Table of Contents

- Prologue

- Chapter One

- Chapter Two

- Chapter Three

- Chapter Four

- Chapter Five

- Chapter Six

- Chapter Seven

- About the Author

- Look for these titles by Elle Kennedy

Letting her into his life is not an option. Letting her go…impossible.

Out of Uniform, Book 4

One look at Thomas Becker’s seriously ripped body, and Jane Harrison is having trouble remembering why she tracked down the Navy SEAL. Oh, yes, that hot scoop for her magazine. Instead they get trapped in an elevator together—and she gets sizzling hot sex.

After the delicious encounter is over, Becker’s out of there, she’s left off balance, and even more determined not to take no for an answer. Either for that interview, or another chance to find out if he always goes commando.

One minute Becker is making it plain his answer is no. The next, he’s using the only weapon at hand to calm her confined-space panic attack—a kiss. And caving in to a fierce, unexpected need that wasn’t even on his radar. Long term? Hell no—not after the divorce that just spit him out. But a fling with the redheaded reporter with a brutally honest mouth and a body made for sin? Abso-effing-lutely.

Trouble is, when the week is over, she isn’t even close to being out of his system…

Warning: Contents under pressure. Hot elevator sex, a redhead who knows exactly what she wants, and a Navy SEAL who can’t help but give it to her. May cause spontaneous combustion. Be sure to fan yourself frequently.

eBooks are not transferable.

They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520

Macon GA 31201

Heat it Up

Copyright © 2010 by Elle Kennedy

ISBN: 978-1-60928-066-6

Edited by Laurie M. Rauch

Cover by Angela Waters

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: June 2010

www.samhainpublishing.com

Heat It Up

Elle Kennedy

Prologue

It was hot as hell. The temperature was already in the 90s and steadily rising, the sun, a big yellow ball in the middle of a cloudless sky, radiating waves of heat. Sweat stained the front of Thomas Becker’s camo T-shirt. Not even the gust of wind hitting the chopper could cool him down, and the four other men inside seemed to be experiencing the same discomfort.

“Man, I hate South America,” Carson Scott remarked, raising his voice to be heard over the sound of wind and rotors.

“It’ll get cooler when we’re in the jungle,” John Garrett said with a shrug, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Carson sighed. “I hate the jungle too. Monkeys freak me out.”

Next to him, Ryan Evans, the youngest and rowdiest member of Team Fifteen, hooted. “Does Holly know what a wimp you are?”

“Naah, I bet he tells her a bunch of stories when he gets back from overseas,” Matt O’Connor chimed in. “Painting himself as the hero in each one.”

“Oh, I’m definitely Holly’s hero,” Carson shot back, wiggling his eyebrows. “She’s always the damsel in distress when we role-play. Except for that one time, when I got to be a weary, injured traveler and she was the virgin nurse who tenderly nurtured me back to health.”

The men in the chopper laughed. Becker cracked a smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Not that he didn’t like the other guys, or find them entertaining, but the four of them had worked together for years. He was the new guy. Well, technically, he was their new superior. As a Senior Lieutenant, he now headed up the SEAL team, but for the past five years, he’d led a team out on the east coast.

He’d moved to California six months ago, after his wife—now ex-wife—landed a modeling campaign that required she relocate to the west coast. Her career was everything to Alice, and like a good husband, he wanted to support his wife. Two months later, he was signing divorce papers, and rather than go back east, he’d decided to stick around for a while. He’d been assigned to Team Fifteen, whose members were legendary around the base. Not just for their impressive mission success records, but for their success with the ladies. Players, other SEALs called them.

Garrett was married now, and Carson had been in a long-term relationship for a couple years, but the other two, Ryan and Matt, apparently kept the reputation alive by prowling the club scene and hooking up with warm, willing females.

Becker didn’t get the lifestyle. He was only thirty-two, but he’d been in a committed relationship since he was eighteen years old. Sure, that relationship had died a fiery death four months ago, but even now, divorced and single, he couldn’t picture himself doing the casual sex thing.

Lately, he hardly thought about sex at all. He much preferred going out on missions, even in scorching-hot parts of the world like Colombia. At least when he was stealing through the jungle he didn’t have to be reminded of Alice.

Looking down at the map in his hands, he studied the area they were going to be dropped at. It was at least half a day’s hike from their target, but they couldn’t land any closer to the rebel camp, not without alerting the enemy.

“That’s where she’s being held?” Matt said, leaning in closer for a better look.

Becker nodded, then pointed to a ridge on the map. “I say we separate there. Split up, approach from two directions.”

The other men offered their opinions, but it didn’t take long to formulate an extraction plan. Elizabeth Harrison had been a hostage of the rebels for three days now, and during that time, the SEALs were able to get satellite images of the camp, detailed notes about the terrain, as well as the locations of the twenty or so armed guards.

Becker wondered how Elizabeth was holding up. It had been seriously shitty luck on her part, being captured during an assignment in the neighboring village. She was a photographer in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she was lucky that the government gave a damn about her. A lot of people up on the chain of command were anxious to see the American journalist brought to safety.

Which put a lot of pressure on Becker and his team to make sure they got her out safe and sound. Fortunately, Becker was damn good at his job.

As he rolled up the map and tucked it in the pocket of his camo pants, he gave each man on the chopper a stern and somber look that had them squirming in their seats.

Then he clapped his hands together and said, “All right, boys. Elizabeth Harrison needs rescuing. Let’s not keep her waiting.”

Chapter One

Jane Harrison lingered in the doorway, unable to take her eyes off the man across the large workout room. As far as faces went, his was nothing extraordinary. No Brad Pitt or anything. Average features, eyes an unremarkable shade of brown, a dark buzz cut. Handsome, sure, but nobody who would make you freeze in the middle of a busy street with your tongue hanging out. Yet, that’s exactly what she was doing, wasn’t it? Half-drooling as she stared at him. It was the body. She’d never seen anyone so ripped, so masculine. He was about six feet or so, with broad shoulders, a chest that looked rock-hard, and a trim waist that led to a taut backside.

He wore a light blue T-shirt, and his biceps flexed and bulged each time he lifted one of the weights in his hands. A tall, brown-haired woman stood next to him, frowning, and even from across the room, Jane heard the woman tell him to take it easy. But Jane knew this wasn’t the kind of man who took anything easy. Intensity rolled off him in waves.

She’d planned on approaching him here, in the brightly lit gym at the physical therapy center, but she hesitated by the door. Liz hadn’t mentioned how commanding this man was. Or what a great body he had. Then again, Liz had probably been too busy getting shot at to notice what her rescuer looked like.

Jane watched as the therapist finally took the weights from Thomas Becker and set them down on the rack. The brunette looked annoyed. Probably because her patient seemed determined to  push his physical limits when four weeks ago he’d taken a bullet to the arm.

“See you on Friday,” the physical therapist said.

Thomas Becker just nodded, then headed for the door.

As he got closer, Jane drew in her breath. Okay, she had to quit focusing on his body and remember why she’d come here. This man had saved her sister’s life. She was here to interview him, not fuck him.

“Mr. Becker?” she said when he reached the door.

He glanced at her, forehead wrinkling. “Who’s asking?”

“My name is Jane Harrison. You were in charge of the rescue mission for—”

“Elizabeth,” he finished. “She okay?”

“She’s great. Thanks to you and your team.” It unnerved her, how serious his expression was. He hadn’t even smiled in greeting. “Liz is my sister.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Jane faltered for a moment, not sure what to say next. It was obvious Thomas Becker didn’t have much interest in talking to her, seeing how his brown-eyed gaze kept darting toward the elevator at the end of the hall.

“Do you have a moment?” she asked.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I have an appointment in twenty minutes.”

“I’ll walk out with you then.” She took a step down the corridor, and he followed her, his strides a million times longer than hers. He didn’t do the gentlemanly thing either and try to match her gait, just barreled down the hall, while she struggled to keep up, which was hard to do in three-inch heels. She still wore the short black business suit and heels she’d donned for her morning meeting with her editor at Today’s World, the magazine she worked for, and the outfit hadn’t been designed for chasing after a very tall, very hot Navy SEAL.

“So, I came here to ask you a favor,” she said as she hurried after him.

“Yeah, what’s that?”

They reached the elevator, which triggered a spark of panic in her gut. She usually avoided elevators like the plague, but she wasn’t about to ask this man to go down ten flights of stairs after he’d gotten shot rescuing her sister. As he reached to punch the elevator button, she noticed how large his hands were. He had long fingers, oddly graceful considering the size of his hands, but covered with just enough calluses to give him that manly, rough edge.

“I’m a journalist, and I’d like to write a story about my sister’s rescue. Since you were in charge of the operation in Colombia, I was hoping to interview you.”

Thomas Becker studied her for a long moment, his gaze sweeping up and down, side to side. She felt it the second those brown eyes rested on the cleavage spilling out of the camisole under her suit jacket, because her nipples tightened and poked against her bra. She could tell he was assessing her. Not in a sexual way, since his eyes remained expressionless, but like he was figuring out whether to take her seriously or not. Evidently he decided not was the answer to his internal question, because he offered a brusque shake of the head and said, “Sorry, not interested.” The elevator doors opened, punctuating his stiff response.

Without glancing back, he stepped into the car.

Jane stood frozen in place for a moment, insulted. A tad pissed. Then she bounded into the elevator after him, hoping he couldn’t see the hot flush on her cheeks. Why was this guy so rude? Liz had told her he’d been extremely warm and gentle as he’d lifted her into the helicopter. So either Liz was wrong and Thomas Becker was an asshole or, as usual, Jane’s Playboy Bunny body had caused yet another man to reach an unfair conclusion about her.

Sometimes she hated the way she looked. And, to this day, she still wondered if her mom had engaged in a torrid affair with some Irish stud in order to produce a daughter like Jane Harrison. Because really, how else could she explain how utterly different she looked compared to everyone else in her family? Her parents, sister, and younger brother were skinny as twigs, with sandy-blond hair and dark brown eyes. Jane, on the other hand, had a head of shocking red hair that nobody ever believed was natural, blue eyes that were far too big for her face, and of course, that centerfold body. Her sister was willowy and graceful, a few inches short of six feet, like everyone else in the family. Jane? She was a paltry five-six, with her huge boobs, small waist, and curvy frame—all guaranteed to make sure most people lumped her in the airhead category without a second’s thought.

Well, she was no airhead. A bit of a wild child, sure. Definitely at one with her sexuality. But stupid? Nope. And she was a damn good journalist, with a big brain in her head to match those big breasts.

Setting her jaw, she fixed Thomas Becker with a steely look and said, “Why not?”

He blinked, looking startled that she was in the elevator with him. “Huh?”

“Why aren’t you interested in doing the interview?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I can assure you, Today’s World is a very prestigious magazine, and I’m very good at what I do. I could paint you as an All-American hero, a regular GI Joe.”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “It sounds very tempting, Ms. Harrison—”

“Jane,” she cut in.

“Jane,” he amended. “But I’m still not interested in having an article written about me.”

“It won’t be just about you. Look, Mr. Becker—”

“Just Becker, or Beck.”

“Okay, Becker. It’ll revolve around Elizabeth, and her experience. I’d just like some quotes from you about the rescue itself, how you planned it, the strategy, maybe a picture.”

His features hardened. “No.”

Frustration bubbled in her stomach. “Will you at least give me a reason why you’re so determined not to do it?”

He glanced at the flashing numbers over the doors, his stiff shoulders telling her he couldn’t wait to get out of this elevator. Wonderful. Now he was dying to get away from her.

Glancing at her again, he released a sigh. “I don’t like being in the spotlight, okay? And I definitely don’t like having my picture flashed around.” He rolled his eyes. “For someone who considers herself a good journalist, I’d think you’d understand why that is.”

She bristled. “Why a man who saved a woman’s life doesn’t want some good old praise? No, I don’t understand.”

“I’m a SEAL. My job requires keeping a low profile, getting in and out of places before people even realize I’m there. How well do you think I’d do if everyone knew my face?”

Jane paused. Huh. So he made a good point. “Okay,” she said thoughtfully. “I get that. But there are ways around it, you know. We don’t have to print a picture, and we can change your name in the article. What’s your next argument?”

A flash of amusement filled his eyes. “Has anyone ever told you you’re very persistent?”

“Yep. Goes with my line of work.”

The elevator slowly ground to a stop. Jane glanced up and noticed they hadn’t reached the lobby, but had stopped on the third floor. She waited for the doors to open to let in a passenger, but nothing happened.

Wrinkling her forehead, she glanced at Becker. “Why did we stop?”

“I have no idea.” He moved toward the panel and punched in the lobby button again.

A shrill ringing suddenly blared in the elevator, startling her so badly she nearly fell over backwards. “What the hell?” she shouted over the noise.

Becker studied the panel then jammed his finger against the intercom button. The ringing died immediately, replaced by the sound of static. Becker leaned into the speaker. “Hello, anyone there?”

A moment later, a voice responded. “Hi there, folks, what seems to be the problem?”

“The elevator stopped on the third floor. It might be stuck.”

“All right, just stay put. Let me see what the trouble is.”

“Stay put?” Jane echoed as the static crackled and disappeared. “Where the hell else would we go?” Her suit jacket suddenly felt far too tight, her skin super hot.

Becker shrugged. “He’s probably scared we’ll try to climb out the ceiling panel and rappel down the cables.”

His attempt at humor fell flat, mostly because Jane was barely listening to him. She glanced wildly around the car, measuring it in her mind. Five by five, she guessed. Maybe a couple of feet more. Oh God.

“You okay?”

Her head jerked up. “What? Yeah. Sure. I’m great. I’m wonderful.” Her eyes ping-ponged around the tiny space. “Why isn’t he answering us?” she finally burst out.

Becker came to her side, concern in his eyes. “Hey. Hey.” He touched her arm. “Don’t worry, okay? I’m sure they’ll have it up and running in a few minutes. Fifteen, max.”

Sweat bloomed on her forehead. “Fifteen minutes? We can’t survive in this teeny little box for that long! What if we run out of air? What if—” She quit talking, her heart pounding so fast she feared it might stop.

“I take it you’re not good with small spaces,” Becker said with a sigh.

She sucked in some oxygen. “It’s a problem,” she admitted.

“How the hell did you get to the eleventh floor then? You didn’t ride the elevator up?”

She shook her head, pressing her hands to her sides because they were beginning to sweat. And shake. “I took the stairs.”

“You climbed ten flights of stairs to—”

He was interrupted by the sound of static again. Jane’s entire body flooded with relief as a voice filled the car.

“Folks, you still there?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, where else would we go?” she muttered.

Looking like he was smothering a smile, Becker moved back to the intercom. “Still here,” he said.

“It seems we’re experiencing some technical difficulties,” the man said apologetically. “The repairman is on his way over to take a look.”

Jane’s heart took off like a terrified horse in a thunderstorm. Oh shit.

“Shouldn’t take too long to get you folks out of there,” the man—no, the devil—added. “Half hour, hour tops.”

Jane promptly dropped to the ground and stuck her head between her knees. She sucked in shallow breaths, knowing she was making a fool of herself, but unable to stop the terror spiraling inside her.

“Okay, thanks. Keep us updated please,” Becker said into the intercom. And then he was by her side, on his knees beside her. “Jane. Jane, look at me.”

Miserably, she raised her head, ashamed of the tears prickling her eyelids.

“Just breathe, okay? Breathe with me.”

She opened her mouth, but when she tried to inhale, her throat tightened. “There’s no air,” she wheezed. “No. Air.”

She grew light-headed, her cheeks so hot she knew they must look like two enormous apples. And her heart…oh God, she really was going to have a heart attack. In this miniscule elevator car with no air and walls that were closing in on her and—

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her and suddenly she found herself in Thomas Becker’s lap. His hands cupped her scorching cheeks, those brown eyes blazing with intensity. “Jane, look at me. You’re okay. We’re okay. We’ll get out of here in no time, all right? And there is plenty of air, so you really need to stop hyperventilating before you pass out.”

Pass out? She was more worried about her heart bursting right out of her chest. As panic spiraled through her, she buried her face against Thomas Becker’s sturdy chest and started to cry.

Fucking wonderful. Not only was he going to be late for his appointment with the realtor, but now he had to contend with the panicky, crying sexpot in his arms. With a sigh, Becker awkwardly patted Jane Harrison’s back, attempting to offer reassurance, but all he got in return were a few more muffled sobs and a growing erection. The hard-on couldn’t be helped. The woman in his lap was smoking hot, with high, full tits, shapely legs that were bare beneath that short skirt of hers, and a firm ass that felt pretty damn good against his thighs. And she smelled incredible, like honey and lavender and a flowery perfume that made his groin ache. He couldn’t resist pressing his face to the wild mane of red hair spilling down her back, inhaling her sweet shampoo as the soft tresses tickled his nose. He forced himself to pull back, because one, it was inappropriate to smell a woman’s hair while she was crying in his arms, and two, because he really, really didn’t need this headache right now.

His shoulder was fucking throbbing, the bullet wound still in its early healing stages, and he knew he’d overdone it in the physical therapy session today. But hell, he needed to get back in fighting shape, and fast. He was going stir crazy in his hotel room, dying to get back to work, and if it meant pushing himself to his physical limits, so be it.

“Jane,” he said firmly. “Look at me.”

When she didn’t lift her head, he did it for her, grasping her chin with both hands and tilting it. He found himself staring into a pair of big blue eyes awash with tears.

“There’s plenty of air, okay?” he said in the same calm, reassuring voice he used when dealing with hostages he’d rescued. “We’re going to be fine.”

She didn’t respond. He could see her pulse throbbing in her slender neck, a sign that her panic hadn’t diffused, despite his words.

With a sigh, he brushed away her tears with his thumb. “I get you’re scared, but there’s no reason for it, all right? We could survive in here for days. You won’t pass out, you won’t have a heart attack, and you won’t stop breathing.”

She blinked, sending another tear down her unbelievably smooth cheek, which he couldn’t resist caressing. “You promise?” she finally murmured.

“I promise.”

A flicker of relief filled her gaze. “Do you…would you mind holding me a bit longer?”

Becker suppressed a groan. Did he mind? Hell, yes, because any moment now, she was going to snap out of her panic-induced haze and notice the massive erection pressing against her thigh. But since he wasn’t an asshole, he couldn’t very well push her out of his arms when she was still so shaken up.

