Operation Love

by Alyssa Brooks

  How was he supposed to eat with her sitting there looking so gorgeous? Sure, her hair kept slipping out of the clip she fastened it in, and there was a smudge of something on her face, but the way the setting sun caressed her skin…

  He sighed.

  Being at his mother’s house with no way to steal off with Dee was deadly. Functioning without blood in his brain could lead to injury.

  “How’s your new job going, Mano?” His sister’s voice was filled with amusement. He wanted to smack her.

  “Okay. Still trying to get the feel of the place. I hate the paperwork.”

  Dee laughed. Lyrical, the sound of it dipped into his heart and squeezed. Her hazel eyes danced. “You got into the wrong business, bruddah. The military loves paperwork.”

  For a few moments, the conversation came to a standstill. His mother shifted in her chair and Mano forced himself to look away from Dee and look over at his mother.

  “But this will help my career and I get to spend three years here.”

  She smiled and they continued talking. His ears picked up Dee’s murmur that she was going to the bathroom. As Leila and his mother began clearing the dishes, he followed her to the back of the house. She was walking back toward the dining room when he met up with her. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her up the stairs and into his room.

  Closing the door behind them, he turned her around and pinned her to the door. His blood shot to boiling the moment he set his mouth on hers. Jesus she tasted so good.

  “Mano.”

  Her voice was muffled beneath his kisses. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him. When he finally lifted his head, it spun with the delightful prospect of slipping into her heat, hearing her moan his name when she came. His balls twisted at the thought and he knew he had to have her here, now.

  “Mano, what the hell are you doing?”

  “Kissing you.” He leaned down but she stayed him with her hand.

  “They’ll hear, if they don’t already know. You are not playing it cool.”

  Shit. She was right. His mother or sister got wind of it, they’d expect a wedding and soon.

  “Okay, when?”

  She snorted. “Oh, be still my beating heart, you sure know how to romance a gal.”

  He frowned. “I can’t think of romance when my brain has no blood in it because all I can do is think of stripping you naked and licking you all over.”

  Her face blanked and then flushed red. “Oh, my.”

  “Sista, you said a mouthful. So when?”

  “I have to work tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? I’m talking about tonight.”

  She laughed. “Haven’t you had enough?”

  He nuzzled her neck and moved his hands to her waist. God, she had the sweetest skin. “No. I don’t think I’ve had enough of you. I think I have, am sure I have, then you smile at me and my brain goes to mush.”

  He kissed the pulse point on her neck and was happy when it scrambled. It was only right. His heart was now doing double time and he’d barely touched the woman.

  “Oh,” her breathy voice did something to his heart. He pushed the feeling away.

  “Why don’t you come by my place?”

  “I have no clothes for work and I’m not driving up to the North Shore tomorrow morning.”

  “Okay, I’ll leave, you meet me at my apartment, we go to your place.”

  She hesitated but then agreed. Moments later he was kissing his mother goodbye and accepting a plateful of food from her. As he drove to his apartment, he ignored the little voice inside of his head that told him this was not just a love affair. Just because he couldn’t function without thinking of her didn’t mean he was in love. It meant it was new, they were new, and both of them would probably be bored by the end of the week.

  Chapter Seven

  Dee kissed her way down Mano’s body, her own body begging for release. But she wanted to do this. She wanted him in her mouth; she wanted to drive him insane. He was standing in her bedroom, a naked Hawaiian warrior ready to conquer.

  She slid his cock into her mouth; the salty taste of his pre-cum sent another wave of juice to her sex. Damn, her pussy throbbed with want. She wanted him sliding into her. She wanted to ride him until he came.

  He moaned her name, his fingers clenched in her hair. Dee caressed his balls, squeezing gently and a thrill raced through her when he growled. She loved playing these games, she thought as she swiped her tongue over the head of his penis and sucked hard. She liked to see how far she could push him. Mano flexed his hips, holding her head in place as he began to fuck her face. She relaxed her throat, trying to take the long, hard length of him as far as she could. He was close, she could tell by his actions, by the rising volume of his groans.

  In one movement, he pulled away and lifted her to her feet. She grabbed the condom she’d thrown on the bed earlier and rolled it on him.

  They tumbled to the bed, she landing on top of him where she wanted to be. Positioning herself, she took his cock in her hand, and slid slowly down taking him into her body. She continued that pace, teasing him, pushing him close to the edge but not exactly letting him fall. But soon, her own body clamored for release and she increased her rhythm. His fingers found her clit and she exploded, shouting his name when she came. A second later he followed, his voice a hoarse shout that caused the dogs to bark in the neighbors’ yard. When she slid down on top of him in a boneless heap, she chuckled.

  “You’re going to get me kicked out of here, Mano.”

  He slapped her ass. It stung and she rubbed the spot he hit. “You deserve it. Teasing me that way.”

  They slept for awhile but later raided the kitchen for a snack. With munchies and drinks, they cuddled together, naked on her couch, covered with a sheet watching TV.

  Mano switched through the channels until she saw An Officer and a Gentleman, one of her favorite movies. She’d never tell her sisters, but she loved the ending of it.

