Explosive Passion (4 page)

N
ot taking any risks with the one chance he had to eliminate the doubt he saw in Wynn’s eyes, he grabbed the open bottle of wine and a plastic container of strawberries and raspberries. Tonight he was going to show her all the positive things he could offer, because without a doubt the negatives would be rearing their ugly heads soon enough. The better he could show her how things would be when he was there, the less she’d doubt what was happening between them. At least that’s what the logical part of him said. The rest of him just wanted to get her naked again.

Closing the distance to her, he chuckled. He was falling for a woman that wouldn’t be just another fling. Only a short time ago he tried to sway Ace from getting involved with Gwen. The situation might have been different but still set forth the same results; the only difference was the child that Ace and Gwen were expecting in less than a month.
Oh how the mighty have fallen to the wiles of women.
He smirked and pushed the thoughts aside, his attention falling where it deserved to be: on the amazing Wynn.

“What do you have there?” She smoothed the blanket around her hips.

“Berries and champagne would have been better but wine will have to do in a pinch.” He topped off her glass before setting the bottle on the end table. “I’m going to feed you strawberries and we’re going to talk.”

“Talk?” Surprise laced her voice.

“Yes. Though we’ve run into each other for years at parties Ace threw, or family events he invited me to, and over the last several weeks planning the wedding, we’ve never really gotten to know each other. So let’s start there, and then, well, I have other plans before the night is over.” He took hold of the stem of the first strawberry. “You said before that your business takes a lot of your time, tell me about it.”

“Roll of the Diamond, it’s a little fashionable boutique just off the boardwalk. We only sell my designs there. It’s not huge, but it’s what I love doing. We also do custom orders, like Gwen’s wedding dress and my bridesmaid dress. The custom orders extend from everything to shirts, pants, a whole wardrobe, or even wedding attire.”

“I can see the passion in your eyes when you speak of the boutique. You love your work just as I love mine.” He dangled a strawberry in front of her lips, waiting for her to take a bite.

“I know.” She leaned just a little forward, lips closing around the strawberry; some of the rich juices drizzled down the corner of her mouth.

Without thinking about it, he ran his finger from her chin up to the corner of her lip to catch the liquid and licked his finger. Their gazes locked while she ate the last half of the berry.

“I know you could never be anything other than what you are. You’re a SEAL; it’s not just your job, it’s you, down to the very core. I know the dedication you have because I’ve seen it in Ace. You both are two of the same coin.”

He took a raspberry from the dish and popped it in his mouth. “I hadn’t planned to bring my work up tonight.”

“But it seeps in.” She took the raspberry he offered. “That’s what the military does. It affects every aspect of your life, making everything else fold around it in order to survive.”

“I’m seeing those doubts again.”

“Actually, just the opposite.” She took a long sip of the wine. “Unlike Gwen, I didn’t grow up with the military, but I have seen how it affects a life because of my brothers. Things can never be planned because deployments or training can come up; holidays and family events are missed for the same reasons. In a way, my life is just as complicated. I don’t deploy at a moment’s notice as you do, but the boutique demands everything of me. Maybe this type of relationship is one that can suit us both.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We’re both busy and enjoy our work, but it limits what we have to give to someone else. Taking this as it might be, and cherishing the moments we have together… There’s no reason we both can’t be devoted to what we love and still have time together. I have a feeling those times would be magical all on their own.”

“Oh my beautiful Wynn, they will be magical, but as I told you before I’m in this for the long run. I’m not going to be satisfied with brief encounters when our ships pass in the night and I don’t think you will be either.”

“How do you know what I’d be satisfied with?” She set the wineglass aside and moved up against the pillows. “I’ve done one-night stands and flings and they work for me. Boyfriends can’t understand my work obsession, even ones who are as dedicated to their profession. Too many of them see my designs as a hobby, not a business, but damn it, Roll of the Diamond is more than just a hobby or a way to make a living. It’s what I do, and making a living is a lot more than just what my boutique can do.”

“Wow, Wynn, I meant no…”

“No, I’m the one that’s sorry.” She dragged her fingers through her hair. “I love my business, but my mother just thinks it’s a hobby. Now that Ace has married and there’s a granddaughter on the way, she thinks I should be next. Give up my boutique, settle down and become a baby machine. That’s not me.”

“I never said it was.” He laid his hand on her arm, smoothing up and down it. “Your family always seemed supportive.”

“My parents are supportive of Ace and Lucky, but the hidden secret is that they hate my work. My designs are too edgy and revealing; they want me to close up shop and settle down with a nice man who can take care of me. That’s not me. I’m not Suzie homemaker who’s happy being barefoot and pregnant. I want a life and a career of my own. Why should I have to choose?”

“You shouldn’t. You can have everything you want and be married, even have some munchkins if that’s what you want.”

He hated to see her so frustrated. The very idea that her parents pressured her to give up something she loved ate at his stomach. He had been there with his own parents, and in the end it only made things tense between them. A trip home hadn’t happened in years, even phone calls to his parents were effectively nonexistent between because of the tension over his choice of careers. He didn’t like the idea that Wynn was suffering with the same thing. Maybe he’d talk with Ace and they’d see if the two of them could make the Diamond parents lay off of Wynn’s career choice.

D
iscussing her family and their views on her boutique made Wynn’s stomach churn. All her life she’d strived for her parent’s approval. The boutique was the first thing that was really against what they wanted for her. It was the one thing she wanted more than anything else was and she wasn’t about to give it up.

“Three days ago I received a call from New York. I kept it to myself because I knew what my parents’ reaction would be and I didn’t want to spoil the wedding.” She paused, unable to refuse when he dangled another strawberry in front of her.

“What did they want?” He pushed as she enjoyed the sweet berry.

