Second Time Lucky (Club Decadence Book 5) (4 page)

“There was a drive by shooting at my apartment building this afternoon.”

“Shit! Why didn’t you call me? I would have come and gotten you.”

“You wouldn’t have been able to get through. There were emergency vehicles everywhere. I saw a bunch of ATF and FBI agents in bullet proof vests, too. I was scared to death. After they interviewed me, I packed my stuff and hightailed it out of there. If walking four blocks with three heavy bags before flagging down a cab counts for hightailing it, that is.” She buried her face in his chest. “It reminded me so much of—”

“Of what, Mara?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“We’ve discussed this. You know how I feel about hiding things.”

Without meeting his gaze, she nodded. After a brief pause, she explained. “It reminded me of where I grew up, okay? It was not a nice place. I thought my apartment was a rung or two up the ladder from West—um, Westland. Either I misjudged it or it’s in a rapid decline.”

As he held her, he didn’t mention her little slip, she was about to say something other than Westland. This woman, his woman, when it came to her family and her past was like an M2 Bradley armored vehicle, impenetrable. Other than the fact that she didn’t know her father and her mother was an alcoholic who struggled to put food on the table, she told him she didn’t want to talk about it because it was too painful. Seeing how upset she got when he brought it up, he had honored her request, but things kept coming to the surface making him wonder exactly how bad it was. If her apartment building with its drive by shooting was a rung or two up the ladder, he shuddered to think what her childhood home had been like.

“Let’s get you something to drink and you can keep me company in the kitchen while I finish up dinner. Afterwards, we’ll get you unpacked and settled into my room. You are not going back to Hyattsville tonight, or ever. You’re moving in with me.”

“Sean.”

His hands slid along the sides of her neck while his thumbs slid beneath her chin, angling it up to him. “Don’t argue, nightingale, it’s happening. I’m not sending you home to a ghetto apartment with bullets flying everywhere and god knows what other crimes going on next door. I’ve fallen for you, Mara Westbrook, which means you’re mine and I take care of what’s mine.”

Clearly stunned, she stared at him silently a moment. “Am I yours, Sean? We’ve never—”

He knew what she was going to say. They hadn’t had sex yet. After six weeks of dating, he’d gotten to second base, though hadn’t pushed beyond. Partly because his leg was still healing and he didn’t want to come off like an inept putz when he finally made his move. The other part was because she seemed cautious. When he’d asked, she admitted to some bad experiences with men. She wanted to go slow, seeing intimacy as an important step and she wanted to be sure.

“Even without sex, I feel closer to you than any woman I’ve ever been with. The physical side will come soon enough. For now, I need to know you’re safe.”

Her lids dipped, shielding both her thoughts and her emotions. He wasn’t having any of that, which she’d learn soon enough. “Mara, look at me.”

He waited until he saw her beautiful green eyes gazing up at him. In them, he read a mix of emotions: anxiety and desire, but most of all fear, whether from the shooting or the important step he was asking her to take, he wasn’t sure.

“Trust me to take care of you, baby. When I say you’re mine, I’m not being an arrogant ass. Remember how I told you I have this need to be in charge, to protect and defend? That wasn’t me blowing smoke; it’s who I am. It’s why I advanced quickly up the ranks to Master Sergeant. It’s also why I take care of my woman. I’m not going to dictate what you eat, or how you dress—well, not all the time—and I won’t dick around with your career. However, when it comes to your health, safety, and a goddamn drive-by shooting at the shithole apartment complex where you live, I won’t take no for an answer.”

With a small smile, she gazed up at him. “I’ve never had anyone want to take care of me or protect me before. I like it.”

“It breaks my heart that you never had anyone to rely on, beautiful, but those days are over. You’ve got me to cherish and protect you now. I have to warn you though; this won’t always be a democracy. Sometimes it will be like a dictatorship where you only get to say ‘yes, Sir’. If you don’t like it, we can talk about it and I’ll help you get your head turned around to my way of thinking. Or, you can trust me to take care of you. Understood?”

“Yes, I understand, although it’s rather high-handed for a man who has spent over a decade fighting for freedom and democracy.”

“Ironic, huh? What can I say? The Army drummed into me the importance of respecting the chain of command.”

