Greeley's Spyce (32 page)

call a car a ―she‖ not when, as Dez claimed, a good car could damn near give

her an orgasm. In fact, Kacy had even begun to think along the same lines;

her Camaro was a ―he‖ to her as well, for Dez‘s logic made sense to her.

―I do.‖ She grinned at Kacy. ―Now, what do you have planned for

me in here?‖



Ernst grumbled as he got out of the chopper. They had been gone for

over a week and he just wanted to corner Kacy and love her until she agreed

to marry him.

―Hey, Ghost!‖ Ross yelled to grab his attention.

He shouldered his bag and waited for his teammate. ―What?‖

Gray eyes were direct. ―Can you give me a lift?‖

Clamping back the groan that threatened to escape, Ernst nodded.

―Sure thing.‖ He didn‘t want to, though; he wanted to go to Kacy‘s house.

―Thanks, man,‖ Ross said, falling into step beside him.

The two men tossed their bags into the back of the truck and scurried

inside. The day was cold; there was no other way to describe it.

―Where‘s Dez?‖ Ernst asked.

―At home with Charmane. She dropped me here since we were at the

doctor‘s when I got paged.‖

―Everything okay?‖ Ernst turned the heat up.

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―I hope so. I left before the results came back. She has just been really

tired lately.‖ Ross said with a shrug that was not as relaxed as Ernst knew he

wanted it to be.

―I‘m sure it will be.‖ Turning into the driveway that led to Ross Con-

nelly‘s new home, Ernst was amazed at the changes he saw from the last

time. There were construction men building an access strip between the shop

and the soon-to-be track. ―Wow. I bet she is getting excited about opening her

business again, isn‘t she?‖

―Man, she lives to work on cars. We already have people lined up for

when the new shop opens.‖ Pride was evident in Ross‘ voice.

He parked next to Ross‘s sports utility vehicle and put his truck in

neutral.

Ross looked over at him and said, ―Shut it off and come in, man. You

know Dez and Charmane are going to want to see you.‖

Almost reluctantly, he turned off his truck. Grabbing his jacket, he

got out and closed the door behind him. He stood and watched Ross look at

the house before facing the shop and waving him along. The faint drone of

music could be heard.

―She‘s working in the shop,‖ Ross stated as the two men headed

across the lawn.

With a sigh, Ernst prepared himself to feel out of place while Ross

was welcomed home by his wife. Moving into the shop, Ernst found his feet

adhered to the floor like they were covered in cement. He couldn‘t move.

The sight before him made his heart catch in his chest. Kacy‘s car was

there, hood up. Loud, pulsing music filled the shop and the two women in

coveralls were dancing and singing along to the music. Hips sashaying, hair

bouncing, they were both gorgeous, but his eyes couldn‘t move away from

his own epitome of perfection. Koali Cynemon Travis.

His mouth grew dry and it seemed she was suddenly moving in slow

motion. Each seductive sway of her full hips was crystal clear. He watched

her hands move up to lift her thick hair off her neck and a full-blown smile

bloomed on her face as her eyes stayed blissfully closed. The way her hands

followed the contours of her body made him rock hard in a millisecond.

Her full mouth singing along with the music made him ache. She

looked so beautiful, so tantalizing, so alluring. So his. When she growled low

in the back of her throat he almost lost it, for he could feel that purr vibrate all

the way to his soul.

Flicking a glance to Ross, Ernst was surprised to see him wink. Then

he jerked his head towards the women. Ernst smiled in thanks at his friend.

Side by side, the two Navy SEALs went to claim their loves.

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - N I N E

Kacy felt flushed. Her body temperature had skyrocketed. Her body

was crying out for release. Each hair seemed to be charged with electricity.

Sexual electricity.

She didn‘t understand it. Nothing like this had happened yesterday

when she and Dezarae were dancing in the shop. Kacy swallowed hard as

she tried to moisten her dry mouth.

Opening her eyes, Kacy halted as her eyes found the reason her body

was reacting this way. Ernst.

He stood before her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Deza-

rae in Ross‘ arms. Too soon, however, her gaze moved back to settle on Ernst.

