Anchors Away~

Shades of Gray

by

Shara Azod

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any
resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.


Copyright© 2009 Anchors Away~ Shades of Gray-Shara Azod
Cover Artist: Shara Azod
Editor: Jennifer Puckett



All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in
print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
reviews. Due to copyright laws you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away.

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

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Navy women everywhere, from ship to shore. Live life to the

fullest, hold fast to the adventure and most of all enjoy.

Love,

Shara

Chapter 1

Grayson saw the women as soon as they walked into the bar. They looked oddly

flighty and cheerful against the general malaise that cast a pall over the bar and its

patrons. Each one of the five had on a brightly colored, barely there excuse for a

sundress, contrasting with the varying colors of their skin. From light gold to deep

mahogany, four of the women fluttered like butterflies, quickly attracting the attention of

the men who hadn’t moved on to greener pastures but had chosen to stay in the

depressing little bar for one reason or another.

It wasn’t that late but the women had obviously been drinking and partying long

before stopping here. Obvious to someone trained to watch people, that is. They weren’t

drunk, just happy – for now. Judging from the drinks they kept ordering and the

flirtatious smiles and cat calls, they were well on their way to not only being good and

drunk, but fucked well by a few of the Navy’s best.

One of the women, the one with light caramel colored skin eyed her friends’

drinks with envy while pretending to drink a club soda. So much for their designated

driver. She’d be drinking before the night was out. The mahogany colored woman was

nursing a beer, not really joining in on the revelry. When a group of men came to join

their table, she actually sat back a little, slowly inching her chair back and away from the

crowd. No one seemed to notice she was far removed from the group, not even

attempting to smile while the others laughed riotously and flirted outrageously. It looked

as if she was waiting to make a break for it.

For a Friday night, the Coronado watering hole had been pretty dead. Usually

there were plenty of women crowding into the place. Groupies with big fake tits, and fake

giggles, crowned with blonde hair compliments of Miss Clairol. It wasn’t so unusual that

some of the usual crowd had found greener pastures for the night, it happened every now

and then. Grayson usually saw it as a blessed relief from the beach bunnies looking to

become the wife of a SEAL. The last thing he wanted was a woman whose only interest

in him was what he did, not who he was.

The five women that had come in together weren’t the only women in the club. It

was just that they were so dramatically different from the other women they drew the

interest of most of the regulars like moths to a flame. One thing that set them apart from

the other females that usually came here was that they didn’t have that desperate air

about them. They weren’t here looking for a relationship, or to brag about bagging a

Special Forces guy. They weren’t groupies, or even all that impressed by the men

surrounding them, which only made the men try harder to impress them.

No these women were here just to kill time and have a little fun and maybe make

a few conquests of their own. Each one of them had active duty military stamped across

them; from the way they walked, to the way they looked a man square in his eye.

Probably only noticed by a few of the older men like himself, they had that “I can kick

your ass if you get out of line” thing going on. Grayson had to smile at the young guns

trying so hard. These women had made up their minds before they even got there. They

were here on a lark. They would play around a little, and then go about their way. A

SEAL pin wasn’t about to impress any of them in the least. It was all in good fun. All of

them except for one.

Grayson really couldn’t explain why she intrigued him. There was something sad

about her. Something beyond the slight frown of her disapproval that suggested more

than the fact she didn’t want to be here. A deep, underlying sadness lurked in her eyes. It

was something that seemed to call to him to make it all better, though he had no idea

why. He had never been attracted to a black woman before. Not so much because he was

prejudiced or anything, the issue had just never come up. He was a southern boy, born

and raised in South Carolina. Interracial dating just wasn’t something that happened in

his tiny home town. Since he had left home, he had never really thought about it before.

But this woman… Well, he was thinking about it now.

This wasn’t just about physical attraction. His dick might be half hard just looking

at her, getting harder by the second, but he wanted more than to just sleep with her. He

sat at his solitary corner table trying to imagine everything about her. What kind of music

did she like? Did she dance around her house in her underwear? Did she have a place of

her own? Did she have a roommate? Did she live on her ship? There was no doubt she

was assigned to a ship; she was every bit the sailor. There was that confident way she

held herself; like she would rip you apart if you so much as looked at her the wrong

way. All the women at the back table had that confidence. Grayson was convinced she

would be the only one who would actually do it.

There was something more that defied explanation, a vulnerability that hurt him

when he looked at her. Given his…quirks, when it came to women, it surprised him. He

did not want her the way he usually wanted a woman. Generally, he might be sexually

attracted, but his interest waned beyond anything physical. He couldn’t stand to have the

women he picked up in bars touch him. He didn’t like the greedy excitement in their

eyes, or the conniving for more than one night, and not because they were into him.

Status, the fantasy SEAL, that’s what they wanted, not real men. But this woman, she

was different in a way he couldn’t hope to define, even to himself. He couldn’t imagine

her caring if he was a big and bad Special Forces guy. She didn’t appear impressed with

the men at her table.

He watched as she scooted her chair back a little further, watching her friends

intently. Yeah, she was about to make a break for it. A rare smile quirked his lips as he

watched her move as if she were the SEAL. She would be long gone before anyone at the

table noticed. He just had to make sure he captured her before she scurried away. He

really couldn’t say why it was important to him; he just knew that he didn’t want her to

walk out of here without him. The prospect of never seeing her again was unacceptable.

