by Elle Kennedy
She’d thought about telling him, but she hadn’t wanted to spoil this perfect weekend. Now, she couldn’t hide from it anymore.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and her throat was so tight she couldn’t get any words out.
Will had her in his arms in a flash, his hand delicately pushing her hair away from her face. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
She finally lifted her head. “I don’t want you to leave me.”
His dark eyes softened. “I thought we got past this already. I told you, I’ll never leave you. I love you. You need to believe that.”
“I do believe it,” she whispered, swiping at her wet cheeks. “This isn’t about…that. It’s…please, Will. Don’t go on that mission.”
A heavy silence fell. She could feel his gaze on her, could practically hear the puzzle pieces snapping into place in his mind.
In a low voice, he said, “You saw something.”
She drew a ragged breath. “Yes.”
“Involving me.”
“Yes,” she said again.
He swallowed, his throat working hard. “How bad?”
“Really bad.”
A tear slid down her cheek. Instantly, Will’s thumb wiped it away. She met his gaze, surprised to find it calm and steady, as if what she’d just told him was no big deal.
“What is the matter with you?” she demanded, the panic returning to her chest. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”
“I heard.”
“Then why are you so calm?” A thought suddenly occurred to her, bringing a rush of relief. “You’re not going. That’s why you’re not freaked out. You’re going to stay here.”
“No, I’m going.”
Her head snapped up. “No. You can’t. You’ll die.”
“Did you actually see it? Did I die in the vision?”
Helicopter falling from the sky, hurtling toward the canopy of green below.
“I saw…your helicopter was shot down,” she said slowly.
“Did you see my body?”
“No, but—”
“People survive helo crashes all the time, baby. Your vision doesn’t have to end in death.”
His unruffled composure infuriated her. “You can’t go.”
“It’s my job,” he said quietly.
“Screw your job! What about your life?” Her breaths came out in sharp pants. “What about everything you’re always saying to me, how you’ll always be there, how I won’t lose you?”
“I’ve always meant what I’ve said.” He reached out for her, but she shoved his hands away. “Come on, don’t be like this. I’m a SEAL, Mac. I deal with dangerous situations all the time, and I always come back.”
“You’re not invincible. What if you don’t come back this time, Will?”
“Then I go to the grave the happiest man alive.” He shot her a crooked smile. “I just spent the weekend with the woman I love.”
Her hands began to shake. “Stay with me. Please.”
He sighed. “Mac, this is my job. You’ve always accepted it before.”
“Yeah, when you were my best friend, not the man I lo—” She halted.
Will’s dark eyes glimmered. “Finish that sentence.”
“Only if you promise not to go.”
“Finish the sentence.”
She fought another wave of tears, her heart squeezing so hard she thought it would stop working altogether. “The man I love,” she choked out. “There. After fifteen years, I’ve finally quit being a coward and said it. I love you, Will. I love you so damn much and I refuse to lose you.”
Pleasure shone on his face. “I love you too. And you won’t lose me.”
“If you go—”
“I have to go,” he cut in. “Being a SEAL is who I am. It’s a part of me. Just like the visions are a part of you. They make you who you are. I accept that, and you’ve got to accept this.”
Her chest ached so badly it felt like someone was scraping it with a dull blade. Will shifted, and the next thing she knew he’d flipped her over. She lay on her back, with Will propped up on his elbow next to her, gazing down at her with gorgeous black eyes. “I love you, Mackenzie. And no measly helicopter crash will keep me from coming home to you.”
She closed her eyes. “If something happens to you…”
“Then it happens.” He placed his palm on her stomach and traced her belly button with his fingers. “Which means we need to take advantage of the time we have now.”
Her breasts began to tingle as his fingers drifted toward them. His touch was warm, gentle, and her body swiftly responded. Nipples hardening, clit swelling. It bothered her that she could still get turned on when her entire body felt bruised, when her stomach still churned with the fear of losing him and the anger that he was putting himself in the position for that to happen.
She intercepted his hand before it reached the swell of her breast. “I was wrong,” she said shakily.
His forehead wrinkled. “About what?”
“You.” When a frown creased his mouth, she hurried on. “You’ll always be there for me, won’t you?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along.”
Then he framed her face with his hands and took possession of her mouth, his lips firm and reassuring. The kiss brought the tears back to her eyes.
She loved him. She had always loved him. She’d never felt like she’d truly belonged until Will moved to Hunter Ridge. And fifteen years later—God, how had he waited this long?—fifteen years later she was finally ready to admit it. Admit how much she wanted him, needed him.
As if he’d read her thoughts, he moved over her body and rubbed her opening with the tip of his cock. “Let me in, baby,” he muttered.
Since she’d already widened her legs, she knew he wasn’t talking about sex. It was hard to form a coherent sentence when he was stroking her like that, teasing her clit with his cock, but she managed. She moistened her suddenly dry lips and said, “I love you.”
His breath hitched. After rolling on a condom, he pushed his cock inside her and then he began to move. At each thrust, she neared the edge, close to toppling right over it. She wrapped her legs around him and dragged her fingers up and down his back.
He captured her lips with his and quickened his pace. Faster. Harder. Until her body quivered beneath his, her inner muscles squeezed against his dick, and a wild moan flew out of her mouth. She came hard and fierce, her heart thumping in her ears. Will let go a moment later, his cock jerking inside her while his lips stayed pressed to hers. Mac gripped his neck and pulled him closer, relishing the feel of his fast heartbeat against her breasts.
“I love you,” he said hoarsely, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
Slowly, he withdrew, then wrapped one muscular arm around her waist and pulled her closer. They lay there, silent and sated, until finally he disentangled himself from her embrace and sat up.
“I have to go now.”
Tears pricked her eyelids. “I know.”
