A Little Harmless Military Romance Bundle (A Little Harmless Military Bundle) (25 page)

“Oh, I’m sorry, baby. Are you okay?”

She smiled up at him. “I’m more than okay. I’ll be a whole lot better when you finish what you started here.”

He couldn’t stop the laugh that huffed out of him. He gave her a kiss as he started to move. It didn’t take him long to build her back up. He took them to the edge and into a free fall.

When he was finished, he collapsed on top of her.

“Hey, Berg, you weigh a ton,” she said with a laugh.

He moved to the side, taking most of his weight off her. Resting on his elbow, he brushed away some of her curls. She was flushed and smiling, with her eyes closed. He had never been able to laugh in bed before Samantha. Truthfully, he never did with anyone but her.

She must have felt his study because she asked, “Whatcha looking at?”

He could make a joke, but he didn’t want to. When he didn’t answer, she opened her eyes. Her smile faded.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and brushed away a few more of her curls. “Nothing. Just nothing.”

“You have that weird look on your face like when you told me you had to go the first time after we got married.”

He kissed her then, soft, sweet, before pulling back. “Just, everything’s perfect. You’re perfect.”

She gave him a look that told him she didn’t believe him.

“No. I don’t think I told you that enough.” She looked like she wanted to cry again, so he pressed his mouth to her forehead. “Don’t worry. You feel like you could eat?”

She pulled her lip between her teeth and nodded.

“Why don’t I fix us something?”

“That sounds good.”

He gave her one last, lingering kiss. After cleaning up and pulling on a pair of pants, he looked back at her on the bed. She snuggled down with one of the pillows and was already falling asleep again. She looked almost innocent except for the fact that she was still naked. That contrast was almost too much to resist, but he had to. She needed rest, and they needed some nourishment. He pulled a sheet up over her and stared at her for a few minutes. He still had calls to make, mainly to his folks, and he had to find a place to live. He grabbed his phone on the way out to the kitchen. The sooner he got everything in order, the sooner he could convince Samantha that they needed to live as husband and wife again.

Chapter Eleven

Samantha sighed as she opened the front door to the condo. It had been a long two weeks since she’d returned to work after spring break, and each day made her wonder if she’d be able to make it through the entire pregnancy. She was so damned tired she barely could keep her eyes open in class.

She shut the door behind her and leaned back against it. She was just thankful the food seemed to be staying down now. In fact, her appetite was starting to come back at the oddest times, like at three am. Deke had been a sweetie about that and had gone out in search of something. On this side of the island, he didn't have much to choose from, but he had found it for her and made sure she ate it.

Sadly, he was moving into his own house at the end of next week. She knew he needed space, needed some privacy, but she was going to miss having him right there with her. His new place was only five minutes away, but she knew it would be different after that. That upset her. Seriously, she thought that maybe it would be intrusive having him there with her, but it had been...nice. They had yet to have a fight, which was really weird and a bit disconcerting.

She heard male voices and realized that there was more than one male in her house. It wasn't her brother because he had a late meeting and was coming over to go out to dinner later.

Then Zoe came around the corner with a wide smile. "There's another Berg in the house and I want him. I want him all for myself. Can I have him?"

"Another Berg?" Her brain was still dead from the long day of middle school mathematics. "Who are you talking about?"

"They say his name is Diablo, but I have a feeling that isn't his real name."

"Oh, Jonah."

"Lord, that is a sexy name. Jonah. Why do they call him Diablo?"

"Has something to do with his temperament as a child, and well, he’s kind of a bad boy."

"Oh. Well, I'll call him anything he likes as long as he's naked."

"Diablo's here? You have got to be kidding me."

She brushed Zoe aside and followed the voices. They were sitting on the lanai, drinking a beer. It was odd that she had never seen them calm and joking around. She knew they were like this, had heard Deke say it enough, but she had never spent enough time with the brothers to see it. And how sad was that?

"Did you find a place? Although, I would suggest that you stay here. Three beautiful women...I would take your place."

"Don't even think about it. First, Samantha is off-limits. And you be nice to her friends. They are good girls, and they have been wonderful to Samantha. I'll kick your ass if you even think of treating them like you do the rest of your women."

“What’s he mean by that?” Zoe whispered.

“He’s a one-night stand kind of guy.”

“I can’t believe you moved over here. I might have to see if there is some kind of opening for me at Kaneohe, then we can hit the town.”

“I’m not really one for the clubs anymore.”

“I hear they have a BDSM club here on the island.”

“Yeah, Mal’s brother knows the owners.”

Jonah clapped his hands together. “Hot damn, I’d like to get some of that action. Maybe we can go some night together?”

Anger tinged with jealousy swept through her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her temper.

“Already planning to corrupt your older brother, Jonah?” she asked.

Both men turned around at the same time, and she couldn’t help but smile. They were almost identical in looks except Jonah was…well, a little rougher. Deke, of course, was smiling at her. He had been doing that since he got there, and it was driving her crazy. She would deal with that later. Now, she had to deal with Jonah’s bad influence.

“Hey, Sam,” he said, coming forward. He pulled her into a huge hug, and she returned it. While she was irritated with him at the moment, he had always been sweet to her. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. All day long with those seventh graders is starting to get really hard to deal with.”

“Did you talk to my parents? They are over the moon about the baby.”

No, she hadn’t talked to them, and she hadn’t known how much Deke had told his family. All she had in the world was Mitchell, so it had been no big deal for her.

