A Hero to Love

by Gail Chianese

  “No one’s watching but the stars and maybe a squirrel or two.” She nipped his ear before sucking it into her warm, wet mouth. Her hair fell across his face, the silky strands tickling his skin.

  “There’s not enough room in this hobbit hole.” He wanted her spread out before him like a feast.

  “Haven’t you heard, Jackson? Where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Or is the great outdoors too rough for your delicate country-boy sensibilities?”

  He kissed her upper lip, then her bottom, before biting her chin. “I didn’t want to insult a pale English rose with my wild ways, but a gentleman always aims to please.” He took her mouth and what started out tender and gentle turned demanding and possessive. He lifted her by the waist and repositioned her so her legs were spread out over his lap and they were lined up from core to center. Her luscious, warm breasts pressed into his chest, but it wasn’t enough.

  He wanted skin-to-skin contact.

  If he couldn’t have her spread out before him like a king’s buffet, he still refused to gobble her up like a fast-food meal. He was a grown-ass man and could control his urges. Take his time. Make this last and bring her as much pleasure as possible given the circumstances.

  She wrapped her legs around him and drew him in closer, eliciting a groan.

  Determined to take his time, even if it killed him, he slid his hands up Risa’s back and kissed her. One kiss led to another and another. Her hands roamed over his shoulders, arms, and back. Her hips rotated in unison with their kisses.

  God, he loved a woman who wasn’t afraid to let her passion rule.

  He kissed her long and deep, and Risa clawed at his shirt. In one swift move, he had the offending T-shirt over his head and across the small space. He kissed down the column of her throat until he came to the first button.

  Slowly, he slipped the button through the hole and spread the shirt open, then kissed the newly exposed skin. He worked his way down, one button at a time, and grinned when Risa growled.

  “This isn’t a scenic road trip, Jax.”

  He kissed the swell of her breast.

  “You’d rather I take the expressway? Don’t you know? The fun isn’t in where you start or end, it’s all the places in between.” He pressed another kiss to her bare skin.

  She shrugged off the shirt and reached around to unhook her bra. Both articles of clothing joined his in the corner.

  “We can always sightsee on the return trip, cowboy.”

  He caressed one nipple, then the other. Risa arched her back, and he captured one pretty bud in his mouth. He paid homage, licking, nipping, and sucking until she was panting and begging for more. He tugged the zipper down on her jeans and slipped his hand inside to find her warm and wet.

  She demanded more.

  He scooted forward to put them at a reclining position and banged his foot against the wall. “We’re either going to have to go inside where we have more room or take this in stages.”

  “No problem.” She swung her leg over and sat next to him as she toed off her shoes, then inched her pants down.

  Jax followed suit and shoved their discarded clothes to one corner. Risa climbed back on his lap. “Now, where were we?” he asked.

  Risa smiled and rotated her hips as she brought her hot core in direct contact with his cock.

  “Condom,” he murmured as he kissed her. He dragged his jeans closer, bending Risa back, until he could grab his pants and the foil packet he had in the back pocket. She snatched it from his fingers, ripped it open and slid it on him.

  “Not so fast, darling.” If he didn’t slow her down, it’d be an eight-second ride, and he was no bull-rider.

  His fingers brushed over the soft skin of her inner thigh, then lightly up her middle. He repeated the move, going deeper, firmer until she bucked against his fingers. His thumb circled her nub.

  “Come for me, Risa,” his voice had gone husky. “Scream for me, baby.”

  With his other hand, he rolled her nipple between thumb and forefinger, wringing a cry from her. When the first wave hit, she grasped his shoulders and arched into him. Jax removed his hand and slid into her silken sheath. She screamed his name.

  * * * *

  Risa stared into Jax’s eyes as he entered her and the first contraction hit. She screamed. Bloody hell, he’d made her scream. Something she’d never done before. She’d also never had sex in the great outdoors or in a tree fort, but she’d practically seduced the guy. She had no idea if it was her earlier declaration to live life more fully or just her impatience to feel Jax inside her.