He rose from the bed and began gathering up his clothing. She said nothing as he dressed, just watched him through a sheen of tears. God, let him be okay. Let her vision be wrong. For the first time in her life, just let her be wrong.
Sliding his cell phone into his pocket, Will approached the bed where she lay tangled in the sheets, her body still feeling the effects of him.
With a sexy smile, he bent down and kissed her. She responded frantically, kissing him back so hard she was almost embarrassed. But he didn’t seem to mind. Their tongues dueled, breaths coming out heavy, and then he pulled back.
“I’ll see you soon,” he murmured.
Her chest throbbed with pain. “Promise?”
“You fucking bet I do.”
Smiling through her tears, she watched him walk out the door.
EPILOGUE
“So…let’s not do that again,” Carson remarked dryly as the chopper approached the helipad at the Coronado N
aval Base.
Will managed a shaky chuckle and glanced around the small space, assessing the other men. Like him, they were covered in mud and reeked like the swamp they’d crawled through for ten hours. Garrett had soot on his face from the explosion. Ryan Evans’ right arm was bandaged from the bullet that sliced through it. But other than that, they were all in good shape.
He experienced a flicker of pain as he thought about their pilot. Craig hadn’t survived the crash. Fuck. Will didn’t want to be there when they told the guy’s wife.
“I’m still pissed off that you knew this would happen,” Matt O’Connor grumbled, giving Will a dirty look. “Some warning would’ve been nice, Lieutenant.”
“You can’t change the future, man. Telling you guys would’ve achieved nothing.”
Ryan cocked his head, looking intrigued. “So your girl really saw it happen? She saw the crash?”
Will nodded.
“Think she knows who I’ll be screwing tonight?”
He rolled his eyes. “You were shot in the arm. I doubt you’ll be screwing anyone.”
Ryan looked at Matt and grinned. “He underestimates my sexual prowess.”
As the pilot set the chopper down, Will noticed Carson glaring at him. “What now?” he asked the other man.
“Just thinking about how you kissed my girlfriend, that’s all.”
“Seriously? How many times do I have to apologize for that?”
“At least, oh, about a thousand more.”
Garrett jabbed Carson’s ribs. “Hey, you fucked my wife. The LT’s a choir boy in comparison.”
The chatter died once the helicopter landed. The men immediately jumped out, and Will watched in amusement as his teammates took off. Carson and Garrett moved the fastest, obviously eager to wash the mud off and go home to their women.
Which was precisely what Will planned on doing.
Striding into the building, he headed down the corridor and walked into the first empty office he saw. He made a beeline for the phone and dialed so fast he hoped he hadn’t pressed the wrong numbers.
But then he heard her voice.
“Hey,” he said gruffly.
There was a stunned silence, and then, “Oh, thank God! You’re okay!”
He fought a smile. “Is it inappropriate to say I told you so?”
“Very.” There was a soft sniffle. “I’ve been going crazy with worry. Your commander called when you lost radio contact and he sounded freaked, and… Oh God. Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yep. In perfect health, too.” He wrinkled his nose. “I smell like shit, though. I should probably hop in the shower before I—”
“Don’t you dare,” Mackenzie interrupted. “You’re to do nothing but get in your car and come home.”
“It’ll take me some time to get there. You’ll have to exercise some patience, baby.”
“Don’t talk to me about patience. I’ve spent the past three days waiting by the phone.”
“Well, sit tight for just a while longer. I’ll be there soon.”
“Will?” Her voice shook. “I love you.”
His heart did a dumb little flip, but, fuck, he loved hearing those three words come out of her mouth. “I love you too, Mac. Always have, always will.”
“Good. So come home, Will. Now.”
He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
The End
OTHER TITLES BY ELLE KENNEDY
If you enjoyed Hot & Bothered, make sure to watch for the other titles in the Out of Uniform series:
Hot and Bothered (Book 1) - now available!
Hot and Heavy (Book 2) - October 2017
Feeling Hot (Book 3) - coming soon
Getting Hotter (Book 4) - coming soon
Hotter Than Ever (Book 5) - coming soon
As Hot As It Gets (Book 6) - coming soon
For other retailer links and information about print or audio versions of these titles, visit the series page on my website.
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You can also join my Facebook group Everything Elle Kennedy to discuss books with other readers, and take part in all sorts of giveaways!
For all the m/m fans out there, check out the RITA-award-winning book HIM and its sequel US, my New Adult hockey romances co-written with the fabulous Sarina Bowen.
Love New Adult and hockey? Then you’re totally going to want to check out my Off-Campus series, which consists of The Deal, The Mistake, The Score, and The Goal.
If you’re interested in my erotic romance and/or romantic suspense titles, you can also check out these bestselling series:
Killer Instincts
Outlaws
After Hours
DreamMakers (with Vivian Arend)
More titles also available on my website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website www.ellekennedy.com or sign up for her newsletter to receive updates about upcoming books and exclusive excerpts. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter (@ElleKennedy), or Instagram (@ElleKennedy33).
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Hot & Bothered
Copyright © 2017 by Elle Kennedy
Includes:
Heat of the Moment: An Out of Uniform Novella
Reissue © 2017 by Elle Kennedy
Original publication 2008
Heat of Passion: An Out of Uniform Novella
Reissue © 2017 by Elle Kennedy
Original publication 2009
Heat of the Storm: An Out of Uniform Novella
Reissue © 2017 by Elle Kennedy
Original publication 2009
Cover Design © Sofie Hartley of Hart & Bailey Design Co.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may reproduced, scanned or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Summary
Author’s Note
Heat of the Moment
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Heat of Passion
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Heat of the Storm
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Epilogue
Other Titles by Elle Kennedy
About the Author
Copyright