Chapter 12 #3
“You worried about your baby SEALs?” she asked, watching the line of his back, the tension still coiled there.
He turned, eyes narrowing.
“You teasing me?”
Laughter bubbled out of her. “Yes. It’s so easy.”
He growled low in his chest, like it was instinct. “Watch it, woman. This bear has teeth.”
“Oh, I’m terrified. Should I climb a tree?”
He moved, fast and fluid, crossing to her and pinning her back gently against the wall. Not hard. Not rough. Just enough to trap her between his heat and the smooth plaster behind her.
His eyes scanned hers, and for a moment, the teasing flickered.
“Wouldn’t do you any good if you did,” he murmured. “My claws are sharp, and I love climbing.”
Her breath caught. She knew exactly what he meant and went wet from the implications.
She tilted her head, voice quiet. “They are yours, aren’t they?”
His hands slid over her shoulders, strong, sure, careful of the slings. His fingertips brushing her skin like he needed the contact. “Every knucklehead.”
She reached up and smoothed a hand along his jaw, her thumb brushing the corner of his mouth. “The world won’t cave in if you show them some affection, you know.”
He snorted, but something in his eyes flickered, too fast to name. “Affection?” He pressed his hips into hers, the feel of his growing erection distracting and making her nipples tighten. “SEALs kick ass to show their affection, and my boot’s getting itchy.”
She leaned in. Tipped her chin up. Brushed her mouth against his. It started like a joke.
But ended as something else.
He kissed her back, slow and deep, like he was grounding himself in her. Like maybe the agitation, the weight, the watching and waiting, all of it, got quieter when her lips found his.
She melted into him, one hand fisting in his shirt. “I want you again,” she whispered. “Can you stay with me tonight?”
Bear let out a shuddering breath. “Yes.”
“All night?”
“Yes, all night. I couldn’t stay away if I tried.”
“You can bring Flint here if you need to. I know you don’t like to leave him alone.”
His face tightened, his eyes flashing, dark, thick mahogany, then he dropped his mouth on hers like a ton of bricks with fierce need laced through every movement of his lips, and when it went open-mouthed, she groaned softly at the emotion in it.
He pressed his body against hers as if he wanted their clothes gone.
He broke the kiss. “Fuck, I almost forgot about him. You’re a dangerous influence.
” His mouth found hers again, taking her tongue and sucking on it.
“I don’t think I can wait until later,” he whispered.
“Don’t then,” she murmured. “Bear, I can’t either.”
Her pants were swept away, and his jeans were undone. Then he was lifting her effortlessly against the wall. “Bear, Oh, damn. Please.” Bailee had never known this fever of need, this raw, urgent hunger, and she gave herself up to the frenzied sensations.
On a jagged intake of air, he entered her and his knees buckled, a long groan of satisfaction wrenched from him as she wrapped her legs tightly around him. She rocked her pelvis, and his breathing went raw and labored.
“Bailee, don’t move. I need a minute before you bring me to my knees.” His voice was crushed.
She nodded, using her good arm to hold him against her.
She was sure she was on the verge of losing her mind when he finally thrust into her.
Now that he’d caught his breath, his hips worked her over, his cock hard and hot.
Every thrust sent her higher and higher, until her whole body focused into one hot light.
Then everything exploded, and pulses of pleasure so intense ripped through her.
On a tortured groan, Bear twisted his hips, his own release pumping into her.
Incoherent and shattered, she hung on to him for dear life, on to her lifeline, this rock of a man, her still center, and she let go of control. Needed, wanted, craved…
Not just her body, but everything that went with it.
All her life she’d been afraid of being exposed as a fraud, and she’d shunned Bear to save herself the shame of having to be honest with him about who she was.
She measured her worth by achievements, not relationships, and if she hadn’t crashed in that helo, she might have never gotten to this point with him.
Back in Bolivia, she’d found the thread of her heritage, and she wanted to pull it.
Wanted to delve, dig, and discover who she really was without shame or fear.
She wanted to explore what it would mean to be with Bear.
When they parted, his forehead rested against hers, breath warm against her skin.
“I’m not used to all this,” he whispered.
“Which part?”
“Wanting someone like this, allowing myself to want you. Wanting you here when I come home.”
Her throat tightened.
“Yeah,” she murmured. “Me too.”
“Bear…” Her voice was soft, caught somewhere between hesitation and need. “There are things bogging me down. Tying me up.”
She drew in a shaky breath, her eyes lifting to meet his. “I want to share them with you. Just…let me. When we have time to speak.”
He exhaled slowly, like she’d cracked something open in his chest.
“Speak,” he repeated, voice rough, almost reverent.
He brushed a thumb along her cheek. “I’ve been thinking about that word since I thought you wanted me gone.
” His eyes didn’t leave hers, steady, dark, quietly undone.
“How I didn’t speak,” he said, his voice lower now.
“Now, yeah, I want to talk, too.” A pause.
His breath brushed her skin. Then, softly, but with weight.
“Silence is good sometimes. But sometimes…it’s just a convenient place to hide. ”
She didn’t say anything right away. Just nodded, slow and full of feeling, like the truth in his words had taken root somewhere deep. As she looked at him. really looked at him, she realized something that left her breathless.
She wasn’t just falling for him. She was finally ready to let herself be found.