Military Romance Collection: Contemporary Soldier Alpha Male Romance (42 page)

Chapter 11

Damn her, Brock thought, even as he laid Tanya down and crawled over her. He’d given up trying to figure her out, stopped caring if she was out to get him. The truth was, he wanted her – her body, her mind, all of her. No woman had ever made him feel this way. Whether it was the danger of the situation or the fact that, despite the possibility of lies and deceit, she seemed so real compared to every other woman he’d met, Tanya had changed him.

He kissed down her throat and the valley between her perfect breasts, over her navel and down to the manicured tuft of hair below. As he drew on her nub, she cried out his name and wrestled against him, as if she could escape his grip. But he dug his fingers into her hips, assuring there was nowhere to go. He teased at her folds with flicks of his tongue, and she moaned, pouring out her ecstasy for him to taste.

He drank it eagerly, which only bred even more of a reaction from her. When he’d had his fill, he made his way back up her body, kissing her with impatience as he settled between her thighs. He had no intention of taking it slow, no desire to try out a new position. He wanted her too badly for that and barely had the control to ease himself inside her tight, wet center slowly. Inch by inch, he filled her, and he watched Tanya’s face, her expressions beyond satisfying as she took her pleasure from it.

Her inner walls convulsed around him as she found a peak again, and Brock hissed out a breath, forcing himself to be patient and not to let it end quite this soon. He wasn’t ready to face the aftermath yet and wanted to reach a pinnacle deserving of one last round.

He pulled out slowly, reveling in every last sensation of her pulsing warmth, and then he thrust in again with a long, hard shove. She arched her back and gasped, sending him deeper still, and that set him off. He couldn’t keep the slow pace for long, and he started to pump with as much grace as he could. But his cock already twitched with the need to explode, and he reached a point of no return. Throwing her legs over his shoulder, he buried himself in her with brutal force, feeling her responding orgasms, and he spilled hard and fast, screaming with the intensity of his release, the sensation so overbearing it felt like he hadn’t come in months.

He pulled out as soon as he was done, his head spinning, and he collapsed on his side next to Tanya. She looked like she might have blacked out, but he could see her lids, slightly cracked, and the fog over her eyes beneath that belied his concern. She wasn’t unconscious; she simply felt completely satisfied and was giving into it.

He didn’t blame her – Brock couldn’t have moved if he tried. Each arm weighed a thousand pounds, each leg two thousand, and he felt completely drained of any energy he’d had at all today. He rolled his head around and focused his hooded eyes on the ceiling above, trying to bask in the afterglow, live in the moment, rather than dread what came next. If only he didn’t have to address it at all…

But what choice did he have?

He waited until he could feel her relax beside him, not wanting to speak until Tanya’s breathing was normal. Calling women on a lie in the aftermath of sex was a dangerous idea. Finally, he said, “You aren’t here on vacation.”

She tensed beside him instantly, giving herself away without even realizing it. “Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s true,” he said, still not moving. “Let’s just be honest here. How stupid was I to fall for your lies?”

She didn’t answer right away. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet and her tone was soft. “Not very. And I could ask you the same question.”

“I haven’t lied to you.” He hadn’t told her anything that wasn’t true so far. She’d just failed to ask the right questions. For some reason, asking the next question stabbed right through Brock’s heart. “How many men have you slept with, just to get a lead on a case?”

She raised up on her elbow and looked at him, her expression solemn. “Is that what you think this is? Do you think so little of me? I thought maybe we’d created a little mutual respect. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I hoped you had a higher opinion of me.”

He could barely look at her. “I thought so, too, Tanya, if that’s even your real name.”

“It is.” She sounded forlorn. “Look, I don’t sleep with men for the job. That would be the same thing as prostitution, and it may be legal in Vegas, but it’s not in my playbook. So, for what it’s worth, I slept with you because I wanted to. I went out with you because I like you. And whatever other reason I have to be here, it doesn’t change the fact that I chose to spend that time with you. The question is, how pure were your motives?”

He wanted to believe her, but Brock couldn’t claim he’d been completely above board the whole time. How could Tanya, when she had come here with the intention of investigating him? “You caught me off guard, Tanya. When I met you yesterday evening, I expected to find some old crone who’d gotten lucky after years of playing. I came to cater to a winner, stayed to get a beautiful woman in bed with me, and came back because I was interested in your charm and intelligence and everything else about you. It’s my nature to be suspicious, and I can’t help that. If you lived my life, you’d understand. But when it came to being with you, that was real.”

