Falling For Her Navy Seal…Again (6 page)

Part of him feared she wouldn’t commit because of his job, just like his mother. Another feared that her stubbornness would keep them apart.

He shoved another fork of hay on top of the pile. The exercise felt good. He hadn’t worked out, for fear of overexerting himself and his wound not healing right. As much as he missed his teammates, it was nice to take a break. He’d always thought it’d be hard to return to civilian life after spending weeks in the desert—or, at times, exotic jungles, depending on where his missions took him. Each time he returned home, he’d squander a few days puttering around on the farm or in the fields to avoid people and catch up with the old man. Only his dad knew what he needed, which was to come to peace with everything that had happened on the last mission and then he’d slowly make his way back to seeing his friends. The whole cycle would start all over once he got an order from his commander.

A noise broke through his thoughts. Footsteps sounded behind him, moving stealthily, quietly. He paused, alert, but continued his chore, throwing another forkful of hay onto the tall stack. Why would someone sneak up behind him? His fingers tightened around the shaft. He waited. He heard a small
clack
then the footsteps stopped abruptly, and he started whistling to make the intruder believe he was unaware of their presence. When the light pat of the footsteps started again and drew closer, he spun around and jerked his elbow up to strike.

Jenesi screamed. He would have struck her in the head, if she hadn’t ducked.

Matt lowered the fork to his side and stared at her in shock. “What are you doing sneaking up behind me?”

She straightened from her crouch and glared at him. “Do you try to kill everyone who
does
sneak up on you?”

“They shouldn’t sneak up on a person in the first place unless they want to get hurt.” He leaned against a pillar and eyed her pencil skirt and white satin blouse. Her hair was twisted up and her ears adorned with simple pearls. She reminded him of a classic 1960s housewife, and that weird tingling feeling started in his chest, as it did every time he saw her. Where had time gone that he no longer saw her as the tomboy in jeans and T-shirt? “What are you doing here?”

“Well…I thought you would like to hear about my day. I saw Bart.” She clasped her hands behind her and swiped her toe over a few strands of hay. Nervous energy rolled off her. He didn’t like it one bit.

Fury gripped him. On top of wondering why she didn’t want to spend time with him in public, she was still seeing her nerdy boss. He’d never known himself to be a possessive man, but when it came to Jenesi, no way he’d share her with anyone else. She belonged to him. But how could she belong to him when he never had her in the first place?

He didn’t say anything, showed no reaction, and watched a frown expand over her flawless features.

“We had an amicable conversation.” She settled her hands on her hips and tapped her toe on the hard dirt floor.

He continued to wait. No doubt she’d tell him that there was nothing wrong with seeing others.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?”

His brow lifted. Not that he intended to ruffle her feathers, but he needed some sign that she wanted to be with him. That they weren’t making a mistake by getting involved. Just something that showed she cared, dammit. “Aren’t you telling me anyway?”

She gasped. “Well, I guess you don’t want to know then.”

He shrugged. Then, just to rile her even more, he started moving the hay again.

“Matthew Hunt, you’re an ass.”

He glanced at her over his shoulder. “If you really think so. I’m not the one seeing two guys at once.”

“I’m trying to tell you what happened.”

“So, tell me.”

“Not if you’re being like this.”

He stopped. He hated the words he was about to say. It took everything in him to allow them to slip past his lips. “Maybe we were making a mistake. Maybe it’s a good thing you haven’t broken it off with your boss. We—”

“I ended it! He understood.”

He clamped his mouth shut.

“If you would just ease up a little, it’d be nice.”

He leaned the fork against the barn pillar then crossed his arms. “Tell me what went wrong last night.”

Confusion swarmed over her face. “What do you mean?”

“I asked you to be my date to Wendy’s party. You hesitated. I asked you to the movies, and you wanted to hide in your house instead. If you don’t want anyone to see us together then what are we doing?”

She bit her lower lip. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?”

Tear sprang to her eyes and she sniffled.

A sharp pang jabbed his chest. He itched to pull her against him but made himself stand still. “I just…I was worried about what people would say if they realize we were together and then you left.” She directed her gaze to the roof as if she was trying to stop herself from crying.

