If he didn’t get some part of him inside of some part of her ASAP, he was going to implode.
“Had enough to eat?” she said breathlessly when he broke the kiss.
“Stew? Yes,” he growled. “You? Not even close.”
He swept her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, memories of the last time he’d done so urging him to move faster. The only difference was, he took an extra half-second to close the partition, ensuring that Brutus stayed in the kitchen.
They took turns divesting each other of their clothes while taking every opportunity to touch and kiss along the way. She was every bit as soft and fragrant and perfect as he remembered.
This time, she was the one pushing him down onto the bed. Since she followed that up by climbing onto him and positioning her knees on either side his hips, he was glad to oblige.
“You still have that box of condoms, right?” she asked breathlessly.
“I do.”
“Good.”
She reached over toward the nightstand. Cage took the opportunity to sit up and take one taut nipple into his mouth. She ripped the package and made short work of wrapping his package. Just the feel of her hands on his shaft was enough to have him practically shuddering with anticipation.
He’d envisioned a similar scene so many times, but each time, he’d imagined taking it slowly. Working her into a frenzy by kissing and licking every part of her body. Stroking and fondling, fingering and tonguing until she was panting his name and begging to have him inside her.
The reality was, barely two minutes in, she was raising those sweet hips and sinking down onto his cock without any priming from him. He wasn’t complaining. If that was what she wanted, he’d go with it.
His hands grasped her hips as she settled atop him, taking him so deep that he could feel her silken folds around the base of his cock. Her head dipped back, and she groaned, fingers flexing on his chest as she squeezed her inner muscles around him.
Then, she looked down at him, her eyes filled with heat and something more. “You okay with this?”
“Another trick question?” he answered, tilting his pelvis to go even deeper.
She laughed and began to move. As good as it felt to be inside her, to feel the rhythmic squeeze and release with every rise and fall, it felt even better to watch her find her pleasure. Before long, she was riding him hard, chasing down her release. With one hand still grasping her hip, he moved the other between them, using his thumb to stroke her sensitive nub and send her flying over the edge.
The moment she stilled and began to contract powerfully around him, he flipped them both over, reversing their positions, and thrust into her, bringing them both to a heart-pounding, mind-numbing, mutual climax.
As they lay there, panting and sweating, he murmured, “Enough food to last a week, you said?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Perfect.”
Chapter Fifty
Bree
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Nick asked.
Propped up on one arm, as he was, with the sheet barely reaching his hips and staring at her ass, getting dressed took a tremendous amount of her willpower. The last three days had been absolutely amazing, but there were things that had to be done. Not to mention, they’d run out of condoms.
“I think it’s for the best.”
His lips pursed, but he nodded. In addition to wringing every last drop of pleasure from each other’s bodies, they’d had some deep discussions about where they were going to go from there.
The connection was definitely there. The sex was off the charts. The potential was limitless. But their relationship was still new. There was still so much they had to learn about each other, and she looked forward to every moment of it.
While his offer to stay with him was greatly appreciated, she worried that it would be too much, too fast. Both of them were used to having their own space, and while the trailer was a decent size, it was still tight quarters. What felt cozy and intimate now could quickly become confining, particularly with the wintry weather and cold temperatures expected over the next months. Chances were, they’d be spending a lot of time together regardless, but it would be nice to have the option of some private time, too, if either of them felt overwhelmed.
“Where are you going again?” he asked.
“I’m not sure.”
Kate had simply said they were going Christmas shopping and asked Bree if she wanted to go along. Bree had jumped at the chance, anxious to finish off her list. Getting in a bit of girl time would be nice, too. Other than the frequent phone calls with Toni, she hadn’t had much of that since she’d left California.
Bree sat down on the edge of the bed and tugged on comfortable walking boots.
“When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure. Might be late.”
“Not good enough.”
He moved behind her. His arm came around her waist, and his lips pressed against the pulse point on her neck. She tilted her head to give him better access. When she felt the heat building again, she kissed him, stood, and stepped just out of his reach, laughing when he growled in protest.
“Behave. I need to get your Christmas present.”
“You can be my Christmas present.”
“That’s a given,” she agreed. “But I’ll need some new wrapping. Which do you prefer—leather or lace?”
The heat in his eyes was almost enough to make her reconsider.
Leaving him to pout and excited about the day ahead of her, she made the trek to the main building, where she found the women waiting.
“Woo! Girls’ day!” Sandy shouted as Bree joined Sam in the back of the Jeep.
“Did Cage give you a hard time?” Sam asked.
Bree smiled. “A little.”
Kate laughed. “Welcome to the Women of Overprotective SEALs Club—or as we’ve recently come to call ourselves, WOOSC.”
“WOOSC?”
“Yep. Drives the guys nuts because they love acronyms but have no idea what it means.”