Making slow, easy movements so as not to attract her eye, Grayson made his way

to the bar, careful to keep to the shadows. If the woman, who had been drinking the club

soda but was now taking sly sips of her companion’s rum and coke, was the designated

driver, she would probably make a move to call a cab. That meant she would come to the

bar and ask if there was a pay phone around. Then, he would make his move.

Leaning against the battered and nicked pressed-wood bar, he waited for his prey

to come to him. This place really was a dive. The walls were plastered with various

SEAL memorabilia; weapons, flags, campaign badges. Most of the wall art was dusty or

slightly faded. The wood floor was warped a little, hadn’t been waxed in years. Still,

despite the grubby surface, this place was home away from home for many of the men

from NAB Coronado. Grayson found, for the first time in the ten years he’d been a

SEAL, the club didn’t seem to welcome him like it usually did. Instead of that warm,

cozy feeling he usually got, he couldn’t wait to get out of there, with her.

His gaze wandered back to the chair steadily making its way backward. Sure

enough, less than five minutes later she was making her way to the bar.

“Sly, a beer for the lady. Whatever kind she was drinking,” Grayson ordered as

soon as she stood.

“What lady?”

Sly had worked as the bartender here longer than Grayson had been around. At

sixty-five, he was as spry as a man half his age. A former SEAL, he didn’t take to

retirement, so he came to work at the place where he had spent so much of his time when

he was active duty. He also happened to be the owner’s best friend. He was a surly old

bastard, but everyone loved him. He ran a tight ship.

“She’s making her way here now,” Grayson informed him.

Sly looked in the direction of Grayson’s gaze, giving the younger man a

dismissive “Humph!”

“Don’t look like she’s comin’ up here to see you.”

“Just get the beer, old man. It’s my money.”

Sly turned to the cooler to do his bidding, muttering something about wasting

good beer. while Grayson turned his attention back to the woman in question. He had

seen her figure when she came in, but she had sat down so quickly, he hadn’t really had a

chance to appreciate all her curves. Now there was a woman. No skinny stick figure, she

had the shape of a fifties sex kitten. Her hips curved out in a way that had his mouth

salivating, thinking of all the ways he could hang on to them. Her breasts were high and

full, her nipples slightly erect from the chill. No bra, which meant they were perky little

things. Well, not so little. A more than a handful, which was just right. Judging from the

two inch heels, she was just slightly below average height. Probably about five-four, no

taller than five-five. Her legs might not be long, but they were shaped like a runner’s

legs, all carved muscle. They could wrap around his waist and hang on for a rough ride.

All he had to do was convince her to give him the time of day which, judging by

that scowl, was probably the last thing on her mind.

Chapter 2

Bobbi wanted to be anywhere but here. She hated SEALs. They were all a bunch

of arrogant pricks who thought they really could walk on water. The only reason she had

agreed to tag along was because she knew sooner or later, Maria, who was supposed to be

the designated driver, would start drinking. If that girl didn’t watch herself she was going

to wind up in DAPA – the Navy’s Drug and Alcohol counseling service.

It was supposed to have been a fun night out. At least that was the way it had

started out. Until Carmen got the idea to come to Coronado to pick up some SEALs. It

was a challenge to her friends. Supposedly, SEALs didn’t date regular old Navy women.

They went for the prissy, perfect, California girl type. None of them could honestly claim

to be that. There wasn’t a blonde among them. They called themselves the International

Girls Club, all except for her hailing from some exotic locale. Maria was Dominican,

Trina was half black, half white from Jamaica, Carmen was half Hispanic, half Filipino

from Hawaii, and Tara, the silent one, was from Belize. Bobbi sometimes felt like a

simple daisy among exotic flora, but they were her best friends, never making her feel

less. It was just her nature to always feel a little on the outside despite knowing they

loved her.

Bobbi was from Jacksonville; a Navy brat born and raised. Bobbi had lost her

only parent, her father, when she was eighteen. She had joined the Navy as soon as the

ink was dry on her high school diploma, though being female she couldn’t follow in her

father’s footsteps. He was a submariner; and there were no women on submarines.

Something about close quarters and women’s cycles kept that option closed. Because her

father’s job required that he be away from home so much, Bobbi had pretty much raised

herself. There had never been any doubt what she would do when she was old enough. It

was the only life she knew.

That was neither here nor there right now. At this second, all she wanted to do

was to get the hell out of here. She’d call the girls in the morning. It looked like they had

a ride home tonight so they didn’t need her. She’d quietly lifted Maria’s keys, though she

would probably leave the car here anyway. They could come back for it tomorrow. She

just didn’t want the crazy ass girl thinking she could drive anywhere.

Easing back, Bobbi made her way from the table toward the bar. She would get

the bartender to call her a cab. Thankfully, there weren’t many people in this little hole-

in-the-wall. With a little luck, she would be well away before her friends noticed she was

no longer at the table. No one was paying much attention to her, so more than likely no

one would notice the little black chick sneaking out. She wasn’t exactly the type of

woman the men here were into. She wasn’t exotic or mysterious. She was just a regular

woman, with slightly above average looks and no special attributes or skills.

Not that she was down on herself or anything. She liked who she was. She liked

her life, more or less. There were so many people uncomfortable in their own skin. She

had no problems facing herself in the mirror in the morning. She just knew what she

wasn’t.

Making her way to the bar, she leaned over to speak to the bartender as quietly as

she could. “Excuse me? Can I use your phone?”