He had on a black leather jacket and she could see a dark gray shirt

underneath. Her hungry eyes took in the black BDUs he wore and the heavy

black combat boots. He was here, he was breathing, and he was still so damn

handsome.

Her tongue swiped across her lower lip, an action that jolted him into

motion. Before she could say anything, his hand was buried deep in her hair

holding her head immobile as his mouth plundered hers. His other hand

grabbed her firm ass and jerked her closer as his fingers dug into the cove-

ralls and her flesh.

Kacy stiffened for two seconds before losing herself in his demanding

kiss. Her tongue swirled around his, toying with it. She sucked on it like it

could save her soul from damnation.

Drawing his mouth off hers, Ernst fought to regain his breath. The

hand in her hair never loosened. He moved the one from her ass up to her

face and gently wiped away the salty tears that had begun to fall.

His gaze was ferocious, yet tender as he watched her. ―Let me go,

Ernst.‖ Her words were raspy with emotion, one of which was plainly desire.

―Never.‖

―According to you, I made my decision,‖ she snapped, trying coura-

geously and foolishly to hold onto her anger.

―I was an idiot. A stupid, jealous, irrational—‖

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187

―Moronic,‖ Ross offered, only to receive a glare from both his wife

and Ernst. With a lazy lift of his shoulder, he carried his wife out of the shop,

leaving them alone.

Ernst nodded. ―He‘s right. I was moronic. I was so blinded by my

jealousy of Jake that I couldn‘t see straight.‖

This had to be a dream.
Shaking her head, Kacy backed away, brushing

his hand from her hair. ―No. I can‘t do this again. I have to protect myself.‖

Turning from him she walked to her car and slammed the hood.

Ernst reached for her. ―Kacy.‖

―No. You hurt me.‖ With a speed neither of them knew she pos-

sessed, she jumped in her car and within was tearing out of the garage,

heading for parts unknown.

Unloading a string of curses, Ernst ran for his truck. Jumping in, he

headed for her house.
Oh ,hell no, Kacy! Not this time.

Pulling into her driveway, Ernst turned off his engine. Determination

set in the planes of his face he climbed out and strode to the front door.

Ding-dong.

He heard movement but she never came to the door. His glacier eyes

narrowed as he raised his voice so she could hear him. ―Kacy, come open this

door. We need to talk.‖

Nothing.

Finally, her door opened but not all the way. The chain across it pre-

vented his entrance. ―We have nothing more to say to one another,‖ she said.

His voice softened. ―Don‘t do this, Kacy. Let me in.‖

―No.‖ She slammed the door in his face.

A roar of rage tore from him as he put his shoulder into the door and

let himself inside. The safety chain couldn‘t hold up under the force of his hit.

Kacy spun around as the door flew open to admit a cold, furious, and

damn good-looking Ernst. Her copper eyes were wide as he whipped the

door back closed behind him.

―Did you really think that would keep me out?‖ Powerful, measured

steps brought him closer and closer to her.

―Get out,‖ she whimpered. Her body trembled from everything this

man exuded. All of it made her want him, beg him to take her and not stop

until they were both exhausted.

―No,‖ he vowed. ―Not this time, Kacy. I was dumb. I admitted that. I

was jealous; we covered that as well.‖ Closer and closer he came.

The air filled with the power of the emotions flowing off of his body.

A feral look was in his eyes and she knew he was almost out of control. Kacy

felt no fear from him, though, only arousal.

―You made your choice.‖ Her words were little more than a weak

protest.

188

Aliyah Burke

―I changed my mind.‖ His voice was a low growl of promise.

Shaking her head in denial, Kacy began to back away from him.
I

can’t let him touch me. It will be all over if I do.
―You don‘t get to.‖

That slowed him a fraction. ―Why not? I‘m only human. I make mis-

takes.‖

Her brain twisted that so she could be angry at him. ―So, what, now

I‘m a mistake?‖ Kacy‘s scorn raked him.

