by Lea Hart
“I don’t think”—Mabel barked, jumped out of the open door of the truck, and landed on Rick’s feet—“we should,” Emily finished as her dog leaned into Rick.
“Mabel seems to disagree.”
“Are you hiding a dog biscuit somewhere?”
“No.”
“I don’t understand why my dog loves you so much.”
“I’m all but irresistible, so it shouldn’t be that surprising.”
“To four-legged animals,” she muttered. And to most women with a pulse, but that wasn’t anything she’d ever say aloud because the man did not need encouragement. “We really should be getting home.”
“Can I tempt you with some of Norma’s enchilada pie?”
“If I say no, will you believe me?”
Rick held out his hand and grinned. “Come in and have a glass of something while I slide that pan into the oven and show you what I’ve built.”
Emily studied her dog’s thumping tail and Rick’s hopeful smile and knew she couldn’t fight, either. “All right, but don’t expect me to skip the impressive speech about not fighting just because you’re offering up one of my favorite meals.”
“If I add a slice of banana cream pie, will you consider making it a short one?”
“You are the devil.”
“Never said I wasn’t!” he said with a wicked grin.
Taking his outstretched hand, she slid out of her truck and reminded herself that she was a strong woman and could resist the delicious man leading her into the prettiest home she’d seen in ages. His tight ass and wide back…was another thing, though, and she didn’t expect to be held responsible if her control slipped the tiniest bit.
Emily leaned against the island that dominated the kitchen and ran her fingers over the cool stone. “I love the home you’ve made.”
“Thanks, darlin’. I’ve been working on it since I got back and think it’s almost there.”
She accepted the glass of wine he offered and decided the large open plan of the first floor fit the big man standing before her perfectly. “Thank you.” She gave him a smile and then wandered over to the wall that was filled with photos and mementos. Running her hand over the frame that held a diploma, she leaned in and read Rick’s name. “I thought you dropped out of college to join the Navy.”
Rick took a slug of his beer and then gave her a grin. “I did and then had the opportunity to finish my degree while I was in the service. I left San Diego State after my third semester when I was accepted into NSW Prep School. I spent two months in Great Lakes, Illinois, and passed every test I was given and was blessed with the opportunity to go to Coronado and enter BUD/S.”
“I remember your mama being very unhappy with your choice to join the special ops community.”
He chuckled. “That’s putting it mildly. The woman did everything she could to try and convince me to stay in school, but I was adamant and knew I needed to make a difference just like my big brother. Weston was in the thick of things as a Marine Ranger, and there was no way I was leaving all the fun and adventure to him.”
“Seems reasonable.” She lifted her gaze and studied a picture of a smiling Rick and several of his teammates. “How long did it take you to become an active SEAL?”
“From beginning to end, the process takes fifty-eight weeks, and I was assigned to my first team a year and half after I set foot on the base in Coronado. I was twenty-one and happier than shit to get that trident pinned to my chest and have a chance to contribute.”
She looked up and noticed his dark green eyes were shining with pride. “You did a hell of a thing, Rick. I’m glad you made it home in one piece.”
“Well, the one-piece part is debatable. But I am home and more or less a functioning human being, so I can’t complain.” He lifted his hand and ran it over a picture of him and his two brothers. “Did you know that Brian is a SEAL, too?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. Your daddy was talking about your baby brother the other day. He’s so proud of all three of you, and hearing him brag on y’all is so sweet.”
He snorted. “Don’t know if I’d use the word ‘sweet’ when describing Wyatt Blakely.”
“Well, I would,” Emily said as the deafening sound of thunder filled the living room. She hooked her finger into Rick’s pocket and moved closer. “Hope it passes soon.”
“Not me,” Rick said with a smile as he took her hand and walked over to the couch. “Since it’ll make you stick close and maybe be open to distracting yourself by kissing and cuddling with me.”
Not able to deny the appeal of the statement, she gave him a faint smile and took a sip of her wine. “I would think a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy wouldn’t want to take advantage of a woman’s weakness.”
Rick collapsed on the couch and grinned. “I’m offering comfort to the woman I care about, and that is exactly what an officer and gentleman should do.”
She joined him on the comfortable worn leather couch and heard her dog snore contentedly. “I’ll have a snappy response in a minute.”
“Bet you will,” he said as he twined their fingers together. “In the meantime, let’s enjoy the view of the storm working its way across the sky, the warmth of the fire, and one another’s company.”
“Want to know what I was most mad about after you left for college?”
Turning, he nodded and pulled her legs over his. “Yeah, Stitches, I sure do.”
“I missed my best friend and all things we did together.” Seeing his mouth drop into a frown, she closed her eyes. “I’d been wired to seek connection from you for so long that it took me a minute…or a year to convince my soul that it was no longer possible. Everyone thought I was devastated over the whole prom debacle, but it was the loss of you in my life that was crushing.”
“There is nothing I can say that will make that okay, and I want you to know that I missed the fuck out of you every day.”
