by Marie Harte
“Hey, anything I can do to keep your mind occupied, I’m your guy.”
She laughed at him. “So where should I take everyone to dinner tonight? The bistro?”
“You don’t have to take anyone out. We can meet for drinks. How’s that?”
“No. Everyone helped me fix up my furniture and settle in. I owe them—you.”
“I know how you can make it up to me.” He smiled. “We haven’t used those pearls yet.”
She blushed. “Brad.” She wriggled under him and smirked. “Happy to see me?”
“Honey, I’m ‘happy’ around you all the time.” Though they’d played around with him rimming her, he had yet to take her ass. Ever since she’d mentioned her pearls, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Well?”
She tugged his nipple.
“Ow.”
“Tell you what. We’ll have a nice dinner together with my new friends.”
“And my family.”
“Yeah. Then we’ll go back to your place and play. That’s if you don’t get arrested for indecent exposure on the beach.”
“Wait. What?”
She darted out from under him and ran laughing into the water, leaving him with another hard-on to deal with. After composing himself enough that he could run into the water with her, they swam and rode the waves together. Then they left the beach and walked back to his parents’ house, where he’d parked.
His mother and father waved at them from the back porch. Hell. He’d thought they’d gone boating with friends this weekend.
“Brad, honey. Hi!” His mother smiled, looking from him to Genevieve with interest.
Debating how to introduce her, he must have taken too long because Genevieve elbowed him in the side before walking forward to introduce herself.
“Hello. I’m Genevieve St. James. Brad and I work together at the G2, and we’re currently dating.” She turned to him with a grin and raised a brow. A dare?
He joined her and hugged her to him. “Yeah. Mom, Dad, this is my new girlfriend.” Ha. Take that. Except thinking of her in more serious terms pleased him a little too much. “Genevieve, meet Elizabeth and Colonel Michael Cava.”
“Retired,” his father said, a twinkle in his eye as he stood to take Genevieve’s handshake. “A pleasure to meet you.”
“You too, sir.” She smiled.
“Call me Mike.” He smiled back, another victim of Genevieve’s charm. “Come on and sit down.”
“We don’t want to impose,” she started, but his mother waved away her apology.
“No, dear. Please, sit with us. It’s not often Brad comes to visit.”
“Brad.” Genevieve shook her head. “Why are you avoiding your parents?”
“A good question.” His mother watched him.
The blasted woman knew why he’d been avoiding her. She kept bugging him about being single, trying to set him up with her friends’ desperate daughters.
“Well, I’m here now.” He glared at his father, who didn’t hide his laughter all that well.
Before Brad could make up some excuse to leave pretty soon, his parents engaged Genevieve in conversation. Then his mother, a skilled interrogator in her own right, had Genevieve’s personal details spelled out. The woman was thirty years old, had a younger sister, parents in Maryland, was on track for a big promotion, and loved working for Colonel Drey.
“Julian’s a good man,” his father agreed. “Taught Brad a ton about the intel business.”
“He’s teaching me too.” Genevieve had no problem talking with his parents. She seemed so natural by his side. Not intimidated by his high-ranking father and his connections, and not trying to suck up to him either.
Brad sidled closer to her and put an arm around her shoulders.
She gave him a startled look then smiled and turned back to his mother.
His girlfriend. Hmm. He could handle that.
When his father motioned for him to leave the table, Brad followed him inside.
“What’s wrong?”
His dad clapped him on the back. “I like this one. Don’t fuck it up.”
“Dad.”
“She’s not like the others you’ve dated. And she sure the hell isn’t like Dana. You know I never liked her.”
Which had been a major point of contention between him and his father when he’d married Dana over his father’s objections. “Dad, Genevieve and I aren’t serious.” Yet.
The word popped into his head and wouldn’t leave.
“Well, get serious. A girl like that, with her brains, looks, and savvy, is just waiting to get snapped up by the right Marine.”
Brad sighed. “Great pep talk, Dad.”
His father snorted. “You’re not as smart as you think you are. You screwed up with Dana, and you’ve been paying the price since. But hell, boy, if Mike and Olivia can find love, you sure the hell can. You’ve got my appeal after all.”
Brad grinned, ignoring the pressure not to repeat the past. It wasn’t as if he’d tried to get bamboozled by Dana. “Yes, sir.”
“Smartass. Make sure you invite Genevieve next week. Your mother and I have a thing to go to tomorrow night, but next Sunday we’re on for family dinner. I want to see Genevieve with you.”
“Dad…”
“Do Mike and Olivia like her?”
“Yeah, but—”
“Good.” His father slapped him on the back hard enough to fell a tree then walked away.
Finally making their escape after consuming nearly a pitcher of tea, Brad took Genevieve home, where they cleaned up and dressed for their group dinner. She in her place, he in his.
For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why it bothered him so much that she’d gone back to her house. She only lived next door, yet Brad wanted her with him. In his home, his bed, his shower.
She wore shorts, a cute T-shirt, and sandals, her hair clean and dry and setting off her gorgeous tan as it flowed over her shoulders unbound.
He pulled her close. “Think we can be late for a quickie?” He ground against her and kissed her with a lot of tongue.
