SEALs Going Hot

You

SEALs Going Hot

by

Desiree Holt

Cerise Deland

Samantha Cayto

Brenna Zinn

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Ride the Mustang

COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Desiree Holt, Cerise Deland, Samantha Cayto, Brenna Zinn

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

Cover Art by Diana Carlile

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

Publishing History

First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2014

Print ISBN 978-1-5092-0202-7

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0203-4

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To the dynamic, efficient staff at

TheWild Rose Press, Inc., our heartfelt thanks!

Ride the Mustang

by

Desiree Holt

Chapter One

Fletcher Mustang Call adjusted the straps on his parachute and leaned back against the wall of the helicopter cabin. Inside the Sikorsky UH-60 chopper, the other members of his team were doing the same thing. Although the cabin could hold eleven, there were only four of them, all that were needed for this mission. The rest of the space was taken up with litters, folded at the moment and waiting to hold any rescued hostages who might be injured.

The team had studied the layout of the Caribbean island where the hostage was being held until every detail was burned into their brains, marking off the location of the hostage and the escape route through the jungle. They’d only have one chance to do this. The first team would parachute onto the compound, breach the building where the high profile executive was being held for ransom and get him the hell out of there. One of the SEALs in the first group would hustle him through the jungle where Mustang and his team would be waiting while the others held off the rebels until their helo lowered to pick them up.

At least that was the plan. Of course, anything and everything could get thoroughly fucked up on one of these pleasure jaunts. They were dealing with so many unreliable variables. All they could do was plan and plan and plan and then execute. And be prepared for all eventualities.

Of course, that was why they were SEALs, right?

Fifteen minutes, their pilot, Drake Shipman, shouted back to them.

Mustang closed his eyes and did his best to settle his mind. The last thing he should be thinking of now was a woman, but unbidden, the latest anomaly in his life danced behind his eyelids. April Coe was so unlike any of the women he spent time with. He worked hard and played hard, with women who knew he was definitely not in it for more than the here and now. And women who enjoyed his particular brand of sex. No emotional commitment. Never again.

Then a voice softer than any he’d heard in a long time turned him upside down.

As always, when he thought of her, the night at the pub in Virginia Beach blasted into his brain. He was just hanging out with a couple of his teammates, knocking back a drink or two celebrating the success of yet another mission. Then Charlie Iceman Harris’s girl had come in with a friend and his life was turned upside down.

****

Hey, guys, Diane Redington said. She took a moment to exchange a hot kiss with Iceman before urging the woman next to her forward. You all know my best friend April Coe. Right?

Hi, everyone.

The voice was what did it. Like a warm breeze, it yanked on his hormones and pheromones and testosterones and every other—ones. Mustang jerked his head up to see who it belonged to and was instantly lost. He stared at the vision in front of him, the petite figure, the rich cascade of auburn hair, and the hazel eyes flecked with gold.

I don’t think we’ve met. Mustang finally got his tongue unstuck from the roof of his mouth and automatically rose to his feet. Fletcher Call. Diane, where have you been hiding her?

Diane laughed. I guess you’ve just never been here when she’s come out with me. Be nice to her, okay?

Nice? Nice? What he wanted was to rip her clothes off right then and there. But he reined in his baser instincts. This woman was different than all the others he met. Even those of Diane’s friends he already knew. Just looking at her practically turned him into a blithering idiot.

Sit down. Iceman, gentleman that he was, stood up and pulled out chairs for the two women, with Diane beside him and April next to Mustang.

April works with me at the law firm, Diane said, looking at Fletch. She’s a whiz of a paralegal who gets stuck with everyone’s work. I finally convinced her it’s okay to come out on a weeknight. You don’t have to wait for Friday. But be careful. She hasn’t been inoculated against SEALs yet.

Her actions gave the lie to her joke about SEALs, however, as she leaned into Iceman and they exchanged a kiss that nearly set the table on fire.

Nice to meet you, April told him in a voice that danced over his skin like angel whispers.

He finally got his jaw off the floor. Same here.