The gravitas of the moment wasn’t easily dealt with, but she knew that finally talking about the past was important. And…surprisingly a relief. Taking in a long, full breath, she was surprised how much better she felt after finally admitting that all the anger she’d held for Rick had really been grief in disguise. It had been easier to be mad than broken hearted, and she felt lighter for having said her truth aloud.
“I wish there was something I could say that would fix the past but know that’s not possible.” He put his beer down and then took her wineglass, setting it on the coffee table carefully. “If there’s some sort of penance I can pay so we can move forward, please tell me, because I truly want a chance at making something new.”
Emily cupped his cheek and studied his eyes filled with regret and hope. “I think everything happened as it should and the lessons we learned were necessary. So as far as I’m concerned, the past is done, and all that matters is what we do in the here and now.”
“Really?” he asked with incredulity. “Just like that?”
“Well, maybe not just like that.” Leaning forward, she ran her finger over his mouth and smiled. “I guess what I’m saying is…I wouldn’t mind getting to know that man you’ve become.”
“That’s the best news, Em.”
“Good,” she whispered before pressing their mouths together and kissing him. Butterflies took flight in her chest, and she was astonished that it was still possible.
“Em, you sure about this?” he asked on a ragged breath. “Because if not…”
“Yes,” she said against his mouth. “I’m tired of fighting the heat between us.” She slid her hand under his shirt and shivered when she encountered his hot skin. “So, yes…let’s fool around and see if it’s as good as I remember.”
“Darlin’, it’s gonna be a million times better.” He gently pushed her back on the couch and gave her a feral smile before taking her mouth in a long, plundering kiss.
Lying beneath
him, she pressed her body to his and shifted her hips as they matched each other thrust for eager thrust. She dug her hands into his shirt and submitted to the soul-twisting kiss, taking her hands off the wheel.
Sparks of need slid across her skin as his hands tunneled through her hair, giving it the perfect tug.
Succumbing to what had always burned beneath the surface, she surrendered to the need pounding in her body. “More,” she repeated against his mouth, whimpering as the last of her restraint slipped away.
The years they’d been apart disappeared in a puff of smoke, and all the feelings she’d denied came dancing back to life. Biting his bottom lip, she loved the growl it produced and did it again.
“You ready to deal with the fire you’re starting?” he asked, lifting his head away.
Shifting her hips, she watched his eyes dance over hers with a hunger that wouldn’t be slacked easily. “I might be. Depends on what you have in mind.”
“I’m gonna do the thing I never got to all those years ago.”
“We did a lot of stuff.”
Rick kissed her firmly. “You gonna let me have my way?”
“Will I like it?”
“You’re gonna love it and will probably be beggin’ me to do it on a daily basis.” He slid his fingers over her cheek slowly. “I didn’t ever get a chance to explore your body the way I wanted to all those years ago. We were so hungry just to be joined that we never got off the main menu.”
Laughter erupted from her chest, and she waved her hand, feeling enough joy to fill the house. “Well, then you go on and do what you see fit.”
“Thank fuck,” he murmured as he unfastened her jeans and slid them down her legs.
Closing her eyes, she heard him growl again and loved the primal thrill of heat it sent to her core. As much as she complained about Rick’s bossy, alpha ways, she couldn’t deny that deep in her heart, she kinda loved them. He was her match, and the fact he could more than stand up to her had always been appealing.
She watched him lean in close and skate his lips across her skin as he gripped the back of her thigh. Electrified, she yelped when he yanked her panties off in one swift motion and dropped his mouth to her dripping wet pussy.
Not able to hold back a moan, she arched her back as his tongue slid between her lips. Hearing him grunt with satisfaction, she dropped her leg open and felt him part her folds and then thrust his wicked tongue deep inside her.
Had anything ever felt better?
She didn’t think so…until his hands gripped her possessively and he tugged her against his mouth. Tangling her hands in his hair made him groan, and she sucked in a breath as his tongue danced up and down her slit. He hungrily lapped at her honey and then dragged his tongue up to her clit, wrapping his lips around her aching bud.
“Amazing grace…what are you doing to me?” He swirled it across it in a perfect pattern, and she began to crumble. Electricity crackled over her skin, and she didn’t know if she could take more.
Lifting his head, he gave her a wink and then let his tongue drag slowly up and down. “Fuck, Em, you taste better than I ever imagined. I’m going to need to get my face between your legs regularly.”
Not able to hide her surprise, she let out a giggle that quickly turned to a moan as he dropped his mouth back down. His tongue went back to her pussy, and he moved it in and out with a ferocity that had her orgasm shimmering closer. His fingers dug into her skin hard enough to leave bruises, and it made her heart race and ache for more.
“Rick, I’m going to…”
“Come for me,” he grunted. “I want your pretty pussy to cream all over my tongue and drip down my chin.”
His dirty words drove her to the edge, and her thighs trembled as she bucked her hips, tumbling toward the edge. His tongue swirled over her clit again and again as his groans vibrated through her core, and she exploded.
