Читать книгу A SEAL's Secret - Tawny Weber - Страница 12

3

“ARE YOU SURE about this?” Mitch asked Livi.

She hadn’t volunteered for this little competition. More like she’d been railroaded. So he figured it was only fair to give her an out.

“Oh, I’m sure,” she said quietly. “How about you?”

Damn, she was cute with that challenging look in her eyes and her chin in the air. He’d take it easy, like he did with the kids he sometimes coached, so she felt good about the results.

“Standard push-ups?” Roz asked, accepting Cade Sullivan’s hand and stepping onto a chair for prime referee viewing.

“For the queen,” Gabriel decided. “Irish does military-style.”

“I’m sure glad I have you making these decisions for me,” Mitch told his friend.

“I figure you’d be lost without me.” Romeo smacked him on the back then stepped out of the circle. “I’ll count for Irish.”

“Let’s keep it a little more impartial than that,” Roz suggested. She scanned the crowd. “Cade, you count for Mitch and Eden can count for Livi.”

Commander Cade Sullivan moved in front of Mitch with a wink and a grin. Wearing puppy-dog ears as a nod to Halloween, the guy had a rep as one of the toughest BUD/S instructors to hit SEAL training.

His wife scooped up the tail of her cat costume and took a similar position on the other side of Roz’s chair. At the last minute she rushed forward to give Livi a quick hug.

“No hug for me?” Mitch asked Cade.

“You’re not pretty enough,” Sullivan dismissed. “Now drop and give me fifty.”

“Take your positions,” Roz called out, holding up her cell phone. “One minute on the clock.”

Livi dropped to the floor and assumed the plank position. Mitch followed suit, angling himself so he could watch her. Keeping an eye on the competition was just smart thinking. Besides, when his gaze shifted to the shadowed valley between her breasts, the view was damned nice.

“And...” Roz gave a shrill whistle. “Go.”

Hands shoulder-width apart, elbows tucked against his body, Mitch went. Down, up. Down, up. He didn’t count. He just let his body do its job. Instantly in rhythm, he glanced at Livi.

She was staring right at him as she pumped up and down.

“I could do this all night,” she murmured. “How about you?”

Mitch grinned.

“Did you know that push-ups are one of the best exercises you can do for your sex life?” she asked, her voice so low that given their position on the floor, he doubted anybody in the cheering crowd had heard her.

But he had.

His body stiffened in reaction. Good thing he was wearing jeans instead of sweatpants. Otherwise his push-ups would have turned into pole vaults.

“It’s all about the core,” Livi continued, her words spaced with her breathing. “You strengthen those core muscles and yowza. You know I work with strippers, right? The things they tell me a good core can do are pretty amazing.”

Shit.

He missed a beat, his elbow locking. He had to do the next push-up one-armed to find his rhythm again.

He’d rappelled off a cliff in a shower of bullets.

He’d shot, sniper-style, dangling from a helicopter while militants targeted it with IEDs.

He’d built his reputation on his ability to focus. To go after what he wanted, ignoring any and all distractions.

“Thirty seconds.”

Mitch ripped his gaze from the view of Livi’s arms, with their perfectly rounded muscles bunching and stretching. Her strength was almost as much a turn-on as her gorgeous body.

“Mmm, you’ve got some kind of stamina,” she observed in that same quiet tone, her words a little breathier now.

Is that how she’d sound during sex?

Imagining it, Mitch looked over. Her eyes gleamed hot with desire as she stared at his arms. Her lips were pursed as she sucked air in, blew it out.

Then her eyes shifted to meet his.

And she smiled.

A wicked smile that nearly sent him flat on his face.

“Fifty-five seconds.”

Damn it.

Jaw clenched, Mitch called up his much-touted focus, staring straight ahead.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

Nothing else entered his mind, nothing else mattered.

Up. Down.

“Time.”

More winded than he usually was in a minute, Mitch did a final push, pulling his knees to his chest and vaulting into a crouch. He didn’t let himself look at Livi.

Not yet.

Instead, he watched Eden give a shout of delight, quickly followed by a hip-bump to her husband.

“She kicked butt,” she claimed.

Cade’s smile was indulgent, but he shook his head.

“Sorry, babe. But he kicked butt.”

“Flirt on your own time,” Roz instructed. “What’s the count?”

