Anchors Away ~

Basic Flight Maneuvers

By

Shara Azod

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright© 2009 Anchors Away~ Basic Flight Maneuvers-Shara Azod

Cover Artist: Shara Azod

Editor: Jennifer Puckett

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Due to copyright laws you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Navy women everywhere, from ship to shore. Live life to the fullest, hold fast to the adventure and most of enjoy.

Love,

Shara

Chapter One

Fly boys were stupid. And arrogant. There was nothing worse than a brownshoe, as Navy aviators were known. Arrogant peacock bastards were dumb as a bucket of mud. Captain Seth Austin was the worst of the worst. He sauntered around the flight deck, that smirky little half-smile pasted on his face, joking with any and all. He made females swoon; from the seasoned First Class Petty Officer to the boot camp E-1s and Ensigns. His flight suit fit him a little too well. His bulge was way too prominent between the straps of his emergency parachute. While many aviators cursed the day women were allowed to serve on aircraft carriers, the captain took it in stride, welcoming each one of the new crew members with a big toothy grin that sent every single heart all atwitter.

Pippa Tanner hated him. She hated him on sight. She hated his confidence, his walk, she hated his fucking voice. She hated him with a mad passion reserved for the ship’s leftover casserole. Now if she could only stop getting wet every time she saw him, everything would be just peachy.

“How is my sexy lady today?” Captain Austin purred as he ran his big hang over the sleek contour of the plane he was about to climb into.

Pippa knew in the logical part of her brain he wasn’t talking about her. Not that it mattered. Her already moist center started to flood. He was just too close. His tall, solid frame crowded her much smaller one, not touching, but damn close. She needed to get the hell away from him, the no-good Casanova. But as long as he was standing directly behind her, she couldn’t move without drawing attention.

“Are you ready for me, baby? I am going to send you to the heavens.”

All pilots spoke to their planes. They all treated them as if they were their girlfriends or something. It had never bothered Pippa to hear the horribly corny things they whispered to the inanimate hunks of metal. Oddly, whenever Captain Austin did it, she had this weird sensation he was actually talking to her. Her nipples never failed to pebble, her breathing coming in quick gasps as she went through this ritual every single time he took his plane up for maneuvers.

There was something seriously wrong with her! She hated him. Despised the ground he walked on, cursed the air he flew in. So why was it that the soft murmured words he said to his damn plane made her want to run to the head and diddle herself? It was humiliating.

“So, is she ready for me to take her up?”

It took a minute for Pippa to realize he really was talking to her this time.

“Huh, what?” She jerked, frowning over her shoulder. “Are you talking to me this time?” Geez, she was actually snapping. At an officer. So not smart. Damn him and that slow, sexy smile of his!

“I asked if she was ready for me,” he said again slowly, like he was speaking to a complete idiot. Pippa supposed in a way he was, damned if her heart didn’t bang against her chest at the low toned question.

Was she going completely mad, or was there an extra twinkle in those hazel eyes? No, she was seeing what she wanted to see.

“The plane? Yeah, she’s ready to go.”

She made a move to get out of the way, but Captain Austin didn’t move. The ocean breeze ruffled his hair, which was a little long on top though it was cut above the collar according to regulations. The sun caught the auburn tresses turning them the colors of autumn in New England. A lump formed in Pippa’s throat. He really was way too sexy for his own good. It almost hurt to look at that chiseled face.

“Yes, I suppose I meant the plane too,” he murmured before turning around and hopping into the cock pit, leaving Pippa to stare after in wonder.

No! He couldn’t have possible just said what she thought he had. She stood there staring stupidly at nothing at all until she was nudged by the Air Boss.

“Get your ass out of the way!” He yelled over the sudden roar of the squadron’s engines. She saw the words more than heard them.

Scurrying way from the planes waiting to take off over the deep lapis lazuli of the Mediterranean. It had been a joke. Captain Austin joked around a lot with everyone, enlisted and officer alike. Although, he never crossed the line. She was enlisted, he was an officer. He wouldn’t flirt with her because that was expressly forbidden. Maybe it had been some kind of innocent joke she hadn’t understood. He knew she couldn’t stand him; she couldn’t have made it clearer if she had said the words out loud. She rolled her eyes whenever he aimed that killer grin in her direction. She grunted hello or good morning more than said it. She never once smiled, or laughed when he was anywhere around. In fact, she had sneered at his attempts to engage her in conversation. She snapped whenever he spoke directly to her.

So why the flirtation?

Because he knows you don’t really hate him, maybe? Maybe she had poured it on a little too thick. She would just have to concentrate on being indifferent from now on. Because as much as she hated to admit it, Captain Austin was her wettest dream come to life. He was walking, talking temptation, and while other women might be content to smile and simper, Pippa knew that if she let down her guard the least little bit, she would not be satisfied until she had climbed the mountain. Coy smiles and light flirtation would never be enough. The man simply woke up all her nerve endings, sending her body into overdrive by merely being near. She had never been the type who beat around the bush. If she saw something she wanted, she took it. And when she was done, she was done.

Despite knowing all the reasons it couldn’t be, Pippa wanted Seth Austin. She wanted him on top of her, underneath her, behind her, on her knees and between her legs. The erotic fantasies she had about him only seem to intensify with time.

“You need to get laid,” she muttered to herself as she went to man her station until the planes returned.

They were due seventy-two hours liberty when they pulled into the port of Siracusa in Sicily tomorrow. She would go the Sigonella Air Base, rent a car and get lost for a couple of days. If that didn’t take her mind off the captain, she would go to a local club somewhere near the base on the last night and get thoroughly screwed by some accommodating Navy man. There was no way in hell she would entertain thoughts of Seth Austin and all the naughty things she’d like to do with him. Not so close to the end of her second enlistment. She had a sweet job at Atlanta International waiting for her at the end of this deployment. There was no way in hell she was screwing that up with a Big Chicken Dinner, otherwise known as a Bad Conduct Discharge at this stage of the game.

No matter how much her body cried out for his touch. It so wasn’t going to happen.

*****

It was so going to happen. Petty Officer Pippa Tanner was his. Seth knew he was taking his career into his own hands, perhaps even pissing it away, but he really couldn’t work up the enough “give a shit” to care. He was planning on resigning his commission anyway. He had spent eight years as a Navy fighter pilot. It was quite enough. This was his last command, his last deployment, point in fact. He had accepted an offer as a private pilot working out of Atlanta. There was only one thing he was looking to take with him, Pippa Tanner.

The woman had him all tied up in knots. It took twenty thousand feet between him and her general vicinity to ease the throbbing hard on he was currently sporting. One look in her direction and he was hard as a rock. The coveralls she wore while working on the flight deck did nothing to hide the perfect figure she sported underneath. Her ass was round and full, just begging a man to smack it, lick it, fuck it. That smart mouth of hers would fit around his dick perfectly.

Seth wasn’t fooled for a second by the flippant attitude she seemed to develop whenever he was around. She treated none of the other pilots the way she treated him. She went out of her way to be snide to him, she rolled her eyes whenever he spoke. Damn, that was hot! When she actually snorted in his face, he had known. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.

At first it had driven him to distraction, wondering what he had ever done to make her despise him. He tried being nice, agreeable, affable, but she was having none of it. She rebuffed his every attempt at friendship.

That had been the first thing that had caught her notice. Seth wasn’t a conceited man, but generally he could charm the pants off a snake. Nothing he did charmed little Pippa. She would turn on her heel, giving him a very nice view of that ass. He had watched her closely after his failed attempts to earn her friendship. He knew there was a natural line between officers and enlisted, but on the flight deck, that lined blurred more than anywhere else except perhaps on submarines. There was no reason not to be friendly with the flight crew.

He couldn’t help but notice Pippa’s many admirable traits. She was not only sexy as hell, but she was loyal. She worked hard, never complaining. Many men resented women on the ship, but she took it all in stride, proving herself rather than whining. She earned the respect of enlisted and officer alike. She was straightforward, trustworthy, never shirking her duties.

And she laughed. She laughed often and freely, just not with him. That had infuriated him before he had understood it. Every time he saw her laughing with any man other than himself, he wanted to plant his fist in the other man’s face. Knowing she didn’t do it to tease, to make him jealous had been the worst thing he had every felt. She wasn’t a prude or a cock-tease, she was an open and honest woman. All woman. The woman he wanted he had realized with a start.

That’s when the pieces had started to come together. Even the cockiest bastard on their squadron never ruffled her feathers, but with him, she was all piss and vinegar. Why was that? So Seth looked deeper.