“Why don’t you drink your beer first, then I’ll take you home.”

Bobbi jumped at the deep, definitively southern drawl. Turning quickly, she

gasped at the man by her side.

He wasn’t a bear of a man, but he was big. There was something darkly

dangerous about him. Every inch of his wiry frame screamed Special Forces, from those

piercing blue eyes to the jagged one inch scar that graced the left side of his face. He was

tall, over six feet by about four or five inches, his dark hair close cropped so that it was

impossible to tell whether it was naturally curly or straight. She couldn’t really tell if it

was black or just dark brown from the weak, muted light.

“I didn’t order a beer.” She felt like an idiot as soon as she said it. Thankfully, he

didn’t comment, just set a cold beer in front of her.

“I ordered one for you.”

He didn’t smile, didn’t come up with any corny pick up lines. He just stood there,

crowding her space, waiting. But, for whatever reason, she was neither annoyed nor

uncomfortable with his closeness. It felt kind of nice, actually. Bobbi wasn’t the touchy-

feely type, so the fact he was standing so close should have unnerved her. It didn’t.

Maybe because he was actually cute, in a dangerous, bad boy kind of way.

“Uh, thanks.”

She should have politely refused; she had no idea why she didn’t. Instead she

simply picked up the bottle and took a swig. She didn’t bother to wonder how he knew

what she was drinking. He was a SEAL, after all, it was his job to notice things. Why the

hell hadn’t she noticed him standing there?

“Are you going to tell me your name, or should I guess?”

Well, hell, he was being playful. She supposed one could probably never tell by

the seemingly perpetual serious expression, but there was something in the subtle shift in

his stance, a slight gleam in his eyes that clued her in. His eyes never left her face, as if

he was looking for something. Bobbi shivered under his scrutiny. This man was asking

for a hell of lot more than her name. She wasn’t all together sure she was prepared to give

him any of it.

“My name is Bobbi.”

“Bobbi as in Barbara or Roberta?”

“Bobbi as in Bobbi.”

When he cracked a smile, Bobbi actually got goose bumps. He looked downright

edible when he smiled like that. Or maybe like he would be eating her. Oh, the nasty

thoughts that immediately flew through her mind.

“Well, Bobbi, I’m Grayson Calhoun.” He didn’t offer his hand or anything, just a

wicked little half smile. “My friends call me Gray. Are you almost done with that beer?”

He was serious; he wanted to take her home. She was no dummy, she knew

damned well why. It shocked her. She didn’t usually attract guys like him. Not that she

was a dog or anything, but men usually propositioned her friends before even noticing

her. She got the quiet types, or the ones looking to see if they could ruffle her cool

façade. This dude was a one hundred on the scale from one to ten. Plus he was a SEAL.

She hated SEALs. Funny how that didn’t seem to matter much right now.

Bobbi was going to go with him. Stupid beyond measure letting some guy she just

met take her home, but she was not one to ever lie to herself. The physical attraction was

immediate and hella strong. Even though he wasn’t touching her, she could feel his body

heat bathing her skin in its warmth. His scent made her want to bury her face in his neck

and let him protect her from the world. A woman knew within a few minutes whether or

not she was going to sleep with a man, she just had to decide when. There was no doubt

she was going to sleep with him, and he looked none too patient. How unusual. Yep, she

was going to dive right in.

Bobbi was a mature, modern woman. She was not one for one night stands often,

but she’d had a few. Hell, she was a sailor in the United States Navy; it was in the

contract or something. She knew enough to be careful and to how to protect herself. She

might regret this, but she doubted it. He looked far too intense to be a dud. Plus he never

took his eyes off of her, she liked that. Right now she was the center of his universe.

Yeah, she could handle that

–

for tonight.

“I’m done with the beer,” she declared setting the half full bottle on the counter

and turning to face the hottie she would probably never see again after tonight. Crazy,

stupid, dangerous, and she was so going to do it.

“After you.” He moved around her, waving his hand toward the front door and

effectively blocking the view so her friends wouldn’t see her leaving. Nice move.

He was right behind her the entire way. It wasn’t until they were out the doors

that he reached out and touched her.

It was nothing really, just his very large, very warm hand on the small of her

back. She could feel the heat through the light cotton of her dress. It wasn’t remotely

sexual, yet her juices started to flow with a vengeance. The goose bumps on her arms had

nothing to do with the breeze from the nearby ocean. She almost groaned at the loss of

contact when he opened the door of his jeep.

“Do you want to go straight home?”

It was a casual question, but the voice held a promise she wanted kept. Licking

her lips nervously, she gathered her courage to reply. “No.”

There she said it. It was on. The sardonic smile sent another chill down her spine.

Had she made the right decision? Her eyes traveled across his profile and down his body

to rest in his lap. She could make out a thick ridge outlined down the right side of his

jeans. Oh, hell yeah. Just as she licked her lips once more, the damned thing twitched, as

if basking in her gaze.

Bobbi swung her eyes upward and to her mortification found him watching her

surreptitiously. Her face flamed as she quickly averted her gaze to the passing scenery.

They had already gone over the Coronado Bridge and were headed towards the

downtown area on the 5 freeway. She hoped like hell he wasn’t taking her to one of those

pretentious clubs downtown. She held her breath when he got off the freeway on First

Street, but instead of taking one of the many side streets off of Broadway, he headed

straight toward the wharf. A moonlight walk?