“Me…well, my designs.” She swallowed, pushing the anxiety down. “I have seven days to prepare ten designs for them to evaluate. If they like them, I’ll have a small section in a boutique on Fifth Avenue in New York City.”

“That’s wonderful, congratulations!” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The wine lingered on his lips, mixing with the berries to provide an alluring combination. Wanting more, she slipped her tongue between his lips, allowed them to dance for a moment before pulling away.

“I’ve been dying to tell someone. I tried to get Lucky alone so I could tell him yesterday but he was so busy with last minute details and then the bachelor party. Ace and Gwen won’t know until they get back from their honeymoon and I didn’t want to tell my parents until things were official because I knew how they’d react.” She was rambling but it felt like a weight was lifted off her chest. Finally, someone knew, and better still, they actually celebrated it with her.

“How about when we make it back home, I cook you dinner and we’ll celebrate?”

“You don’t have to do that.” The kindness of his offer touched her.

“I want to, and don’t you worry sweet cheeks, I know how to cook. What do you say? Will you join me for dinner? We’ll make it back home tomorrow and I know you’re itching to get back to work, so how about the next night?”

“Okay.” She nodded, because dinner was the next step in seeing where what was between them could go.

“Good.” He held out another berry. “I hate to be the one to press a sore subject but when are you going to tell your parents?”

“As much as I would love to hear their support, I won’t get it, so I’m going to wait as long as I can. I’m sure one of my big-mouthed brothers will say something about it before I get around to it. There’s no reason to fight them if I don’t get it, so I’ll wait, and
if
I get the contract for the space in New York then I’ll deal with them.”

“I’m sorry they’re not more supportive.” He cupped her hand between his two larger ones. “I know it’s hard because I’ve been there.”

“Ace told me that you’ve lost contact with your family.”

Deep sadness fogged his face. “They don’t care for my career. If I’m willing to give it up then I can be included back in the family fold, otherwise…”

“I’m sorry.” His pain cut deep within her. Her family would never disown her, at least she hoped not, over her life choices.

“As you said before, being a SEAL is who I am; I can’t change, not even for my family. They chose not to accept me for who I am and I have to live with it.” He lifted her hand to his lips, gently laying a kiss on her knuckles. “I hope you won’t make the same mistake they did.”

“I won’t.” Their families’ disapproval wasn’t the first thing they had in common, but might very well be the strongest. “Ace mentioned before you have a younger brother, do you have any contact with him?”

“Not much. Once he turned eighteen, I thought things would change but he was in college. With our parents paying his tuition, he must obey their rules or the finances would be cut off, but even after that nothing changed.” His thumb ran over her knuckles, gently caressing them. “None of that matters. The designs you need to send, do you have them done?”

“Not yet. I have some designs on my desk at home. They’ve been lined up for the coming seasons, but I’m not sure any of them are good enough for New York. I have a young girl, Melody, who works in the boutique. She’s going to pick up a few extra hours so I can have some more time to design. Ideas are already running around in my head like demented mice, I just need to sketch them out. Once I get to work it won’t be long, well, that is if I can settle on the ideas that are best for this.”

“You’ll find the perfect ones to blow them away,” he reassured her. “I know next to nothing about the fashion world, but do you have to make the clothes yourself too? Can you do that in ten days?”

“All I have to do now is sketch them out. If they like my work, whatever ones they choose we’ll design and ship to New York. I have an in-house person who does all the actual sewing. I could do it, and did when the shop first opened, but now I focus more on the designing while still keeping a hand on the other parts.” She rubbed her hand along his cheek, the start of stubble pushing through his skin met her touch. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Asking about my work. I know it’s not your thing so it means a lot to me that you let me ramble on about it.” When he started to say something she ran her forefinger over his lips, only to have him suck it into his mouth. “When you’re not busy with the military what do you like to do?” The question came out breathier than she had planned, full of need, while his tongue circled the tip of her finger.

“A little of this and that. I enjoy being on the water, so I have a boat. It’s not much but it allows me to get out there and do what I want. It has a small cabin, mostly a bedroom, but there’s a small kitchen, so if I want to stay out on the water for days at a time I can.”

“I haven’t been on the water in years. The closest I seem to get any more is the view from my condo.” She tried to joke about it, but couldn’t quite finish it off with a smile. “This trip is showing me more than I wanted.”

He sat his glass aside, moved up next to her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Sometimes we need a little wake-up call so we don’t miss the life we were given. Too bad we can’t give our parents theirs and then maybe they’d stop doubting our career choices.”

“Do you ever have times when you doubt yourself? That maybe you put too much time into your career?” She shook her head before he could answer. “I guess you wouldn’t. The military decides how much time you do.”

“The military decides some, yes, but there’s always ways for a SEAL to go above and beyond. Our team has volunteered for missions when it wasn’t our turn and we do more training than others because Lieutenant Commander
Mac García likes to whip us into shape when we leave off a little too much steam.” He squeezed her tight against the line of his body. “You put extra time in when you love your job, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you take the time to enjoy life. One thing the military taught me is to live every day to the fullest. We’re going to do that. Once the weather is nice and you’ve signed that big New York contract, we’re going to go out on my boat for a few days, just the two of us, and celebrate.”

“That sounds ideal. I can only imagine the sunsets when surrounded by nothing but water. It will be the perfect way to celebrate but I’ll only go if you promise to make love to me under the stars. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

“I can do that, but first I’ll make love to you in front of this fireplace again, right now.” He reached around her, putting his hand on her hip farthest from him, and tugged her into his lap so that she was straddling him.

“A bit of an assumption that I want you, isn’t it?”

“No.” He nuzzled her neck, placing little kisses along its curve. “Your body screams your desires. You want me as much as I want you.”