“I don’t mind.” Damn, his voice came out thick, hoarse.

“Thank you.”

They sat there for a few moments in silence, Becker painfully aware of the woman in his arms. She was all curves, a glaring contrast to his ex-wife, who’d been far too thin for his liking. He’d always urged Alice to gain a few pounds, add some curves to her stick-straight figure, but Alice was all about her image. She’d been modeling since she was eighteen years old, the same age Becker had been when he married her. They’d managed to make it work for fourteen years, shocking really, considering their hectic schedules. With Alice working on becoming a supermodel and Becker traveling the world with the Navy, it was a wonder they’d been able to stay married for that long.

Becker resisted a sigh. Shit, he really needed to quit thinking about the divorce. It had been finalized months ago, and yet here he was, constantly thinking about his ex-wife. Maybe he needed to take a page out of his teammates’ books and indulge in some random, no-strings sex.

And double shit, because sex was definitely something he shouldn’t be thinking about either. Not now, anyway.

The woman in his lap shifted, letting out a wobbly breath that broke through the silence. “Okay, this isn’t working,” she choked out. “Maybe you can try to distract me? Talk to me about something.”

Becker fought a wave of discomfort. Wonderful. If there was one thing he sucked at, it was talking. Especially to women.

“Please,” she added, obviously seeing the reluctance in his eyes.

“Talk about what?” he finally asked, caving in.

“Anything. Tell me about the bullet wound in your arm, your favorite movie, your pet peeves. I don’t care.” Another shaky breath.

“Um, okay.” He paused. “Well, bullet wounds fucking hurt.”

Her lips quirked, and Becker was startled by the little spark of pleasure he got from knowing he’d made her smile. “What does it feel like? Is it like a knife wound? Because I know what that feels like.”

“When the hell did you get a knife wound?”

“College. I was a reporter for the school paper and I went to interview this meth addict for a piece I was doing. Only he was super high and thought I was a narc.” She offered a small shrug, as if to say no biggie.

Despite himself, Becker grinned. “Remember earlier how I said you were persistent? Well, correction—you’re nuts.”

“It was an important story. Getting knifed added some color to the piece.” Her blue eyes twinkled. “So, the bullet…?”

“Right. Well, to be honest, I didn’t even feel it at first. Adrenaline running too high, you know. I was too focused on getting your sister into the chop—” He narrowed his eyes. “All this is off the record, right?”

Jane made a face. “Unfortunately. But I still think you should let me interview you.”

“Not interested.”

“Fine.” She gave a little pout, which brought another smile to his lips. “At least finish the story.”

“Yes, ma’am. So, like I said, didn’t feel a thing at first, not until I climbed into the chopper. Then the pain hit me, like a streak of lightning. Arm started throbbing, head spinning from the loss of blood. Felt like someone stuck a live wire straight into my bone.”

“Is that the first time you’ve been shot?”

“First time I’ve had a bullet in me, yeah. I’ve been grazed a few times, knifed, slashed by a machete once…” His voice drifted, and he smiled at the horror in her eyes. “Part of the job.”

“I could never do it,” Jane said frankly. “A job where I’m constantly getting injured? No thank you. I’d way rather interview people in the comfort of their homes.”

He shot her a curious glance. “What kind of stories do you write?”

“Whatever I get assigned. Last issue I had a piece about insider trading, the one before that was a story about human trafficking.”

“And now you’re working on a story about your sister?”

She nodded then released a long breath. To his relief, this one didn’t sound shaky. She was evidently calming down. “I was so worried about her, Becker. When her office called and told us she’d gone off the radar, I thought she was dead.” Jane swallowed. “I always tell her not to take such risky assignments, but she never listens.”

He arched a brow. “Would you ever turn down a story because someone told you there might be some risk?”

The corner of her mouth curved. “No. I guess it runs in the family, huh? Pigheadedness is probably the only thing I have in common with them.”

“You don’t get along with your family?”

“No, I do. I love them to death. But sometimes I feel like the odd man out, you know? My mom, Dad, Liz, my brother Ken—they’re all so similar. Look alike, think alike. Hell, they all chose the same career. Photographers, all of them!” She shook her head, looking baffled. “Journalism is a related field, I guess, but I know squat about photography. We have dinner together every Wednesday night, and the four of them drone on and on about new techniques they’re using or what not, and I just sit there, twiddling my thumbs.” She halted suddenly, her cheeks reddening. “Sorry, I don’t mean to complain. You’re probably bored by my rambling, huh?”

Actually, he was the farthest thing from bored. Becker couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed listening to a woman talk. And he knew exactly what Jane was saying. How many times had he sat at the dinner table listening to Alice go on and on about her headshots and runway walk and the latest fashion trends, then watching her get all huffy when he had nothing to contribute to the conversation? Too many times.

“I don’t mind the rambling,” he admitted. “I find you interesting.”

She smiled again. “Thank you.”

Fuck, he liked that. Thank you. Alice had never been able to take compliments, always feigning humbleness while in reality she loved hearing how wonderful she was.

He swept his gaze over Jane’s beautiful face, and then, before he could stop himself, lightly ran his hand over her hip. Her lips parted slightly, a flicker of arousal in her eyes, and Becker’s hand instantly stilled. Shit, what was he doing? The air between them sizzled, while the heat from her curvy little body seared into him and made his pulse race. He realized she was the first woman he’d been attracted to since the divorce, and the notion unnerved him.

Clearing his throat, he struggled to snuff out the flame of desire burning in his body. “So, did you always want to be a journalist?” he blurted out.

She blinked, as if snapping herself out of her own sexual haze. “Uh, yeah. Ever since I was a kid. I used to write articles about everyone in the neighborhood.” She grinned. “I was convinced Mr. Jervais from across the street was up to no good, so I would spy on him and then write about what I saw.”

“What did you see?”

“Well, he took out the garbage a lot, so I decided he was getting rid of dismembered body parts. And he spent a lot of time in his garage, which was obviously where he killed his victims.”

Becker laughed. “Poor man. I hope you didn’t show him any of the stories.”

“No, my parents made me shred them. They said even ten year olds could be arrested for slander and harassment.”

“And ten years later, you’re still at it, huh?”

“That would make me twenty. I’m twenty-eight, thank you very much. But I appreciate the compliment. And yes, I’m still at it. I’m going to win a Pulitzer someday, you know.”

The flash of ambition he saw in her eyes brought a wave of uneasiness. He’d seen that look far too many times in his ex-wife’s eyes.

“And what about a husband and kids? Do you see that in your future too, or just the Pulitzer?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Sure, I want those things too, but there’s no rush. I want to focus on my career right now, make a name for myself. There’ll be time for all the rest.”

Becker stifled a snort. How many times had he heard that one? There’s no rush. There’s time. Alice had spouted that bull for fourteen years of marriage, before finally dropping the bomb that she never planned on starting a family.

A spark of bitterness ignited in his gut, but he forced himself not to reveal his thoughts on the subject to Jane. He seriously needed to stop comparing her to his ex. He didn’t even know this woman. He had no right judging her choices and goals. So what if they weren’t aligned with his? Wasn’t like he was going to marry the girl.

“I do make plenty of time for sex, though,” she added with a small grin.

His hard-on returned with full-force, straining against his zipper. No doubt Jane felt it straining against her too, because her eyes widened slightly. “Oh my,” she murmured.

Becker rolled his eyes. “That’s what happens when you say the word sex while you’re sitting in a man’s lap, sweetheart.”

“Do you want me to say it again?” she asked with an impish look.

“Seeing as we’re trapped here in this elevator, I can’t really stop you from saying anything, can I?”

He instantly knew he’d said the wrong thing because Jane’s blue eyes flickered with terror. She glanced around the small space, as if remembering where they were and why there were there. Her throat worked as she swallowed repeatedly, and Beck could practically hear her pulse began to race. Shit. Why on earth had he reminded her they were trapped in an elevator?

“Jane—” he started.

“How long has it been?” she cut him off. “Didn’t he say a half an hour? It feels like ages since—”

“Jane—”

She shifted in his lap, hand fumbling toward her purse. “My phone has the time on it. I need to see—”

“Jane—”

“—how long we’ve been here. Do you feel hot too or is it just me? And it is getting hard to breathe, because I really can’t—”

Becker pressed his lips to hers. He hadn’t planned on kissing her, but it was the only way to shut her up, to distract her before she hurled herself headfirst off another panic cliff.

Only, the second his mouth touched hers, he forgot all about why he’d kissed her in the first place. Instead, all he could think about was…well, kissing her. Kissing the holy hell out of her.

So he did.

Chapter Two

Jane let out a startled squeak, which quickly transformed into a whimper as Becker’s tongue slid deftly into her mouth. Oh, sweet Jesus, this man could kiss. You wouldn’t think it, based on his stiff, serious demeanor, but evidently all the intensity he kept bottled up came pouring out when he kissed.

Her surroundings completely faded as she lost herself in the kiss. His mouth was firm and warm, his tongue lazy as it danced with hers. Jane’s entire body went soft, her muscles turning to jelly while her thighs quivered. She ran her fingers over Becker’s buzz cut, his short spiky hair tickling her palms. He responded by sliding one hand to her waist, while angling her head with the other in order to deepen the kiss.

Jane moaned into his mouth, unable to stop herself from rubbing against the bulge in his jeans. An answering moan sounded deep in his throat. His fingers tightened over her hip.

“We should stop,” he ground out, breaking the kiss.

“Probably,” she said with a faint smile.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Becker’s brown eyes glimmered with heat. Jane’s pulse thudded in her throat.

And then they were kissing again, and the word stop was blown away by a gust of mutual attraction. This was crazy. She’d had one-night-stands before, but always with men she’d known for more than twenty minutes, damn it. And never in an elevator. Yet Jane couldn’t stop the rush of desire swirling through her body. She placed her palms against Becker’s rock-hard chest, moaning at the feel of his defined pecs and the thump of his heart under her fingers. Becker’s hands were also busy, unbuttoning her suit jacket, slipping under the lacy white camisole beneath it. He stroked the bare skin of her belly, then moved his hands north and cupped her full breasts.

“Christ,” he choked out, squeezing her breasts over her bra. “I could probably come just from fondling these.”

She let out a soft laugh. “And I could probably come just by doing this.” She rubbed her aching sex against his crotch again to illustrate her point.

Becker groaned. “You realize this is a really bad idea, right?”

“Oh, it’s a terrible idea,” she agreed, and then she shrugged out of her jacket and peeled the camisole off her chest.

Becker sucked in a breath, those intense dark eyes widening at the sight of her lacy black bra. Slowly, he took off his own shirt and this time her eyes widened. His chest was absolutely spectacular, broad and rippled, with a dusting of brown hair leading down to his waistband. That tender spot between her legs began to throb, making her move restlessly against him.

“Are you turned on, Jane?” he asked hoarsely.

“Yes.” Her voice came out in a hiss.

“Yeah? Let’s see how turned on you are.” His big, warm hand reached between her legs to stroke the damp crotch of her panties. He groaned. “Christ, feel how wet you are.” His gaze locked with hers. “You really want to do this?”

“Yes,” she said again.

“Fuck. So do I.”

The next thing she knew, he shoved aside the strip of material covering her sex and pushed one long finger deep inside her. She gasped in shock and delight then started rocking against his probing finger. God, why did it feel this good? Wasn’t like she hadn’t been fingered before. Yet...this...this felt different. Better. So insanely amazing she almost shuddered in orgasm from the feel of his finger sliding in and out of her pussy.

Suddenly frantic, she fumbled with his zipper, whimpering when it stuck halfway. With a chuckle, Becker used his free hand to unzip his jeans. Jane’s mouth watered at the sight of the long, erect cock that sprang out of his pants. No boxers. She should’ve known this man went commando. It suited him to a T, considering the commanding aura he radiated.

Her fingers trembled as she wrapped them around his cock. “You’re enormous,” she murmured, marveling at his thickness, his length.

Becker’s eyes smoldered as she stroked his shaft. He continued teasing her pussy while she worked his cock, until the air around them grew thick with need and all pretense of foreplay was swallowed up in the haze.

Jane yelped as Becker removed his finger and planted both his palms under her ass. He met her eyes again, his features creased with raw lust, then lifted her onto his cock and pushed her down so that she impaled herself on it.

A mindless moan slipped from her lips. His erection was lodged inside her, stretching her pussy, filling every inch of her.

“You’re so fucking tight,” Becker breathed out. “Am I hurting you? Should we stop?”

“No.” Her breath came out in sharp gasps. “God, no. Don’t even think about stopping.”

To punctuate the remark, she pressed her mouth to his and started to move. She rode him fast and furious, her knees knocking against his powerful thighs. Becker gave a desperate groan and dug his fingers into her waist, moving his hips with hurried thrusts, drilling upwards as she pushed herself onto his cock.

“That’s it, Jane, fuck me,” he muttered. “Harder, baby, milk me dry.”

His harsh words sent a thrill soaring up her spine. She’d never had sex like this before. So raw and dirty and completely uninhibited. She gripped his bare shoulders, holding on for dear life as she did what he asked, fucking him faster, harder. The first ripples of orgasm fluttered around in her belly, gathering in strength, and then Becker tugged on the cups of her bra, dipped his head to suckle on one hard nipple, and her climax ripped through her. Pleasure exploded in her body, vibrating in her clit, throbbing in her breasts.

She cried out, pushing her nipple deeper into Becker’s mouth as she came, riding out the orgasm as he sucked hard on her nipple and groaned against her skin. He didn’t take long to reach his climax either. Within seconds, she felt his cock pulse and jerk inside her, and he released her breast to let out a husky groan.

Jane pressed her lips to his neck, licking his damp, salty skin as he continued to shudder. When the waves of pleasure finally ebbed, they stared at each other again, and she was pretty sure the wonder and bewilderment she saw in his eyes matched her own. What the hell had just happened? She’d had sex with a total stranger, yet not only had it been the best damn sex of her life, it hadn’t felt the slightest bit sleazy.

It felt…perfect.

A ragged breath slid out of Becker’s mouth. “Well.” He swallowed. “So…uh…”

Jane couldn’t help a smile. “Well. So. Uh. My thoughts exactly.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “That was...unexpected,” he finally said.

“Yep,” she agreed.

Becker slowly lifted her off his still-erect cock. Suddenly, a frown creased his mouth. “We didn’t use a condom,” he said with a soft curse.

Surprise jolted through her. Sure enough, hot come was sliding down her thighs, blatant evidence of the fact that she’d just had unprotected sex for the first time in her life. “Oh shit.” She searched his gaze. “I’m on the pill and disease-free. Please tell me you are too.”

“I’m clean,” he said quietly. “Had my most recent physical last month and all the tests came back negative.”

Relief coursed through her, but the uncomfortable subject pretty much killed the mood.

And reminded her that they were still in the elevator. An elevator, which, now that she thought about it, probably had a camera pointed right at them.

The thought brought a sharp laugh to her lips. “Damn.”

Becker arched a brow. “I think it’s too late for second thoughts,” he said dryly.

“No, it’s not that. I just realized there might be a camera in here.”

“Shit, I didn’t think about that.”

With a sigh, Jane reached for her purse. “Well, if there is one, then the person manning it just got one hot show.”

Becker gave a wry smile. “Yup.”

She pulled out a small pack of tissues and quickly cleaned herself up, while Becker put on his shirt, zipped up his jeans and got to his feet. He was just reaching for the intercom button when the lights flickered. The numbers on the elevator pad lit up all at once, and then a low hum filled the car. A moment later, the elevator started to move.

Jane quickly rearranged her panties and whipped on her camisole. She was sliding her arms into the sleeves of her jacket when the elevator doors dinged open to reveal the brightly lit lobby of the medical center. A man in a brown jumpsuit waited there, an apologetic but slightly amused look on his face.

“We’re very sorry for the delay,” he said instantly. “I hope it wasn’t too much of an, um, inconvenience.”

The stutter, as well as the way he studiously avoided their eyes, told Jane that the likelihood of a camera being in the elevator was pretty darn high.

Jane flushed. “No inconvenience.”

“Thanks for taking care of the problem so quickly,” Becker added.

The man apologized again, then hurried off, leaving Jane and Becker alone in the lobby. She felt awkward as she looked at him. “So…I know the interview is out of the question, but…” she took a breath, “…how about dinner?”

His face went expressionless, but not before she saw the hesitation in his eyes. A spark of anger lit her belly. Seriously? They’d just had sex in an elevator and now he was just going to blow her off?

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Jane.” Remorse seeped into his features. “What happened just now…things may have gotten a little out of hand. Don’t get me wrong, it was…it was incredible, but it doesn’t change where my head is at right now.”

“And where is that?”

“Recovering from a divorce,” he said frankly.

“Oh.”

He dragged a hand through his short hair then let it dangle to his side. “I’m in no place for a relationship. Hell, I don’t even think I’m ready to date.”

A part of her wanted to kick him for giving her the best sex ever and then refusing to do it again. But there was genuine regret in his eyes. She could tell he wasn’t lying. He seemed sincerely messed up over the divorce he mentioned, and she wasn’t about to act like a heartless shrew by demanding he go out with her.

“I understand,” she finally said. Shifting on her feet, she readjusted the strap of her purse and managed a smile. “At least you’re one step closer to dating, huh?”

He offered a rueful smile in response. “I guess so.”

A short silence fell between then. Jane cleared her throat and took an awkward step away from him. “Okay. So, I should be heading back to my hotel. I need to rethink this article now that you’ve so rudely denied my interview request.”

“I’m sorry about that too. But I’m not interested in being in the spotlight. You get that, right?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” She sighed.

Becker shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He cleared his throat too. “Um…I should go. I’ve got to call my realtor and apologize for missing our meeting.”

“Okay.”

Another silence, this time broken by the sound of their footsteps as they headed for the glass doors at the building’s entrance. They walked outside, and the warm breeze immediately slid under Jane’s tousled hair and cooled the nape of her neck. Disappointment mingled with the desire still coursing through her blood. Damn it. She didn’t want to say goodbye to him yet. How could she, after their explosive joining in the elevator?

But Becker had goodbye written all over his face. He glanced at her for a moment, and she could swear she saw another flash of hesitation, this time over walking away from her. But then those intense brown eyes went all shuttered again and, in a quiet voice, he said, “I’ll see you around, Jane.”

