CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
NOAH
––––––––
As my orgasm blasts inside of the woman I’ve loved for what feels like forever, she shudders around my length.
Christ, she feels like heaven.
There’s no way anything feels better than this.
She flops against my chest. I pull out of her, turn off the water and carry her out to the bed.
Showering can wait.
I’m not done.
I lay her out on the bed, and she starts to curl up like a kitten.
I climb over her, nudging her onto her front, then lift her ass in the air.
“Noah, I can’t.”
“Yeah, you can.” I press my finger onto her clit, and she comes alive again. “That’s it.”
“Oh, fuck, I’m going to die.”
“No chance. I need to keep you alive a little longer so I can see your mouth around my cock.” I speed up the invigorating moments on her pussy, and Quinn presses her ass against said appendage. “You’re such a dirty girl.”
“Jesus, I’m going to come again.”
That’s my cue.
My dick is hard again already, and I plow into her as she spasms around me.
Gliding in and out of her, I slow things down and explore every inch of her gorgeous, toned body. She has muscles where most women don’t because of her job, and I lick my way over them.
At her neck, I leave a mark, hoping every man in the world notices.
She loves me.
Quinn has finally admitted she is in love with me, and I’m not letting her go.
We move around the bed, and when I finally get her on her knees and my cock in her mouth, I lock my fingers behind my head and close my eyes.
Bliss.
Pure fucking bliss.
I’ve dreamed about this for years. Hell, I’ve jerked off to this image of my dick sliding down her throat, and oh my Lord, it’s a thousand times better.
My seed spills onto her tongue and down her chin, as she strokes and licks me to the end. Then my future wife collapses beside me, and I pull her into my arms.
We fall asleep.
Hours later, I wake to find her sprawled across my chest. She’s breathing deeply, so I pull the covers over us and glance at my watch.
Dawn is close.
The compound is going to start stirring soon, and Quinn will wake up. Then she’ll bolt. I know her. She was scared to lose me last night, and it forced a confession out of her. It’s why I didn’t just let her go back to her room to sleep and recover.
Claiming her had to happen—and like, she wasn’t complaining—but I don’t think she realizes what it means.
Forever.
I’m not taking no for an answer. She belongs to me, and whatever needs to happen, I will do it.
One of us could have died tonight, more so than at any other time we’ve known one another. We both have dangerous jobs, but when I thought she was shot, and when Quinn thought I could die at any point while inside that house, it forced her true feelings to the surface.
If I’d known that’s all it would take, I may have faked my own kidnapping by the Bratva or something.
I’m kidding.
(Sort of.)
I take the next few minutes, while the world is still quiet, to get my thoughts together. The fact that my head is still thumping from being bashed by the damn Mexican doesn’t help, but this is a defining moment in my life.
A sliding doors scenario.
If Quinn walks away, the image of my father with my face replacing his slams into me.
Fuck that.
I am not going to end up bitter and alone, wishing my life away for a woman.
But I know it’s possible. I love Quinn that much.
If she agrees to marry me, I will give her the world.
I will make sure she has the home she dreams of, the family, the vacations—hell if she wants diamonds or combat boots, I’ll give her every damn kind she wants.
I just want her.
In my bed, in my arms and in my heart.
She stirs. Her small hand drifts up my chest and around my neck. “Noah.”
“Morning, sweetheart,” I rasp, lowering my mouth to hers for a soft and slow kiss. She blinks, and we stare at one another for a long moment. I watch as the cogs of her brain tick away, seeking an exit.
“I’m not letting you go.”
“There’s no way—”
I sit up, towering over her. “We’re talking this through and finding a way, but I’m not letting you go, Quinn.”
“I do love you; I meant that.” Her eyes fill, and I silently curse.
“I’ve known you love me for years. The only person surprised last night was you.”
She blinks at my brashness, and I shrug.
“I would give anything for this to be easy, for the—”
“Give me all the reasons. List them. One by fucking one, and I will obliterate them, Quinn.” I cup her face. “Because, baby, I am marrying you and putting a baby in that belly. One way or another, you need to be okay with that.”
She softly gasps. “You can’t just say that.”
“I just did.”
“You know—”
“List them.” I hold up my forefinger. “Number one. Go.”
Quinn frowns. “Every promotion you’ve recommended me for will be forfeited.”
“Fine, we will get an audit done by an independent commander and ask that you’re retested.”
She flinches. “Do they do that?”
I don’t know and probably not, but if they say no, it will prove that it’s completely unnecessary, and word will spread we asked for it, proving the entire point moot.
At least in my head, that’s how it works.
I’m grasping at straws here.
“Secondly, on that point, you do realize you are questioning my integrity. I would never have put other GIs in danger by promoting you to roles you weren’t capable of.”
“No, I never—” she starts to argue.
“Yeah, you did. By believing what you do,” I say pointedly.
Her lips press together, and her eyelids lower a little, ashamed. I’ve never brought this up before, but today I’m playing dirty.
Because I love her.
“Next?” I lift two fingers.
“Fine, I agree that does sound unfair to you, but people—”
“People will say and think shit, Quinn. You cannot control them. Have faith in yourself and respect the position I held at the time. That’s all I ask. We are moving on. Next,” I press.
