Chayton's Tempest

by Aliyah Burke

  over her body, they were like the darkest of dark nights and

  softer than the most expensive velvets. They caressed her as if

  she and Maverick were alone in a room and he could touch her

  anyway he wished.

  “Good afternoon. Hello, Dak,” she mumbled and went

  to the fridge for a drink of lemonade.

  “Hey, Mom,” he said in a voice that sounded

  remarkably close to the man that had sired him. “Did we wake

  you? If so, sorry, we were going to let you sleep until Shelia

  arrived.”

  Holding the pitcher of lemonade, Tempest bit her lower

  lip as a bronzed hand held out a glass full of ice for her. Taking

  it from him, she risked a glance to his eyes and shuddered at

  the look he had. It was a mix of possession and a feeling she

  didn’t want to see. Filling the glass, she turned away from him.

  “You didn’t wake me, Dak. It was past time for me to get

  up, anyway.” Tempest took a small sip and couldn’t contain

  the shiver that invaded her body as Maverick brushed against

  her with his hard physique.

  Maverick couldn’t help allowing their bodies to touch.

  Tempest looked like a stunning vision. The way her sarong fit

  over her made him long to peel it away and enjoy what lay

  beneath it. He could see her breathing was affected by him

  being there, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her into

  his arms and kiss her senseless.

  The doorbell rang and Tempest walked away from the

  overwhelming amount of testosterone in her kitchen. Pulling

  open the door a genuine smile crossed her face as she looked

  upon Shelia.

  “Good morning, Ms. Burnell,” Shelia greeted her. In her

  hands she held a cake box.

  “Good morning, Shelia. Please call me Tempest.” She

  winked and added, “Or Mom.”

  Shelia leaned in and kissed her cheek before walking

  into the kitchen, opting not to answer that comment. Tempest

  shut the door on the scorching afternoon and breathed a sigh of

  relief that her house stayed cool. She heard the swamp cooler

  kick in and send more cool air through the home.

  “You have to watch how you stare at me, baby, or I’m

  going to go all ‘caveman’ on you and carry you off over my

  shoulder and ravish you.” Those words were spoken directly

  into her ear.

  Tempest jumped as Maverick settled his hands on the

  sides of her waist. “What are you doing here?” she hissed,

  hating that her body still desired his.

  Stepping away, he allowed her the much needed

  distance between them. His eyes were serious as he met her

  gaze. “I came by to see how you were doing after reading that

  letter. Dakota asked if I wanted to stay for lunch.” He grinned,

  seeming suddenly boyish. “He is a great kid.”

  One you were nowhere around during the hard years. You

  show up after he is grown. Forcing a smile, she nodded. “He is.”

  As if he could read her mind, he shook his head. “I’m

  sorry I wasn’t around. If I could go back in time I would. But I

  can’t.”

  Biting back her spiteful remarks, Tempest took a deep

  breath. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Thank you for

  last night.” Her eyes raked over his black-clad body one last

  time before she left him standing there as she moved into the

  kitchen.

  “You’re welcome, mitawin.” For a moment, Maverick

  remained in the living room and watched Tempest, Dakota,

  and Shelia interacting in the kitchen. His gut clenched as he

  witnessed the true joy on Tempest’s face as she laughed and

  joked with her son and his girlfriend.

  In that moment, Maverick knew he’d found his family.

  His grandfather was right; he and Tempest were destined to be

  together. Although he hadn’t been there for her in the past, all

  that was going to change. His eyes turned possessive as he

  looked over his family. Yes, his family. There was no other way

  to think of them. As he walked to the kitchen to join them, he

  could feel his grandfather’s approval wash over him.

  Lunch was a lighthearted affair. Afterward, Shelia and

  Tempest cleaned up since the men had made the meal. Dakota

  took Maverick out into the living room.

  “What do you do?” Dakota asked as his mom and Shelia

  entered the room. His arm settled around his girlfriend as his

  mother took a solo seat across from Maverick.

  Maverick met his gaze before glancing at Tempest

  quickly. “I’m in the Navy.”

  “Really?” Dakota clearly fought back the grin that

  tempted to fly across his face. “Mom dates a guy in the Air

  Force. He claims to be some secret operative or something like

  that.” He grunted from the elbow Shelia delivered into his side.

  Years of hiding emotion came in handy again as

  Maverick turned his gaze from Dakota to Tempest. “You’re

  dating a Fl…Airman?”

  She shrugged. “We’ve been out a few times. But it’s

  nothing serious.”

  “Not for his lack of trying,” Dakota added.

  “And that means what, exactly?” Maverick asked his

  child.

  “Just that he wants to be a permanent fixture in this

  household.” Tempest glared across the room at her soon-to-be

  deceased son, who ignored her evil look.

  When hell freezes over. Maverick nodded slowly, not

  letting his true feelings on the matter out. “And what do you

  think of him?”

