CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ace held Lisa’s hand as they waited on La Ceiba’s dock on the Caribbean side of Honduras. He’d organized a three-day trip to Utila Island and his buddy from the Teams was hosting them at a resort he co-owned.
They had a long weekend filled with diving, relaxing, and hikes ahead of them and he was looking forward to it.
The week they’d just spent in El Salvador hadn’t been easy, and he’d had his finger on the trigger from the moment they stepped off the plane in San Salvador.
Which made him ask himself daily what the fuck would’ve happened if he hadn’t come?
Not that Lisa had an ounce of concern since she informed him that the hired security she’d procured was more than capable of keeping her safe.
Which was the biggest crock of bullshit he’d ever heard since all it would take was one well-placed bribe to put Lisa in a ton of danger. A fact she wasn’t interested in hearing.
Rolling his head from side to side, he let the frustration go and prayed the career change she was making at the end of the summer was a permanent one because he didn’t know how he’d handle her being someplace dangerous without him.
Glancing over, he noticed the tight lines on her forehead hadn’t disappeared and knew the shit they’d seen was wearing on her, despite her words to the contrary. No way could seeing pre-pubescent gang members stacked up in jail like cattle not wear on a person’s heart, and Lisa was no exception.
In fact, her heart was so big and soft that he wasn’t sure how she’d managed the career she had without it decimating every soft thing in her soul.
“How long is the ferry ride?” Lisa asked as she adjusted her pack.
“It’s just thirty minutes. We’ll have a couple of hours in town and then my buddy, Vince will pick us up and take us out to Deep Blue.”
“It’s going to be amazing, but I feel weird taking time off when I’m in the middle of an assignment.”
Kissing her head, Ace grinned. “A couple of days on the island is just what we need after spending last week with men from MS13 and the people who are trying to survive the gang-ridden neighborhoods. A little perspective before we go over to San Pedro Sula is going to make completing this trip doable.”
Shrugging, she leaned into him. “I guess a break from talking about human smuggling, drug trafficking, and terrorizing innocent people won’t be a bad thing.”
“Might even give you a chance to stop grinding your teeth for more than a minute.”
Looking up, she frowned. “You noticed that, did you?”
“Kind of hard not to, considering we’ve been glued to one another’s side for the last week.”
“Are you getting sick of me yet?”
“Not even close.” Bending down, so he could look in her eyes, he winked. “I just seem to fall harder every day, despite the fact that you have a lot of weird habits.”
Crossing her arms, she snorted. “I’m not the one with weird habits; you are.”
“Name five.” When she stepped away and gave him a once over, he wondered why he gave her an opening.
“You always put your right shoe on before your left, smell fruit before you take a bite, only eat plain chips, and insist on sleeping on the side of the bed closest to the door. Even though it’s my side.”
“That’s due to safety, and you sleep on me most of the time, so do you really have a side?”
“I do! And you’ve taken it.”
“What else you got, woman?”
“You like to fall asleep,” she looked from side to side and then leaned forward and said quietly, “inside me.”
Seeing her face bloom pink, he chuckled. “That’s not weird; that’s sheer genius on my part since it’s the best place in the world.” He ran his finger over her cheek and then kissed her nose. “You have taken advantage of it a time or two, so don’t pretend that you don’t love it.”
“Whatever.”
“At least I don’t eat every weird-flavored chip in the world and get twitchy if Diet Coke isn’t available.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, it’s actually kind of cute.” Seeing her eyes roam over his face and her brows pinch together, he took her hand. “What?”
“I know that I’m not easy to get along with and I really appreciate you coming on this trip.”
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else and love spending time together, even if I have to keep my gun racked when we do it.”
“I know you wanted to pull me out of those barrios more than once and appreciate you letting me do my thing, despite the fact that it made you uncomfortable.”
“Good thing we’re having mind-blowing sex every night; otherwise, this wouldn’t be going as well as it has.”
“I like to keep my security detail happy.”
“And you are, honey.” He gave her a sloppy kiss and grinned. You know what my favorite part of the trip has been so far?”
“No.”
“It’s experiencing this wild adventure together. Years from now, we’re going to reminisce about that time we sat down with former gang members in El Salvador and laugh.”
“We’re not going to laugh, but I see your point.”
