“Please?” Jennifer asked Rourke not to stop his unprovoked assault on her soft, sweet body.

Rourke wasn’t sure what had happened. He was loading the dishwasher and making Jennifer laugh. He wanted to make her more comfortable with him. Maybe then, she would open up a little about herself. It was hard to get to know a person who was so very evasive. In an effort to loosen things up, he was telling her a frankly inappropriate story to amuse her, and it was working. She was smiling, laughing, and leaning ever so slightly into him. A sure sign she was becoming more comfortable in his presence.

The next thing Rourke knew, he was lost in the endless green and blue of her eyes. She was beaming up at him so openly. He’d shaken his head to try dislodging the idea that he had to kiss her, but it didn’t help. She was still there looking perfect and delicious. He knew those pouty lips would be soft and sweet. Jennifer’s chin tilted up ever so slightly. Those lips parted a bit, her pupils dilated, and she didn’t back away from the need he could feel burning in his own eyes.

A man could only take so much before he broke. Rourke crumbled under the weight of Jennifer’s magnetism. He kissed her, sipping delicately at her lips at first. Then Rourke claimed her mouth more aggressively. Once Rourke was sure Jennifer was with him, and he hadn’t misread the situation or crossed the line, he let himself go. She wanted him, and he was dying for her.

Rourke gathered Jennifer up in his arms, pulling her feminine curves against his aching body. It had been far too long for him. His dick was ready to split in his pants when she rubbed the heat between her thighs against him and circled her hips. The warmth of her sex penetrated her clothing and his, nearly robbing him of all sanity.

 

“Please?” Jennifer repeated. Rourke could no more refuse her than he could refuse to breathe.

Rourke lifted his head and looked around the spotless kitchen. Was he really about to have sex with this beautiful woman in the kitchen of the pastor and his wife? No, he was not. At least not in the kitchen when there was an alternative nearby. He was a SEAL. He could improvise in any situation. 

Rourke lifted Jennifer high against his chest and resumed their kiss as he moved as swiftly and quietly as was possible with combat boots on his feet and a fucking log in his pants. The television and conversation could be heard from two rooms away. Rourke had the feeling he and Jennifer had been purposely left alone to talk and get to know each other. The pastor sure didn’t expect them to get to know each other in the biblical sense, but that was about to happen. There was a slight chance they’d be caught, but Rourke was beyond the point of refusing Jennifer’s plea for relief. He’d have an ocean of guilt and self-recrimination to swim in later, though.

Rourke released Jennifer with one had to open the pantry door. He carried Jennifer into the small, darkened room and pulled the door quickly shut behind them. Jennifer’s exploring hands continued to roam over his shoulders and down his back. She kissed with a desperation that was breathtaking. Her need was palpable, and it fed Rourke’s until he was blind and dumb to everything but the desire to please her. He rested Jennifer’s back against the wall, and she wrapped her lean legs around his hips.

“Are you sure?” he asked, but he was already sliding a hand between them to unbutton his pants. He had to ask, though. If she told him to stop now, of course, he would, but he’d be lowered to jerking off in front of her in the corner of Mrs. Davis pantry by the canned green beans and peaches just so he could walk again without pain.

“I’m sure, Rourke, so sure,” she said against his throat. Her hands had traveled down his sides to tug his shirt up so she could touch his skin.

Jennifer pulled the bow holding her wrap dress closed, and silky fabric slid away to reveal her shapely body and warm, flushed skin. Rourke was surprised at the toned abs marching down her belly to the scrap of material that barely covered her shaved sex. Her breasts sat high and tight. Fuck, she wasn’t wearing a bra. Rourke froze in the act of freeing himself to stare at her glorious body. Jennifer was more than perfect. She was like sculpture. This was not the body of a pampered socialite. Not unless she was a slave to the gym. What the hell did she do for a living?

“Is everything okay?” Jennifer was watching him apprehensively. Did she believe it was possible he wouldn’t enjoy the sight of her hot little body?

