McKenzie, Cooper - Her Knight in Dusty BDUs [Men Out of Uniform 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (6 page)

Keeping her back to him, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m fine. I think you should go home because I’m too tired for sex tonight. I’m sorry.”

She jumped when warm hands covered her shoulders. They gently massaged the sore muscles there before turning her around. She kept her head down, staring at Bailey’s chest so she did not have to see the disappointment or anger in his expression.

“Sweet Lady Eden, I would love nothing more than to love on you in every way I could for the rest of the night, but even more, I would be honored if you would allow me to simply hold you while you sleep.”

“Just sleep?” she asked, lifting her head to look at him in surprise.

“Yes, sunflower. Just sleep.”

He pulled her in and hugged her gently, kissing the top of her head. She sighed and leaned more heavily against him, feeling what was left of her energy quickly drain down and out of her feet.

Just as she was about to tip over into sleep standing up, Bailey squeezed her tighter. “Let’s get you tucked into bed.”

She nodded against his chest in agreement. When he released her and took a step back, she swayed then took two staggering steps toward the bed, not concerned that she probably looked like a drunken sailor. On the way, she stripped off her clothes. By the time she reached the bed, she was naked. She fell onto the mattress then rolled over and smiled sleepily at Bailey as he pulled the covers up to her chin.

“Go to sleep, sunflower. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Okay,” she sighed as her eyes drifted shut and sleep claimed her.

* * * *

Bailey used the bathroom before sliding into bed next to the woman he believed stronger than ever was made just for him. As soon as he settled on his back, Eden rolled over and snuggled up next to him. He sighed as her body fit against his perfectly. Yep, he thought, Eden Xavier was the woman he had been looking for since he was old enough to know the difference between men and women.

He lay for a long time just holding Eden, breathing her womanly scents and wishing he did not have to leave for the other side of the world in less than two weeks. If he had his way, he would stay right here with a warm woman by his side for the rest of his life.

He smiled and petted Eden’s head when she shifted against him, snuggling even closer. “You’re mine, sunflower,” he whispered to the dark. “Mine, mine, all mine.”

Chapter 6

“What the holy fuck is going on in here?”

Eden woke with a jump and a squeal. She tried to roll out of bed to face the intruder standing, but a thick, hard bar across her back held her tight against the warm, hard body she was half lying on. When she considered things in the next second, that was probably a good thing. She was, after all, naked. Opening her eyes, she found that her brother stood in the doorway looking like his head was about to pop off. The last thing he needed right now was to see her in all her curvy nakedness.

Shifting against the man, she felt soft cotton separating her upper thigh from his erect cock.

“Good morning, Adam,” she said, trying to ignore the hand that was slowly inching its way down the side of her body back to her hips then across her ass.

“That’s all you have to say to me? Good morning, Adam? Eden, who the hell is that guy, and what the fuck is he doing in your bed?”

“He and I were sleeping quite soundly until you so rudely woke us up. What do you want?”

“It’s two o’clock in the afternoon, and you haven’t been in the shop today. When I checked downstairs, Crow said he hadn’t seen you today. Since you didn’t come home last night, I got worried. Eden, who the fuck is that guy?”

Eden lifted her head so she could wink at Bailey without her brother seeing. “Who did you say you were again?”

“Eden, you didn’t bring home some stranger!”

Bailey met her gaze and grinned back at her, ignoring her brother. “John Hungwell, condom testing panel.”

Her brother gasped then growled as Eden began to giggle. “Oh, yeah, now I remember. You were sent to investigate a complaint of condom malfunction, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Bailey nodded as his grin grew wider. “Can’t have condoms malfunctioning, especially in such a high-use area as this one.”

“Eden Eloise Xavier, get your ass out of that bed and talk to me!” Adam growled as he set his feet shoulder width apart and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Adam Bartholomew Xavier, get your ass out of my bedroom so I can get out of bed, put some clothes on, and talk to you.” Eden frowned at her brother. “And close the door on your way out.”

Adam growled again then turned and left the room, slamming the door closed on his way out. Eden then looked over her shoulder at the man whose hand was now nestled between her ass cheeks with two fingertips tickling the opening of her pussy.

“John Hungwell?” She giggled.

Bailey shrugged. “All I could think of on such short notice. I thought it was funny.”

“I did, too,” she said, stretching up and kissing him. “Good morning.”

“And good morning to you, sunflower,” Bailey returned as his fingers left her pussy and began exploring all the interesting places to be found in the vicinity. “If we stay here and ignore him, do you think your brother will go away?”

“Eden, I’m waiting,” Adam bellowed through the bedroom door.

“Don’t think so. Why don’t you get a shower, and I’ll get rid of him.”

She was not surprised when Bailey shook his head. “How about I talk to your brother man to man?”

“Because he’s got a short temper and a fast fuse that’s already burning. I don’t want to have to explain to the Marines why one of their officers is broken into tiny pieces.” Eden gently extricated herself from his hold and rolled out of bed.