  “He’s not bad. He’s nice enough to me and Shelia. Treats

  mom like a queen.” This time there was a silent challenge in

  Dakota’s eyes.

  “Good for him,” Maverick managed to force out. No

  man needed to be treating his woman like anything.

  Dakota got in one last dig. “I think once he gets back

  from his latest mission, he is going to ask mom to marry him.”

  That almost broke the control Maverick had on his

  temper. His eyes snapped over to land on Tempest, who

  suddenly found the fabric of her chair extremely interesting.

  “And if he does? What will you say, Tempest?”

  She lifted on shoulder slightly. “I don’t know. He’s a

  wonderful man.” Tempest wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  Heedless of the other two people in the room, Maverick

  stood up and stopped in front of her chair. “Look at me,” he

  commanded.

  Her head came up slowly. “What?”

  “You won’t marry him.”

  Dark-brown eyes narrowed as the stared at the imposing

  man before them. “And why not, James? You have no say over

  what I do and whom I do it with.”

  Maverick filled her vision as he leaned down and placed

  his hands on the arms of her chair, blocking out everything but

  him. “I said you aren’t going to marry him,” he ground out. His

  chiseled face directly in hers made his furious gaze

  unavoidable.

  “You know what?” Tempest leaned forward and put her

  face nose to nose with his. At his answering raise of an

  eyebrow she continued, “I’m long past the age of needing a


  keeper. If I were needing one, I wouldn’t take you.” Her eyes

  raked up and down his close physique. “I needed you then, not

  now,” she spat at him.

  The tension in the room grew to gigantic proportions in

  seconds. Maverick’s eyes flashed dangerously before he

  reached out with one strong hand and gripped her chin. “You

  know what? I’m getting tired of you throwing that in my face. I

  can’t keep apologizing for it. I have owned up to my mistake of

  ignoring you in town after that blundering time I took your

  virginity. But damn it, I wasn’t the one who kept your

  pregnancy from me; that was our parents. Mine and yours.”

  His fingers tightened as she tried to pull her chin free.

  “No, you listen to me now. I’m trying to make up for this. I

  want to be a part of Dakota’s life; he is not just your son but my

  son as well. He is ours.” Maverick lowered his face even more,

  putting their lips millimeters from each other.

  “Oh, yeah. One other thing. You remember my

  grandfather?” He waited to get her acknowledging nod. “He

  seems to think that our lives are intertwined. According to him,

  you’re my mitawin.”

  “What the hell does that mean? And let go of me!” She

  smacked at his hand and received a narrow glare before he let

  go that said if he didn’t want to let her go, she wouldn’t be able

  to make him.

  “I’ll tell you when you are ready. Until then, just know

  you can’t marry him.” Maverick’s voice dropped to a low tone,

  but it still echoed through her soul. “Don’t try to fight with me

  on this. Accept your destiny, for it is intertwined with mine.”

  Not wanting to hear anything similar to that, she shoved

  him away. “Nothing of me is intertwined with you.”

  “Not yet,” he vowed. Maverick looked from her eyes

  down to her plump lips and back up again. He opened his

  mouth to say something else when his beeper went off.

  Standing upright, he jerked it off his belt and glanced at the

  number.

  Solemnity settled across his features as he pulled off his

  cell and dialed a number. “Maverick,” he snapped off when he

  got someone. “Arrange a transport for me out of Kirkland and

  I’ll meet everyone in San Diego. See you there.” He closed the

  phone with a snap.

  Looming over the woman in the chair, Maverick stared

  down at her. “Stand up,” he commanded.

  Stunned by the emotion in his voice, Tempest couldn’t

  ignore him. She stood and looked up at his face. “What?”

  “Don’t forget what I said. I’ll be back.” Large hands

  settled on her shoulders as he pulled her in closer to him.

  “Toksha ake wacinyuanktin ktelo.” Still unmindful of the other

  two people in the room, Maverick pressed his mouth to hers.

  In a second, Tempest had melded her body into his

  strong, hard one. A purr of contentment erupted from her

  throat as her fingers scrunched up the sides of his shirt. Despite

  her harsh words, it was obvious she was into the kiss as much

  as he was.

  Maverick let his hands move down her back and settle

  on her firm butt. Bringing her in even further, Maverick

  increased the passion of the kiss. His tongue swept through her

  mouth as he relearned her taste and taught her his.

  As his cock throbbed in his jeans, he knew he had to

  stop. Reluctantly releasing her mouth, he pulled back so he

  could stare into her hooded eyes that were darker than normal

  with passion. “Toksha ake wacinyuanktin ktelo.” He leaned in for

  one more kiss and then he turned around and walked out the

  door with a wave to his son and his girlfriend who’d been

  watching what they’d done with shocked expressions on their

  faces.

  Moments after the door shut behind him, they heard the

  rumble of his motorcycle. Then there was the relative silence of

  the normal neighborhood sounds. Dakota stared at her like

  she’d grown another head.