Rourke wanted to reply with a compliment or reassurance of some kind, but he’d devolved to the point of grunting when her dress fell open. He kissed her and gripped her ass instead of attempting coherent speech. A brush of his long fingers moved aside the strip of fabric that was the only barrier between them so he could lower all the wet heat she had pressed against his stomach down over his aching cock. 

As soon as her slick pussy brushed over the crown of his dick, Rourke stopped. The haze of lust cleared just enough for him to realize he wasn’t wearing a condom. He’d never in his life been so carried away that he’d fucked a woman raw. Never. He’d never even tried to imagine what it would feel like to be inside of a woman without protection. It wasn’t something he would do until he was a married man. If he was ever a married man. He’d seen too many of his friends suffer broken marriages due to the strain being married to a military man put on their wives.

Jennifer moaned and rotated her hips, taking him partway into her body. The wet heat, the tight pull, and rotation of that perfect ass in his hands combined to fry every ounce of self-preservation Rourke had, and his composure snapped.

Rourke drove himself the rest of the way into her welcoming body. Her sheath gripped him so tightly he nearly came on that first inward stroke. She writhed in his arms, rocking against him, clinging to his neck. Rourke was just holding her up like an idiot who didn’t know what to do with a woman while she fucked him. She was fucking him. He was short fucking circuiting. The incredible feel of flesh-to-flesh contact with this amazing woman momentarily stunned him into stillness.

She kissed him, bringing him back to himself and the task. All other thought floated away like smoke. All Rourke knew was the taste of Jennifer’s mouth, the drag of her nails over his skin, and the tight grip of her sex milking his cock.

Rourke pinned Jennifer’s hips to the wall and let go of the cool reserve he’d perfected over the years. Even when he occasionally took a woman to bed, Rourke never lost control. He never forgot to hold himself apart. This wasn’t a lapse of memory. This was a total loss of sanity. He pounded into Jennifer. Stroking her so hard and deep, she gasped with every thrust of his hips.

Her pussy gripped him tighter and tighter until her body was sucking at his cock, trying to hold him deep inside her, and he had to fight for every inch of penetration. Jennifer made a strangled sound and cupped his face. He looked up to find her staring at him. She looked shocked. Amazed. He thrust one last time, and Jennifer detonated around him. The force of her climax was so intense that her flesh clamped down on his cock and dragged Rourke into orgasm with her.

She never looked away while she shuddered and gasped through her release. It was the most intimate and erotic encounter Rourke had ever experienced. He was simply unable to pull his eyes away from the beauty of seeing Jennifer take her pleasure and his.

When the violence of their joining finally began to wane, and Rourke could almost catch his breath, he pulled Jennifer tightly to his chest and kissed her slowly. He’d seen something in her eyes when she came down from the orgasm, and he didn’t like it. Sadness. Resignation. Loss.

She was preparing for him to dismiss her now that the deed was done. She had no way of knowing that Rourke had resolved to get to know her before he’d even been invited to dinner with her. She didn’t know he was already planning to learn everything he could about the mysterious beauty in his arms. He wanted her, and not just for the night. So he kissed her again, softly and slowly, and he hoped it somehow expressed all of the tender feelings quickly building in his chest. This wasn’t over. This was far, far from being over.

Rourke set Jennifer gently on her feet, and she wobbled on those sky-high heels that had somehow managed to remain on her feet. She looked shocked when her eyes took in the shelves full of food lining two sides of walls in the tiny room that wasn’t much larger than a closet. Rourke had taken Jennifer against the wall where Mrs. David hung her aprons and rested her broom.

He, too, looked around, and the reality of what they’d done began to sink into his cooling brain. This wasn’t the best way for him to start a relationship. He couldn’t bring himself to regret the passion they’d just shared, but he wished he’d been able to wait and find a bed for their first encounter. But Jennifer had needed him. Her desperation overruled his honorable intentions. Now he’d have to work to put things right.

“Let me help you, baby.” Rourke straightened Jennifer’s dress, wrapping it around her and tying the ribbons in a neat bow.

Jennifer was blinking rapidly. Her hands hung limply at her sides until he’d finished, and then she smoothed down her dress. Her legs were shaking and her cheeks a deep crimson.