There was a pulse point at the base of her neck that tended to speed up the closer he got. Her eyes, usually milk chocolate in color would get so dark they were damn near black. And suddenly, her lips appeared dry whenever he talked to her judging by the frequency in which she licked that full, sensual flesh. Damn, he really needed to kiss those lips. He needed to make love to her mouth methodically, completely. There was a tiny little catch in her voice whenever she spoke to him. Yeah, she felt it.

Seth had been in lust before. He had lusted, he had pursued, hell, he had even obsessed a little. None of that could compare to what he felt for Pippa. He wanted to pick up her diminutive little figure and put her in his pocket to have her with him everywhere he went. He didn’t want to fuck her, didn’t even want to make love. He needed to claim her. He needed to be so far inside her she would never forget the feel of him. He needed to be stamped across her heart for all time. She was like a blood sickness, only he didn’t want a fucking cure, he wanted her.

And he would have her. Not for a few nights, a few weeks, or a few months. He wanted her in his bed every night. He wanted to kiss her awake every morning. He really needed to know how she liked her eggs in the morning, and then he needed to feed them to her. And when she was bad, he needed to spank her.

Pippa had fooled him good, but the game was up. He was making it his personal business to lay down the new law. He was tired of her little disappearing act at every port they pulled into. He knew for a fact there was no one else; at least not aboard the ship. She wasn’t married, he had checked her personnel files. If there was a man at home, he would be getting a Dear John letter. Seth wasn’t playing games. He wanted the woman. He wanted her with a single mindedness that consumed him. And he would have her. Sooner rather than later.

Chapter Two

Pippa just couldn’t hang out on the mess decks with everyone else. People were huddled in groups according to their rates, their musical preferences, their leisure games of choice. She just couldn’t take another night of dominoes, cards, or board games. She had absolutely no desire to talk about the job. All the movies being offered tonight she had already seen, plus who needed to hang out in the lounge area in the berthing? There weren’t too many women onboard, and as a result, they all shared one berthing. It was a little too crowded and too loud for Pippa’s tastes. She often chose to sleep in the Equipment shack, near the flight deck when there weren’t any night maneuvers. She woke at the crack of dawn anyway, slipping down to the berthing to get ready for the new day.

No one bothered her here. Several others staked out little corners or spaces just to be alone. It was not exactly authorized, but most work center supes looked the other way. It wasn’t worth busting anyone’s balls over. Her own chief knew she often hung out in the Equipment Shop when she just didn’t want to be bothered. Like tonight. There was too much on her mind. For instance, what the hell had Captain Austin been saying? By all accounts, she shouldn’t have been able to hear him, but she had. She heard his smooth as silk voice loud and clear. “Is she ready for me?”

Damn it! The last thing she needed was to have any tiny spark of hope Seth Austin might be into her. It wasn’t like Pippa was a ranging nympho or anything, but when there was something she wanted, something deliciously available, she went for it. She was not one of those simpering women looking for true love and happily ever after. She liked sex. She liked sex with hot guys. She liked sex with hot guys who acted like men. She would really, really like to have sex with Seth Austin.

No! Hell no! So not good for her. She hated him. Despised everything he was. Why was not important. The fact that she had never in her adult life shied away from any man she wanted was not important. He was arrogant, too sure of himself, too damn toothy when he smiled. He had perfect teeth, that was just freaking irritating. And his voice, what kind of self-respecting white boy had a deep, honey-smooth voice like that? How dare he?

Pippa tended to look at “relationships” kind of like a guy. She would rather be a friend, but if a guy insisted she would be his “girlfriend,” for a quick minute anyway. The first sign of trouble and she was out of there so fast it often left a guy wondering about his manhood. She didn’t mean to be that way; it was just that in her personal experience… okay, not so personal experience, but what she had seen from friends was that relationships while serving on active duty being relatively young was not the wisest of moves. Too many things could and would go wrong. What was the point of going through the drama?

Which was part of the reason why her instinctive reaction to Captain Austin made no sense. No matter how much she denied it, she was into him. More than into him, she wanted him. Yeah, he was an officer and she was enlisted and they could get in a whole shitload of trouble mingling on a personal basis, but it wasn’t like that stopped many people. Especially people who weren’t looking for anything permanent. It was only when folks tried to parlay a perfectly good time into a love connection that it lead to trouble.

So why not just do the fly boy and get over it?

Because she wouldn’t get over it. Because whenever the captain was anywhere near her, her body went on high alert. Because he made her wet just by looking at her, and no man had ever done that to her before. No one had ever made her feel so hot and needy without even touching her. She spent extra time going over his plane, triple checking everything she could because she cared beyond the sexual, and that way led to danger.

There was nothing in Pippa’s life to make her afraid of relationships. No great tragedy or broken heart lay in her past. Her parents were decent, average folks who had met and married, then proceeded to live a decent and happy life together. She had never really had a deep relationship herself. She just had this natural born aversion to being chained to one person. The captain made her wish for things she had never even contemplated before, and that unnerved her.

She liked control. She loved living alone, doing what she wanted when she wanted, with whom she wanted. But one look at Seth and all she wanted was to be held down by his strong arms and taken advantage of in the wickedest ways imaginable. She wanted him to challenge her and win. She wanted him to tell her hell no she wasn’t going out dressed like a tart then show her why not. The belief he had never looked at her twice helped fuel the false hatred. She had almost convinced herself she really did dislike him, but his comment this afternoon had knocked her straight on her proverbial ass.

How could she go back to pretending when he had thrown her deepest fantasies all back in her face like that?

Pippa was wallowing so deep in her own self pity, she failed to note the door to the tiny Equipment shack quietly opening, nor did she hear the soft click of the lock after it was closed again. It wasn’t until a chair was dragged across the deck plates that she jumped, turning to cuss out whoever it was interrupting her quiet time in her personal hideaway. It was an unspoken rule; you just didn’t poach on anyone’s space once it was claimed.

All words failed her at the sight of the man wedging the chair against the door. Oh, no. Oh shit. She was fucked – literally.

The captain had showered and changed, as had she. But she knew doggone well she didn’t look that damn delicious in sweatpants and a t-shirt. He was still wet, bits of t-shirt clinging to his muscles, his hair dark and damp. What first clued her into how much trouble she had unwittingly gotten into was the way he wedged the chair up against the door. The second was when he turned to look at her. He didn’t approach her or say anything, he merely leaned against the work counter, arms and legs crossed. The negligent pose didn’t fool her in the least.

If anything warned her she was fucked, it was his eyes.

The captain had the most heart-stoppingly beautiful hazel eyes, heavy on the jade and amber. Sometimes they looked lighter, like when he was laughing at something or staring out over the ocean. Then they were more greenish-blue than anything else. Not right now. They were damn near glowing, the amber spiking through the jade, making the green tone stand out all the more. Those eyes told her just how fucked she was.

Why didn’t he smile or something? Crack a joke? Damn it, why wouldn’t he speak?

“You know if someone saw you come in here we will both be in serious trouble.” It was the only thing she could think to say at the moment.

“No one saw me.” Short, sweet, and to the point, nothing more.

And he didn’t look as if he was about to offer anything more either. Pippa’s belly fluttered even as her panties began to get damp. He really wasn’t going to say anything else. He just leaned there looking sexier than any man had the right, staring. It occurred to her that she should probably get up off her comfy cot, but she couldn’t seem to make her muscles move. She realized she didn’t really want to. She wanted to see what he would do. Was the good captain really that bold?

“What do you want?” she snapped, unable to turn her eyes away.

His head cocked to the side, a wry twisting of his lips sending shivers down her spine. His gaze raked her from head to toe and back up again coming to rest once again on her face. His eyes seemed to be fixated on her lips, so she licked them. Damned if his crotch didn’t jump before her very eyes. And damn what a nice package. Looked positively yummy.

“I am giving you one minute,” the captain’s voice was deeper than she had ever heard it. Kind of rough-like. Her nipples perked up to listen intently. Damned traitors. “Sixty fucking seconds to tell me to turn around and walk away. Do that, and I will never bother you again.”

She waited for him to explain that little remark, but there was nothing forthcoming. She gaped. Was this dude serious?

“Captain Austin –”

“Seth,” he cut her off. “You have forty-five seconds.”

“Whatever. Where do get off coming in here and demanding anything? If I wanted you I would tell you.”