She wriggles under me, and I lower my brows.
“Are you...?” Getting aroused.
“No. I am not,” she stammers.
Oh, so she likes me being dominant with her. Noted. My eyes lower to her naked breasts, and she takes my chin between her fingers.
“Noah Jenkins, if you want me to answer the next question, you need to empty your head of all sexual thoughts.”
“Damn, you play dirty,” I mutter.
“My father.”
“Ah...” My dick turns flaccid as quick as lightning. “He hates me.”
I always suspected he didn’t like me after I helped her with her car. I was her CO and older, so I took the hint, waiting for Quinn to admit her feelings and for me to discharge. It wasn’t worth causing any problems back then.
Plus, he was the colonel, and I heard what he said to me that day loud and clear.
From this point on, I expect you to keep a distance from my daughter to ensure there is no talk about a relationship with her.
Yes, sir.
“He,” Quinn glances away, and immediately I’m on high alert. Her eyes have clouded over, so I climb off and she sits, pulling the covers over her breasts.
I lean against the headboard and reach for her hand, tangling our fingers together. “It’s okay if he’s not a fan. I know you probably would prefer he loves the man you’re with, but I can handle it.”
Her eyes flick up to mine. “You don’t know.”
I frown.
She shakes her head and wipes away a tear that slips out.
“Quinn, what the fuck? What don’t I know?”
“It’s stupid. Well, it’s not stupid, but it's important to me.”
I’m dumbfounded, staring at her, waiting for her to explain.
“He never wanted me to enlist,” Quinn says, wiping her arm against her eyes. “Vehemently. From day one he told me I’d fail, that I should do something else. Be a wife and mother.”
Jesus.
Now I’m starting to understand. Our entire history replays with that perspective in mind, and I think about Quinn’s comments. His queries on her performance and second-guessing some of my recommendations.
“So, that day in the parking lot?”
“He accused me of sleeping with you. Of using my body to prove I was capable of succeeding in the military.”
“Fucking hell.” I run a hand through my hair and grip it. “That son of a—”
He might be my father-in-law one day, so I zip my lips. But the likelihood of that happening if he’s got a manipulative hold on her is low.
So how the hell do I get around this?
I twist, taking her into my arms. “Quinn, sweetheart, he is your father. It’s natural for him to want to protect you. What we do is dangerous.”
“Ugh.” She shakes me off and clambers off the bed. “See. You’re all sexist.”
I follow, getting to my feet, my dick hanging between my legs. “How am I sexist? I trained you.”
“But you think I should be home barefoot and pregnant with your baby.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I won’t.”
“You might.”
“I will NOT.”
“We never used a condom,” I remind her.
Her mouth falls open, and her eyes drop to my cock. Then up to me.
I take a step closer.
“I want that, but I also respect your role. It’s different. Your father is from a different generation. You could have decided to be an actress, and he wouldn’t like it.”
Quinn bites her lip. “Maybe.”
“Or a mechanic.”
“Probably. He would have hated that,” she agrees.
I take her hips and tug her closer. “Would you change careers to make him happy?”
“Never.”
The smallest smile teases my lips. “Do you want to be a mother?”
Her eyes soften and they meet mine in the most honest and vulnerable way I’ve ever seen.
“It’s okay to say yes,” I reply softly, roughly. “You can stay enlisted.”
Tears fall, one by one, over her silky cheeks.
“I do.” She nods, and her lips wobble.
Fuck, she’s breaking me apart. I tug her into my arms, and she sobs against my chest. I make soothing noises and run my hand over her hair.
That asshole.
The colonel has always been a sexist bully with a big mouth. How I never put two and two together is beyond me.
When I release her and brush her hair behind her ear, my questioning eyes land on hers.
“We belong together, Quinn. I’m not letting you walk away this time. I love you. Your father will need to accept that, and if he questions any of your skills and abilities, he can face me.”
Her eyes glisten as a naughty smile hits her lips.
She’s so goddamn beautiful.
“Oh, you like the idea of me standing up to your father, do you?”
“I mean, it wouldn’t be horrible,” she replies coyly.
I laugh.
Her eyes drop to my chest, to my tattoo as she runs a finger over it.
“Marry me.” I clasp her fingers. “Marry me, Quinn. However you want. We can run away to Vegas, have a huge wedding, fly to Hawaii, whatever.”
“Hawaii, you say?”
“Say yes, first.” I smirk.
“This is fast.” She tips her head.
“It’s not fucking fast; I’ve been in love with you for years.”
“Perhaps we should date.”
“Marry me.”
“Five dates.”
“Marry me,” I demand.
“Fine, two dates.”
“Marry me, woman.” I laugh as I slide my fingers through her hair and grip the back of her head. “Say yes.”
“Can we go on a road trip on your motorbike for our honeymoon?”
I lean closer to her mouth. “Say yes and you can road trip on my cock for the rest of your life; I don’t care.”
Quinn giggles, and I fall more deeply in love with her.
“Yes, Noah. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
My mouth slams down on hers, and we ignore every knock on the door for the next two hours.