Withholding Evidence (11 page)

“Ladies first.”

She laughed, then glanced around. “Is it strange that I’m nervous? I mean, the last time we got to this point, the world went boom.”

“We can take this as slow as you want. We don’t have to make love. The room comes with HBO.
Game of Thrones
is on.”

Her laugh was sharp as she grabbed his belt and pulled him toward her. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy—or rather, not getting off—I’m not leaving here until you’ve rocked my world.” She’d dispensed with the buckle before she finished speaking.

He grinned. “Good, because
Game of Thrones
is a repeat.” He bit her shoulder gently, then nipped along the crest to the base of her neck. She smelled so good—a scent that was flowery, clean, feminine. Sexy as hell. Trina through and through. “And I really want to be inside you.”

She tugged down his zipper. “I can make that happen.” She dropped to her knees, and before he caught his breath, he was inside her mouth. She opened her throat and took him deep.

“Babe—” He lost the ability to speak as she stroked her tongue up the base of his cock, then tightened her lips for a fast slide down the shaft, again taking him all the way to the back of her throat. Trina’s sweet, hot mouth on his cock, the way she barely grazed the tip with her teeth, then slid and sucked was intense. And God, the way she looked, with those sexy glasses perched on her perfect nose as his cock disappeared into her mouth. This was every fantasy he’d had in the last lonely week, times ten.

Her hand wrapped around the base of his cock, and she stroked in time with lips and tongue. The sensation was enough to bring him to the edge, so he pulled back, sliding from her hot mouth.

There was no way he was going to let her get him off so soon. He had his own tasting and exploring to do. “Babe, get naked and get on the bed.”

She kicked off her shoes as he did the same. He doffed his jeans and briefs, then helped her with her slacks. Once she was stripped of all but her bra and panties, he scooped her up, crossed to the bedroom, and deposited her on the bed.

He stood back and let his gaze feast on her. She was slender and fit. Flat belly, smooth skin. Her hands covered her beige bra, hiding her shape from view. He met her gaze and shook his head. “I want to see all of you, Trina.” He settled on the bed next to her and lifted one of her hands. “Every delicious inch.” He kissed the inside of her wrist. “You are beautiful. Perfect.”

“I’m not exactly busty.”

He undid the clasp of her bra and removed the small scrap of fabric, then he took one nipple into his mouth as he stroked the other breast. He lifted his head to meet her gaze. “Perfect.” He read the doubt in her eyes and realized she was more self-conscious than she wanted him to know. He took her hand and placed it on his erection. “Babe, this is how I react to your body. I couldn’t be more turned on if you were a D-cup. Your breasts are gorgeous and
you
. Anything more wouldn’t be you.” He grazed a nipple with his teeth, then sucked it into his mouth. “And if you want, I’ll spend all night showing your breasts exactly how much I appreciate them.”

She smiled then, all traces of insecurity gone, the confident sexy woman he’d been fantasizing about for a week back in charge. She pushed at his chest, forcing him onto his back. “You’re the one who is perfect. My God. Do you work out six hours a day?”

He laughed as her hands explored his chest, the look on her face making every painful minute in the gym worthwhile. “Not
that
much. At least, not since I joined the navy—the whole first year was one long, brutal workout.” She licked an ab, and her tongue trailed south. “Oh, no you don’t, babe. It’s my turn.”

A quick shift had her on her back with him leaning over her. He flicked his tongue across one nipple, then the other, sucking on the point, loving the feel of the pert tip on his tongue.

He moved lower, kissing her belly, nipping and nibbling until he came to the juncture of her thighs. He pulled off her underwear, then spread her legs and passed his thumb across her clitoris. She bucked as if receiving an electrical jolt. He smiled and stroked her clit again. Again, she twitched and this time let out a soft pant. He leaned closer to take in her aroused scent.

He didn’t think it was possible, but his erection reached new heights.