“So you’d be my commanding officer?” Her eyes were twinkling which told him she was more on board with this than she was letting on.

“In certain situations I’ll absolutely outrank you, Mara.”

“Situations like my health and safety, Sergeant?”

“Yes, and don’t be surprised if I take exception to insubordination, recruit.” He was only half teasing.

In turn, she gave him a mock salute. “Sir, yes, sir! What did you have in mind if I mess up? KP or latrine duty? I probably shouldn’t admit this, but neither of those things scares me, Sarge. As a nurse, I’ve dealt with some nasty, foul stuff in my day. I suppose waking me before dawn for a 5-mile run with a full pack is doable. It would be torture, since I despise running, so as punishment goes it would be quite effective. Pushups, regrettably,” she flexed her upper arm and grimaced, “are
so
not happening.”

In return for her teasing, he pinched her bottom lightly. Too lightly, evidently, because she laughed outright.

“My idea, was the flat of my hand against your naughty behind.”

The image silenced her in a heartbeat. Wide-eyed, after a moment, she asked, “Seriously?”

Both hands lowered to her full, gorgeous ass, giving it a firm squeeze. Her quick intake of breath told him she understood how serious he was, still he warned, “You could test me to find out, though I don’t recommend it.”

Planting a kiss on her upturned nose, he tucked her under his arm and led her into the kitchen.

“Uh, Sean?”

“Yeah, baby.”

“I shouldn’t admit this either, but that’s doable too.”

His mouth fell open for a split second before the joy bubbled up within him and he threw his head back, laughing. He lifted her onto the counter. With his hands caging her on either side, he leaned forward intending to seal the deal with a kiss. Before he could make it happen, her hands slid up his chest and cupped his jaw. Without a hint of reservation, she met his gaze.

“I’ve more than fallen for you, Lucky. I’m in love with you.”

Her hands continued upward, sliding around his neck as their lips met and ending with her fingers threaded in his hair. She tasted as she always did, sweet with a hint of spice, which was the cinnamon toothpaste she favored. Whatever the flavor, underneath he tasted Mara.

Against his lips, she murmured, “It’s soon enough.”

He pulled back slightly, not understanding. “Say again?”

“You said we’d get to the physical soon enough. I think it’s well past ‘soon enough’, babe.”

Searching passion-filled eyes that shimmered with wetness and were as green as a deep forest pool, he worried she was reacting to the stress of the day. Wanting her more than ever, he also wanted the time to be right for her. So, he took the high road, though his cock pressed against the V of her spread thighs jerked in protest.

“Are you sure? I want you to be ready for this, not reacting out of a need to be close after what happened today with the shooting.”

“I can’t say it didn’t shake me up or deny how sleeping in your arms would make me feel safe again, but it’s more than that, a lot more. I want you, Sean, and if I’m being honest, I’m about ready to jump your bones. It’s been a long time for me.”

Leaning in, his lips brushed softly against hers. “Mm, sounds like my nightingale is horny.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Those aren’t the love words that start the romantic interlude of my dreams, but yeah, I’m hornier than a sailor on shore leave.”

His head came up as he groaned. “No navy analogies, please.”

“Sorry.” Her voice had turned husky and she sounded distracted. The next instant she proved she was as she nudged aside his collar. Targeting his neck, her mouth opened as soft lips moved over his skin, teasing with little flicks of her tongue. When she reached his ear, she latched on as he often did to her, teeth nibbling on the lobe as she breathed, “Take me to bed, Sean, and make me your woman for real.”

How could he deny such a request? Twisting, he switched off the oven and stove. Dinner would keep. Sliding his hands beneath ass cheeks that fit perfectly in his palms, he lifted her.

“Your leg!” she protested, as he carried her.

“Hush. The leg is stronger. No way is it going to let me down, especially when I’m about to get lucky.” He was teasing, but she buried her face in his neck and he thought he felt the dampness of tears. “Mara?”

“No, it’s me who got lucky. The day you were admitted to my ward, I became the luckiest girl on the face of the earth.”