She pushed him away, breathing hard. “It won’t be quick because I’ll drag you under me until we both get all dirty and sweaty.” She nipped his lip. “But after…you’re all mine.”
He sighed. “Please let this dinner go fast.”
She laughed and dragged him to the restaurant she’d arranged for the six of them. Dinner with the others was a blast, and they all planned on more social outings after next week’s meeting at his parents’. He hadn’t meant to ask her in front of everyone, but Maria and her big mouth had issued the invitation before he could.
“Sure. I’d love to go.” Genevieve accepted, but by the side look she gave him, he wondered if she’d felt pressured.
Later, walking back to his place, he asked, “You okay with next weekend at my parents’ for dinner? Not to pressure you or anything. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“I want to.” She smiled then sobered. “Unless you’d rather I didn’t go.”
He sighed. “We keep doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Tiptoeing around each other. Look, let’s promise each other something.”
“Oh?”
“Let’s always say what we mean. No weird looks or embarrassed beating around the bush. You seem to have no problem telling me what you feel to my face at work.”
“Well, same goes for you.” She nodded.
“Fine. I want you to come with me next week. I had a blast with you all day. You were gracious to my overbearing parents—”
“They were fine.”
“And you didn’t punch my brother in the face for making fun of us at dinner.”
“But I wanted to.”
He hugged her and laughed. “That’s why I love being with you. We’re so much alike.”
She tickled him, and he shuddered. “Sucker.”
/> He pulled her inside the house with him. Then, unable to resist, he pushed her back against the door and kissed her. From soft to carnal in a heartbeat, the kiss became a need pressing him hard. A desire to brand her as his. His woman, his lover. His joy.
She kissed a path down his throat and ran a hand down his belly to grip him, pumping his erection. “Yeah, all for me, baby.”
“Fuck. Yes,” he moaned.
She found her way under his shorts and underwear and teased his slick cockhead. “You know how much I love going down on you.”
He couldn’t speak and grunted his assent.
“I do. Swallowing your cum gets me hot.” Jerking him off, she continued to tease him until he couldn’t think. “But tonight I want to play with those beads. Let’s get kinky and do some anal. What do you say?”
“Best. Girlfriend. Ever.” He kissed her then took her top off and tossed her bra on the floor. With his hands full of her breasts, he distracted her from his cock enough to enjoy her tits.
She removed her hand, thank God. Any more stroking and he’d have come too soon. Not what he had planned for her tonight.
“Oh, Brad. Let’s go upstairs.”
“Yeah.” He lifted her in his arms and raced up the stairs to his bedroom, where they’d left a small bag of her toys. He set her down. “Wait. I want to strip you. Tonight, you do what I tell you, okay?”
She shivered and nodded. “Okay.”
He kissed her breasts, so in lust with her form. She took care of herself but didn’t look like a twig. She had a real body, a woman with curves, and he couldn’t wait to explore her at leisure. He sucked her nipples while also teasing with his fingers, and he had her squirming in no time.
Slowly, he pushed down her shorts then lingered over her panties, tugging them down with his teeth. He knelt before her and thrust his face between her legs. She was so sweet, so slick as he licked her to heavy moans and cries for more.
He left her teetering on the verge of climax and found the bag he wanted. After undressing, he withdrew the anal beads he’d been dying to use on her. “Get on the bed, baby.”
She waited for him there, on her belly, and he just studied her toned legs and firm ass, dying to get inside her. He took the lube from her bag and greased up the beads. Then he joined her on the bed. “Open up for me,” he growled, his dick like a pike.
She pulled her ass cheeks apart, and he drizzled some lube over her anus. With one finger, he rimmed her, watching how she reacted when he teased her. The moans and way she humped the bed reaffirmed she hadn’t been kidding about liking anal sex. He inserted a finger slowly and swore at how tightly her body enveloped him.
“You are so fucking sexy.” He heard her pant, saw the flush over her skin as he toyed with her. “I can’t wait to shove my dick inside you here.”
“Yes, baby. Please.”
“Not yet.” He grabbed a dildo from the bag and penetrated her pussy with it. “Let’s keep you full while we get the beads, hmm?”
“Brad.” She sighed his name. “You make me crazy.”
“Yeah. I’m killing myself watching this, but I want you to come so hard.”
“I will.” A promise, one he meant to make come true.
Leaving the dildo in her, he took the beads and slowly inserted one. She seemed to tense, so he went easily, taking his time. “Tell me if it hurts.”
“Feels so good,” she rasped. “I want you in me.”
“I will. Soon.” He stared, enrapt, and pushed the beads inside her. One, two, up to four. Then the last one disappeared until only the pink loop at the beginning of the strand remained visible.
He stroked her ass, in lust with the woman. “I can’t believe it, but this is just…wow. I am so fucking hard right now.” He caressed her then pulled the dildo out before thrusting it back inside in a gradual slide that had her squirming and crying out for more.
“Please. Fuck me. I need to come.”
“But, baby, the beads.” He pumped the toy in and out of her pussy, dying to watch those pretty little beads come out, one by one. “Let’s see. How much do you want me?”
He withdrew the dildo then fingered her clit.