“Sixty-nine,” Eden declared with a triumphant smile.

“Sixty-nine,” Cade said at the same time.

A tie? Well, well.

Not sure if he was more impressed with Livi’s tactics or amused at the entire scenario, Mitch grinned.

The room exploded in applause.

Romeo and Tessa went toe to toe, debating the results at the top of their lungs.

Her breath labored, Livi rested her forehead on her knee for a second before meeting Mitch’s gaze. Her eyes were filled with delight, her smile as much a turn-on as her physical prowess.

She tilted her head toward the arguing couple and arched one brow.

“What are the stakes they’re fighting so fiercely over?” Mitch shrugged, surprised to discover his arms were on fire. He was used to pushing his body to the limits, but it was obviously harder when half his blood supply had taken up residence below his belt.

“Yo, Romeo. What’d you have on the line?”

Gabriel held up one finger to indicate he wasn’t finished arguing yet, and kept on edging closer to the brunette. Typical body intimidation tactics. Except she didn’t seem intimidated.

“You think they’ll end up in bed together?” Mitch wondered aloud.

“I’d be surprised if they managed to hold out long enough to find an actual mattress,” Livi replied. Then, lifting her head and her voice, she called out, “Aunt Roz, you have a second?”

“That’s about all I have.” The tall woman sauntered over to hold out a hand to her niece.

“I’ve got a crew of hungry people here. I need to bring in another keg of beer, and somebody should pour a pitcher or three of ice over those two. And what do you need?” As always, her words ran together into one long, breathless declaration.

“I’d rather it not get out,” Livi quietly told her aunt. “But I’m not sure what the stakes of this challenge were. Did you happen to hear?”

Roz’s lips twitched. She gave Mitch a wink then held out her other hand for him. He eyed it, wondering if this was how the mighty felt after the fall. But it’d be rude to refuse, so he put his hand in hers and effortlessly hopped to his feet.

“Nobody seemed to have the straight of it on what the stakes are between the two of you,” Roz said. “But the stakes between those two are a lip-lock versus a date.”

Livi frowned.

“We tied. That means it’s a draw,” she pointed out. “So why are they arguing? Neither lost.”

“Because Tessa says the draw means all bets are off. Romeo claims it means they both have to pay up. The money’s on Romeo, if you’re looking to cash in,” Roz said with a laugh before heading off to do all those things she needed to do.

Mitch watched Livi as Livi watched her aunt.

And he kept watching, giving her time to work it through.

It didn’t take her long. As soon as her aunt cleared the door, she turned her gaze back to him.

“So I owe you a kiss?” she asked.

“And I owe you a date,” he confirmed. Mitch tilted his head toward the side door. “Shall we go discuss payment?”

* * *

STEPPING INTO THE COOL, dark storeroom ahead of Mitch, Livi flipped on the light. The bulb cast a dim glow on boxes and crates, leaving Mitch’s face in shadows as he let the door shut behind him.

Livi knew she should have felt ashamed of the naughty way she’d manipulated that competition.

She didn’t.

But she should have.

Her mother was fond of saying that only results counted. But having grown up as one of her results, Livi was just as fond of believing that actions mattered, too.

And intentions.

She leaned against a waist-high stack of crates, her eyes locked on Mitch’s face as he walked toward her.

Out there in the bright room surrounded by partiers he’d seemed like a seductively sexy, extremely gorgeous, abundantly charming man. The kind of man she fantasized about.

In here he was still sexy, gorgeous and charming. But the dim shadows added an air of danger. Hinted at everything he was capable of doing. Because he was the ultimate fantasy...a SEAL.

Her excitement took on an edge that made her nervous.

What did it say about her that her anxiousness just turned her on more? He stopped a few inches away. Her pulse sped up even faster than it had during the push-ups. She tried to swallow but her throat was sandpaper.

“So, some challenge, huh?” she said, her bright words ricocheting around the room like a poorly aimed racquetball.

“It was interesting,” he acknowledged. His eyes were like X-rays, looking so deep Livi wondered if he could see her nerves. Did they teach that in BUD/S? What other skills did he have? More than she did, for sure.

Panic pushed through her excitement.

She didn’t know how to do this.

She knew how to win.

And—although some might debate it—she knew how to kiss.

But how did she handle winning a kiss?