She was nervous as a virgin on her first date by the time he pulled over to park

near the Waterfront. There were a smattering of small boutiques and shops overlooking

the bay, most were closed now, but there were a couple of restaurants and an arcade still

open. She sincerely hoped he wasn’t going to suggest one of the restaurants; there were

so many knots in her stomach there was no way she could keep any food down.

“Walk a while with me?”

There was nothing guileless about those baby blues of his. They twinkled with

mischief and a slice of danger that sent a shock of a thrill right up her spine. Did he even

know he didn’t have to plot, plan or even try that hard. Hell, they could’ve gone straight

to her apartment.

Well, maybe not her apartment. She was a little weird about bringing men home.

Still, the battle was won, he was already in, but if he wanted to go through the motions,

she was game. Besides, ending the pre-game show would be such a waste of his southern

charm.

Chapter 3

The scenery was perfect. The reflection of the moon on the Pacific was romantic,

the few couples milling about along the boardwalk gave just enough privacy so he could

get to know her a little better, but enough people to give her a sense of security. It was

important that Bobbi was as comfortable as possible.

Well, hell. He was starting to think of the night like some kind of siege. This had

suddenly become a mission to get under her natural defenses. He had planned on taking

her home, but somewhere during the drive, he had changed his mind. He didn’t want to

take her to the small cottage he used when he picked up women. It wasn’t really his

home, just the place he kept for days when he had to be at the command late or early, and

the place to take nighttime entertainment. This woman was anything but that. His real

home was a three story place right on the water on Shelter Island. Grayson had every

intention of taking Bobbi there, just not tonight.

Gray got the distinct impression Bobbi didn’t expect more than a quick one night

stand from him. Not that he could blame her; he did come off as a guy looking for a little

fun. She didn’t strike him as the type that went for one night stands, but for whatever

reason, she had judged him safe enough for that. He wanted her to feel safe enough for

what he really wanted. That would take a while. How and why he had decided he didn’t

want to sleep with her tonight was a mystery. He just knew that if he took her to bed, it

would be over before he got to know her. He really wanted to know Bobbi. It was

becoming more imperative with each passing second.

There was something solitary about Bobbi. Some place she kept hidden deep

inside. Gray wanted to know who she really was, not just the tough Navy chick she

projected to the world. What were those secrets behind the sorrow buried deep in her

eyes?

“Tell me about yourself, Bobbi…?” He held her hand and tugged her ever so

gently into the crook of his arm. She didn’t try to get away or tense

–

good sign. She

came into his embrace like she was born in it. Damn, he liked that. Why was it he didn’t

like to cuddle again? He couldn’t seem to remember.

“Bobbi Nelson,” she offered, but Gray had a feeling she would offer little else. He

was right. “There’s nothing much to tell. I’m in the Navy, but you probably figured that

out. I’m a second class Crypt Tech, an only child, Navy brat. As soon as I graduated from

high school and I joined the Navy. That’s about it. And you? Other than being a big, bad

SEAL, tell me a little about yourself.”

It wasn’t even close to being it, but he’d let her get away with it for now. It was a

neat little deflection she had just done there

–

downplay anything about herself and flatter

the dude she was with. How many men had let her get away with that? Why would any

man let her get away with that? There was a wealth of things left unsaid, and she really

expected he wouldn’t be interested to scratch beneath the surface. Gray was a hard man,

he knew that. He was dominating in everything he did, including relationships, not that

he’d had many. She’d learn that about him later. He wanted to make sure she would be

woman enough to handle it. Not that he doubted it for a second.

“You don’t like SEALs much, do you?”

“It’s not that I don’t like SEALs exactly…” she started to hedge, but there was no

way he would let her get away with that one.

Stopping, he turned her to face him. Damn, she was really beautiful in a quiet,

reserved kind of way. Everything about her screamed cool, calm and collected at all

times. He didn’t want her quiet and reserved. He wanted to see that calm shattered, the

cool turned into a blazing inferno, he wanted her to come apart in his arms. He wanted

that hellcat he sensed lurking just underneath all that careful control.

“Don’t ever lie to me, sugar. There’s no reason for it.” He edged his voice with

just a touch of control, just a little to see how she’d react.

Her head dipped just a bit, biting her bottom lip. Fuck! The slight submissive

gesture had him standing at attention in a heartbeat. His yearning to crush her to him was

acute, but he knew he had to hold off. Damn, he wanted this woman!

“No, I don’t like SEALs in general. They usually just piss me off.”

Gray had to smile. Yeah, she had a bit of submissive in her, but she was no push

over. It was sexy as hell to find a woman with the right mixture. He was right to take her

here instead of rushing into something sexual. He was intrigued.

“I don’t blame you,” he lifted her head so he could place a light, fleeting kiss on

those delectable lips. Like having the merest sip of wine, he wanted more. The tiny

appetizer only whetted his appetite for the full course. “I don’t like most of them much

either.”

Instead of delving too deep too fast, Gray turned the conversation on to lighter

things. He was still digging, but he didn’t let her know that. From what he could get out

of her, he saw that Bobbi had led a pretty solitary life. She more or less left to raise

herself while her father concentrated on his career. He found his heart going out for the

little girl who let herself into the house after school, who learned to bake her own cookies

because no one else would bake them for her. She didn’t even realize how much she was

letting slip past those walls she had erected around herself. The moonlight walk had been

an inspired idea. He had probably found out more about her than most people who were

close to her had ever known.

