Ten

Scarlett

After a day of four-wheeling with Johnny, more gifts courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Ray, a huge dinner, and a Christmas movie, I finally got the boys to bed. It had been a long, exhausting, emotional, wonderful day, and it had dawned on me somewhere between the four-wheel kiss and dessert that I had most definitely fallen head-over-bootheels in love with Johnny Ray. Truth be told, I’d probably always been a little bit in love with him, but now, after watching him with the boys, and all the ways he’d been so tender with me and opened up to me these past weeks, it was rock solid.

The question was, what was I going to do about it?

I didn’t want to be hurt again. I knew that for sure. I knew without a doubt that he’d never physically hurt me like Todd had, and he’d never break my heart on purpose. But that didn’t mean my spirit wouldn’t be collateral damage when he went back to his normal life in the very near future. His shoulder was getting better and better every single day. It was only a matter of time. What was I supposed to do once he was gone? Could we carry on a long-distance romance? Would he call it quits?

Did we really have anything to quit?

I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and walked to rejoin him in my living room. He glanced up from where he sat on the sofa, his cowboy hat between his hands, his eyes soft. Tender. “Did you have a good Christmas?” he asked softly.

“I did. Thank you.”

“Well, you’re welcome, but it’s not over yet, darlin’.” His grin was melted butter and I wanted to bathe in it.

I approached and sunk down next to him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean . . .” He shifted to set his hat down and reached into his coat pocket to produce a small package wrapped in shiny red paper. “You didn’t get your present yet.” He offered me the gift, but I simply stared at the telltale shape of a jewelry box.

“Johnny.”

“Scarlett,” he mimicked.

“What is that?”

He forced it into my stiff palm. “A gift. Open it, baby.”

My eyes met his, my heart hammering behind my ribs at the nerves I saw reflected there. Whatever was in this box meant something.

His face softened to a lopsided grin. “It’s not a snake. It won’t bite you, I promise.”

I stared down at the shimmery wrapping. Finally, I slid a fingernail under one side flap and pulled off the paper. I swallowed hard before I opened the small box.

I had to blink back hot tears as I studied what was inside.

It wasn’t much. It wasn’t big. But it said everything.

My hand was shaking as I drew out the silver keychain shaped like a dog tag. It was engraved with his name and rank then embossed with a heart and the words: Proud USMC Girlfriend.

“Seriously?” I was full-on crying when I looked up at him again.

“What? You don’t like it?”

“That depends.” My hand automatically clenched around the cool metal like a lifeline.

“On what?”

“Is this your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?”

“Well—”

“You know what?” I leapt into his lap, halting his words as I cupped his shocked face in my hands. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?”

“Nope.”

“No?”

My body began to heat as I felt his body grow hard beneath me, his hips automatically rising to nestle into mine. “No, because it’s time for your Christmas gift, Marine.”

His eyes flared, drawing me into their depths. “Really? And what’s that?”

“Me.”

A thrill ran through me at the raw desire that filled his gaze. Emboldened by this newfound power and how safe he always made me feel, I relished the fact that he would allow me to control this moment, control him, and that he would never judge or hurt me.

His hands flexed and tightened on my waist, but he didn’t say a word. He simply licked his lips and let me take the lead, and I was eternally grateful.

I sat back, being sure to roll my hips across his, making us both groan. I stood, my heart thumping madly in my chest, but bolstered by the mad love I felt for this man. I took his hand and tugged him to his feet, allowing his body heat to warm all the cold places that had ever filled me as he cupped my shoulders and kissed me.

He kissed me like I was divine.

Like I was precious.

Like I was all he needed to live.

And in that moment, he was all I needed as well.

I led him backwards toward my bedroom, our lips still fused. We only bumped into the wall a few times as I yanked at his clothes, tossing his jacket and shirt to the ground, finally, finally getting my hands on those tattoos I’d been dreaming of since I first saw them. I pressed my lips to the one that graced his left shoulder. “You’ll have to tell me about these someday.” I licked the other one on his chest. “But not now.”

He mumbled some kind of agreement, kicking my door shut and locking it behind us.

We drew back and eyed each other once we were alone, our breath coming in restless pants. The room smelled of him, earthy and strong. It had been so long since a man had been in my bedroom, I had the sudden urge to bolt, but something in his eyes held me fast.

He reached out and traced my lower lip with his thumb, the gentleness belying the lust pulsing in the air. “I want you so bad, Scarlett.” His words were glass-coated and hoarse. “I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“You have me,” I whispered back. “You’ve always had me.”

