SEAL the Deal(70)

Mick feigned offense. “I have a feminine side.”

Lacey laughed, tracing her full palm down his sculpted chest, along his abs, and then grabbing the length of him, already standing at attention. “Oh, yeah? I’d be interested to see where you keep it.”

Mick drew in his breath at the aggressive touch. “Keep grabbing me like that and I’ll buy you a whole closet full of ball gowns.”

Her laugh was low and seductive as she reached for the condoms, grateful to find one left in the near-empty box. She pushed him over onto his back and straddled him. “I’m not interested in buying out the gown section at Nordstrom’s,” she said as she toyed with him. “I’ve got what I’m interested in right here.” With him in her firm grasp, she lightly touched the tip of him against her own moisture, without letting him enter her. Stroking him, she teased him, dipping him slightly into her heat, and then pulling her body away.

“You’re killing me, lady.”

She smiled at the control she had over him now.

Or so she thought. Within a split-second she found herself flipped over and pinned to the ground.

“All that Special Forces training finally comes in handy,” he said, smiling at her whimper of surrender as he plunged into her.

Kissing her savagely, he wrapped her legs completely around him, and brought himself to his full height, still joined with her. Her eyes shone with surprise at being carried up the stairs with him still pulsing deep inside of her.

She was on the bed now, she realized in a dizzying confusion, feeling herself sink into the lush duvet. He kissed her more gently now, as though being surrounded by the softness of the bed had somehow softened him. But it wasn’t gentleness she craved now, grabbing his thick arms and digging her fingernails into him. “Don’t hold back with me this time, Commander,” she practically growled, capturing his lips with hers. Fiercely, she raked her hands against his chest, her body almost sizzling as her fingers touched his scars. Now that she had glimpsed into his world, she found herself desperate to be taken by the warrior in him.

Mick’s hands seized her hips now, and his teeth grazed along her delicate skin, urgently needing to finish what he began.

With Mick’s headboard ramming against the wall in a desperate rhythm, their lithe bodies tumbled and twisted in possession. At last, they gave themselves to each other completely, melting into each other.

Lacey’s eyes were glazed over. “Wow,” she said in a drawn-out breath, swearing she could see steam rising from their melded bodies.

His chest still heaving from exertion, his eyes met hers—mellow, half-opened, and filled with satisfaction. She could feel the rawness of the skin around her lips from his kisses, and glanced down to see pink marks on her arms revealing where he had gripped her too tightly.

“Dammit, Lacey. I shouldn’t have been so rough with you. You’ll be bruised tomorrow.”

“Mmmm. I hope so,” she purred. “Why are you apologizing? This other side of you is sexy. Real primitive.”

“Yeah, that’s one word for it. Something about the way you mounted me like that. Grabbed me. Teased me. Made me want to...”

“Give me a spanking?” Lacey laughed playfully.

Amusement crept into his eyes. “Okay, so obviously my apology is unwarranted.”

“And unnecessary. Mick, it’s nice you have all these different sides. Sometimes you’re so sweet and gentle like a big teddy bear…”

Mick let out a laugh.

“… and other times you are so protective—very alpha male. And this time, I could see the warrior in you. It’s like getting a glimpse of the you who goes into battle. You never share that side of you with me.” She bent over him and kissed him deeply. “I love all the different aspects of you.”

Damn! Her eyes suddenly widened. Did she really say that word out loud? It was too early to use the “l” word lightly. 10. 9. 8… She could hear the countdown begin till he ran screaming from the bed stammering some excuse about a place he needed to be right away.

In desperation, she backtracked. “I mean, I love all those aspects of you, in the enjoyment sense. You know, the way I love ice cream, and Scrabble, and Maeve and Bess. Not anything…”

He pressed a finger to her lips, obviously to save her from embarrassing herself further.

“You didn’t answer me about one thing, Lacey.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, eager to change the topic. “What didn’t I answer?”

“Whether you will be my date to the ball. I’m buying you a gown and that’s the end of it. I needed to figure out something to get you for Christmas, anyway.”