Off Base (11 page)

“Get in,” he croaked, crossing to the control panel on the wall.

Watching him curiously, she stepped into the warm tub and sank beneath the surface. When Beck turned on the bubbles a second later, obscuring her luscious body from his view, she nodded. “Well played.”

Darlin’, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Back in the bar parking lot, she’d tipped her hand and now he knew the rampant attraction wasn’t one-sided. The girl had dropped her guard and given him a weapon. He might have been shocked to realize that weapon was him, but he wouldn’t hesitate to use it. Hyperaware of her lingering attention, Beck took hold of his T-shirt and whipped it over his head, tossing it toward her pile of clothes where they lay in a heap on the tile. He unbuckled his belt, sliding it through the loops, before going to work on his zipper. Their eyes locked, and he noted hers had turned a darker shade of green, a perfect complement to the pink traveling over her cheeks.

The hot tub’s hum failed to mask her sharp intake of breath when Beck’s jeans landed at his feet, allowing his dick to bob against his stomach.

“Okay.” Kenna fell back against the submerged wall. “Not so funny now.”

Chapter Nine

Kenna whispered a heartfelt goodbye as Beck’s impressive erection disappeared beneath the water’s surface. Even though Beck had made it clear he wanted them to talk, she still couldn’t believe it when he sat on the underwater bench, which happened to be a good five feet away. She was frustrated, yes. There was no denying her libido had blasted off like the space shuttle when his pants came off, but damn was she turned on by more than his physique. A man who knew how to use the head downstairs while still thinking with the one on his shoulders? Yeah. Those were limited edition. Throw in the way he looked at her, like he couldn’t wait to see what she said next? Hey. He’d sunk Kenna’s battleship.

She’d known he was capable of it, so why had she brought him here? Agreed to spend time with him? Because he’d looked so lost at Bombs Away. As if the world had shaken under his feet and he couldn’t find balance. Remembering the expression that had rooted her in place when she should have been running for the back exit, Kenna felt selfish for attempting to seduce him. Obviously he needed someone to talk to, and she couldn’t see past her own insecurities.
You suck.

“What happened back at Bombs Away?” His head came up, but he stayed silent. Kenna hugged her elbows, completely out of her comfort zone in this hot tub heart-to-heart. “Something to do with that man and your sister, maybe? You looked unhappy.”

“How did you know she was my sister?”

Kenna decided not to impart the sharp sting of jealousy she’d experienced before noticing the resemblance. “You said she worked on base, she has the same shade of dirty blond hair…and you both dip your chin when someone else is talking.”

When she demonstrated the move, his lips twitched. “You’ve been watching me almost as closely as I’ve been watching you, Kenna.” His eyebrows drew together. “The three of us came to Black Rock at the same time, but there was a fourth until two months ago. Xander Gibbons. He didn’t make it home.” He stared down into the fizzing water. “They tell me there’s nothing I could have done, but I
know
. I could have saved a good man. Besides Huntley, he was the best of us.”

“I’m sorry.” The steam rose around them, partially obscuring him from sight. “I won’t try and convince you it wasn’t your fault, even though it wasn’t. You’re the type to shoulder the world, no matter the cause, but I’m so sorry you lost your friend.”

She could see he wanted to believe her—wanted to let her absolve him—but wasn’t quite ready. “Is this why you left with me tonight? Were you feeling bad for me?”

Why would that upset him? “That was part of it.”

Beck looked away. “The first time you came to me, you felt bad because I had no one to welcome me home. After dinner at your father’s…” His laughter was strained. “I was ready to beg for you that night, Kenna. We both knew how much pain I was in to be inside your body.”

“I don’t understand where this is going.”

He moved. Before she could blink, Beck was right in front of her, water lapping against his shoulders. Kenna’s pulse skittered in her veins as heat exploded between them. “Are you here with me because you want to nurture me? Or because you feel better when I’m close?” He dipped his head, granting her mouth the barest of contact. “And because you want this dick.”

Kenna bit back a whimper. “I’m not a nurturer. You have the wrong girl if you think that.”

He shook his head, dragging his lips across hers. “I call it like I see it. You might have done a damn fine job hiding it, but I see right through you.”