“I like you and hanging out together is how I want to spend my time.”
“I feel the same way about you, even though you like to run the show.”
“You can run the show the minute we get back home. But when we’re OCONUS, I’m commanding the mission, and that’s never going to change.”
“Fine, but I pick where we eat.”
“The fact that I’m willing to agree with that should tell you how wild I am about you because I’ve never given anyone that sort of power.”
She pulled him down and gave him a smacking kiss and then rested her head against his shoulder. “I give you all the power in bed, so it seems like a fair exchange.”
His body reacted immediately, and he pulled her closer, thinking of how accurate her words were. “I think we’ve got an agreement we can both live with.”
“It seems we do, Ace.”
Seeing a ferry boat pull up to the dock, he picked up their bags and tipped his head. “Ready to see some whale sharks?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Let’s go then and see if the island of Utila lives up to its reputation.”
***
Lisa let the warm breeze wash over her face as she sat in the back of the boat, listening to Vince and Ace catch up. They were on their way to a side of the island called Pretty Bush, and the only way to get to the resort was through a lagoon at the back of the property.
Which sounded like heaven after the last week they’d spent in El Salvador.
Closing her eyes, she tried to let the slideshow of poverty, violence, and desperation that they’d witnessed slip away as the scent of wild orchids played across the breeze. She took a deep breath in and felt Ace take her hand and gave him a grateful smile. He’d been her rock, protector, and all around personal badass, and she was all but in love.
Something she wasn’t ready for but didn’t have the power to change.
Deciding she didn’t want to think about it further, she admired a grove of coconut palms and fruit trees that hugged the shore as they entered the inlet to the lagoon. Leaning forward, she caught a glimpse of the resort and saw several wooden structures dotting the beach that reminded her of tree houses. “This is like grown-up summer camp.”
“You excited, Lisa?”
“Of course, I haven’t done anything like this in longer than I can remember. I know I was a little apprehensive about taking a break, but you were right, Ace. This is just what we need.”
“Stick with me, woman, and I’ll do my best to give you everything you need, whether you know it or not.”
Laughing, she pushed his arm. “I like you better when you’re not so cocky.”
“It’s confidence, honey. Not cockiness.”
“Same coin, different sides.”
“He can’t help himself,” Vince called out as he pulled up to the dock. “Team guys are always arrogant assholes. It goes with the cape they give us after we get our trident.”
Lisa rolled her eyes and watched Vince and Ace climb out of the boat and grab their bags. Following them, she stepped on the dock and looked around. “This is paradise, Vince. How did you manage to land here after retirement?”
“I’d heard about the diving down here for years and took a trip after I left the Teams. I loved it so much that I decided to stay and buy into the resort. Been here for two years and have never been so freaking happy.”
Ace slapped him on the back and grinned. “You deserve it, man.”
“We all do after being on the Teams. The transition isn’t easy though because once you get out and realize finding a purpose after you’ve already done the most exciting and meaningful thing is hard as shit. Definitely takes a minute to get your mind right.”
“But you did it, man.”
Vince looked around and nodded. “Yeah, I sure as hell did.”
“So, show us around already.”
“Follow me.”
Lisa slung her backpack over her shoulder and was about to pick up her bag when Ace gave her a frown and picked it up. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, I do. My Pops is still alive, and I’m not shaming him by not carrying my woman’s bag.”
“He’s in Indiana and probably will never find out.”
Smirking, he shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong.”
Throwing up her hands, she let out a huff. “Fine, lead the way so I can admire that fine ass of yours and not get salty.” She watched him stick it out and laughed. “Go on then and shake your money maker.”
“I may have to charge you for the view.”
“Trust me; I’d happily pay it because you’ve got the goods, Ace.”
“I feel cheap now.”
“You’ll get over it.”
“If you two are done with the foreplay, hustle it up because I’ve got shit to do for the paying customers.”
“We’re coming,” Lisa called out as she followed Ace along the sandy path that led to the main building and admired her man’s very fine assets.
***
Lisa dug her toes into the white sand of the beach and sipped her drink as she let the blue water of the Caribbean lull her tired nerves. Hearing a whistle, she glanced over and saw her super-hot man running along the shore. She waved and then ogled him as his muscles bunched with each step.
Man-candy at its finest, that was for damn sure. “How was your run?”