“Interesting in what way?” she asked, desperately trying to find something clever to say, something that would keep him occupied until she figured it out.

“You play to win,” he noted quietly, skimming his fingers, just the tips, down her arm from shoulder to wrist. Livi shivered, need edging aside nerves again in her stomach.

She watched his face, wishing she could see as much there as she knew he saw on hers.

“I don’t do this,” she blurted out. “I mean, not usually.”

“Don’t play to win?” He waited a beat. “Or don’t play, period?”

She wanted to admit the latter. But her lack of sexual savvy had been a major bone of contention between her and Derrick—one of the key reasons for their divorce.

Any sexual shortcomings she might have were probably the kind of thing Mitch should find out for himself. After she’d found out if his mouth was as good as his body. How’s that for sexual savvy? she congratulated herself.

His hand was still skimming, light as silk, up and down her arm. His touch was a whisper. A reminder. As if she needed one. Her body was wound so tightly she didn’t know how long she could stop herself from grabbing his face in her hands and yanking that mouth to hers.

Long enough to keep from making a fool of herself, she silently promised.

“I like to win,” Livi admitted. “But I don’t think winning is everything.”

“Heresy.” His grin flashed like lightning in the dark, quick and striking. “Don’t let the team hear you say that.”

“You play to win?”

“I play. I win.”

“You are so confident,” she breathed, shaking her head in admiration. That was almost as much a turn-on as his well-muscled body.

“I’m good.”

He was good. He knew it and so did everyone else.

“But we drew,” she pointed out. Tilting her head to the side, she wondered, “Did that bother you? Since you’re used to winning, I mean?”

“I didn’t lose.”

“But you didn’t win.”

His smile was a slow seduction that meandered its way through her system with hot little licks of pleasure. It was so intense it made her nipples ache.

“Sweetheart, sometimes a draw is a win. It’s all about the bigger picture. What’s the real goal?”

Right now her only goal was to taste him.

Livi wet her lips in anticipation but couldn’t make herself say that aloud.

“Is that one of those military things?” she asked instead. “Like sometimes losing the battle to win the war?”

“I didn’t lose.”

As delighted as she was turned on, Livi laughed.

He really was confident.

What was that like?

Ready to find out, she touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip and reached out to trace her finger over the letter S on his chest.

Oh, my. He felt good. Very, very good.

She lifted her eyes to meet his, tilting her head so her ponytail swept over his hand where it rested on her shoulder.

“Super SEAL?” she asked.

“Man of iron,” he promised, his hand sliding behind her neck to cup her head. Fingers tangling in her ponytail, he closed the distance between their bodies.

“Ready?” he asked, his mouth inches from hers.

“I think so,” she breathed, shifting closer.

His lips brushed over hers. So soft, almost sweet.

Once.

Twice.

The third time, he added his tongue. Sliding it over the seam of her lips, along the edge of her teeth.

Livi’s body flashed hot, then cold, then hot again.

Her fingers curled into his chest, the other hand grabbing his shoulder for balance.

She’d thought she was ready for this?

Oh, how wrong she’d been.

Drowning in the overwhelming sensations, Livi let herself go. Let herself feel.

And oh, my, she felt good.

His tongue danced along her lips again, then, without warning, he tightened his hand in her hair. He tilted her head back, angled his mouth and thrust his tongue inside her mouth.

His teeth scraped her bottom lip, his hands holding her head steady so he could ravage her at will. Her body went hot before everything melted into a molten puddle of pleasure.

Livi almost came then and there.

The kiss was wild.

Tongues dueled, sliding over each other in a sensual dance.

Her heart pounded in time with the fingers she kneaded against his skin. Then, wanting more, she slid her hand under the sleeve of his shirt, her fingernails scraping gently over the rock-hard delight of his bicep.

He angled closer so he was wedged between her thighs. His erection pressed against her belly, even harder than his impressive bicep.

So she did it again. This time, though, she captured his tongue between her lips and sucked while her nails skimmed from shoulder to bicep and up again.

He growled, low and deep.

She thought he’d take her.

She wanted him to.

Livi had never felt such a desperate need, such a deep, clawing desire for a man. She wanted to strip for him, to tear his clothes away. She needed to feel him, all of him, sliding over her body. Into her wet heat.

But instead of taking her, Mitch eased back.

