by K. S. Smith
Megan pulled my classroom door open. “You ready to rock and roll?”
I grabbed my purse, flipped the lights off, and followed her to the parking lot, where we hopped into my car and took off toward our favorite happy-hour hangout.
CHAPTER SIX
Five days back in the classroom with a bunch of seniors after a three-week vacation was enough to drive anyone crazy, so when Friday afternoon finally rolled around, I was very much looking forward to my date with Duke.
Pick you up at six. Wear something warm.
I raised an eyebrow, curious as to what his text meant before I shot back with my response.
Something warm? I thought we had dinner reservations. I hope whatever restaurant you’re taking me to has central heat and air.
****
I plugged my phone into the charger and opened my closet door. I began my search for the perfect outfit. After all, it was our first real date since meeting. I couldn’t help but stand back and admire myself in the mirror. I grinned at my ability to ensure my outfit was warm, but most importantly, sexy.
I’d picked out a pair of dark denim skinny jeans, a mint-green button-up, which I layered with a chic grey sweater and a pair of brown riding boots. A scarf and the perfect pieces of jewelry complemented my outfit. Just then, the doorbell rang. I reached for my purse, made my way to the front door, and pulled it open as I posed in all of my glory for Duke to appreciate.
He looked so handsome, yet much more casual than I, standing there in relaxed jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt accompanied by a leather jacket, and some type of outdoorsy man boots.
“Wow,” he breathed, “you look great, but I thought I told you to wear something warm.” He seemed perplexed by my current choice of wardrobe.
“This is warm. I have a sweater on, and the shirt underneath is long-sleeved. I can grab a coat if that helps.”
Duke’s body shook with laughter as he stepped into the foyer, linking his arms around my waist while gently placing a kiss on my cheek. “Babe, there’s a huge difference between warm and sexy. You can’t wear this. You’ll freeze.”
Aggravated, I huffed and turned for the stairs. I climbed back up them toward my room, Duke on my heels.
He stepped into my closet with me, and I showcased my clothes. “What would you suggest?”
He laughed. “First off, I’ve never seen a closet with this many clothes in it. Secondly, I can barely dress myself properly, much less a woman.”
I lifted my scarf over my head and began to disrobe. “Well, if you want me dressed warm, and this isn't warm enough for you, then it’s up to you.”
Duke shook his head as he began to rummage through my things, his back to me while I shimmied out of my top and bottoms. I watched him rifle through my closet, utterly lost, as I stood there in my matching bra-and-thong set, awaiting his reaction once he turned around.
“Here, I think this will...” he said, apparently proud of what he’d found. He turned around and handed me my new outfit. “Damn, maybe we should skip our date.” My clothes slipped from his hands, and he closed the space between us. Duke gripped my hips with both hands, examining me from head to toe. “Is this your way of telling me you’d rather skip the date and stay in? Because if it is, it’s working.”
I slid my hands up his firm chest and linked them around his neck as I pulled him in. “This is my way of telling you I need an outfit.”
I nipped at his lower lip with my teeth, and his body shook lightly with laughter. He groaned before picking my clothes up and handing them to me on his way out of the closet. “You’re trying to kill me, woman. Now get dressed before I rip those expensive undergarments right off your sexy body.”
I couldn’t help but grin as I slipped into the outfit Duke had picked out for me before turning around to take a look in the mirror.
I began to shake my head as I emerged from the closet. “This may be the only time I ever let you pick out my outfit. I feel like a lumberjack.”
Duke looped an arm around my hips and slammed me up against his taut chest, kissing my lips. A trail of heat lingered as he pulled away. “You look perfect. Granted, I liked your lace get-up much better, but this will keep you warm.”
Unable to stop myself, I rolled my eyes before taking his hands and leading him down the stairs. “We should probably get out of here before I decide that I can’t be seen in public in this outfit.”
About twenty minutes later, he was opening the door of his truck for me, helping me out as I looked around, confused by our current location.
Duke took my hand into his, lacing our fingers. “Come on, we can’t be late.”
I laughed as my eyes peered from side to side, taking in our surroundings. “For what? Our five-star reservations?”
We were in the middle of nowhere, and it was pitch-black, but I continued to follow Duke deeper into the woods. Finally, a clearing opened up, and I recognized two of his partners from the other day. They were standing around what looked like an outdoor shed.
“What are we doing?” I asked Duke before we got up to the guys.
He winked at me. “You’ll see.”
When we reached the men, Duke introduced me. “Brie, you remember the guys, right? This is Tripp and Gunner.”
I smiled up at the intimidating men who were hovering over me. “Gentlemen, it’s nice to see you again. Thanks for leaving the guns at home this time.”
They all laughed in unison, the sound echoing through the quiet night while Duke pulled me closer to his side. “Babe, when you’re around me and the guys, there’s no such thing as leaving the guns at home. Which is exactly why I brought you here tonight.”
I looked on as Duke reached around to the back of his jeans and pulled out a pistol, just as the other two followed suit. They each placed their handguns on the wooden table set up in front of us.
My eyes furrowed together as I looked at the guns and then back to Duke. “Well, this just got interesting.”