  She didn’t care. She felt alive and her body hummed with pleasure as their bodies came together. She was assaulted with sensations from his hands gripping her hips, his mouth crushing hers, to the silky hair on his chest tickling her breasts. He took his time, building the tension back up, as if they had all the time in the world. She reveled in his attention, while she cursed his patience.

  “Oh. My. God.”

  “Sorry, darling, the name is Jax, Jax Faraday.”

  Risa laughed. Had she ever laughed during sex before? Definitely not with Troy. He’d been all wham-bam and so serious, like the fate of the nation had rested on their sex life. She liked Jax’s style much better. She wasn’t afraid for everything not to be perfect and based on the glazed look in his eyes, it was.

  She sunk her hands into his hair and kissed him. It was soft and sweet and filled with promises.

  He scooted up to bring her in closer. “Ahhh.”

  “Was that a good ahh or a bad ahh?” It was really hard to tell in the semi-darkness.

  “I think I just got a splinter in my ass.”

  Risa started giggling. “I’m sorry. Are you okay? If it makes you feel better, I think I’m getting a little wood burn on my knees.”

  Jax wrapped his hands around her back and hopped toward the center of the fort. He rolled to the left and brought her leg back around his back, then rolled to the right and did the same thing. Softly he rubbed her knees until they no longer stung. His kindness and compassion, his ability to put her first—and at such a critical moment—slayed her.

  The whole world slowed down as he crushed her mouth beneath his and thrust inside her. The stress of the last few weeks disappeared. Her doubts about getting involved with Jax disappeared. All her reserves weakened.

  The last brick in her wall of resistance crashed down as Jax took her over the edge a second time, calling out her name as he came right behind her.

  There wasn’t enough room in the fort to lie down. She slid off his lap, and he pulled her up tightly against his chest. Together, they leaned back and watched as the night sky faded and dawn broke with streaks of red, orange, and blue.

  A new day.

  A new chance at happiness, adventure, and living life to the fullest.

  She looked up at him to suggest they go inside. Jax was sound asleep, with his head resting against the wooden wall of a long-forgotten fort.

  Chapter 11

  Risa put the final touches on her freshly painted front door and stood back to take a look at her handiwork. Instead of going solid, boring white again, she had painted the front door to look like a blue British police box.

  Her parents would get a kick out of it.

  They were debating the mudroom door’s design. Jax was in favor of letting the animals run through the paint, then across the door. Said it kept it real. Easy for him to say; he didn’t have to clean their paws afterwards. They still had the windows to clean and railings to repaint—not how she had envisioned spending her day off.

  Jax finished fixing the rabbit hutch. He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her middle, and pulled her back against him.

  He kissed the back of her neck and peered down at the door.

  “Looks good. But I still don’t get your obsession.”
<
br />   “You have to watch the show to understand.”

  “I’ve watched Doctor Who. I’m just not a fan.”

  She turned around in his arms, looked deeply into his amazing eyes and sighed.

  “I’m sorry, we’re going to have to end our friendship. That’s a deal-breaker.”

  He looked shocked—pained even, like she’d kneed him in the nuts. “You’d cut me off for my taste in entertainment?”

  She nodded. “Afraid so. I’ve learned that people like you, who don’t like Who, are just, well, strange. I don’t get it, and there’s no way I can sit through night after night of reality TV.” She shuddered to prove her point.

  “What if I said…” He paused to nibble his way up her neck. “I’d be willing to give it another shot… and that I never watch reality shows.” He bit down gently on her earlobe and sucked it into his mouth.

  “I’d, uh…” She swallowed and concentrated on remembering the question. “Yeah, that’d work.”

  He pulled back and looked at her. “Were you serious?”

  “Huh?” She had to wait for the fog in her brain to clear to remember what they were talking about. “Oh, about dropping you like a hot popover? No. About not understanding, and hating reality TV? Totally.”