He hitched his chair just a little closer to her, and a subtle fragrance, a mixture of floral and spice, drifted into his space. He was well past the horny teenager stage, but tonight, he sure felt like one. He draped his arm across the back of her chair, barely touching her shoulders, and just that minimal contact zapped his nerve endings. When her full, pouty lips turned up in a smile, his cock sprang to life and tried to hammer through the zipper on his fly.

What the hell?

This was not like him at all. But she had the same innocent but sexy charm as Viv, and the combination was a punch to the gut. He was famous for his iron control at all times, as a SEAL and a man. Yet sitting there, he had an insane desire to strip her naked and do all manner of things to her. He couldn’t help wondering how someone so soft-looking would react to his particular sexual preferences.

Damn!

Don’t do it, he told himself, even as he inhaled her delicious floral scent. Before you get in over your head. Don’t do this again.

But she drew him like a magnet to steel, and before he knew it the words tumbled out of his mouth. How about dinner tomorrow night? he asked. Are you busy?

She tilted her head and pretended to think. Busy? Let me see. Wash my hair? Or my car? The kitchen floor? She grinned. I think I could squeeze you in.

Seven o’clock work for you?

Yes. That will be fine. Give me your cell, and I’ll program in my information.

A hum of excitement skittered through him. A real date. Not a hookup or a night at the dungeon. As he watched her slim fingers punch buttons on his cell to program in her phone number, it disconcerted him to realize that, in his efforts to protect himself emotionally, he might actually have become someone he didn’t like too much.

There. She handed the phone back to him, biting her lower lip. I, um, don’t usually jump at an offer so quickly. She looked at the others around the table. But Diane’s my best friend and Charlie seems like a really great guy. I guess they’d be your recommendation.

He was startled. He needed to be vouched for?

Mustang, you’ve been hanging around with the wrong kind of women. Already he wished it were the next night.

One date, he told himself. One night. Then he’d walk away.

****

What a crock that had turned out to be. She was everything he’d shied away from for the past fifteen years. They meshed on so many levels it astonished him. It amazed him how many shared interests they had and how easy conversation was with her. But April Coe was a forever kind of woman, and he didn’t do forever. Not even a little. He’d vowed never again to open himself up to such emotional pain.

Yet, dumbass that he was, he kept going back. Even thought about taking her for a visit to the Hendersons, the family that raised him after his parents were killed in a plane crash. Maybe she’d like the ranch. Ride horses with him. He could show her the horses sired by the mustang he broke, the one that gave him his name.

Why did he even consider it? Why couldn’t he just break this off like he did with every other woman? After all these years, he hadn’t expected to ever be so vulnerable again, and it frightened him.

Jesus, he was in a pile of shit.

Maybe he should take time to visit the ranch between this mission and the next. He hadn’t been there in a long time. The Hendersons were good about not bugging him, but he owed them a debt of gratitude he could never repay. It just seemed after Viv he shut down on everyone.

Okay. He’d put it on his To Do list. Maybe a few days riding his latest mustang would get his head back in the game.

Thinking about the sweetest month of the year? Iceman teased, breaking into his mental wanderings. The one right after March? First time in forever I’ve seen you trailing after someone with your tongue dragging the floor.

Mustang grunted and did his best to ignore the remark.

Iceman laughed. Okay, pretend you didn’t hear me. His voice sobered. But take it easy with her, okay? I know how you are with women, especially the ones outside the club you go to. April is different. Not to mention the fact she’s Diane’s best friend. Try to remember that and treat her gently.

Treat her gently?

I thought that’s what I was doing, he snapped.

Maybe. Iceman stared at him through his goggles. But this is the longest you’ve been with a woman in years. I keep waiting for you to break it off. Oh, wait. You’re getting to that point, right?

My business, Mustang growled.

Except that Diane will be all over my ass if you make a mess of it. I’ve known you a long time. It’s time you finally got rid of that hair shirt you’ve been wearing for years.