“I’m here because I feel better when you’re close,” she blurted in a furious whisper, scared that if he continued his thought, she’d have to acknowledge the truth behind his words.

Her rushed admission drew different reactions from each of them. Beck looked relieved while Kenna knew shock coated her expression. Had she actually admitted that out loud?

“Let’s hear the rest, Kenna.”

Mist from the hot water bathed her lips and she licked it off, giving herself time to calm her out-of-control heartbeat. It didn’t work. She pressed her forehead to his shoulder. “I’m here because I want your dick.”

Beck growled, his tongue traced a path over her ear. “You’re going to get it soon enough.”

She had no time to brace herself before he sank back into the water, putting space between them once again. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The obvious misery on Beck’s face made her feel only marginally better. “Why did I get the feeling you weren’t welcome in your father’s house?” A muscle in his cheek ticked. “I didn’t like it.”

The change of topic had her head spinning. “Wait. What?” Hadn’t they been talking about his dick seconds ago? “
This
is what you wanted to talk about?”

He nodded once. “Among other things.”

She wanted to blow off the line of questioning, but a glance toward the pool had her remembering all the times she’d woken up at the crack of dawn to drive her father to physical therapy. Half the time, she’d passed out on one of the leather benches until he’d finished swimming and wanted to leave, but it had made her feel useful. Like she’d made a difference in his recovery. “I’m welcome there. I just…”
I’ve served my purpose.
“You don’t know what I was like before. It’s a wonder they’ll bring me around polite company at all.” When Beck only watched her with quiet patience, she sliced a hand through the water. “Aren’t you going to ask me what I was like before?”

“I don’t care about before. I care about now.”

Kenna stared. “Why do you care at all, Beck? Shouldn’t it tell you something that my own parents have moved on and done their best to forget the portion of their life that includes me? They would erase me if they could. I’m a necessary evil to them.”

“No.” His harsh tone brought to mind the metal she worked with. “I don’t believe that.”

“You probably believe there’s good in everyone,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “That’s you. Discarding people is a foreign idea when you’re a big, fat war hero.”

“I’m no hero, Kenna.”

She scoffed. “I’ve been here a long time. I can separate out the good men, and you’re one of them. It’s why you can’t just let me go.”

He didn’t look happy. At all. “Explain that statement.”

Fear dripped slowly into her chest. Fear that once she outlined the reality for him, he’d see the truth in her explanation and bail. “My mother trapped my father into marriage by getting pregnant. She worked herself to the bone trying to earn his love and it never happened. Never. He doesn’t have it in him to love someone. His relationship with Tina is all about convenience.” She sucked in a breath. “I represent failure to both of them. My mom thought I could fix what was broken in my father, and I couldn’t. My father sees me as a product of his one and only fuck-up. Now he only makes room for me in his life when it’s convenient.” Her laughter held no trace of humor. “And yet, here I am. Living within walking distance of them both, wondering when I’ll see them next, like some masochist. The truth is, they found something better.”

“You’re not a masochist. You want them to love you the same way you love them.” Kenna didn’t realize he’d come closer until he cupped the side of her face. “You still haven’t explained why I can’t let you go.”

Common sense commanded she push him away. This closeness was too personal and he saw too much, but she couldn’t move under the intensity of his focus on her. It surrounded her like a hot whirlpool. “There are a few reasons.”

He caressed her bottom lip with his thumb, appearing fascinated by the curved feature. “Let’s hear them, so I can shoot them down one by one.”

“You’ve gotten a lot more confident since we first met.”

Beneath the water, their bodies brushed. “I managed to get the beautiful girl to come back for more. That does something to a man.”

Holy shit
, she was turning into a straight-up junkie for his touch. The flesh at the juncture of her thighs contracted, seeking fulfillment. From him. Only him. Still… “We’re two different types of people, Beck. You ring the doorbell to meet your date’s father. I climb out my window and hitchhike to Florida while everyone’s sleeping.”

