by Tawny Weber
Bryanna huffed a little breath, but smiled her resignation at his subject change.
“I lived there since I was ten, and love it. I’m a little homesick already, to be honest. I’m sure I’ll feel more settled once I find a place and all my stuff arrives. Car, clothes, that sort of thing. We can talk more about that, compare our Hawaiian adventures and you can tell me the best places to visit here in Southern California. Later. After we finish this business,” she chided in a tone of gentle stubbornness.
As clear as footsteps in wet sand, Aaron could see his missteps, his mistakes. Time to switch tactics.
He knew that he should go for intimidation. He should pull out the facts, lay out the truths of why the work the SEALs did, why their training, their methodology, their strategies needed to remain classified. Not only were men’s lives on the line, but the safety of their nation, of other nations, depended on their work being kept top secret.
But he couldn’t quite bring himself to get ugly with Bryanna. He wanted her to see his better side. He wanted to laugh with her. To enjoy her. Damned if he didn’t want to get naked and see how well they fit together. And that wasn’t going to happen if he went on the offensive.
“Want to dance?”
“We’re supposed to be discussing the talents of the Special Forces,” she reminded him.
“Dancing might be one of my talents,” he pointed out with a teasing smile. “You want to find out?”
“Mmm, okay.” Her smile widened, dark eyes sparkling with anticipation. “I have to admit, I’d like to see if you’ve got moves.”
“But?” he asked, giving voice to her unspoken word.
“But, much as I’d enjoy finding out if our rhythms match, I’m a little concerned with your reluctance to discuss your work with Poseidon.”
But not angry, he noted, starting to enjoy himself. Most women he knew leaned toward pissed when they thought a guy was coming at them with an ulterior motive. But Bryanna simply appeared amused.
“We’ve talked for a good two hours. How do you call that reluctance?”
“We talked about music. We talked about movies and traveling and our mutual love affair with NASCAR,” she said, tiptoeing her fingers over the back of his hand. “We’ve talked about your dedication to fitness and various foods that aid in building muscle. We’ve even discussed the myriad of Navy bases over the world. But you seem uncomfortable discussing Poseidon.”
Aaron wasn’t a stupid man. While her tone had been friendly and her easy smile hadn’t changed, he was a SEAL. Expertly trained to recognize traps, extensively skilled at maneuvering around them, exquisitely adept at strategizing his way toward his goal. And his goal was to distract her from the idea of writing about Poseidon until Savino could convince the admiral to deem their team off-limits.
So he knew better than offering a simple answer.
Instead, he angled his head to the side, gave her a considering look, then shrugged.
“I can’t think of any reason to be uncomfortable. This is a great bar, the food and drinks are good, the band decent. You’ve got a job you’re planning to do, I have an assignment I’m going to conclude.” Granted, his assignment was to keep her off their backs and dim as to the reality of Poseidon. But she didn’t know that. “So...? You know how to dance? I’m up for showing you a few steps if you don’t.”
“You’ll show me...”
“A few steps. I’m a damned good dancer.”
Those big brown eyes held his for a long heartbeat, then Bryanna angled her head toward the dance floor.
“Let’s see if I can keep up with you.”
“Excellent.” He pushed to his feet, held out one hand.
Those sultry eyes slid from his toward his hand, then back again. He liked the sassy way she arched one brow, as if asking what the hell he thought he was doing. He figured they’d both find out, eventually.
“Finally,” he said as her fingers slipped into his. “I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you all night.”
Her laugh rolled over him as her hand tightened around his. As he led her through the crowd to the postage-stamp excuse of a dance floor, he appreciated that the strength in her grip belied her fragile slenderness. Good. He’d do his duty either way, but he’d feel kinda bad about rolling over a delicate blossom.
He’d still do it, of course.
But, yeah, he’d feel bad.
He caught the gleam of calculation in her eyes as she shifted into his arms. Despite the high heels she wore, she was a tiny thing, her profusion of dark curls barely reaching his shoulder.
Enjoying the way the crowd buffeted their bodies closer together, Aaron released her hand to shift both of his to her hips. Their moves matched, their beat in sync with each other as they smoothly slid into the dance.
Nice.
Very nice.
The band shifted into a reasonable version of “Patience,” giving Aaron his next maneuver. He slid his hands up those hips and skimmed his fingers lightly along her slender waist to pull her closer.
Warm. She radiated heat. The kind that tingled and tempted. The kind that reached inside him and touched in a way he hadn’t expected. A way he wasn’t sure how he wanted to handle. Yet.
“You are good,” she commented. The interest in her eyes was vivid and strong.
“I get even better.”
“Is that a fact?” Her hips rubbed against his now, sliding, teasing. Her breasts were warm against his chest, pressing and tempting with every step.
“That, sweetheart, is a promise.”
Her smile turned as slumberous as the gleam of desire in her eyes.
Guess he’d found the perfect way to distract her from their little interrogation-slash-interview.
It wasn’t tidy, and some might not consider it honorable. But he had his orders.
