To Dare a SEAL (Sin City SEALs) (12 page)

Chapter Eighteen

“Y
ou’ve been avoiding me.” Jack moved to her side and she slowed her pace, allowing the rest of the bridal party to blaze a trail through the hotel lobby toward the bar.

“I thought you might ask for a personalized thank-you,” she said, stealing a glance at Jack. She’d spent most of dinner picking apart her salmon and wondering how it would feel to tear off his crisp white button-down dress shirt.

His lips formed a smile that threatened to dissolve her underwear. “And you forgot your pen and paper?”

“Not that kind of thank-you,” she murmured as the rest of the group bypassed the elevator banks and disappeared around the corner.

He stopped in front of the up and down buttons. “I’m still feeling pretty grateful myself for this afternoon.”

She shook her head. “Not for that. A thank-you for throwing the bet.”

His smile faded and his brow furrowed. “Cade told you?”

“I overheard your conversation,” she said. She probably owed him an apology for eavesdropping. But after what he’d said, after the way he’d misled his teammates, guilt was low on her list of feelings. “Cade knows you’re lying,” she added.

“I know.” Jack leaned over and pressed the up button.

“What about drinks in the bar?” she asked. “Or do you need to call your brothers first?”

“Trust me, talking to my family is not part of my plan for tonight.” His gaze locked with hers. “And when I do, I’m sticking to my story. I lost.”

The elevator dinged. He took her hand and drew her inside the mirrored and thankfully empty space.

“Why?” she demanded as the door closed. “You won. Why would you let Colton believe he beat you?”

“Because…” He stepped forward, guiding her back against the elevator wall. She pressed her palms against the mirrored surface as his gaze dropped to her mouth. He leaned in, and she closed her eyes, waiting for a kiss. But his lips bypassed hers and brushed up against her ear. “Because I’ve spent the last hour sitting across the table from you wishing that I could pull these straps down.” He ran his hands up her bare arms to the spaghetti straps and dipped his index finger under the fabric.

“You didn’t have to pretend you lost—” She gasped as he drew the straps down her shoulders. “For this.”

“Yes, I did.” His fingers teased the bare skin above her dress. “I like seeing you in a dress instead of your work jeans.”

Was it really as simple as that? Did he just want her for sex after all? Part of her yearned for that simplicity, even as the other part yearned to know that he cared for her, even if just for a moment.

“After this weekend…” She gasped as his finger dipped beneath the neckline. “It’s back to bar clothes.” “I spent the entire main course wondering if you were wearing a bra. You weren’t earlier.” His hand moved lower, drawing the front of her dress down. If he kept that up, the top of her sundress would be decorating her waist—and offering the security cameras quite a show.

“I’m not.” She gave him a little push as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

“I know.” Abandoning her breasts, he wrapped his arms around her waist and took her with him as he backed out of the elevator.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, looking up at his face.

“I barely heard a word of the speeches tonight,” he said, turning their bodies, continuing to move backward down the hall—his hall, toward his room.

“Me neither,” she admitted. “I was thinking about how you forfeited the bet.”

“Yeah, the bet was close to the last thing on my mind.” He kept her close, as if they were slow dancing through the hotel’s mazelike interior to her room. “I wanted to send everyone out of the dining room and pull you onto my lap. I’d have lifted your dress to your waist, torn your underwear off you, and begged you to ride me. Cowgirl. Reverse cowgirl. I don’t give a damn. I wanted you, Natalie.”

Cowgirl—her on top, setting the rhythm and driving them both over the edge. She wanted the power to decide how fast and how deep he thrust into her. But would he hand over control?

“You’d never give up control,” she said as they approached his bedroom door, clinging to remains of the crumbling barricade between them. Even without the bet, they wanted different things.

“I don’t need to call the shots.” He spoke those words with the determination of a man who went into battle focused on winning. He’d never planned to lose. Ever.

Until today.

