A SEAL's Surrender (Alpha SEALs Book 3) (11 page)

His hands slid beneath her head, cradling it, and he kissed her.  It was tender, sweet, the kiss of a man who’d gone years without making love to a woman.  Maybe he’d slept with other women during their time apart, but this moment, this night?  He’d made love to her.  Passionately.  Thoroughly.  With his cock buried deep inside her, his hard body covering hers, and his lips on her mouth, she was lost only to him.

Deep brown eyes met hers, he kissed her once more.  Completely.  Possessively.  Making her feel like she was the only woman in the whole wide world.

Christopher muttered a curse as he glanced, bleary-eyed, at the text on his phone the next morning.  It was five freaking a.m., before the sun had even risen, and they wanted him back on base in thirty minutes?  What the fuck was going on?

Lexi lay naked beside him, bathed in the earliest light of morning.  She was securely nestled in his arms, and they both were buried beneath the plentiful blankets he’d piled in the back of his truck.  It was cool, probably only in the fifties, but with the warm blankets and the heat they’d generated throughout the night as their bodies joined, they’d created enough heat and combustion to power a locomotive.  For an entire year.

Her warm body tucked against his was the sweetest thing in the world.  She curled up against him like she was his.  Lexi was so small and soft compared to his mass and strength, and he’d held her close and kept her warm all night long.  A soft sigh fell from her lips, and he brushed a kiss against her soft cheek, regretting that he had to wake her up so that he could get to base.

The buzzing of the phone in her purse jarred him back to reality.

What in the hell?

He nudged her awake, his breath catching as violet eyes met his.

So fucking gorgeous.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice heavy with sleep as she met his concerned gaze.

“I just got called back to base.  And your phone’s buzzing as well.”

She abruptly sat up, blankets falling around her, and her full breasts caught his attention, all creamy skin against rosy nipples.  She shivered in the cool morning air and quickly wrapped a blanket back around herself.  This was not the fucking time to feast on Lexi again, but holy hell.  The woman was a sight to behold.  What he wouldn’t give to wake up beside her each morning.  He wanted Lexi in damn near every way a man wanted a woman.  If that included making her his forever, then so be it.  He’d loved and lost her once but didn’t think he could survive losing her again.

Lexi flashed him a knowing smile as his eyes slid back up her body.  She reached across the back of the truck for her handbag as his cock stood to attention.  She looked like a goddamn seductress sent down from heaven only for him.  Like a goddess bathing in the early morning light.  He wanted to roar in approval at having taken her in his truck last night—at making her come again and again for him.  The next time he had her, it would be in his bed.  And hell if he’d ever let her leave without agreeing to be his forever.

She flicked her raven hair over her shoulder as she bent forward, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the screen.

“Damn it.  I’m supposed to be there, too.  Who the hell is Commander Ryan Mitchell?”

Christopher’s gut churned.  “My CO.  Why the fuck is he contacting you and me at this hour?”

“Do you think it’s about the hackings?”

“Don’t know why else he’d contact you.  He’s the one who asked me to sit in on your briefing yesterday.  But he’s in charge of my SEAL team, not network security on base.  This makes no sense.”  Christopher scrubbed a hand across his face.  They’d gotten little sleep for the second night in a row, and he’d hoped to take Lexi back to her hotel for a hot shower for two and room service.  Now they’d have to book it to get to base on time.

Lexi tossed her phone into her bag and rustled around in the blankets.  She slipped on her bra, making his mouth water at the sight of her lace-covered breasts.  Unaware of his reaction to her, she looked around.  “Where’s my dress?”

Christopher snatched her sexy black panties from beneath where he sat.  “Are you gonna let me keep these?” he asked, his eyes glinting.

“Give me those,” she chastised, reaching for them.  Christopher hauled her into his arms and up over his shoulder as he hopped down from the bed of the truck.  He was hard as steel; thank God no one was around to see them both frolicking here naked on the beach.  He had a massive hard-on and a nearly naked woman slung over his shoulder.  Hell if he didn’t wish they could stay here forever—just the two of them, alone by the sand and water.

