Billi Jean (36 page)

He grabbed her hand and kissed each finger. Then, in one of those moves she loved, he tugged her by the waist and curled her up on his chest while he spread out all over her bed like a lion. “Show off.”

He snorted. “Hell, a man needs to with you.”

“Huh.”

They stayed quiet for a long while, long enough for her to tug the blankets up and curl against him. When she was settled and thought he might have dozed off, he sifted a hand through her hair. He smiled when she looked up at him.

“Damn—blonde. Fuck, baby, you’re going to kill me.”

She grinned and kissed his chest. He was still breathless, and, well, so was she. But kill him? She doubted it. She was ready for a snack and a nap. Russell could probably go another two or three rounds.

“What are you thinking?”

She glanced up at his serious expression. He’d wanted her to ask him to stay? Would he have? No, but he’d wanted her to ask. His face was still flushed, but his eyes were intent, watchful, almost worried. “Oh, Russell, that’s not fair. What are
you
thinking?”

“That I’m lucky you didn’t shoot my ass—”

A phone ringing, not hers, made them both pause. She groaned. He joined her. “Do you know how many times I waited by that phone, Russell Ryland?”

He took her hand and massaged her knuckles. “Aw, baby, not any more, not any more. I’m glued to you.” Raising his hips suggestively, he grinned. “We need to shower and I want to check that sweet little butt, Sunshine.”

Check her butt? She knew she was blushing but couldn’t stop it.

“Just to make sure, that’s all.”

“Well, I don’t think so. No checking my butt out.”

“I just don’t want to hurt you.” His voice came out husky with emotion, and she sat up enough to move on top of him and cup his silly face.

“Oh, Russell, you’d never hurt me. I know I didn’t trust you either, but let’s take this slow. That was…wonderful, but I’ll check myself out.”

He laughed softly and curled his arms around her. Some of the tension slipped from his face and he tilted his head to look up at her. “All right, baby, this time.”" He paused and brushed a kiss to her jaw before resting back to look up at her. “You loved it?”

“I loved it,” she whispered.

He smiled and kissed her forehead, simply holding her tight in his arms.

The phone kept ringing and she finally lifted her head and met his eyes. “Are you getting that?”

His brows jerked down as if she’d said the most stupid thing ever. “Hell, no.”

“Russell…”

Grey eyes met hers firmly. “We aren’t done here. That was only makeup sex. I still owe you the missed-your-dinner sex.”

“And the welcome home sex.”

The phone started ringing again—this time, the house phone. He tightened his hands on her butt, keeping her firmly in place. He was so cute she wanted to bite him. Instead she kissed his jaw and rubbed her lips over his roughness.

“We did have a fight and Katya might be worried.”

A brow rose, but he didn’t move. “Huh, you think so? I think they’re being nosy.”

“Russell.”

His hands tightened on her butt, then slid up her curves to glide up her back to her shoulders and back down. It felt wonderful. She closed her eyes.

“You called the police on me.”

She blinked her eyes open and grinned at the outrage in his tone.

“Damn right.” A giggle earned her a soft little spank and she jumped, smacking him on his rounded shoulder. They both jumped when they heard someone banging on the front door. When she tried to move, though, Russell held her down by twisting and landing on his side, one of his heavy thighs over her hips. She could instantly feel his groin growing fuller against her. Russell rubbed along her skin and she giggled. “Russell!”

“We’ll have to get up. These assholes aren’t going away, are they?”

She smacked him lightly on the chest for his language. “Don’t call Katya that.”

He rolled her over and kissed her, nudging her hips with his thickening penis. “Baby, they are seriously interfering. Go shower and I’ll run them off.”

“Shower alone?” She wanted to shower with him. “I’ve not been able to lick you all over yet.”

Immediately his eyes darkened, and against her stomach she felt his erection jerk.

Grimacing he looked torn in two. Good. “Don’t say things like that.”

“Why? You wanted me to on the phone.”

Burying his head in her neck, he groaned like he was dying. “Yeah, I did, but no one was outside the door trying to get in.” As if to illustrate that point, his phone rang and the pounding sounded louder.

With a curse, he struggled over the side of the bed, grabbed the phone from somewhere and snapped a ‘what’ into it. She took advantage of his rounded bottom to kiss it, earning a quick glance so she smacked one firm, round cheek. “There, you deserve that.”