“That’s your training talking,” she said as he drew to a halt and released her to retrieve his key and open the door. “A SEAL never backs down.”

He held open the door to his suite. “Try me.”

And give him a chance to prove that they might work, not because of a bet, but because they wanted each other? No. She couldn’t step inside. His sexual fantasy for tonight might offer her the illusion of control, allowing her to ride him. But he’d brought her here to stake a claim. Bet or no bet, he wanted her. And he wished to take her on his terms.

I want that, too
.

But she was too afraid of the unknown. Where would he put his mouth next? And worse, would it lead to him stealing her heart?

She couldn’t blindly follow him down that path, waiting until she stumbled into hurt at the end of the road. Yes, he wanted her today, but it was only a matter of time before he didn’t want her—or worse, before he left on a mission and didn’t return.

But what if she called the shots? One more night, following her rules, and in the morning, she walked away and returned to her controlled, and yes, lonely life. Before he decided she was too difficult. Too headstrong. Before any more gut-wrenching loss rained down on her.

“Jack.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip. Could she do this? Demand a night with this man on her terms?

“I’m listening,” he said, smiling at her, excitement bright and vibrant in his blue eyes.

“I dare you to let me tell the story tonight,” she said, her voice firm.

His too charming grin widened. “Start talking, darlin’.”

She summoned her courage, allowing her desire to simmer as she stepped into the room. She waited for him to close the door. Standing in the entryway where he’d fallen to his knees and licked her—just yesterday—she turned to face him. “Once upon a time, there was a girl—”

“Princess,” he corrected, his fingers releasing the buttons on his shirt one by one.

“It’s my story.” She kicked off her sandals.

“And you should get to be a princess,” he said, placing his hands on his hips. His shirt hung open, revealing the hard lines of his sculpted chest.

“Once upon a time, there was
a girl
who kept her fantasies locked away. Sometimes, while alone with her toys…” She let that image linger between them.

“You’re killing me, darlin’.” He stripped off his dress shirt and tossed it aside. “Tell me more.”

“Sometimes she would close her eyes and let the fantasies play out in her mind.” Natalie reached under her dress and hooked her thumbs in her panties. Slowly, she drew them down her legs. “This girl, she pictured a naked warrior, the kind of man with muscles that screamed
I never give up
lying on her bed. He kept his feet planted on the ground and his back against the mattress. This warrior, he was hard and ready to offer her exactly what she needed.”

She paused and stepped out of her underwear, leaving it on the floor.

“What did she need?” Jack asked, keeping his gaze fixed on her abandoned panties.

“Take off your pants and go sit on the bed,” she ordered. She held tight to her confidence. Would she win this round? Or would he say to hell with the dare and take control of her story?

His hand moved to the button on his dress slacks. Her eyes widened as he removed his shoes, socks, and pants. But on his way to the bed, he took a detour to his rucksack.

“Jack—”

“We need supplies, princess.”

He knelt down and rifled through his bag. When he stood, he held a strip of condoms—smart man—and a blue bandana.

“Just in case your fairytale requires protection,” he added as he tossed the packets onto the bed.

“Or gets messy?” She nodded to the bandana.

He laughed as he sat on the edge of the bed and began to fold the blue fabric. Was he planning to break a sweat tonight?

“You can tell me no,” he said. “But—”

“But I’m telling the story. You don’t get to add props.”

“Give this one a shot.” He raised his hands and tied the bandana around his head. Then he drew it down over his eyes. He leaned back on the mattress, keeping his feet planted on the floor. “I want you to feel safe to take what you need from me. To feel what you need to feel.”

She stared at the naked warrior on the bed. Her feet refused to move. Take what she needed? Safety and trust—those feelings were out of her reach. She’d lived without them for so long. How could he possibly slip them back into her life now? Moreover, how could she let him?

She walked over to the foot of the bed and moved between his legs. “This,” she said as she wrapped her hand around his cock. “I want to feel you inside of me.”

