Dr. Maki sighed and slowly stood. He took his time appraising the men from Savage Security. He knew they’d been entrusted with the Nation’s secrets for years, so he wasn’t concerned about them sharing any details of what they’d witnessed, but he decided to say something anyway. “As you know, gentlemen, everything you saw here is classified. No discussing it. Not even with each other.” He pointed to the computer screen. “This never happened.”
The team nodded, and Cole thanked Dr. Maki again for allowing them to observe. They wouldn’t discuss what they observed. There was no need to. The threat was eliminated.
They drove back to Savage Security and filed into the building to put away their gear. Jack wanted to see Bella, let her know that she was safe, so while the others headed to the armory, he and Mike stepped into Mike’s office.
Alisha shot up from the couch and wrapped her arms around Mike, burying her head in his chest. When he’d left, dressed in his gear, her heart raced and hadn’t stopped thrumming until he strolled into the room.
Mike breathed in Alisha’s perfume as she clung to him. He stroked his hands up and down her back, feeling the tension in her muscles melt away. “It’s all over,” he whispered, loving the feel of her in his arms.
Alisha peered up at Mike. His lips were close to hers, drawing her in, like a drowning swimmer in need of resuscitation. She stepped up on her tippy-toes and pressed her lips against his. Bliss washed over her as their hands roamed each other’s bodies.
Bella would be lying if seeing Jack in his gear didn’t ratchet up her lust for him. He was an attractive man in civilian clothes, but donned in ‘kick ass’ garb sent her blood rushing through her veins like supercharged particles speeding through the vacuum of space. Even though her heart pumped anxiously, she seemed to stop breathing and time froze as he neared her. She smiled as his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him. Thankfully, there would be time for them to discover what could develop between them.
43
Christmas Day
Bella checked the island once more. The utensils and napkins were in the basket. The glasses were on the counter by the refrigerator with various drinks lined up for people to choose from, and the paper plates sat on the island. She grabbed the fruit bowl from the fridge and set it on the island beside the ham and rolls.
Everyone from the team mingled in Jack’s family room and kitchen as they made the final preparations. Jack had decided to host a last-minute Christmas party since everyone’s plans for Christmas had fallen through with the discovery of Eric’s cell gunning for them.
The oven timer beeped, and Mike said, “I’ll get it.” Sliding his hands into oven mitts, he pulled out the sweet potato soufflé and set it on the counter. Reaching into the drawer, he set the serving spoon beside the hot dish. Then, stepping up behind Alisha, he wrapped his hands around her waist and whispered in her ear. “Merry Christmas, baby.”
Alisha relaxed into his embrace and clutched at his hands as he held her. Craning her head, she peeked up at him over her shoulder and smiled. She was the luckiest woman on the planet. Mike was everything to her, and she knew that he returned her feelings. She’d found ‘The One’ the day she’d walked into Young Guns in search of protection.
Cole glanced across the room and saw Mike and Alisha embrace in the kitchen. Then, looking away, he scanned the room and his gaze stopped on Jack and Bella. They stood beside the counter, Jack’s hand stroked Bella’s as their eyes were locked on each other.
Cole had never thought of himself as the jealous type, but for the first time in a long time he was jealous. Not in a bad way. He’d never wish sorrow on his friends, but he did want to experience the joy that radiated from his friends. He wanted to feel the warmth of his soulmate and taste her affection in her kiss. It was in that moment that he decided to toss Mike’s concerns aside and go after Julia. He’d admired her from afar for too long. The upcoming year would be the year of Cole and Julia.
After dinner, everyone helped clean up and then settled in to watch A Christmas Story. Bella loved the movie. She’d couldn’t count the times she’d watched it, but she never grew tired of it. And now, with Jack’s arm around her shoulders and feeling his warmth seep into her, she knew contentment.
Jack couldn’t focus on the family movie as it played out on the large screen television. Instead, his thoughts continually drifted from G-rated to X-rated. Having Bella nestled against his chest and inhaling her perfume fueled his thoughts and desires. He’d taken care of her, comforted her through her distress, and wanted to see her thrive as she dealt with the fallout of the attack. She was strong, stronger than he’d ever imagined. And he wanted to enjoy the strength of her love. And more importantly, he wanted to show her the power of his love.
He kept thinking about the tiny box that sat under the Christmas tree. He figured she didn’t have anything for him. Why would she? They were in the very beginning stages of their relationship and had just survived an all-out attack. Christmas shopping had been the last thing on any of their minds. But he still wanted to give her something. He wanted there to be no doubt about his feelings for her.
As the afternoon turned into evening and the night sky was brightened by the festive lights on houses, everyone made their way home, leaving Bella alone with Jack. She’d been happy to spend the night at his house the night before because she planned to help him prepare for the last-minute Christmas party. But now that they were alone, and the threat had been eliminated, she wasn’t sure that she needed to stay, or that he even wanted her to. The last thing she wanted was to overstay her welcome and annoy him.
Jack read the uncertainty on her face. The tiny muscles between her eyes were tense and her lips were pressed together. He stepped to her and brushed her cheek with his fingers. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
One side of her mouth curved up in a smile at the warmth of his words and touch. She was nervous again about nothing. Her heart beat a little faster as she formulated her words. She didn’t want to sound lame, but she wasn’t sure how else to ask. With a tiny shrug, she began, “Did you want to take me home tonight? I know that guests and fish stink after three days.”
Jack snorted a laugh. He was sure that he’d never get tired of her, even if they went through some rough patches. “No,” he replied with a head shake. “Stay the night. No pressure. Let’s just enjoy the evening together.” His hand ran down the length of her arm and then his fingers locked with hers.
At his touch, butterflies in Bella’s stomach fluttered wildly, dispersing of her nerves and leaving contentment in their place. She enjoyed Jack’s touch far more than she’d ever imagined. She’d always stayed away from his type because of the rumors of men like him being players. She’d never wanted to be just another conquest for a womanizer to brag about, but maybe she’d read too many romance novels and hadn’t dealt with the reality of who Jack was. He wasn’t a player. Eric had been the manipulative player. She’d thought she was safe with Eric, but she’d been wrong. She was truly safe with Jack.
“Okay.” Bella exhaled, happy that he didn’t want her to leave. She wasn’t ready to hop into bed with him, but she had fantasized about it, a lot. From his kiss, and the way her body lit up at his touch, she knew the sex would be incredible.
An excited thrum pulsed through her as Jack’s eyes narrowed and his hands slid around her waist. He stepped closer and pulled her to him so that their chests brushed against each other. She felt helpless, like she was watching the event from the outside, yet she loved every moment of it. As his lips brushed hers, and she opened her mouth to him, she decided to let the past go. She’d forget her poor choices and the fact that she’d been a pawn in a monster’s revenge plot. Sometimes life stank, but if those negative events resulted in a relationship with Jack, she’d be thankful for the chance to have something with a man who embodied integrity and honor.
About the Author
Karen Tjebben lives in central North Carolina with her encouraging an
d supportive husband, twin daughters, and two hamsters. When her girls left for kindergarten, Karen discovered that she needed to fill her days with something, and that was the beginning of her writing career. She loves to create worlds filled with unique characters that she hopes will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and seeing the world through her daughters’ eyes.
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Coveted Kiss (Savage Security Book 3) Page 22