He covered the phone to say, “A little harder, baby.”

The brat!

He took up his conversation as if she hadn’t spanked him, except to grab her hand and haul her up for a kiss.

“Of course she’s fine. What the fu—what did you think?” He grinned at her, winked and swatted her butt when she got up. She wiggled it to torment him. “I didn’t forget the police, or the Sauer aimed at my damn head.”

Oops, she’d forgot about that one.

“No, I don’t want to have dinner with you guys—”

“Russell!”

He glowered at her, cute as heck.

“Hell, no. Well maybe a quick burger; this is my time with… Yeah, whatever. I’m coming and tell those assholes to quit pounding on the fu—door.”

She ducked into the shower, smiling. He sure was trying with his language. It almost sounded painful.

Had it been an hour ago she’d wanted to shoot him? And now? Now, he was here? And oh, man, had he been here. Her body shivered at the sex they’d just had. Her rear felt alive, sensitive just remembering the feel of him, although she’d loved his frantic, out of control thrusts the most. Titillated didn’t even begin to describe the way she’d felt when he’d lost control and taken her like he’d die if he didn’t.

She shivered at how good she felt. Good? She felt like she’d had sex. With Russell. Anal sex. And she wanted more. He’d loved it, and somehow that made it all the hotter.

“Room in there for two, Sunshine?”

She squealed and smacked firm, naked flesh. “Russell! Don’t scare me like that. And you are not getting in here with me if those men are in the house.”

Chuckling, he ignored her and ducked in, pressing her hand tighter to his chest. What could she do? He was all over her, all muscled man and all hers. Just to make sure, she started rubbing her hands all over him, watching his grin reach his eyes.

“Naw, I bought us some time. They went on a beer run. Seems like someone drank all yours.”

She shrugged and bit him on one hard plane of his chest. “Huh, that someone was me.”

Suddenly she was pushed back against the tiled wall of the shower by a big, warm, aroused man who ended the sparring match with a better use of their lips.

And then she showed him an even better use.

Chapter Nineteen

“All right, where is the little woman?”

“Mac, you do not want to call her that, man. She about tore Ace’s head off,” Eagle muttered, and Katya hit him.

Maybe that had been where his little Sunshine had got that, Russell mused, watching the redhead wrap Eagle around her little finger. The guy was a goner. Somehow, seeing Eagle so lost for Katya made his and Susan’s crazy shit seem good. If they could make it,
he
damn well would.

“What? She did?” Mac grinned, rubbing his jaw where he’d once taken a knife cut that had nearly ended his life.

“She’s getting ready, then we need to take this up to the ranch. Some things have come up, things she should have—” Russell began.

“Should have, could have, would have, no such luck, my daddy always said,” Lacey said behind him.

The smart mouth. Holding out his hand, he grinned up at her only to stop at the look on her face. She looked shocked, as white as a ghost.

“Holy motherfucker! Lacey! What the hell?” Mac stood so fast his chair hit the floor.

“Damn, girl!” Dare grumbled, standing as well.

Both guys wore loopy grins, then they were all over Susan—Sarah—Lacey—whatever the hell his woman’s name was.

“All right, break it up—” he began, only to have Dare shoot him a look like he’d stepped on a mine and had started tap dancing.

“Ace man, you got balls, taking Hawk’s daughter on? Are you nuts? If he were—” Dare shook his head.

“Shut the hell up, Dare,” Mac said. “Lacey, what are you doing? We thought you were dead, girl. Dead. What the fuck?” Mac was pissed off. His brown eyes were dark, his face flushed. He reached up and rubbed a hand through his short hair. He seemed off balance, as if finding out who Susan was had thrown him harder than it was throwing Russell.

“Hold on.”
Hold the fuck up. Hawk?
“Hawk? Master Chief Fletcher? Daughter named Sarah Fletcher, everyone called Lacey, died last year after a car crash. Hawk passed away…holy fuck, Susan…Lacey.” Thank fuck the chair was there, because he would have fallen on his ass otherwise. Sunshine was there, though, grabbing his hand. Blue eyes concerned, she nibbled her beautiful pink lip and watched him like he might pass out. Hell, he just might.

“Russell…I told you about the hiding, I told you.”

She’d told him? She’d told him shit. She was… “But you didn’t fucking tell me you were Hawk’s daughter.”

She blinked once and patted his hand like an old man. “Sorry, we were a bit busy.”

