Chapter Twelve
Kenzie couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t because of the weight of the solid, muscled sailor on top of her pressing her into the mattress.
It was because her heart couldn’t seem to slow, and her body was still in shock from the absolute tsunami of pleasure it had experienced.
She dragged in a shuddering breath and opened her eyes. Tanned, sweat-slick muscle was the first thing she saw. She couldn’t resist lifting her head enough to press a kiss against the salty skin of his shoulder.
He made a murmur of approval and eased his body off her, so they lay side by side.
“Sorry, I’m sure I was probably breaking all your bones, sugar.”
“You’re fine.” Actually, she missed the weight of him.
But the loss of contact wasn’t one hundred percent, because he reached over to tease fingers over her body. Her belly. Her breasts. The tips of her flushed nipples.
Even though she trembled with exhaustion and she was pretty sure another orgasm was impossible, arousal stirred low in her belly again.
“Did I hurt you?”
The unease in his voice made her let out a slow, low laugh.
“Please. Not at all. You were amazing.”
“Careful, my ego is swelling.”
She rolled onto her side lightly, glancing down his body. “Mmm. Among other things?”
He grimaced. “Pretty soon, yeah.”
Well maybe, if she got some energy back, she’d find a way to seduce him into round two.
She watched him through her lashes. He really was handsome. With his light blue gaze backdropped by tan skin, and laugh lines around his eyes and mouth.
He was a man of integrity and humor. Sexy as hell, and he was single. By choice. It seemed kind of crazy. Didn’t he want a family some day?
“So you’re going to stay single until you get out of the Navy, hmm?”
And why had she brought that up? A bit stupid of her really. It had been motivated more by her heart, but rather than let him see she regretted the question, she forced a mildly curious expression.
“It was the plan.”
“Was?” She arched a brow. “Slip of words or—”
“Intentional.” He reached up to cup her cheek, his gaze darkening. “But there’s this sexy little redhead who puts these crazy ideas in my mind.”
Her breath caught. “What kind of ideas?”
“Getting serious about someone again. Taking that chance.”
The fact that he could admit it freely blew her mind a little bit. Didn’t people play head games with this kind of thing?
“You think you could handle being a Navy man’s girlfriend, sugar?”
“I…don’t actually know, honestly.”
She wasn’t sure she could handle being anyone’s girlfriend right now, let alone a man who came and went all the time. Between school, her job, and a pretty shite record with relationships—or wait, what relationships?—she just couldn’t give him a straight answer right now.
The lazy heat in Brett’s gaze dimmed a bit, as if she’d popped the romance and flirtation right out of the moment. Well, fuck, but she had.
Brett gave a small nod. “It’s not easy. Which is why I should stick to my self-imposed rule.”
She bit her lip, struggling to find the right words to say. How to hit rewind on the last thirty seconds.
“I’m going to get that jambalaya simmering.” Brett rolled away, then eased off the bed. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
And clearly she sucked at romance.
Kenzie closed her eyes with a groan and rolled onto her back. Her head sank into the feather pillow and the scent of Brett’s shampoo engulfed her.
Not that he probably used much on his closely cut military hair, but she’d definitely become accustomed to the scent.
The sounds of him slicing and dicing and then frying something in the kitchen drifted through the house. Followed by the absolutely heavenly scent of the jambalaya.
More than a few minutes went by, more like twenty if she had to guess. Was he avoiding her? Avoiding the awkward way she’d left things?
Finally footsteps announced his return and she opened her eyes when the bed dipped.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted immediately.
Brett slid next to her, dropping his head to nuzzle her breast. “Why? For being honest?”
“Aye.” Her heart fluttered.
He kissed her nipple and it immediately tightened, lifting toward his lips.
“Don’t be sorry for being honest. It took courage to say it. The Navy bred me to appreciate those kind of basic, sometimes forgotten core values.” He closed his mouth over her breast and sucked, releasing the tip a moment later. “Mmm. What it didn’t teach me about, but I can also appreciate, is a gorgeous pair of breasts.”
Her laugh was half arousal and half genuine amusement. “By all means, keep appreciating. Well, that is if you’re done in the kitchen?”
“Jambalaya is simmering and will taste better the longer it does.” He tongued her nipple again. “Meanwhile, I’m fixing to keep tasting some of this.”
She couldn’t possibly orgasm again, could she? This soon? Her muscles still felt like pudding, and her body ached in places she’d long forgotten about.
While still suckling her, Brett moved a hand between her legs. Clearly, she was about to prove her body wrong.