Aaron always followed orders. Even when they didn’t sit comfortably with his moral center. His call sign wasn’t Bulldog because of his pretty face. He’d earned that nickname through sheer, stubborn persistence and a refusal to ever give up.
He did that by focusing on the end goal, on the reason behind the orders. On the purpose at hand. And, usually, by finding something redeeming in the action. Or, in this case, the distraction.
With that in mind, Aaron curled his fingers over the delicious softness of Bryanna’s hips and held her even tighter. Tight enough that their thighs brushed together as they moved. Sliding from side to side, rubbing in tempting friction that mimicked, that invited.
He slowed his steps, added a little hip bump to the dance. Nothing subtle. This obviously called for a more direct approach.
As her eyes blurred, desire shimmering in the dark depths, Aaron smiled.
He did like naked distractions.
“I’d love to get you somewhere private,” he murmured against the soft silk of her hair. Breathing deep the scent of coconut and...was that passionflower? Aaron reveled in the need throbbing, hot and hard, through his body. He liked desire. It was clean. It was simple. “Alone, just the two of us.”
“Why do I doubt we’ll get much talking done if it’s just the two of us? Alone. Someplace...private,” she asked, her dark eyes flashing with heat and interest.
“We’d talk. Among other things.” His fingers skimmed up, then down, the center of her back, sliding along the delicate slenderness of her spine. She arched just a little at his touch, her breasts rubbing over his chest, sending spears of desire into his gut, spiraling out through all his senses.
“Other things?” she repeated breathlessly, wetting her lips. “What other things, exactly?”
Aaron’s fingers twined through her curls, the ones that floated loose and sexy down the side of her neck. He felt her shiver as if it were moving through his own body. He liked that. His gaze dropped to her lips, the w
et fullness of them tempting him to taste.
He slid one hand between their bodies, skimming his knuckles up her side, along the graceful length of her throat, then tucking them beneath her chin to lift her mouth for his.
God, how he wanted a taste of her.
“Other things, like getting to know each other better,” he said just before his lips took hers.
His tongue dipped into her sweetness, sipping at the rich flavor, delighting in the wet heat of her mouth. He felt her heart beating against the back of his hand where it now rested on her chest. Her taste and his senses, so delicious he knew that he had to have more. So, so much more.
But not here. Not on a public dance floor. He slowly, reluctantly lifted his mouth from hers. Aaron waited for Bryanna to open her eyes, for her gaze to meet his again. Then he smiled.
“We’d get to know each other much, much better.”
He waited, moving gently to the beat of the band’s rendition of “Patience.”
Finally, the waiting paid off when she smiled and tilted her head.
“Let’s go.”
CHAPTER FOUR
BRYANNA WAS A woman who prided herself on living life to the fullest. The fullest, however, had never included leaving a bar with a man she’d just met with the intention of having wild sex.
But she figured life must have put the sexiest, most intriguing, overwhelmingly compelling man she’d ever met in her path for just that reason, since that was where they were heading.
Wild sex.
Bryanna was as open to and interested in sex as she was everything else in life. But she’d never felt anything like this. Such a hot, intense, demanding need that wouldn’t let her turn away. Not until she’d experienced what Aaron could give her, had enjoyed everything he could do to her. From the second she’d seen him in the bar, she’d wanted him.
And now she’d have him.
Unabashedly watching Aaron as he drove the car she’d rented, she wet her lips and wondered. How good was he? His kiss had been off the charts. What did that say for the rest?
“Second thoughts?” he asked.
She should be having them. His tone made it clear he wouldn’t hold it against her if she did. But Bryanna didn’t have room in her head for second thoughts. Not when there was so much speculating going on.
“Not second thoughts. More like interesting fantasies,” she teased.
“Fantasies, huh? You’ve heard the rumors, right?” He shifted his eyes from the road to give her a sweeping look that had Bryanna’s stomach tightening and her thighs trembling.
“Rumors?” Cursing her breathlessness, she wet her lips again and blew out a long, silent breath.
“Yeah. SEALs are rumored to be the best, to be the strongest, the biggest. We are bigger, better and harder than all the rest.” He flashed her a smile that made her want to wiggle in her seat to relieve some of the hot pressure building between her thighs. “We last longer, too.”
Her intellect peeked through the desire long enough to remind her that she was supposed to be getting an interview with this guy. But when Aaron smiled at her, every thought fell from her head. Every thought that didn’t include sex, that was.
“Is it true?” She almost came just thinking about it. “The rumor, is it based on fact?”
“We’re going to find out,” he promised, reaching over to grasp her hand with his. Not taking his eyes off the road, he lifted her fingers to his mouth and nibbled gently. She gasped when he slid his tongue down her index finger and almost moaned out loud when he scraped his teeth over her palm.
God.
From that point forward, Bryanna didn’t remember the drive to her hotel. She was barely aware of the elevator ride or pulling the room key from her purse. Her entire focus was on the man standing next to her.
“Nice room,” he decided as he strode through the space. He tweaked the curtains, checked her view. He stepped into the bathroom for a fast glance, flipped the light on, then pulled the door almost closed.
Why was he waiting? Why didn’t he kiss her? She wanted to feel his hands on her again. Needed to feel those lips, to taste his mouth.
