Chapter 9 #2
He’d felt all her soft skin this morning. Parted her legs and touched her silken folds. He’d thought of nothing else but running his hands all over her beautiful body ever since.
Touching her. Teasing her. Watching her reactions as he explored all of her gorgeous curves.
And now to have her wearing a sexy little dress that teased and tempted him?
It was going to be a long afternoon.
She pulled the door shut and locked it, soft curls bouncing around her face. She must’ve done something to her hair because usually it was long and straight. Normally he didn’t care much about hair or make-up, thinking it made a woman look overly done, like she was trying too hard.
But on Taylor?
She looked even softer and more feminine.
Not to mention sexy as sin.
“I thought we’d have a picnic down on the quiet end of the beach,” he said as they walked down her stairwell. “Sound okay?”
“That sounds perfect.”
“I already packed a picnic blanket and food. I like the idea of us having an afternoon alone together, but the next time we have a bonfire on the beach with my friends, I want to bring you, too.”
“You guys have bonfires?”
He nodded, unlocking the door to his SUV. His hands wrapped around her slender waist as he helped her climb in, and he resisted the urge to groan. She smelled amazing—her usual combination of sunshine and coconut, plus an underlying floral scent. Was it a new perfume or something?
His cock hardened as he imagined stripping her down, discovering the source of that intoxicating aroma. Hell if he couldn’t spend hours exploring her body.
He helped her fasten the seatbelt, his large hand briefly resting on her bare thigh. Her skin was so soft and smooth compared to his, he resisted the urge to run his hand up and down it.
“The other SEAL team on base gets together a lot, and we started joining them sometimes. I’d love to bring you along and introduce you to the others. You’ve met the guys on my team, but the Alpha SEAL team is all married or attached. You’d like the other women.”
She nodded, looking slightly nervous.
“Hell, sweetheart, there’s nothing to worry about. They’ll all love you. And today it’s just you and me.”
His thumb lightly grazed over the skin of her thigh, and he watched in fascination as heat bloomed over her skin.
Unable to resist, he ducked down, kissing her softly.
She tasted of strawberries and something else sweet.
He wanted to deepen the kiss and pull her close, but here in the parking lot wasn’t exactly the best place.
Besides, she was already buckled in.
A slight breeze blew in from the ocean as he reluctantly stood back up, and he grinned, inhaling the salty sea air. “This is the perfect time of year to enjoy the beach—not too hot and humid but still warm enough to relax and stretch out on the sand.”
“Exactly. I’m down there nearly every day. That’s partly why I love working at Anchors.”
“I thought it was because you get to see me,” he said with a wink.
She flushed again, and the corner of his lip quirked up in a smile. “Go on, sweetheart. You know I love teasing you.”
“I just meant I like having my days free.”
“I totally understand. I could never have a desk job for that very reason. We’re out training and drilling in all weather, but days like today make it all worth it.”
He closed her door and walked around the front of the SUV, climbing into the driver’s seat.
There was something that felt right about having Taylor sitting in the passenger seat.
That flirty little dress grazed her thighs, her chest rose and fell slightly, the tendrils of her hair curling around her breasts, framing them perfectly.
He wanted nothing more than to reach over and pick up one strand, running it between his fingers.
To kiss the side of her neck, inhaling her sweetness, and work his way down.
“I’m going to take you to the beach one morning and watch the sun rise,” he said, his voice gruff. “Preferably after I’ve held you in my arms all night.”
She flushed again, and male pride surged through him. He loved the effect that he had on her. Couldn’t wait to fully have her. He’d been with plenty of women over the years, but a lot of those one-night-stands and short-term relationships were too easy. Too casual.
Maybe they provided some immediate, instant satisfaction, but having Taylor would be different.
She didn’t seem like the type of woman who slept around.
Hell. Hadn’t she said she’d dated that last jackass for several years?
He couldn’t wait to claim her fully. Completely. To lay her down in his bed, part her creamy thighs, and thrust into her, driving so deep he wouldn’t know where he stopped and she began.
Hearing her cries of pleasure this morning had made him feel ten feet tall. Had made him want to claim her again and again. To have her come on his cock, his tongue—he couldn’t imagine anything better.