“See you around, Becker,” she echoed.

He offered a final nod, and then he was gone, disappearing into the afternoon crowd bustling down the sidewalk.

Jane watched him walk away. Disappointed. Aroused. A little bit pissed.

After a few long moments, she forced herself to snap out of this silly trance of longing, and headed for her car.

“You can’t change his mind?” Maureen Willis asked, her dissatisfaction emanating from the other end of the line.

Jane sighed and shifted the cell phone to her other ear. She was stretched out in a lounge chair on Coronado Beach, enjoying the late afternoon sun heating her skin and the sight of the calm ocean. She wished the magazine had sprung for one of those gorgeous cottages sitting a hundred yards away, but she wasn’t unhappy about her suite. The Hotel del Coronado was one of the most beautiful hotels she’d ever stayed in. She was already dreading having to get into her car and drive back to LA next week.

“I can’t change his mind,” she told her editor. “He was pretty adamant. He doesn’t want to be interviewed.”

“That’s a damn shame.” Maureen’s voice grew wistful. “I’m looking at those photos your sister sent over, and the one of Thomas Becker by the helicopter is seriously sexy.”

Jane knew precisely which picture Maureen referred to. He was standing by the helicopter after they’d landed at the Navy base. The sun was just beginning to set, his big muscular body looked amazing, and his head was turned to the side, revealing his handsome profile. Jane had stared at the photo several times last night, and each time she saw his face, she remembered what they’d done in the elevator.

And wished they could do it again.

“I could just run the photo anyway,” Maureen said, sounding thoughtful. “We’ll mention his name in the caption, say he was the head of the rescue mission.”

“You can’t,” Jane answered firmly. “He doesn’t want his picture in the article. He said he prefers to keep a low profile, and he definitely won’t sign a photo release. Don’t worry, though, I’m working on the first draft, using my interview with Liz, and it’s pretty good. I don’t think we even need Thomas Becker.”

“What about the other members of the team? Can you speak with them?”

“I could try, but I was hoping to get the one who led the rescue.” Jane chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I think Liz’s firsthand account will be enough, Maureen. It’ll be an emotional piece, trust me.”

“Fine,” her editor said. “Try to talk to the other men if you think you need to, otherwise email me the story by the end of the week. You may as well stay there, since the hotel is already paid for, so enjoy the vacation.”

“Will do.”

Jane flipped the phone shut and tossed it into her green oversized beach bag. She leaned back in the chair, which caused the big straw hat on her head to shift. She hated the damn hat, but if she didn’t shade her face, she sunburned like crazy. She’d slathered the sunblock all over her body too, but already she could see her skin turning pink. Time to get out of the sun, she decided with a sigh.

She started to gather up her things, tossing the romance novel she’d been reading into her bag, then picking up her towel and fanning the sand out of it. She’d just slung the bag over her shoulder when a familiar voice sounded from behind.

“Jane?”

She whirled around, eyes wide. Thomas Becker stood a few feet away, looking as perplexed as she felt. He wore a pair of long khaki shorts and a pristine white T-shirt that molded to his chest, and he looked so sexy she wanted to rip off her bikini and throw herself into his powerful arms.

“What are you doing here?” she asked in surprise.

“I’m staying in one of the cottages until I find a house.” He gestured to the beachfront suites she’d been admiring earlier. “Are you staying at this hotel too?”

She nodded. “I’m here ’til Sunday, then I’m driving back to LA.”

Becker shoved his hands in his front pockets and walked toward her. “How’s the article going?”

“Good.” She grinned. “My editor is a tad upset that we won’t be able to print your handsome face, though.”

He grimaced. “You’re doing the public a favor. No one wants to see my face.”

Jane rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you think you’re unattractive, because that’s just silly. You’re a hottie, and you know it.”

His mouth twitched. “I’m a hottie, huh?”

“Yep. Deal with it.”

There was a short pause, and their gazes locked again. A streak of awareness sizzled between them like lightning. What was up with this chemistry? Jane couldn’t figure it out. She’d dated other men, slept with other men, yet being around Becker made her body burn in a way it never had before. There was a relentless throbbing between her legs, which deepened when she swept her eyes over his rock-hard chest. He caught her staring, his breath hitching.

“Are you undressing me with your eyes?” he asked gruffly.

“Yes.”

A smile crossed his face. “You really are the bluntest woman I’ve ever met, you know that?” He let out a sigh. “Are you hungry?”

She blinked. “Hungry?”

“You know, requiring nourishment,” he said dryly. “I was about to head back my cottage and order some room service. Want to join me?”

He was inviting her to dinner? After he’d told her he wasn’t interested in dating? She wanted to ask him what changed, but then realized this wasn’t the time to look a gift horse in the mouth. Because this was definitely a gift she’d been given. Another chance to get naked with Thomas Becker? Oh, yeah.

She looked up at him from under the brim of her tacky hat and said, “I would love to.”

Becker spent the walk back to the cottage wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Why had he invited Jane Harrison over for dinner? He’d meant every word he’d said to her yesterday when they’d parted ways. He didn’t want a relationship. He didn’t want to date.

And he especially didn’t want either of those things with a woman who reminded him way too much of Alice.

But the second he’d laid eyes on her on the beach, he’d thought of nothing but being with her again. She looked so fucking sexy in the bright pink bikini that clashed with her shocking red hair, and that grandma straw hat, which should have looked wrong on a woman as wildly attractive as Jane, but, well, the hat was pretty damn sexy too.

What was the matter with him? Why was he so drawn to this woman? He’d only spent an hour with her yesterday, ten minutes of that had been spent with his cock shoved inside her. Yet that was all the time he’d needed to know that, while they were explosive in the sex department, she wasn’t his type. At least not anymore. He wasn’t into bold, ambitious women any longer. He wanted someone…wholesome. A woman he could start a family with, who’d have dinner waiting for him when he got home, who wouldn’t argue with him about every goddamn thing. Fine, so it was old-fashioned of him to long for a Suzie Homemaker, but after the fourteen years he’d spent with Alice, he wanted old-fashioned. He wanted safe.

And Jane Harrison was not safe.

Oh no, everything about her screamed danger, from her pouty red lips to those mouthwatering tits to the sass that came out of her sexy mouth.

Stifling a groan, he strode into his cottage, his gaze immediately landing on the phone sitting on the coffee table of the elegant living area. Jane had gone back to her room to change, so he still had time to fix this. To tell her he’d decided he wanted to be alone.

Only problem was he didn’t want to be alone.

He wanted to be with Jane.

The groan he’d been holding slipped out. He kicked off his flip-flops and stared at the doorway leading into the bedroom. Before he could stop himself, he imagined Jane lying on the king-size bed, her naked body stretched across the silk sheets, her red hair fanned over the stark white pillow. His cock instantly hardened.

Damn it, why did he want this woman so badly?

Turning away from the bedroom, he sank down on the leather couch situated in front of the electric fireplace and switched on the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. He channel surfed for a while, but his attention was elsewhere. His gaze kept moving to the front door, anticipating Jane’s arrival. By the time she finally sauntered up to his door a half hour later, his entire body was tense, every muscle taut with barely restrained desire.

He opened the door before she could even knock, causing her to grin and raise her delicate reddish-brown eyebrows. “Have you been waiting by the door this entire time?”

“No,” he lied.

Jane’s strappy sandals clicked against the floor as she walked into the cottage. Her blue-eyed gaze swept around the room, from the living area to the kitchen and dining room, then the bedroom door. Then she turned to look at him, her eyes narrowed. “Are you a drug dealer?” she asked.

“What?”

“You can’t possibly afford this place on a SEAL’s salary. I know, I researched it once,” she said frankly.

Becker couldn’t help a laugh. He should’ve been insulted, both by the fact that she was asking if he was a drug dealer and also because she was inquiring about the finances of a stranger, but somehow it seemed completely normal coming from Jane.

“I am not a drug dealer,” he told her. “And since you’re so curious, I can afford this suite because I come from a wealthy family. Ever heard of BCI?”

She wrinkled her forehead. “The pharmaceutical company?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “My family is the B in BCI.”

Jane looked impressed. “Can you buy me something outrageously expensive?” she said suddenly, an impish smile curving her lips. “You know, so that I can tell everyone the B in BCI is my sugar daddy.”

He barked out another laugh. “I really hope you’re kidding.”

“Of course I am,” she said as she dropped her purse on the arm of the couch. “I don’t need outrageous gifts.” Her voice suddenly grew husky. “Everything I want is standing right in front of me.”

A jolt of arousal sizzled down to his crotch. He knew what she meant. Everything he wanted was standing in front of him. Jane had changed out of the sexy bikini into an even sexier knee-length sundress that clung to her curvy frame. The vibrant yellow dress looked amazing with her red hair, and the way the material swirled over her shapely legs sent another spark of heat to his groin.

“Are we going to keep ignoring it?” Jane asked.

He swallowed. “Ignore what?”

“The fact that we want to rip each other’s clothes off.” She took a purposeful step toward him. “Tell me the truth—have you ever felt anything like this before?”

“No,” he admitted.

He could swear he saw a flicker of vulnerability on her face. “Me neither.” Whatever he’d seen in her gaze was burned up in the seductive fire that filled her eyes. “I don’t quite understand it, but I know I don’t want to fight it.”

“What about dinner?” he said roughly.

“I’m thinking we satisfy the other hunger first.” She tilted her head to look at him, making him realize just how petite she was. “What do you think?”

He stared at her sensual mouth, his throat becoming dry. He could just say no. Tell this hot little seductress that he had no interest in being seduced.

But that would be a lie.

“I think,” Becker said in a measured tone, “that you really need to take that dress off.”

Chapter Three

There. He’d said the words, and there was no turning back now. Becker couldn’t tear his eyes off Jane as she slowly reached for the straps of her dress. She slid one over her shoulder then arched a brow. “You’re sure?”

He licked his dry lips. “Yes.”

With a satisfied smile, she pushed the straps down, tugged on her bodice, and peeled the dress down her body. The bright yellow material pooled at her feet, leaving Jane in a sheer white bra and a pair of skimpy panties between her tanned thighs.

Shit, she was gorgeous. With that long, wavy hair cascading over her bare shoulders and her endless supply of curves, she looked good enough to eat. The thought made his cock jerk against his fly. Lord, he wanted to eat her. He hadn’t gotten the chance to taste her in the elevator, and he was dying to lick her up, lap up her sweet juices.

“Take off the bra and panties,” he said gruffly.

Jane did as he asked, removing the undergarments and tossing them aside. She stood completely naked before him and he took a moment to feast his eyes on her. Her skin had a pinkish hue to it, as if she’d stayed out in the sun too long. Her cherry-red nipples were rigid, demanding attention. But it was the thatch of red curls at the juncture of her thighs that called out to him.

Licking his lips again, he pointed to couch and said, “Lie down, Jane. And spread your legs wide for me. I want to taste that sweet pussy of yours.”

Her blue eyes flashed with excitement. Without a word, she moved to the couch and sank down on the cushions. And spread her legs just as he’d requested. Becker’s pulse drummed in his ears as he sank to his knees in front of her. Her pussy was slick with arousal, her clit swollen and in need of his tongue. Rearranging the enormous bulge in his pants, Becker dipped his head to take his first taste. It was as sweet as he’d imagined, the feminine scent of her flooding his senses and making him dizzy with need.

He dragged his tongue over her, flicked it against her clit then licked down her wet slit toward her opening. Jane gasped as he plunged his tongue inside her. “You like that?” he muttered, pulling back.

“Yes…God, yes.”

He fucked her with his tongue again, enjoying the breathy moans that slipped out of her mouth, loving the way she pressed her hands on his head, pushed him closer. Becker wasn’t new at going down on women, but licking Jane was a mind-blowing experience. His cock throbbed as he teased her pussy, licking, suckling on her clit, nipping at her inner thighs. Her clit pulsed under his tongue, her thighs clenched and released. She was getting close. He captured her clit between his lips and sucked on it as if it were a juicy piece of candy. Jane exploded.

Her hot juices coated his mouth, his lips, his chin, as she lost herself in orgasm. Becker’s heart was pounding as he kept working her pussy with his tongue, drawing every last drop of pleasure from her body.

When he finally lifted his head, Jane was trembling like crazy. Her blue eyes were glazed, her full breasts heaving from the aftershocks of release.

“You are way too good at that,” she squeezed out.

Smiling, Becker rose to his feet, already reaching for his T-shirt. He pulled it over his head and threw it aside, then tackled his jeans and boxers. Naked, he bent down and lifted her into his arms. Jane yelped. “Where are we going?”

“Bed.” One word. It was all he was capable of formulating. Lust had taken over, and he could barely see straight as he carried Jane into the bedroom and deposited her on the king-size bed.

She propped herself up on her elbows, a small smile curving her mouth. Her gaze rested on his cock, which was harder than ever and giving her a full salute. “Is that for me?” she asked, the smile widening.

“All for you,” he confirmed.

She scooted to the edge of the bed where he stood and reached for his dick, her warm hands encircling it. Becker’s breath hitched. She teased his sensitive underside with her fingers then leaned forward to lick the drop of precome at his tip. Becker groaned.

“You like that?” she asked, mimicking his earlier taunt.

“I’d like it more if you wrapped your lips around my cock,” he ground out.

She did exactly that, her soft laughter vibrating along his shaft. Heat enveloped his cock, and his balls tightened as Jane’s hot, wet mouth moved over him. She sucked him as if her only goal in life was to bring him off, swirling her tongue over his tip then taking him so deep in her mouth he was practically down her throat. “Fuck. Yes,” he hissed out. “Just like that, baby.”

Jane was making sexy little sounds in the back of her throat as she sucked on his cock. She was loving it, and damn, so was he. The hot suction of her mouth felt like heaven, and when she cupped his balls with one hand and squeezed, not so gently, he nearly shot his load.

With a groan, he pried his dick out of her eager mouth, eliciting a disappointed pout from Jane’s sexy swollen lips. “I wasn’t done,” she complained.

He grabbed the condom he’d left on the end table and put it on. “I would’ve been, if you kept sucking me off like that.” He pushed her onto the mattress, so she was flat on her back, and climbed on top of her. “And I’d rather come inside you.”

Before she could reply, he slid his cock into her to the hilt. Jane let out a cry of delight, then wrapped her arms around him and stroked the sides of his arms. He winced as she made contact with his puckered bullet wound. She immediately dropped her hand, her blue eyes filling with concern. “Oh, God, are you okay? I keep forgetting you got shot!”

He smiled faintly. “I keep forgetting too. Whenever you’re around, all I seem able to do is this.” He pumped into her, emphasizing his point.

“We can stop. If your arm hurts, we should stop.”

“My arm doesn’t hurt.” He bent down and sank his teeth into her shoulder, then licked away the sting. “My cock, on the other hand, will hurt something fierce if I don’t come soon.”

Jane shoved her hands on the back of his head and pulled him down for a kiss. “Well, we can’t have that.” She swept her tongue over his bottom lip then bit it, sending a jolt of pleasure to his groin. “Come on, Beck, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Chuckling, he grabbed her hands and shoved them over her head, locking her wrists together. Then he thrust into her, hard, fast, meeting the seductive challenge she’d tossed out and making demands of his own. “You first,” he muttered as his hips pounded into her. “Come for me, Jane. I want to feel you coming all over my dick.”

She gasped from each sharp thrust, each dirty word. Her inner muscles kept squeezing his cock, her pussy so wet he could feel her juices sliding down to his testicles, soaking them. “Fuck, that’s it, Jane, I feel that pussy throbbing, you’re close, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she choked out. She arched her back, taking him in deeper, and then another yes slipped from her mouth, this one thick with desire. Ecstasy flashed across her face as her orgasm ripped through her. Becker barely had time to enjoy it, her shuddering, the pulsing of her pussy, because pleasure seized his balls and then his own orgasm was sizzling down his spine. He came hard, shoving his tongue in Jane’s mouth as his climax spun like a tornado through his body. He continued pounding into her, desperate, erratic thrusts that made Jane writhe beneath him. Their groans mingled together. Becker felt Jane’s heartbeat hammering in her chest, matching the frantic beats of his own heart.

When they finally grew still, their breathing steady, their bodies still joined, Jane released a soft laugh. Planting a kiss to his jaw, she moved her lips to his ear and whispered, “Okay, let’s have dinner now.”

Becker just laughed.

“I’m only here for eight more days,” Jane said, setting down her fork.

Their dinner was spread out on the table, the aroma of chicken and rice filling the air. Becker had ordered a bottle of wine too, and they’d already drank half of it. Jane was feeling a little tipsy, which was probably the reason she’d decided to vocalize her thoughts. She hadn’t wanted to push him, but she couldn’t stop herself from making this proposal.

Becker popped a piece of chicken in his mouth, chewing slowly. “And?”

“And I think it would be a complete injustice if I spent the next eight days not getting fucked by you.”

He coughed, then shook his head and shot her a grin. “I’m trying to figure out if I’m ever going to get used to that blunt honesty of yours.”

She grinned back, oddly pleased that he didn’t seem to mind her sometimes painfully honest nature. She’d always been this way, speaking her mind, often blurting out things she probably shouldn’t. Other men had seemed put off by it, especially when her honesty revealed something they didn’t want to hear. But Becker actually seemed to appreciate it.

“I’m serious,” she said as she reached for a glass of wine. “I think we’ve stumbled onto something good here. Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to see me naked again.”

She stared at him. He stared back.

After a moment, those brown eyes of his looked resigned. “I want to see you naked again.”

Pleasure jolted through her. “Good. So let’s do naked things for another week.”

Becker laughed, but his expression didn’t stay amused for long. “I wasn’t kidding the other day,” he told her. “I’m getting over a divorce.”

“How long were you married?” Jane asked.

His eyes went guarded. “Why do you ask?”

“Because this divorce is obviously our only obstacle, so we might as well tackle it. That way we can get back to bed.”

Becker’s mouth twitched.

“So, how long?”

“Fourteen years,” he admitted.

Jane couldn’t hide her surprise. Wow. Fourteen years? She couldn’t imagine spending that much time with a person. Her longest relationship had barely lasted three months. “You must have married young,” she remarked.

“We were eighteen.”

“High-school sweethearts?”

He nodded.