Yeah, he knew it was a lie, too, ‘cause his lips formed a tight grin. He still didn’t move. So fucking sexy. She had to squeeze her thighs together. Anything to ease the serious throbbing down there. It hurt to breathe. It was going to happen. Right here on the ship. They could get so busted if they were caught. It was kind of exciting really. There was no way in hell she was telling him to leave. But she wasn’t about to just give in and show her belly either.

“Kind of sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

Once again, he didn’t answer. Instead he moved. A slow unwinding of his limbs and he was moving toward her. His shirt came up over his head as he walked forward. Damn that was one hell of a chest! Just the lightest trace of hair and then all planes of muscles looking hard and delicious. She was going to bite them. It was a moral imperative.

His fingers hooked into the waist band of his sweats. And began a slow slide down, down, down…

Holy crap! That was seriously beautiful piece of man meat he was sporting. Pippa wasn't aware of sitting up, she wasn't aware of leaning forward, all she knew was all of a sudden she had her hand wrapped around one long, thick, angry-looking cock. Men in porn wished they were sporting this kind of equipment. Would it fit? She ran her fingers over the heavily veined surface, surprised at the hiss that came from somewhere above her. Her head lifted to see one serious fly boy looking fiercely down at her. Not with anger, but with intent.

“Twenty seconds,” he growled down at her, standing gloriously naked as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Pippa looked back down, dark purplish mushroom head of his shaft was now glistening with precum. Without allowing herself to think about what she was doing, she swirled her tongue around the crown, then gradually slurped the pulsating organ into her mouth.

*****

“Shit!”

Seth wasn’t really wasn't sure what he was expecting when he had come here tonight. He knew Pippa would be here. Everyone knew this was Pippa’s spot after hours. This wasn't a scenario that had flashed through his head. He had practiced a speech about something, he just couldn’t quite recall what. Not with her tongue making those circles around the head of his dick. Not when she sucked him inside her hot mouth, working the part she couldn’t get in her mouth with her hand.

“Yeah, baby, just like that,” he hoarsely praised, griping her head in spite of himself.

He was probably pulling too hard on her hair, but damned if she didn’t moan when he did, sucking down furiously. He was going to have to stop her before she made him explode. He couldn’t allow it, not this time. The first time he claimed his woman, he wanted to buried deep inside her. Didn’t stop his hips from moving with her. His balls tightened in warning, but the words telling her to stop refused to be released from his mouth.

As if she sensed he was close, she moved back, releasing his cock with a pop from her lips. With a wicked grin she dipped her head and ran her tongue down the underside of his dick as one little hand crept up to his testicles rolling the sensitive balls carefully in her hand.

“Pippa, if you keep this is up, I’m going to come.” There he said it. It took everything in him, but he had done it.

“Seth, what do you think I am trying to make you do?” she smirked up at him before sinking her mouth back down on him.

Aw, hell he wasn’t going to make it. Taking the silky soft strands of her hair in his fist, he stopped trying. She seemed to have redoubled her efforts, taking him even deeper. His gut tightened, his balls drawing up.

“Fuck! Pippa…Shit!”

Bless her, she didn’t move, accepting all of him.

Seth blew out a breath, trying to get his bearings. He had come to press the issue, to tell Pippa he wanted her and he knew she wanted him to. He meant to argue, to bully a little, anything it took just to get the little tyrant to admit she had feelings for him. But then he had laid eyes on her and his good intentions flew right out the window.

It wasn't that she was wearing anything particularly sexy. She had on sweats and a t-shirt, just like he had. Those perky breasts were encased in a bra, clearly visible under the white cotton. Red lace. He really needed to see it against the darkness of her skin. Right before he took it off.

“Get on the cot.”

Seth’s patience had gone out the window as soon as her tongue touched his dick. Even though he had just come, he was still hard.

Surprisingly, Pippa slid back on the cot, pulling off first her shirt, then kicking off her sweatpants. Fuck! He had imagined what she would look like underneath her uniform or flight gear. He hadn’t come close. She was fucking perfect. She was short, tight, compact. Her breasts, Lord, he needed to taste those breasts. Long, hard nipples pressed against the lacy material, making his mouth water.

“Turn around.” His voice was hoarse, his hands shaking slightly. He had to see that ass. “Oh, baby,” he moaned when she tuned and got on her knees, tilting her behind up for his inspection. Perfect. Big round globes of sin.

“I’m going to fuck this ass, sweetheart,” he ran his hands over the contours, noting the shiver at his words. “Not tonight but soon. And I’m going to make you love it.”

The bra was the first thing to go, her breasts falling into his waiting hands, filling them like a dream. As much as Seth would like to spend some time getting to know them, he had to get the wisp of lace she called panties out of the way. He could have slid them down, but that would take too much time so he snapped the side, placing them beside her on the cot. And she said not a word.

“Spread your thighs for me, baby,” he instructed, slipping down and turning, resting his head between her legs against the side of the cot. “Now put my pussy in my mouth.”

He didn’t wait until she did what he told her, he pulled her down, opening his mouth to take in as much of the quim that haunted his dreams as he could. His tongue snaked inside her channel, swallowing the cream that flowed freely. Damn she tasted so fucking good! Sweet and spicy, so perfect. He needed more.

“Ride my face, Pippa,” he snarled against her heated flesh. “Take what you need and give me what I want.”

Her muffled cries fed him as surely as her honey. Her hips rolled against his mouth, allowing him to be everywhere, inside her, teasing her clit, gently pulling the lips of her labia with his teeth. His hands kneaded her ass, encouraging her to take more. So good! So damn good! He was almost sorry when her body seized above his, her thighs clamping down around his head.

He waited until her body eased a little before easing from in between her legs.

“Stay right there,” he ordered, slowly crawling up behind her.

His lips made a trail over her curves, making sure to pay proper homage to her luscious backside. Man, he loved this ass. As much as he would like to stay right where he was, his rod was throbbing so much his head was starting to hurt. He moved all the way up until his knees where on the cot.

He took his time sliding in. He was no small man, he really didn’t want to hurt her. He worked the head inside, hissing as the walls of her pussy clamped against him, sucking him in.

“Tight,” he grunted, sweat beading on his brow as he fought to go slowly.

“Do it!” Pippa demanded, rolling her hips back against him.

Hell, he was going to lose it.

“Baby, I’m going to need you to stay still,” he warned, his hands itching. What would she do if he spanked her ass?

“No. I need more now!” She did it again, doing some hot, ass-undulating thing with her hips, drawing him in more and more.

His hand descended on one cheek of her ass before he could pull it back. Heat swamped his hand, he could feel it on her skin. Instead of the yelp and responding punch he expected, she moaned, her pussy flooding with moisture.

Holy hell, nothing could stop him from plunging forward, plowing like a mad man. Pippa opened sweetly, taking every inch, rocking back with as much passion as he gave. She arched upward, her body forming an S-shape, her arms locking around his neck even while her ass tilted up to take him all in. It was gorgeous. Heaven. He wanted more.

“Tell me you like this, Pippa,” he gasped. “I need to hear you say it.”

“Yes,” her answer was a tormented whisper, her body speaking louder than she could. “Please, more Seth. It feels so good.”

“Don’t ever deny this. Don’t deny us, because I’m not going to stop, baby. I will bury inside you so fucking often you’re going think I live right here in this sweet pussy of mine. And it is mine.”

He would have kept going, babbling all kinds of nonsense and truth alike. But there were spasms beginning in her vaginal walls, spreading to encompass every inch of him. Ah fuck, it was so good.

“Come for me, Pippa” he growled, reaching down to tweak her clit. “Yeah, baby, come all over my cock just like that!”

The spasms intensified, turning into quakes, hurling him over the edge right along with her.

“Oh, God Seth! Yes, yes, yes!”

His world burst apart, his release rushing out of him deep into her womb. It was so perfect, so damn right. They were so good together, he didn’t want to ever leave her sung core.

Gathering as much strength as he could, Seth gathered up his woman, laying her on top of him on the narrow cot. On the cusp of drifting off to sleep, the thing he had been trying to remember rushed forward. Condoms. He hadn’t brought any with him.

Chapter Three

Pippa woke feeling much warmer than she usually did in the Equipment Room. Located off the hanger, there was always a draft when underway, making the tiny area cold as hell in the wee hours of the morning. She was also a hell of a lot more comfortable too. As soon as her sleep fogged brain assimilated the fact the “cot” she was lying on was breathing, the memories of the night before came flooding back, and memories weren’t the only things flooding her body.