“Hell, yes.” His hips lifted off the mattress, thrusting up into her hand. “But I want to give you—”

“A mind-blowing orgasm?” she asked before he could say
more
. She needed to draw the line at fantasy sex. She released his cock and climbed up on the bed, placing one knee on either side of his thighs. Then she reached for the condoms and tore one off the strip.

“In my story, the warrior stretches his arms over his head,” she murmured as she removed the condom from the packet.

“Like this?” His powerful arms reached for the pillows.

“Yes.” Holding the base of his cock with one hand, she rolled the condom on. “And keep them there.”

She gathered her dress in one hand, raising it to her waist, as she positioned him at her entrance with the other hand. Slowly, she slid down, closing her eyes as her body stretched to accommodate him.

This man filled her so completely. She silently thanked him for covering his eyes. This way, he couldn’t watch her staring down at him in awe. Part of her wished the story didn’t have to end, that she could be the princess—and oh God, his lover.

She shifted her hips back and forth. Leaning back as far as she dared, she arched her back and placed one hand on his thigh. His cock pulsed inside her, hitting just the right spot…

“Oh, Jack,” she moaned, lifting her hips up one inch and then another before sliding back down.

“I bet you’re quite a sight right now,” he murmured. “If I pulled off the blindfold, would I see my dick sliding in and out of you?”

“Yes,” she gasped as she rode him, searching for the perfect pace. His body remained still beneath her. His abs contracted, offered a taut, hard surface for her to play.

She wanted to feel him there, inside her, but she also needed more. She released her dress and allowed the fabric to float down around her.

“Natalie,” he said as his hands formed tight fists over his head.

She moved her hands to his chest and leaned forward until the part of her body that needed attention rubbed up against him. The friction inside and out pushed her up against the edge of an orgasm.

“Come with me,” she said. She bit back her plea. She was so close to begging—too close.

She rocked forward. The motion spiraled beyond her control. And she chased the pleasure. Pressing her palms flat against his chest, she lifted her hips. But this time he thrust up into her.

And the pleasure caught up with her, sweeping her away into the land of “Oh, Jack!” When it subsided, she collapsed on his chest.

“What happens next?” he demanded as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Hmm?” she murmured, still aware of his hard cock buried deep inside her. She opened her eyes and studied the hard lines of his chest. She felt like Jell-O, but every inch of him remained tense. Apparently, she’d taken a solo trip to Orgasm-land. He was still ready to go.

“To the princess in your story?” His hips shifted beneath her, seeking friction. “What’s next for her?”

She runs away, terrified at the thought of happily ever after with her blindfolded lover.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not great with endings. But you still win this one. For letting me tell the story.”

“It sure as hell doesn’t feel like it,” he growled. His hands ran over her shoulders and down to her dress. “I’m about five seconds from coming, whether you finish the damn story or not.”

“Five seconds?” she said, lifting her upper body off his chest, breaking free from his touch.

“Four.” His hands shifted to her thighs, gliding up her bare skin and disappearing beneath her rumpled sundress. “Three.”

“Okay.” She stared down at the blindfolded SEAL. His jaw was tight from holding back and the muscles in his arms bulged. And while it served him right for not letting go when she’d told him to, this was her story. He didn’t get to write the ending. And looking at him now, she realized that she didn’t have to send the girl riding off into the sunset with Prince Charming.

“The
girl
gave the prince exactly what he’d said he wanted,” she said with a smile. She pushed his hands off her thighs and lifted her body off him, moving to his side.

“For the record,” he said. “This is not what I want.”

“My story.” She swung her leg over him, and with her back to his chest, she lowered down onto his still-eager cock. “And then she rode him until he came screaming her name.”

“Reverse cowgirl.” He let out a laugh as his hands covered her ass and held on for the ride. “Hell, you are what I want darlin’.”

Chapter Nineteen

F
rom his perspective—lying beneath Natalie while she rode his dick straight to heaven—throwing the bet was the second best decision he’d ever made. Using his bandana as a makeshift blindfold took first place. Without his sight, every move she made was fucking intense. And the mental picture of what she looked like right now kept him on the edge of exploding.