A breeze blew off the ocean, rustling the sea grass that grew up by the dunes.  People would be along soon—early morning walkers, maybe even a few military guys getting in a long run before a day on base.  But for the moment?  The deserted beach was theirs.

“Put me down!” she shrieked.  He lightly swatted her bare ass with his hand, loving the way she squirmed.  He could have her wet, dripping for him in no time, and regret filled his chest at being unable to spend any time this morning kissing and loving on Lexi.

“I’m taking you to dinner this weekend.”

“You want to talk about this now, while I’m half naked?”

“I want to do lots of things with you half naked—preferably fully naked.”  It was hardly a time to be fooling around, but hell if he didn’t feel lighter than he had in years waking up with his woman at his side.

His woman.

He liked the sound of that too damn much.

His hand palmed her bottom, briefly skimming over the smooth skin.  The round globes of her ass were driving him insane.  Unable to stop himself, he turned his head and gently sank his teeth into one bare cheek, marking her, letting her know she was his.  She shrieked and squirmed more, and he could smell the scent of her arousal.

“Fuck, baby.  I’d give anything to stay here this morning with you.”  He gently set her down in the soft sand, handing her the panties he’d held tightly in his grip.  She slipped them on, her violet eyes wide with arousal.  He snagged her sundress from the back of his pick-up, not liking the sight of her shivering in the morning air.  As she slipped on her dress, he tugged on his boxer briefs and pants, then grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around Lexi like he would a small child.  His lips brushed against the top of her head, the sweet smell of lavender slamming into him.

“Tell me you’ll stay here with me,” he said, his voice thick.

“We have to get to base,” she said uncertainly.

“Here down at Little Creek.  I can’t stand having you tucked away at the Pentagon, not after finally finding you again.”

Her face fell.  “Christopher, I’ve built my career there.  I can’t just up and leave.”

He didn’t like the uneasiness settling in his gut.  If he hadn’t been such an ass, they could still both be back in Coronado, living happily ever after and all that shit.  He was the reason she’d fled across the country, had built a successful career for herself at the Pentagon, and was no longer within his reach.  The ache in his heart was his fault alone.  But he’d be damned if he’d let her go without putting up the fight of his life.

***

Lexi took another sip of her scorching black coffee as she strode down the hall beside Christopher.  He’d dropped her back at the hotel, and she’d taken the fastest shower of her life before putting on a black suit and speeding over to base.  Not without stopping for a little high-octane to fuel her morning.  She’d woken sleepily in Christopher’s arms, content and ready for a lazy morning of lovemaking before heading in, and instead she’d been yanked from her slumber, called in for what was likely another screw-up relating to the hackings.

Christopher had greeted her in the parking lot on base, guiding her through a labyrinth of corridors.  Her heels clicked against the hard floors, and Christopher grumbled beside her.  He was all business compared to the softness he’d shown this morning—jaw clenched, shoulders pulled back, face set in stone.  She wasn’t sure if he was angry they’d been called in so early or upset she’d said she’d eventually return to the Pentagon.  There was no time to wonder now, because after turning the corner, they were standing in the office of his CO.

A tall, hard-looking man in his mid-forties stood before them.  He had dark hair cropped short with traces of gray around the temples and stormy gray eyes.  He was massive and intimidating.  Despite being older than Christopher, he looked like he could hold his own against a younger man.  An equally intimidating man around Christopher’s age stood beside the commander, with dark hair and cool blue eyes.

“Sir,” Christopher said, saluting the older man.  “Patrick,” he nodded at the other guy.

Commander Ryan Mitchell introduced himself to Lexi and asked them all to be seated.  She sank down into a chair beside Christopher, crossing her legs.  She was used to sitting in meetings with military officers at the Pentagon, but Patrick’s cool blue gaze had her shifting uncomfortably in her seat.  He looked like he could be a member of Christopher’s SEAL team, he was so big and massive, but he wasn’t one of the men she’d seen the other night at Anchors.  His gaze swept between her and Christopher, a knowing look on his chiseled face.