He moved before she could blink. It was as if he‘d leaped the remain-

ing distance between them. One second he wasn‘t, the next he was…right

there. In her face. Surrounding her with nothing but hot, hard, and extremely

angry maleness.

―If I was a man taken to hitting women, I would beat you for saying

that, Koali Cynemon Travis.‖ His words were barely comprehensible as he

shoved them through clenched teeth.

Lean fingers latched like vices on her upper arms. His face lowered to

get right into hers. Kacy could feel the sparks that flew from his eyes. ―Go

ahead,‖ she taunted recklessly even though she knew in her heart he

wouldn‘t
ever
lay a hand on her in anger. ―Do you think you can hurt me

anymore than you already have?‖

―You, Kacy.
You
are the one hurting yourself, hurting me. Not me. I

have owned up to my stupidity. I came back.‖ His lips descended until they

were scant millimeters away from hers.

Her eyes widened before she shoved him in his chest as hard as she

could. ―No!‖ she screeched.

Tightening his hold on her, Ernst jerked her in closer. ―Yes!‖ His

voice was just as low as hers had been high. ―You are going to have to do a

hell of a lot better than that to get rid of me.‖ His head cocked to the side.

―Got anything else?‖ His nostrils flared.

―You are just going to hurt me again!‖ she wailed.

―Never again,‖ he vowed. ―Kacy, I would sooner kill myself than

hurt you.‖ The anger left his voice, leaving in its place raw honesty.

―I hate you!‖ she forced out between her teeth.

―Not good enough. Can‘t you do better than that? Come on,‖ he

goaded her. Ernst knew she had to face the immense anger she had kept

welled up in her body for so long if they were going to even have a chance.

He would force her to confront it.

Her eyes darkened with uncontrolled rage as she jerked her knee

upwards. ―Bastard,‖ she seethed.

Turning his hips at the last second, Ernst felt her knee connect hard

with his thigh. He hadn‘t thought she had it in her and was extremely glad he

had blocked it. ―Nope,‖ he mocked her, laughed at her. ―Can‘t even do that.

Try again.‖

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189

A deep keening cry rose from her throat, one of despair, fear, lust,

and a myriad of other emotions. Ernst bit the inside of his cheek to stop

himself from allowing her to back away from the feelings she needed to

release so badly. He hated to see her like this, but it
had
to be done.

Kacy flew at him in a rage. Arms flailing, legs kicking, she turned

him into her own personal punching bag. Tears streamed down her cheeks as

she managed to land blow after blow to the man before her.

Ernst blocked most of the blows and allowed her to do what she

needed to do. Her rants involved yelling at a nonexistent Kirby to howling

over the fact she didn‘t know her parents.

It took a while before her fury abated. When it did, she was ex-

hausted. Her body sagged and at the feel of strong arms holding her, she

looked up. Ernst met her gaze; there were still unchecked and barely

controlled emotions in his eyes, but they were amorous as they met hers.

―Better now?‖ he asked in a gentle tone. He could see mortification

fill her copper eyes and she tried to pull back. ―Uh-uh, Kacy.‖

―I‘m so embarrassed.‖ Her voice was scratchy from the yelling and

crying.

―It had to be done. I‘m so sorry I had to push you into it, Kacy, but

we didn‘t stand a chance until you did.
Ich liebe dich, liebling. Ich liebe dich
. I

love you.‖ He wiped away the tears from her silken skin.

Looking to the floor, Kacy didn‘t resist when he tipped her head back

up so he could met her gaze. ―I hit you,‖ she said remorsefully.

―Yes, you did.‖ A wry grin crossed his face. ―A few times.‖ He so-

bered at the humiliation on her face. ―Kacy, I‘ll be fine. You needed to do

this.‖ Ernst kissed her lips lightly. ―I love you, Kacy. You know I have loved

you for a long time.‖

Shaking her head, Kacy put her hand over his mouth. ―No.‖ At the

flare of unbridled emotion in his eyes, she continued. ―Let me talk.‖

And talk she did. Three hours later, they were curled up on her bed.

Ernst held Kacy in his arms as she finished what she had to say. He‘d stayed