Duke leaned in and kissed my lips. “My entire life is about protecting others. It’s my job, what I do best. I’m a protector. But… I can’t be everywhere at once, so I want to make sure that you are able to protect yourself when I’m not around.”
I felt my lips curl up as I crossed my arms over my chest, glancing at Tripp and Gunner then back to Duke. “What makes you think I need protection?”
He and the guys laughed, in unison again. “Babe, no offense, but if one of these guys attacked you in a dark alley, how would you defend yourself?”
My grin grew even bigger as I stepped up to the table and reached for Duke’s gun, hovering my hand over it without touching it. “May I?” I asked playfully.
He nodded. “Keep it pointed that way.” His finger lifted in the direction of the big sand dunes that were strategically placed in front of us.
Smiling, I perfected my stance, cocked the gun as I looked over my shoulder, and glanced at the guys. “If one of these guys was attacking me in a dark alley, I’d simply kill them.” I turned back toward the gun, calmed my breathing, and let off six rounds as I directly hit each of the targets on their bulls-eyes.
I gently placed Duke’s gun back down on the table and turned to looked into the eyes of three speechless men. “Simple as that,” I teased.
Duke lit up like the night’s sky on New Year’s Eve. “What the hell. You never told me you know how to shoot — and that good. Holy shit, babe.”
I oozed confidence as I shrugged my shoulders. “You never asked.”
Tripp and Gunner couldn’t control their laughter, and Duke was right there with him. He flung his arms around my waist and whispered into my ear, “You have no idea how turned on I am right now. That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
I pressed my body firmly against his. “So are we just going to sit here all night, or are we going to see who can shoot the best?”
The guys were all over it, pulling out more pistols, rifles, and any other type of military gun I could possibly th
ink of. We spent the next two hours shooting under the stars as Duke continued to be impressed with my skills.
“Damn, babe, I have never seen a woman shoot like that. I swear, you are the sexiest woman I fucking know.”
My arm looped around Duke’s waist as I pressed up on to my tiptoes to kiss his neck. “And while I’m happy to have totally knocked you off your socks with my ability to shoot, I have to be honest, I was anticipating dinner. I’m starving.”
Duke kissed my nose. “Guys, would you mind cleaning this up? We’re going to eat.”
****
Finished with a quick dinner, Duke opened the door to his condo, and I stepped in first, completely taken aback. “Duke, your place is gorgeous.” I turned on my heels and gripped his leather jacket, pulling him closer toward me. I couldn’t help but gaze into his beautiful eyes before pressing my lips to his. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bachelor pad in such immaculate condition.”
He chuckled as he towed me toward his bedroom. “Kudos to my housekeeper. She keeps this place livable.” He pushed the tall white door of his bedroom open, and we stepped in; Duke closed it behind us before twisting the lock.
His room was perfect. The king-sized bed was covered in a crisp white comforter that had black accent pillows and blankets. It was masculine, yet appealing to the opposite sex.
I delicately ran my fingers over the sheets as I glanced over my shoulder. “So, this is where the magic happens?”
He shook his head from side to side as he crossed the room. He stood right in front of me. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
I playfully punched his ribs. “Then neither do I.”
And before I knew it, he’d lifted me up and tossed me onto his giant bed.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Duke climbed on top of me, straddled my waist, and placed both hands on each side of my head. His green eyes were hooded with raw desire as he leaned in, his breath caressing my lips. “I want you, Brie, all of you, and I don’t want to wait a minute longer.”
Words failed me in that specific moment, and all I could do was nod my head as my body began to heat.
Duke’s fingers slowly trailed down my flannel button-up and released it from my pants. His eyes locked on to mine as he gently undid each button until my black lace bra was fully exposed.
I lifted my body up, pulled the shirt off my arms, and discarded it onto the floor.
Duke leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my neck and began his way down my chest. Each kiss left a trail of heat from my neck to my belly button, where he stopped and looked up into my eyes.
His stare alone created a pool of heat between my legs, and I knew I wanted nothing more than to give myself to him in every way possible.
Not taking his eyes from mine, Duke’s fingers undid the button of my jeans and slowly unzipped them.
My body squirmed underneath his weight as he placed a kiss on the hem of my panties. He slipped my boots and jeans off, and I was left lying there in nothing but the black lace bra and thong he’d seen me in earlier.
Duke stood at the edge of his bed, taking me in. His eyes examined my entire body from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, like he was memorizing every inch of me. His intense gaze had each of my nerve endings on high alert. I could hardly take it anymore, my entire body yearning for his touch.
I maneuvered to my knees and crawled to the edge of the bed so that I was eye level with him. My hands pushed his leather jacket off his shoulders before reaching for the hem of his shirt. I pulled it straight up over his head, exposing his chiseled chest.
My lungs sucked in a deep breath, and I licked my lips and looked down to the button of his jeans. My eyes met the bulge that was pushing against the denim of his pants. I jutted my fingers out toward him, undid his button, and slowly lowered his zipper, never taking my eyes off his electrifying stare.