Her pussy was lying directly on the one big, lovely cock. A cock that was hard and hot beneath her. Unable to help herself, she moved against it, her natural lubricant aiding in the slow grind she had going on. The smooth skin teased her clit perfectly, his shaft like satin encased steel against her. The fact that he might be awake didn’t deter her in the least. He started it.

“Lift your hips.”

Yep, he was awake, and all demanding. She loved it. Maybe some elemental part of her brain had known he would be like this. A take-charge man who could work her body flawlessly. She lifted her hips, sinking gladly down on the immense pole he placed at her entrance. A grateful moan escaped when his hands cupped her ass, guiding her pace.

“Shhh, the ship will be waking up soon,” Seth murmured, lifting his upper body until her was sitting.

This new position allowed her to slide up and down anchored by his strong arms. It also allowed Seth to explore her breasts with his mouth, which he did now with relish. Every time his lips clamped down on a breast sucking in her nipple, she could feel her own pussy jump and clench his dick, pulsating around him like a beating heart. She just couldn’t help it, his tongue and mouth worked wonders on her chest.

“I can’t wait,” Pippa whispered urgently. “I’m going to come.”

“Don’t hold back. Don’t you dare fucking hold back on me,” he snarled. “Give it to me! Give it to me now!”

Her movement got faster, trying to stifle the groans as his hips met her wild thrusts. He filled every inch of her, stroking her insides with the ridges of his rod. It felt so fucking unbelievably good! Their mouths clashed and clung, their bodies grinding together in earnest. If at all possible, it was even better than last night. And like last night, they exploded together, smashing their bodies as close as they could possibly get.

“Pippa, we need to talk,” Seth murmured against her hair several minutes later.

“Later.”

She tried to get up quickly, but Seth held on. She didn’t want to deal with this right now. They would be pulling into port today. She needed to get to the berthing and grab her shit to get ghost as soon as possible. Scampering around the area for her clothes, she tried to ignore the pointed stare she could feel burning her skin. Maybe she shouldn’t rush off. Maybe she should hide out in the berthing until every one left the ship. It might be safer that way.

“Keep running, baby. I’m going to be right behind you.”

Pippa didn’t bother to turn at Seth’s soft declaration. She was too afraid of what she would see.

“Please, put away the cot before you leave,” she threw over her shoulder and got the hell out of the room.

One shower and a few hours later, she could still feel the damn man on her skin. Pacing the berthing only brought back memories of last night and this morning. No matter how she looked at it, Seth Austin was everything she was afraid he’d be. Even now her body hummed, longing to be back in his embrace. Her body never hummed. She didn’t pine for any man once the act was over. So why now? And even as she hid there, waiting for the deck and engineering crews to be knocked off of work to enjoy the liberty port, she knew what she would find once she walked down the pier.

Seth.

What she had seen in his eyes that morning scared the shit out her. This man wasn't after a good time. He wanted a piece of her, a piece that even though she may yell and scream about not wanting to give, she would. Because she wanted it to. And that scared her more. Why did she want more? Why with him? She had known and worked with a lot of fly boys during her eight years in the military. Why was this one so different from the others, or any other man, for that matter?

Unable to stand her own company a second longer, Pippa gathered her small bag with all the things she thought she might need for the next four nights and left the ship. And just as she suspected, Seth was waiting at the end of the pier, leaning against a rental car.

She didn’t bother to utter any of the snide remarks that sprang to mind. What would be the point? She was going to get in the car. She knew it, and so did he. Throwing her bag in his general direction, she got in passenger side of the car.

“Are you going to keep pretending this is nothing more than sexual?” Seth finally asked after a few minutes on the somewhat scary, winding Sicilian roads.

Cars zipped by, sometimes taking the shoulder to zoom past. Apparently the speed limits here were merely suggestions. She refused to show a twinge of fear, especially in front of Seth, but she had a death grip on the handle of the door.

“Probably,” she answered with a calm she was a long way from feeling.

“You know I won’t stop coming after you, right?”

Yeah, she knew it. And she didn’t want him to. She wanted, no, she needed the chase. She needed him to work for it. Maybe she was just ornery as hell, but that was just the way it was.

“Do what you want,” Pippa had perfected the art of being flippant. It was a great self-defense mechanism.

Seth, to his credit, didn’t mention it again. He didn’t let up either. Having been to Sicily before, he gave her the guided tour, taking her to quaint smaller towns and villages, local markets and staying at agriturismos, local bed and breakfast type places that produced feasts from things raised or grown on site at night.

For four glorious days, Pippa was able to let her guard down. She held Seth’s hand as they strolled down cobbled streets, allowed him to purchase hand crafted jewelry, knick-knacks and even clothing sold in the street markets without complaining. Well, without complaining too much. It seemed to make him happy to attempt to spoil her. As much as Pippa would like to think she wasn't that kind of woman, it was nice. She felt special. She fell into the role of being Seth’s woman almost too easily.

Of course, the nights helped to draw her in and keep her very happy. Seth was, in a word, insatiable. He worked her body in ways she had never even dreamed could be done. Throughout the four days she had come more often than in her collective adult lifetime.

And all without a condom.

It wasn't until the last night, her legs wrapped around Seth’s shoulders, her hips in his hands that it hit her. He wasn't wearing a condom. He hadn’t worn one any of the times they were together. What the hell was wrong with her? Never, ever had she even contemplated sleeping with a man without getting the rules out of the way first. But with Seth, all of Pippa’s rules fell by the wayside. She was about to tell him to stop, to pull out, but he hit her g-spot perfectly, stroking her just right. Thinking ceased at that point. Who could think when they were coming so damn hard?

It wasn't until much, much later, once back on the ship with the lights of Sicily fading in the distance that she thought about it again. This was the problem with getting emotionally involved. Every so-called relationship Pippa had ever had in her past never really moved her to feel much beyond fond affection. It was easy to walk away, easy to dismiss a man as soon as he was out of sight because she had never been moved.

Seth moved Pippa before he had even touched her. While she was busy trying to convince herself she hated him, she had fallen in love. It wasn't the way he looked, though he was hella fine. It wasn't his jokes, or the way he treated officer and enlisted alike as equals. There was an indefinable something that had caught her attention. The more she watched him, the deeper she’d fallen. He really was a great guy. He cared about his job, and cared about the crew that helped him do it. He respected the plane he flew, respected the people who supported him in and out of the air. He didn’t try to hot dog, to do stupid things to show off. And he wasn't cocky.

A lot of guys on the ship treated the incoming women like meat or air heads. Seth had done neither. His regard for females showed in the way he spoke and interacted with them. He wasn't the only one, but he was the one that who caught Pippa’s eye. She had been safe as long as that deep, undercover admiration and attraction was one way. Once he reciprocated her interest, well, things like fucking like bunnies without a condom happened.

Damn, now was so not the time to have forgotten to get her trimonthly birth control shot.

*****

Seth slumped against the cold bulkhead that comprised the ship’s walls. He needed to see Pippa. It had been two fucking days, and she wouldn’t so much as look at him. There hadn’t been any flight maneuvers, so he hadn’t been able to really get close as she went about her job, and he did his. Stuck in a briefing room for hours at a time, there was no excuse to go out on the flight deck. He knew what this was about, and it infuriating him.

Pippa was avoiding him. It really didn’t surprise Seth, but two days since leaving Sicily, his hands were itching to touch her. She hadn’t been back to the Equipment Locker at night once. As much as he would like to say he only wanted to talk to her, he wasn't into lying to himself. Yes, he really did want to talk. They really needed to, but he knew once he was alone with her he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself.

He had stalked the place, waiting late in the night for her to show up. She didn’t. The appearance of Rich Ballard, fellow pilot, was not a welcome sight as Seth paced waiting for Pippa to make an appearance.

“Had a good time in Sicily?” Rich leered, sauntering to Seth’s side like they were friends.

He couldn’t stand Rich. The man was a fourth generation Navy officer, which was the only thing that kept him in the air. Arrogant and boastful, Rich couldn’t fly worth a shit, treated his plane like a teenage boy joy riding, and had no regard for the crew. He was the worst kind of pilot, which was why he was constantly grounded. This was his first assignment on a carrier, and it would be his last. The Navy didn’t look kindly on people who constantly screwed with millions of dollars worth of equipment, no matter who their daddy was.

A sick feeling gathered in Seth’s gut. Rich knew something. He could tell by the unholy gleam in his red rimmed eyes. Drinking on board ship was not permitted, but apparently Rich didn’t care about any kind of regulations.