When she didn’t say anything, Brock turned to look at her. “You aren’t here to make sure we aren’t cheating at the tables, Tanya. I’m pretty sure I know why you are. So, what do we do now?”

He held her gaze through the uncomfortable silence, refusing to look away. After what seemed like an eternity, she said, “Let’s start fresh.”

Chapter 12

Brock stared at her like she’d just admitted to being from Jupiter. Was it really such a crazy notion?

Frustrated, Tanya stood and walked to the bathroom, grabbing a robe and pulling it around her. When she felt less vulnerable, she went back and sat on the edge of the bed, finding Brock pulling on his boxers. She waited until he sat down and said, “Let’s just be honest with each other, okay? I’m more interested in the truth about you than I am about building a case based on guesses.”

At his skeptical look, she sighed. “Would it help if I went first?” He gave a single, curt nod, as if telling her to go ahead. “Fine. I’m Tanya Fowler, just like I said. I’m an FBI agent, and I came here to look into claims that casino players were being forced to take high interest loans by the staff, with suspicion that the losses were rigged. Everything else is essentially true, except that all I inherited from my grandfather was the rundown house I’m slowly renovating to flip so I can actually afford to buy a house I like, probably closer to a city like Dallas, where there’s actually something to do besides work.”

She stared at him expectantly, but he didn’t speak, and she threw her hands up. “I tried. You know, Brock, the truth is, when I met you, my first thought was, this is the guy. And I wanted to make this case so badly I convinced myself that playing into your hand as the gracious host of a big winner was just to get close to that prize. But as it turns out, I was kidding myself. I actually liked you. A lot. And I found myself imagining stupid things for my future that could never happen. Now, I’ve ruined it, and I have to live with the consequences and regrets.”

She was rambling, and she didn’t care. She couldn’t understand why his silence shattered her heart. She’d barely met him twenty-four hours ago. There was no excuse for being so emotional right now.

“The tables aren’t rigged,” he said quietly. Tanya held her breath, waiting to hear more. He looked up at her and repeated, “The tables aren’t rigged. We don’t force anyone to bet when they don’t want to, and we don’t set up for losses. We’re above board on all our games. We scout players who suffer large losses but can afford to pay back a loan quickly, and we offer them a chance to ease the hardship of their loss.”

Tanya swallowed hard as he confided in her. “Who is ‘we?’”

He pointed to a tattoo right over his heart, the tattoo of the cobra ready to strike she’d admired more than once already. “I’m part of a motorcycle club called the Cobras. Most crews like us run drugs or guns or something illegal. When our club first started, the idea was to make all our money legally. So, our members bought into some of the Vegas businesses, earned enough to start offering loans. Then, we buried ourselves into the city, and we’re everywhere. My casino is our largest investment. We’ve got tons of Cobras working there.

“When it comes to the loans, the contracts are legit, and no one has ever been forced to sign. We just tend to remind them how much trouble we can save them because I don’t like taking no for an answer. But anyone can walk away if they want.” He sounded defeated, and Tanya knew he figured she would arrest him and the entire club.

“Brock, have you ever threatened anyone’s family or anyone’s life or health, either to get them to sign or to make them pay?” It was hard to ask, but she had to know.

His eyes were full of pain as he looked at her. “I wouldn’t do something like that. The worst consequence we’ve ever put on someone was taking the remainder of the amount to be paid back directly out of someone’s bank account. And that is fully outlined in the signed contracts.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you.” She rubbed her forehead and tried to think rationally. “Listen, if you’re being completely honest with me, you and your club have done nothing illegal, thennthere’s no case against you. Hell, I could have told you the tables weren’t rigged based on my winnings, which I still have no idea how to handle. I think that, since it was part of an investigation, it’s going back to the casino as soon as I report in to my superiors.”

“So, where does that leave you? Are you going to get the boot for any of this?” he asked. “I honestly wouldn’t have risked your career, regardless of what that career was.”

Tanya had no idea. She didn’t have to disclose her affair with Brock, she supposed, and with that in mind, she doubted she’d even get a slap on the wrist. Of course, she wouldn’t get her promotion, but that was just a mild disappointment right now. So much more weighed on her that Tanya was almost relieved to think she wouldn’t have any additional pressure placed on her. “Don’t worry about me.”

