With one hand on her shoulder and the other around her waist, she tried concentrating on his touch alone. Grabbing hold of the hand on her stomach, she squeezed, letting him know she was okay. His lips on her neck had her smiling.
Opening her eyes, she looked up to him. In his gaze, she saw so much: passion, life, possession. It was the last emotion that had her closing them again. The intensity with which he watched her left her breathless for a whole other reason.
He wanted to own her.
*****
It had been a long time since he’d felt perfection against his lips, if ever. Having Dee’s soft skin and scent invading his senses had his cock hardening in ways it shouldn’t be. But he couldn’t help it. The shift in his feelings for her was nearly overwhelming.
He’d always cared about Dee but in a familial sort of way. Now, it was purely sexual. The thought of devouring her body, bringing her the purest form of pleasure had his blood boiling out of control. The faster he got her home the better.
They needed to talk about these new feelings they both had for each other. He was sure she’d only ever seen him as a pain in her ass before. But now, she looked at him with a hunger he didn’t even think she understood.
Pulling her alongside him, they went to baggage claim before going outside to wait on his friend Casey to pick them up. The two men had gone to the same high school and grew up as enemies until they’d graduated when they realized just how juvenile they were. Enlisting in the Army Rangers together at eighteen, they weren’t sure what to do with their lives but figured they could protect their country and get an education out of it. Everything was going as planned until an IED attack in Kabul when they were twenty-five. It put Casey out of commission and had them both re-evaluating their lives.
Casey had lost his right leg and spiraled out of control for a few years, supplementing with drugs and alcohol. For the longest time, Dom feared he had lost his best friend, his brother in arms until he’d needed him a few years ago after the whole Brooke fiasco. Now Casey was clean and sober and had finally accepted the hand he was dealt.
It took him some time, but with Dom’s help, he’d taken his life back. Got himself under control. Now he worked with Dom as his research guy.
“Well, looks like you made it back in one piece,” he heard Casey say from behind. Turning, he smiled wide upon seeing the shock in his friend’s eyes when Dee showed herself beside him. “Hot damn, who is this?”
“Don’t,” he growled, completely prepared to take his friend down.
“Ho-ho, it’s like that is it? Okay, okay, I can take a hint but damn.” His eyes kept travelling up and down her body in appreciation. While he understood it, he didn’t like it. Especially when she hid behind him again.
“Case!” he snapped. “Eyes up.”
“Yeah man, sorry. Let’s get your shit and go. Someone’s anxious to see you.”
A puzzled look crossed Deedee’s delicate features. Smiling, he helped her into the back of Casey’s truck before tossing their luggage into the box and climbing in himself.
Case shot him a look basically asking him if she knew. Shaking his head slightly, it was a quiet ride back to the farm they both lived on.
*****
What the hell did that look mean? Deidre wondered skeptically. Dom’s friend was cute in a boy next door kind of way. He had shaggy surfer-type hair, bright blue eyes, and he was tall as hell—standing almost as tall as Dom’s nearly six and half feet. He had a limp as well, that seemed to go with his laid back attitude.
As they left the airport and took an exit onto a highway, she wondered where they were going. She had assumed Dom lived in Baltimore whe
n he said they were flying there but hadn’t thought to ask about specifics.
Leaning forward she whispered, “Dom? Where are we going?”
He turned to look at her and must have seen something he didn’t like because he ran his knuckles along her cheek softly and placed a small kiss on her forehead. “I...we live on a small farm about an hour away.”
“We?” she asked looking between them.
Laughing softly, he told her, “Case lives in another house not far from my own.”
Nodding her head, she sat back looking out the window as the scenery rolled by. She felt her eyes getting sluggish. It wasn’t long before they must have thought she’d fallen asleep because Casey asked, “She doesn’t know yet?”
“No. Now fucking shut it before you wake her up,” Dom growled.
“Yeah, okay. Geez. Your time overseas has you awfully pissy, man.”
“I am. Her father wanted her, yet I’m bringing her home with me.” Dom sounded angry about that.
“Didn’t he send her away? Why does he want her back home?” Case seemed puzzled by that. She was, too.