Good one Seth, like getting involved with enlisted personnel isn’t against regs, his conscience wasn't letting him get away with that one. Still, in Seth’s case, he actually cared about Pippa. Who was he trying to fool? He was head over heels for the woman.

“Yeah, Sicily was nice,” Seth answered carefully. He didn’t know what Rich knew, and he wasn’t about to drop any clues.

“Yeah, I just bet you did,” Rich smirked. “I would have gladly gave up all the sweet Italian ass that fell into my lap for just a taste of that dark chocolate –”

Seth’s hand shot out and closed around Rich’s throat before he could think about the consequences of his actions. A red haze clouded his vision as he fought like hell to hang on to his temper.

“Shut the fuck up and walk the fuck away, Little Richie, before I seriously hurt you.”

His voice was quiet, his meaning clear, but just in case Rich didn’t believe him, he squeezed to make it crystal clear this was not a conversation that was going to happen.

Stepping back, Seth crossed his arms and waited. No one would ever accuse Rich of being the brightest bulb. And as he suspected, the man had to push a little more.

“Sorry man. Didn’t know it was like that between you and … her.”

Seth didn’t answer, wasn't going to answer. That was exactly like what Rich wanted.

“It would be a shame if Commander found out about your dark, little secret,” Rich unwisely snarled. “Could ruin your career.”

The solid fist to the jaw didn’t knock Rich out, but it did knock him down. Just about the same time Seth saw Pippa coming around the corner. She wisely stopped, ducking back before Rich saw her. Shit! She was going to be pissed. Not that he punched Rich, but that the man knew was very bad news.

Seth couldn’t begin to care. He was out of the Navy as soon as they returned to home port. He had a job, hell he owned half the business. But for Pippa, should the command choose to take it that far, it could be very bad.

Now he was really hot.

Grapping Rich by the collar of his jumpsuit, Seth slammed the man back against the bulkhead.

“You really don’t want to piss me off, Rich. Trust me. I will rip you ass apart and feed the parts to the shark. You wanna report something, report me for this.”

Flipping the man around, Seth place his foot firmly on his ass and shoved, causing Rich to run headfirst into the bulkhead he was just slammed against. A red streak appeared on the gray surface. Good. Seth was somewhat mollified that he had at least drawn blood. He would take care of Little Richie the very next port they hit. This was just a little taste.

“We will have another meeting Little Richie,” Seth growled as the man gathered himself up, holding a gushing nose. “That I can promise you.”

“Fuck you, asshole!” Rich was still not smart enough to leave well enough alone. “We’ll see how tough you are!”

“Yeah, I guess we will,” Seth muttered as the man hastily retreated.

Damn.

Chapter Four

Of all the people to have seen her with Seth, it had to be Captain Ballard. The man was a complete ass, hated universally, and one of the worst pilots to ever be given wings. Shit! The last thing she needed was to be busted for sleeping with a damn pilot so close to her scheduled discharge. It could jeopardize the job she had lined up. No one wanted to hire a person booted out of the military.

She had no one to blame but herself no matter how much she would love to blame Seth. He gave her an out, and she didn’t take it. Honestly, if she had to go back in time and do all over again, even knowing what had just happened between Seth and Captain Ballard, she would do it all again.

How sick was that? How far gone was she?

“Hey, I didn’t think you would come back.”

Despite the fact Seth just had a serious run in with a jackass, he looked genuinely glad to see her. His face seemed to light up as she sauntered back around the corner. Her heart melted a little right then and there.

“Yeah, I guess I did.” No matter how much her heartbeat sped up, she still had to cast several glances around before entering the Equipment Locker.

Once inside, she took several steps away. She needed to keep her head on straight so they could talk this thing out. The only problem was finding where to start.

“I missed you like crazy,” Seth didn’t give her a minute to collect her thoughts.

She was in his arms, accepting his devastating kiss before she could get a word out. She let him. She didn’t want to talk right now anyway. She didn’t want to worry about what Captain Ballard or what would happen when he opened his mouth.

“I swear to you I won’t let anything hurt you.” Seth lifted his head and pinned her with those eyes.

Pippa swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t want to go there right now.

“Seth, I can take of myself.” She didn’t mean to snap, but she was starting to get antsy, like she needed to run.

“Who hurt you?”

She hated that question. Why did men always think just because a woman didn’t want to lean on a freaking man she’s been hurt by one? Why couldn’t she just be an independent woman? And in her case, that was exactly it.

“I have never been hurt by anyone for your information.” This time the animosity was meant. “I just happen to be able to take care of myself all on my lonesome without needing some man to do it for me!”

The statement was followed by a push to his chest, meant to free her from his grasp. Only she couldn’t budge him. Damnable man! She tried punching, but he simply wrestled her hands behind her back and held them there. With one hand no less. How humiliating.

“If I were a man I would so kick your ass,” she hissed, pouting like a freaking girl.

“If you were a man we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” he shot back without missing a beat. “And fine, so you haven’t been hurt. Why is so damn hard for you to let go? I’m not going to hurt you. I only want to be there for you. I’m not asking you to give up your damn life. This isn’t just about you. Damn it, if I want to protect you, let me.”

“I don’t need you to protect me!” Pippa seriously didn’t want to hear this. “I made the decision to fuck you, I will accept the consequences.”

“Damn it, Pippa, you don’t have to! You are getting out soon, let me handle it.”

“Look, I don’t need any man fixing things for me. If you can’t handle that maybe you should walk.”

She was being ridiculously stubborn. There was no point to this entire conversation. So why was she persisting? It was mule-headed to the extreme, and she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why she was being so damn obstinate. And if she couldn’t she knew he wouldn’t.

“You’re scared.” Seth was way too insightful for his own good. “Baby, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving tonight, or the next night. If you really want me out of your life, it’s you who will have to do the walking.”

He had her there. She wanted him too much. She couldn’t walk away, and she didn’t understand why he wouldn’t. She was a prickly bitch, work persona aside, on the best days. Even in during the five idyllic days and four nights in Sicily, she had been a little bitchy. Seth just ignored it. He really liked her and she had no idea how to handle it.

“Come on, let’s go to sleep,” Seth sighed kissing her forehead before letting go of her hands.

She watched as he pulled out the cot and bedding he must have stashed in one of the metal lockers earlier. She refused to help him strip her down to nothing, but she didn’t demur when he pulled her down to lay on top of her. What really got Pippa was that was all he did. He made no moves to do anything remotely sexual – much to her dismay.

“Seth?”

“Hummm?” He sounded half asleep, but Pippa didn’t buy it. His cock was hard and ready against her stomach. So when was he going to use it?

“Are you just going to lay there?” she was starting to get indignant. She couldn’t be within a foot of him without being primed and ready to go.

“Go to sleep, Pippa.”

“What?”

“Go to sleep. No more sex for you until you learn to start trusting me.”

He didn’t mean it. There was no way someone as highly sexualized as Seth could go without it for very long. Unless he looks for it elsewhere.

This was why she didn’t do relationships. That last thought was so far from her normal thought process it was almost another language. The anger she expected to feel at herself for even thinking it didn’t come. Examining why was extremely uncomfortable. She cared. She didn’t want Seth to ever seek out another woman. She didn’t want him to let her push him away. Just because he wasn't now, didn’t mean he wouldn’t later though.

This was all so ridiculous. Try as she might to force her thoughts elsewhere, he just wasn't happening. Neither was sleep apparently.

*****

“Austin, come on in my office so I can talk to you for a minute.”

Shit! Seth didn’t need a crystal ball to know what Commander Whitt wanted. Ballard had run his freaking mouth, no doubt. A tic formed in his jaw as he followed the Squad Commander’s leisurely stroll into the tiny office in the corner of the squad’s briefing room. It didn’t matter what happened to him, he was going to be fine either way, but if that bastard had squealed Pippa’s name there was going to be hell to pay. Well there was going to be hell to pay anyway, but things might go especially bad for Ballard if Pippa was in any way affected.

“Have a seat.”

Seth sat. He didn’t speak, although Commander Whitt looked at him expectantly. He was giving nothing away. Besides, there was no quicker way to hang yourself than giving away information.

“Wanna tell me what happened?” The commander had a slow Southern drawl most people mistakenly mistook for lack of intelligence.