His insides softened. “I always come back.”

“I know. But you almost didn’t this last time.”

He sighed. “Come here.”

She gave him a scrutinizing look, and he almost laughed out loud. The lump in his throat dissolved, and he held out his arms. Without a word, she walked into his embrace.

Brushing his lips over her temple, he murmured, “I’m sorry.”

“Me too. Let’s not fight. Ever.”

He chuckled. “You think that’s possible between us?”

“No, but it doesn’t hurt to try.”

“I know how to keep you from arguing.”

She leaned her head back to look up at him. “Oh, yeah, and how’s that?”

With a grin, he bent his knees and picked her up.

“What are you doing?” She wrapped her arms around his neck in panic.

He gently threw her into the pile of hay before she could secure a grip around his shoulders. Jenesi landed with a laugh as he stretched out beside her.

Brushing a finger from her temple to her chin, he noticed her breath hitch as her amusement eased into something more intense. Her gaze landed on his mouth as he drew closer.

“Matthew, I’m scared.”

The vulnerability in her voice squeezed his chest. Warning bells went off in his head, but, somehow, resting here with her in his arms felt right. A sense of homecoming embraced him. The months of lying in the desert, thinking about her, made this seem surreal yet eased the ache in his heart. “Me, too. But let’s ignore everything else. It’s just us.”

“I like that.” She curled a hand around his nape and brought him to her. “Just us,” she whispered before she closed the distance between them and kissed him.

Pent-up passion turned her touch hot. He nipped at her, tasted her, reveling in her sweetness then slid his hand over her stomach and covered a lace-clad breast. She whimpered. Her size fit his palm perfectly. Brushing his thumb over the erect nipple, he then gently pinched the taut bud. He gathered her closer, and his hardness pressed against her thigh. She slipped her tongue past his lips to tangle with his. One arm pulled him over her, while the other slid under his shirt to slide across his back. Her reaction drove him wild; her nails scored his shoulder blades.

He tweaked the hardening bud again before undoing the buttons of her top and trailing kisses to her jaw, her collarbone, then watched each inch of skin revealed as he tugged her blouse from her skirt. The lace covering her breasts left his mouth dry. With one flick, he unclasped her bra.

A chuckle erupted from Jenesi. He met her eyes in confusion.

“What?” His voice came out husky and hoarse, which surprised him. Not one time could he ever remember wanting to burst from desire and having a woman laugh in the middle of it all.

“Just watching you do that….”

“What about it?”

“Done that often?”

He grinned. “Not often enough. It’s been a long time since I’ve loved anyone.”

Her features softened. “If you’re disappointed with me….”

“I’m not going to be. Trust me.” He grabbed her hand and brought it to the fly of his pants. “You think just any woman can do this to me?”

Her fingers gave him a squeeze.

He groaned. “Now you’re teasing me.”

She slid her hand over his waist and up, bringing his shirt along. “Take this off.”

With no complaint, he whipped it over his head. “Anything else?”

Her gaze dropped to his jeans.

“Slip your blouse off first.”

She grinned. He sat back on his heels to allow her up. Her bra slid to the side to reveal her full beauty. His groin pounded impatiently. Just the idea of gliding into her wet sheath had him worrying about combusting even before they’d get to it. She slowly let her shirt and bra fall off her shoulders. Her breasts moved with each breath she drew. They were perfect. He couldn’t remember seeing another woman as beautiful and well-shaped. And she was lying in
his
arms, not her nerdy boss’s.

He stilled when she lifted her own hands to her breasts and covered them. Her fingers pinched her rosy-red nipples, and he had to pull himself back from pouncing on her.

“Suck me here.” She stuck her chest out to him. He didn’t need another invitation. Circling her waist with his arms, he latched onto the button.

A keening sound burst past her lips. He continued his attention, drinking from her, teasing the bud until it became even more red and swollen. She tugged at his hair and let out another moan. Her reaction fueled his need.

He slipped a hand under her skirt; her tantalizing softness made him suck on her harder.