Her orgasm detonated, and she writhed against him, shuddering as heat thundered through her and his tongue teased her through the climax without pause. A moan of pleasure fell from her mouth, and Rick gripped her firmly as she rode out the incredible wave. Collapsing against the couch, she felt him pull her into his arms. “I…”
“Loved it?”
“God, yes!”
He crushed his mouth to hers and kissed her firmly. “I’d like to go on record and say that was worth the fourteen-year wait, and you fucking blew every fantasy I’ve ever had out of the water.”
Opening one eye, she smiled. “Is it my turn to get my mouth on you?”
“Not tonight, darlin’. This is all about you.”
“Rick…”
“Don’t argue. Otherwise, I’ll do it again and give you no mercy.”
Wrapping her arms around him, she let out a laugh. “I’d never survive.” His arms tightened in response, and she decided to keep her hands off the wheel and see what else was possible, because so far it was working out better than she ever imagined.
Chapter Nine
Emily walked past the red brick facade of Mumford’s Bar-B-Q and inhaled the delicious scent of Keith’s mastery. The man was a talented pit master, and the brisket that came out his smoker was some of the best she’d ever had. She pulled open the heavy black wooden door and stepped inside, glancing around the busy room. When she spied Nessa settled at a table in the corner, she waved. “Hey there.”
“Hey yourself.”
She slid onto the bench of the picnic table and set her phone down. “Did you have the usual rush at the salon today?”
“Seemed we had twice the customers and all they wanted to do was gossip about you and Rick.” She pushed over a glass of sweet tea and raised an eyebrow. “No one was very happy when I didn’t offer any juicy tidbits, and by the time the day was done, I felt like I’d been picked over by a bunch of buzzards.”
“No one likes being denied the intimate details of someone else’s relationship—especially the women in this town.”
“So are you saying there might be a relationship?”
Biting her straw, Emily hitched her shoulder. “Well…”
Vanessa leaned forward. “Really?”
Emily nodded and knew if she wanted her friend’s counsel, she was going to have to give her the full story. Would Nessa be hurt that she’d never confided in her? Maybe, but what could she do to change the past? “There’s some things that I’ve never shared with you…” When Nessa covered her hand, she let out a breath. “There’s more to mine and Rick’s story.”
“I know.”
“Wait…you know?”
“Let’s just say I always had real strong suspicions.”
Before she could launch into a full interrogation, Reba, their waitress, delivered their brisket plates.
Setting down a stack of napkins, she gave both women a smile. “Need anything else?”
“No, it looks great,” Emily said. “How’s your rabbit doing?”
“Mr. Peepers is back on the mend, thanks to you. I’ve put a double latch on his hutch and moved my books up to the next shelf so he can’t get at them.”
“Sounds like a good solution, since rabbits and paperbacks don’t mix.”
“Any updates on you and Rick?”
“No,” she sputtered as she moved her plate closer. “We’re not…”
“Then why did he get into a fight with Nash in your backyard?”
“Because he’s a—”
“Man trying to stake his claim,” Reba finished. “My husband was out at the ranch the other day and saw the kiss you two shared, and I want you to know that I’m Team EMICK all the way.”
“Team what?” Vanessa asked with a snort.
“You heard me. Susie over at the Wash and Fold made it up, and it’s what the people who are bettin’ on the two of you ending up at the altar are calling themselves.”
�
�And what team name has the other side adopted?” Emily asked.
“Nothing, which proves they lack foresight and imagination and are going to lose a big wad of cash,” Reba said with satisfaction.
Vanessa poured sauce over her brisket and then licked her finger. “You’d think with all the great reality show options people would have something better to do with their time than speculate on other people’s business.”
“I, for one, can do both and plan on taking my husband out for a big night when I win,” Reba said before leaving to tend to another table.
Vanessa put her pickles on Emily’s plate and then folded her hands. “Maybe a good scandal will break out and folks will lose interest.”
“I’d love nothing more,” Emily said.
“So…how close did you and my cousin get back in high school?”
She looked from side to side to make sure no one was within hearing distance and leaned in. “We got as close as two people could, and you’re the first person I’ve ever told.”
“I guessed as much.”
Emily scrunched her brows together and then played with her straw. “Were we that obvious?”
“No, but you two did spend a lot of time riding out to Hog Lake, and I didn’t think it was because you needed to see the spring flowers in bloom.”
“We gave into the thing burning between us and lost our innocence to each other.”
“Was it an awful experience?” Vanessa asked quietly.
“No, why would you ask that?”
“Because of the way things ended. One minute y’all were dating, and the next you weren’t speaking.”
Emily took a sip of her tea and then looked up. “We had a pregnancy scare and both panicked.”
Nessa’s face fell. “Oh, Em, I wish I could’ve been there for you.”
Squeezing her friend’s hand, she nodded. “I didn’t dare share the news, because Rick was eighteen and I was underage. I didn’t know up from down and didn’t want to put either of us in a worse position.”
“Makes sense,” Vanessa said as she moved the salt shaker around. “So is that why y’all have avoided one another for all these years?”