The Navy SEAL's Christmas Bride (9 page)

“Then show it.” Regan led the way into the crowded great room where card tables had been set up and a buffet of snacks and treats lined up on the counter between the living area and kitchen. Dan thought about the contest tonight and what he’d win if his brownies somehow triumphed over hers. His groin tightened at the images that paraded through his mind.

Sure, he’d show Sarah respect. After he beat her at a few more competitions.

‡

“A
ll I’m saying
is that more women than men did the taste test. The results were biased.”

Sarah did her best not to laugh as she followed Dan over to the pool table that stood to one side in the Cruz’s large living room. “The results weren’t biased—you don’t put cornstarch in brownies. Everyone knows that.” They’d sat at the same poker table for the first round of games, but both of them had been knocked out by the more experienced Hold ’Em players at the table. Dan had challenged her to a game of pool while they waited, and she’d accepted. He might just get a surprise or two here, as well. She’d played a lot of pool growing up.

They had to wait for another couple to finish their game, however. Rose and Cab Johnson were already playing a rather cutthroat match. Cab Johnson was the local sheriff. Rose was an artist who also ran the local jewelry store.

“I believe that’s your pants,” Cab was saying to Rose as they walked up. He had just sunk the three ball in the corner pocket.

Rose glanced up, saw them and blushed furiously. She shot Cab a meaningful look. Sarah wondered what was going on between them.

When Cab turned around and saw them, he laughed. “Looks like we’re busted.”

“What are you doing?” Sarah asked curiously.

“Don’t you dare tell them,” Rose said to her husband.

“Mum’s the word.” He winked at Sarah and pretended to zip shut his mouth and throw away the key. She had to laugh along with him, more curious than ever. Rose and Cab finished their game quickly and walked away arm and arm.

“I think they just slipped upstairs to make out,” Dan said, craning his neck to see. “What are they, teenagers?”

“You don’t believe in making out?”

“Those two are married—aren’t they supposed to stand on opposite sides of the room and eye each other with disdain?”

“That’s your vision of marriage? Count me out.”

“Ah, so you think when you’re married you’ll want to slip away and make out with your husband?”

“I hope so.” She racked the balls and settled them on the table. She had just cued up to take her first shot when Dan slapped the side of the table. “Strip pool.”

“What?” She straightened up again.

“They were playing strip pool. He said,
that was your pants
, when he made the shot. They were playing strip pool without actually stripping. I wonder who won?”

“Both of them, don’t you think? At least they’ll both win later when they’re alone.” She bent down again to line up her shot.

“We could play strip pool,” he said, his voice low and suggestive.

His words ran through her like a lightning bolt. That could be fun.

A cheer went up from their old table and Sarah turned to see that the game was over and Ned Matheson, one of the local cowboys, had won.

“Everyone up for another round?” Ethan Cruz called out.

“Guess we’ll have to defer our game.” Dan came to lean against the pool table next to her. He touched her wrist. “How about we reconvene at midnight?”

“We don’t have a pool table at the Hall.” She didn’t think she’d managed to hide her disappointment.

He leaned forward, putting his mouth near her ear. “We’ll improvise.”

Dan didn’t say
a word to Sarah when they arrived home later that night and climbed to the third floor to their respective bedrooms. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his room. Closing the door behind her, he maneuvered her against it, pressed his body against hers and kissed her.

Sarah met him with equal passion, snaking her hands around his neck and pulling him down to meet her as she stood up on tip-toes to reach him. He gripped her hips and pulled her in tight. He couldn’t get close enough to her. He wanted more.

But he wouldn’t rush things.

After a few minutes, he pulled away, hard and aching to be inside her right now, but wanting to spin this out—wanting to play with her before things got serious. He took a deck of cards out of his pocket.

“Did you steal those?” Sarah asked.

“I liberated them,” he corrected her. “I’ll liberate them back into Mason’s pocket when we’re done. He can take them back to the Cruzes next week.”

“You want to play cards?” Her tone told him she wanted something else—something far more intimate. He wanted that too.

“Like you said, we don’t have a pool table.”

Interest flashed in her eyes. “Strip poker? That’s kind of trite, isn’t it?”

“What do you want to play? Strip Go Fish?”

She chuckled. “Strip Go Fish might be awesome. But what about my massage?”

“Baby, no matter what, you’ll get your massage tonight. I promise.”

She bit her lip and turned away.

He led her to the bed and sat down. “How about this. We’ll play Go Fish with a twist. If you ask for a card and have to go fish, you take off a piece of clothing. If you ask for a card and get the one you need to make a pair, you get to tell the other person where they have to kiss you.”

Sarah smiled. “Okay.”

As she sat down on the bed and tucked her legs beneath her, a hot twist of desire tightened in Dan’s gut. There was only one way this game could end and he knew Sarah anticipated that ending as much as he did. She wanted a massage? Well, she’d get one, after he’d made love to her until she was exhausted.

Was there anything better than playing games with a consensual partner? A beautiful, intelligent, competent partner? He’d worried a little that all Sarah’s working out would leave her as rock hard as the men he served with, but from the little of her he’d been able to explore, he’d found her an enticing mix of strength and softness. Sure, her arms and legs and stomach were taut, each muscle defined by hours of training, but her breasts were lush and her ass—he stifled a groan. Her ass was perfect for his hands to cup and squeeze.