He veered to the left suddenly, heading for the nearest flat surface—the couch—not willing to wait to have her another second longer. In the back of his mind, he doubted luck had anything to do with them finding each other. It was more like fate. Whichever, Sean knew how much both could fuck with a man’s dream and turn on a dime. He wasn’t about to take any chances tonight.

* * * * *

Wrapped in Sean’s arms, knowing she was minutes away from truly becoming his, Mara was practically dizzy. In an incredibly romantic gesture, he’d swept her up in his arms and carried her like a hero in the movies. She was surprised when he turned away from the stairs leading up to his bedroom and set her down in front of his wide sectional couch.

“I don’t think I can wait long enough to get to the bed.”

Without waiting for a response, he sat, pulling her between his wide spread thighs. His fingers found the top button of her gauzy blouse and released it. Another came undone and another until it lay open. Sean spread the sides wide and lowered his head to kiss her exposed belly. The warmth of his lips and hot tongue were in contrast to the cool air from the A/C wafting over her bare skin. Her nipples tightened more, poking almost painfully against the lace of her pink bra. He licked up the midline of her abdomen until he reached the valley between her breasts. Lifting his head, he drank her in while his fingertips traced the edges along the upper curves of her breasts. Her chest froze, the air locked in her lungs while she trembled, her breasts quivering in the insubstantial lace.

“Very pretty. I like pink on you.”

“You do?” she choked out. “It’s not too girly?”

“No, I like girly.” His voice was husky as he nuzzled his face between her breasts, the scruff of his bearded jaw along her swollen breast making her shudder.

“Don’t men like black and red, something more sexy and racy?”

“Some men might, not me. Black and red would be too harsh against your light skin and blonde hair.”

She stiffened. “Um, about that,” she began, closing her eyes as his blue ones, gleaming with intensity, tipped up to her. Feeling silly for not being able to look at him, she forged on with her confession. “I should tell you up front, since you’re about to find out anyway. I’m not really a blonde.”

“Hm,” he hummed with approval, “I like that too.”

She peeked at him, noting his lips quirked up in a wicked grin. “What, you don’t actually like blondes?”

“No, I like the fact that there is something down there which requires explanation.” She’d obviously piqued his curiosity because his hands went to the waistband of her jeans.

She wasn’t a fan of all bare. Not to mention all the expensive and painful maintenance. Instead, she kept her pubic hair neatly trimmed so the brown tuft in front would be a dead giveaway. Mara Westbrook’s carpet did not match her drapes. She started to laugh at the old joke, but it stuck in her throat as he popped the button of her jeans.

He eased her zipper down, exposing her matching pink panties.

“Very nice, darlin’. Next to green, pink is my new favorite color.” His strong fingers curled into her waistband as he leaned forward and rubbed his face along the V left by her open zipper. She heard him inhale deeply. “Damn, you’re sweet. I can’t wait to see if you taste as delicious as you smell.”

His hands slid up her back and his mouth picked up where he’d first started, licking up between her breasts, up her chest, along her throat and over her chin. At her mouth, he nipped at her bottom lip. His tongue slipped out to soothe where he had lightly bitten before slipping inside and entwining with her own. Mara groaned as she tasted him, his flavor always wonderful, all of his kisses sheer bliss. Greedily, she clung to him, pulling him in for more.

With one more soft brush of his lips, he moved down again. His hand splayed across her back, holding her still as his mouth latched on to the peak of one breast, sucking it through the lace. Mara’s head dropped forward, mesmerized by the sight of his lips pressed against her. Her breath froze when his fingers dipped into the lacy cup and pulled it down. As her breast sprung free, his thumb and forefinger caught the taut nipple and began to play.

“Lucky,” she breathed out, the word harsh and ragged.

He glanced up, the desire in his eyes raging as furiously as her own. Without warning, he flipped her onto the wide couch. Following her down, his mouth found her nipple and fed hungrily at her breast.

“Am I going to find you wet for me, baby?” His question was little more than a growl as he ran a hand down her side and across her belly.

She would have cried out “yes!” if she’d been able to, except she had apparently lost the use of her tongue. Saying she was wet seemed an understatement considering the heat and moisture that had gathered between her thighs and thoroughly soaked the seam of her jeans. He’d find out firsthand exactly how turned on she was in a moment.