“Great.” Lifting his arms, he stretched from side to side and then walked over, holding out his hands. “Let’s get in the water.”
“All right, I’m ready to cool off.”
“Not possible in that suit of yours.” Holding her at arm’s length, he whistled. “My girlfriend is hot as fuck.”
Laughing, she stood and brushed past him and walked directly into the water. “I’m not, but I appreciate the compliment.”
He took a couple of long strides and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her into his arms. “Don’t ever say that because I won’t allow anyone disrespecting my woman. And that includes you.”
Sliding her arms around his shoulders, she kissed his chest and tasted his salty sweat. “I don’t think of my looks very often, and I’m not all that comfortable with compliments.”
“Well, then, I guess it’s my job to get you comfortable because I’m not going to stop.”
Gazing up, she saw a fierce look cross his features and knew he wasn’t going to back down. “Fine, I promise to accept your compliments as well as you accept mine.”
“That’s not what I was hoping to accomplish, Lisa.”
“I know, but it’s my best offer.”
“You drive a hard bargain, woman.” He released his hold, letting her feet fall to the bottom of the ocean and pulled her close. “You are so fucking beautiful to me and become more so with each passing day.”
Closing her eyes, she felt a tear slip down her cheek as her body molded to his firm, hard-muscled frame and his lips crashed down. Her heart jumped as she melted into him with his powerful hands holding her tightly. He kissed her fiercely and held nothing back, despite the fact that anyone could see them. Feeling his hand slide along her hips, she moaned as his other hand tangled in her hair, tugging it just hard enough to make her want more.
Their tongues dueled, and she let her own hands wander across his rock-hard abs and felt his hand cup her ass and pull her firmly against his erection. He was thick and throbbing, and she gasped as he kissed her harder. “Ace,” she murmured as she pulled her mouth away. “People can see us.”
“Fuck,” he said quietly against her mouth. “You get me so hot that I lose my mind.”
Laughing, she looked up and saw his pained expression. “Let’s take a little swim so…” she pushed her hips against his erection, “we can walk out of the water eventually without advertising your gifts.”
Groaning, he nodded. “Maybe we can find a little private beach and have a quickie.”
Slipping out of his hold, she shook her head. “I’m not getting sand in places it doesn’t belong.” She moved away and dove under the water, hoping she could resist him until they made it back to their room. Knowing she had a less than fifty percent chance of it happening, she kicked harder and enjoyed the crystal blue water.
“You’re going to have to swim a lot faster than that if you want to hold onto your bathing suit.”
Flipping over on her back, she gave him a sassy smile and then dove under the water, hoping that when he caught her, it would be as delicious as she hoped.
***
Ace stalked her as they stepped out of the shower and flipped her over his shoulder and growled.
“Can’t wait anymore.”
As she fell softly against the bed, she put her hand up. “What has you so…”
“Hungry for my woman?”
“Yes.”
Dropping next to her, he pushed his hand between her legs as his fingers slid over her slick entrance. She melted against him as he groaned lowly into her hear.
“The more I have you, the hungrier I get, and that quickie we had out in the water only made me want more.”
“You are insatiable,” she replied as his big, thick fingers stroked her pussy and teased her entrance, rolling over her aching clit. She was soaking wet and watched him lift his fingers to his mouth and slowly lick them clean.
“You’re soaked,” he said against her ear before grazing his teeth against her earlobe. “So that means you want me as much as I want you.”
“I do,” she choked out as he moved his fingers back and made slow circles over her clit. “You’re everything to me, Ace.” Freezing, she wondered why in the world she let the words tumble from her mouth. It was too soon to make confessions of the heart.
“God, Lisa, that breaks me open because you are my world.”
Locking eyes, she wondered if they were in the same place, and before she could come up with an answer, he kissed her deeper and harder than he ever had before.
Like he was tying them together in the only way possible.
“You’re mine, Lisa. Forevermore, you are fucking mine.” Sitting up on his knees, he gave her a wild satisfied smile. “Spread those legs and let me show you exactly how good being owned by me feels.”
Doing as he asked, she watched his muscles bunch and his jaw ripple as his hands opened her legs. He moved in and kissed his way up the inside of her thigh, and she did the only thing she could and let the world melt away as Ace claimed her in a way she never knew existed.