He had clever, skilled fingers that seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her. As if she were the guitar he’d grown up playing. She molded to his hands. To his touch. Her body softening and rising to the pleasure, and he brought her there effortlessly.
“I’m never going to be able to walk again, you realize,” she mumbled, when she could finally think, let alone speak.
“Something tells me you’ll be fine.” He eased upward to kiss her mouth.
When he lifted his head, she confessed, “I want more than tonight, Brett. More than a couple nights.”
He stared down at her. “Meaning?”
“Meaning, I don’t know how I am with dating a guy in the Navy. I don’t really know how I am dating any guy right now. There’s a possibility I’ll freak out on your arse.” She hesitated. “Actually, it’s quite likely.”
“And if I’m willing to take that risk?”
She searched his gaze and whispered, “Then I’d hate myself if I became another woman who hurt you.”
He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “I’ve developed some pretty thick skin over the years. And truth be told, I don’t much care for the idea of this being a couple of times deal either.”
“No?”
“I like the idea of having you around a while. Not to mention we’re pretty damn explosive in the bedroom.”
“Aye.” She wouldn’t deny it. “When do you leave to go out on the ship again?”
“Not anytime soon. So we have plenty of time to figure out if this is just something fun that lasts for a while…” he paused “…or something more.”
“No pressure.”
“None from either of us.”
“I like it.” And she did. It didn’t have to be a one-night stand, or a brief fling, but they could be free to enjoy each other. To do something as simple as date.
“Me too.” He gave a slow smile. “You hungry?”
“For food?”
“Yes, Miss Insatiable. For food.”
She laughed heartily and swatted his shoulder. “Aye. You’ll soon realize I’m always hungry.”
“Actually, I think I’m picking up on that.” He eased off the bed and then grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet.
“Should I put on some clothes?”
“Live dangerously. Eat naked.”
“Dangerous indeed.” She grinned and allowed him to lead her naked into the kitchen.
Fortunately there was only one window and the view was of the backyard. Pretty soon they were both seated at the small kitchen table, plates of steaming jambalaya and corn bread in front of them. Beers cracked open and ready for the first sip.
She picked up her fork, loaded it up with jambalaya, and then slid it into her mouth.
The mix of spices, juicy sausage and bite of some hot pepper mingled in her mouth to nearly induce an orgasm of another kind.
“Good?” Brett had been watching her, clearly eager to see her reaction.
“Bloody amazing. This is incredible.”
He grinned, pure smug delight spreading across his face. “Thank you. Or, really, thank my mom. She taught me to cook.”
“God bless her. And God bless Southern food.” She reached for the corn bread and a moment later discovered it was equally delightful—and the honey butter he’d made helped cool the wonderful burn of the jambalaya.
They ate in an easy silence, enjoying the food and drink. Brett stood, moving to the fridge.
“Another beer?”
“Aye. Please.”
He grabbed two bottles, removed the caps and returned to the table. “Tell me what you miss most about Scotland.”
She accepted the beer from him and took a long pull from the bottle. “The lochs. They were beautiful.”
“Lochs? As in Loch Ness Monster? Think he’s real?”
“Aye.” She winked. “We were on the swim team together. You realize loch is just another term for lake?”
“Didn’t have a clue, actually.”
“Well, some are sea inlets, but aye.”
His look turned contemplative. “I’ll have to get there some day.”
“You will.”
“I will,” he agreed. “So when do I get to see you again?”
“Are you kicking me out already?” she teased.
“No. Actually I’m kind of hoping you’ll stay the night. I want you at least twice more.”
“And you called me insatiable.”
He laughed softly. “Guilty.”
“I’ll have to grab some clothes and toiletries from home, but otherwise, I think I can swing it.”
“I get up disgustingly early for work.”
“Being that I work nights, I’m usually not a morning person. So what you’re saying is you’ll owe me big time.”
“Anything you want, sugar.”
She arched a brow and scooped up more jambalaya. “I’m going to remember that. I might bring it up in, oh, say an hour.”
His gaze darkened, homed in on her mouth as she ate. “Careful, or I’ll skip the brownies and just have you for dessert.”
Licking her fork clean, she gave a suggestive look that was still a bit rusty to her. “Why not both at the same time? That’s what showers are for right?”
He exhaled loudly and tossed down his fork. “All right, you’re done.”
When he plucked her out of the chair and lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing, she squealed with excitement. Her arms looped around his neck as he hauled her off to the bedroom.
No matter how long this thing between them lasted, one thing was for sure. They were going to have a damn good time while it did.