But he’d held back, determined to make damn sure she woke up in the morning with irrefutable proof, in the form of two “Oh Jack” orgasms, that they were good together. She would win this round. And he’d still claim the ultimate victory.

He ran his hands over her ass and gave her a squeeze. “Are you holding your dress around your waist?” he asked.

“Yes,” she gasped. “And Jack, there’s a mirror on the bathroom door. I’m facing it, and every time I rise up, I can see your cock. I can watch you slide into me.”

Okay, that mental image started his internal clock counting down to the big O again. But he wasn’t going there without her.

“Lean back,” he said as he released her ass. “Let me unzip your dress.”

She obeyed, still rocking her hips.

Five, four, three
…

Shit, he needed to get this thing off her. His upper body curled off the bed as he fumbled his way to her zipper. He drew it down a few inches, but then the zipper stopped. Stuck.

Shit.

“Jack?”

“I’ll get you a new one,” he promised as he grabbed the fabric above the zipper and tore the dress open. And then, with her help, they wrestled the destroyed fabric over her head, and finally, her clothing disappeared.

“Now, tell me what you see,” he said.

He waited for her words, demanding that his dick hold the fuck on and wait until she was ready to come, too.

“My breasts are bouncing,” she murmured.

“Hold them.” He wrapped his hands around her waist. “I’ve got you. You won’t fall. Just place your hands on your tits.”

He lifted her higher, knowing she’d see more of him. And then he lowered her slowly.

“Oh, your cock,” she moaned.

Is ready to explode.

Shit, he needed her with him.

“I’m going to lift you up one more time,” he said. “When I lower you back down, I need you to come. Hold your tits with one arm and reach your other hand down and touch yourself. Watch your fingers play with your—”

“Oh, wow, Jack!”

And that was all he needed to hear. He raised her up and lowered her one last time. His hips pumped up into her as he finally let go.

“Fuck!” His back arched off the bed, his hips pressing up into her as she clamped down on the part of his body ready and willing to rename every damn orgasm from this moment on—

“Natalie!” he bellowed.

And then, slowly, the pleasure faded, leaving him with one helluva happy memory. His hands fell away from her hips. He felt her dismount and move to his side, her body stretched out on the bed. He reached up and pulled the bandana off and tossed it down to the floor.

“I don’t understand,” she murmured.

Me neither. But let’s not question the sex gods right now.

Not that he wanted to give them credit.

“You asked for mind-blowing.” He turned on his side, needing to see her now that he’d abandoned the blindfold. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders and teased her taut nipples. The rest of her body sank into the mattress, offering hope that she’d experienced an unforgettable climax.

She turned her head and looked up at him. “I don’t understand how all those women who fall for your pick-up lines walk away afterward.”

He raised an eyebrow, trying to hide the fact that her words felt like a knee to the groin.
All those women
did not belong in bed with him right now.

“First off, I don’t have a harem stashed away somewhere,” he said. “And second, I haven’t gone looking for more than a night or two in a long time.”

And most of the time, he didn’t have to work all that hard for a chance at a naked sleepover. A smile, some eye contact in a bar, and a lousy line or two led to a pajama-less party in his bed.

But Natalie? She challenged him every step of the way. And shit, she listened to him.

“And after a night or two, you what? Leave them mourning the loss of those ‘mind-blowing’ orgasms?” she asked, the dazed look fading from her brown eyes.

“That good, huh?”

“You know it was,” she shot back. She moved her right foot in an attempt to kick him, but he caught her thigh with his hand and drew her leg between his.

“I do.” He ran his hand over her stomach, up to her breasts, and stopped with his fingers resting over her sternum. “If it’s so good, why are you still pushing me away? There’s no bet now. I want you, Natalie. And you know we’re good together.”