“I . . . I need to clean up,” she stammered and slid out of the confined space between him and the wall at her back. She looked at the floor as she said, “I’ll go out first.” She cracked the door, and the coast must have been clear because she hurried away from the pantry without a backward glance.

Things were awkward when Rourke made his way out to the living room. Judging by Mrs. Davis’ blush and Pastor Davis’ knowing looks, their activity in the pantry hadn’t gone unnoticed. Jennifer remained a shade of red that had nothing to with their physical exertions.

Rourke excused himself to use the bathroom. His reflection in the mirror as he washed his hands surprised him. He looked tense but somehow happy. Yes, that was a shit-eating grin on his smug face. Rourke wanted Jennifer, and he had every intention of having her. His mother had told him many times that he would know he met the right woman. Now he understood. Jennifer was his woman. He just knew it. He had to have her, and he would.

He didn’t know where she was from or even her last name. He had no idea if she liked coffee or tea, or whether she was a morning person or a night owl. He didn’t know what she did to get that smoking hot, muscular body hiding under her dress or how she made her living. What he did know was that he had fallen ass over tin cups for the woman in under a day. Christ, he hadn’t even made it home to his apartment yet, and his whole life had changed. He had decisions to make and fast.

When he returned to the living room, Jennifer and Mrs. Davis were nowhere in sight. Pastor Davis was waiting for him with a grim expression on his face. Great. Rourke was about to be dressed down about his lascivious behavior. He hoped Jennifer wasn’t getting the same treatment from Mrs. Davis. She’d already looked ashamed of herself. Rourke, for his part, was not feeling the guilt he’d expected. He felt like a man on top of the world.

“Pastor Davis, I know I’ve upset you. I apologize for acting so inappropriately in your home. I have no excuses.”

“Let’s not talk about that, Rourke. You gave my wife and me a shock, but it's done now.” The pastor waved a dismissive hand. “We were young once, too. Believe me; we had our own spells of insanity in our day.”

“Okay, then let’s talk about Jennifer.” He lowered his voice in case she was nearby. “What’s her deal? I can tell you know more about her than you’ve said so far. She’s skittish and evasive. I need to know as much about her as I can if I’m going to do this right. And understand, Pastor Davis, that I intend to do it right.”

Rourke felt it important to make the pastor understand that he wasn’t just playing with Jennifer. He needed to get closer to her so they could see where this crazy attraction would lead them.

“I’m sorry, son. I can’t divulge what I know about Jennifer. No more than I could tell you about any of my other parishioners.” The pastor looked unhappy. “I wish I could tell you more, son. Really do.”

“I understand. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable. It was unfair of me to ask it of you. I’ll just speak to Jennifer, myself. I’ll just have to find a way to make her trust me. Where is she?” Rourke looked toward the kitchen wondering if the woman had gone to make coffee or something.

“Gone,” the pastor shrugged. It was an unnatural looking gesture on the mature man.

“What? Gone where?” Rourke didn’t mean to shout, but he had.

“She left. I can’t say more.”

“You know where she went then? All right. She had to go back to the church for her car.” Rourke was pulling on his jacket. She couldn’t have gotten too far. It was only a few blocks to the church, though. He’d need to hurry if was going to catch Jennifer before she got away.

“Jennifer didn’t go to her car, Rourke. She doesn’t have one. She’s gone.”

Rourke gave the pastor a glare. The man was only doing his job and keeping Jennifer’s confidence. It was admirable, but it was pissing Rourke off. He grabbed his duffle and tossed it over his shoulder. If she’d called a cab, she would probably be waiting for it to come. He might still catch her outside. Rourke just couldn’t imagine Jennifer in her lovely silk dress and heels on the bus.

“Just tell me one thing. Is she in some kind of trouble? I want to believe she’s just shy, but my instincts are saying otherwise. She too uneasy and evasive for it to be simple shyness. I’ve learned to trust my instincts to keep me alive.” A sick feeling washed over Rourke when the pastor only blinked. Rourke could see the pastor wanted to answer but couldn’t. He’d been sworn to secrecy. The answer to his next question could be a total game changer. He hated to ask, but he had to know. “Is she married? Is that why she ran?”