“Let me guess,” she said dryly. “Football quarterback, head cheerleader, passionate romance for four years, got married because you couldn’t live without each other and wanted to face the exciting new world together?”

“Almost.” He sighed. “Football quarterback, head cheerleader, passionate romance for four years, got married because I knocked her up.”

Jane raised her eyebrows. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.” Sadness crossed his face. “She got pregnant, decided to keep the baby, so we got married. She miscarried three months later.”

“And you decided to stay married?”

“We wanted to make it work.” He shrugged. “And we did, for a long time. Alice and I were always pretty independent people. She did her modeling thing, I did the military thing, and the marriage kept us grounded.”

“So what happened?”

“Her modeling thing became more important than the marriage,” he said simply.

Jane took another sip of wine, thoughtful as the cool liquid slid down her throat. “She’s a model, huh?” Somehow that surprised her, that this quiet, intense man had been married to a model.

“Alice Dawes,” he supplied.

“The Mystique perfume chick?” When Becker nodded, Jane couldn’t fight the tug of insecurity in her gut. Jeez. Only yesterday Jane had been flipped through a magazine and admired the perfume spokesmodel. Alice Dawes was drop-dead gorgeous. Long, silky blonde hair, pale silver eyes, a tall, willowy body. Just looking at the woman’s picture had made Jane feel frumpy and dwarfish in comparison.

“Wow,” Jane finally said, reaching for her wine again. She drained the glass, wondering why she suddenly felt so damn inferior. One, she and Thomas Becker weren’t seriously involved. And two, he’d divorced his wife, so obviously Alice Dawes wasn’t that awesome.

Becker pushed away his plate, smiling ruefully. “What, you find out my ex-wife is a model and now you’ve changed your mind about all those naked things you wanted to do?”

“I haven’t changed my mind.” She hesitated. “You still haven’t told me if you’re even interested.”

He met her eyes. “I am interested. But I’m also realistic. I don’t want a relationship.”

“I’m only here for another week. That’s not a relationship.”

“Then what is it?”

“A fling.”

Becker looked uncertain. “I…uh, I’m not a fling kind of guy.”

Rolling her eyes, Jane pushed back her chair and stood up. She rounded the table and before he could object, lowered herself into Becker’s lap. He wore only a pair of boxers, and the second she straddled his powerful thighs, his cock went stiff, poking against her thigh.

Jane raised her eyebrows. “I think every man is capable of being a fling man, Beck. And I think your cock agrees with me.”

Becker’s dark eyes went even darker, burning with arousal. Although she’d put her dress back on before dinner, she wasn’t wearing any panties, and it would be so very easy to move aside the material of her dress and slide down onto his big, erect dick. But she fought the temptation. They didn’t have a condom handy, and besides, the second that distracting erection of his filled her pussy, she knew she would lose the capacity for speech.

“My cock isn’t very reliable,” Becker said, resting one hand on her thigh. “He likes you way too much.” Sweeping his tongue over his lower lip, he stroked her bare knee.

“And what about you?” she asked softly.

Becker leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. He pressed his lips to her skin, kissing his way down her throat. His voice was muffled as he said, “I like you too.”

A shiver of pleasure danced up her spine. “Then fling with me. I promise, I won’t make any demands. I already told you what I want.”

He lifted his head, meeting her gaze. “A week of sex. Is that what you want, Jane?”

She nodded.

The reluctance on his face was beginning to chip away. She could see his resolve crumbling. The lust creeping into his eyes and pushing all the hesitation away. Deciding he needed one final push, Jane reached down between them and curled her fingers over his cock. She squeezed gently then moved down to cup his heavy balls. He moaned.

“Come on, Thomas, you know you can’t say no,” she murmured, kneading his testicles. “You don’t want to say no. So just say yes.”

She continued playing with him, stroking, squeezing, until he released a strangled groan and said, “Yes.”

Chapter Four

Four days later, Becker was still trying to figure out if agreeing to Jane’s proposition was the best decision of his life, or the worst. No question, however, about the fact that this was the best sex of his life. How he’d gone for thirty-two years without experiencing sex like this was a mystery. All Jane had to do was take off her clothes and he turned into an animal. He’d fucked her every which way for the last four days. Indoors, outdoors, on every piece of furniture, on the floor, in the shower, from behind. And no matter how many times he came inside that tight, hot pussy of hers, he never seemed to be sated.

But what bothered him more was how seamlessly she’d insinuated herself into his life. Well, insinuated was probably the wrong word. That implied she’d been the one to seek out a bigger role in his life, when it was him who’d told her to move her stuff in his cottage, him who’d convinced her to stay for breakfast every morning instead of heading back to her room to write. Since he was still on leave thanks to the bullet wound, he had absolutely nothing to do, other than look for a place to live, yet instead of meeting with the realtor, he’d been spending all his time with Jane.

For a man who didn’t want a relationship, his actions of the last few days troubled the hell out of him.

Those same actions evidently confused Jane, because as they pulled out of the hotel parking lot on Thursday afternoon, she turned to him and said, “I don’t get it. Are we dating?”

Her no-nonsense tone made him smile. He’d never met anyone like Jane Harrison. Sex-goddess looks aside, she was smart as hell, unfailingly honest, and way too perceptive for his peace of mind.

“We’re flinging, remember?” he said, heading toward the bridge that separated Coronado from San Diego, where they were heading.

“People who fling do not go to play mini-golf.” Jane shot him a sideways glance, looking flabbergasted. “Why are we going to play mini-golf?”

“You mentioned you liked to play, so I figured it was a nice way to spend the afternoon,” he pointed out.

“It is, but I still don’t get why you suggested it.” She shook her head, which caused strands of wavy red hair to fall into her eyes. She blew them away in frustration. “You told me you didn’t want a relationship. The stuff we’ve been doing, well…that’s relationship stuff, Becker. Dinner on the boardwalk, watching 24 reruns, mini-golf—that is not a fling.”

He sighed. “I know.”

“So what is this?”

Discomfort crept up his chest and settled into a lump in the back of his throat. That was precisely what he’d been asking himself for the last couple of days. Since when had this turned into more than just sex? It was Jane’s fault, for being so damn likable. He had never really connected with many people. In high school, even though he’d been on the football team and part of the in crowd, he hadn’t had many close friends. During SEAL training, where most of the men bonded, he’d kept to himself. Even now, he was part of a close-knit team with five other guys and he never saw them off the base.

But Jane…he connected with her. She made him laugh. And she turned him on like no other woman ever had, not even his ex-wife.

He thought of what she’d just asked him. What was this? Fucked if he knew.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, keeping his gaze glued to the road.

“Okay.” She paused. “This conversation is pointless, anyway. I leave in a few days, so even if we are dating, we won’t be for much longer.”

The pain gnawing at his insides was disconcerting. He’d forgotten she would be leaving on Sunday, and he wasn’t sure why the thought of her walking out of his life made his chest feel so tight.

He didn’t reply, and neither of them said much as he drove to the mini-golf course Jane had found the address for on Google maps. They’d been lying in bed, recovering from their respective orgasms when he’d brought up the idea, though he still wasn’t quite sure why he’d suggested they spend the afternoon playing mini-golf. Jane was right—this was relationship stuff. He’d agreed to a casual fling, some fun in bed, so why did he suddenly feel so eager to have fun with Jane out of bed?

He pulled into the gravel parking lot and shut the engine of his rented SUV. He and Jane got out, and she immediately plopped a pair of sunglasses on the bridge of her freckled nose. The sun shone overhead in a cloudless sky, and a warm breeze brushed across Becker’s bare arms. He slipped on his own sunglasses, aviator-style ones that Jane had teased him about, declaring they belonged in a cheesy action movie. But he liked his shades, and he ignored her giggle as he put them on. What he couldn’t ignore was the way her blue halter dress molded to her curves.

Dresses. That’s all the woman ever wore. Cute little sundresses, halter ones, the long green one made from that filmy, see-through material. It drove Becker crazy, each time she came out of the bedroom in another one of those fuck-me dresses. It drove him even crazier knowing that, half the time, she didn’t wear panties. She wore them today, though. He’d seen her sliding into a flimsy black thong before they left the cottage, and his mouth went dry, his hands tingling with the urge to reach under the hem of her dress and pry that thong off her firm ass.

“You’re thinking about sex,” Jane said, jarring him from his thoughts.

He shot her a rueful smile. “Yep.”

“Well, stop. I won’t be able to kick your ass on the course if I’m distracted.”

Becker moved closer and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. “Maybe I want to distract you. Maybe it’s part of my dastardly plan to kick your ass in golf.”

Jane stood up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips over his. She gave a mischievous grin. “In your dreams, Thomas. I’m very good at this game.”

“Crap, you weren’t kidding,” Becker said ten minutes later, after Jane had sunk her third consecutive hole-in-one.

She demurely held her putter to her side, enjoying the look of awe in his eyes. She might be the least athletic person on the planet, but she’d always been pretty damn good at mini-golf. “When I was a teenager, I dated a guy who worked on a putt-putt course,” she confessed. “We used to sneak onto the course after he finished his shift.”

“Please don’t tell me you lost your virginity on a piece of green felt in front of a fake earthquake scene.”

She shot him a solemn look. “I did.”

Becker let out a sigh. “Seriously?”

Jane grinned. “No. I lost my virginity in the backseat of a Ford pick-up, which is probably just as bad.”

They crossed a little bridge that hovered over a pretty pond with fake yellow and blue fish. The path leading to the next hole wound around a big papier maché mountain, which made no sense since the last hole had looked like a beach. Obviously this course had no discernible theme. As they headed around the bend, the sound of male voices drifted toward them. Jane couldn’t help but laugh as she listened.

“What the hell are you saying? There’s no way to know which tunnel to tap the fucking ball into,” someone said, sounding aggravated.

“Trust me, Ry, it’s the third one,” a second voice argued.

“He’s trying to sabotage you, Ry,” a third voice said. “He’s out for blood.”

Next to her, Becker seemed to stiffen. She glanced over. “What’s wrong?”

“Those voices sound way too familiar,” he said with a heavy breath.

They rounded the corner, and Jane was hit by a dose of testosterone, her eyes assaulted by the sight of four ridiculously sexy men. And then the sight of four jaws dropping in unison as she and Becker stepped into view.

“Lieutenant?” the one with sandy-blond hair said, looking surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Becker lifted his putter. “What does it look like?”

The one they’d called Ry looked utterly delighted. “See, I told you guys he has a secret life we don’t know about.” Ry’s playful blue eyes landed on Jane. He let out a soft whistle. “And it’s obviously even better than I imagined. Are you going to introduce us, Lieutenant?”

Becker made the introductions, but it was hard to focus on names when each man Becker introduced was sexier than the last. The blond one was Carson, who looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ. Will had dark, almost black, eyes and a head of messy dark hair that fell onto his forehead. Ry was Ryan Evans, who was possibly one of the cutest guys Jane had ever met, with his brown hair, blue eyes, and gleaming biceps revealed by the sleeveless basketball jersey he wore. The last one was Matt O’Connor, who boasted a shaved head and green eyes that twinkled as he reached out to shake Jane’s hand. All four men, who Becker introduced as members of his SEAL team, stared at her appreciatively. And staring at Becker as if he’d just arrived from another planet. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Becker wasn’t Mr. Social. Judging from the surprise in his team’s eyes, this was probably the first time they’d seen him somewhere other than the Navy base.

“So, how did you two kids meet?” Carson asked curiously, looking from her to Becker.

Jane shrugged. “In an elevator.”

The other men raised their brows. “In an elevator?” Carson echoed.

“Yep. We got stuck.” She didn’t look at Becker, scared that if she did, her expression would reveal exactly what they’d done while stuck. She forced the blush from her cheeks and glanced at the SEALs. “Actually, you guys all know my sister.”

Ryan’s eyes lit up with delight. “She has a sister,” he said to Matt O’Connor.

“You saved her life,” Jane added, rolling her eyes.

“Jane’s sister is Elizabeth Harrison,” Becker supplied quietly.

The mention of Liz’s name had the men going somber. “How’s Elizabeth doing?” Carson asked with concern.

“She’s fine,” Jane answered. “Completely recovered from her near-death experience. I’m writing a piece about it for the magazine I work for.” She suddenly remembered her editor’s suggestion. “Maybe one of you guys can give me an interview. Becker here has politely declined.”

“I’ll do it,” both Ryan and Matt said immediately.

Carson grinned at the other two. “She said interview, not sex.”

The sound of children’s voices came from the other side of the bridge. Becker rested a hand on Jane’s waist and turned to the other men. “Let’s keep moving before this hole turns into a parking lot.”

The six of them played the hole quickly. Well, technically, the five of them. Jane noticed Will, the intense one with black eyes, didn’t take a turn. Instead, he jotted down the other men’s scores and announced them when they reached the next hole.

“Okay, so as of now, O’Connor’s taken the lead, Carson is at a close second, and Evans over here…” Will smirked, “…is six over par.”

Becker glanced over at Will. “You came all the way here just to keep score?”

Will’s expression grew sullen.

“He’s not allowed to play,” Carson explained gravely.

Jane looked from Carson to Will, curious. “Why not?”

“Well, it all traces back to the putter-in-the-clown’s-mouth incident,” Carson said.

“Which is what?”

Carson grinned. “Exactly what it sounds like. He threw his putter in the clown’s mouth. It was quite childish.”

“Screw off,” Will grumbled at the man. He then fixed those dark eyes on Jane. “It really isn’t as bad as it sounds. Carson over-exaggerates.”

She choked down a laugh. “I’m sure he does.”

The next five holes went by far too quickly for Jane’s liking. Although Becker didn’t say much to the other men, she liked them immensely. Carson’s sarcasm was endearing, Will’s brooding made her laugh, and the two young ones were unbelievably entertaining. Ryan and Matt flirted up a storm with her, complimenting her, quizzing her about how serious she and Becker were, which elicited a frown from her date. But she knew Becker wasn’t angered by their behavior. He seemed to be fighting back laughter the entire time, as if Evans and O’Connor, as he addressed them, were harmless little siblings he didn’t take seriously.

After they finished the last hole, Jane took her bows as she was declared the official winner. Becker and Will headed over to the booth to return everyone’s putters and balls, leaving Jane alone with Carson, Ryan and Matt, who all eyed her with extreme curiosity.

“What’s he like?” Carson asked, lowering his voice despite the fact that Becker was completely out of earshot.

“Seriously,” Ryan added. “We’ve been trying to get a handle on the Lieutenant for a while now. He’s barely spoken two words since he joined the team.”

Jane felt her cheeks grow warm. What was Becker like? Intense, she wanted to say. She thought about the way he moved inside her body and added passionate to the list. Thoughtful, because he made her breakfast. But as she opened her mouth to respond, the only word she really wanted to say was mine.

She had no clue where it came from, this weird idea that Becker belonged to her. That she even wanted him to belong to her. All she knew was that, in the last five days, she’d started to really like Thomas Becker. They were almost polar opposites. He was serious, she was wild and outspoken. He considered each word carefully before speaking, she just blurted out whatever entered her mind. But sex...that’s where they were completely in sync.

“He’s sweet,” she finally said.

That got her three pairs of wide eyes.

“Sweet?” Carson wheezed out. “No way.”

Ryan nodded in agreement. “No way is Lieutenant Becker sweet. He’s prickly as hell.”

Jane laughed. “Yeah, he’s prickly. But he’s also…”

“Sweet,” Matt supplied, looking like he was holding back laughter.

“Yes,” she insisted.

“Whatever you say,” Carson answered with a careless shrug.

“So, about that interview,” Ryan suddenly said. His blue eyes swept over her face, the corner of his mouth quirking. “When and where?”

“You’ll really do it?” she said. “I thought you were joking before.”

“No, I’ll answer a few questions. But only if you don’t publish my name. Our commanding officer is pretty anal about that shit. He doesn’t like the team getting any publicity.”

“No names,” she assured him. Deep down, she wished Becker could have agreed this readily to the interview, but she respected his decision. She wasn’t one of those overbearing journalists who stalked potential sources.

“You’re here until Sunday?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah. Maybe we can meet up tomorrow?”

“Sure,” he said easily. He stuck his hand in the back pocket of his long red surf shorts and pulled out a cell phone. “Put your number in here and I’ll call you tomorrow to figure out a time.”

Jane took the phone and entered her contact info. As she handed it back, Ryan’s hand brushed hers and a spark of heat went off in her belly. She stared at his long, callused fingers, then met his gaze, which was playful with just the slightest glimmer of sensuality. Lord, this man probably had no problems getting women in bed. One touch, one heated look, and even she, who’d been having the best sex of her life for the past week, was tempted to get naked with him.

She took her hand back, just as the sound of footsteps came from behind. She turned and greeted Becker with a smile, but he didn’t return it. His dark eyes were expressionless, but she saw a muscle jump in his jaw. Was he pissed at her? Angry that they’d ended up spending the afternoon with his teammates rather than by themselves?

“Ready to go?” he said quietly.

“Sure.” She turned to the other men. “It was nice meeting all of you.”

Carson, Will, and Matt nodded in agreement, shooting her charming grins. Ryan grinned too, then added, “I’ll call you tomorrow to set up the interview.”

They said their goodbyes, and then she and Becker were walking back to his SUV. He still had that distant look on his face, and he didn’t say a word until they were well away from the golf course. “They liked you.”

Jane smiled. “I liked them too.” She hesitated. “Why don’t you spend time with them when you’re not on base?”

“Different interests,” Becker said with a shrug. He flicked the right turn signal and changed lanes. “Evans and O’Connor are out every night, chasing women and partying. Can you honestly see me doing that?”

“No. But what about Carson? Or Will? Will totally seemed like your man-soul mate.”

Becker let out a laugh. “Yeah, I like Will. He’s married, lives with his wife in a small town, an hour or two from here. So he’s not around much, from what I hear. And Carson lives with his girlfriend, spends most of his time with her.”

“He said they do this mini-golf thing once a month,” Jane pointed out. “Maybe you should go with them next time.”

“Maybe.”

Becker fell silent again. They drove over the bridge into Coronado, in the direction of the hotel, but it wasn’t until they reached the parking lot that he spoke again.

“You were attracted to him.”

Jane’s head jerked up. “Huh?”

“Ryan. You were attracted to him.”

