Alex (In the Company of Snipers) (25 page)

He had smoothed her hair off her face, and kissed her gently. That made her cry even more.
What a novel idea—a man who cares if he hurts me.

When she could finally speak, she had sounded like Minnie Mouse. “It’s just that I’m happy and I love you so much.”

“Ah, Kelsey.” The love in his eyes said it all. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

And that’s where she had fallen asleep last night, held tight in the arms of the man who treated her like the most precious thing on earth.

This morning she had time to think. In her old life, she would sneak out of bed as early as possible to escape any close encounters of the uncomfortable kind. Today was different. Her body felt sore, but in a pleasant, well used kind of way that made her smile instead of cringe. Where Alex had touched, she tingled. He had taken his time, doing things with her body that made her—want to. His hands smoothing over her breasts and abdomen had excited. He hadn’t kissed her with a mouth tasting like cigarettes and tooth decay. And he smelled heavenly. Whatever he had splashed on when he shaved, she intended to make sure he had another bottle.

As he stretched against her now, she relished the feel of his hard body against the bare softness of hers. He grunted, his hand wandering down her ribcage, lingering for a fraction of a second at her waist before he cupped her bare bottom. She shivered, daring herself to bump into his hand.

“Now you know,” he breathed into her tangled, messy morning hair. “I can’t be held responsible if you keep doing that.”

So she bumped him again, and that’s all it took. With an unexpected growl of energy, he rolled her onto her back, covering her from head to toe with his body. A kiss to her forehead, and she was shy, not willing to meet his eyes. Her breath caught.
What have I done?

Smoothing a hand down the side of her cheek, he peered into her face, trying to get her to look at him. “Good morning, brown eyes.”

She smiled, the tremor of fear quickly replaced with anticipation. The smiling glint in his eyes only heightened the heated sensation in her stomach. She ran a tentative finger along his whiskered jaw. Every part of this man was deeply tanned and muscled. Whatever he had done to get so physically in shape while he was gone, it agreed with her.

“Hi.” She wished she sounded incredibly sexy like Marilyn Monroe or Madonna or some other on-screen vixen, but all she heard was squeaky Minnie Mouse again.

“Hmm, you’re much quieter this morning,” he teased, and instantly the searing heat of a blush covered her face, neck, and, well, everything. Yes. Last night she had certainly been a little noisier. Okay, so she had been pushy. He hadn’t minded, but she was embarrassed now. Common sense had flown out the window then, and in came something definitely, wow, so unlike her. But now?

“Ah, huh.” She knew it the minute she opened her mouth, whatever came out would be dumb. She was right, but all those feelings splashing around in her muddled head made for so much confusion. Here she lay naked under the most handsome man in the world, and he eyed her like a delectable morsel. To make matters worse, her body betrayed her at every turn, arching toward his touch, flushing at his words, and pleasing him of its own accord. The heady sensation of him sprawled over her brought forth thoughts she had never entertained before. Even the stupid smile on her face was revealing, as if any part of her wasn’t.

“Are you a morning person?” He nuzzled under her chin, his breath hot and heavy. She tipped her head back to allow him more access to her body. The heat in her belly clenched tighter as his tongue played across her breasts in little circles of tingling sensation.

“May-be.” She blinked at the hunger in his voice. Right now she would be a morning, afternoon, evening, or an all-night-long person if he wanted.

“There’s one way to find out,” he teased.

How could six simple words sound so hot? With soft nibbles and kisses he made his way over her chin to settle on her mouth, his lips and tongue gently insistent while his hands and fingers wandered to her other willing body parts. And they were so-o-o willing.

Where she had been accustomed to pain, now she shuddered with tremors of pleasure under his gentle persuasion. Where she had experienced harshness, he whispered enticing words that sparked shivers of anticipation. She pulled him close as he pushed into her. It came so naturally. Surprised by the depth of wanting every part of him, she wrapped her legs around him. And it was happening again.
How does he do this to me?

“Ah, ah, oh Alex,” she cried, her nails digging into his shoulders like she couldn’t get enough of him. A quivering wave of fireworks exploded deep inside again and the pleasure of it pushed her higher. She arched upward, suspended for a breathtaking moment in space and time, weightless, and totally absorbed by this man. There was nothing, but him. His arms. His legs. His breath. Him. All past memories evaporated in the cleansing, burning embrace.

He groaned as he held her tight in a final push. They clung to each other just as they had the first time. A fleeting thought of death tugged, but at last, she knew better. If she died now, she would die a very satisfied woman.

Panting, he collapsed on top of her, his weight pressing her into the mattress. Again the tears flowed she didn’t want him to see. She squeezed him tight, hoping he would stay right where he was until she got herself under control. He didn’t. Alex rolled to her side, propping his head on his hand to see her better. She heard the concern in his voice as he wiped the trail of tears off the side of her face.

“Are you okay?” He kissed her soggy cheek.

The tears wouldn’t give her a break, and her voice wasn’t any help either so she nodded.

A sexy smile tugged at his lips. “That’s all I need to know.”

Finally brave enough, she said, “I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

For some reason that made him grin. “Good.”

He wrapped her in the comfort of his body then pulled the sheet up to cover them both. She was content just breathing in the smell of him, and listening to his strong heartbeat. For the first time in all her limited experience, sex felt good. Instantly she upgraded her choice of words to great, but even that didn’t feel right. No. Exquisite. These two times with Alex were exquisite, like first time ever moments. And the best part, she wasn’t afraid. She hoped he felt as good as she did, because she felt really good.