Bobbi brought out the protective bear inside him. She had a way about her that

made him want to hold her close and keep her safe. He wanted to fight all her battles, but

she wasn’t the kind of woman who would allow that. She had no idea that just made him

twice as determined to do it anyway. This was the kind of woman men waited a lifetime

to meet. She was a challenge, not because she played hard to get, but because she was

determined to do it all on her own. She practically dared a man to make her depend on

him. And he had thought he was in for a long, boring night.

By the time they reached her apartment in South Park, Gray was half in love.

“Do you want to come inside?”

More than anything in this world, but it was too soon. He had to keep telling

himself that. His fingers played with a wisp of her hair. If he stepped inside, he would be

all over her.

“Not this time,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her lightly. “I wouldn’t want to

leave.”

There went that dip of her head again. With a groan he had to force himself to

take a step back.

“Maybe you don’t have to leave.”

As much as his dick approved, Gray recognized he was playing for something

beyond this moment.

Another quick kiss and he took another step back. “Lock your doors, sweetheart.

And draw your curtains.”

She didn’t argue, thank the Lord. He wasn’t sure he had enough control to say no

if she insisted. But she didn’t.

He waited until he heard the lock sliding in place and the chain clicking before he

moved. Had to make sure his woman was safe.

The thought made him pause and smile. His woman. Yeah, he liked the sound of

that.

Chapter 4

“What the hell happened to you last night?”

Well, Carmen didn’t look any worse for wear, though Maria looked like she

might be nursing a pretty massive hangover. Her girls had been banging on her door at

nine o’clock this morning, all wearing the clothes from last night. Bobbi had been in the

middle of a delightful dream starring one Grayson Calhoun. That man was seriously

deadly to a woman who just happened to be in the middle of a serious drought.

“Met someone,” was all she offered. She wanted to keep the knowledge of her

new friend to herself for minute, at least until she saw where it was going.

“Yeah? Who? Was he cute?” Marie croaked then groaned, burying her head in her

arms.

Bobbi didn’t feel the least bit sorry for her. The chick needed to seriously slow

down. She was about to give some noncommittal answer when her cell rang.

“Hello?” She didn’t recognize the number. Normally she wouldn’t answer, but it

was better than dealing with her friends right now.

“Did I wake you?”

Grayson! He was the last person she expected to hear from, at least not this soon.

“No,” she answered waving her friends off and retreating to the bedroom and

closing and locking the door. “I’ve been up for a little while.”

Ten minutes, but who was counting?

“Do you have anything planned today?”

If she did she would cancel. “No. Why?”

“I want to see you.”

Wow! Just like that. No “I wanted to see if you’d like to hang out” or anything

with the tiniest bit of subtlety. Just straight out “I want to see you.” That was hot! Who

knew she’d find the manly man type so damn compelling.

“Yes.” Like she could say no. “When?”

“Twenty minutes. Wear a dress.”

Short, sweet and to the point. She got a little wet at the short, crisp command-like

request. It wasn’t disrespectful or even intimidating really. But it was damn sexy.

“Would you please wear a dress?” she teased. She couldn’t let him get all bossy

right from the jump. Yeah, she liked it, but she didn’t really know him. He needed to

work up to that.

“Bobbi, would you please wear a dress for me? You look so sexy in a dress,

sugar. I just want to look at you all day long. ”

Ah, shit! His voice dropped a couple of octaves, his southern accent coming all

out to caress each word. She had to press her thighs together to relieve some of the

throbbing ache brought on just by his words.

“Was that little moan for me?” His question made her heart skip a beat.

Had she moaned?

“What moan?” Well, hell. Her voice was all breathless and…quite frankly, horny.

What kind of man could turn her on like this just by talking to her? Geez, how desperate

was she?

“Bobbi, are you…Never mind. I’ll see you soon.”

He was pulling back, just like he’d done last night. She knew something deeper

was percolating inside his head, but he refused to come out with it.

“Am I what?” She wasn’t letting this go. “Please tell me.”

Normally, never in a million years would she go all girly and pleading like that,

but damn it she wanted to know! What exactly was he thinking, and was it half as

naughty as what she was thinking?

There was a pause, then she could have sworn she heard him shift his body.

Hmmm, getting comfortable or readjusting that magnificent bulge she caught sight of last

night?

“Are you wet?”

Just like that. Damn, her clit actually jumped at the growled question.

“Yes.” No point in lying. What would he say next?

“Have you touched yourself?’

She was now. Reaching down she pressed two fingers against her clit through her

underwear. The pressure was nice, but nowhere near enough. “I am now.” But I wish you

were doing it for me.

“Over or under you panties?”

Damn, his voice had gotten all gravelly. She slowly rocked her fingers from side

to side, pushing her hips upward. “Over.”

There was a groan, then a definitive rasp of a zipper. Her nipples hardened, her

mouth watered at the thought of him touching himself while listening to her. “Are you

touching yourself?” she dared to ask. It excited the hell out of her.

“Yes.”

Man, she would kill to see that! Just imaging it was enough to send her fingers

wandering under the band of her now sopping panties. “Is it hard?” What a stupid

question! She wished she could take it back.

“Oh, baby, I’ve been hard since I first saw you.”

Okay, that just took her breath away. Grayson was one hell of a good looking

man, scar and all.

“Rub you clit for me, Bobbi. Rub it in little circles, then pinch it between your

fingers.”