Hair shirt. Was that what he’d been doing? Well, it was no more than he deserved.

He couldn’t remember the last time a woman got to him in any way other than sexually. Anytime he’d allowed it to happen. Not since—Okay, think it but don’t say it. Not since the tragedy. Not since what happened with Viv and his feeling of utter helplessness at not being there when she needed him.

It didn’t matter how many people told him it wouldn’t have made one whit of difference. His anger at himself and the pain went beyond what he’d ever thought possible. A lot of time passed before he was able to finally lock away the compartment in his brain where he kept that memory. And memories of her. It was the last time he gave his heart to anyone. Now he gave only to the SEALs and was damn glad of it.

He had a well-earned reputation as a serial dater, and he liked it that way. No strings. No ties. And if after one or two dates he realized they might not be into his particular brand of sex, he broke it off and spent a few nights at the private dungeon in Virginia. There he could indulge his Dom personality, satisfy his needs without the danger of entanglements. Those women knew he wasn’t looking for anything more than the here and now. And no danger of that dreaded word—relationship.

Then April Coe’s breathy greeting reached deep down inside his gut and jerked back to life again something he thought was dead. She just looked and acted so differently than other women he’d been with. She was so much more, she totally knocked him off his pins.

And that scared the crap out of him. There were just so many traps and pitfalls. She touched hidden parts of him that he wanted to keep buried. And then there was the whole issue of sex. Oh, April was damn hot in bed. Giving and responsive. But there were things he wanted that he’d never brought up to her.

The other women he spent time with knew the score. The ones at the dungeon were there for the same reason he was. The others, his casual dates, he exposed as much of his Dom personality as he felt they could take. But it didn’t matter because it was all short term. That was his style. But keeping the sex compartmentalized with April was becoming a huge problem because the thought of introducing her to his personal world of sexual activity excited him.

He wasn’t sure she’d even heard of BDSM and/or experienced it. But god, he dreamed of binding those luscious breasts with silken rope and threading it between her legs to press teasingly on her clit. Binding her hands behind her so she was helpless to his touch. Spanking that mouthwatering ass until the creamy flesh was a hot shade of red.

She had no idea how much he wanted to let himself go with her. Do all the things that would, hopefully, give both of them pleasure. Would she be shocked if he tried gradually to introduce his favorite games into their lovemaking? Pulled out his handcuffs and paddle? Ordered her onto her knees?

Would it terrify her? Disgust her? Or would she unexpectedly embrace it? He wasn’t sure which option, which reaction frightened him more. Shit. He was getting rock hard just thinking of it, and this was not the time or place for erotic fantasies.

What if she took to it and that became just another invisible cord binding them together? Then what? She would have expectations he had no intention of fulfilling.

So as hard as it was, he held himself back in the bedroom. Not taking that next leap in their relationship, or whatever this was.

Maybe it was finally time for him to walk away before he took that step and it turned out to be a mistake. He was getting in deeper and deeper as it was, something he’d sworn he’d never do again. Not under any circumstances. He was never going there again. He’d barely survived the last time.

No, looking at this long term just wasn’t happening. Been there, done that, threw away the T-shirt. He’d have to figure out a way to ease out of this. And not piss off Iceman or his girlfriend. Crap. He felt like he was back in high school again.

Jesus, how did my life suddenly get so complicated?

Hey, Mustang. Iceman nudged him again, jerking him back to the present. Almost time to get your head back in the game.

Mustang checked the time on his watch. They’d be coming up on the jump area pretty soon. His brain automatically clicked back into mission mode, and he blanked out everything else. Across the cabin, the other members of this four-man team—Jimmy Casino Fong and Alvaro Bandit Diaz—were checking their gear. Mustang and Iceman would jump, the other two would stay in the helo to help rope them and the rescued hostage back up and lay down covering fire if they needed it.

As with the team in the other chopper as well as others at the base at Dam Neck, they had all gone through BUD/S together. When you survived that hell as a group, it bonded you forever. He never doubted they would have each other’s backs. It was what made their missions so successful.