Seth wasn’t one of those people. The older man was sharp as a tack and would have been a rear admiral by now if not for his habit of annoying the shit out of higher ups defending his pilots against all bullshit, large and small. Therefore, Seth wasn’t going to mention any of the particular “things” the commander could be referring to.

“You always were a smart one,” Commander Whitt muttered, leaning back in his chair. “Ballard’s banged up a little bit. Came to me whining this morning about how you attacked him over that little woman of yours.”

Seth opened his mouth but was silenced by a waved hand from the commander. “Don’t want to hear it. Don’t know what egghead in the Pentagon didn’t stop to think when you put men and women on a ship and send them off for longer than a month they wouldn’t fuck. It’s human Goddamn nature. I ain’t complaining, at least you’re both smart enough to keep it under wraps. That woman’s no fly-by-night. Seeing as how you’re both out of the Navy soon it’s pointless to try and do anything about it. I only want to warn you boy, Ballard’s a spineless dog and he ain’t going away anytime soon. Watch your back, in the sky and on the ground.”

“Isn’t he grounded?”

Ballard wasn’t supposed to be in the air anymore. The man simply couldn’t pay attention to his own controls and blatantly ignored Master Chief Jenkins, the Air Boss, or anyone else in the tower. He had come in hot one time too many, pissing off the master chief so bad the man had lost it right on the flight deck. No one, not the commander, not the freaking admiral of the ship, pissed of the Air Boss. The man was responsible for their lives and the safety of the flight deck. His word was law.

“Somehow got word to his daddy,” Commander Whitt spit out. It didn’t matter what Ballard did, his Daddy was part of the Joint Chiefs. Not the main man, but up there. Nothing anyone could say would stop the man until he killed himself or someone else, which was far more likely than his father retiring. “Watch your back.”

“Aye.”

Seth had a lot to think about. For the past five nights he lay in the tiny, cramped, cold as hell Equipment Locker with the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life getting to know trying like hell to be understanding and supportive. He was sporting a full time boner wanting her so bad, but operating under the mistaken belief that Pippa was afraid to love. He really had believed that some asshole had broken her heart, or something worse. He had dreaded it, made himself sick getting infuriated on her behalf.

None of that was true. Seth had learned a little thing or two about his Pippa. She had merely looked at all the fucked up relationships around her, the rampant cheating and all of the drama of the young and trying-to-be-attached and made a decision against trying it for herself. She had spent her time in the military so determined not to get sucked into a never ending spiral of the ridiculous that she had closed off her heart completely. She simply didn’t know how to deal with anyone who was knocking at her heart with the full intent of coming in.

He never would have believed it possible if he wasn’t going through it. She didn’t need understanding or time to “understand her feelings”. What was more, she didn’t want that. She wanted someone with the strength to come claim her love. Earn it. He could kick himself in the ass for misreading her so badly.

Over the past five nights he had listening carefully to everything she said, as well as everything she didn’t say. This was going to end tonight. They had pulled into Souda Bay, Greece this morning was a working port, and Pippa had duty tonight. She didn’t stand watches because she was on the firefighting and damage control team. All he had to do was to wait until after the nightly fire drill. Those who didn’t have duty would have long since vacated the ship. No more Equipment Locker, no more touchy-feely getting to know you chit-chat. There were only two months left in this Med Cruise and Seth fully intended that at the end, Pippa would be moving to Atlanta with him.

Chapter Five

Drills just sucked. The Mediterranean was warm on the best days, but sitting around in full dress gear and sweltering while some boot camp was trying find his or her ass was damn near intolerable. Pippa was hot, cranky, and all she wanted to do was to disappear into the relative peace of the Equipment Locker and go to sleep. She had slept in a week. It was impossible to do while lying on top of the hunkiest man alive gloriously naked and doing nothing. Cruel and unusual punishment is what that was. Damn it, according to her Constitution that was illegal.

Why couldn’t Seth just ignore her attitude and give her what they both really wanted? Why the talking and the “getting to know you” bullshit? Most men would be happy with pussy with no strings, no attachments, no drama. But not Seth. No, he wanted much more than sex. But man was he going about it the wrong way. Pippa was not the woman to want to talk it out. She and Seth clicked on a level she didn’t understand and didn’t really want to investigate. Sicily had been damned good. Why the lovey-dovey b.s. all of the sudden?

Maybe it was Ballard. Because nothing had happened since the little scene she had witnessed between Ballard and Seth, she figured he really didn’t know what he thought he did. Surely had Ballard told she would have been called into the master chief’s office by now. But life had gone on just as always. So what was up with Seth?

“Pippa.”

She stopped where she was, looking around as though she were lost. The damage control locker she was assigned to was right next to the officer’s berthing, she had to go straight through it to get back to the Equipment Room where she planned on spending the rest of her duty night diddling herself. The sound of her name from the voice of the man that inspired her frustration stopped her cold.

“Captain Austin?”

Pilots didn’t stand duty. So what was he doing here? She had expected him to be out and about with his buddies. Yet there he stood, looking loaded for bear. His hazel eyes glittered as he stood there, feet braced, a tic in his jaw. Yummy. This was the Seth Pippa liked to see. Not that she was giving in that easily. He had tortured her for five freaking days.

“Get in here.”

Refusal was not an option. She could see that plainly in his gaze. Still, she couldn’t help but cast a look around to see if anyone was lurking. There was no one.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Talk about getting busted; getting caught in an officer’s stateroom would be horrific. She was probably going to do it anyway, but a little teasing never hurt.

“I don’t recall asking you for an opinion. Get. In. Here. Now.”

No probably about it, she was going in. Each step made her heart beat harder, faster. As soon as she walked over the threshold, the door was closed and locked and Pippa found herself pinned against the bulkhead in a blink of an eye. He didn’t kiss her, he devoured her mouth. His tongue darted in and out of her mouth in a parody of the sex act, stealing her very breath.

There was nothing gentle or questioning in the way his hands stripped off her uniform, only taking a brief respite from his assault of her mouth to rip off her t-shirt. He left on her boondockers.

“Seth,” she had to fight to break her lips from his. “Maybe we should talk.”

Where the hell had that come from? Pippa couldn’t stand “talking”, and here she was suggesting it. She had underestimated Seth. She had thought during the last week when he didn’t touch her sexually, he might be like every other guy she had ever dated. All strong and manly until the she showed them she was every bit as strong as they were. Men didn’t know how to react to that. Most of them backed off, or wanted to be just friends. As much as she wanted Seth to take her every one of those nights, now she was a little afraid. He seemed different. Different even from the first time.

He was more determined. He was more…just more.

“No more talking.” Dropping to his knees, he took her panties in his teeth, dragging them down. Hooking both of her legs over his shoulders, diving into her moist center. Pippa clutched his head as he rose, taking her with him, licking, slurping, nibbling at her pussy.

“Seth!” She wanted to scream but his name came out as a gasp.

He ate her like a man possessed, driving from one orgasm to the next. His tongue flicked her clit, then suckled it; milking the nubbin like a tiny cock. Her head swam as she was overcome with sensation.

“Too much, Seth,” Pippa pleaded, tugging on his hair. “Please!”

“Not enough!” he growled back at her.

Allowing her body to glide down his front, Seth used his hips to stop her right where he wanted her. She gasped at the contact of skin on skin. When had he taken off his own clothes? The thick crown of the mushroomed head of his penis caressed her vaginal lips. He didn’t enter her as she wanted, needed; Seth seemed to be fascinated by the glide of their organs in an intimate kiss.

“I held off from this,” he spoke as if he was speaking to himself. Pippa was captivated at his almost feral appearance. Seth was deadly serious. He wanted much more than her body. “I thought you were scared of being in love. I thought someone had hurt you, or abused you. I wanted to show you that I was different. But that was never it was it?”

He looked up at her then. His eyes burned her to the quick. “That was never it, was it Pippa?”

He never gave her a chance to answer.

With one smooth drive forward, he buried every inch of his cock deep inside her, impaling her so fully she couldn’t scream out her pleasure, she couldn’t whimper in submission, she couldn’t do anything but feel.

“Look at me, Pippa!”

Oh, damn it was too much. She could feel each forceful thrust to her toes. Her legs wrapped around him, urging him on. He pounded into her without mercy, owning her body and soul. Her hands blindly gripped any place she could, loving his possession.

“Oh, God, Seth, I can’t hold back!” She didn’t want to come. She wanted this to last forever.

“Don’t!” he commanded, never missing a stroke. “Never hold back from me! I want it all, Pippa. Every last fucking drop!”