She was unsure how to respond, especially since she couldn’t figure out where he was going with this, or how he even felt about it. His face was completely expressionless, his tone calm.

“I saw your face when he touched your hand,” Becker added when she still didn’t answer.

“I reacted to him, yeah,” she said frankly. “He’s a good-looking guy. They all are.”

“But you only reacted to Evans.”

Becker shut off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt, but made no move to get out of the car. Jane undid her own seatbelt then studied him carefully. “Where is this coming from? And what is it you want me to say? Yes, there was a spark of attraction when he touched me.”

Becker searched her eyes, a deep line creasing his forehead. “If I wasn’t there, if you’d met him on your own, would you fuck him?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “After a five-minute encounter? I’m not that bold. Maybe if he bought me dinner first.” She tilted her head to the side. “I’m not sure why we’re talking about this. I don’t plan on fucking anyone but you, Beck.” She reached for the door handle. “In fact, let’s get out of the car and find us a bed. I think I need to show you who I really want to be with.”

Chapter Five

Becker fought a strange wave of anger as he followed Jane into the bedroom of his cottage. She was already reaching for the tie around her neck that held her halter dress in place. She lifted her wavy red hair and undid the knot beneath it, letting the dress slip down to the floor. She wore a bikini-style bra and that sexy thong he’d watched her put on earlier, and he wanted nothing more than to step toward her and run his fingers over every inch of her body, but for some reason he remained rooted in place.

And for some reason, he couldn’t stop picturing another man’s fingers on Jane’s curvy body. Another man’s fingers pinching her nipples. Sliding into her pussy. The thought made him curl his hands into fists. Jealousy streaked through him, so strong, so potent that his entire body went stiff as a rod. He still remembered the pink flush of Jane’s cheeks as Ryan Evans touched her hand, the seductive little smile she’d shot Evans. At that moment, Becker had wanted to throttle the other man, and the volatile reaction had caught him off guard.

So what if Jane was attracted to another man? She was only here for three more days. They would both go their separate ways then, and unless Jane took a vow of celibacy, she would probably find another man after she and Becker said goodbye. Maybe not right away, but eventually, she’d be fucking someone else. Someone who wasn’t him.

His blood began to burn again.

“What is the matter with you?” Jane asked, rolling her eyes. She stood half-naked in front of him, while he was fully dressed and loitering in the bedroom doorway. “Please don’t tell me you’re still thinking about Ryan and me.”

“I…” He cleared his throat then opened his mouth to continue, but the words that came out were ones he’d been trying not to think about since he’d witnessed the sparks between Jane and Evans. “I was actually considering inviting him back here with us.”

Jane’s blue eyes widened. “What? Why?”

“So he could fuck you.” His voice thickened. “So we could fuck you.”

Her breasts rose as she sucked in a sharp breath. “Why would you want to do that?”

“Because…because it would get you out of my system,” he burst out.

Painful understanding dawned on her face. “You want to see me with another man. You want to think of me as a slut, don’t you?” Her tone softened. “That way you could hate me. And if you hate me, then you wouldn’t have to like me so much, right?”

He didn’t answer, his throat suddenly going dry. Damn her. Why was she so fucking perceptive? She’d completely called him out. Figured him out. And she was right. When he’d seen the flicker of arousal in her eyes while she’d been standing with Ryan, the jealousy had come fast and fierce. Jealousy he shouldn’t be feeling over a woman he’d only known a week. Sex for eight days, that’s all he’d wanted out of this. But he’d gotten much more. Too much more.

“Well, you know what?” Jane said with a sigh. “I don’t think it would have made a difference.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Seeing me with Ryan wouldn’t make you hate me.” Very methodically, she unclasped the front of her bra and threw it aside, revealing her big, mouthwatering tits. “I think it would have turned you on.”

He shook his head. “I would’ve strangled him.”

She shook her head right back then removed her thong. She moved naked toward the bed. Offered him a tantalizing view of her firm ass as she bent down to open the top drawer of the nightstand. She pulled out a condom and the tube of lubrication they’d been using the past week. “You would have loved it,” she corrected, her blue eyes sizzling with heat. “Come on, Becker, tell me it doesn’t turn you on, the thought of Ryan’s cock plunging inside me. Tell me you don’t get hard thinking about him inside my pussy, while you fuck my ass.”

His dick turned to marble, pushing against his zipper. Damn it. Damn her. She was right. Despite the relentless jealousy pulsing through his veins, he was aroused.

Jane eyed him knowingly then shot a pointed look at his bulging erection. “That’s what I thought.” She licked her lips, desire and anger battling on her beautiful face. “Come here, Becker. Take your goddamn clothes off and come here. Let’s see how much it turns you on.”

It was almost like a magnetic force was drawing him to her. His body was taut, muscles straining as he did what she asked and shucked his clothing. He walked over to her, naked, his cock eagerly jutting out at her.

Her touch wasn’t gentle as she gripped his erection. “I want you in my ass,” she said in a throaty voice.

Becker’s pulse sped up like a racecar tearing toward the finish line. “Are you serious?” he choked out.

“Dead serious.” She teased his tip with her index finger, rubbing the drop of precome. “And I want you to pretend he’s here with us.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off with a stern look. “You started this, Beck, and we’re going to finish it.”

She gave his cock one last caress, then lowered herself onto the bed and tossed him the condom. He rolled the latex onto his stiff shaft and joined Jane on the bed, reaching for the lube. He squirted a hefty amount into his palm then flipped her onto her stomach and began to stroke her. Kneaded her firm cheeks with his hand. Circled her puckered hole with his finger, got it nice and slick. Jane gasped when he slipped the tip of his finger into her ass. “Want me to stop?” he said hoarsely.

“No, keep going.” She moaned as he pushed his finger deeper inside. “Yes, Beck, keep doing that.”

His heart pounded in his chest, his groin so tight with anticipation he could barely move. Fuck, he wanted to be in that tight ass. He stretched her with his finger, rubbing lubrication over the delicate opening. A second finger entered the mix, then a third, until Jane was moaning wildly. She was on her hands and knees, but when he poised himself behind her, she rolled onto her side and said, “Like this. I want you to imagine him here with us, fucking me from the front while you’re thrusting from behind.”

A jolt of arousal shot through him. The picture she’d just painted wasn’t supposed to turn him on, damn it. Yet it did. It fucking did.

Becker slid down and pressed himself into the graceful curve of her back. His balls were heavy, aching with the need for release. He shoved Jane’s unruly red waves off her neck and kissed her nape, swirling his tongue over the little hairs there. She whimpered and wiggled her ass into him. She was slick from the lube, slicker from the sweet juices soaking her pussy. When he slid his hand between her legs and felt the moisture pooled there, he couldn’t help but slide into her pussy for a few languid strokes. They both groaned, and Becker pushed in deeper, thrust harder, cupping a firm ass cheek with one hand and teasing her puckered hole with his other. He slid his finger inside, and she was so tight, he was paralyzed with lust. Fuck, he needed to be in there.

Sucking in a breath, he withdrew from her pussy, pressed his tip against that tight rosette and eased his cock inside.

Jane let out a cry of pleasure. “More,” she begged.

He gave her more, sliding in another inch, but it still wasn’t good enough for her. Moaning, she pushed her ass out and forced him to fill her completely. Becker nearly fainted from the incredible sensation. She was so goddamn tight, it felt like a hot fist clenching around cock.

Jane shifted, her hand moving between her thighs, and then he felt pressure against his cock and realized she was fingering herself while he was buried in her ass. “Do you feel that?” she whispered.

He couldn’t make his vocal chords work, but managed a groan.

“Imagine it’s him.” He felt her slip another finger into her pussy, at the same time his cock pumped in and out of her ass. “Can you see him, Beck? Can you see him pushing his cock into me?”

God help him, but he saw it. He saw Ryan’s hips moving against Jane, saw Ryan’s features taut with unrestrained pleasure. Each time she pushed her fingers deeper, he imagined it was Ryan’s cock inside Jane. His pulse shrieked in his ears, his chest heaving from each ragged breath.

“You like it, don’t you?” she said softly.

“Yes,” he squeezed out.

“It turns you on.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Becker closed his eyes and lost himself in Jane, thrusting into her with long, frantic pumps. Her husky moans drove him wild. So did the forbidden images swimming through his mind. Another man in bed with them. Another cock bringing Jane pleasure. When she began to shudder from orgasm, Becker let himself go too. He couldn’t last long, not inside that unbelievably tight channel, not when Jane was writhing and moaning in the sexiest fucking way. His climax slammed into him, searing through his blood and pulsing in his balls. He couldn’t stop coming, couldn’t stop driving in and out of that sweet ass.

When the pleasure finally ebbed, he felt shell-shocked. Jane’s back was soaked with sweat, sticking to his own sweaty chest like glue. His heartbeat was out of control, his breathing unsteady. And when Jane finally rolled over so they were face to face and kissed him, he was nothing but a pile of mindless mush. Unable to think or breathe or move.

“Did it work?” she murmured against his mouth, brushing her lips over his again.

He found his voice. “Did what work?”

“Did you get me out of your system?”

He met her gaze, and the vulnerability he saw in her blue eyes made his heart squeeze. Had he gotten her out of his system? He wanted to laugh. Yeah, right. If anything, he wanted her even more. He’d never come that fucking hard. While fantasizing about another man screwing the woman in his bed, no less.

A wave of unease swelled in his gut. Christ. What was he doing? Since the moment he’d met Jane, he’d been acting on impulse. Having sex with her in an elevator. Agreeing to a fling. Considering threesomes, for God’s sake.

This wasn’t him. He wasn’t that guy. He was thirty-two years old and all he wanted was to settle down, damn it. Find himself a sweet, loving wife, have a couple of kids, build a nice, stable life for himself.

And instead, he’d yet again wound up with a woman he couldn’t have any of that with. Jane was an incredible woman, yes, but she wasn’t going to be the sweet, loving housewife he desired. She was ambitious, determined to win that Pulitzer of hers. And she’d admitted more than once this week, when he’d broached the subject, that she had no desire to have kids any time soon. So what was he supposed to do? Wait around for another fourteen years the way he’d done with Alice?

“Becker?”

Jane’s soft voice brought him back to reality. He realized he hadn’t answered her question. “No,” he confessed. “I didn’t get you out of my system.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. “Pity.”

Ignoring the heavy weight pressing down on his heart, he released an unstable breath and said, “But I think I know how I can.”

Confusion crossed her face. She let out a breath of her own, suddenly wary. “We’re actually still on this topic? I’m leaving in three days, Beck. Let’s just enjoy the time we have left.”

“I…can’t.” He swallowed. “It’s not fair to either one of us, if we continue this…this fling, or whatever the hell we’re calling it now. Three more days won’t make a difference. In the end, I still don’t want a relationship.”

Her blue eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

He faltered. “What?”

Slowly, she disentangled herself from his arms and sat up. Her bare breasts heaved with each breath she took. “You do want a relationship. This entire week, you’ve dropped hints about it, about the kind of life you want to have.” Jane’s cheeks turned pink with anger. “The life you described, well, it obviously requires a specific type of woman. In other words, not me.”

He swallowed again, fighting a pang of discomfort. “Jane, I think you’re amazing, you know that.”

Her eyes flashed. “Amazing, but not good enough, right?”

Before he could respond, she flounced off the bed and grabbed her dress off the floor. She threw it over her head without bothering with undergarments, and as she tied her halter back together, she shook her head at him, looking disappointed. “You’re an idiot, Becker.”

His nostrils flared. “Why? Because I want a different sort of relationship this time around? I’ve already been with one career-minded woman who didn’t want to settle down. I can’t do it again.” He locked his gaze to hers. “Tell me, Jane, what kind of relationship do you want?”

Hesitation flickered on her face. Finally she sighed and said, “I want to settle down. One day.”

Becker couldn’t stop the burst of disappointment that went off in his chest. Perpetually honest, that was Jane. Though, even if she’d tried to lie and convince him their life goals were aligned, he would’ve been able to see through her. Jane was very easy to read. Probably because she wasn’t capable of lying.

“So why drag this out?” he asked softly, rising naked from the bed. He found his jeans and pulled them up to his hips, zipping them up. “I like you, Jane.” His features twisted. “I more than like you. Fuck, a few more days and I can see myself half in love with you.”

Her throat bobbed as she gulped. “I know what you mean.”

“That’s why we need to end it now.” His chest constricted the second the words came out. “We want different things out of life. Giving ourselves three more days to get even more attached is a bad idea.”

She didn’t answer for a moment, and when she did, there was a gleam of sadness in her eyes. “You’re right.” She paused. “I’ll just gather up my stuff and head back to my room.”

Becker eliminated the distance between them and gently took hold of her arm before she could move to the door. “Hey, you can’t just hurry off. Can we at least say a proper goodbye?”

Jane gave a faint smile. “You just fucked me in the ass. Can’t that be our goodbye?”

His mouth twitched. Damn, he really would miss her bluntness. He swept his gaze over her, taking in the sight of her tousled red hair, messy and sweat-dampened from the sex they’d just had. The way her blue dress slid over each curve of that petite body. Her full lips, red and bee-stung from their kisses. She’d never looked more beautiful.

“C’mere,” he said gruffly, reaching for her.

Jane hesitated then allowed him to take her into his embrace. He held her tight, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo, smiling when her hair tickled the tip of his nose. Then he dipped his head, placing a tender kiss on her mouth. She kissed him back, her tongue darting out for one brief moment to meet his, then retreating.

“It’s been fun,” she said lightly as she stepped out of his arms.

“More than fun,” he corrected. He shifted awkwardly. “Will you send me a copy of the magazine when your article comes out?”

“Sure.” Jane bent down and collected her underwear from the floor. Tucking it into her purse, she glanced around at the other items of clothing strewn across the room and smiled ruefully. “Can you toss everything else into the duffel I brought over and have it sent to my room?”

“No problem.” His throat suddenly felt thick, tight. “I’ll see you around, Jane.”

“See you around, Becker,” she echoed.

She slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder and walked out of the room. As he heard the front door click shut, Becker realized they’d just spoken the same parting words they’d said that first day, when they went their separate ways after the elevator encounter.

Last time, the goodbye hadn’t stuck.

This time, he had to make sure it did.

Chapter Six

Jane woke up the next morning to the sound of her cell phone chirping out a tinny rendition of a Bon Jovi song. It was her sister’s ring tone, which was the only reason she forced herself into a sitting position and grabbed the cell phone from the bedside table. She hadn’t spoken to Liz since she’d driven down to San Diego from LA, and she wanted to make sure her older sister was doing okay. Being held hostage in South America wasn’t an easy experience to forget, though Liz kept acting like it was no biggie.

“Hey, Lizzie,” she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

“Hey, Janie,” her sister teased. “Did I wake you?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry, I had to get up anyway.” She shifted the phone to her other ear and climbed out of bed.

“How’s the writing going?”

“At the moment, it’s not. But I’m planning on sitting down and finishing the first draft today.”

“Did you end up getting the interview from Thomas Becker?”

Jane ignored the pain and regret that filled her belly. “No, he didn’t agree to it.”

“I thought that would happen.” Liz chuckled softly. “He seemed like a very private man.”

“He is.”

“But that body, it’s to die for, isn’t it?” her sister said with a dreamy sigh.

Another spark of pain. Yep, Becker’s body really was amazing. But not as amazing as the rest of him. She’d spent nearly a week with him, which had been plenty of time to get acquainted with his other attributes. Like the gentle way he brushed her hair off her forehead. His rare smiles and even rarer burst of laughter. His serious intelligence. The way he accepted her completely, appreciated her candid nature and total lack of inhibition.

Except…he hadn’t completely accepted her, now had he? She hadn’t been enough for him, when it mattered. Irritation nipped at her throat. His ex-wife had screwed him up pretty badly, and now he was going out of his way to find a woman who probably didn’t even exist. This wasn’t the 1950s anymore. Chances were, he’d have a tough time finding that perfect, childbearing housewife of his.

Not that it was any of her business. She and Becker were over. The fling had ended. And now she needed to focus on other things, namely writing her article and going back to LA.

“Listen,” her sister was saying, “Mom and Dad are planning a party for Ken’s birthday. We’re using one of his photos as the cover of the invitation, but Mom wanted you to write the text.”

Jane bit back her surprise. Her family never made much of an effort to acknowledge her writing career. Sure, scribbling the text for an invitation wouldn’t showcase her writing or anything, but it was the first time they’d bothered to include her in something. A rush of warmth filled her heart. Maybe almost losing Liz had made her parents realize their younger daughter was important too.

“Tell Mom I’ll call her when I get back to LA,” Jane said. “I’ll be happy to help out.”

“Good.” Liz’s voice softened. “You sure you’re okay? You sound…sad.”

“I’m fine,” Jane lied. “Just busy.”

“Well, finish up that article and come home already. We’ll go out for lunch when you get back, okay?”

“Okay.”

The two sisters hung up, and Jane drifted into the bathroom. After she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower, she put on a pair of denim shorts and a yellow tank top, and headed to the dresser across the hotel room, suddenly feeling a burst of inspiration. Talking to Liz had reminded her of the reason she’d come here in the first place. She picked up the laptop case sitting on the dresser and carried it over to the sitting area, which consisted of a tiny table and semi-comfortable chair. She pulled the computer out of its case, booted it up, and got to work.

Jane worked for four hours straight, taking a quick break in the afternoon to order lunch from room service, and then went right back to work. It was nearly six o’clock when she finally leaned back in the chair and rolled her aching shoulders. Done. As she read over her work, she realized she’d completely forgotten about the interview she’d scheduled with Ryan Evans, but she decided she didn’t need it. The story of her sister’s ordeal was just as powerful without the interview.

And it was pretty damn good, if she said so herself. It probably would have been better if the magazine could print that gorgeous photo of Beck standing in front of the helicopter. But Becker had made his refusal clear.

He’d made a lot of things clear, hadn’t he?

Stop thinking about him.

The voice in her head was firm, but it didn’t deter Jane from thinking about him. From remembering the time they’d spent together this week. Damn it. What was the matter with that man? The two of them were explosive together. Jane had never felt a connection like this with a man before, and she knew Becker had felt that same connection. Obviously it hadn’t mattered to him as much as it mattered to her.