His breathing slowed, and his mind blanked everything but the jump ahead and the landing spot. Once again, he called up the visual of the map, the images of the jungle, its thickness of trees and foliage, and the one spot they could target for the extraction. The other team’s mission was to get the hostage there. That was it. By whatever means. Mustang’s team would retrieve and extract.

The pilot turned and shouted back into the cabin. Five minutes, guys. Get ready.

HALO jumps—High Altitude, Low Opening—were always tricky. They had to estimate exactly when to deploy the chute or they were in a world of hurt. He had done them more times than he could count, but he could never take anything for granted.

At the pilot’s signal, he and his teammates moved to the cabin door and slid it open, pushing against the force of the air outside. And began the countdown.

One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi.

Iceman leaped and disappeared into the dark of the night sky, Mustang right on his heels.

Extending his arms and legs to balance himself, he let his body fall through the air currents, waiting until the last minute to open his chute. They landed in the small clearing he had memorized from the map and pulled in their chutes. Both of them stared into the jungle, listening for the sound of running feet.

Come on, come on. We need to hurry the fuck up.

Five minutes. That was what they agreed based on the time of the other HALO drop. Otherwise, he and Iceman would have to go hunting in the jungle. He alternated between checking his watch and scanning the area. High above, the chopper hovered, waiting for the signal to extract them.

At the four minute count, his ears picked up the sound of feet rushing through the jungle, disrupting the foliage, and then they were there, Cliff Falcon Schrader from the other team and the rescued captive. Mustang pressed the button on his radio.

Come and get us. Now.

The helo flew lower until it hovered scant inches above the ground.

Get your ass in gear, Bandit shouted.

Falcon dragged the pale, bedraggled man to the chopper and practically threw him into the cabin. Falcon heaved himself in as Casino and Bandit took up positions in the open doorway, feet braced on the skids. Mustang and Iceman backed toward the helo, guns at the ready, watching for the enemy. The two of them had just reached the chopper and were being hauled inside when Mustang heard the heavy pounding of footsteps headed in their direction and loud voices shouting. He and Iceman paused and sprayed bullets into the foliage as men emerged.

Haul ass, Bandit yelled. He and Casino began laying down cover fire with their HK MP5N 9mm NATO assault weapons. Mustang and his teammates loved the compact MP5s, developed specifically for the SEALs. The heavy artillery certainly gave pause to the rebels who burst into the clearing. The two SEALs never took their fingers off the triggers as the chopper lifted into the air, only scrambling back inside once they were safely in the sky.

Mustang sprawled on the cabin floor with his teammates, taking deep breaths, weapons by their sides. Mission executed as planned. Falcon looked over their rescued hostage, handing him a bottle of water, checking his body for injuries.

Just another day at the office, Bandit joked. Right?

Without a doubt, Mustang agreed. Didn’t miss a step.

Would he be able to say the same about his relationship with April?

Chapter Two

April leaned back in her chair and rocked her head from side to side, stretching out her neck. She’d been sitting in the same place since morning, taking only a short break for a lunch she’d ordered in. The bankruptcy case she was working on for one of the partners was complicated and involved a lot of interrogatories. Documents that were part of her job to prepare.

She loved the law, its intricacies and complexities. She was sure she didn’t want to be an attorney, but all the prep work fascinated her. And if any of the cases made it to court, she tried to find an opportunity to slip into the courtroom and see the lead attorney in action. Knowing she had a hand in putting a case together was all the satisfaction she wanted or needed.

When the door opened, she looked up to see Diane sliding in, balancing two Starbucks coffee cups. She closed the door with her foot and carried the cups to the table.

Skinny decaf mocha latte, she smiled, handing the cup to April.

You are a goddess, April told her, lifting the lid and inhaling the steam. How did you know this was just what I was craving?

Diane pulled out the chair next to her and plopped into it. Because you’ve been in here all day, and if it was me, that’s what I’d be dreaming of.

Are you okay to take a break now?