With a long, soothing stroke of his tongue he ended the kiss, then brushed his lips over hers as if he couldn’t quite bear to quit just yet.

“You blow my mind,” he murmured against her cheek.

She felt his deep breath against her ear, a part of her wanting to protest that she wasn’t ready for this to end. She wanted more. She needed to know what else there was.

His hands gripped her waist, lifting her so she was seated on the stack of crates she’d been leaning on.

“Oh,” she breathed.

“Yeah,” he agreed, moving between her thighs. His hands still on her waist, he took her mouth again.

If the last time had been a deluge this was an explosion.

Before, he’d seduced.

Now, he took.

And Livi let him.

Her hands smoothed upward along the muscles of his back before caressing his shoulders. He had incredible shoulders. His tongue played with hers, sliding then plunging, again and again.

Livi’s entire being focused on his mouth. On the feel of his tongue, the glide of his lips.

Then his hands cupped her breasts.

She cried out at his touch, wet heat stabbing low and pooling between her thighs.

He didn’t squeeze. Didn’t rub. He just held her.

Livi squirmed, the need coiling tighter inside of her.

His mouth left hers, skimming her cheek with kisses as light as air. He nuzzled against her ear, his breath warm, before his tongue slid down her throat. Hot, wet and delicious, he buried his face in her shoulder.

Livi moaned softly, her head falling back to give him better access.

She was a woman highly in tune with her body.

She worked it, she pushed it. She made her living from it and, for better or worse, was becoming famous for it.

She thought she knew what it would do, how it would react. But as Mitch skimmed his fingers along her thigh, coming teasingly close but not touching her center, she admitted she’d had no clue.

Either that, or he was simply a superhero when it came to turning her on.

Before she could decide which, he pressed his hand against her mound, his fingers hot through the fabric of her unitard.

Livi lost it.

Oh, God.

Everything went black, tiny pinpricks of light flashing behind her eyelids as the pleasure ripped through her, tight and sharp.

Her legs tightened on his hand.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders.

Her mouth melted beneath his.

As the orgasm curled back he changed the kiss. In an instant it went from voracious to soothing as he guided her down.

It was as if he knew her body better than she did.

She’d never had an easy trigger. As much as she liked the idea of sex, she’d rarely been able to relax enough to climax during lovemaking. She hadn’t relaxed with Mitch, either.

But oh, my, had she climaxed.

Fully clothed. She realized he hadn’t shifted a single piece of fabric.

Livi’s mind boggled.

Her body shivered.

Not just at the wonder of what he’d done.

But at the possibilities of what he could do.

“More,” she breathed.

She had to have more.

* * *

DAMN, SHE WAS SWEET.

His body tight, Mitch took a deep breath and grabbed on to control. He’d known she’d taste good, but he’d had no clue she’d taste this good. Be this responsive.

His hands skimmed back up. Grazed her hips, slid over her waist, briefly cupped her breasts. Livi gave a little purr when he touched the soft warmth of her cheeks.

Her body...

He took a deep breath, blown away.

Because her body was simply amazing. Not just because she was built like his every fantasy, but because she was so amazingly responsive. He was a good lover. A damned good one. But he’d never had a woman ignite so fast, explode so intensely, then sigh so sweetly. The combination was addictive. He wanted more. He needed more.

Brushing a soft kiss over her lips, he skimmed his hands down to her shoulders, fingers sliding under her leotard straps. He wanted to push them aside. To pull them down her arms, free those breasts and look his fill.

A part of him, the part that’d been raised to be a gentleman, reminded him they were in a public storeroom and that stripping her naked—even if to worship her body—was pretty tacky.

The rest of him, led by his dick, insisted he could more than make up the tacky setting by offering incredible pleasure.

As if she sensed his internal debate, Livi shifted closer, her tongue sliding along the seam of his mouth like hot velvet.

No question about which part he was going to listen to.

Mitch reluctantly pulled his mouth away from Livi’s. She was delicious, but he wanted to watch the first time he stripped her bare.

His hands slid over her slender shoulders under the fabric. Despite the dim lighting, he could still see the slumberous excitement in her gaze, the glistening temptation of her full lips.

Before he could do more than enjoy the view, there was a loud pounding on the storeroom door.

Livi jumped. He simply turned his head toward the racket.

