”

  “I want anything you’ve got to give me. I can take it.”

  He groaned, rocked her back and forth at a pace she had to hold on tight to keep up with, felt his heart beating against her chest as he filled her over and over again, backing out almost completely before plunging back into her.

  Carly closed her eyes and came, harder than she’d ever come in her life, yelled his name and various other things that shocked her when she heard them. She felt his release and the tension drain from his shoulders when he half collapsed on top of her. For several minutes, they just lay there on the carpet, catching their breath.

  She kept her arms wrapped around him, even as he tried to roll off her.

  “I’m crushing you.”

  “No, you’re not. Stay where you are,” she whispered.

  “A minute,” he conceded, rested his head on her shoulder. “Then I’ve got to go.”

  “I didn’t hear your beeper.”

  He lifted his head and stared at her. “I don’t know how this got so crazy. I don’t know what you want from me.”

  She wanted…everything. “I want a lot of things. But let’s start with this. You’ve handled me broken…can you handle me fixed?”

  “Are we still playing the Yes game?”

  She smiled. “I’d like a real answer. Not one fueled by thoughts of sex.”

  “Men are fueled by thoughts of sex most of the time.”

  “You’re avoiding my question,” Carly said, because she wasn’t letting him get away with this.

  “I don’t know what I can handle these days, what I want to handle.” Hunt tugged away from her and stood.

  She followed suit, stood skin-to-skin with him, since she refused to disengage from the physical contact.

  “You’re going to have to give me some time,” he told her.

  “I’m afraid if I let you go, I’ll never see you again.” She brushed her chest against his arm, kissed his shoulder, but he turned, almost roughly, and broke the contact.

  “How are you going to handle me away all the time?”

  “I’d like the chance to find out,” Carly said, even as he pulled on jeans and handed her her clothes. “You don’t have to go. I don’t want you to go.”

  “Where can this lead? Your family will get bored with this hero bit soon and remember that I’m not rich. Not even close.”

  “I’m not like that.” She didn’t want to waste time getting dressed, just grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around herself like a sarong. “And it’s not about the wedding anymore. It hasn’t been for a while.”

  “You like this because it’s an adventure. It’s different. But soon my hours and time away aren’t going to work for you.” He stood, ran his fingers through his hair. She could tell his emotions were raw.

  “Why are you telling me how I feel? I’m independent and I don’t need constant reassurance.”

  “I don’t know many people willing to wait for their spouse to come home, not knowing where they are, and when, if ever, they’re coming home,” he said. “And I don’t expect that from you.”

  “You don’t expect it? Or you don’t want it?” she asked, point-blank. The expression on his face softened slightly, and she held her breath.

  The phone started to ring.

  “Aren’t you going to get that?” Hunt asked.

  She shook her head impatiently. “Let it ring.” The machine picked up and she heard
Evan’s voice.

  Her first instinct was to run and grab the phone, but she was too late.

  “Carolyn, it’s Evan. I wanted to tell you that I’ve been thinking about our dances last night, all night, and that I’m very happy you’ve decided to go to the wedding with me. Maybe this is finally the start of what was meant to be.”

  The phone clicked off and Hunt stared at it as if his eyes were a heat-seeking missile. She expected the phone to self-destruct at any moment. “It’s not what you think,” she blurted.

  “It’s exactly what I think. It’s what I thought the whole time you put your ruse on for your family. It’s what I told you the other night, that you and I wouldn’t work.” He stopped. “But I guess you already determined that on your own.”

  “I told Evan he could be my date if you got called away, the way you were at the party.”

  He laughed, a short, harsh sound. “Yeah. That’s perfect. Make sure you’ve got a back-up mate for the times I’m gone.”

  “That’s not fair. Look, this is confusing for me. I needed a date for the wedding, and now I’m falling…”

  “Don’t,” he said, with all the command he could possibly put in his voice. And it stopped her cold. “Don’t say it.”

  “It’s true. I’ve fallen so hard for you.”

  “It’s lust. Nothing more. Things like this don’t happen quickly.”

  “I didn’t need more than two minutes on a surfboard to know the sport was right for me. And I don’t think I’m wrong that you’re starting to feel the same way about us.”

  “I can’t do this now,” he said, stood and paced for a few seconds like a caged lion seeking escape.

  “Hunt, wait…”

  “I don’t belong in your world. Never did. But I can’t say the ride hasn’t been a blast.” And then his beeper and phone rang at the same time—like a not-so-subtle reminder that his life was all about leaving on a moment’s notice.

  “The wedding’s tomorrow,” she reminded him.

  He shook his head. “I can’t. Tell your family that I got called away to duty. So none of them have to know any better, or you can always bring Evan, just the way they wanted you to from the start.”