Diane nodded. I just have cleanup paperwork left to do. Won’t take me much time at all. She sipped from her container. So what’s with you and the wild horse? You still riding him? Got him broke yet?

Diane! Heat crept up April’s face, and she bent forward over her coffee. We’re just…having a great time.

Uh huh. Diane chuckled. Iceman says he’s a wild man with the women. Like the horse. That’s where he got his code name, you know.

So I hear. She snorted a laugh. From you and too many other people who show way too much interest in my sex life.

Diane grinned. He’s a legend, sweetie.

April tore the corners off her paper napkin. I don’t want you to think the sex between us isn’t great, because it is. Heat crept up her cheeks. She wasn’t used to discussing her sex life, even with Diane. But I’ve had the feeling from Day One he was holding something back.

In the bedroom? You mean he’s distracted when you’re having sex? Damn, April. That sure doesn’t sound like him.

No, no, no. She tucked her hair behind her ears. He’s definitely enthusiastic and inventive. She held up a hand. I know. TMI. But sometimes I get the idea there are things he wants I’m not giving him.

Diane took a sip of her coffee. Are you sure you aren’t just imagining this?

April lifted one shoulder. No, it’s just…a feeling. A certain tension I sense when we’re together. Or sometimes a look I see on his face.

Maybe you should say something to him. It can’t hurt, you know.

I can’t. I’d feel really uncomfortable asking him something like that.

Like what? Diane laughed. "Surely, when the two of you are, you know, in the midst, as they say, you can tell him how much he pleases you. And how much you’d like to please him. So if there’s anything he wants, you are totally open to it. You don’t want him to feel he has to hold back."

If you want to know the truth, I think he’s getting ready to live up to his reputation in more ways than one.

Diane frowned. What do you mean? You think he’s ready to break it off so soon?

Maybe. April shrugged. I think I’m already way past my expiration date.

What? Oh, honey I am so sorry. Diane sighed. I hoped you’d be the one to make him change his habits.

I’m not sure anyone can. She fiddled with her cup.

I’d at least like to think it’s not because of the sex. I know I’m repeating myself, but like I said, I feel as if he’s got some kind of invisible shield around himself where sex is concerned. As if he’s holding something of himself back in bed. Like he’s scared to really let loose.

Can’t help you there. Diane leaned back in her chair and took a healthy swallow of her coffee. I think that’s your department.

April shrugged. I thought we were setting the sheets on fire. But now I get the weirdest feeling the fire’s cooled down. I mean if he wants out of this, why doesn’t he just tell me? Or if he wants more, tell me that.

Diane covered one of April’s hands with hers. If that’s how you feel, you have to make him tell you what it is. It’s obvious the man has feelings for you of some kind or he wouldn’t keep seeing you. Ask him what the roadblock is. Diane studied her coffee cup. I really, really think you should talk to him about it.

April tilted her head. There was something in Diane’s voice that tickled her nerves. You say that like I’m crazy. Is there something you want to share with me?

Diane was silent for a moment. Then she smiled. No. Nothing. But I meant what I said. If you think he’s not giving his all, don’t let him hold back and walk away from you. If you really want to hang onto him, maybe that’s something that could tip the scales in your favor.

Do I want to hang on if he’s ready to leave?

I don’t know, girlfriend. That’s a decision only you can make.

I know, I know. And you warned me about him to begin with, so I didn’t go into this with stars in my eyes. And that’s okay, she assured her friend quickly. I went into this with no expectations. She chewed her bottom lip. It’s just that I have the feeling there really is something between us. That he knows it and is fighting it. And that whatever is holding him back in the bedroom is part of the whole picture.

I wish I had a better answer for you. But let’s say you’re wrong. Are you saying you don’t want it if he offers it? Diane asked.

That’s not the issue. He’s not going to offer. And it’s no good to want something it’s obvious you can’t have. She stared down at her hands. I just wish we could have found something like you and Charlie have. You guys have been together a long time.

Diane’s smile softened. He’s amazing, you know. Charlie, I mean.