“Is this why you forfeited?” she demanded, the fight returning to her brown eyes as she pulled her leg free from his. “For more sex?”

She slid off the bed, demanding physical space. But that only reinforced his point. The woman he’d fantasized about for so damn long wanted him, too. And he wasn’t willing to let her go without a fight.

“No.” He sat up and looked her straight in the eyes. “I realized I had my eye on the wrong prize.”

She laughed as she backed away from him, heading for the door. “I’m not something you can win. Another challenge that will prove to your brothers once and for all there’s nothing you can’t do.”

“Natalie, I wanted you long before my brothers walked into your bar,” he said quietly. “I didn’t go after you because you didn’t act as if you liked me. But then you kissed me—”

“To shut up your brothers.”

He shook his head, pushed off the bed, and stood in front of her. “Not that kiss. The one in the back room of the bar. The way you responded to my touch…”

“No,” she murmured.

“I should have walked away from the bet and told you that I want you more than a win. But I was looking for an excuse to get close to you. And hell, the spark in your eyes when you toss out a dare? The fire I saw when my brothers threw out that stupid challenge? I couldn’t walk away from that. From you.”

“You wanted a naked slumber party,” she said, her gaze shifting south.

“Yes.” His erection jutted out from his body, appearing eager to prove her point. “But that’s not all I want. I threw the bet because I want to dream about naked slumber parties with you while I’m overseas. And then I want to come home to the real thing. To you.”

R
un.

The word flashed in her mind like a neon warning sign. She took a step back, ready to bolt for the door—and leave behind her destroyed dress, her cell phone, and her room key. Because he wanted her?

No, she didn’t need to risk security footage of her racing naked through a Vegas hotel. She needed to move the conversation back to the bedroom. Sure, he’d thrown the bet. But he still wanted that same thing.

Her.

In his bed.

Except now he wanted a chance to prove they fit. And she knew the truth. She wasn’t someone’s missing puzzle piece.

Are you sure? Maybe six feet plus of naked Navy SEAL is your perfect fit?

Part of her wished to take him up on his offer. She wanted to let down her guard and open herself to the possibility that maybe one day she could surrender her heart to this man.

He’ll crush it.

“Natalie?”

She stared at the very aroused warrior who’d driven her crazy for years. “I’m not looking for an endless slumber party. Tell me how you want to take me tonight. And if that’s not enough for you, then I’ll go.”

“I’m not going to turn and walk away from you.” He closed the space between them.

Temptation rose up and threatened to overwhelm her. But she held back. She didn’t sink into his arms and melt at those words. They were just words. They’d traded so many since they’d left Coronado, weaving stories together.

“What do you want?” she said.

He reached for her. His hands skimmed the back of her thighs as he pulled her close and then lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to guide her legs into position around his hips. Strong hands palmed her bottom, holding her in place.

“I want to get you wet,” he growled.

“Done,” she murmured, looking straight into his blue eyes. Couldn’t he feel her wet and ready against his erection?

“All of you.” He pivoted and carried her into the bathroom.

She looked around the space, resisting the temptation to rub up against the hard length nestled between her legs. The large, square shower stall stood in the corner, and he headed straight for it with her still wrapped around him.

He pinned her against the glass wall that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom, holding her up with one powerful arm. He pushed the shower door open with the other, reached inside, and turned on the water.

She ran one hand down over his bicep. “Even when I was trying to ignore you while I worked and you sat across the bar, I always noticed the way your T-shirts hugged your muscles. You must have caught me looking once or twice.”

“I never noticed,” he said, turning her away from the shower and resting her backside on the edge of the sink. “I was too busy staring at your ass.”

He claimed her mouth, his tongue sweeping past her lips and touching hers. His hands glided up her legs and pushed her thighs further apart as his lips moved over her jaw and down her neck. His touch shifted higher and higher, until he reached her breast. Then he ran his palms over her nipples.

“Jack,” she gasped as she leaned back—and nearly fell into the sink.