Going to the closet, she found an oversized T-shirt hanging on a nail. She pulled it on and smoothed it down, making sure it covered all her bits and pieces. She then ran her fingers through her hair, spiking it high and proud. When she returned to the bedroom, she found Bailey standing beside the bed wearing his jeans with the top two buttons undone. His boxers lay on the unmade bed.

She lifted her eyes up his impressively muscles body to a pair of gray eyes that promised sex as soon as they dealt with this intruder. “What happen to your boxers?” she asked.

“Took them off. If your brother’s going to jump to the wrong conclusions, might as well let him go all the way around the bend and back again.” Bailey winked.

“You’re an evil man, Bailey Hawks,” she whispered as she took his hand. “But I think I like it, you alpha dog, you.”

Taking a deep breath, Eden opened the door and stepped into the main room. Bailey followed a step behind.

“Okay, Adam, I’m here. What do you want?”

“I want to know what the fuck is going on around here. Two nights ago you were bitching that all men were tissue-wrapped turkey turds and now you’re in bed with some jarhead I’ve never seen before?”

“Hey,” Bailey said, taking offense at the other man’s tone more than his words.

“Boys, if you’re going to fight, please take it to the parking lot so I can sell tickets,” Eden said, stepping between the two men before walking to the kitchen area where she put on coffee.

“And, brother, if you must know, Bailey is my knight in shining armor. He rescued me the other morning when your truck ran out of gas. He did it again last night at closing time when I was too tired to make it home under my own steam. So step off and leave him the fuck alone,” Eden said, her voice remaining soft, but intense.

She met Adam’s gaze squarely, not backing down when he took a step toward her, obviously confused by her actions.

“But, Eden, what do you know about him?”

“What does it matter to you whether I know nothing but his name, or if I know his entire family history back to before the beginning of time? This is my life, my personal business, and my apartment. I don’t come into your bedroom and demand answers from you and your chickie of the week, do I?”

Adam’s cheeks paled. “No and you damn well better not,” he said indignantly.

“Then what makes you think you have the right to come in here and throw a hissy fit about who I have in my bed?” she asked softly.

Adam looked at her and blinked as his brain processed her reasoning. Then he turned and looked at Bailey, who had remained silent. “You do anything to hurt my sister and I’ll hunt you down and make you regret it for the rest of your life,” he warned.

Bailey nodded. “Fair enough, but the last thing I want to do is hurt her. I think I’m falling in love with her.”

Eden gasped at the ease with which he made that last statement. As the coffeemaker began its gurgling cycle, she crossed the room and moved to look at Bailey. Only a few inches separated their nearly naked bodies. “What did you say?”

She was so focused on Bailey she almost did not notice Adam walk out, closing the door behind himself.

“I said that I think I’m falling in love with you.”

“But you don’t know anything about me,” she said as fear chased away the initial shock of happiness that such a statement brought.

“I know you are a hard worker, put friends and family before yourself, and need a man in your life to protect you and keep you safe.” Bailey wrapped his arms around her back then slid his hands down to cup her ass as he pulled her to lean against him.

They both sighed at the full-body contact. When he began to back into the bedroom, Eden followed easily.

“There are some things we need to talk about, but first, I think some good morning sex is the next order of the day,” Bailey said with a thread of power in his tone. He pushed his hips into hers and rubbed his erection back and forth against her belly.

“Mmmm, yes, please,” Eden agreed easily as her pussy dampened in preparation for whatever he wanted to do.

As they edged across the room toward the bed, she slowly shimmied her full breasts and beaded nipples back and forth against his chest, causing them both to suck air with excitement.

Bailey released her ass cheeks to take hold of her shirt and pull it up her body. This forced her to release him and lift her arms over her head. Once her shirt was off and tossed away, his hands went to her hips and held her where she was as he took two steps back.

She whimpered as he looked, then sighed happily when he bent forward and gave her left nipple a kiss and a quick suck. He then did the same to the right before standing tall again.

“So damn beautiful,” he murmured, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

She wanted to argue, but his expression warned that he would not hear her even if she did. Instead, she dropped her gaze to his jeans. Reaching out, she undid the few buttons holding them on then pushed them down as far as she could. He smiled as he lifted one foot and then the other, kicking them off.

“Mmmm,” she said, closing the distance and running her hands up and down his sides before they wrapped around his back. She palmed his tight ass cheeks as she shifted her lower belly against his erection and looked deep into his eyes. “I want.”

“And how do you ask for something you want?”

“Please fuck me.”

“Please, who?”

* * * *

Bailey asked the question, wondering how far he could push her into submitting before she pushed back.

“Please, Sir, may I sit on your cock?”

“Oh, I like that idea, sunflower,” he said, sitting down before moving to the center of the mattress. He wrapped his hand around the base of his steel-hard cock, which had begun to drool against his abdomen. “I like the thought of you riding me very much.”