“Oh, shit!” she exclaimed, following his instructions to the letter. A bolt of raw,

unabashed need shot through her system, making her desperate for deeper penetration. “I

need more!” Was she seeking his permission? She wasn’t really sure.

“Go ahead, sweetheart,” his gruff command thrilling her every bit as much as her

fingers. “Dip those fingers inside. Tell me what you want. Tell me how it feels.”

“So good!” Wow, she was really doing this; with her friends blasting her

television in the other room and everything. “I want to feel you inside me. I feel so good,

but it’s not enough!”

She needed something thicker than her fingers. She was working them frantically,

her thumb circling her clit, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt he would be so

much more fulfilling.

“I know, baby. Come for now. I’ll take care of you later I promise.”

And just like that, she did.

*****

It may not have been the first time Gray had ever had phone sex, but it damn sure

was the hottest. For the rest of the day all he could think about was how she sounded

when she came. The cute little “Oh!” was all it took set him off like a geyser. It was

damned hard not to make her do it again, but in person this time.

In the end, it was the underlying something in her eyes that helped keep his libido

in check. The damn lurking melancholy was starting to drive him up a wall. He wanted it

gone, permanently. A woman like Bobbi should never be sad. She should be wreathed in

smiles at all time. She should be treasured, secure.

He managed to hold off for several more dates, getting to know her little by little.

The more he knew, the angrier he got. Her mother had abandoned her and her father

when she was two, and her father wasn’t much better. No wonder she was so damn

reserved; there had never been anyone she was particularly close to. She was even a bit

standoffish with her friends.

Gray was more determined than ever to place a smile in those deep brown eyes of

hers. It had become a sacred mission.

But Bobbi had to completely comfortable with him. He wouldn’t dare take her to

bed before he’d gained her trust. He didn’t want a simple vanilla affair. He wanted to

show Bobbi all that he was, and have her accept it. He wanted to show her all that she

was. To do that, she had to believe he would never hurt her.

It was killing him though. The kisses at the door, the electricity when he touched

her, most especially the invitation in her body language. Hell, all he had to do was look at

her chest long enough and her nipples where popping out right at him. They were all

perky and proud, demanding his total attention.

Soon, he kept promising himself, just a little while longer.

*****

Bobbi was dead tired when she came home from pulling a twenty-four hour fast

cruise at the pier. Whoever thought up the bright idea of acting as if a ship was underway

while still firmly anchored to the pier for the sole purpose of training ought to be shot. It

would have been better if the ship had gone out into the channel, or circled around San

Diego harbor for the day. Being stuck onboard acting as if you were in the middle of the

ocean, while being able to see the gates that led to freedom, was a special kind of torture.

Chapter 5

“You coming to the picnic this Saturday?”

Grayson looked up from the BUDS candidate reports he had been staring at

absently without really reading. He supposed he should have been grateful to Taggard, a

fellow instructor and sometimes party partner, for the interruption. Bobbie Nelson was

playing havoc with his mind. He had been seeing her for all of two weeks, not nearly

long enough to form any real bonds, but he couldn’t keep her off his mind. Whenever he

wasn’t with her, he was thinking about her; her smile, her laugh, the way she cocked her

head and stared straight in his eyes. Not to mention that killer body that had him in a

constant state of arousal.

The sexual tension between them was unreal; but there was a deeper connection

too. Whatever it was about her that had his nose wide open, he knew it was not a passing

thing. For a man not into anything beyond physical gratification, she had rewritten his

view on things. He wanted a long-term relationship. He wanted to be a permanent fixture

in her life.

Why that little fact didn’t freak Grayson out, he didn’t know. Never one to run

from the facts, he embraced it and settled down for the long siege. He doubted he had the

patience for it but he was fighting to hold on. He wanted her now, or he was going to go

crazy. The deeper he got to know her, the more he wanted her. Everything about Bobbi

turned him on. All things ranging from her commitment to her job and the Navy, to her

quirky, dry, sometimes sarcastic sense of humor made him hotter than hell. Usually, the

more he got to know a woman, the further he wanted to get away from her. Not so with

CTO2 Bobbi Nelson. The more he got to know about her, the more he wanted her. And

this was the weekend he had decided to do something about it.

Grayson had plans to spend the weekend with Bobbi. The picnic would give him

the perfect excuse to ease her into being around SEALs and their families. Even if they

were a family of two, Gray wanted that with Bobbi. He could see himself walking up

next to her, coming home to her. Not that he expected her to be the perfect little stay

behind wife so many of his fellow SEALs had. There was no way in hell she was going

to give up her career. That, too, gave him a hard on. Knowing no matter what, his woman

could stand on her own two feet was an enormous relief.

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he finally answered, a hint of wry amusement twisting his

lips.

Taggard’s eyes narrowed at his friend, Grayson knew it probably had to do with

how distracted he had been lately. A good woman would do that to a man, he was

finding. One day, Taggard would undoubtedly discover this all on his own.

“What’s up with you lately?” Taggard worked up the nerve to ask.

Grayson was not known for being very forthcoming about his life. He tended to

be closed-mouthed about all things personal. Even with the guys he hung out with, guys

like Taggard, whom he had trusted with his life on more than one occasion, he just didn’t

seem able to open up. Mainly, because there wasn’t much to be open about. Both of his

parents had died a while back, he had no other family to speak of. He had never really

had a serious relationship. He was kind of a loner; hell, he even maintained two places of

residence. One, he used for hanging out with the guys, beer bashes and the like. The place

on Coronado everyone believed to be his primary residence was also where he took most

of his dates. This would not be the place he would be taking Bobbi this weekend.

