Claiming Holly (Holiday Cove 1)

I led the way and the dogs resumed their naps on the rug in front of the couch. I sipped at my coffee and let the caffeine work its magic. The house was too quiet, so I crossed the room and opened the windows and let the sound of the ocean rush inside.

When I turned back from opening the last window, Jack was sitting on the couch, his legs off to the side of where the dogs were napping. I took a step toward him, but stopped short of the couch, suddenly unsure.

He looked up at me, sipping his own cup of coffee. “You gonna sit down?”

I sat on the other end, leaving a cushion between us and polished off the last of my latte. “Ugh, why does this feel so awkward?”

Jack chuckled. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Any theories?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I think,” he started, dropping his voice even lower, “it’s because we’re both so busy fighting off what we really want to do.”

“Oh,” I replied, my lips parting. “And…what would that be?”

He got up and came around to where I was sitting, offering me his hand. I took it, doing my best to keep mine from quivering. He tugged me up from the couch, and I leaned back just long enough to set my empty cup on the side table.

Jack pulled me into his arms, and all the sensations from the night before, flooded back to me in a rush.

“This,” he answered, lowering his lips to mine.

I sighed as our lips met in a kiss that started out as gentle and sweet but quickly turned into a ravenous search of each other. Jack’s hands went to my hips and up the curves of my waist, slowly, like he was burning the sensations into his memory. When his lips went to the hollow under my collarbone, I shivered against him and he groaned, his breath hot against my skin.

My hands searched his body, tentatively at first, but I grew bolder at the response to my touch. His muscles were solid and firm and I could feel every curve and plane through his thin shirt. I slipped a hand under the soft fabric and spread my fingers as wide as I could over his flat stomach. Heat flooded over my body, centralizing between my thighs as I explored the ridges and dips of his carved abs.

Jack pulled the shirt off over his head, and I took a long moment to marvel at his body that would give underwear models a run for their money. “See anything you like?” He asked, his voice low and gravely.

My eyes flew to his and my cheeks warmed. He’d no doubt caught me staring, open mouthed, at his perfection. As my gaze traveled back over his body, I caught sight of a tattoo. A small koi fish, done in black and grey ink, on his right leg. I’d never noticed it before.

“Got that with some buddies a few years ago, after getting home from a tour overseas,” he explained, watching me glaring at it.

“Why a koi fish?” I asked, meeting his eyes again.

“Wild koi swim against the tide, the meaning we chose to take from that was that we’d fight on, against all odds. It represents strength under hardship, not backing away from a challenge, character. That’s what my guys and I stand for. That’s what we fight for.”

I kissed him, the simple poetic words washing over me. It was impossible to listen to Jack talk about serving in the Navy and not get swept away with the passion he held for his job. His service. He was more deserving of the words honor and valor than anyone I’d ever met before. I twinged with guilt as I remembered my first impression of him after he’d told me he was in the service. I’d painted him with the same unflattering labels that my ex had taught me, and I knew I would always regret that. Jack was head and shoulders above my ex. They weren’t even in the same category.

Jack lifted me up and I squealed, completely caught off guard. Hunter barked in my defense, and I laughed. “Oh, look who’s the hero now!”

“Not cool, dude,” Jack said, shuffling around the frantic puppy. “Killin’ my game here.”

I laughed harder, throwing my head back. “Hunter, stop. It’s okay!”

Jack bolted for the stairs, and I grabbed hold of his neck to keep from falling out of his arms as I bounced along. He carried me up the stairs, only setting me down when he’d stepped into the bedroom and shut the door to lock Hunter outside in the hall.

“Poor baby,” I said, frowning at the closed door. “He’s going to start howling, you know.”

Jack grinned at me. “I guess we’ll just have to drown him out.”