The ring of her cell phone jerked her out of her thoughts. Arching her stiff back to stretch it, Jane got up and grabbed the cell from the bed. An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. Wary, she picked up and said, “Hello?”

“Finally,” came a male voice. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me, and that was very upsetting. My ego is very fragile.”

She recognized the mischievous rasp of Ryan Evans’ voice immediately. An unwitting smile reached her lips. “I’m not avoiding you. I’ve been working all day on my article and I tend to block out all outside noise when I’m writing. I take it you called before.”

“Three times,” he said with mock severity. “This is the most effort I’ve ever gone to for a woman.”

“I’m flattered.”

“You should be.” Ryan finally grew serious. “So, did you still want to do that interview?”

Her gaze drifted to the open laptop across the room, the screen that showed the finished draft of her article. Technically, she didn’t need Ryan anymore. She could just polish up the article, send it to Maureen tonight, and head back to LA tomorrow morning.

But that still meant she’d be alone tonight. Alone, most likely pigging out on room-service desserts, and thinking about Becker.

That did not sound like fun.

“Actually, I don’t think I need the interview anymore,” she answered. “But…I could use some company, if you’re up for it.”

“I’m up for anything, when it comes to you.”

His voice oozed with sexuality, and Jane felt a blush creep into her cheeks. She thought about her last night with Becker, how the two of them had pretended Ryan was in the room with them. God, that had been hot.

Pushing the memory away, she cleared her throat. “Where do you want to meet?”

“I’m actually heading over to the Sand Bar tonight. I’m meeting Matt—Matt O’Connor, you met him yesterday—in a couple of hours, but I could meet you there now if you want.”

“That sounds good.”

“What’s your poison?” Ryan teased. “I’ll order you something if I get there first.”

“Margaritas,” she said immediately. “I’m going to need a lot of margaritas.”

Jane pasted on a smile as she strode into the Sand Bar, a small but trendy bar located right on the boardwalk. The place was busy when she strode in, filled with a mishmash of patrons, from surfers to a group of suit-clad men who looked like tax lawyers. On the phone, Ryan had told her the place had awesome chicken wings, but Jane was more interested in the alcohol it served. After yesterday’s awful goodbye with Becker, she was looking forward to getting good and drunk.

Although the magazine had paid for her hotel room until Sunday, she had already decided this would be her last night in San Diego. She was done with her article. She was done with Becker. Which meant there was really no reason for her to stick around. Might as well go home, focus on her job, and force herself to forget about the sexy Navy SEAL who’d rocked her world this week.

Ryan wasn’t inside the bar when she walked in. She searched the crowded room, finally spotting him at one of the outdoor tables on a deck that overlooked the ocean. She weaved her way toward him, ignoring the lewd whistle of a guy with spiky platinum hair and the blatant ogling of a middle-aged man nursing a bottle of beer. When she stepped outside, Ryan shot her an endearing grin and got to his feet. He was even sexier than she remembered, and completely opposite from Becker, who was strong and stoic, who oozed raw masculinity. Not that Ryan wasn’t masculine. He had to be, with that lean, rippled body and the sexual energy it radiated, but he was laidback, cool in a very easygoing kind of way.

A little shiver danced up her spine as she thought about Becker’s cock buried in her ass, while she used her fingers to mimic Ryan inside her pussy. Arousal drummed through her blood, but quickly faded as she remembered Becker’s goodbye. If she’d met Ryan first, maybe she would have hooked up with him. Now…well, she didn’t want anyone but Thomas Becker.

Too bad he didn’t want her.

“Did you have any problems getting here?” Ryan asked as he pulled out a chair for her.

The table he’d chosen seated two and was shaded by a huge red umbrella that fluttered in the evening breeze. On the horizon, Jane noticed the sun dipping into the water, filling the sky with brilliant shades of orange and pink. She set her purse on the wooden deck and sat down. “None,” she said in response to his question. “I like it here. It’s got a good atmosphere.”

Ryan sat down again. “That’s why we come here. Oh, this is for you.” He pushed the margarita glass across the table, the liquid coming perilously close to spilling over the rim.

“Thanks,” she said gratefully. She picked up the glass, tipped it back, and drank nearly half of it.

Ryan’s dark eyebrows shot to his forehead. He watched as she licked the salt from her lips, his blue eyes flickering with amusement. “So why the urgent need for company?”

She took another long sip, enjoying the lemony flavor of the alcohol as it slid down her throat. “I didn’t want to be alone in my hotel room all night,” she confessed.

Ryan looked intrigued. He dragged a hand through his dark hair then leaned back in his chair. “The Lieutenant is busy tonight?” he asked in a careful tone.

“The Lieutenant dumped me,” she said in a glum voice. Avoiding his eyes, she polished off the rest of her drink and signaled the waitress for another one.

When she glanced back at Ryan, he looked shocked. “Lieutenant Becker dumped you?”

She nodded.

Ryan’s seductive blue eyes traveled down her face and rested briefly on her breasts, which practically poured out of her thin tank top. She hadn’t bothered changing after Ryan’s phone call. Just hopped in the car in her ratty cut-off shorts and practically see-through top. At least she was wearing a bra, though she could feel the heat of Ryan’s gaze directly against her bare skin, teasing her nipples.

He finally lifted his gaze, shaking his head to himself. “Was he on drugs?”

“Nope.” She shrugged. “He thinks I’m not his type.”

Another flash of surprise from Ryan, followed by a lazy smile. “Janie, I think you’re everyone’s type.”

She laughed. “Has anyone ever told you you’re unbelievably charming?”

“I hear it all the time.” He smiled impishly, and a pair of adorable dimples creased his cheeks. Reaching for his beer, he lifted it to his lips and took a long swig, then set down the bottle. He looked determined as he leaned forward on both elbows. “I have an idea. Want to know what it is?”

“Hell, yes.”

He opened his mouth, only to get interrupted by the waitress, who deposited another margarita in front of Jane. With a quick thanks, Jane picked up the fresh glass and sipped, waiting for Ryan to continue.

“So, here’s what I’m thinking,” he said in a sexy drawl. “For some reason, Lieutenant Becker was stupid enough to let you get away. I, on the other hand, would never commit such an atrocity.”

She tightened her lips to stop from laughing. “Okay. And?”

“And I think it’s a shame for you to spend your last few days in San Diego alone when you could be naked. With me,” he finished, shooting her an innocent smile that revealed his straight white teeth.

Jane stared at him. “Oh my God. You’re man-Jane.” She shook her head in bewilderment, wondering if this was how those chicks from The Parent Trap felt when they discovered they had a twin. “You’re me.”

Ryan wrinkled his forehead. “Is that a good thing, or a bad one?”

She pursed her lips as she mulled it over. “Well, it’s bad for you, because I don’t think I could sleep with a guy who reminds me this much of myself. It’s weird. But it’s also good for you, because I have no problem getting absolutely sloshed with a guy who reminds me this much of myself.” She picked up her second drink and drained it.

Ryan offered a wolfish grin. “I still think revenge sex is a better way to get over Becker.”

She flagged down the waitress and ordered another drink, this time a martini. “You never know,” she said with a shrug. “I could get drunk enough that revenge sex might start looking pretty good.”

His grin widened. “You know, I think I’m really beginning to like lady-Ryan.”

Becker spent the entire day going over the rental listings his realtor had faxed to the cottage, but if anyone asked him to describe any of the houses, he’d draw a blank. It was hard to focus when he couldn’t quit thinking about Jane. Wondering what she was doing. Debating if he should call her up, tell her to forget everything he’d said yesterday, and take her to bed again. He managed to fight the temptation, but by the time eight o’clock rolled around, he was anxious as hell. He’d gone to the hotel restaurant for dinner, convincing himself it was so he could get out of the cottage, but deep down he knew he was hoping to run into Jane. He hadn’t, and now he was back in his room, absently flipping channels on the TV and wondering how the hell it was possible to miss someone so much, especially someone he’d only known a week.

Shutting off the TV, Becker finally gave up on trying to distract himself with mindless sitcoms. Maybe if he had someone to talk to about this. Someone who could offer some advice, tell him what to do. His head kept telling him to get over it, that Jane wasn’t the right woman for him. She was too bold, too ambitious, breezing through life with her sassy smiles and act-before-you-think attitude. He didn’t want another woman like that. He wanted to be with a woman who desired the same things as he did, not one day as Jane had said, but right now.

So yeah, his head knew all this. But his heart? His heart ached for Jane. Or maybe it was just his cock doing the aching. Maybe she’d cast an erotic spell on him.

Regardless, he couldn’t sit around here anymore, thinking about her. Before he could stop himself, Becker reached for his cell phone and scrolled through the contacts list until he came across one particular name. He hesitated. Fuck, did he really want to do this? Initiate some awkward male bonding time?

Do you really want to be alone? a voice countered.

With a sigh, he pressed send and waited. Carson Scott answered the phone after two rings. “Hello?” the other man said easily.

“Uh, Carson, it’s Becker.” He cleared his throat, growing uncomfortable. He would have rather talked to Will Charleston, but Will lived too far away. Carson, on the other hand, was only five minutes away, having just moved into a building not far from the hotel. John Garrett lived around here too, but Becker was definitely not comfortable calling Garrett, who he knew the least out of all the men.

“Lieutenant?” The surprise in Carson’s voice was palpable. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Nothing really.” He faltered. “I just called to see if you felt like having a beer. With me.” For Christ’s sake, could he make it sound any more like a date?

There was a pause. “A beer. Uh, sure,” Carson finally agreed, still sounding confused. “I’m actually watching the Padres game right now. You want to come over here?”

“Yeah, I can do that. I can be there in ten.”

“Cool.” Carson rattled off his address and apartment number then said, “See you in a bit then.”

Becker hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. He could call back. Cancel. Tell Carson he’d changed his mind. But what was the alternative? Channel surf some more and think about how much he wanted to see Jane again?

He stood up with a decisive nod, and was in the car five minutes later, driving toward Carson’s apartment building. This was the first time he’d made an effort to see one of his teammates outside of work, and as he pulled into the visitor’s lot of Carson’s low-rise, he found himself growing nervous. Shit, maybe he ought to turn around and go back to the hotel. He didn’t know how to do the friend thing, sharing your feelings and all that crap. He’d always been a private person, and he felt a spark of annoyance towards Jane as he realized she was the one who’d driven him to make social contact.

If he hadn’t met her, he wouldn’t be so torn up in knots right now. He wouldn’t need to seek out advice from a man he hardly knew.

Sighing, he got out of the car and stuffed his hands in his pockets, warily eyeing the quaint building, which boasted redbrick walls covered by strands of ivy. The front entrance was small, featuring a series of mailboxes and intercoms. Becker searched for Carson’s name then pressed the button.

“Hello?” came a throaty female voice.

Becker cleared his throat. “Uh, hey. It’s Thomas Becker.”

“Oh, hi! I’m so glad you’re here. I need a second opinion about my Osso Buco. I’m buzzing you in.”

An opinion about her what? Before he could decipher the weird remark, the door clicked open with a loud buzz. Becker hesitated, then walked through it and headed for the elevator.

Carson’s apartment was on the third floor, at the end of a narrow corridor with a clean tiled floor. Becker was just reaching his hand out to knock when the front door flung open and a stunning brunette with big green eyes stood before him. “Hi, I’m Holly,” she said cheerfully. “Come in. Carson’s in the living room.”

He followed Holly into the small hallway, trying his best not to ogle her. She wore a pair of teeny black shorts and a bright green T-shirt, and though she couldn’t have been that much taller than five feet, she held a lot of energy in that petite body of hers. “I’m so glad to finally meet you,” she said with a big smile. “Shelby and I wanted to throw you a welcome-to-the-team party when you first got here, but Carson said it wasn’t your thing.”

“Shelby?” he said blankly.

Holly shoved a wayward strand of brown hair off her forehead. “John Garrett’s wife. She owns the bakery a few blocks from here. Oh, and she’s pregnant!” Holly beamed at him. “Isn’t that amazing? They just found out last week.”

“Um…”

“For God’s sake, sweetheart, leave the Lieutenant alone,” came Carson’s drawl. “I told you not to scare him off.”

Holly linked her arm through Becker’s as she led him into the living room, where Carson was sitting on the couch with a beer in his hands. “He’s not scared of me,” she said with a grin. “Right, Thomas?”

“Becker,” Carson corrected.

Holly pursed her lips. “You don’t like Thomas?” she said curiously.

He shifted awkwardly. “I like it.” He shrugged. “People have just always called me Becker most of my life. I don’t know who started it, but it stuck.”

“Well, I like the name Thomas,” she answered. “It sounds very dignified.” She let go of his arm and gestured to the couch. “Sit down. I’ll bring out a sample for you.”

“A sample?” Becker asked in a low voice as Holly bounded toward a doorway he assumed led into the kitchen. He sat on the long beige couch and accepted the beer bottle Carson offered him.

“She’s trying out a new recipe,” Carson explained. “Holly’s a chef.”

At Carson’s explanation, Becker nodded, suddenly noticing the intoxicating aroma wafting in from the kitchen. Garlic, tomatoes, and a mixture of herbs. It smelled like heaven. Tasted like heaven too, he found out, after Holly returned a moment later with a small plate loaded with what looked like veal covered in a creamy tomato sauce and practically forced him to take a bite.

“This is amazing,” Becker said, eyeing her with awe. “You’re really good.”

“Thanks.” She took his empty plate. “I’m going to finish experimenting. You boys be good.”

Holly left the room again, leaving the two men alone. Becker’s gaze drifted toward the television screen. The Padres game was at the bottom of the eighth, with the Padres leading by two runs, but he wasn’t interested. He’d never been much of a baseball fan. Football was his sport of choice.

“So,” Carson said, after the silence between them dragged on for far too long, “Not to be rude or anything, but what the hell are you doing here? We’ve known each other for seven months and you haven’t once acted like you were into making friends.”

Becker respected the other man’s frankness. It was probably what made him offer a frank answer of his own. “I’ve been an ass to you guys, haven’t I?”

Carson’s blue eyes flickered with amusement. “Yep.”

“I’m sorry.” He raised his bottle and took a long sip of beer. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not very good at socializing.”

“I’ve noticed,” Carson said dryly. He suddenly grinned. “But neither was Will at first, and I managed to draw him out of that prickly shell of his. I have faith in you too, Lieutenant.”

“Quit calling me that. We’re not on a mission.”

“Sorry, it’s a habit.” Carson sipped his own beer, turning his gaze away from the screen and studying Becker. “So, why were you stir crazy? Did you get in a fight with that sexy-as-sin redhead you were with the other day?”

“Not really.” He gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Then why the hell aren’t you with her?”

Holly suddenly poked her head into the living room. “With who?” she said, looking super interested. “Are you gossiping? If so, I want to know everything.”

“I’m giving the Lieutenant love advice, babe. Mind your own business.”

“Oh God,” she said with a groan. “Thomas, don’t listen to him. He’s terrible at giving advice.”

Becker found himself grinning as Holly bounced back into the room, her green eyes flashing with curiosity. She flopped down on the armchair across from the couch, leaned forward and narrowed her eyes at Becker. “Okay, tell me everything. I’m much better at this kind of thing. Who is she?”

Discomfort tugged at his gut. He shot Carson a save-me look, but the younger man just shrugged as if to say, There’s no stopping it now. Finally he turned back to Holly and said, “Jane.”

Leaning back in the chair, Holly crossed her arms over her chest. “Jane. All right. What’s the problem with Jane?”

“There’s no problem. She’s…great.” He swallowed. “More than great, actually.”

“Is she reluctant to get involved? Because that’s what happened to Will.” Holly offered a wide smile. “Luckily, I stepped in and saved the day, and now Will and Mac are happily married.”

Carson set down his beer and pointed a finger at Holly. “Oh no. No, no, no, you are not doing it again.” He shook his head at Becker. “She pretended to be Will’s girlfriend to make Mackenzie jealous. Oh, and she let him kiss her.”

“For show,” Holly emphasized. “And it worked, didn’t it?”

Carson growled. “What’s next? You going to hire yourself out for weddings and bar mitzvahs?”

Despite the bickering and totally weird subject matter, Becker found himself extremely amused by Carson and his girlfriend. He could tell they were madly in love, even when they were grumbling at each other. And Holly reminded him a lot of Jane. Her sass, the stubborn tilt of her chin. At the thought of Jane, Becker’s chest tightened. Damn it, why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?

“So, what’s the problem?” Holly asked, ignoring Carson and fixing those shrewd green eyes on Becker.

He opened his mouth, intending to lie and say there was no problem, but instead, he ended up telling them everything. His encounter with Jane in the elevator, the incredible week they’d spent together, his reluctance to get involved with her. He even spilled some details about his marriage, a topic he hadn’t spoken about with anyone but Jane.

When he finished, Holly looked bewildered. “But it sounds like you really care about her. Why can’t you be with her?”

A heavy breath rolled out of his chest. “She reminds me too much of my ex.”

Next to him, Carson took another swig of beer then set the bottle down with a laugh. “Actually, she sounds nothing like your ex.”

He frowned. “Why do you say that?”

Carson shrugged. “Well, you described your ex-wife as, not to sound like an ass, a selfish bitch.”

“Carson,” Holly chided.

Becker smiled wryly. “No, he’s right. Alice isn’t the nicest person.”

“But Jane is,” Carson pointed out. “I played nine holes of mini-golf with her, and not once did I get the selfish bitch vibe from her.”

“And you said she didn’t even bug you about the interview,” Holly chimed in.

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“So she can’t be as bad as your ex.” Holly’s features softened. “You said your ex-wife would do anything to get ahead in her career. Well, if Jane was like that, she wouldn’t have given up until she got that scoop she originally came for. Instead, she accepted your answer and left it alone.”

Holly had a point. Jane had completely dropped the issue of his interview, which was something Alice never would have done. “But…” He drained the rest of his beer, wishing the two of them hadn’t put him on the spot like this. He could tell from their expressions that they thought he was an idiot for ending things with Jane, and the longer they stared at him, the more he started to wonder if maybe they were right. “She doesn’t want the same things as me,” he finally said.

“Marriage, family?” Holly prompted.

“Yeah.”

“Can you honestly tell me those are things you plan to have right this second?” Holly said, rolling her eyes. “You can’t just snap your fingers and find yourself a wife, unless you plan on ordering one from some Russian classified ad. No matter what, you’ll have to date someone, take the time to fall in love with her, see if there’s a connection. At least with Jane, you know the connection is there.”