Couldn’t wait to have all of her.
“I’d like that,” she said shyly.
“Like to watch the sunrise with me? Or like for me to hold you all night?”
“Yes. Both,” she quickly amended, and Mason chuckled.
“You don’t need to be nervous around me,” he said quietly.
“I know—I just feel flustered. You say exactly what you’re thinking, and I just don’t know what to do with that.”
“I’ll always be honest with you,” Mason said.
“I appreciate it. It’s just different than what I’m used to.”
“It sounds like your ex didn’t treat you right,” Mason said with a grumble. “Which reminds me. Did you call the police earlier?”
“Yeah, I did,” she said, nodding. “An officer came and took a report. A neighbor of mine happened to be coming home right then, and she said she’s seen Eric hanging around here when I’m not home. I guess he was coming more than I realized—I’m stuck at home more now without a car.”
Mason clenched his jaw, nodding as he started the engine. “We’ll remedy that this week, sweetheart. And I’ll get you the numbers for the rest of the guys on my team. The other team, too. I want to make sure you can reach them in case of an emergency.”
Taylor bit her lip, looking frustrated.
“How about we forget about him for a while and just enjoy us,” Mason said, reaching over and taking her much smaller hand in his. Her hand was so delicate and smooth. He lazily traced circles over the back of it was his thumb, his other hand firmly on the steering wheel.
“Now that I can get on board with,” she said with a relieved sigh. “I’m tired of letting him dictate my life.”
Mason pulled onto the road, heading away from the busy tourist stretch of the beach.
They passed another beach community, but before long they were in a more secluded area. Mason pulled his SUV to a stop, cutting the engine. The small sandy parking area off the road wasn’t a real parking lot, but the locals came here a lot to enjoy the private section of the beach.
There were no other cars around today, and Mason loved that he and Taylor would be alone. “I packed a ton of things for lunch since I didn’t know what you liked,” he said.
“I’m not picky,” she assured him as she shifted to unfasten her seatbelt. Mason’s groin tightened as her dress slid slightly higher up her bare thighs.
Hell.
Every little thing she did he found sexy.
The way her curls fell down over her shoulders. The way she moved. The way her chocolate brown eyes widened as she looked at him.
She flushed slightly as she caught him watching her.
“You look beautiful,” he said. Not wanted to make her uncomfortable, he held her gaze for a moment and climbed out and rounded the SUV, opening her door. He took her hand and helped her step out, letting his hand linger on her waist as he moved to assist her.
He towered above her, loving the way her small body fit against his. He brushed some of her hair back from her face as the ocean breeze blew. “I like your hair like this,” he said, capturing one curl between his finger and thumb. “You always wear it straight, but this looks incredible.”
“I’ll probably have to pull it back since we’re at the beach. It’ll be blowing in my face all afternoon.”
“Damn. I should’ve told you ahead of time where we’re going.”
“It’s fine,” she assured him. “And I love the ocean.”
“Duly noted,” he said with a grin, moving toward the trunk of his SUV.
He opened the back hatch and grabbed his backpack laden with food and drinks and a soft blanket that he’d stashed beside it.
“I don’t have an actual picnic basket. This’ll work though,” he said, turning back toward her as he swung the backpack onto his back.
Taylor had already pulled a hair tie out of her bag and was pulling her hair back into some type of twist. Her slender neck was elongated, and he saw she had on some dangly earrings he hadn’t even noticed earlier.
The glint of silver caught in the sunlight. A few stray pieces of her hair fell loose, but it gave her a softer appearance.
Hell, he wanted to tug her hair back down and run his fingers through it, kissing her senseless here in the parking area. Back her against his SUV and feel her curves against him.
That would have to wait though.
He brought her out here to enjoy lunch and an afternoon down at the ocean, not to make out with her on the side of the road.
“Let’s go,” he said, tucking the blanket under one arm so he could take her hand with the other.
“Can I carry something?” she asked, looking over at him.
“Not a chance.”
She laughed, the light, musical sound filling his chest with warmth.
“You do know I usually carry my own things to the beach,” she said, sounding amused.