Duke’s breathing was heavy, and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was way past ready for what was about to happen. My fingers hooked the belt loops of his jeans as I tugged them down, Duke helping to speed up the process.
I wanted so badly to show him everything I was good at, but before I could take him into my mouth, he hooked his arms around me and had my back against the mattress, his body over mine.
"Going to fuck you so good, Brie." His voice was deep and so incredibly sexy.
My teeth bit at my bottom lip and all I could manage to get out was the nod of my head. But that was all he needed. Before I could even grip his thick arm muscles for leverage, he'd thrust himself inside of me.
Filled completely was an understatement. This man took my entire body to a new level of euphoria.
With each push of his hips, my insides screamed out in pure ecstasy. The sensation building was unimaginable. It was as if I was on fire. The ceiling fan may have been on, but my body felt like it was baking in the middle of a desert.
As I dug my heels into Duke's ass, my fingers pulled at the skin on his tight shoulders.
"Faster!" I begged. I didn't want it to end, but I needed him to give me everything.
His hips bucked faster and so much harder. I could feel the tingling of my insides, and I knew I was on the verge of losing myself in this man.
The final roll of his hips did me in, and I was seeing stars. My eyes rolled back, and it was as if the Macy's Fourth of July Grand Finale Firework Show had been lit up inside of my body. My head fell back against the mattress, and Duke's body crashed down next to me.
The two of us lay there utterly spent. I slung a heavy arm over Duke’s stomach then traced the ink that covered his beautiful, tan body. Goosebumps pricked his skin at the light touch of my fingertips. “What does this mean?” I asked, tracing the letters on his ribcage.
Duke glanced down at me and then to his largest tattoo. “Semper Fidelis. It means always faithful.”
A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. “I’m sure the ladies appreciate that.”
His body shook, and a laugh escaped before he responded. “Not about relationships, babe.”
I made a sour face and chuckled. “Well, excuse me, player.”
Duke laughed again, pulled me in closer to him, and rested his chin atop of my head. He took in a deep breath and then let out a heavy sigh. “It’s a saying we have in the Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis — always faithful. It’s a symbol of our loyalty and dedication to the corps and our fellow brothers.”
I shifted my body and rested on his chest, staring up at him. “Oh, Duke, I think I may have just fallen in love with you. I could tell by looking at you that you had to be prior military, but a marine? I think I’ve just died and gone to heaven.” I waved my face as if about to faint, and he laughed again as I traced the next tattoo. “What’s this one for?”
He lifted his arm up and fully exposed the tattoo with all the writing. “Meat tag.”
I could feel the crinkle form between my eyebrows, and before I could ask, Duke started in on the explanation.
“Most of the infantry guys get them. It’s all of our personal information, like a dog tag. That way if anything happens to me, they can identify the body, and I can be buried with full honors.”
My body shuddered. Identify the body? Buried?
Duke leaned down and kissed the shocked expression off my face. “Don’t look so terrified. It’s war. It’s not meant to be happy.”
My thoughts trailed off as Duke rested back on his headboard. I didn’t have to ask what the tattoo on his arm meant. It was clear that he’d gotten it for his fallen brothers, friends he’d lost while serving our country. The thought broke my heart, and a tear slipped down my cheek.
He sat up and lifted me up next to him. “Why the tears?”
I did my best to process my thoughts before looking into his eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go to war and lose friends.”
Duke’s body stilled, and he squeezed me tighter. “Don’t apologize. It was my choice. I wouldn’t trade my military career for anything, and my brothers who die
d… they wouldn’t want you here crying for them. They didn’t die in vain. They believed in what we were fighting for. They’re heroes, Brie, all of them.”
Unable to come up with the right words to say, I sank further into his embrace and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.
****
Sunlight filled the bedroom, and I slowly opened my eyes. I glanced around for a minute, trying to remember where I was. My naked body was tangled in soft sheets. I peered around for a moment. Duke’s room.
My feet hit the floor. I pulled myself out of bed and snagged a T-shirt from Duke’s drawer. His scent filled my nose as I slipped it over my head. I left his room and tiptoed toward the living room, trying to surprise him, but each room turned up empty. Finally settling on the kitchen, I opened each cabinet until I found the glasses then filled one with orange juice from the fridge.
His balcony seemed to be screaming my name, so I slipped outside, sank down onto the chair, and propped my feet up on the railing. I lounged back in the chair and tried to soak in the morning sunlight that was reflecting off the water. The birds were chirping, and the cool breeze pushed salty air against my face.
“Daydreaming?” a deep voice asked.
My eyes shot open, and Duke was standing next to me with a Starbucks cup in his hand.
I scrunched my nose and did my best not to sound ungrateful. “Lesson number one… I don’t drink coffee.”
Duke passed me the cup and leaned down next to me, whispering into my ear. “I know. It’s hot chocolate, extra whipped cream.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I raised an eyebrow at him. “Hmm, I could think of a few ways we could utilize the extra whip.”
Duke pulled the hot chocolate from my hand. He scooped me up out of the chair and threw me over his shoulder.
I began to laugh hysterically as I squeezed my arms around his waist to keep myself from falling. “You forgot the whipped cream!”