  “Good.” He pulled her body in tight. “How about we let the doors finish drying and take a break. I’m starving.”

  “Just one teensy problem. I haven’t gone grocery shopping, and I think all that’s left in the fridge is a slice of cheese and maybe a tomato.”

  “It’s okay. What I’m craving wouldn’t be in your kitchen anyway.”

  “Jax, we can’t leave the house without doors. We may as well post a sign on the main road: Please, come rob me.”

  “I wasn’t talking about going anywhere.”

  “But you just said you were hungry.” She was so confused. Could kisses really melt your brain?

  “I am, but not for food.”

  The kiss was playful, demanding, and hungry. Oh so hungry. It left Risa panting for more when Jax released her.

  “I think I know exactly the right recipe to take care of that craving,” she said. She stood up on her toes to kiss him, as she pressed her body against his.

  The sound of a car approaching had her dropping back to her heels and groaning. “Think you’re going to need to take a rain check, cowboy.”

  They turned to look as the car pulled up behind Risa’s SUV.

  “You could run now. I wouldn’t blame you,” she mumbled.

  “Parents don’t scare me.”

  She doubted hers would either. They weren’t the meddling type, as that would require an actual interest in her life. Still, she couldn’t help but tease him a little.

  “Famous last words.” She smiled and stepped around the drying doors to greet them. “Mum, Dad, unexpected surprise.”

  “We’re not interrupting are we, love?” her mum asked.

  “No, not at all.” She introduced Jax and waited to find out what prompted their visit.

  “Jacks? That’s an interesting name. Do I detect a hint of the South in your accent?” Her mum raised her eyebrow at Risa and smiled.

  “Yes, ma’am. Jacksonville, Georgia, and Jax is short for Jackson.”

  “How quaint. Are you stationed here in the Navy, Jackson?”

  What did that mean? Quaint?

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Polite and good looking. Did you meet Risa at her clinic then?”

  The two of them hadn’t asked Troy anything until the third time they’d met him, and now her mum wanted to know all about Jax right out the gate. So far, her dad had kept quiet, with his attention on the house.

  “Yes, ma’am. Risa treated my K-9 partner when she got hurt during training. She’s got an amazing way about her.” Jax’s eyes shone, and she didn’t think he was just referring to her touch with animals.

  Oh, someone is laying it on thick. Even his accent has thickened.

  “Miranda, stop grilling her boyfriend. What happened here?” Her dad took a step closer and squinted as he read the front window, his face turning a blistering shade of red.

  Risa laid a hand on her dad’s arm. “Just vandals, Dad. It’s nothing.”

  “Nothing?” He waved a hand around to encompass the house and doors. “Am I to believe you just had an urge to repaint your new doors, too, since you are obviously going to be repainting the railings and columns? This is the third incident in a month. What have the police said?”

  “Kevin, it’s probably a group of bored teenagers. Clearly, Risa’s fine. If she needed our help, she would have called.” Her mom let out an exasperated sigh and walked back to their car.

  “Dad, the police and base security are looking into it. Really, I’m okay and it’s minor stuff, very juvenile —”

  “Do they have a suspect?” Her dad shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the writing on the window. “Looks personal.”

  “Risa, may I?” Jax interrupted her as she was about to respond.

  She nodded and walked over to clean up her paint supplies before the brushes dried out or the dogs got into the pans. Jax brought her dad up to speed on the base investigation, along with the fact that he was sharing information with the locals. He left out Sal’s name, which was probably for the best. Dad had never liked the guy either.

  Mum returned from the car with a picnic basket and a bottle of wine. “Who’s hungry?”

  “Jax was just talking about eating right before you pulled up,” Risa said.

  Jax ducked his head and chuckled. Her dad mumbled something about rose-colored glasses, but he dropped the subject of the damage to the house and headed toward the back, where her picnic table sat under a giant maple tree.