His real home, the place where he found peace and solitude, was his place in

Shelter Island right on the bay. He could walk out on his deck and get into his boat and

take it out for a spin or set off for some quality fishing. Although it was listed in his

official paperwork, no one knew about it. His parents had really good life insurance,

leaving him a healthy little nest egg. Years spent on assignment or living in the barracks

had allowed him to save up enough for his little slice of heaven. He couldn’t wait to share

it with Bobbi. She would be the only other person to walk through the doors since he

bought the place a year ago.

“Nothing is up with me,” Grayson lied smoothly, closing the files and locking

them in the filing cabinet. “I will be at the picnic…with a date.”

Grayson smiled again at Taggard’s open mouthed gape, but didn’t pause on his

way out the door to comment.

It took longer than he expected to go home, shower, and change, so it was near

eight at night before he got to Bobbi’s apartment in North Park. Since she didn’t own her

own car, he parked in her parking spot in front of the building. North Park was a typical

working class neighborhood; not really bad, but not really good either. He really didn’t

like the fact Bobbi lived here alone, especially since her apartment complex didn’t even

offer a security gate in the front. There was one in the back that led to the alley, but it was

so easy to get into if one was determined, there might as well be nothing there at all.

Admittedly, he had canvassed the neighborhood one night after dropping her off.

He was more than a little concerned about the guy living in the apartment complex next

to hers. Her bedroom window faced his, and the telescope in the guy’s window was

aimed directly at Bobbi’s. Grayson knew for a fact she kept the curtains drawn most of

the time, but the complex had a history of losing their central air, and on those nights, she

cracked the window and left her curtains cracked open.

He had mentioned the situation to Bobbi, but she seemed unconcerned. She

seemed to be convinced the guy couldn’t see in, so there was no problem. Grayson hadn’t

stayed alive this long ignoring the nagging sensation something wasn’t right, so he made

a note of it and promised himself he would look into this person very soon.

Although he was later than he intended, he was early for his date. They had

agreed he would pick her up at nine. His reasons for wanting to be at her apartment early

were twofold. One, he wasn’t planning on either of them coming back here after dinner,

so he needed to make sure Bobbi packed a bag. But the larger reason was he wanted to

catch her before she got dressed. Being on time or even a few minutes early meant she

was fully dressed and ready to go. He wanted to catch her a little off balance just once.

Bobbi was far too balanced as it was.

He wasn’t disappointed. Bobbi answered the door fresh from the shower; her

shoulder length dark brown hair was swept up on the top of her head, she was wearing

nothing more than an oversized t-shirt, wet splotches causing the thinning cotton to cling

to her skin in the most interesting places.

“You’re really early,” she smiled in welcome, opening the door wide for him to

enter.

Grayson wanted to smile back, he really did, but there were several little problems

screaming on the inside of his skull. He knew she was sexy as hell, but he hadn’t really

been prepared for Bobbi raw, without any artifice. Though she used make-up sparingly

and her clothes had a tenacious tendency to cling to that heavenly figure, like this she was

jaw dropping. Dressed in just a t-shirt, a wet one at that, made her look so damn fuckable

he was hard pressed not to do it right here and now. Just the sight made it hard to

concentrate, but there were a couple of things they needed to get straight.

“Nice shirt,” he managed to croak out without sounding quite as hard up as he

felt. Damn, how long had it been since he had been with a woman? Had there really ever

been a woman before Bobbi?

Bobbi, at least looked sheepish about her choice of clothing. It was definitely a

man’s shirt, and it damn sure wasn’t his. That was not going to do at all. From the

moment he saw her in that damned bar, there were no other men for Bobbi. Maybe he

was going to have to explain it to her real slow and easy like. Oh, the possible

punishments to be had.

“I have a thing for men’s shirts,” Bobbi shrugged and made to turn away.

Grayson wondered idly if he had not been clear enough about his certain

predilections. He had tried, in little ways, to let Bobbi become aware slowly, like a

gradual awakening to the kind of man he really was. If he had thought for a second she

wasn’t predisposed to his distinctly dominant nature, he would have eased off. Not

backed away, but gone even more slowly, though it would have killed him. But she

hadn’t. With each gradual claim of dominance over the smallest of things, she gave in

gracefully, and in most cases, gratefully.

He wasn’t the type of asshole who had to have a woman do exactly what he said

when he said how he said it, but he was dominant to the extreme, and his woman would

never wear another man’s shirt.

He could have asked who the former owner of the shirt was, but he didn’t really

want to know. Besides, he had already established, at least in his mind, there was no other

man in Bobbi’s life as of right now. Not past, damn sure not present, and never, ever in

the future.

It took little to turn her around to face him. She lifted a raised brow in question,

but didn’t stop him as he lifted the garment from her body, realizing too late the effect it

was going to have on him.

Bobbi in clothes was sexy and intriguing, Bobbi all wet in a t-shirt was enough to

steal a man’s breath from his lungs, but Bobbi bare could start a war. Grayson stood there

for a full minute, unable to look away, unaware he had the shirt clinched in his fist like he

was holding on to a lifeline, and uncaring that his mouth was hanging wide open.