“Beach chairs, towels, coolers—you name it. Not to mention lugging my photography equipment around when I’m wanting to capture some decent photographs. ”
“I know, and I also know you don’t need to when I’m here.”
“But that’s silly,” she protested.
“Hell, sweetheart, it’s nothing. I plan to do plenty for you when we’re together. If you’re dating me, there’s a lot you won’t need to worry about.”
“So now we’re dating,” she teased, glancing up at him. “I thought this was just our first date?”
He pulled her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across the back of it, loving the way that she shivered at his touch.
“The first of many. How about over there?” he asked, nodding his head toward a flat stretch of beach twenty feet away.
“It looks like a good spot and far enough back from the tide that our blanket won’t get wet. ”
“It looks perfect,” she said.
Mason spread the blanket down on the sand and watched as Taylor elegantly fold her legs beneath her and sat down. Her dress hugged her breasts even more in that position, and he resisted the urge to groan.
He set his backpack down on one corner of the blanket to help weight it down, sinking to the ground beside her.
“All right—I’ve got sandwiches, fruit, cheese, crackers, water, pretzels.”
“Wow, you must be hungry,” she said.
“I worked up an appetite this morning,” he quipped. “Actually, I really did. I played basketball with Hunter on base after I left your place.”
She opened a bottle of water and took a long sip, setting it beside her on the blanket. “Basketball, huh? You’re a busy guy.”
“Hell, I could’ve stayed with you all morning, but I wanted to give you some space.”
“Yeah, uh, this morning—wow.”
Mason chuckled, loving the hint of rosiness that spread across her cheeks. Hell, he’d thought of little else since then. Driving away from her apartment, he’d imagined all the ways he could pleasure her. All the nights and mornings they’d spend making love.
Although he hadn’t exactly planned on spending the night at her place, he hoped for a hell of a lot more of that in their future.
“I could go for some fruit and a sandwich,” Taylor said, changing the subject.
“Sure thing. I confess that I made none of this,” he said with a grin as he started pulling plastic containers from his backpack.
“You didn’t make it and then package it like they do at the grocery store? Seriously, Mason, this is perfect. I mean, why do you think I work at Anchors? I love being by the water. And I think its sweet that you packed a picnic for this.
Mason chuckled. “Sweet, huh? Do me a favor and don’t tell the rest of my SEAL team.”
Taylor smiled at him, the ocean breeze rustling the loose tendrils of her hair. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”
“Next time I’ll bring a bottle of wine. I wish I thought of it earlier—I kind of just grabbed what I could at the grocery store.”
“But you’re a beer drinker,” she said, taking a bite of her sandwich.
He chuckled. “That I am. I’d probably bring a couple of beers for myself. But, when I bring you to that bonfire I was telling you about, there’s always several coolers full of drinks. Most of the guys are beer drinkers, as you know. But the women are more into wine.”
“It looks like a storm in the distance,” Taylor said, squinting at the horizon.
Mason gazed out at the dark clouds over the ocean. They were several miles away and would probably blow right up the coast. “I think it’ll stay offshore. It was supposed to be great weather on the beach today. There are plenty of times there are storms at sea that never come onto the land.”
“Have you been caught in any?”
Mason nodded, taking a bite of his own sandwich. “Hell, we train in them sometimes. Mother Nature doesn’t care when we get called up, so we have to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios.”
“I guess you can’t really talk about the work you do—the missions you go on and stuff.”
“That’s a negative, sweetheart. And it’s not because I’m ever trying to keep something from you.
The missions themselves require operational security—we can’t risk having word get out as to where we’re deploying to, what we’re doing, when we’ll be back.
And even when we return, no one else is privy to the details. ”
“I understand,” she said softly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look a little sad.”
She shrugged. “I’ll just worry about you when you’re gone. I mean—I know we’re not exactly dating or something. This is just one date,” she hurriedly rambled on.
Mason’s chest tightened. She looked so flustered at the moment, but damn. To have someone worry about him back at home when he went out on an op?
It hadn’t exactly been something he’d wanted until right at this moment.
And now?
He couldn’t imagine leaving without rushing right back to her side when he returned.