She bit him as she came, her body shaking beyond her control.

But he wasn't done. Laying her on his rack, he took her again and again, leaving no part of her body untouched. Her blood boiled in her veins as Seth ignited her flesh with a passion so intense she thought she would die from it.

“Turn over.”

She didn’t think she could. He had wring out everything, surely there couldn’t be more?

She felt something cool and wet against the sensitive rosette of her ass as his finger stroked her there.

“I want you to relax for me,” he rasped instruction in her ear. “When I push in, I want you to push out.”

She nodded weakly, wanting this. He had warned her he would take her there. He used his fingers first, using a lubricant that first cooled, and then heated her skin. She didn’t know if she could handle him. His fingers stretched and burned, filling her yet leaving her oddly empty. She needed something else, something more.

“Are you ready, baby?”

Was she? There was no way she could answer that. When she felt him there, her heart stopped. She tried to do as he instructed, pushing out as he pressed forward, but it was too big.

“Seth, I don’t think I can take you.” Oh, God it hurt so good! The pain mixed in with the wildest pleasure she had ever felt.

“Relax, baby,” Seth crooned, never stopping the press forward. “Let me in.”

Pippa didn’t think she could take the burn that came with his pressing through her outer ring, but as soon as she was breached, the pain was mixed with something more. It was far beyond anything she would describe as pleasure. It was a mingling of pleasure, pain, and the sweetest feeling of being complete taken, of belonging to the man possessing her.

“Mine!” Seth snarled with absolute authority, though he moved slowly, careful of hurting her.

She loved him for that. No, she just loved him. This was the man she had been waiting for. Maybe she couldn’t have him forever, but for now, she wanted nothing more than to belong to him.

“Say it, Pippa,” Seth barked at her. “Tell me what I want to hear.”

She knew what he wanted to hear. She didn’t know how she knew, but she did. To say it would be a final submission. There would be nothing left to hold back. She wasn't sure if she could form the words. When she said nothing, Seth’s strokes into her burning backside became faster, deeper. His hand smacked down on her ass sweetly, sending bolts of lightning straight to her pussy.

She was hovering on edge of something mind blowing, but she couldn’t seem to go over. She needed something that was just out of her reach.

“Please, Seth,” she didn’t care that she was begging. She was desperate. “I need so bad!”

“I know what you need, baby. But you can’t have it until you tell me.”

Oh, God she had no choice. She was going to have to say it. She had never said it to anyone before. She didn’t know what was worse, that he had forced her to this point, or that she would mean it? Wasn't it enough that he already knew?

“Say it, Pippa. God, baby I need you to say it. I’m not going to last. Too damn tight, too good.”

He would leave her behind if she didn’t. Pippa Tanner’s day had come.

“I love you, Seth.” The words were ripped from her very soul, groaned in defeat that felt oddly like victory.

Something inside her was set free and took flight.

Seth’s fingers found her clit with unerring accuracy; one little pinch and her body detonated completely, shaking her to her core.

“Fuck! Yes, baby, hell yes!” Seth howled, his hips slamming into her.

Pippa couldn’t do more than sob into the mattress, giving over her body completely into his hands. The first orgasm ruptured into another, sapping all her strength. Her body melted on to the bed, completely drained. She couldn’t move as Seth gingerly slipped out of her, didn’t move as he used a wet cloth to wipe her clean. When he joined her on the bed, gathering her into his arms, she went gladly, resting her head on his broad chest.

So this was love. Funny, it didn’t feel as frantic or miserable as she had witnessed. She felt satisfied, complete even. It made her wonder why she had fought it for so long. Maybe this wasn't the worst thing that could happen to her.

“You can’t take it back,” Seth spoke into the silence after a while. “I’m going to hold you to it.”

“It was said under duress.” Pippa didn’t mean it for a second. And she knew he knew that too.

“Doesn’t matter, you said it,” she could hear the smile in his voice. It felt…nice. “You said it, you meant it. That’s all that matters.”

Yeah, it was all that mattered. Pippa Tanner was deeply, completely in love.

“I love you, Pippa,” Seth continued when she failed to argue with his former statement. “I promise you I will spend every day proving to you how much.”

“You don’t have to,” she decided to stop the games, stop the running, stop everything but honest to goodness truth. “You already have. And that’s god enough for me.”

Tomorrow would take care of itself. For now, she would enjoy it.

Chapter Six

That was it then. Three days after leaving Greece, Pippa walked out of medical stunned. The paper in her hands burned as she slowly made her way to see the master chief. Fuck, this was not the way she wanted it to end! She had planned on seeing the Med Cruise through, taking the time to save up a little extra. Now all her plans had been blown to shit. There was no way she could finish the cruise. Hell, her civilian job might even have to wait a little while now.

It was so stupid, but she couldn’t place the blame anywhere but squarely on her own shoulders. Deep in the back recesses of her mind, she had dared Fate. Maybe some part of her knew this would happen. She should tell Seth, but she didn’t think she was going to. This was no way to begin a relationship. She had to walk away now.

You wanted this to happen her inner voice chided. Don’t pretend you didn’t know.

The reality was far more real than she had ever imagined. Sitting down in front of Master Chief Jenkins was worse than being called to the principal’s office. The man looked as rough as hewn stone. Pippa was willing to bet if he ever let anyone close enough to lick that thick, ebony skin of his he would taste of sea salt. Definitely old Navy, probably joined when they still called women in the Navy “Waves”. He never treated any of the females under him any different from the males. For that alone Pippa respected the hell out of him. This, however, was not something she would want to bring to his attention. She had no idea how he was going to react.

“I never expected this of you, Tanner,” the older man’s voice was raking gravel over rocks.

Pippa had to fight to urge to put her head down. Yeah, she never expected this of her either. It was such a damn chick move, so not her.

“You tell Captain Austin yet?”

That opened her eyes nice and wide.

“Pardon me?” she stuttered. She had heard him just fine, but she couldn’t think of a reply. How the hell had he known? Maybe Ballard had ran his damn mouth after all.

“Had a little talk with Commander Whitt a while back. Why do you think you’ve been moved to the tower?”

“Because I’m a damn good air traffic controller?” she dared. And she was. She was good at any job she set her mind to.

Master Chief snorted, thoroughly pissing her off. The thing was, there wasn't a damn thing she could say, he was right. Not that she would do any ‘fessing up. Let him speculate, it was none of his damned business.

“I didn’t need the commander to confirm what I saw with my own two eyes.” Oh, shit. This was not good. What the hell had he seen? “I see the way his eyes seek you out. I see the way you look at him when you think no one is looking. Can’t prove a damn thing, but I am old enough to know the signs.” He shook his head as if he were a disappointed parent. “Hoped you would change your mind about getting out. Guess there’s no chance of that now.” Standing, he moved to the bolted down metal filing cabinet in the corner, withdrawing a folder.

He said he couldn’t prove anything, though now technically, she supposed he could if he wanted to. Was he going to write her up? Eight years of exemplary service flushed down the toilet. Could she be more stupid?

“Have to fly you back stateside as soon as we pull into Turkey,” the master chief informed her taking his seat behind his battered metal desk once more. “Can’t say I’m happy. Losing one of the best members of my crew.”

Well that was something at least. The master chief didn’t give compliments. You did your job or he put his foot in your ass. There was no “atta boy” from this man. But he inspired his crew to be the best. He had this weird thing that made you want to make him proud. And he had his people’s back. She was going to miss the ornery old coot.

“Take care of yourself, Tanner,” he shocked her further by saying. “You deserve the best. I suspect you got it.”

And with that she was dismissed. She was so shocked, she never saw Ballard moving purposefully in her direction until the man walked right in front of her.

“Hey there, little mama,” Ballard sported the smarmiest grin she’d ever seen. The man was just disgusting. “Heard what happened back there.”

What the hell, had he been listening at the door?

“Excuse me, I have things to do.” Her voice was barely respectful. Some officers just didn’t deserve respect.

“Now that you’re all, uh, full, what’s a little bit more?”

Ballard grabbed his crotch thrusting his hips against the air. Was that supposed to look sexy or something? Pippa felt her breakfast threaten to return. She pitied the woman who would ever lay down with that. The man was pathetic.

“Captain Ballard, I wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire,” Pippa sneered. “And I sincerely doubt you want to explain a complaint of sexual harassment to your daddy, so why don’t you just move the fuck out of my way?”

“You think I don’t know what you have been giving Austin?” Ballard made the mistake of touching her, grabbing her upper arm. “You like vanilla don’t ya? Well open up, baby, cause I can give some but good.”

