Chayton's Tempest (37 page)

her. “What’s wrong, baby?”

Tempest held up a hand to stop him. “Nothing. I just

want you to know how much having you with me has helped.”

Tempest licked her lips and wiped her palms on her shorts.

“Part of me did want to step off that cliff. I just wanted

something. Needed something.” She moved toward him. “You,

James. You were what I needed.”

Maverick pulled her into his arms and she never

hesitated. She sighed as his strong arms closed around her.

“Thank you for not letting me fall,” she mumbled into

the fabric of his shirt.

“I will always be there for you, Tempest, if you’ll let

me,” he said in a sincere voice.

“I just wanted you to know how much what you did

means to me.” She held him as tight as she could.

“Baby. I’m so sorry I put you through all that.”

“Hush. Stop apologizing. It’s over. I just wanted you to

know, how much it meant to me having you here with me.”

His heart constricted at her words.
Tell her,
his mind

screamed.
Tell her you love her.

He opened his mouth, but the words didn’t come.

Instead, he closed his eyes and tightened his hold on her. His

nose buried into the thick strands of her hair.

They stood in silence until Dakota stuck his head in and

shook his head with a slight smile. “I’m going to bed.”

“Night,
Dak
,” Tempest said, turning her head toward

her son.

“Night, Mom.” He walked over and kissed her cheek.

“I’m glad you’re back home.”

Without leaving his embrace, she touched her son’s

cheek. “Me too.”

Maverick watched as eyes identical to his glanced at

him.

“Goodnight, Dad.”

“Night, Son.” He laid a hand on Dakota’s arm and

squeezed.

Dakota trotted out of the kitchen, yelling, “Don’t do

anything I wouldn’t do!”

Tempest buried her head deep in Maverick’s chest and

moaned. He could only laugh and then he kissed her.

“I’m
gonna
kill him,” she groaned.

“Well, I think we have a pretty open book on what we

can do tonight.”

She smacked him. “Shut up. I don’t want to think of my

son having sex.”

He laughed again. “Where do you think you’re going to

get grandbabies from?”

Pulling back, she stuck her lower lip out at him. “Is it too

much to pray for a stork?”

He scooped her up in his arms. This was where she

belonged. In his embrace. Spinning her around, he said, “No

storks for you.”

“Damn. I was hoping to keep him a virgin forever.”

His phone vibrated. “Hang on, baby.” Once her arms

tightened around him, he used on hand to answer. “Maverick,”

he answered.

It was Shelia calling as ordered. He said goodnight to

her again and clipped his phone back on his pants. With a

quick move, he tossed Tempest over his shoulder and smacked

her on the ass. He kept her there as he locked up her home,

despite her struggles. Entering her room, he shut the door and

set her on the floor.

“You are an amazing woman, Ms.
Burnell
.”

She winked and pulled off her shirt. “You’re not so bad

yourself, Mr.
Lonetree
.”

His cock pulsed in his pants. The white of her bra was

vivid against her beautiful skin. He arched a brow and prowled

closer. His hands ached to touch her. He wanted to lose

himself in her body. Longed to make love to her in her own

bed.

I want her for the rest of my life.

Her dapple-brown gaze was filled with mischief as she

undid the button on her short shorts. He growled low in his

throat an immediately closed the remaining distance between

them.

“Temptress.” He hauled her up against him.
I have plans

for this woman.
“My sexy little temptress.”

The buzz awoke Tempest. She cracked open her eyes in

time to see the man in her bed reach for his cell phone.

“Maverick,” he said in a low whisper.

She snuggled deeper into her mattress. They’d been

asleep for barely an hour. Maverick had made slow tender love

to her until both were exhausted.

“Really?” he asked. “Okay. I’ll be leaving now. I’ll get

the next transport and meet you there.” He paused. “Yes, I’m

with her. She’s sleeping.” He grumbled. “No, I’m not letting

you talk to her. I’ll call for a ride. Goodbye.”

Tempest rolled toward him and scraped her nails down

his muscled chest. His skin was smooth, hairless, and warm.

One of his hands covered hers as he placed another call. He

brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on it. His voice

smoothed across her naked skin as he spoke to someone on the

other end. She knew he was leaving. That was what a call at

four in the morning meant.

She slipped beneath the covers and took his cock in her

mouth. A chuckle escaped her as he gasped and hung up

within seconds.

“I have to go, Tempest,” he ground out.

“I don’t want to keep you; should I stop?”

His hands delved into her hair, holding her in place.

“Hell no!”