He closed his eyes as if in pain and dropped his forehead to mine. “No. He had you first, and I can’t tell you how I wish it had been different.” He brushed his nose across my temple, scenting me.

“It’s different now,” I vowed, though I had no idea what would come to pass. I only knew I had this, here and now, with this man, and I was going to take it.

With fumbling hands that were not used to pleasing a man, I reached for the button of his jeans.

He sucked in a breath. “What are you doing, baby?”

“I . . . uh . . .” Tears made my voice thick. Was I screwing it up already?

He drew back with a frown. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m not,” I said, wiping my cheeks of the evidence.

“What’s wrong? Have you changed your mind? Do you want me to go?”

“No!” I dropped my gaze. “I mean, you can if you want. If you don’t want . . .”

“Scarlett.” He tipped my chin back up until I met his eyes. “I want you so bad I’m about to explode over here.”

It was my turn to frown. “Then . . .?”

He glanced down at his straining erection that I was trying to get to when he stopped me. “I only meant that as much as I’d love for you to undress me, I think it’s only fair we get some of these clothes off you too. I’ve been dying to see this body since I was sixteen years old. Don’t keep me waiting another minute.”

“Oh.” Heat rushed my cheeks. I was so used to Todd’s barbs about my weight and sex in the dark, it hadn’t even crossed my mind that Johnny might actually want to see me. Butterflies exploded in my belly and I very nearly chickened out, but the expression in his eyes . . .

“Please.” He toyed with the hem of my sweater, his fingertip grazing the skin of my belly.

I finally nodded.

“God, yes.”

He ripped that sweater off me quicker than I could blink, leaving me in my plain pink bra and jeans. He stared down at me like he’d found the Holy Grail, his hands hovering on my ribs. When he looked at me that way—like I was a piece of art—it was hard to be self-conscious. It was hard to be anything but turned on. I hadn’t had anything but a self-induced orgasm in years and he was killing me here.

I took one of his hands and cupped it over my breast. He brushed my nipple through my bra with his thumb and I couldn’t help the moan that escaped me.

I felt his eyes on me. Watching. Assessing my reaction.

I met his gaze. “More. It’s okay.”

And that was all the green light he needed.

My bra hit the ground in record time, then he was on his knees, his face buried between my breasts. “Fuck, Scarlett. You are so perfect.”

I nearly sank to the ground in a pile of mush as he laved my sensitive flesh with kisses and sucked my nipples, driving me crazy.

He eventually pressed me back onto the bed, his body hovering above mine, his eyes locked on mine. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.”

“Me, either,” I murmured.

“Best Christmas present ever.” He grinned.

I wiggled beneath him. “You haven’t even opened it yet.”

One brow winged up just before he flipped us so I straddled his lap. “Oh, I will . . . but you first, baby. You first.”

~ ~

So, I thought I knew a thing or two about sex.

I was wrong.

Johnny Ray blew every single thing I thought I knew right out of the water. He was a god among men as far as I was concerned, and now, not only did he have my heart, he had my body, and every one of my very loud orgasms to boot.

I was a goner.

I never knew I could make love that many times in one night. Hell, I had no idea anyone could have that much stamina, though I shouldn’t have been surprised. He was a highly trained Marine.

My Marine.

I rolled over with a sigh and eyeballed the keychain he’d given me for Christmas.

My boyfriend Marine.

He rustled in the bed behind me and a big, tattooed arm slung over my hip, drawing my back closer to the warmth of his chest. I could get used to this. Even the ache between my legs felt good this morning.

I placed my hand over his, interlacing our fingers, marveling at how big his were next to mine. How strong and capable, yet tender when it counted. I brought our joined hands up to my lips and kissed his knuckles, overcome with emotion. If you would’ve told me even a few months ago that Johnny Ray would be back in my life and he’d be here now, in my bed, in my heart, I would’ve called you crazy, when really you would’ve tapped into my greatest fantasy. And yet, here he was. It was nearly too much, and losing him was more than I could contemplate.

“I’d rather you kiss something else again,” he murmured against my neck, his hot breath bringing bumps to my flesh as he pressed his erection against my backside.

I flipped so we were face to face. “Maybe later, Marine. The boys will be up soon, and I’ve still got work to do.”

He slid a hand down my hip to my thigh, hiking it up over his and opening me to him. “You sure you don’t have just a little more time?”

I caved when his mouth found the tender flesh beneath my ear. “Maybe . . .” His teeth. His tongue. “A few minutes. For my . . . boyfriend.”

I felt his smile against my skin. “Music to my ears.”