He was on his feet in an instant, coming around to her and pulling her up off the bed. He held her by the arms and hissed, “Of course I’m worried about you. Do you know what you’ve done to me in such a short time? You’ve changed my life, and I can’t go back.”

She stared at him, confused. “Brock, you don’t have to stop your loan business. I’ll make sure you and your club are in the clear.”

“Is that what you think I mean?” he asked incredulously, and Tanya didn’t understand. She stared at him blankly, and he continued in a frustrated tone, “I pick up beautiful women. We have a wonderful night, exchange niceties, and go our separate ways. I don’t spend time doting on them, taking them to shows, and having dinner with them. I don’t dream about them or think about how empty the bed will be when they go home. But I can’t get you out of my head. I have done nothing in the past twenty-four hours but think about you. And when I realized what you were, I wanted to hate you. Instead, now I’m worried about you.” He sounded so angry, and Tanya feared him in that moment.

He released her and started pacing the room. “I was happy with my life, and now, I don’t know what I want anymore.”

Her heart heavy, Tanya answered quietly, “You don’t need to worry about it. I’m leaving tomorrow.” He stopped and stared at her, but she didn’t move. “It’s really late, and I need to get to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow to take care of everything. I’m sorry I disrupted your life, Brock. I hope it helps that I’m leaving. I promise not to bother you again.”

Without a word, he gathered his clothes, dressed, and slammed out of the penthouse. Tanya sank onto the bed, devastated, and covered her face with her hands, letting the tears fall. She didn’t know why she was crying. It wasn’t like she’d ever expected any other ending that would be better than this. In fact, she’d thought she would end up arresting Brock and his conspirators.

Not that it made a difference. He hated her anyway. She might as well have thrown him behind bars the way he stalked out of there. She had no delusions that he’d come back and apologize, ask her to stay. In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised if someone came to escort her out right away. She thought about packing her bags and dressing so she was prepared for a quick exit. She could probably catch the first flight back home in the morning. But she decided to stand her ground, to a point. She wouldn’t give into his rage that easily.

Tanya would make it difficult to remove her against her will, if nothing else. And she did need sleep. She didn’t think she’d sleep well, but she had to try, or she would regret it in the morning, right along with the rest of her decisions. She gathered her things into a pile so she could pack quickly in the morning after she showered and dressed, and then she made her way through the giant suite and turned off the lights.

When she finally lay down, she winced, smelling Brock’s cologne on some of the pillows. She threw each one to the floor until the aroma no longer infiltrated her nose and her thoughts, and then she snuggled deep into the thick, warm linens, hoping her exhaustion would take her into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter 13

THREE WEEKS LATER

Tanya stared at the letter she’d received from the bank, not knowing what to do about this. After she’d filed her report with her superiors and closed the case, the winnings had been funneled back to the casino, and Tanya had gone back to business as usual. But she’d found herself discontent with the work she’d thought she loved.

She hadn’t heard from Brock and didn’t know why she held out any hope of that. She’d ruined any chance she had with him, and she couldn’t really have fallen in love with him in twenty-four hours, could she? And men were even less sentimental. Brock had no feelings for her aside from resentment and regret.

With a meager savings account and a heart that held far too much pain, she quit and had opened an organic farmer’s market style store, as well as started growing her own fresh produce. She wouldn’t do this forever, but it was fulfilling while she figured out her space in life. It certainly wasn’t with the FBI anymore. In fact, she didn’t want to be involved in government agencies or law enforcement of any kind ever again. She’d compromised her morals in more ways than one working for them, and she refused to do so again.

She still had a psychology degree and considered opening a practice, maybe in Dallas, once she’d finished the renovations on her grandfather’s old house. But that would probably take another year.

But this letter from the bank could potentially change all that.

Dear Ms. Fowler,

Your new account is now open and available to you. Attached to this letter is your account information, including the identification you’ll need to access it, your account number, and your personal identification (PIN) number. As with all our customers, we offer you free services and recommendations for types of investments and accounts in which to store such large sums. Please feel free to contact one of our experts at your convenience so we may help you grow your nest egg even further. We hope you are always satisfied with our courteous service and welcome any feedback to help us maintain and improve it. Should you have any complaints, let us know immediately, and we will tend to your needs instantly. Thank you for your business, and we look forward to making your financial decisions easy and your financial future bright.

Tanya had reread the letter six times and reviewed the account information another ten or so. But there was no question in her mind where a bank account to the tune of 42 million dollars originated.