“Oh, Matthew.” Her breaths were coming short and choppy. He’d dreamed of what her wetness felt like but the moment his finger glided past the scrap of lace covering her privates and slid into heaven, he growled.

“Matthew!”

He loved hearing her say his name. It assured him she wasn’t thinking of anyone else. And, if he could help it, she was never going to think of another man. He wanted to own her, possess her, have every inch of her belong to him.

He stilled at the last thought.

“What’s wrong?” Jenesi tried to push him off to see his face, but he pressed her back into their bed of hay and started a trail of kisses over her stomach.

Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

He grinned. “I’m going to kiss you.”

She reached for him, but he gently knocked her hands away.

“Matthew, no one has ever….”

Determination gripped him. He wanted to be her first for something, something she could always remember him by. He bunched her skirt to her waist and took in the skimpy purple patch of lace covering her mound. “Pretty.”

“Matthew….”

“Who knew Jenesi the tomboy grew up into such a sexy woman?”

He glanced up to see a blush come over her cheeks. Her blushes belonged to him, too. He couldn’t understand his possessiveness. If she hadn’t tried to seduce him that first time, she probably wouldn’t have released this jealous monster inside of him.

Brushing a kiss over the fabric before he slid it down her legs, Matt kept watch on her reaction. She eyed him with intensity, noting his every move, his every touch. Her breasts bobbed up and down with each gulp of air she took in.

Moving in between her legs, he slid his hands over her knees and widened her position, baring her to him.

“I don’t think—”

“That’s your problem,” he said, remembering when he had shown up on her porch when he’d returned from overseas, and she’d slammed the door in his face. “You think too much.”

She giggled. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Not as incorrigible as you’re going to feel in a few minutes.” He lay down until her nether lips were in front of his face. His mouth watered. She glistened beautifully. He could tell she was as aroused as he was. Breathing in her musky, sweet scent, he took his first lick. He’d never cared for oral sex, but with Jenesi, he wanted it more than he wanted to live.

Jenesi whimpered. He made his tongue into a point and circled her clit, never once touching it. She moaned and tugged at his hair. He continued to play with her and used his thumbs to open her to his assault, sliding into her wetness.

The moment he closed his mouth over the tight bud, she bucked and let out a yell. Her body tensed, and he drank in each wave that tore through her until she lay limp before him. Climbing over, he pressed more kisses up her torso.

He unbuttoned his jeans as he reached her mouth and pressed his lips to hers. Her taste blended with his. She circled her arms around him.

Matt stilled when he heard a crunching sound from outside. He quickly pulled her skirt down and covered her with her blouse.

She stared at him in confusion.

“Put your clothes on. Someone is coming.”

Her eyes widened with shock then she moved faster than he’d ever seen her go. He almost laughed out loud as he buttoned his jeans and tugged his shirt on.

As Jenesi tucked her blouse into her skirt, his dad rounded the corner into the barn.

“What’s going on?” the old man asked.

Matt blocked her from view, but his dad wasn’t stupid. Especially not with the way he was grinning at them. He watched as his dad’s gaze dropped to the floor where Jenesi’s purple panties lay discarded.

“I see I didn’t need to come inspect. You kids carry on. See you later.” Gerald spun around and disappeared.

Matt turned to see Jenesi wringing her fingers in front of her. “Hey.” He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips. “It’s okay.”

“You think your dad knew what we were doing here?”

He blinked, noting the embarrassment coloring her face. Quickly giving her a smile, he shook his head and kissed her briefly on the mouth. “He probably has no idea. Don’t worry about it.”

She frowned. He smoothed his thumb over the stubborn furrow.

“Are you sure?”

He tried to hide his laughter, but the corner of his mouth lifted, and he glanced at her panties on the barn floor.

Jenesi groaned and bent to pick them up. “Oh God. I’m never going to be able to look him in the face ever again.”

He chuckled. “He’ll get over it. Besides, we’re both adults. It’s not like my dad thinks I’m a monk.”

She frowned. “That’s not comforting.”

“I’m serious.” He drew her into his arms. “I’m not going to lie, but I haven’t been with anyone since our last time.”