  “You want to watch this?”

  The disbelief in Mano’s voice irritated her. “What’s wrong with it?”

  “It’s sappy and sentimental.”

  She crossed her arms and moved away from him. “Oh, if you’re going to pout, then fine.” He pulled her back into her arms and they watched the movie, falling asleep on the couch.

  * * * *

  Dee was finishing off the remains of her sweet and sour chicken when her phone jingled the tune, In the Navy. It irritated Holly to death that she used the corny song for her ringer and it was one of the reasons Dee had left it.

  “Hey, Holly, what’s up?”

  “Do you still have that stupid ringer?”

  Dee smiled. “Yep. What do you need? I have a meeting in a few minutes.”

  “Just thought I would call and check in, see how things have been going. Mom and Dad weren’t happy you aren’t trying to make it back to the mainland for Christmas.”

  She raised one eyebrow to that comment. Of course, the effect was completely ruined because Holly, a Naval officer stationed in Virginia, lived thousands of miles away.

  “Are you going home?”

  Holly snorted. “Can’t get the time off.”

  She shifted in her chair trying to come up with an easy way to broach the subject on her mind. “Holly, do you ever regret making that vow?”

  “What vow?”

  “The vow never to marry military.”

  There was a beat of silence. “Are you seeing someone in the military?” Holly sounded almost accusatory. Like she knew Dee had spent the weekend have hot monkey sex with a fighter pilot.

  “No, you know me, I was just wondering.”

  “Oh. Well, no, I don’t. My career is important to me.”

  “Hmm. So you would never…”

  “Sorry, Dee. I have a call on my other line and I have to take it. Call me later.”

  She hung up the phone, her mind whirling with thoughts of the vow, her own love for Mano and his inability to understand her
feelings for him.

  “Hey. What’s got you down?”

  She glanced up and there was Mano, standing in her doorway just as he had last Friday.

  “Oh, nothing, just got off the phone with Holly.”

  “Nothing wrong at home is there?” He ambled into the office and sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

  “No, everything is fine. What are you doing here?”

  He smiled, a little boy with a secret. “I thought maybe we could play tourist tonight and go to a Luau.”

  She laughed. “Really? I thought you hated them.”

  “No, I hated going with my father’s family. They never could understand why dad married my mother.”

  “Idiots.”

  His smile widened. “So, you game?”

  She nodded and he stood, placing his hands on her desk. “I would very much like to strip you naked and fuck you on this desk.”

  Her heart tripped and then somersaulted. “Oh, really?” There it was again, that breathy, girly voice.

  “Yeah, but seeing how that would be a PDA, I can’t.”

  Her mind was spinning with images of being naked with Mano in her office so it took her a moment to remember PDA stood for public display of affection.

  Another man stuck his head in the office. “Hey, Shark. What are you doing in here?” When he noticed Dee, he stepped into the office and smiled. He was also dressed in a flight suit, his blond hair gleamed under the fluorescent lights, his blue eyes twinkled. “Well, now I know why. Care to introduce us?”

  “No.” He ignored his friend who frowned at him. “Can you get off a little early?”

  “Actually, I have this meeting in ten minutes and then I am out of here for the day. Meet you at your place?”

  He nodded, his gaze drifting to her lips and he sighed. Turning to leave, he ran into his friend. “Let’s go, Joker.”

  * * * *

  Filled with Mai Tais and feeling glorious and sated after a fast, hot bout of making love with Mano, Dee laid back against his feather pillows and looked up at him. Light from a few candles on the nightstand cast shadows against his golden skin. He’d taken her to Paradise Cove, danced with her, and she’d felt herself slipping into the hazy warmth of love. He brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek. The move was so tender, so loving that she couldn’t stop the words that had been welling up inside her for years.

  “I love you.”

  His hand dropped away, and even in the pale light she could see the blood drain from his face. “We said this was nothing serious.”

  “It isn’t. I just said I loved you, no big deal.” Really, he didn’t have to look so horrified. It wasn’t like she said she wanted to have his first born or anything. Even if she did want to, she hadn’t said it. She was ashamed to admit it to herself, especially considering his profession.

  “Love is serious.”

  He sat up, taking with him all the pleasant feelings from their lovemaking. She sighed.

  “No, it isn’t. I love you.”

  “And now you expect me to repeat those words.” His cold tone hurt. It crept into her heart and twisted.

  “No. I don’t need you to love me back, Mano, I was just telling you how I feel.”

  He practically jumped off the bed and pulled on his boxers. “Women always say that, then they start nagging.”

  She sat up, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She felt so cold, her stomach chilled at the tone in his voice.

  “I’ve not asked for anything, I’ve just told you how I felt.”

  He sneered at her. “I am not about to get serious. I have to finish out my career.”

  The icy look in his eyes hurt. But there was something else there, something close to panic. Why would he panic just because she told him she loved him? Then she realized he was scared. He was frightened of falling in love. “You’re afraid.”

  His gaze turned stony. “I’m not scared. But I’ve made a choice. For some reason you can’t respect that.”