“No, she is not married,” Pastor Davis answered without pause. “If she were, I would have discreetly told you after I introduced her to you. I know neither you nor Luc would dally with a married woman.” He seemed insulted that Rourke had even asked.

“So she is in trouble.” The pastor’s non-answer was answer enough. “And you won’t tell me more?” Rourke didn’t mean to bark again, but worry and aggravation bubbled up in his throat.

The pastor held up his hands as if to calm Rourke down, but there would be no calming him until he found Jennifer. The damn woman didn’t even know she was his yet. She was possibly in danger. And she was fucking gone!

Rourke didn’t let Pastor Davis delay him any longer. He was out the door and scanning the street for any sign of Jennifer or a cab. There was nothing. He jogged toward the church. Jennifer hadn’t been carrying a purse or anything. That was odd for a woman. She must have left it behind at the church. But when he reached the church, all of the doors were locked, and the building was dark. She wasn’t there. She was gone, and Rourke was pissed off.

That sad look in her eyes after their mad bout of sex in the pantry hadn’t been because she feared he would walk away. No, it had been because she was going to be the one walking away. Well, Rourke wouldn’t stand for it. He was going to find her and convince her that he could be the right man for her. Yes, he was in Navy, and that was hard on a relationship; but damn it, she hadn’t even given him a fucking chance!

Rourke tossed his bag down the steps of the church in frustration and shouted, “Fuck!”

 

*   *   *

 

Jennifer stood in the shadows of the church vestibule and watched Rourke through one of the huge windows. He cursed at the sky, and the sound of his annoyance surprised her. She’d run all the way from the Davis’ to the church with her heart pounding and a lump in her throat. All the while, telling herself this was for the best and trying to convince herself that it was better to cut Rourke loose before he broke her heart.

She’d just made it inside the church and locked the door when she saw Rourke hustle around the corner of the office building across the street from the church at top speed carrying the massive duffle bag on his back. He scanned the street, the parking lot, and the building as he approached. Jennifer had backed up into the shadows in case he peeked in the windows.

Jennifer wasn’t sure if she should be happy or depressed that Rourke was interested enough that he follow her when she slipped away before he had a chance to stop her and ask questions she couldn’t answer. She couldn’t allow him to find her, either way. Jennifer wouldn’t risk his life. The time she’d spent in his arms had been the closest to magic she would ever know, maybe especially because of that magic she couldn’t allow him into her life.

Rourke had followed her, though, and that was something. He’d cared, if even just a little. He really liked her, Jennifer was sure of that. They had crazy chemistry. At this point in her life when Jennifer honestly believed no one short of the kindhearted pastor and his wife cared for her, it was an incredible feeling.

Rourke was probably only looking for a hook-up while he was in town. Jennifer would never know for sure. What Jennifer did know was that Rourke had given her a gift the likes he’d never know. Rourke had given her a few precious of moments of peaceful oblivion in his arms. He’d also given her more pleasure than she’d ever known. Her body still vibrated from the experience.

Jennifer watched Rourke stomp down the steps of the church, grab his duffle, and stalk the street to hail a cab. His jerked open the cab door and tossed in his bag before climbing inside. He looked frustrated and angry. She watched the cab pull away, and her heart broke a little. He was gone, and she’d never see him again. Not even if she wanted to.

She didn’t believe in love at first sight, but Jennifer couldn’t deny that after spending only one afternoon in Rourke’s company, she was dangerously close to falling for the man. It would be so easy. No, it was better this way. Rourke would go back to his life in the Navy. Jennifer would lay low and continue to look for a way out of the mess her life had become.

She made her way to the back of the sanctuary and down the hall to the stairs and descended to the kitchen. Jennifer crossed the space between the swinging door and the stove that made food for so many needy people. The day replayed in her mind, and tears filled her eyes. She would never enter that kitchen again and not remember Rourke. He was a big, tough man on the outside. That exterior of steel was his Superman shield. He was a military man, and she supposed as a Navy SEAL, he’d seen many things that would necessitate the building of such a tough façade.