“Reach behind you,” he said, his tone rough as he released her breasts and guided her arms into position. “Hold on to the faucets.”

She obeyed, placing one hand on the cold and the other on the hot. He pulled her hips forward and pressed her thighs wide, opening her body to him.

“Don’t move.” His gaze roamed over her as he reached for an open black bag on the counter and retrieved a condom.

“Here?” she said, feeling the muscles in her arms work to keep her from sinking into the basin.

“I can’t wait for the shower to warm up.” He stepped back, desire burning bright in his blue eyes as he tore open the packet and rolled the condom over his cock. “I want you like this.”

She let out a laugh. “I offer you anything and you choose the bathroom sink?”

“Trust me.” He moved between her legs. Hands on hips holding her steady, he thrust into her.

“Jack,” she gasped.

“Hold on tight,” he ordered.

“I can’t.” Her arms trembled, fighting to hold her up as he filled her.

“Yes, you can,” he said, drawing her bottom to the edge of the vanity. Her breasts thrust into the air. He leaned over, still pumping into her, and ran his teeth over her nipple.

“I don’t think I can,” she cried as she tightened around his cock. He’d pushed her so close. But she fought the orgasm. She didn’t want to come. Not like this. Hovering over a sink.

He lifted his head as his hips slammed into her. “I’ve got you, Natalie. You’re safe.”

“No, I’m not,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the shower. Her thighs clenched, holding him close, daring her to stop this when it would be so easy to give in and trust him. “Please. Stop.”

He pulled out of her and gently set her on the edge of the sink. His hands moved up her back, drawing her forward and out of her precarious position.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she released the faucets. “But I couldn’t—”

And that was a lie. She’d been on the verge of the promised mind-blowing orgasm—while completely at his mercy. He’d claimed control, calling the shots—and she’d liked it.

She closed her eyes, picturing the way she looked, her body open to him, with her hands behind her. A soft moan escaped. Oh God, she wanted to let him take her just like that, to believe that he’d keep her safe. But to offer her trust?

“Shh, I’ve got you,” he said, lifting her off the vanity. Her feet touched the floor, but he kept one arm around her, holding her steady. He reached his free hand between them and ran his fingers over her clit. “Trust me, Natalie.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. Her arms remained at her sides as he touched her. His finger moved quickly, hitting the right spots with the perfect amount of pressure. It was as if he’d memorized a roadmap of her body.

“Jack.” His name sounded like a plea, like he’d finally reduced her to begging. Her body stiffened. He flicked her clit one last time. “Jack!”

She pulled away, stumbling back. But it was too late. The orgasm she’d begged for swept over her with all the subtlety of a freight train.

“Oh God.” She moved away until she felt the vanity at her back. Her fingers curled around the counter’s edge. “Jack.” And finally—
finally
—it faded. She opened her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. Without the bet—”

“You need an excuse to be with me,” he said, his voice sharp and so far from charming that she took a step back. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, his muscles—from his biceps to his condom-covered erection—tense. He looked like a warrior ready to pounce. “Admit it. If you take the bet and my stupid-ass brothers out of the equation, you would have to face the possibility that you want to be with me. You’d have to trust me.”

“I can’t,” she said quickly. She saw the flash of hurt in his blue eyes. Her words hurt. He might not admit it, but she knew him. Jack Barnes had spent his childhood straight through his years with the SEALs trying to prove he was good enough. And she’d handed him proof. “It’s not you,” she added. “I can’t let you in.”

Please let him understand.

“Helluva time to play the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ card,” he snapped.

She took another step back. “I can’t give you what you want.”

“I want you in my shower.”

“And after that?” she said. She knew the happiness would fade and break apart. It wouldn’t last.

He stared at her as he drew a deep breath. “I want you. No bets. No escape routes. Just you.”

“No.” She released the counter and moved to the door, her back to the suite behind her. She kept her gaze locked on Jack, the man who wanted so much more than she could give. “I can’t fall for you. If I do…”