Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
RAFE
“I’m not sure, girl. He’s usually here by now, isn’t he?
” Duchess had been on edge the closer it got to my usual time of putting her back in her kennel.
I could have set a clock by Simon’s daily arrival to hang out with Duchess.
I’d become used to having him around too, and his running stream of questions:
“Have you ever met the King of England?
“You say ‘chuffed’ all the time. What does it mean?”
“Major Rafe, how did Duchess get her name?”
“Did you know Dutch Shepherds can be traced back to all the ancient wild dogs of Europe?”
“How come you joined the Air Force?”
“Did you fight in any wars?”
That last question had been tricky to answer, especially since he hadn’t grown up in a military family, and I didn’t know what his exposure had been, so I kept my answer pretty generic and quickly brought the conversation back to Duchess.
Man, I was going to miss that kid. He’d somehow slipped under my emotional radar, which had been locked down for far too long.
When I left, I glanced over at the base commander’s house.
Jaci’s car was now gone, and I had to suppress my rising anxiety that something could be wrong.
Was Simon sick? Or maybe had a dentist appointment.
When I realized what I was doing, I started listening to my grounding playlist. It helped me calm my thoughts just as I pulled into my parking space.
Maybe I’ll just stop by their place later. That gave me a few hours to come up with a good excuse to knock on their door. Something I hadn’t done the entire time I lived next to Becca.
When I returned home later that night, both Jaci and Becca’s vehicles were parked in the driveway. But today had been one of those days that had dragged on longer than usual, and I didn’t feel in the right headspace to go over.
New software had been installed for the intercom alert system during last night’s shift, and something got missed.
A base-wide siren had tripped, sending the base into a brief lockdown.
I’m surprised Becca had beaten me home. She’d been the maddest I’d ever seen her during our emergency briefing.
When the bug had finally been rooted out and the proper code installed, I had to all but swear to her on my nonexistent firstborn’s life that something like that wouldn’t happen again.
Shit, I would not miss that part of my duties.
Grabbing a cold beer from the fridge, I’d just turned down the hallway on my way to take a shower when I heard someone knocking on my door.
For a split second I considered ignoring it.
If it were work, they’d call or text. But what if it was Simon wanting to check on Duchess?
Then I remembered it was well after nine o’clock. The kid was in bed by now.
Another round of persistent knocking rang out.
Marching to the front door, I flung it open, ready to dress down whoever stood on the other side.
Gobsmacked, I almost dropped the bottle of beer in my free hand.
It was Jaci. Took me a moment to think straight as I looked over her shoulder to see if her son was with her.
When I returned my gaze to her face, the smile and the twinkle in her eyes had me doing a double take.
No, Simon was most definitely not with his mother.
Greedily, I drank her in. The curves I loved so much were lovingly encased in a dark blue knit dress, and her hair was half up, half down with loose tendrils brushing the top of her breasts.
“You going to invite me in, or are you going to stand there drooling all over yourself?” Jaci’s throaty whisper was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
I slammed my beer bottle down on the table my mother insisted I put next to the door and pulled her across the threshold, shutting and locking the door in a millisecond.
I didn’t need to be asked twice, and I wasn’t of a mind to wait any longer for a second kiss as she grinned knowingly up at me.
But she beat me to it, her fingers grasped my shoulders, pulling me flush against her luscious body and hooked a leg around my waist. Could she be any more perfect? Her need of me matched mine, and I couldn’t remember ever thinking that about another woman.
This kiss differed from the first only because we both knew where it was leading.
She moaned as I gently squeezed her waist, dragging my hands up along her sides and then filling my palms with her tits, gently squeezing her flesh as our tongues dueled.
The hardening tips pushed through the heavy fabric begging for equal attention.
Everything about this woman felt so damn right I couldn’t decide where I wanted to touch next. But she decided for me as she broke our kiss. Bracing my forehead against hers, I rasped out, “You better have a good reason for that or--"
“Take me to the bedroom. Now.”
“A woman who knows what she wants. You know that’s hot, right?” I dip my head, and suck on her earlobe. She inhales deeply, then hisses as I lick and nip my way down her throat. “You like that, do you?”
She nods and then releases a soft moan. “Oh, so much.”
I pick her up by the waist, and she wraps her legs around mine, pressing herself against my aching cock.
Now I let out a hiss. “Jaci, before we do this. I need to remind you I’m leaving soon, and your sister, she’s my boss even though it’s not for long.
Tonight, this, what’s between us…it’s just for tonight. ”
Jaci’s desire-softened gaze narrows on mine. Placing her warm fingers against the sides of my face, she says, “I know. Neither of us is looking for more. But this need for you, it’s…it’s--”
“I know, baby. It’s the same for me.” Pressing my mouth against hers, I kiss her until we’re both breathless.
Squirming against me, she’s on fire, her heat radiating against my middle.