Fuck, another good point. He was starting to regret ever coming here.

Carson threw in his two cents. “I think you should give her a chance. You’re obviously falling for her, so why not see where things go? And if in a few months you find she’s really not the right woman for you, then I promise, I’ll buy you that Russian bride myself.”

Becker couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

Carson grinned. “Good, so go talk to her.”

He leaned back against the sofa cushions, only to notice both Holly and Carson looking at him as if he were an alien. “What?” he said, feeling defensive.

“Go talk to her,” Holly burst out, looking frazzled.

Becker blinked. “Now?”

“No, next month,” Carson said. “Don’t get me wrong, we can crack open a few more beers and watch the rest of this boring-ass game, but wouldn’t you rather be having make-up sex with your sexy little redhead right now?”

Holly leaned forward again, looking intrigued. “Oooh, is she really that attractive?” she asked her boyfriend. When Carson nodded, she swung her head at Becker. “What are you waiting for? Get her back already.”

Becker’s confidence was sky-high as he headed back to the hotel. Damn, Carson and his girlfriend ought to go into motivational speaking. The two of them had pumped him up, made him feel as though getting Jane back was the only course of action to take. And why shouldn’t he? They were right. He was falling for her. He had fun with Jane, more fun than he’d ever experienced with a woman before. She made him laugh, which was pretty much a miracle considering that with Alice, he’d barely cracked a smile in over a decade.

He couldn’t help wondering, as he made a left turn onto the road leading to the hotel, if he was being reckless. Maybe even foolish. Jane would be leaving in two days, heading back to LA, which was a good three-hour drive from Coronado. How would they ever even see each other? Which one of them would make the commute? Would Jane even consider doing it?

He forced himself not to dwell on the minor details. There was no point thinking about any of that, not until he knew if Jane was even willing to continue their relationship once she left. Fuck, he hoped she would. Carson and Holly had made him realize how unfair he’d been to Jane. Her resemblance to Alice, now that he thought about it, was pretty fucking flimsy. Big deal, so they shared some common personality traits. When it came to the traits that mattered, Jane was not Alice, and never would be.

He parked the SUV in the guest parking lot and got out. His palms grew damp as he locked the car and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. It was only a quarter to ten. Jane probably wasn’t asleep yet. His pulse sped up as he dialed the front desk and asked to be connected to her room, but the anticipation fizzled after the tenth ring, when Jane still hadn’t picked up. She’d either fallen asleep, or simply wasn’t taking any calls.

It didn’t even occur to him that she might not be in her room, not until the sound of car engine caught his attention. An olive-green Jeep Cherokee had just pulled into the parking lot, and Becker’s breath froze in his lungs when he spotted the two familiar figures in the vehicle. Breathing hard, he discreetly ducked between his SUV and the minivan beside it, forcing his pulse to slow. Fuck. That couldn’t have been Jane in that Jeep. Sitting next to Ryan Evans.

He peered out from his hiding spot, his hands curling into fists as he received confirmation. Across the lot, Ryan Evans hopped out of the Jeep, then bounded toward the passenger door to help Jane out. She tripped and stumbled into Ryan’s arms, letting out a melodic laugh that echoed through the deserted lot and hardened Becker’s veins.

He stood there, frozen in place, as Ryan wrapped his arm around Jane’s shoulders and bent to say something in her ear. She laughed again, and then the two of them headed for the path leading toward the main building of the hotel. Becker watched them go, unable to move, unable to stop the simultaneous jolts of anger and betrayal the sight of Jane and Ryan had evoked.

Goddammit. Goddamn her.

One day. That’s all it had taken for her to hook up with another man. And here he was, pining over her for the past twenty-four hours, second-guessing his decision to end things, coming here so he could win her back. What a fucking moron he was. What did he expect, that she’d be missing him too? She’d said so herself. She liked sex. And she’d been attracted to Evans. Not to mention her admission that she’d never had a relationship that lasted more than a few months.

Well, theirs had lasted a full week.

He slowly uncurled his fists, sucking in a long breath. Fuck. He needed to calm down. Needed to restrain himself, before he lost control, marched over to Jane’s room and punched Ryan Evans’ lights out. Getting angry wouldn’t achieve a goddamn thing. Either way, he’d completely deluded himself into thinking he and Jane could have something serious. How could they? Jane wasn’t serious. She was fun and flirty and fucking another man right at this very moment. How could he get serious with a woman like that?

Tightening his jaw, he tore his gaze away from the direction Jane and Evans had gone. As much as it hurt, seeing them together, at least it had snapped some sense into him. He and Jane had fucked for a week, and now she’d found a new bedmate. Big deal. He’d get over it. He’d get over her.

He let out a ragged breath, straightened his shoulders and headed to his cottage, all the while trying to convince himself that getting over Jane would be absolutely no trouble at all.

Chapter Seven

“Okay, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you or should I tell Mom and Dad so they can harass you about it?” Jane’s sister demanded, her hands on her hips as she loomed over Jane.

Jane had been lying on her comfy couch, a carton of ice cream in her lap, when her sister had marched into her apartment as if she owned the place and started the interrogation. “I don’t see what the big deal is,” Jane said defensively, sliding up into a cross-legged position. “I took a week off work so I could chill out for a while. Why is that cause for concern?”

“Because you never take time off,” Liz said, her blonde ponytail flipping as she plopped down on the couch. “You’ve practically lived in your office for the past two years.”

“Well, I needed a break.” She jammed her spoon into the carton and brought out a scoop of cookie dough ice cream, which she swirled around in her mouth before swallowing. God, ice cream was the best thing ever. She’d been back in LA for a week now, and so far, the only thing that had managed to cheer her up was ice cream.

“Why?” Liz pressed, her brown eyes filling with concern. “What happened in San Diego, Janie? You’ve been depressed ever since you got back.”

“I’m not depressed.”

“Sad then.”

“I’m not sad.”

Liz groaned with frustration. “I will call Mom. She’ll get the truth out of you.”

Jane sighed. She set down the ice cream carton on the glass coffee table and turned to her sister. “Fine, I’ll tell you what’s wrong, but please don’t tell Mom, okay?”

Triumph lit her sister’s eyes. “I knew something was wrong. Tell me everything.”

With another sigh, Jane spilled her guts. She told Liz all about Becker, the wild sex, her growing feelings for him, how he’d ended it before it could even begin. She finished by confessing how she’d spent her final night in San Diego—drunker than drunk. She left out the part about Ryan being there that last night, since it wasn’t important. Nope, the only truly important thing was how desperately she missed Thomas Becker.

“Then call him,” Liz said quietly when Jane voiced the thought out loud.

“I can’t. He made it clear he doesn’t see a future with me. He wants some perfect, obedient little housewife who’ll pop out half a dozen babies for him, and we both know I’m neither perfect nor obedient,” Jane said wryly.

Her sister grinned. “No, obedient you most certainly are not. Not perfect either, but…” Liz’s voice was laced with affection as she said, “You’re an amazing woman, Janie. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

“Too bad the one I want doesn’t see it that way.”

She went for the ice cream again, but Liz intercepted her, pushing the carton out of reach. “Thomas Becker is obviously an idiot, Janie. If he can’t see what’s right in front of him, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Jane didn’t answer. Liz was probably right, but that didn’t mean she could just erase her feelings for Becker. It was so messed up. She’d only spent a week with the man. One freaking week, yet she’d connected with him in a way she never had with any other man.

“Come on, get up,” Liz suddenly ordered. She stood up and held out her hand. “Let’s go.”

She allowed her sister to help her to her feet. “Where are we going?”

“Anywhere. You need to get out of the apartment and stop thinking about Becker.”

Jane glanced down at her ratty sweat pants. “I’m not even dressed.”

“Then get dressed.” Liz’s chin lifted with determination. “We’ll go get a manicure, or see that new Brad Pitt movie, or just walk down Sunset and window shop.”

“I don’t—”

“No argument,” Liz interrupted. “Now get dressed so we can work on helping you put Thomas Becker right out of your mind, okay?”

The image of Becker’s serious face and spectacular body floated into her mind, eliciting a spark of hurt. She quickly pushed it aside, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go,” she said quietly.

Becker had no clue why he agreed to shoot pool with Carson on Thursday night. Ever since the night he’d seen Jane and Ryan in the parking lot of the hotel, draped all over each other, he’d avoided his fellow SEALs, especially Carson. There had been a couple of messages on his cell phone from Carson, and one from Holly, the day after he’d stopped by their place, but Becker hadn’t returned the calls. Those two had been the reason he’d gone to see Jane in the first place, and look how that turned out.

Fuck. There he went, thinking about her again. It had almost become a twisted game, counting how many times the thought of Jane slid into his mind. The current tally was six, and pathetically, that was just in the last hour.

“I’m still waiting to hear why you’ve been avoiding me this entire week,” Carson said casually as he racked the balls on the pool table.

“I’m not avoiding you,” Becker lied.

Carson shook his head. “Yes, you are. But whatever, don’t tell me why.” He stepped back and gestured for Becker to break the neatly arranged balls. “At least tell me what happened with Jane.”

“Nothing. It didn’t work out.” Averting his eyes, Becker bent forward, pulled his cue back and sent the white ball smashing into the others, making them scatter on the green felt like frantic rats.

He straightened his back and examined the table, annoyed to see that despite the excessive strength he’d put into the shot, not a single ball had landed in a pocket. Behind him, he heard Carson let out a frazzled breath. “What do you mean, it didn’t work out? She wasn’t interested?”

Before Becker could answer, he caught a flash of movement in his peripheral vision. An irrational knot of anger coiled around his insides as Ryan Evans and Matt O’Connor strode up to the pool table. They knocked fists with Carson, but didn’t offer the easygoing gesture to Becker, simply nodded in greeting.

Becker forced himself to nod back. Forced himself not to glare at Evans, or even worse, unleash an upper cut into the younger man’s jaw. Ryan hadn’t done anything wrong. So what if he’d slept with Jane? No matter how much the notion infuriated him, he couldn’t blame Ryan. Fuck, he couldn’t even blame Jane, either. After all, he was the one who’d broken things off with her.

Still, it took a considerable amount of willpower, maintaining a civil attitude toward Ryan. Just looking at the guy, Becker couldn’t help but imagine him in bed with Jane. Which brought a wave of discomfort to his gut, since he and Jane had done just that, hadn’t they? Imagined Ryan in bed with them. The uncomfortable ache faded back into anger, as he realized the fantasy had come true—for Jane, at least. She’d wasted no time climbing into bed with Ryan. Becker’s chest hurt just thinking about it.

“One of you grab me a beer, will you?” Carson said to the two newcomers.

“Get your own beer,” Ryan said, rolling his eyes.

“Come on, please? I’m about to kick Beck’s ass here.”

Matt took pity on Carson and headed toward the long chrome counter on the other side of the bar. As Carson leaned forward to take his shot, Ryan turned to Becker and said, “Have you heard from Jane?”

Becker’s entire body tensed. Seriously? Evans was actually bringing up Jane, to him, the man who’d been fucking her only the day before Ryan?

“No,” he said stiffly. “I haven’t.”

Ryan must have sensed Becker’s hostility because he backed off, and wandered over to Matt, who was returning with the beers. Evans and O’Connor went to stand by Carson, leaving Becker free to focus on the game. He bent to take a shot, forcing himself to relax. Wasn’t Ryan’s fault things hadn’t worked out with Jane.

He sank a couple of balls, zoning out the conversation of the other guys, then missed what could have been a sweet combo. He straightened up, waiting for Carson to shoot, and that was when he caught the tail end of Ryan’s comment to Matt.

“—like, incredible head. That blowjob should go down in history, pun intended.”

Becker pressed his hands to his sides, fighting back a rush of rage. Was Evans such an asshole that he’d talk about this shit in front of him? And to give O’Connor details about what Jane was like in bed, that was sleazy as hell.

Matt laughed. “Did you spend the night?”

“Naah. Awesome BJ aside, the sex wasn’t all that great.”

Beck’s fingers curled into fists. Okay, this was fucking disrespectful. If Evans said even one more word…

“I like my women moaning and squirming and you know, getting into it. She just lay there, looking bored, making me do all the work.” Ryan shrugged. “She was tight as hell, though—”

Becker snapped. One second he was standing by the pool table, the next he was shoving Evans hard against the wall. He seized the other man by the collar and shook him hard, his vision nothing but a hazy red.

“Don’t fucking talk about her like that,” Becker growled.

Shock flooded Ryan’s face, accompanied by a spark of fear in his blue eyes. “What the fuck are you doing, Lieutenant?”

He shook the younger guy again, his jaw so tight that his teeth started to hurt. “This isn’t a locker room,” he spat out. “Show her some goddamn respect.”

A hand suddenly clamped down on Becker’s shoulder. “Beck, let him go,” came Carson’s even voice.

Becker didn’t ease his grip. Glaring at Ryan, he said, “If I hear you talking about Jane in that way again—”

“Jane?” Ryan interrupted, his eyes widening.

“What, you forgot her fucking name already?”

There was a short pause, and then Ryan sighed. “We weren’t talking about Jane, man. We were talking about Cynthia.”

Becker blinked. “Who?”

“Cynthia, the chick I hooked up with last night.”

The air went rushing out of Becker’s lungs. Cynthia? He looked into Ryan’s eyes, saw the genuine confusion there, and cursed under his breath. Shit. Slowly, he released Evans from his kung-fu hold and took a step back. As he noticed the curious eyes focused on him, not just from his team members, but the stares of the other bar patrons, he grew uncomfortable.

Shit.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said, his voice hoarse. “I thought you were…talking about her.”

Ryan straightened the collar of his shirt, a flicker of annoyance entering his eyes. “That wasn’t cool, Lieutenant.”

“I know.” He drew in a breath. “I’m sorry. I thought…”

“You thought I fucked her,” Ryan finished knowingly. “Yeah, well, I would’ve, if she’d wanted me. But she didn’t. I took her back to her hotel room, where she spent half the night crying.”

Becker hesitated. “Why was she crying?” he asked softly.

“Because you dumped her, you idiot.”

“You can’t call your superior officer an idiot,” Carson said. He smirked. “But I can.” He cast an irritated look in Becker’s direction. “You’re an idiot. You didn’t even talk to her, did you?”

“No,” Becker admitted.

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because…” He let out a sigh. “Because I thought she slept with him,” he said, jerking his thumb at Ryan. He stared at the other guy in remorse. “I saw you two in the hotel parking lot.” Becker swallowed. “You had your arm around her, and the two of you walked inside together. I assumed you…you know.”

Ryan flashed a grin. “Like I said, I totally would have, if she wanted me. But she’s in love with you. She spent the entire night downing margaritas and talking about what a jerk you were for ending things, then she cried, then…well, then there was the vomit thing, and finally she went to bed.” He gave a pointed look. “I slept on the floor, by the way. I only stayed the night because I didn’t want her to be alone.”

Becker had no idea what to say. He felt like a total asshole for making assumptions. And he felt like an even bigger asshole when he pictured Jane’s silky-smooth cheeks soaked with tears. He’d caused those tears. He’d built up this foolish image of his perfect woman, a woman who was the complete opposite of his ex-wife. But who the fuck needed perfection? And why on earth would he ever want a sweet, docile wife when he could have his feisty, stubborn Jane?

“I’m an idiot,” he muttered under his breath.

Carson overheard the remark and said, “Trust us, we know.”

Jane’s hands were full of shopping bags as she climbed the stairs leading up to her third-floor apartment. Her building didn’t have an elevator, but considering her claustrophobia, that was a blessing. It was good exercise too, hiking up all those stairs. But super irritating when trying to make the climb with all these bags. Liz had been right, though. All she’d needed to do was get out of the house and already she felt much better. Of course, a shiny pair of Manolos and three new dresses could make anyone feel better.

Shoving the bags in her right hand into her left, she dug around in her purse in search of her keys, head bent as she headed down the corridor toward her apartment. She’d just grabbed hold of her key ring when she lost her grip on the purse. It went flying to the floor, its contents spilling onto the carpeted hallway floor.

“Need some help?”

The familiar voice startled the hell out of her, causing her to drop the bags she was holding. Those fell too, joining her purse on the ground, but Jane was too stunned to pay attention to the discarded items. Becker was standing in front of her door, clad in a pair of khakis and a blue button-down shirt over a white T-shirt that molded to his perfect chest. Apprehension clouded his eyes, along with a spark of heat that burned brighter when their gazes locked.

“What are you doing here?” she squeaked.

“I wanted to see you,” he said simply.

She swallowed. “Why?”

“Because I missed you.”

Her heart did a little flip. She wanted to throw her arms around his strong, corded neck and kiss him, but she forced herself to stay put. She didn’t fully trust this. Didn’t fully trust him. What had changed? A week ago, he’d been telling her he didn’t want to get attached to her, that her goals were too different from his, and now here he was, standing in front of her.

“You drove three hours to tell me you missed me? You could have just picked up the phone, you know,” she said quietly.

“No,” he disagreed. “I couldn’t.”

“Why?” she asked again.

Becker took a step closer. She could see his pulse throbbing in his throat. “Because I need to say this in person, Jane.”

She bit her lower lip. “Say what?”

He moved even closer, his expression tender. “That I’m in love with you.”

Jane’s mouth went dry. “What?”

“You heard me,” he said huskily. “I’ve fallen for you, Jane. And I was a total jerk for ending things the way I did.”

“Yeah, you were,” she agreed.

“I was going to tell you I made a mistake. I realized it the day after.” His features creased with something that resembled guilt. “I came to find you that night, at the hotel. Only when I got there, I saw you and Ryan in the parking lot, and I…”

“You thought I slept with him,” she said flatly.

Shame swam in his eyes. “Yes. I jumped to conclusions. I…” His voice wobbled. “I figured it confirmed what I was thinking all along, that you weren’t my type…you weren’t serious about me.”

Jane let out a shaky breath. “I was serious about you.”

“Past tense?” he said, watching her carefully.

She met his gaze, and the hope and trepidation she saw there sent a rush of warmth flooding through her. “Present tense,” she said softly. “I am serious about you.”