“Pull your pants up, I’m coming in,” said a female voice.

Since his pants were secure—thanks to his hard-on, so secure he might have trouble unzipping them—Mitch didn’t bother following the instructions.

He did mentally curse Romeo for losing his magical touch. In all the years they’d known each other, Mitch had never seen the guy strike out. Seriously? He had to do it for the first time tonight?

Light slanted in, bringing the racket from the party with it.

“Liv, I’ve got to get out of here. You want me to cab it or take your car and you can get a ride from your aunt later?”

Livi closed her eyes, gave a mortified groan and dropped her forehead onto his chest.

“Something upset her,” Livi told him, her voice low so it wouldn’t carry. “I should give her a ride.”

Since Mitch could hear the tears in the other woman’s voice, too, he could only nod and vow to get revenge on Romeo.

“I’ll meet you out front in five minutes,” she called to Tessa, giving Mitch an apologetic look.

He waited until the door closed, then tilted her lips up to meet his. She tasted so good.

Too good.

It was probably just as well they’d been interrupted. He didn’t want their first time to have been some tacky backroom bar encounter, fast and furious against the wall. Livi deserved much better than that. But he knew he wouldn’t have been able to resist her taste if she’d stayed.

“Rain check,” he said against her lips.

“Okay.” Livi leaned closer and traced her tongue over the join of his lips.

There came another loud thump on the door.

This time they both groaned as they separated.

“I don’t think your friend is waiting out front.”

“She doesn’t take orders very well. But she really is upset. I should go,” Livi said, her voice heavy with regret.

Mitch was tempted to ask if she always put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own, but that would have been rude. And he figured one orgasm and the intention to strip her bare in a storeroom were the limits to his rudeness for the night.

So he stepped back, holding out a hand to help her down. Livi cupped her fingers around his but didn’t move.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Will I see you again?” she asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” Mitch assured her, surprised she’d asked. Not because of her stunning looks, drop-dead body and adorable personality, although those were all major factors. But because he wasn’t a sleaze.

But she couldn’t have known that. Mitch had to remind himself that despite how close he felt to Livi, they’d only met tonight.

“That’s right.” Her smile bloomed. “You owe me a date.”

“That’s a bet I’m looking forward to paying. But, unfortunately, I can’t right away.”

Ready to get her number and set up a date for the following night, Mitch glanced at his watch. And clenched his teeth as reality smacked him upside the head.

“Damn it,” he muttered. At her questioning look, he grimaced and said, “I’m due on the east coast tomorrow. I have to go by the base, get my orders and catch a plane.”

“Ah.” Her smile was agreeable, her nod perfectly understanding. And her eyes filled with skepticism. He didn’t need to be a mind reader to see her doubts, to know she’d figured he’d blow her off.

Showing impeccable timing once again, Tessa chose that moment to pound on the door.

“I guess I’ll see you sometime.”

He understood her suspicions. Navy guys weren’t known for sticking around. Not because they were dogs, although every branch of the military had their share fit for kenneling. It was because they were deployed for long periods of time—months, years—in submarines, on ships, in other countries.

That sort of lifestyle didn’t lend itself to dating, let alone to having relationships. It was irresponsible to pretend otherwise.

Mitch looked into Livi’s big brown eyes and couldn’t resist, though.

“I’ll see you when I get back in town,” he promised. “In the meantime, tell me your number.”

She rattled it off.

“Aren’t you going to write it down?” she asked with a frown as she slid off the crate.

“I never forget things that matter,” he promised. “I’ll call you when I get back.”

“Will you be gone long?” she asked, her fingers rubbing the sleeve hem of his shirt so her knuckles slid over his bicep.

He wasn’t going on a mission, per se. Nothing about his trip was top secret. Still, Mitch didn’t share any details of what he did. An overcautious habit, perhaps, but a habit nonetheless.

“I’ll call you,” he said.

Unable to resist one last kiss, he pulled her into his arms and gave himself over to whatever in the hell this was between them.

Lust. Desire. Passion or a trap, he didn’t know.

All he knew was that he’d never felt anything like this before.

Mitch slowly ended the kiss, his fingers brushing her cheek before he released her.

“You’re so sweet,” he said with a smile. “I never realized how addicting that could be.”

Then he did what he’d spent his entire life training to do.

He walked out and didn’t look back.