She cried out and trembled.
“So wet. Time to get inside you.”
“Yes, yes. In me.”
He was lost to everything but Genevieve. His world centered on pleasing her, on watching her expressive features go slack as she succumbed to the pleasure only he could bring her.
He shifted her onto her back and slowly removed the beads, one by one, while he rubbed her clit with the toy, now set to vibrate. Four left.
She shook. Her breasts heaved. She moaned and swore, staring at him all the while. He’d never seen a woman more thoroughly loved in his life.
“Brad, baby, please. I need you.” She tensed and shivered when he withdrew another bead. The plumb nubs were slick as they popped from her anus one by one. Her pussy was so wet that the dildo slid over her with speed. “I’m going to come,” she warned.
“Yeah. Come hard. Let me see you. Taste you,” he whispered, enthralled at the erotic tableau before him.
He removed the dildo from her clit, replacing his thumb over her flesh, and slid the toy inside her just as he withdrew the last bead from her ass.
“Brad.” She shuddered, and a spurt of cum arched from her pussy. Squirting onto his hand.
No longer able to control himself, he pulled the dildo away and knelt in front of her, taking her hips in his hands and easing her up, so that he could position his cockhead at her anus.
“I’m coming in. Gotta fuck you.”
“Yes,” she said, still euphoric from her orgasm by the look on her face.
He pushed forward, pleased she was still greased from the beads, because he wasn’t sure he could stop to lube himself. As it was, the fit was so hot and tight he shook from the effort not to shove hard and deep inside her.
“More,” she begged.
He couldn’t resist. He slid deeper, filling her up and surrounding himself with ecstasy. She moaned while he withdrew and thrust again, fucking her ass and owning her.
Watching himself take her, seeing her stare at him while he did, put a stranglehold on his heart and mind. “Yeah. All mine, Jenny. You’re fucking mine.”
“Please,” she begged, arching up.
He continued to fuck her while he worked her hips, keeping her at the right angle.
Then, reaching his pinnacle, he swore as he came inside her, his orgasm explosive, his seed spilling out of her as he continued to pump.
What felt like a never-ending orgasm eventually faded until he slumped over her, his sheets and their bodies covered in spent passion.
“I think you killed me,” she said, groggy.
“Baby. You definitely destroyed me.” He withdrew and felt a mess of moisture follow him. “No doubt about it, we need to clean up.”
“Um.”
He leaned down to kiss her and lost himself in her eyes. So dreamy, so loving. He sighed and kissed her lips then picked her up, cradling the precious woman in his arms. Close to his heart.
He took care of her while trying to figure out how to feel.
Chapter Nine
A smarter man would have paid better attention to the world around him, but Brad was still flying high on the sexual and emotional intimacy growing around him and Genevieve. They spent every waking moment together when not at work. Five days after the best sex of his fucking life, he was smiling at something Hearst said, unable to stay in a bad mood even around this prick.
Hearst and Batista had made a major mistake, but at least Hearst seemed to be genuinely trying to make up for it. Batista, not so much. The man brooded and glared but did nothing to earn Brad’s disapproval. Batista did his job and stayed away from the females as best he could.
Leaving his office with the satisfaction the training op was where it needed to be, Brad sought Genevieve to go over some
thing the colonel wanted. Their project neared the end of the planning phase, and everything seemed to be in order. But it was the perfect excuse to see her.
He’d done his best to be businesslike and friendly, but not overly friendly, at work. She acted the same, though he felt her stare linger like a caress. Knowing how well she rewarded him for being the perfect gentleman in uniform and out, he continued to stay the course, despite wanting to tell everyone they were dating.
He passed Marcy, nodded, and found Genevieve talking to two men in her office. Oh, right. Her civilian boss. He’d been delayed a day due to something at corporate, but now she had her hands full dealing with a pestering boss and his replacement. Brad had wanted to stop by earlier, but Genevieve had insisted he not get involved. She’d handle the guy the same way she’d dealt with him for the past year.
Remembering all she’d said about her relationship with her boss, he felt his blood boil. Brad knocked on the door. “Ms. St. James? The colonel needs us to iron out a few things.”
She gave him a relieved smile, and his guard rose another notch. “Major Cava, please come in. This is my boss, Henry Burrows.” She pointed to a tall, skinny guy with beady eyes. Brad gave the guy a firm handshake. “And this is his replacement, Toby Westover.” Westover looked younger, more serious than Burrows, and put Brad’s back up, though he couldn’t have said why.
Maybe because the guy was fairly good-looking and more Genevieve’s age than the skinny guy.
“Major Cava.” Westover gave him a hearty handshake.
“Mr. Westover.”
“Toby, please.”
They disengaged, and Brad turned in time to see Burrows leering at Genevieve.
“So dinner tonight then? Toby and I will pick you up at seven.” Burrows chuckled. “They have a Hooters downtown, don’t they? Best wings I’ve ever had.” Burrows said to Westover, “What do you say, Toby? You up for some wings?”
The emphasis on wings annoyed Brad to no end because anyone could see the asshole meant breasts—he gave Genevieve’s chest a glance that should have earned him a fist upside his head.