He was growing hard already and they hadn’t even begun to play. Did Sarah know what she did to him? He looked up and caught her looking back. Yeah, she did.

He dealt the cards. Sarah led off by asking for an eight. He grinned and told her to go fish. She undid the tie that held her dress and peeled it off. The swell of her breasts straining forward as she removed it made him anticipate the moment when he’d get to kiss her there. She wore a far prettier bra and panty set than he’d thought a hardened soldier like her would choose.

“Very nice.”

“Yeah, yeah. Move it along, SEALman.”

He asked for a Jack. Sarah bit her lip and reluctantly handed it over. Dan realized he was wearing far too many clothes for her to kiss him anywhere interesting, so he pointed to his neck under his ear. “Kiss me here.”

She crawled over to him on hands and knees, her breasts dangling enticingly in their lacey cups, and kissed him softly but thoroughly where he’d asked. He was growing harder by the minute, and when she sat back down, it was all he could do not to toss away the cards and jump her.

“Do you have a three?” she asked.

“Go fish.”

She removed her earrings this time. “You’ve got way more clothes on than I do. I have to hold out as long as I can.”

But after the next few rounds Dan only wore his boxer briefs, his socks and his watch. Sarah asked for a seven, got it, laid down her pair and cupped her breasts, still encased in her lovely bra. “Kiss me here.”

Dan did so gladly, moving to crouch by the side of the bed where she sat. He lingered over the soft mounds, brushing his mouth over one, down into the space between them and up over the other. He peeled back the cups of her bra and dropped kisses onto her nipples, too, teasing them into hard peaks. Sarah’s breathing became unsteady and he knew why. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

He asked for a queen next, didn’t get it and tugged off his boxer briefs gratefully. When she asked for a three again and he still didn’t have it, he knew she was as eager as he was to get on with things. She slid her panties off, and he had a hard time tearing his gaze from the trimmed thatch of hair that covered her there. He couldn’t wait to explore every inch of her.

“Do you have a two?”

She handed it over, her eyes gleaming. Could he ask for what he really wanted?

He decided he could.

He encircled his hardness with one hand. “Right here, baby.”

She smiled. Crawled back over to where he sat. Dipped her head down.

Dan groaned when she took him inside her mouth. He had wanted her so bad, for so long, he wasn’t sure how long he could last under this sweet torment. As she caressed him with her tongue and lips he fought hard to maintain control, but when she braced her hands on his hips and drew him in deep he thought it was all over.

Somehow he lasted through several minutes of her attentions, but then he took her shoulders and drew her upright.

“I want you.”

She nodded.

“Do you want to finish the game?”

She shook her head.

“There’s just one more thing I have to do.” He pushed her gently onto her back, and bent down to return the favor she’d bestowed on him. He had to know how she tasted, even though he longed to plunge inside her without another moment’s hesitation.

She was glorious on his tongue and he explored her, loving the way she clutched the covers and lifted her hips to meet him. Her ragged breathing and her small cries heating him up all over again, he made himself take the time to thoroughly enjoy her before sitting up.

“Ready?”

‡

“I
’m ready.” Oh,
was she ready. She didn’t think she’d last a minute when they came together, not the way she felt right now.

He seemed to understand her need. He reared up and maneuvered himself closer to her. “I don’t know why, but I keep thinking our first time should be some kind of acrobatic feat.”

“Our first time better be some kind of soon,” she countered. “Acrobatic or otherwise.”

“It’ll be soon.” His voice held a promise that revved her up all over again. “I just want it to be memorable.”

“Memorable?”

He bent closer and brushed his lips over hers again. “Memorable, sweetheart. Because we both need to remember it for the rest of our lives. Come on.” He pulled her up before Sarah could make sense of that last declaration.

“Where are we going?”

“Right here.” He pointed to the bare wall in front of them; the only blank space in the small room.

“Up against the wall?” That wasn’t that unusual, but she knew she’d have a great time no matter how they did it.

“Up against the wall—upside down.”

Sarah laughed out loud, then clapped a hand over her mouth, aware of all the other people sleeping in the Hall. “You can’t do it upside down.”

“Ever tried?”

“No.” A thought occurred to her. “Have you?” She didn’t like that idea at all.

“No. But if ever there were two people who could get it done, it’s us.”

She bit her lip, the challenge in his voice igniting her own competitive nature. Could they do it? “Okay,” she heard herself say.

Dan tugged her close. “If it’s a complete disaster I’ll apologize and bang you silly missionary style; I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” If she didn’t break her neck. “How do we do it?”

“We start out like this.”

She held her breath as he executed a perfect handstand against the wall.

“Fuck.” He regained his feet in an athletic movement. “Condom,” he added apologetically and quickly pulled one out of his pants pocket, where they were heaped on the floor. Sliding it on in a matter of moments, he once more did a handstand against the wall.

“Wait, what do I do?” she asked. If she followed his example, her back would be to his front, which might work, but wasn’t what she wanted. But how could she do a handstand and end up front to front?