He kissed the top of her head. “I love you.”

She sighed along with him. “Me, too.”

Alex

When Alex finally left his boring little cracker box house, it was two mornings later and he had upgraded his opinion of his house to home again. The twenty-five cradles didn’t get painted, and he had missed more consecutive days of work than he had missed in his entire career, but he didn’t care. His over the top work compulsion had at last taken to a back seat to a very delightful lady.

By then they had spent forty-eight hours in lovemaking and play the likes of which he could not remember. They had explored each other’s bodies, minds, and anything else that got in their way. While their first encounter was ruled by nothing but passion and heat, the next encounters were more deliberate and romantic, even a little enlightening.

She seemed like a woman out of a time warp, so timid one moment but rowdy the next; one minute shy, the next over the top curious. And that’s why he had needed two more days off. All her explorations turned her on as much as him. Eventually, they made it into the shower. Eventually, he had ordered the pizza, which they ate in his bed along with a bottle of wine he had saved forever. And eventually—they got out of bed.

They only made it to his front room. Kelsey spread a mattress of blankets and pillows in front of the old fireplace that hadn’t been used in years. “I thought you were mad at me when you came home from Afghanistan,” she admitted as they lounged together on the makeshift bed. She lay comfortably on his chest, propped up on one elbow and tracing little circles on his chest.

He smoothed his hand over her hair. She had so much of it. Even now it fell like a silky cascade of tangles through his fingers. “I was playing it cool.”

“Me, too. It’s funny. I wanted to run to you and away at the same time.”

“I didn’t help much, did I?”

“And I was afraid.”

“Never be afraid of me, okay?”

“Mostly, I was afraid what you’d think of me. It’s so soon after ….” She let her words trail away.

Alex sighed deeply. “It’s called survivor’s guilt, Kelsey. You’re going to live with it the rest of your life. Get used to it.”

“Do you have it?”

He nodded.

“Sometimes, I just want to be alone.”

“I can be a mean bastard.”

“You’re never mean,” she protested.

“Oh, yes.” He of all people knew better. “I am. It’s a rut I can’t pull myself out of sometimes.”

She kissed his chin, her fingers trailing through his hair while she studied his face. “I think of that last day, and I want everyone to leave me alone.”

“That’s because a part of you still wants to die.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ve got news for you. You’re here now, and I’m never going to let you.”

She stifled a small chuckle.

“Are you laughing at me?”

“No,” she smiled. “Well, maybe. You just sounded so cute when you said that.”

With a playful growl, he rolled her over. Of course she ended up beneath him, pinned with her arms over her head, and still giggling. He secured her wrists with one hand and ran the other down her ribcage to the hem of her T-shirt, which was really one of his USMC shirts anyway. With a quick flick of the shirt, he bared her belly and gazed down at her perfect navel just above the line of her panties.

“Hold still.” He placed his lips just below her navel. She tensed, her breaths shallow and fast. Pausing for effect, he drew in a big breath, and blew a big sloppy raspberry into her tightened abdomen. Goose bumps covered her from head to toe. This woman was highly responsive to his touch, and he loved touching.

“Alex. No.” She laughed and wriggled, but he held her fast as he launched another lip smacking raspberry all over her tummy. The more noise he made, the harder she laughed until the raspberries turned to fervent kisses. He pushed the shirt up under her chin and bared her breasts. They were so small. The unlikely possibility that she had ever caught his eye on the street humbled him. He had been looking for the wrong woman all these years.

“You love it when you laugh.” He smoothed a hand over each breast as he studied them with reverence. This woman was beautiful at so many levels.

“It’s my best asset, huh?” Her eyes glistened with lustful mischief.

He looked down at her bare body with an evil smirk. “Ah, no, but it’s definitely in the top three.”

She arched against him, her head thrown back with another delicious giggle. “I feel like dessert.”

He covered her mouth with his as emotions took over. Words escaped him. Kelsey was so much more than dessert. She was an oasis in a parched desert, meat and potatoes in a concentration camp, and oxygen in the middle of chemical warfare. She was everything he had rejected for so many years, now come back to him tenfold. The enormity of her innocence and love humbled him. When the kiss ended, he held her tenderly with his face in her chest, this gift he so did not deserve.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, her hands on his cheeks even as she lay half naked beneath him.

“Nothing,” he whispered hoarsely. “I’m just loving you.”

She wrapped her arms around his head, and he felt her kiss on the top of his head. Her sigh told him everything.

She was happy, too.

“Toast?” Kelsey asked as she poured him a cup of coffee to go.

“No, ma’am. Just coffee. Black.”

“I already know how you like your coffee.” Kelsey’s eyes twinkled. “I know a lot about you, Mr. Stewart.”

“And I know a lot about you.” Alex came up behind her at the kitchen counter, gathered her hair into a ponytail, and nuzzled the nape of her bare neck just above her robe’s collar. She leaned back into his chest. “If you keep this up, I’ll never get to work.”

Accepting the challenge, she set the coffee pot down, turned and wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes were melted chocolate drops he couldn’t resist. Here he was trying to make a living, but she was so wonderful to love and too difficult to resist. Kelsey was contagious. Everything about her took his breath away. With all the willpower he could muster – and it wasn’t much—Alex kissed her one last time before he lifted her onto the countertop and out of his reach. He shook his head to clear his thinking.