It was a beautiful day for a drive. The sun was bright, reflecting off the fresh covering of dry, light snow, making it look as if the ground were covered in diamonds. Above, the sky was a pale blue with only an occasional wispy cloud to break it up. Kate drove them to the nearby Pocono Mountains, where they spent a fun-filled day Christmas shopping in one of the large outlet malls. Not only did Bree manage to get something for everyone on her list, but she also had enough money left over to splurge on “wrapping” in the lingerie shop.
“So, are you ready for your big coming-out?” Sam asked with a grin as they headed back toward Sumneyville for a late dinner at Franco’s.
Bree hadn’t been in town since her return to the area, but word was sure to spread the moment she showed her face. She had no idea what the townspeople thought of the article or if they’d even read it. While the focus of the piece was Sanctuary, she’d made good on her promise to include a lot about the town and surrounding areas as well. She’d referenced the rich local history and provincial charm but made no direct references to ongoing drama or the questionable behavior of local leaders.
That she saved for her fictional small-town serial.
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
“Relax. We’ve got your back,” Sandy said.
Carmella beamed and welcomed Bree like an old friend. “That was some article you wrote,” she said, pointing toward the wall behind the hostess podium. There, someone had printed off and framed the front page of the piece she’d written. “You have a gift.”
“Thank you,” Bree said sincerely, glad that Carmella was pleased.
“So, how long are you staying with us this time?” Carmella asked, seating them at one of the nicer tables in the alcove.
“Indefinitely,” Sandy told Carmella with a conspiratorial grin.
Carmella’s eyes lit up. “Really? How wonderful! Which one?”
“Cage,” answered Kate.
“Oh, he is a sweetheart. Good for you, honey.”
“So, have you given any more thought to Church’s offer?” Kate asked once their orders had been placed.
“I have,” Bree replied.
After admitting to Kate, Sam, and Sandy that she wasn’t quite ready to move in with Nick full-time, Kate had suggested talking to Church about staying in a suite in the main building. Not only would she have her own space to work, but she could also be close to Nick and have daily access to Sam’s crack coffee and Kate’s cooking—both of which she’d become quite fond of.
“I think I’m going to take him up on it.”
“It’s a good deal,” Sandy told her. “He offered me the same thing when I decided New York wasn’t for me. Of course, I think I spent more time in Heff’s cabin than I did in the resort, but it was nice to have the option.”
“I think it’s a smart move,” Sam said, nodding her head. “It’ll give you both a chance to wrap your head around everything, you know?”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Bree agreed, glad they understood. “But I don’t think Nick’s too happy about it.”
“Pfft. He’ll agree to anything as long as it’ll keep you around,” Sandy told her.
“You think?”
“Absolutely,” Kate confirmed. Each of the women nodded their agreement. “The man’s got it bad for you, Bree.”
* * *
Nick was sitting in front of his laptop when Bree returned to his trailer later that night. Brutus got up from his doggy bed to greet her.
“What’s Brutus doing here?”
“Waiting for you.”
“I thought Justin was taking him for the day.”
“He was,” Nick said with a crooked smile. “But Brutus kept sneaking away and coming back here. I think he was afraid you’d abandoned him or something. He wouldn’t even eat his dinner.”
Bree bent down and gave the dog a good scratch behind the ears. “I wouldn’t do that, buddy.”
“Hey, got some of that for me, too?”
She laughed and scratched Nick’s head, too. He grinned and pulled her in for a breath-stealing kiss that left her slightly off-kilter. It was something she could become addicted to very quickly—being greeted like that after being away for the day. In fact, she thought she might already be.
“Did you have a good day?” he asked.
“I did,” she told him honestly. “I got all my Christmas shopping done, and I had my official coming-out.”
He looked confused until she explained it to him. “If the people of Sumneyville didn’t know which team I was on before, they do now. What did you do today?”
His eyes lit up. “Come here. I want to show you something.”
He tugged her over to his makeshift desk and pointed at the screen. “Remember when you were talking about creating an interactive story? Well, I did some research, and as it turns out, there’s already AI out there capable of doing that. Most of it applies to gaming, but with some custom programming, there’s no reason we can’t use it for a book, too. I mean, that’d be more work for you as the author because you’d have to create multiple outcomes based on conditional behavior, but—”
Bree cut him off by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly.
“What was that for?” he asked, the pleased look of surprise changing to concern when moisture began to well up in her eyes.
“You listened. When I told you about my idea, you actually listened.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Of course I listened. It’s important to you. And I’ve been thinking. If you really think you’d rather stay in the main building than here with me, then that’s what you should do. As long as you stay.”
“You know what? I think I’m going to give you one of your Christmas presents early.”
Epilogue
“Make it stop.”
A deep male chuckle rumbled behind her as Nick reached over her and hit the snooze button. She snuggled into him, unwilling to leave the warmth and comfort of their bed.
“Time to get up.”
“No,” she grumbled.