  “Respect you’re afraid of loving me? Fine. You know,” she stood and picked up her clothes and put them on, “I dreamed of having you in my bed for years. Hell I measured every man I met against my dreams of you.” She looked at him, her gaze going down his body then back up again. “What a waste.”

  She brushed past him. She had to get out of there before she fell apart. All this time, she’d fooled herself and it was her own fault. She told herself she could love and let go, that she could ride out the storm. She couldn’t.

  He grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”

  “Home.”

  “So, I tell you I don’t love you and you leave?”

  She swallowed, trying to calm herself. Tears threatened but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her weep.

  “You won’t allow yourself to love me.”

  She pulled her arm free and left the bedroom. He followed her, and without turning she knew he was shooting daggers in her back. She knew because they pierced her heart. It was bleeding, painfully, but she wouldn’t let him know.

  “Right. Just like every other woman.”

  Anger, pain, and her red-headed temper had her whirling around to face him. “I am not just like any other woman.” She poked him in the chest. “I’m the best you’ll ever have, you jackass. I love you, despite the fact you are a jackass. But you’ll never know. You’ll sit in your nice comfortable world and pretend you don’t care about me.”

  “Dammit, I didn’t say I didn’t care about you. Being married, falling in love in the military can lead to heartache, pain.”

  Sadly, she shook her head. “You’re afraid.”

  “No, I’m just cautious.”

  But she could see the denial in his eyes. “You love me, but you won’t even admit it to yourself. You’ll throw away the chance at a happy life, children, because you fear the unknown. Big, bad, fighter pilot.” This time she was sneering.

  “It’s safer this way.”

  “I take it back. You’re not a jackass. You’re a coward.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, but she pressed on. “And I don’t have time for cowards, life’s too short.”

  Without another word, and refusing to answer his angry shouts, she left him. She made it to her car before she broke. She sat in her car, her heart raw with the pain he’d inflicted, welling up almost choking her. Unable to fight it she leaned her head on her steering wheel and wept.

  She should’ve known better than to renege on the vow. Military men were best avoided because no matter whether they missed a graduation or told you they couldn’t love you, they would always break your heart.

  Chapter Eight

  Mano parked his car behind his mother’s and swallowed the bitterness. Damn if Dee hadn’t been spot on about his fears but she hadn’t helped. Marriages in the military were fragile at best and she should know that anything long term wasn’t going to happen, at least for awhile. But to call him a coward. He wasn’t. The ideas he had weren’t irrational. They were well founded in what he saw in the military, what he’d witnessed growing up. And he would be damned if he would let her fuck with his mind that way. There wasn’t anything lacking in him because of his concerns. He unfolded his length from his seat and slammed the car door.

  “What’s the matter with you, bruddah?”

  He looked up and noticed his mother was watering her potted plants on the porch. “Nothing.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked to the porch.

  “Hmm, looks to me like you have woman problems.”

  When he reached the steps leading up to the porch, he stopped, crossed his arms over his chest, and narrowed his eyes at his mother. She continued watering her plants not sparing him a glance.

  “I don’t have problems with women.”

  She snorted. “No man ever looks like you do unless he has woman problems.”

  He studied her. Adela Jacobs . She’d been a rock when his father had die
d. If it hadn’t been for her, he would have easily fallen in with the wrong crowd. His father had served his country well, served during the ending days of Vietnam, but he lost his life to a drunk driver. The anger, the sense of injustice, had almost strangled Mano, but his mother and Mr. Burton, had made sure Mano was occupied all the time.

  “You’ve been talking to Leila.”

  She shook her head. “Do you really think I’m that stupid, yeah?”

  Mano knew better than to answer that question. “What you have there?” He motioned to the pot she was watering.

  She ignored his attempt at diverting her attention. “When you were born, we didn’t know if you’d live.”

  “I remember the story.”

  “Fifteen hours.” She set down her watering pail and looked over at him. “Hard head when you were born, hard head now.”

  “Mama…”

  “Is Daisy giving you heartache?”

  “How did…?”

  Her laughter stopped his question and his lips curved.

  “I have eyes, don’t I? You two may have tried to pretend, but I imagine you were all over each other within five minutes of leaving here.”

  The tips of his ears burned. “You always embarrassed me with your plain talk, Mama.”

  She smiled and sat on the glider. “Better to be up front, yes?”

  He nodded and joined her on the bench. “We had a big fight.”

  “I figured that out. What did you do to break her heart?”

  “How do you know it’s me?”

  Chuckling she brushed her fingers over his cheek like she used to when he was younger. “Mano, Daisy has been head over heels in love with you for years. She wouldn’t do anything to upset you, to push you away.”

  “She called me a coward for no reason.”

  One eyebrow rose and she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Okay, so part of it had to deal with my reaction when she told me she loved me.”

  “And what did you do, bruddah? Did you panic?”

  Panic. There had been a large dose of that, along with sheer terror. “A little. She just didn’t understand why I don’t want to get married.”

  “Explain it to your Mama.”

  “Military life is hard on families.”

  She nodded. “No complaints from me there, I agree. But it can also make them closer.”