  Risa still had no clue what prompted the parental visit, but since they brought food, she didn’t care. Her mum slipped her arm through Jax’s. Risa looked at her dad questioningly.

  “Jackson, what do you do in the Navy?”

  “I’m a Master-at-Arms, ma’am.” Her mum just stared. “A police officer.”

  Her mum smiled up at Jax as if he’d said he was the CEO or royalty. What was she up to?

  “Are you here because of the case, then? I thought the two of you… Well, you looked awfully cozy when we pulled up. So I assumed…”

  Jax looked over her mother’s head at Risa, an amused, yet confused look on his face. If he was looking to her for guidance on how to respond, he was on his own. Miranda Reynolds had never—not once in Risa’s life—interfered or shown interest in her daughter’s love life. At fifteen, Risa had announced she was in love with her biology teacher. Her mother had told her that was nice. Who tells their teenage daughter that it’s okay to be in love with a man twice her age?

  No one, if they’re paying attention.

  “Miranda, give me the basket, please.” Risa’s dad chuckled and held out his hand. “I’m starving, and at the rate you’re going, we’ll never eat.”

  “No, ma’am. I’m not here on official business. Just as a friend. Unfortunately, the crime took place out of my jurisdiction, so I can’t investigate.” Jax helped her mom get settled on the bench, then helped her dad unload the basket.

  “How lovely.” She beamed at Jax, who plopped onto the bench next to Risa. “At least our girl is in safe hands with you.”

  “Mum, is everything okay?” Her mother had slipped past odd straight into Bizarre-o-land.

  “Yes, of course. Why?” Mum didn’t make eye contact as she dug into the containers of food and piled her plate high.

  There was enough food to feed a dozen people. Risa looked around, wondering if they expected company. “Not that I’m complaining, but what prompted you two to come visit today? Did parental ESP tell you I hadn’t gone grocery shopping this week?”

  Mum made a strange face and gave he
r dad a little nod, like she was trying to encourage him to do or say something. Dad, in return, scrunched up his face and shook his head slightly. The two were doing that weird thing married people did where they said a thousand words with just a look and the slightest body movement.

  With a final look that made it seem like her eyes were going to pop out of her head, Mum turned to Risa and Jax. “Your father has some news.”

  “We can talk about it later. Let’s just eat,” Dad said.

  Concerned at his reluctance to share, Risa pushed her plate away. “Dad, what’s going on? You’re kind of scaring me.”

  Jax reached over and ran his hand over her leg. Warm and gentle, his touch soothed, and she was glad he was there.

  “Oh, for the love of God and Queen. Your father is retiring.”

  “But you’re only sixty, right? That’s way too young. Are you sick?” She looked from one parent to the other, searching for clues. She really should have paid more attention to them, checked up on them more often.

  Her dad chuckled and picked up a chip. “Try sixty-five and—”

  “What? When did that happen?”

  “Three months ago, on my last birthday, and there’s nothing wrong with me. The doc says I’m as healthy as a man half my age.”

  She didn’t believe him. The man loved his job. He loved building submarines and hated sitting around. What would he do with all his free time? On the other hand, maybe she’d get the goat pen and horse paddock built a lot faster.

  “That’s great, Dad. I’m sure I can come up with a few home improvement projects for you if you get bored.”

  “There’s more,” her mum said. “Instead of going to France on holiday like we planned, we’re going to go to Arizona and visit your Aunt Liza and Uncle James to see if it suits us.”

  Her parents joined hands. “Your mother would prefer to go back to England, but I’m tired of the cold.”

  The words sunk in to her brain like a boulder into a lake, with a plop and a fast descent. Moving? They weren’t talking about a break. They were leaving… here, their home, her.

  Jax’s hand moved from her knee to the back of her neck. The pressure increased, and she looked up into his eyes. Eyes full of concern, caring, compassion, and a hell of a lot of sympathy.