One of the benefits of freelancing was setting her own hours. And since she was six months ahead on her release schedule, she could afford to sleep in once in a while. Especially since they’d been up half the night, christening their new bedroom. And living room. And kitchen. And office.
“Brutus!” Nick called. “A little help here?”
The sound of heavy paws pounding across the hardwood floor made her lift the covers up over her head. She made it just in time before Brutus began snuffling around, trying to seek her out. When he started clawing at the sheet, she surrendered and revealed herself.
“Why would you do that?” she asked, laughing as she tried unsuccessfully to avoid Brutus’s wet morning kisses. She loved the big mutt almost as much as she loved the man beside her.
“Because Toni and Hunter’s flight will be landing in a few hours, and we said we’d pick them up at the airport.”
The pleasant morning haze dissipated quickly when she sat up and glanced at the clock, confirming the time. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”
“I did wake you earlier,” he reminded her.
Right. He had. By sliding into her from behind and treating her to some glorious wake-up sex. It was her favorite way to start the day.
She tossed the covers to the side and moved her legs to get out of bed. “I need a shower.”
“Good idea,” he agreed, his eyes fixed on her ass.
“Oh no, you don’t,” she told him, scooting quickly toward the bathroom. “We’re never going to get there in time if you shower with me.”
His grin was feral. “Yes, we will.”
* * *
True to his word, they arrived at the airport in time, pulling into the cell phone waiting lot with minutes to spare.
“I can’t believe you doubted me.”
“You’re right. I’ll never doubt you again.”
He had been quick and thorough, and those multiple showerheads had been worth every penny. Her SEAL might enjoy rusticating in the great outdoors, but he also had a penchant for state-of-the-art gadgetry, too. Their newly built cabin was filled with them.
Bree peered through the windshield at a large jet coming in for a landing, suppressing a shiver. “I do not miss flying.”
“Me neither.”
They’d discovered a lot of things they had in common over the last six months as well as plenty of differences that complemented each other and worked to their advantage. For example, while they were both creative, he was more analytical and methodical and she leaned more toward the emotional and impulsive. Together, they made a great team.
Toni and Hunter’s flight arrived without incident. Nick had barely pulled up to the curb before Bree was out, greeting her cousin with a big hug.
“Looks like they missed each other, huh?” Nick said with a smile, offering his hand to Hunter. “I’m Nick.”
“Hunter. And, yeah, I’d say so.”
After loading the bags in the back, Nick deftly maneuvered the vehicle away from the airport. More than once, Toni remarked on the beautiful scenery as they got closer to home. Bree had to agree. She’d thought the same when she first came to the area almost a year earlier. Now, she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Once back at Sanctuary, they brought the couple back to their cabin to freshen up and give them a quick tour, and then they took them to the main dining hall to meet the rest of the team and share a special lunch prepared by Kate and Sam.
Hunter jumped at the chance when Nick suggested an ATV ride along the trails while Bree and Toni returned to the cabin for some quiet girl time.
“I’ve really missed you,” Bree said as they stretched out on lounge chairs on the back deck, overlooking the lake. It was one of her favorite spots to be, and not just because it was Nick’s new and improved tactical observation platform.
“I’ve mis
sed you, too. But it seems like you’ve made some friends here.”
“I have,” Bree confirmed.
Sam, Sandy, and Kate had been great, making her feel welcome from the get-go and providing plenty of support and encouragement. They’d recently introduced her to Tori McCain, too, who ran the hippotherapy ranch up the road with her husband, Brian, and son. If only Toni lived closer, it would be perfect.
“It sucks that we live so far away from each other.”
Toni sipped her peach iced tea. “That might not be an issue for much longer.”
“Oh?”
“Hunter’s been offered a position with a major network,” Toni confided, excitement twinkling in her dark eyes. “After we leave here, we’re driving into the city to check things out.”
“Really? That’s awesome!”
“I know, right? I mean, San Diego was great, but I’ll always be a New Yorker at heart.”
Bree felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Toni had gone to California because of her.
“Stop feeling guilty,” Toni admonished without even looking her way. “I’m glad we went to California. It was a great experience, and I never would have met Hunter otherwise. But now, with the network offer and you only two hours away, it’s time for me to come home.”
“What about the Voice?”
“It’s not the same since it was bought out by a bigger fish. There’ve been massive changes. They’re more interested in making money than responsible journalism. They cut the research department by half and sent in their own people to run the office. Fact-checking is now more of an afterthought than a requirement. I’m glad Charlie retired when he did.”
“I received a postcard from him not too long ago.”
“Oh yeah? How’s he doing?”
“Great. He bought a condo in Clearwater and met someone. I think it’s serious, too.”
“Good for him. It’s hard for me to imagine a romantic heart beating beneath that gruff exterior, though.”
Nick UnCaged: Sanctuary, Book Four Page 23