Not a smart man, Pippa decided. Her knee slammed into his crotch with no regret. When

he fell to his knees, she took the opportunity to get right in his face.

“The next time you touch me, I will kill you. And I dare you to write me up. I will scream, yell, and fucking bellow to all the world what a no good tiny pencil dick you are to everyone I see. Hell, I’ll take out a fucking ad, feel me?’

She didn’t bother to hang around to hear whatever he might have to say. She had to go to Admin. There was a lot of paperwork she needed to do.

*****

“Come again?”

Seth couldn’t have heard the commander correctly. Surely there was some kind of mistake. Pippa was gone?

But he knew there wasn't a mistake. He had looked everywhere for her, and there had been no sign of her. He hadn’t seen her since they pulled into the Turkish port, which was two days ago. It was a working port and they were due to perform some basic flight maneuvers in less than an hour, so he figured he would see her then. He expected an explanation for her absence last night, when he had waited all night long for her to make in an appearance in the Equipment Locker. He had planned on taking her out tonight, maybe spending the night at a hotel in town. It had been far too long since he slept with her in his arms without having to get up before day break lest someone catch them.

“You heard me,” Commander Whitt replied, neither harshly nor kindly. Seth really didn’t like the studied blandness in the man’s tone. “She was flown back stateside this morning.”

“But why? Did you write her up? Did Ballard go to Master Chief?”

Seth felt awash in pure blinding fury. If Ballard had opened his fucking mouth he would kill him. He was going to kick his ass anyway, but he would end his life if the man had done anything to harm Pippa in any way.

“Ballard had nothing to do with it.” Seth didn’t like the way Commander Whitt was looking at him. Like there was something Seth didn’t know that he really should. “She didn’t talk to you? At all?”

What the fuck? He had slept with her every night since Greece, since Sicily really. If something was wrong she hadn’t said. Was she sick? Why wouldn’t she had told him?

“Was there something she should have told me?” Seth had never known panic that gripped him now. Somehow, he had to talk to her. He had to know what the hell was going on.

“Uh, no…Well, um…Shit!” Seth had never seen the commander look as uncomfortable or at such a loss for words. “Look, son, if she didn’t tell you it ain’t really my place, son. Maybe you should go talk to Master Chief.”

Seth more or less ran to find the master chief, but he wasn't talking either. Seth wasted thirty minutes trying to get the man to spill, but Master Chief never did a damn thing he didn’t want to. He had begged, pleaded, almost going to his knees. The other man just didn’t spill, and there wasn’t shit Seth could do about it.

“If she didn’t tell you, I’m thinking she had a damn god reason,” Master Chief Jenkins had shrugged. “But maybe you shouldn’t fly today. Sit this one out.”

That wasn’t going to happen either. Seth thought better off the ground. As confused and upset as Seth was, once seated in the cock pit, his mind cleared. His focus was on the mission, fake as it was. He could think once in was lost in the clouds.

Take off was smooth, the plane handling like a dream. The squadron formed a perfect V in the sky, a dazzling display of Navy know-how. Once in the baby blue skies, Seth allowed his mind to go over the events of the past few weeks.

Pippa led him on one hell of a chase, but they had been over that hadn’t they? She had given no indication she wanted to be through with him. She had been a little preoccupied the past several nights, but she hadn’t been feeling well…

Holy shit! Enlightenment hit him like a ton of bricks. Of course! But why wouldn’t she tell him? Didn’t she know he loved her? Then again, he seriously doubted she had considered this might happen. She was probably scared shitless. Seth had known, he had even begun to hope for exactly this. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman. He couldn’t imagine anything making him happier. He just never expected her to run without telling him. When he got his hands on –

Out of nowhere, the alarms went crazy on his panel. Lights flashed, an irritating blaring siren grated on his ears. According to the radar screen, something was coming into close, way too fast. Barking to the control tower what was happening, he tracked the unidentified object, cursing as the tower confirmed what he suspected. Fucking Ballard! He was way too close! He was going to clip his wing.

The impact was jarring, kicking Seth’s helmet against the side of the plane. For a brief moment, he fought for control, praying he would be able to make a hot landing. It wasn't going to happen. Both planes were going down fast. He had to eject. Popping the lever, Seth was propelled away from the crashing plane. He could make out both hunks of metal racing toward the glittering sapphire ocean. His unclipped his seat and deployed his parachute, looking around for Ballard. The other man was nowhere to be seen.

“God, please forgive me,” Seth sent up a prayer as he drifted toward the sea steering his parachute a safe distance from now flaming wreckage of two fighter planes.

There was no way Ballard survived that crash. Seth was deluged with guilt. Not because the other man had lost his life. Though it was shame, Seth was sorrier that he hadn’t gotten the chance to kill him with his own two hands. He was surely going to hell for that, but not before he went to collect his woman.

Pippa was overdue for one hell of a spanking.

Epilogue

It was a beautiful apartment complex. Located in the heart of Hotlanta, the large two bedroom townhouse was in a gated community, with two pools, two gyms and an onsite nursery school that took babies. The nursery even had cameras in every room, allowing parents to log on from work to check in on their children. Perfect.

As soon as the moving truck pulled up to her new home, Pippa jumped to begin helping the movers bring in her boxes and furniture. It had felt like forever since she had lived in her own place. She had stayed at the Transient Personnel Unit in Norfolk after returning from the ship as she transitioned out of the Navy. The last three months had been spent running around getting ready for the move, doctor’s appointments, and making sure she still had a job waiting for her regardless of her current position.

“You touch one of those boxes and I will blister your ass.”

Pippa froze. Seth. He had found her. Which meant he knew. She hadn’t wanted him to find out, at least not yet. She had planned on telling him eventually. She simply had known what he would do when she told him. This was no way to start out a life together. How many times had she seen this exact situation, only to see it end badly?

“Well, baby, you going to turn around?”

Taking a deep breath, Pippa turned, then wished she hadn’t. He was still gorgeous. She wanted so bad to run into his arms. But she couldn’t.

His eyes went to her stomach and narrowed. She didn’t look pregnant, yet. Soon she would.

“You want to explain yourself to me?”

“No,” she answered honestly. But she would have to. He wouldn’t accept anything less.

He went to speak with the movers. She had no idea what he told them, but they were soon driving away. With her stuff.

“Hey!” Pippa stormed up to where Seth stood. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Where are they taking my stuff?”

What the hell was she supposed to do without her furniture? Sleep on the floor?

“They are taking it home.”

*****

Seth was equal parts pissed and relieved. Finding Pippa hadn’t been hard, but the fact he had to actually find her still smarted.

“Get in the car,” he demanded, opening the passenger side door so she could climb in.

Gratefully, she did. She pouted, folding her arms over her chest as soon as she was seat belted in, but at least she had gotten in. Seth was afraid he was going to have to argue her into it.

He didn’t speak until they were on the road, half afraid she might jump out of the car if he said anything she didn’t want to hear.

“Why didn’t you tell me, baby?” The hurt was evident in his voice, he couldn’t really hide it. “Didn’t you know I would take care of you both?”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

That didn’t make any fucking sense. She didn’t tell him because he would take care of her? What pregnant woman didn’t want the father of her child to take care of her?

“What the hell does that mean? Pippa, you’re not making any sense!”

“Have you seen what happens to couples who marry because they got pregnant?” Pippa turned tormented eyes in his direction. “A baby doesn’t make a marriage, Seth.”

“Honey, I knew the first time we were together this would happen eventually.”

“What?!”

Well, well, well, he had finally succeeded in shaking the unshakable Pippa Tanner, soon to be Pippa Austin.

“I never once used a condom, never asked about birth control. Did you think I just forgot? Do you really believe I would bareback someone I didn’t fully intend on spending the rest of my life with?”

With great satisfaction he saw that she didn’t think that at all. Comprehension was slow in coming but it did come.

Pulling into the drive way of the house he had recently purchased, he slowed the car to a stop then turned to his woman.

“I love you, Pippa. If I have to prove that every day for the rest of my life, so be it. But I won’t give you up, and you will not be raising my child without me.”

The sheen of unshed tears in those incredible brown eyes of hers tugged at Seth’s heart. Damn he loves this difficult woman. Loved everything about her.

“Every day for the rest of your life, huh? That’s a lot of work.”

“Yeah, I know, you’re pretty high maintenance,” he drawled, pulling her into his arms. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The End