He moved to her desk, picked up her heavy copy of The Bluejacket’s Manual, running his fingers along the words etched in gold on the spine of the navy binding. Afraid he’d flip it open and start reading up on Naval history and customs, she stepped forward.
“I thought you brought me back here to seduce me.”
His smile flashed as he met her eyes. He tossed the book onto the desk without another glance, but didn’t move other than to lean back, cross one ankle over the other and his arms over his chest.
“I thought we came back to have that little chat you wanted in private.”
Bryanna knew what he was doing then. He was giving her an out. The chance to stick with business without feeling like a tease. Despite their coming here, to her hotel room for hot, wild sex, he’d let her out of it without saying a word. Without a hint of pressure or guilt.
God. It made her want him even more.
“Why don’t we start with seduction,” she suggested, her body humming with need as she began flicking open her blouse buttons one by one. “Then we can get to the chat.”
* * *
HELL, YEAH.
Already hard, ready to get harder, Aaron watched with admiring eyes as the silky fabric of Bryanna’s blouse gaped open. Her skin gleamed in the soft light as she shrugged it off, the fabric sliding away to reveal full breasts cupped in the temptation of a black satin bra. She was long lines, her torso slender pouring into a tiny waist. Her skirt’s wide waistband rode low on her hips, revealing the tiny red jewel gleaming from her belly button.
Aaron’s mouth went dry, blood rushing through his head so fast, so hard, it sounded like the ocean’s roaring demand. A demand he’d made it his life’s calling to answer. He wanted to touch her. Needed to taste her. But knowing the power of timing, and truly curious to see what she’d do next, he forced himself to stay where he was.
He did, however, strip his long-sleeved tee over his head and toss it aside.
“Just evening things out,” he said with a grin when she lifted a curious brow.
“I like a man who believes in equality.” As if testing his commitment to that, her hands skimmed down the flat planes of her stomach to the waistband of her skirt.
Mimicking her move, Aaron hooked his fingers under his belt buckle and slid the heavy canvas from its metal clasp without taking his eyes from hers.
A smile playing over those full lips, Bryanna made quick work of the hook and zipper on the side of her skirt. She held the black fabric against her hip so it wouldn’t join her blouse on the floor, then waited.
His turn.
Knowing they’d only be in the way, Aaron skipped ahead to his boots. Without taking his eyes from hers, he leaned against the desk and lifted one foot, then the other, to untie the laces, then toed off the stiff leather. A sweep of one foot shoved the boots aside.
Already hard enough that the pressure was forcing his zipper down, Aaron shifted to concrete when she slid her tongue over her bottom lip so the wetness glistened. She didn’t kick her shoes away, though. Instead, she let her skirt drop.
Leaving her standing there in panties that were no more than a tiny scrap of black satin to match her bra. And her shoes. His mouth went dry as his gaze traveled the length of well-toned legs, long thighs and delicately chiseled calves to her feet encased in slim red straps of leather and spiked heels.
Was there anything sexier than a practically naked woman in high heels? He’d seen his share—enough to figure the answer to that was a resounding hell, no. But never in his life had he seen a woman as sexy as Bryanna. And never had he been affected by one so strongly.
Done playing, ready to get down to the r
eal action, Aaron made quick work of his jeans, kicking them, his socks and boxers out of his way so he could move freely across the room.
“Whoa, hold up,” Bryanna said, gesturing for him to stop. Her eyes danced with delight as they roamed over his nude form, then she gave a soft hum. “I need a second to appreciate this view.”
“Appreciate later,” he suggested with a laugh.
Two steps was all it took to put his hands on her. To touch that soft skin, to feel her warmth. His fingers curled over her waist as he pulled her against the hard, needy length of his body. Her scent wrapped around him, that floral-drenched coconut that made him think of the hot tropics, a moonlit beach and the pounding surf.
His mouth took hers. Those lips gave way and her tongue wrapped around his in welcome.
Needs and wants battled.
He wanted to shove her against the wall and drive himself into the pleasure of her lush body. He wanted to lose himself in her, to experience every drop of pleasure she’d give.
But he needed to make sure she felt more. That the pleasure he gave her was beyond anything she’d ever experienced before.
Needs, in this case, overwhelmed wants. So Aaron slowed down. He harnessed his own driving desire and set out to tease and torment, to delight and worship.
“Do you do this often?” she asked in a breathy tone.
“Sweetheart, I promise, I do it often enough to make sure you don’t have any complaints,” he teased, his fingers skimming down the delicious fullness of her breast. Barely contained by the black silk of her bra, her flesh was like gold.
A sailor through and through, he knew the lure of gold. The temptation of treasure. With her black curls tumbling around that lovely face and a smile that spoke of a million secrets, he realized she might be the most alluring temptation he’d ever seen.
He slid one strap down her shoulder, then the other. The fabric held tight for a moment, then dropped away, taking his breath with it.
Holy hell, she was gorgeous.
Berry-pink nipples tilted upward, as if begging him to take them into his mouth. To sip. To taste. To devour. So he did.