  “Don’t start with me, Dak,” she warned, trying to ignore

  the blush that was running up the sides of her face like a horse

  coming down the homestretch.

  Dakota opened his mouth only to shut it when Shelia

  elbowed him in the side and shook her head at him. Then he

  held up his hands in silent surrender.

  Tempest walked back to her bedroom and sequestered

  herself away. Then she settled upon the bed and tried to sort

  out what the feelings were that still coursed through her body.

  “What the hell did you call me, James?” She frowned as

  she tried to recall the word, not that it would help her in the

  least, for she didn’t speak Lakota. Lying back on her bed, she

  smiled to herself. I only call him James when I’m not sure what he’s

  up to.

  Closing her eyes, she let her mind go back to the kiss

  he’d given her before he left. How thorough he’d explored the

  recess of her mouth. How he’d tasted, better than she’d

  believed he would.

  Flinging her arms out, she moaned to her empty room,

  “Oh get a grip, Tempest. It was just a freaking kiss!” Turning

  her head to the side, she added, “But it was one hell of a kiss.”

  Her body still throbbed from his touch. Groaning in

  agony, she rolled over and tried to control the moisture that

  seemed to pool between her legs. Her reaction to Maverick got

  more and more intense each time their paths crossed.

  “God, I’m like a horny teenager,” she mumbled.

  “Good,” a masculine voice whispered by her ear.

  Jumping in fright, Tempest found herself being rolled

  over and the large body of Maverick covered her, pressing her

  deeper into the thick mattress. His lips brushed over hers,

  lightly. Teasingly.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded as her eyes

  cut over to her bedroom door, which was still closed.

  “I needed another kiss from you before I left.” His stiff

  erection dug into her belly as one thick leg wedged itself

  between hers, inching her sarong up higher. “And then I saw

  you here, moaning to yourself about me.” His lips moved over

  hers again.

  “I thought you had to leave for…San Diego was it?”

  “I do have to go. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t

  going to be marrying anyone while I’m gone.”

  She put her eyes on him. The look he had in his was

  nothing short of tender. “I won’t.” Where the words came

  from, she had no idea; but there they were and she knew he

  wouldn’t let her take them back.

  “I’m going to hold you to that. Now, give me a kiss. I

  have to go to work, sweetheart.” Craving his mouth on hers

  like a damn hussy, Tempest didn’t even fight him on it. Her

  hands slid up across the muscled expanse of his back as their

  lips met in a fiery explosion. Hands clawed at his skin through

  his shirt as they ground together.

  Maverick bucked his hips, showing her just how much

  he wanted her. Dragging his teeth across her lower lip, he
r />   released it and mumbled into her mouth, “I want to make love

  to you, how I should have years ago. But I have to go or I’m

  going to miss my plane. This will be finished when I get back.”

  When she opened her eyes, it was if it had been a dream. He

  was gone.

  Thirteen

  Maverick groaned in pain as the doctor probed his

  wound. “Damn it! That hurts!”

  His black eyes moved across the room. “Is he going to be

  okay?” The leader of the Megalodon Team lay unconscious on

  the table as a group of doctors worked frantically over his

  body.

  “You need to sit still, sir. You did what you could for

  him, now let me get you stitched up!” the young doctor

  commanded the irate SEAL.

  “I need to know how he’s doing! Now!” Maverick

  thundered.

  The fact he had a six-inch laceration across his ribcage

  didn’t deter him from lunging off his exam table the second the

  words, “He’s crashing!” reverberated across the room.

  Normally unflappable, Maverick was beside himself as

  he witnessed his good friend and teammate begin to fade.

  “Harrier!” he shouted as another doctor shoved him out of the

  way. “You can’t give up! Lex needs you! We need you!

  Goddamn it! Fight!”

  It took four corpsmans to get Maverick restrained as

  medics rushed the still man out the door and down the hall.

  “Sir, sir! You need to remain here and out of the way.”

  Once he was stitched up, Maverick went into the

  hospital’s waiting room with the rest of his teammates. The

  entire group was somber as they waited for news.

  “Fuck!” Maverick snapped, causing everyone else to

  glance over at him with a question in his gaze. “This is my

  fault! It’s my fault he’s lying there. I should’ve taken out both

  those guys. Some sniper I am!” He pounded his fist against the

  hospital’s cool wall.

  Tyson Kincade walked over to him and placed a hand

  on his arm. “Don’t blame yourself, Mav. That second wave

  took us all by surprise. You were the one who ran in there and

  got him out.”

  “If I hadn’t fucked up, I wouldn’t have had to get him

  out of that mess.” Disgust filled Maverick’s tone. “What am I

  going to tell Lex?” He sank to the cold metal chair along the

  wall. “What am I going to tell their kids?”

  “Tell her he’s going to be okay,” a soft feminine voice

  entered the conversation. Maverick looked up to see a