Holy hell, he had been busy with Hawk’s daughter. More than busy. The toughest, meanest SEAL the Navy had ever produced, Hawk was one tough motherfucker, and a damn good friend. The man had saved his ass more than once when he’d first started out. More than that, the man had been like a dad to him. And damn if he’d not always pestered Russ to meet his daughter, Lacey. But Russell just knew Hawk hadn’t meant for Russ to… Oh, holy shit. His balls drew up tight and he had to swallow several times before he could speak.

“Holy fuck, Sunshine.”

She frowned and shook her head. “You guys, stop it. My dad would have liked Russell and you all know it. Now, stop it.” She scolded his team like a drill sergeant. Fuck, he now knew why. Blue eyes met his and she crossed her arms. “Russell, it’s not that bad. You knew my dad?”

“Hell, we all knew your dad. How come Russ never met you?” Dare asked, sounding a bit accusing.

She shot Dare a look, rolling her eyes the way she did to Russell. She knew these men. The thought was disturbing. Jealousy sucked.

“Geez, I don’t know, because I had enough of you yahoos around to last me a lifetime, so I didn’t meet every sailor my dad knew.”

All right, then. She was pissed off. Her look softened when Dare grumbled. “Look, I don’t know. My dad was always having someone over, so I probably hid when he came to the house.” She grinned at him when he said that.

Russell felt something lighten in his chest. So many things made sense now. So many. The Navy slang she’d understood, the gun, the attitude—even scared, she was a fighter. Her little teases. All of it. She was Hawk’s daughter, a woman he’d been hearing about for years, but had never met.

“He was always having us over. Always was. You were never home, or sleeping.” But he’d tasted her food, seen her picture… The dark hair. The demeanour…it had all masked her. How could he have known his Susan was Lacey, Hawk’s daughter? Lacey had lived in sunny Florida, surrounded by her friends and…he’d never met her.

Dare flashed a smile and quirked a brow at him. “Ace, you look like hell. It’s not like Hawk wouldn’t approve. Lacey’s right, you were always his favourite.” Settling back on the couch, Dare stretched out his legs, looking like he was going to stay a while. He’d ditched his bandages on the trip back home. He still had a few cuts and scrapes, but nothing too serious after his brush with death. “Yeah, so the little woman is Hawk’s baby, huh?”

“Fu—”

Lacey cut him off. “You know, this is my house. I really don’t think it’s a ship, or a truck stop, or a rendezvous; it’s my house, and that’s about it for the cussing. All of you.” She shot Mac a look, then Dare. Eagle got a stare, too, and Katya grinned at her. Lacey turned to the boys and continued, “Or you can eat elsewhere.”

“So, let me get this straight.” Eagle sat forward. Of all the guys here, Eagle had spent the least amount of time around Hawk. Not because he’d not liked the man, but because he’d had commitments here, in Montana. “You’re Hawk’s daughter, and Ace never met you?”

She grinned and nodded, threading a hand through his hair. “Well, duh, no.”

Eagle shook his head and smiled.

“Sunshine, this is a bit much.”

She turned and focused on Russell with those blue eyes, soft and warm and not a bit like her dad’s. “I’m sorry, Russell, but I didn’t know you knew him, I didn’t…”

That got the guys all talking at once.

“I can’t believe you lied,” Mac started, looking like he was building up some steam.

“I’m just glad she’s alive, Wolf. Lighten up.” Dare grunted and folded his arms behind his head. “Man, you’d better have a ring around here somewhere.”

“Yeah, that shit is—”

“Mac, don’t make me have Russell throw you out,” Lacey said.

Russell grinned and hauled her down on his lap. Mac looked so offended Russell was surprised the man didn’t walk out, but he finally shrugged his shoulders and sat down after running both hands through his hair. He needed his hair cut; he still looked like some kind of beach bum.

“Well, there are a lot of SEALs, aren’t there? He didn’t train them all…” She trailed off when the men all grumbled.

Russell pulled her down on his lap. Her dad had trained
them
all. His unit.

“Ah, can I ask a question?” Katya grinned when everyone glanced at her. “This is all pretty funny, but what exactly is going on?”

Susan shook her head slowly. “Russell is freaking out because my dad was a chief in the SEALs way before they all went in.”

He snorted at that understatement. “That’s a bit mild. Your dad was the toughest, baddest, meanest—”