“No. He didn’t tell me,” Sam said.

“So, when are you moving over with Deke?” Jonah asked.

“Now, Jonah—” Deke started, but she didn’t let him finish.

“Move over?” she asked.

Jonah smiled. “Yeah, he told mom you two were going to be living together.”

She looked at Deke and she heard Zoe say, “Oh, shit.”

“Living together? Really.”

Jonah apparently didn’t hear her tone. “Yeah. The house he got should be big enough. You two will be happier near the base anyway, right?”

“Shut up, Jonah,” Deke ordered.

“What?” Jonah asked.

“No, please go on, Jonah. Tell me all about it. I need to know exactly what he said,” Sam said.

It was then that Deke’s brother apparently noticed there was something wrong. “Ahh, I think I’ll let my big brother tell you about this.”

“Diablo? Why don’t you come in and meet Fiona. I just heard her come in the front door,” Zoe said.

Sam didn’t know if Fiona did or didn’t come home. All she knew was that Deke looked guilty, and that told her that what Jonah said was true. When they were finally alone, she settled her hands on her hips. “What was your brother talking about?”

“I don’t know what the fuck he was talking about.”

“Deacon Berg, don’t you dare lie to me.”

He sighed as if he were put out by the conversation, then he stood to face her. “I didn’t say you were moving in. I mentioned to my mother that it was big enough for you and the baby.”

“Really? And so, your mother tells your brother that I’m moving in with you?”

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and she knew that was what he did when he was trying to come up with something to get him out of a situation.

“Would it be that bad?”

No, it wouldn’t be. In fact, she had wondered if he would ever pose the question. When she had seen the house, she had been amazed at the size and the fact that it would be for him by himself. But he hadn’t asked. Apparently he had planned, but he hadn’t asked. Again.

“No. That’s not the point.”

He frowned at her, his expression darkening. Big, bad Seal didn’t like anyone questioning his authority—especially not her.

“What’s the point, Samantha?”

Oh, she hated that tone, as if she were an imbecile who needed help to even walk upright.

“It’s what you were planning, wasn’t it?” He didn’t have to answer her. She could read his expression. “So, you just come up with a plan, and when were you going to ask me?”

“It’s a good plan.”

“And what plan is that? One where you decide what we should do and we do it?”

“You’re being a little over emotional right now.”

“And why do you think that is, Deke? Really, tell me.”

He apparently figured out he had stepped over the line. “I think we need to take some time to cool off.”

“No, I think there will be no discussing it. I thought you had changed, but you haven’t.” She turned and stomped back in the house. Damned ignorant man. Just makes plans and expects her to go right along. Like cattle. She didn’t say anything to her roommates or Jonah as she marched past them. She turned to shut the door to her room, but a big hand stopped her.

Oh, shit.

He was furious. Those veins in his neck were bulging, and his eyes were narrowed.

“You don’t just fucking yell at me and run off.”

“I do what I want.”

Okay, that was immature, but she didn’t care. She was tired from the long day on her feet and from pretending.

“So, what you want to do is run off like a little girl, is that it?”

“What are you trying to say here, Seal?”

“I’m saying that you’re being stupid.”

Even when her head was telling her to shut up, just to stop arguing, her heart wouldn’t let her.

“Really? At least I’m being truthful.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You tell me, Deke. Tell me the truth. You come over here to the islands with a plan, being sweet and attentive, and trying to lull me into believing you changed.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I can’t take the lying, the constant pretending.”

“Have you been pretending?”

“Aren’t we? In all the years we have been together, have we ever gone two weeks without a fight? No, we haven’t. It’s unnatural.”

“You’re whacked.”

“I’m not. And just why were you making plans with your brother to go to Rough ‘n Ready?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Well, maybe you should.” The moment she said the words, she wanted to call them back. She didn’t. She could see the implications of what she said work over his face until it faded.

“Fine.” With that, he stormed out of her room. “Come on, Jonah.”

She sat on her bed, and Zoe came in. She sat down on the bed beside her and said nothing. Her friend didn’t always know when to shut up, but apparently she knew now wasn’t a time to talk. A few minutes later, Fiona arrived.

“What happened?” she asked.

“What always happens. We aren’t meant to be together,” Sam said.

“That’s not true,” Fiona said.

Zoe rubbed her back. “You’ve been so happy since he arrived.”

“I’ve been waiting for him to tell me what he was planning, and there you have it. He planned for us to move in together.”

“The bastard,” Zoe said.

She threw Zoe a look. “I know I sound like a spoiled brat, but I can’t deal with the orders, the plans, all that stuff. Maybe it’s better we aren’t together.”

“That’s just stupid talk,” Zoe said.

“You’re afraid,” Fiona said.

Sam looked at her friend. “I’m not afraid.”

Fiona shook her head. “You’re afraid to let him be in charge. You think he’ll be like your father.”

“Deke would never cheat on me.”

She knew that without a doubt. When they were together, that was it for Deke and for her. They couldn’t play with BDSM if they didn’t trust each other.

Fiona waved that away and sat in the chair that faced her bed. “Sex has nothing to do with that.”

“I would say with these two, it has a lot to do with everything. Or is it they do a lot of it?” Zoe asked.

She shook her head, knowing Zoe was trying to lessen the tension and found her first smile. Fiona wasn’t smiling, though.