At first, she could only wonder what on earth she would do with that much money. But then, she realized she could finish the renovations and buy a house in Dallas if she wanted, without waiting. She could pay cash and never have to pay a mortgage payment or rent again. She could invest more in her business and hire someone else to run it in her absence. In fact, she could perhaps open a second location in the Dallas area, as well as land on which to grow.

And there would still be an endless amount of funds, if she invested right and didn’t spend frivolously. She could travel if and when she wanted, maybe take a trip to Spain and France. The options were endless, and that was a beautiful thing.

But she didn’t feel right taking the money, knowing who sent it. And as the doorbell rang and a messenger delivered another, handwritten letter, she only felt worse. She opened it and read,

Dear Tanya,

When I said you changed my life, I didn’t mean it as a complaint. I was angry because I didn’t understand it, and I couldn’t define my feelings for you. I’d never felt them before, so I had no point of reference.

I know I can’t ask you to leave your career and your home behind, expecting you to settle down with a man who runs a biker gang and spends a lot of time wining and dining high rollers in a casino. But if you dared to take a chance on someone like me, I’d be willing to compromise. I could cut back hours at the casino, and I could make you my old lady, so you would be welcome in the club. I could even get you the tattoo for free.

All joking aside, I love you, Tanya. I know it sounds crazy when we barely know each other, but one soul mate recognizes another, even when the two minds are strangers. Give me a chance, and I swear I won’t let you down.

Brock

Tanya didn’t know she was crying until a tear left a large wet mark on the paper. She couldn’t have imagined anything so romantic, and yet, it was right here, in black and white. But what was she supposed to do now?

The doorbell rang again, and she swiped at her tears. Knowing how charming and charismatic Brock was, he’d probably set up for a flower delivery immediately following the note from the messenger. She swung the door open, and her jaw dropped. It was a beautiful bouquet of two dozen roses.

And Brock had delivered it personally.

“Does this cover the apology for storming out?” he asked, a sheepish smile on his face.

Sniffling, Tanya took the flowers and tossed them unceremoniously aside. She launched herself at Brock, wrapping her entire body around him and reveling in the scent of his cologne and the warmth of his embrace. “I forgave you that night,” she whispered in his ear. “I just thought you hated me.”

He pulled back enough to look in her eyes, placing a gentle hand on either cheek. “I never hated you, Tanya, not once. Do you really think I would have ridden all the way here if I hated you?”

For the first time, she noticed he wasn’t in black tie but rather jeans and riding chaps, a long sleeved shirt and his Cobra vest. He had motorcycle boots in place of his expensive loafers, and his hair was unkempt. “You rode?”

He shrugged. “It’s like ten hours, give or take. It was great, and it was the fastest way to get to you. I love you, Tanya, and I don’t want to go back to being a playboy.”

“Well, you’re in luck. I quit my job, and I’m a little more flexible these days, since I have a new stow of funds someone endowed upon me.” She smiled. “Why did you do that anyway?”

“Because you won it, fair and square, and it didn’t belong to the damn FBI to give back, even if you were using their money to bet. You placed the bet, you won. It’s your money,” he explained very reasonably. “So, are you saying you’ll come back to Vegas with me and teach me how to lead a reasonable, settled life?”

“It’ll be a learning experience for both of us,” she told him, her smile unfaltering. “You’ll have to be a little patient, though. I’d like to finish getting my grandfather’s house renovated first, and find someone to run my business while I’m gone.”

He seemed disappointed. “I suppose I can wait. It’s just been too long already.”

Tanya really didn’t want to spend more time apart anyway. She’d wasted enough time beating herself up for the way she’d left things, and she didn’t want the whole situation up in the air. “Stay with me, then. It’ll only be a couple of weeks, now that I can hire the help. Call your club, have someone attempt to fill your shoes for a couple weeks, and stay with me. It’ll be like a real vacation for both of us.”

“Do you have a nice bed?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows as his hands slid down her back to cup her ass.

She giggled and slapped at his arms. “It’s the one piece of furniture I didn’t skimp on,” she told him. “Come with me, I’ll show you.”

“Now, there’s an invitation I can’t refuse.” He took her hand, and Tanya led him into the house – and the air conditioning. The flowers lay on the couch forgotten, but the sentiment stayed with her as she took Brock back to the bedroom, ready to show him exactly what she expected from a man devoted to her.

***

THE END