Freaking fantastic.

“This is Patrick Foster, leader of SEAL Team Alpha,” Ryan said.  His gray gaze settled on Lexi.

Patrick caught her eye and nodded.

“What’s this about?” Christopher asked, eyeing his commander.

Ryan cleared his threat, glancing between the two of them.  “As you know, Lexi’s been sent down from the Pentagon to address the attempted hackings.”

“Yes, sir.”  His lips pressed tightly together, his face giving nothing away.  This man was the hardened SEAL, the warrior.  He was all business meeting with his CO and didn’t even bother to glance in her direction.

Lexi nodded at the senior officer, her face flushing.  Christopher seemed unaffected, unfazed.  His face was set in hard lines.  Maybe he was good at compartmentalizing his feelings, but he’d made love to her all night long.  Kissed her intimately, thoroughly.  It was difficult to pretend there was nothing between them.  She could practically feel the heat radiating off his large frame.

Lexi cleared her throat.  “Did something happen overnight pertaining to the attempted hackings that we’re unaware of?”

“You met Captain Edwards, head of network security on base, yesterday.”

She nodded in agreement.

“What did you think of him?” Patrick asked, cool blue eyes assessing.

Lexi looked back and forth between Patrick and Ryan in confusion.  “He was very persistent.  He checked in with me several times throughout the afternoon, kept wanting to know the status of the progress we were making.  He was just….”

“What?” Patrick asked

“I got a strange vibe from him.”

“In what way?” Ryan asked.

Lexi shrugged.  “Honestly, I didn’t like the way he looked at me.”

Christopher stiffened beside her.  She had an urge to reach over and grab his hand, or run her hand down his arm in a soothing gesture, but that certainly wasn’t appropriate at the moment.

“We’ve received some intel that he may be playing dirty,” Ryan said, his gaze flicking back and forth between Lexi and Christopher.

“Sonofabith,” Christopher muttered.

Lexi cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing.  “
He’s
the one attempting to hack into the systems?”

“He’s involved,” Patrick clarified.

“He set it all up,” Lexi marveled.  “All the attempted hacks were to cover his tracks—to keep us running on a wild goose chase.”

“That’s what we fear,” Ryan said.  “You’ll continue working with the rest of the staff this week, as planned.  But I want you and Christopher working on this after hours.  That’s why I asked him to sit in on the briefing yesterday.  He’s a computer expert, despite his role here as a SEAL.  His involvement in the briefing yesterday wasn’t questioned due to his skill set.  But we don’t know who else may be working with Edwards.  We need this taken care of under the table.  Find proof that Edwards is involved, and he’ll be court-martialed.  Find out who he’s working with.  Whoever is on the outside that wants this info will be taken care of.  I don’t have to remind either of you that this is top secret, sensitive military information.  The repercussions of said data leaking out into the public would be astronomical.”

A chill snaked down Lexi’s spine.  Working to uncover hackers located at the ends of the Earth was one thing.  They were hidden behind computer screens, burying themselves in lines of code.  She’d smoke them out but never actually come face-to-face with any of them.  Working to uncover the betrayal of a US naval officer, on base, a man who held security clearances and credentials to do anything, was quite another.  Edwards had already creeped her out yesterday.  How was she supposed to act nonchalant around him all week?  How could she look him in the eye knowing his end game?

“Why the hell would be betray his own country like that?” Christopher asked, clenching his fists.  His entire body tensed, looking ready to pounce and unleash its anger.

“Money.  Greed.  Power.  Take your pick,” Ryan ground out.

“How’d you get pulled into his?” Christopher asked, his gaze sliding to Patrick.  Lexi wondered the same thing.  Certainly the SEALs had their own missions and training.  Why any of them were involved defied explanation.  Just because Christopher was a computer whiz who could hack into anything didn’t mean there wasn’t a guy already on the IT staff who could be trusted to assist with outing Edwards.  Did they really trust know one?

“I’ve got a few friends at the Pentagon.  I asked around, and they recommended Lexi be the one to come down here.”

“Hell,” Christopher muttered.