She took him in her mouth and didn’t stop until he

tossed off the covers and lifted her up only to bring her down

on his wet and ready erection. It didn’t take long before she

was screaming her release into his mouth. He shuddered

beneath her, thrust up two more times, and exploded within

her.

Her heart pounded as he rolled them over so she was on

the bottom.

“I have to go,
mitawin
.
”

He pulled out of her but she kept her legs tight around

him. She didn’t want to be sad, but it was hard. “What does

that mean?”

He kissed her nose, got out of bed, and tuned on a light.

“It is a word I will never call anyone else. I have to get ready. A

car will be here soon to get me.”

“I could drop you off.”

“No, it’s fine. But thank you. I’m going to use your

shower real quick, okay?”

Tempest nodded.
Why didn’t he want her to take him?

Sitting up more, she wondered what to do. She climbed out of

bed and tugged on some sweats and a heavy tee shirt. She had

the outside light on and a cup of coffee for him when he

emerged from the bedroom, bag in hand.

“Here,” she said, handing him the mug.

“Thank you.” He took a drink.

Words were clogged in her throat. She didn’t want him

to go. As if he understood, he dropped his bag, set the cup

down on the table, and gathered her close to him.

“I’ll miss you,
icamna
sapa
.
”

What was she to say? She didn’t know the appropriate

words at a time like this.

Headlights flashed in her living room as a car turned

into her driveway. Maverick had returned his rental before

dinner so there wasn’t even that reason for him to come back.

“Ride’s here.”

She walked from his arms to the door and opened it. A

very attractive blonde woman in a uniform greeted her.

Tempest ran her hand through her bed hair. She felt dowdy

next to the sharp-eyed woman before her.

“I’m here to pick up Lieutenant
Lonetree
,” she said.

“I’m ready, Petty Officer. I’ll be right out.” He pressed

up against Tempest and his clean, masculine scent swarmed

her.

Tempest crossed her arms and turned sideways so he

could pass. He stopped in front of her. The pretty blonde came

for the bag and she disappeared again, leaving Tempest alone

with Maverick.

He stared down at her, his expression muted by the

partial lighting. “Until next time,
mitawin
.
I’ll see you soon.”

Blinking back tears, she said, “Goodbye, James.”

“Not goodbye. I will come back to you. I will always

come back to you.”

She swallowed her tears. “Goodbye, James.”

He frowned at her. “I’ll be back, Tempest.”

“You should get going.” Her voice was gruff and she

knew he could hear her tears.

His kiss was gentle, yet extremely thorough. “Don’t

forget me,
mitawin
.”

He walked toward the car with the waiting blonde and

climbed in. Tempest couldn’t see his eyes, but she felt them on

her. They were intimate and searching.

As the car backed out of her driveway, she closed the

door, not wanting to see him go. She headed back to bed,

shutting off lights on her way.

“James,” she whispered once more as she climbed into

bed, her nose burying into the pillow he used. Tears fell as she

returned to the world of
Morpheus
.

Twenty-Four

The days flew by. B’s Quarry being so extremely busy

helped keep Tempest’s mind off Maverick.
Funny,
she thought,

I think of him as Maverick but call him James.
Either way, helped

was the operative word. It was hard not to think of him.

As she wiped down the top of her bar, the door opened

a lone, beautiful woman with long blonde-brown hair and a

black bag slung over her shoulder entered. Golden skin was

obvious by her tan shorts and white tee shirt. She moved with

an elegance that made Tempest stop and take a second look.

Wow!

Tempest noticed the men in the bar watching her as

well.
I hope trouble doesn’t start because of her.
It wouldn’t be the

first time a fight had started over a woman in her bar.

The woman came straight up to the bar and slid onto the

last vacant stool.

Tempest moved toward her. “What can I get you?” she

asked.

“
Cuervo
Black and Coke, please.” She had an accent

Tempest couldn’t place.

“
Comin
’ right up.” Tempest placed the drink down

before her. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” She slid some money across the table.

Tempest smiled and quickly made change. “Enjoy.”

As she moved away, the woman said, “Are you

Tempest?”

She turned back slowly. “Yes. Do I know you?”

The blonde smiled over the rim of her glass. “No. I’m a

friend of Maverick’s.”

Tempest’s heart sank.
Do I have to go through this again?

“And?” she questioned, not censoring the bite in her tone.

The woman chuckled. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean for it to

sound like that. I’m married to Hondo. My name’s
Xaria
.”

Tempest smiled as she recalled the sole black man of the

group of men that had come to see Maverick, and, apparently,

her and her son.