But when he was alone with Luc and Dolce, she’d seen him loosen. Later when he was relaxed at the Davis’ home, he’d softened even more. Finally, when it was just the two of them, Rourke had become as open and warm as anyone she’d ever known. He was like an entirely different person. Jennifer was honored to have been one of the few people to see him so unguarded when she was sure Rourke was always on guard.

Rourke had held her like something precious at first. He’d treated her like glass that might break in his huge callous roughened hands. He made Jennifer feel sexy and desirable when his eyes glazed over, and grunts were the only verbalizations he was capable of voicing.

Once Rourke got past the surprise of having a woman beg for sex –her cheeks blazed with heat at that memory- those gentle hands had turned demanding. Holy hell, he’d damn near screwed her to the wall. It was a good thing Jennifer had been so turned on. The slickness of her pussy and some deep breathing were necessary for her to accommodate Rourke’s proportions. Maybe the myth about the size of a man’s hands and feet wasn’t a myth after all.

More than the sheer pleasure Rourke had given her, Jennifer would never forget holding his strong face in her hands and looking into his intense eyes as they both climaxed. The wonder she was feeling had been mirrored there in Rourke’s eyes. It was nearly perfect. Only almost perfect, because Jennifer already knew she’d have to escape before he could see how much he could hurt her. She had to hide so the fear of him being hurt more than just emotionally because of her became a reality.

Pastor Davis understood her concern. He loved Rourke like a son, so he’d agreed to keep her secret, but he hadn’t liked it at all. The pastor believed Rourke could help her far more than he could by giving her a place to hide, but Jennifer refused to give her evil ex the chance to touch a hair on Rourke’s perfect blond head, should Evan catch up with her before she found a means of escape from Vegas. That was a real possibility. She wasn’t worth Rourke’s life. It was better that she remain a pleasant memory for him. She was just a girl he met when he was home on leave, nothing more.

Jennifer pushed open the storeroom door and entered on aching feet. She had to move a few of the boxes Rourke had carried down the stairs to get to her destination. The rusty hinges creaked when Jennifer opened the door to her secret home. Rourke had come close to her hideaway. The fact that he’d stuck around so long after the others left was the only reason she hadn’t retreated to her cozy little hole in the wall sooner. She didn’t want anyone to know she was actually living in the church basement. If you could call hiding and biding your time living.

Her small room had a light, a single bed, and a shelf. Her few items of clothing hung from a bar affixed to the bottom of the shelf. Mrs. Davis had been bringing her novels to read since there wasn’t even a television. The books lined the shelf. Jennifer had read a few of them twice already. That was all she had, but Jennifer was so very grateful for a safe place to lay her head that she couldn’t wish for anymore. It was warm and clean, and she was safe for now, thanks to the Davis.

Once she’d stripped out of her dress and hung it up, Jennifer collapsed onto her borrowed bed. The sheets smelled pleasantly of lavender fabric softener. She reached up and shut off the lamp. In the darkness, she was left alone with her thoughts.

The pleasant ache between her legs and down her thighs was a reminder of Rourke. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head. She wouldn’t think about him anymore. She couldn’t if she wanted to remain sane. She didn’t want to remember, but she couldn’t block out the image of his devilish grin as he told her stories about his teammates.

Jennifer let the tears come. She cried for all she’d lost. She cried because she missed her parents, her brothers, and the rest of her family. She cried because her hopes for the career she’d walked away from that family for were in tatters. She cried because Even MacGraff was still out there looking for her. But mostly she cried for what might have been if only she’d met Rourke just a little sooner.

Jennifer told herself again to forget Rourke. She’d gotten what she expected, and she’d known the whole time nothing more would come of it. If he hadn’t chased after her, it would be so easy for Jennifer to believe she’d only been a fuck in a closet for the big, sexy SEAL. But he had followed her, and she’d seen the loss in his eyes. She’d heard his frustrated shout of defeat. So Jennifer cried because she was sure she’d lost the one man who could have made her sad life worth living. She was forced to walk away from the man who could have been the love of her life. And that was worth shedding more than a few tears over.