Grinning, I turn toward my room and then, at the end of my bed, I stop as she slides down against me. “We need to get naked now.”
With a cheeky grin, Jaci pushed me gently, and I took a step back.
But that’s all the space I’m willing to give.
She unbuttons her blouse slowly, defiantly.
“You’re playing with fire, and as much as I want to let you have your way, I think you can’t wait for me to be inside you.
” Reaching behind my head, I grab my collar and pull my t-shirt off in one move.
Her eyes go wide, and she lets out a sexy little gasp. “You win.” In a blur of clothes dropping to the floor, she stands before me, her skin flushed, her curves calling out to be caressed. And all the while she wears a sultry smile.
I’m lost in the vision of her, her unique tantalizing scent I can’t wait to have on my tongue when she sits on the bed and scoots back until she reaches the headboard, her legs fall open exposing her wet pink flesh.
Before I even touch her, I know once will not be enough.
That for the first time in my life I’m considering more than a hook-up.
I push down the unfamiliar feeling and climb over Jaci.
I capture her lips in a quick kiss. “Protection?”
“I’m on birth control and I’m clean.”
“Me too.” My answer is more of a growl. I don’t want to talk anymore; I need to taste. Another long, wet kiss. I palm her full tits and pinch her nipples. Her sweet moans stoke me higher, then she wraps her fingers around my cock and I swear I felt my eyes cross.
Her gentle strokes make me harder, eager to be inside her, but I’m willing to wait.
I replaced my hand with my mouth against her breast, rolling my tongue over the hardened tip.
Cupping her pussy, I drag my thumb over her clit, matching the rhythm of my tongue.
My reward is a pool of liquid heat and another of her sweet, low moans.
“Yes.” Her hips buck against my hand, seeking, demanding my touch.
“I’ve dreamed of this, Jaci. Seeing you come undone by my touch.
” Dropping between her open thighs, I take her swollen bud into my mouth, the taste of her instantly addictive.
Throwing her legs over my shoulders, I push my tongue between her drenched folds, diving in and out of her pussy, her hands grasping my shoulders as she nears her release.
When her body bows, I press my thumb onto her clit, rolling the flesh over and over as my tongue flicks against her, and I’m rewarded with her pleasure as she comes. My gaze flicks to hers, and I watch as she unravels.
“Rafe, I need…you. Inside me.” Her eyes meet mine, her plea becoming my new favorite mission.
“Oh, I want to be there, believe me. But first, I’m going to make you come again.” Up on my knees, I spread her legs wider, the view before me making me harder, but I ignore my body’s need to fill her. The need to see her come again from my touch was too great.
“No, I…oh, god that feels good.” I drag my thumb across her pussy again, pressing harder with each swipe.
Finding the spot that had sent her over the edge the first time, I press my fingers inside her channel, fucking her until her pussy grabs them, her hips bucking again.
Our gazes lock, and if there’s a more beautiful sight than Jaci coming all over my fingers, I’ve never seen it.
She’s fucking gorgeous as she takes her pleasure. Her hands now on her breasts, pinching her nipples while I prolonged her release. I’m relentless until she collapses against the bedding. I cover her, stroking her hip as she gasps for air. “Damn, you are perfect. You know that?”
“What. Was. That?” Her shaky breaths turn into laughter.
“Our reward for waiting this long?” I tease.
“Well, now it’s your turn.” Jaci pulls me on top of her, her hips rotating as she presses her pussy against my throbbing erection.
“We can wait a moment if you need--”
“Now, Major Lucas. I need to feel you inside me.” Jaci’s demand came out in a sexy rasp, resulting from her earlier screams of pleasure. Jolts of electricity hit me, my worry about her comfort assuaged.
I lined myself up with her entrance and said, “Don’t take your eyes off me. Keep your gaze on mine the entire time I’m inside you.” She nodded almost shyly, but her smile assured me she wouldn’t waver. I was going to have a couple of demands of my own.
Thrusting inside her still wet channel, I began a rhythm of pulling out slow, then built it until she was wiggling against me, pressing her hot little clit harder looking for another orgasm.
I wanted to make this last forever, but when she touched herself, I caved.
Pounding into her, the sound of our slapping flesh echoing, her sweet voice calling my name, and then the sharp sting at the base of my spine signaling the beginning of my orgasm hit me.
“Ah, Jaci.” I breathed out her name as if it were a prayer. Because surely she was the answer to mine.
Her cries of pleasure wrapped around me and, unbelievably, I heard her whisper, “I love you,” as my release thundered through me, my thrusts increasing as her inner walls gripped me again as she found another release.
Together. The word slammed into me. I rolled to my side, bringing her with me, securing her against my chest. Neither of us spoke as we drifted to sleep.
Sometime during the early morning hours after we’d made love again, this time much slower but equally devastating. I let her slip from my room without protest and then spent the rest of the day calling myself all kinds of stupid for letting her leave.