He spread her lips. She was wet and ready, but he wasn’t about to rush this. He licked her clit, then slid his tongue inside her, thrusting deep. His thumb found her clit again and rubbed in time with his tongue. Her thighs clenched against him, and she gasped, a full-body reaction that transferred to him like an electrical current.

Trina turned him on and lit him up like no other. He’d decided to stop asking himself why and just enjoy. And right now he was seriously enjoying the way she felt against his tongue. And he loved the way she threaded her fingers through his hair as her thighs clenched. Intensity built, and she pulled back, only to push against him a second later, craving his touch as much as he needed to taste her.

He brought her close to the edge with his mouth, then pressed his fingers to her clit, holding her there. He slid up her body and kissed her, hard and deep, all while his fingers applied steady pressure.

She reached for his cock as she sucked on his tongue. She soon found a rhythm that kept him in the same state of unending arousal. “I’m not on any kind of birth control. And I don’t think I’ve ever regretted that decision so much as right this moment.”

“You think I’d lure you to the Ritz and forget the condoms? That would be like planning an op but forgetting to bring bullets.”

She laughed. “Where?”

“Nightstand drawer.”

She released him and crawled across the king-size bed. Her ass looked amazing as she bent over the drawer to grab the box.

She returned with a condom, pushed him onto his back again, and tore open the packet. But she surprised him and took him into her mouth and sucked all the way down before releasing him and rolling the condom over his erection.

Once he was sheathed, she straddled him and took him inside, slowly descending until he was seated to the hilt.

She felt fucking amazing. And the way she panted and mewed as he filled her only added to the intensity. She leaned forward, bringing them skin to skin—her soft, flat belly to his abs, her nipples brushed against his chest—as his cock thickened even more inside her.

He placed his hands on her hips and thrust from below, holding her for a slow, sensuous slide as his cock stroked her inside. She kissed him as she rode him, her tongue doing to him what his cock did to her.

He shifted his hands to her cheeks, releasing her mouth so he could look in her eyes. “Babe, I can’t touch your clit unless you sit up. Do you need—?”

She shook her head and gasped. “No. I’m there.” And then she arched her back and let out the sexiest breathy sound he’d ever heard. Her body quaked. She didn’t stop rocking her hips against his, even as her orgasm continued. The hot friction of his thrusts combined with the electric-like jolts of her body pushed him over the edge, and pleasure ripped through him in a sharp, intense torrent.

She gasped and collapsed against him. “Holy hell, that was amazing.”

He chuckled, causing her to bounce on his chest. “Agreed.”

“I suppose I should have taken my glasses off, but I wanted to see you.” She ran a hand across his chest and down his abs, tracing the indentations between muscles, as if his body were a maze to be solved.

“I frigging love your glasses. Leave them on. Always.” He tugged at her bun, which had loosened as they made love. “I sort of have a thing for your sexy-librarian look.”

She laughed. “It’s not a look—it’s just easier to wear my hair up, and I’ve never liked contact lenses.”

He nibbled on her neck, his heart still slowing, loving everything about holding her and feeling a contentment that was new to him.

She shifted, and he slid out of her. He disposed of the condom, then gathered her against him.

“How long do we have?” she asked.

“If you want, Sean can pick you up and deliver you to work in the morning. Cressida sent over an overnight bag—in case you decided to stay.”

She cupped his cheeks. “I want to stay.”

He kissed her. “We’ll order room service for dinner.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Keith made the order, then they lay in bed, touching and talking, avoiding serious subjects like bombs and destroyed homes and top-secret navy ops. She told him about her family—she was the middle child of three girls and moved to DC from Ohio for graduate school—and he indicated that he had a family but didn’t offer more.

“I know you went straight from high school to the navy. Did you always want to be a SEAL?”

He paused. Her question came dangerously close to one subject he wanted to avoid—his father. But if this were going to develop into something more than a tryst in an expensive hotel, he’d have to share his past. And he
did
want more with Trina. For the first time in his life, he didn’t have to worry about leaving someone behind when he was deployed. He didn’t have to settle for a superficial relationship.