He didn’t speak for a moment, for so long, in fact, that she started to worry. But when he finally opened his mouth, it was worth the wait. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry for comparing you to Alice, for telling you you’re not my type, and most of all, for believing you’d jump into bed with the first warm body you came across.” He stepped forward, one calloused hand reaching out to stroke her cheek. “Can we start over?”

A part of her wanted to scream yes! But she tamped down the eager response, studying Becker’s handsome face. “How will we make a relationship work, Beck? We live in different cities.”

“Three hours away, that’s all,” he said quietly. “And I promise you, I’ll come up here whenever I can. I’ll spend every available second making you happy, Jane.”

Pleasure skittered up her spine. “Wow. You actually sound like you mean that.”

“I do mean it.” He smiled. “We can figure this out as we go along. I’ll do the long-distance thing for as long as we have to. All I know is that I want to be with you. I’ll take whatever I can get.”

“What about the passive housewife you wanted?” she teased.

“Screw passive,” he said fervently. He bent his head close to her ear. “I want aggressive, Jane. I want fiery and bold and honest. I want you.”

And there it was. The three little words that made her melt. The three little words she’d wanted to hear since the moment Becker told her she didn’t fit his blueprint for an ideal woman. Well, screw the blueprint. She’d known all along that she was exactly what he needed. Someone who made him laugh, someone who challenged him and excited him and turned him on. And now he knew it too.

She offered an innocent grin. “Took you long enough to figure it out, huh?”

Amusement danced in his eyes. “So I’m a little slow on the uptake. Don’t rub it in.” He planted his hands on her waist and yanked her toward him. The second their bodies met, a ribbon of heat uncurled inside her body, making her skin burn. “I missed you,” Becker said gruffly, no longer looking amused, but incredibly aroused.

Jane’s eyelids fluttered closed as he leaned in to kiss her. The moment their lips touched, a thrill shot up her spine. “I missed you too,” she whispered against his mouth.

They kissed again, a hurried joining of lips, a dueling of tongues. Jane was breathless when they finally broke apart. Her heart thudded wildly against her ribs, her nipples tingling, her panties soaked. “For the love of God,” she squeezed out. “Help me pick up all these bags so we can go inside the apartment.”

Becker’s eyes twinkled. “If I help, do you promise we can do naked things?”

She bit back laughter. “Oh, we’ll definitely be doing naked things.”

“Good,” he said, giving a satisfied nod.

And then he helped her gather up the fallen bags, followed her into the apartment, and shut the door behind them.

About the Author

A RITA-award-nominated author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. And when she’s not reading, she’s making music with her drummer boyfriend, oil painting or indulging her love for board games.

Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her Web site www.ellekennedy.com or send her a note at elle@ellekennedy.com.

Look for these titles by Elle Kennedy

Now Available:

Out of Uniform

Heat of the Moment

Heat of Passion

Heat of the Storm

Bad Moon Rising

Dance of Seduction

Midnight Encounters

Going for It

Red Hot Summer

Hot Summer Nights

Hidden Desires

Coming Soon

Heat of the Night

Don’t get even. Get everything…

A Proper Seduction

© 2010 HelenKay Dimon

Even before her bad marriage ended, Lauren MacDonald lost everything—her job, her friends, her self-esteem, and her sexual appetite. Now that she’s finally free, she’s struggling to regain control of a life her ex did his best to destroy.

The plan: sex with Justin Scott, her ex’s business partner. The man her husband invited into their marital bed, forcing her to realize it was time to get out. Justin was the star of the fantasies that helped her endure her marriage, so she can’t deny she wanted him—but not like that. She wants him like this—alone. In her bed. For exactly three nights.

Justin screwed up with Lauren, and in the past she’s made no secret of the fact she loathes him. So when she walks into his office flashing miles of long, lean legs, his brain cells misfire. Three nights of meaningless sex? He’s all over it. Not only does he have the chance to unleash his desire for her, it’s the opening he’s been waiting for—to convince her to give him more.

Warning: This book contains a little revenge, some bargaining, a lot of sex in hotel rooms and an inventive use for a bathrobe.

Enjoy the following excerpt for A Proper Seduction:

“Any place I can’t touch you?” He took one step. Then another, until only two feet of thin air separated them. “Anything else you don’t want me to do?”

“Just the kissing.”

“Care to tell me why? I’m only asking because I happen to be a fan of that particular activity.” He reached out and trailed the back of his fingers down her arm until he found her hand. With one smooth move, he lifted her palm and touched her fingertips to his lips.

The caress nearly broke her. She wanted to lean in, to soak up every drop of his musky smell. But she forced her body to stay still. If he knew how many nights she’d dreamed about his hands brushing over her, about his hot breath whispering against her neck, he’d have the power.

Of course, all of those fantasies fizzled when she heard Gavin’s voice in her head, cheering Justin on. But this time would be different. She would be in charge. She just had to make sure Justin understood the parameters of their nights together first.

“No kissing—”

“Anywhere?”

She was tempted to agree just to keep an even keel, but didn’t want to give up the feel of his lips against her bare skin. “No, just kissing on the lips is out.”

“Because?”

“It’s intimate and there’s nothing intimate about what we’re about to do.”

“Well, I plan to get you naked and lick you all over.” His mouth closed in a soft kiss against the inside of her wrist. “Sounds pretty damn intimate to me. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how we could get closer than me being inside you.”

A picture flashed in her head and she blinked it right back out again. “Your dick, not you.”

“Interesting theory you have on sex.”

She pulled her hand away before his tongue could tickle her nerve endings again. “Look, if you can’t take this seriously—”

“You’ll go to the nearest bar and pick up a stranger?”

“Maybe.”

His smile disappeared. “No fucking way.”

“I see we understand each other.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

How had they gone from taking off their clothes to chatting? She wanted action not table conversation. “Enough talking.”

His eyebrow inched up. “What do you want me to do instead?”

“Strip.”

Justin hesitated.

“Now,” she ordered, relishing how good the word felt on her tongue.

“Yes, ma’am.” Without another word, he peeled off his tie and threw it on the bed behind her.

She tried to back up, put some distance between them, but her calves hit the mattress and she was stuck. She could duck and run for cover on the other side of the room. The gleam in Justin’s eyes dared her to do just that. Instead, she stood there, just a few inches away, and watched, mesmerized, as his fingers went to work on his buttons. A few twitches later and his shirt stood open, revealing the hard planes of his upper body where his collarbone dipped in a hollow at the base of his neck.

She longed to taste him there. Her fingers itched to help him, to rush in and make him move faster. To rip those pants off and push him down onto the bed. But she waited.

His shirt hit the floor and his hands dropped to his belt. His eyes grew even darker as he slipped the leather out of the loops and let it fall to the carpet. Next came his zipper. Slow and sure, he pulled the tab down a few clicks. It took forever to descend, as if he was drawing out the striptease to torture her. Then he stopped. With his hands tucked inside his pants and his fly open, bulge on display, he stood there.

“What are you doing?” she asked, fighting the urge to scream the question.

“Are you sure?” His husky voice echoed through the still room.

Justin was giving her the choice this time. Last year, Gavin had called the shots. She had waited at home for Gavin that first night, naked on the bed as ordered, until Justin had walked in the room. His heated gaze had burned through her and she’d panicked. With her mind in a daze and embarrassment building, Gavin had soothed her with lukewarm kisses and assured her that she would enjoy the feel of another man as much as he would enjoy watching. The memory of her pathetic acquiescence chased away the heat building inside her now.

“Lauren?”

She shook her head in an attempt to wipe the scene from her mind. “Yes?”

Justin smoothed his hands down her arms. “We go as fast or slow as you want.”

“I say we try very fast.”

“We could—”

“Get on the bed.” The words rushed out of her. Inside, her stomach churned and her head buzzed. If she could make this happen, she could erase the bad memories and crack the hard shell that had crusted over her sexual appetite.

Justin stared at her, his gaze searching her face before traveling down to her closed fists. He pried open one of her hands and threaded her fingers through his. “It’s not a race.”

“I want sex.”

“With me.” His eyes asked the question even though he phrased it as a statement.

“Yes.”

Give a SEAL an inch, and he’ll take your heart.

Heat of the Storm

© 2009 Elle Kennedy

An Out of Uniform Story

Lieutenant Will Charleston has waited fifteen long years to show up as anything other than a one-pixel blip on Mackenzie Wade’s romantic radar. If a powerful storm is what he needs to send her into his arms, he’ll take it. Once the hot sex is over, though, she seems determined to kick him right back into the friend zone.

Not this time. This time, he’s going to teach her the meaning of tenacious.

Mackenzie has always had feelings for Will, feelings she fights with all her strength. He’s her best friend, her safety net. The one man who’s not scared of her accursed psychic gift. No doubt he drives her wild in bed, but their night of passion was more than a mistake. It generated a tragic vision of the future, one that leaves her more confused—and afraid—than ever.

Problem is, Will knows her too well. Plus he’s a SEAL to the bone. And they don’t like to lose…

Warning: This book contains a Navy SEAL who knows exactly what he wants—ridiculously hot and dirty sex with the woman he’s been fantasizing about for years. Stormy sex and graphic language await you.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Heat of the Storm:

“Either we talk about what you saw, or we talk about the kiss.” Will’s brows were drawn together in a frown. “Your choice, Mac.”

Neither. She wanted to talk about neither.

She edged toward the oversized leather sofa, hoping he’d take her silence and attempt at creating distance between them as a sign to back off. But the words back off were not part of his vocabulary and he only stepped closer, so that she was trapped between his big, hard body and the arm of the couch.

“Why did you kiss me?” he asked roughly.

She found the courage to meet his gaze. “I was upset about the break-up with Dan. And drunk. Very, very drunk. I…wasn’t thinking.”

He didn’t answer for a long while. So long that she didn’t think he would even reply. And she was right. He didn’t reply. Instead, he grasped her chin with his hands and then his mouth covered hers.

The kiss was scarier than the vision. The kiss was real.

She was helpless to fight it, though the relentless ache between her legs wouldn’t have let her fight anyway. Will’s hot mouth rubbed over hers in a slow kiss, his lips firm but deliciously soft, his fingers warm against her cheeks. He deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue between her lips. He sought out her tongue and swirled over it, the taste of him assaulting her senses and making her knees wobble.

He immediately slid one hand to her waist to hold her steady, curling his fingers over her hip, his touch searing through the cotton material of her nightshirt and scorching her skin.

She couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. All she was capable of doing was sagging into his hard chest and drowning in those intoxicating lips of his.

The kiss grew harder, greedy, almost frantic. He licked her bottom lip then sucked it hard into his mouth, eliciting a whimper from deep in her chest. And his tongue…it was too demanding, too precise as it flicked over hers, thrust in and out of her mouth, mimicking what she knew he wanted to do to her with his cock.

Fire consumed her body, growing hotter and stronger when he shoved one hard thigh between her legs and ground against her throbbing core. The long ridge of his cock pressed into her mound. She could feel him pulsing, swelling, and the thought of having all that hard, male flesh deep inside her made her gasp with pleasure.

“I want you, Mackenzie,” he murmured against her trembling lips. “Now. Always.”

The words swiftly jolted her back to reality. She stumbled back, nearly tripping over the couch before regaining her equilibrium. She blinked wildly, trying not to look at his flushed face, the wild lust glimmering in his black eyes. This was Will. Her best friend since she was fifteen years old. For God’s sake, she couldn’t fall into bed with him, no matter how incredible a kisser he was, no matter how much her body shouted for her to do it.

“We can’t,” she managed, her voice sounding too desperate to her ears.

“We can,” he corrected.

Before she could move farther away, he pulled her against him again and cupped her ass, pushing his pelvis into her so she could feel his unmistakable erection. He dipped his head, his lips hovering over her ear, his hot breath fanning over her skin. “You’ve been doing this to me from the moment I met you, Mac.”

“Will—”

“Don’t.” His breath tickled her earlobe. “Don’t make excuses, or give me reasons why we can’t do this. I’ve stood patiently on the sidelines for fifteen years, watched you date other men, waited for you to see what’s in front of you. But I’m tired of waiting.”

She swallowed back a moan as he took her earlobe into his mouth and suckled on it. Heart thudding against her ribcage, she wondered how it would feel having Will suckle other parts of her body. Her nipples instantly hardened. Her clit swelled.

“You opened the door to this when you kissed me,” he continued huskily. “And if I didn’t think you wanted it, I’d turn around and walk out the door right now. But you want it, Mac. You want it very, very badly.”

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. She’d never seen him like this, so damn sure of himself, so cocky. God help her, but she liked it. And from the look on his sexy face, he knew it. She’d spilled so many secrets to this man. She didn’t have many girlfriends, and sharing her deepest darkest fantasies with Will, her closest friend, hadn’t seemed wrong at the time. Now it unnerved her, the knowledge that he knew precisely what she wanted from a lover.

He dragged his index finger along the seam of her lips and rotated his hips, his erection rubbing over the thin boxer shorts she’d worn to bed.

“You’re turned on, aren’t you?” he whispered.

The word “yes” slipped out before she could stop it.

A faint smile tugged at his sensual mouth. “Maybe we should do something about that.”

“You’re my best friend,” she squeaked.

“Not tonight.” He gave a decisive nod, punctuated by another thrust of his groin. “Tonight I’m not your friend, Mac. Tonight I’m the man who’s going to fuck you senseless.”

The Oedipal Complex has never been so sexy…

Holiday Bound

© 2009 Beth Kery

Alex Carradine can’t believe his father wants to come and visit his ski resort. Could it be that after so many stormy years, “slick Mitch” Carradine wants to offer an olive branch? Maybe the old man is mellowing, settling down with the new lover he’s bringing along.

Then Alex realizes the acid truth. This is no warm family visit. His father’s new conquest is none other than the woman of Alex’s sexual fantasies, meant only to dangle tauntingly in front of his face. At least an unexpected blizzard has frozen his father out of the picture entirely.

Angeline Kastakis was looking forward to taking the next step in her relationship with Mitch. Too late, she realizes she’s been led into a familial battle zone. Now it’s Christmas and she’s marooned in a blizzard with an insolent, gorgeous hunk of man whose blazing blue eyes tell her loud and clear he wants her in his bed. Preferably tied to it with a bow.

There’s no escape in sight. But as Alex stirs her secret longing to be mastered by a man, escape is the last thing on her mind…

Warning: This book contains scenes of sensual submission hot enough to make you sweat in a blizzard.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Holiday Bound:

Nothing about her interaction with Alex Carradine had been casual since he’d first barked at her while she sat in the SUV. Angeline knew all that, but she couldn’t stop herself from trying to make a connection with him, no matter how tenuous that connection was.

“My mom and dad put a real one up every year. They smell so good. I went with my dad every year to cut it down until I went to college,” she said in a hushed voice.

“What about your place in the city?”

“I put up a small one. Fake. I still like it, though. My mother gives me an ornament on Christmas Day. It’s a tradition. So I like to put them up every year. This will be the first year I’m not spending Christmas with my parents.”

“You were going to spend it with my dad, instead.”

The flames crackled in the taut silence that followed. If she’d let herself think about what she said next, she’d never have done it in a million years. But she wasn’t thinking. As she lay there in front of that fire with Alex, she was just feeling. And she was doing it more than she’d ever done in her thirty years of existence.

“Alex?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve never slept with your father.”

Sweat popped on her brow in the strained silence that followed. She felt a drop of it run between her breasts. How could she possibly have been nearly frozen less than an hour ago when her flesh now throbbed with heat? She closed her eyes when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

He rolled her onto her back. She opened her eyes. He’d scooted over in his sleeping bag and leaned down over her, bracing himself on his elbow. She stared, mesmerized, at flame-gilded muscle. His face looked rigid and stark as he stared down at her.

Something fell into place deep inside her, like the last tumbler turning to spring a lock.

“Angeline?”

“Yes.”

She groaned at the impact of his mouth taking possession of her own. She’d thought she was hot, but Alex was fire itself, his sleek tongue a fierce, demanding flame. A fever possessed her, burning away rational thought.

He cupped her jaw and drank from her thirstily…wildly. When his taste registered in her awareness, a primal wave of lust surged up from her belly. Her vagina contracted in painful need. She kissed him like she was deprived of air and he could supply her with his breath…with life itself. She hadn’t realized she was struggling to feel his long, hard body pressed next to her own until he roughly broke their kiss. She blinked her eyelids open, registering the small snarl twisting his handsome mouth. When she craned up for him, desperate for more of his taste, he hissed a curse and whipped back the cover of her sleeping bag.

“Get out of there.” His low growl made her nipples pinch with excitement. She’d never imagined lust so powerful or raw in her life, let alone experienced it.

She scurried out of the sleeping bag. He pushed his bag down over his hips and pulled his legs free. She groaned when he pressed the front of his body to her side. She could feel his cock—long, thick and straining—against his jeans.

He grabbed the hem of her sweater and lifted it over her head.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all night. For years,” he said thickly as he tossed the ivory sweater aside. His eyes gleamed as he stared at her breasts covered in an ivory silk bra. She’d wished she’d worn a bra with some padding earlier, when her nipples kept tightening under Alex’s bold stare.

Now she was glad he saw her desire unmasked. Her nipples pebbled beneath the thin, clinging fabric. She held her breath when he slowly raised his hand and traced the upper swell of one breast with a long finger. His cock lurched against her leg.

“Alex,” she whispered. She pressed her hip against his penis. She experienced a wild need to have him closer…to take him in her body. When he opened his big hand and shaped a breast to his palm, she reached for the waistband of his jeans.

The next thing she knew, he had her flat on her back, his knees on either side of her hips. He pinned her wrists to the carpet above her head. She panted shallowly as she looked up at him. She wasn’t afraid, even though she’d never had a man hold her down before. Instead, his unexpected action made molten heat flood her pussy. She transformed into a wild, primitive thing, arching her back, thrusting her hips against the stiff column of his erection.

She became as single-minded as a female animal in heat, knowing only some deep, biological imperative to seat a cock deep inside her.

To seat Alex deep inside her.

“Shhh, calm down,” he muttered between clenched teeth as she writhed against him. She saw that his forehead, chest and ridged abdomen gleamed with a light coat of perspiration. Her hunger grew at the sight. She opened her thighs and cupped his firm cock between them before she clamped them shut and their sexes throbbed into each other.

“Goddammit, Angeline, do you want me to tie you down?”

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