I do, and I think it’s great you guys connected. I’ve lived here long enough to know a lot of SEALs never get into that kind of relationship. She took another swallow of coffee, feeling a touch of sadness creep over her. I just don’t think that’s in the cards for me. At least with Fletch. I just wish I knew what the real problem is.

Charlie said something once that made me think he was in a relationship a long time ago. Diane frowned. Only something happened and it ended badly. I don’t know what. Maybe she broke up with him, broke his heart, and now he’s gun-shy.

April sighed. Yeah. I just don’t want him to think—never mind. She swallowed the last of her coffee. I better get back to work. I have one more document to finish before I’m done, and Fletch is coming over tonight. I want time to get ready for him.

Then I’ll let you get to it. But take my advice. Speak up or toss him out. Don’t let this drag on. You be the one in control, okay?

Okay, Mom.

After the door closed again, April leaned back in her chair and stared at the work in front of her. One more hour, then I’m done for the day.

Mustang was coming over for dinner, and she wanted it to be special. To have time to prepare both the food and herself. And maybe to figure out what the invisible wall between them was.

****

That was incredible. Mustang leaned back in his chair and smiled at April.

His smile was always her undoing, hitting right at the center of her being. I’m glad you like it.

Are you kidding? He lifted his wine glass. Lasagna’s one of my all-time favorite comfort foods.

Why don’t you finish your wine, and I’ll clear everything away here.

She’d spent too much time during the meal staring at him, but holy cow! In his jeans, polo shirt, and western boots, he was a mouthwatering mouthful. He had told her about the couple that took him in after the death of his parents. At night sometimes, lying in bed, she could imagine him astride a horse, riding with the wind, as totally in control as he was with everything else.

She needed something to do with her hands. Something to occupy herself. They had both been on edge during dinner, although they had done their best to conceal it. Every so often, she had looked up and caught him watching her with a look in his eyes she couldn’t quite define. It was obvious each of them was holding something back. But if he was trying to figure out the easiest way to break it off with her, she was going to get in her licks about sex first. At least, she’d go out in a blaze of glory.

More than a dozen times, she started to say something to him, then changed her mind. No, she’d wait until they were in bed. She’d been so nervous all day, mentally rehearsing what she could say to him. How she could say it. Trying to figure out what his reaction would be and how she’d handle things if it all went sour.

She had a plan already in her head. Once they were in bed, naked, she’d go to work on him with her mouth and her hands the way he loved. Then, when she had him hanging on the edge, she’d pry it out of him. Because she really wanted answers.

She could hardly concentrate while she put away the leftovers and loaded the plates and silverware in the dishwasher. She had taken great care showering and dressing for tonight. And naughtily left off any panties. When she bent over the dishwasher, the skirt rode up and she knew he could see her bare flesh.

Jesus, April. His breath hissed through his teeth. Are you deliberately trying to drive me nuts?

She turned and gave him what she hoped was a sexy smile. Maybe.

He rose from his chair, all six foot four of him. She looked at him over her shoulder and saw heat burning unmistakably in his slate grey eyes. The muscles in his rough-jawed face were tight with hunger. One large hand cupped her chin, tilting it up so he could brush his mouth over hers. I’ve only satisfied one kind of hunger so far tonight. I need to feed the other.

Someone’s in a hurry tonight, she teased, but she was glad. It made her plan that much easier to put into play.

Someone can hardly ever keep his hands off you, he whispered, nipping the place where her neck and shoulder joined. His hand reached beneath her top and lifted it over her head, tossing it to the counter.

No bra, either. His voice was tight with control. Naughty girl.

I like being naughty, she told him. Maybe that would give him a hint.

His tongue danced over the upper swell of her breasts, pausing to trace a line in the valley between them. When he pulled a nipple into his mouth, she felt the tug all the way to her cunt and had to clutch his upper arms to steady herself.

What do you say we take this out of the kitchen? he murmured in her ear, his voice husky.

O-okay.