“No. I wanted to be quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. I even had a full-ride scholarship to Notre Dame—just like Joe Montana.”

“But you went into the navy instead. Why didn’t you go to the Academy in Annapolis, where you could have played football?”

“It was too late to apply to the Academy when I joined.” He pulled her close to his side and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “I attended Notre Dame for all of two weeks and played in one college football game. I was a true freshman, backup QB. Opening game of the season and we were losing—badly. I was sent in at the very end. I threw two passes—both completed—but I was also sacked twice. We lost. Three days later, September eleventh happened.”

He paused. Trina, a military historian, might understand how that day had changed him, but few people in his life then had. His girlfriend at the time hadn’t gotten it. Some teammates hadn’t understood. His dad certainly didn’t.

His dad
still
didn’t get it.

He hoped to hell Trina would understand.

“Dreams of being Joe Montana didn’t sit well with you after that, did they? You were, what? Eighteen? Physically fit if you were playing college ball, and you had nothing holding you back. Someone had to go to Afghanistan and find bin Laden.”

He pulled her tightly against him, unable to mask the surge of emotion. “Yes. Everything I’d dreamed before that day felt hollow. There was a navy man in me all along. I just hadn’t known it.” Here, he came close to the sensitive subject, but telling her felt right. “The military had never been an option when I was growing up—my dad was adamantly opposed, pretty much antigovernment in whatever form.

“My teammates, some of them understood. Others felt like I was judging them for not stepping forward, like I thought football was worthless and if they chose a sport over service, they were shallow. But I was doing what
I
needed to do, what felt right for me. There was no judgment. And, hell, I still love football.” He stroked her back. “I quit school that week and joined the navy. I’ve never regretted it.”

“I’m curious. Why the navy? Afghanistan is landlocked.”

“That decision was for the SEALs. My goal from the first moment I joined was to get into the SEALs.”

She touched the healing cuts on his shoulders and arms, the last remnants of the explosion they’d survived. “Why did you leave?”

“I’d served. I decided it was time to have a life. Plus I have a friend who is going through some stuff…health issues…and I wanted to be nearby. I left the navy three months ago. When you’ve lived on adrenaline for years, it’s hard to come down, so I was taking a break before looking for work. I’d considered using the GI bill to start school in September, but now Rav has offered me a job. Something better than anything I’d be offered even with a college degree.”

“Do you think the explosion has something to do with the job?”

“It’s more likely it has to do with the SEALs.” His heart kicked up again. “Trina, I assume you know what I did for the SEALs.”

She nodded. “I’ve read your service file. You were a sniper.”

He let out the breath he’d been holding. “You’re okay with that?”

“Of course. I know one well-placed bullet can save a thousand lives.”

Sometimes the number can be as high as five thousand.

Given her background and the firmness of her words, he believed she meant it. He could fall in love with this woman, and crazily enough, the idea didn’t seem…crazy. A knock on the door stopped him from saying something foolish. He kissed her lightly on the lips, then got up and threw on jeans while she ducked into the bathroom.

Minutes later, room service delivered, she joined him, wearing a plush hotel robe, and sat next to him at the small table.

She took a sip of her wine, then asked, “So how long do we play hide-and-seek and meet only for covert trysts?”

“We won’t do this again. If someone was following you, it won’t work twice. I only decided it was worth the risk because there’s been no sign you’re being monitored at all. But that could change, and I don’t want anyone realizing you’re important to me, and coming after you.” He’d just admitted she was important to him—probably too soon, but like joining the navy, something he refused to regret.

Her gaze held an intensity that she left unvoiced. She cleared her throat. “So… What are we going to do?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet.” He set down his fork. “I’m hoping you’ll be willing to wait. At least until we know more.”

“Of course.” She paused. “I’m not ready to put a name to this”—she swept out her hand to indicate her robe, him, the ornate hotel room—“but I know it—
you
—are worth waiting for.”

He’d heard those words before—once he’d even wanted to hear them—but this was the first time he both wanted the words and believed them.

C
HAPTER
N
INE