His sculpted lips lifted at one end. “You’re worth shaking hands over. Worth the time it takes to be read the riot act, Kenna. I’ll always be the guy who wants to show you that.” He dropped a hand beneath the bubbling water and stroked her belly with his knuckles. “That doesn’t mean I won’t choose to show you a different way once we’re alone. And darlin’, I wouldn’t make it to Florida before that happened. Not even half a mile.”

An image of her straddling Beck in the backseat of a car made her short of breath. “Not everyone needs a hero, Beck. Not everyone wants to be repaired.”

“Good. Because you’re not broken.” He gave her a hard look. “I’m sorry the people who love you made you feel that way. They’re the ones who need fixing.”

The precipice beneath her feet had nearly corroded, so she played her trump card. “You’re leaving. Going back to Georgia.”

“You let me worry about that right now.” His stare didn’t waver. “Don’t think about it tonight.”

Not so impossible when he appeared intent on consuming her thoughts. “What do you want me to think about instead?”

Beck slid his knuckles down her belly, over her mound to rub them between her legs. “I can tell you what I’m thinking about.” His breath bathed her damp forehead. “You told me nothing we do is wrong. Does that extend to my mouth, darlin’?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Thank God.” He ground his closed fist against her core and she gasped. “Kenna…I’m thinking I fucked this and now its mine.” She swayed forward and landed against his wet chest. “Before I met you, saying those words would have horrified me,” he grated at her ear. “But when my dick gets hard to be inside your body, I don’t second-guess anything. When we’re not fucking, I will treat you like gold. But right now, all I can think about is wearing out my little bad girl. I want to carry your limp body out of here in my goddamn arms. Do you understand me?”

He pushed two fingers into her pulsing heat, ripping a gasp from her lips. It felt so unbelievably
good.
“I-I guess that means we’re done talking.”

* * *

My girl. Mine.

A category five hurricane tore through Beck and he didn’t bother trying to weather it or minimize the damage. He’d considered himself a reasonable, generous man. A man who saw everything from an objective standpoint. Yet there was no objectivity when it came to Kenna. He wanted to give and take so many things from her, all at once. Wanted to give pleasure, security, reassurance. And he wasn’t too proud a man to admit he wanted those things from her in return.

He looked down into her upturned face and saw the final brick in her wall tumble to the ground, leaving nothing more between them. Good Lord. She had no idea that her guard falling had sealed her fate, did she? Before she’d confided all her secrets, he’d already fallen for her, but the vulnerable girl she’d revealed called to the protector in him. His muscles ached with the need to go to battle for her. Protect her. Make her feel worthy, the way she’d done for him. And
God,
he was possessive. If she only knew how badly he wanted to beat his chest right now at having won her trust, would it scare her? No. No, she’d tell him nothing he felt pressed to do was wrong. Another reason he wouldn’t be letting her go. She accepted every damn thing about him.

Emotion built in his throat until he had no choice but to stop staring at her gorgeous face and kiss her. Her pussy tightened around his fingers when their tongues licked together.
Christ.
The knowledge his mouth on hers could affect her between the legs rocked him, encouraged him to deepen the kiss. She undulated her hips, riding his fingers as he drew them in and out. So warm and wet. Someday soon he would make her come into his palm, but not now. The driving need to be inside her, have her body wrapped around him, demanded satisfaction. His hoarse groan must have betrayed his thoughts because Kenna’s hand found his cock, stroking it beneath the water.

“Harder,” he ground out. “Rough and fast. The way I’m going to take you.”

“
Yes
,” she moaned. “That’s what I need.”

Beck rose from the water and savored the sight of her beneath him on the seat, her hand eagerly working his cock. Redness suffused her cheeks, mouth falling open as she perused him, head to toe. As he reached for his pants on the tile behind her to retrieve a newly purchased condom, her green eyes roamed over his pectorals and stomach before landing where he wanted them, on his heavy erection. It swelled larger under her regard while he applied the latex.

She moistened her lips. “You’re sexy as hell, Beck. You know that?”

Surprise laced through the lust. He’d known she was attracted to him, but to hear it straight from her mouth made him confident and desperate at the same time. Unable to battle his baser urges any longer, he banged his fist against his chest. “Stand up and climb on then.”