She started to push away from him, but he swept her up in his arms and strode with determined steps to her bedroom. Standing her next to the bed, he took a moment to rake his eyes over her. Her skin prickled with the hunger in his gaze, the intensity of it warming her entire body. Just the caress of his eyes always made her liquid and weak. She stood there, powerless as he began to remove the rest of her clothing. And when she was completely naked, her body quivering with desire, he took her mouth in another kiss, this one so ravenous and claiming it actually made her shake.

She closed her eyes, giving herself over to the feelings sweeping over her, feeling Fletch’s big hands as they lifted her to the bed. When she opened them, he was removing the last of his own clothing, kicking his boots to the side and climbing onto the bed with her. When he pulled her into his arms, his body vibrated with tension, the same coiled energy that was always there when they made love.

Holding something back.

No! Not this time.

She wrestled herself from his grasp and pushed him onto his back. He stared up at her, a quizzical expression on his face. What’s up, sweet thing?

April took a deep breath, pulled her thoughts together, and shifted so she was straddling him. Listen to me.

I’d loved to. He gave a shaky laugh. But you’re making it damn near impossible. Could you just lower those sweet breasts a little for me? Or slide that delicious pussy a little closer to my mouth? He licked his lips. You make me hungry. And not for more lasagna.

No. I don’t think so. I’m in charge right now. So pay attention.

His hands tightened on her thighs. Sugar, I don’t think I could do anything else right now. But can we make it quick?

We’ll make it as quick or as slow as I decide, she told him as she slid down his body to kneel between his thighs. I’m calling the shots.

A thrill of power shimmied through her. Maybe she should have shown this side of herself before.

She leaned down and trailed the tip of her tongue up one side of his shaft and down the other.

Don’t move, she ordered, as she cupped his sac with one hand and wrapped the fingers of the other around his thick, swollen cock.

That’s a promise, he told her in a strangled voice. What are you doing?

She looked up at him. If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right.

April licked her lips slowly, pleased to feel his cock twitch against her body. Tonight she was going to take Fletch—Mustang—right to the point of no return, then yank his pass to move forward until he gave her some answers.

What was he hiding? What did he want that he was so afraid to tell her? Show her? She worked his shaft expertly, licking the soft skin covering hard steel and moving her fingers up and down in a slow cadence. The head was now a dark purple, with a bead of fluid sitting on the slit. She flicked it with her tongue, then delved into the slit itself and rasped against the sensitive nerve endings there.

Jesus! Mustang whistled the word through his teeth. April—

Mmm. He tasted delicious as he always did, his musk a mixture of essence of male and some spicy, earthy cologne. She licked him like a lollipop, sucked him deep into her mouth, then slid her wet lips all the way to the root, just the way she’d learned he liked it. One of her hands continued to squeeze and fondle his balls, her fingernails lightly scraping across the sensitive surface.

When his balls tightened in her palm and the pulse in the vein around his cock throbbed harder, she released her hold on him and moved up his body.

Mustang reached for her, but she brushed him aside.

Hands beside you, she ordered. No touching until I say so.

Something flared in his eyes, something unfamiliar and dangerous. Then it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

April drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. So far so good.

Avoiding his mouth, she sucked at the hollow of his throat the way he did hers, knowing how it affected the rest of the body. Then, oh so slowly, she slid lower, a tiny little bit at a time, nipping at his skin and soothing the little bites with her tongue. When she reached his nipples, she took each one in her teeth in turn, biting down on them. He groaned as she swirled the tip of her tongue around them.

Languorously, she trailed her tongue down his body, stopping to trace the indentation of his navel before returning to lap at his cock. Stroking from root to tip and back again, she followed the trail of her fingers with her tongue, pausing intermittently to take the entire length of him in her mouth. She wanted him right on the ragged edge, and he was getting there.

You know what I want, Fletch? She hummed against his flesh, closing her lips around the furled crown of the head before slowly drawing them back.

What? She heard the edge in his voice and knew he was fighting for control. Better tell me quick because I think in ten seconds I’m going to explode.

I want you to take me from behind, she whispered.