He had heard about hourglass figures, seen pictures of some, but had never really

witnessed such a perfect sample in real life. Her breasts were every bit as high, full and

perky as they hinted underneath clothing, each black cherry tinted nipple tilting up ever

so slightly. Her waist curved inwards only to flair out again giving her hips that “dare you

to hold onto them” look. But what really knocked him for a loop was the perfectly shaved

mound, with the slightest short-cropped airstrip pointing straight to paradise.

Well, damn.

He watched his fingers reach out, shaking in anticipation, to stroke the smooth

contours of her flesh. No, not shaved

–

waxed.

“Holy hell,” Grayson whispered, just before dropping to his knees.

Chapter 6

Bobbi knew Grayson had been getting more and more possessive lately. Not in a

bad way, that made a woman move to a different city, cut her hair and change her name.

He was possessive in a way that made a woman feel special, appreciated. Never in her

wildest dreams had she expected much more than a quick roll and a thank you when she

had agreed to go with him that night at the SEAL bar.

Man, was he ever proving her wrong. He called every day, once in the morning

right around the time she should be waking up, and once at night right as she was going

to bed. She saw more of him than she did her friends, which was a major bone of

contention with the jealous heifers right about now. When he found out she didn’t have a

car, he showed up every morning to drive her to the base. It showed his sweet, sensitive

side, the one he didn’t really like to show. She secretly smiled at the way he seemed to be

shocked to find himself doing these things, or holding her hand as they walked along the

Waterfront, or Downtown after a dinner. There were times when he would stop dead in

his tracks and stare down at where their hands connected, as if he was at a loss show how

they got to be entwined like that.

The first time he had done it, was a few days after they had met. He came over,

unannounced, the next day to take her to lunch, which morphed into spending the entire

afternoon and half of the night together. After walking around the Downtown area for a

while, they settled for an Indian restaurant for dinner. Just before they had made it to the

restaurant, Grayson stopped at the corner and looked down at their hands. Bobbi tried

pulling her own hand free, not wanting to lead him to think she thought there was

something more going on than there actually was, but his grip had tightened on hers,

refusing to let her go.

“Don’t” he had commanded. “Don’t pull away from me.”

He had been staring down while he said it, but the authoritative command barked

in that rich bass melted her insides. He hadn’t been an ass about it, just way alpha. After a

few seconds, he had turned and kept walking as if it never even happened, but she would

never forget it.

There had been a million little things Grayson did that thrilled her. Like scowling

and pulling her into his arms if he ever noticed a man looking a little too long in their

direction. It was cute, the little claiming thing. Yet, he never once stepped on her toes.

They often talked about work, about being in the Navy. A lot of guys might accept

females doing jobs that had not that long ago been all male rates, but Grayson gave no

sign he was like that. In fact, he encouraged her interest in her goal as a lifer. Most guys

really didn’t like the idea a woman might choose to stay in for a full twenty year stint.

Although rarely expressed out loud, a lot of guys thought of female sailors as just

marking time until they met some poor sap and married him.

Grayson had never come off like that. They talked about college courses they

were taking through CHAMPUS, the Navy’s college program. Gray had recently

graduated from college with a degree in Foreign Intelligence; he was insightful and

thoughtful, a perfect balance of caveman and modern man. He even helped her study

from time to time, encouraging her to finish her own degree.

She hadn’t thought about the t-shirt before she threw it on to answer the door.

Perhaps she should have; there had been tiny little signs about Grayson’s nature

throughout the last two weeks. When she was with him, she could feel his complete

attention focused solely on her, but she knew he was always watching everything that

went on around them. Nature of the beast

–

he was Special Forces; it was their job to

notice everything. But when he had mentioned the guy whose apartment faced hers, she

had realized just how deep that observation went. The apartment complexes were

separated by nothing but a chain linked fence, but she had never seen the dude that lived

there. The apartment had always been dark, so she assumed it was empty. How Grayson

had noticed the telescope in the window she would never know. She had tried to look for

it herself and had yet to see it. As much as she tried to blow it off to Grayson, it bothered

her. That Grayson had noticed and warned her about it filled her with something she tried

to tamp down, but couldn’t. He was bringing out a desire to be protected, and that was

not something she was prepared for.

She hoped like hell Grayson wasn’t like most guys she knew, in it to hit it. She

hoped like hell he wanted something more than a “girlfriend.” Sometimes with Navy

guys, active duty women were little more than reliable pussy they could call, whenever

they wanted. Rarely were these kinds of relationships exclusive on the male’s part. It was

kind of like marking time until they found someone they wanted to marry, or take more

seriously. Gray didn’t seem like that at all. He was the kind of guy a girl could fall hard

for, and heaven help her, she had fallen.

She knew he liked her, she knew he desired her, even if he had never acted on it.

What she didn’t know was how interested he really was, and she wasn’t about to ask.

So, when he got all macho because she was wearing her ex-boyfriend’s shirt, she

was thrilled. She stood stock still as he stripped it from her, afraid to even breathe for fear

he would stop. Then he stilled. Bobbi had to fight the urge not to bring her arms up to

cover herself as he just stood there staring. She didn’t look at his eyes; she couldn’t,

anxious about what she might see. The last thing she had expected was for him to drop

down right in front of her.

He didn’t move forward as she fervently wished he might. Instead he held on to

her hips, hot wisps of breath bathing her bare, trembling flesh. She could have sworn she

heard him inhale deeply, moaning softly as he exhaled. Her flesh quivered in tortuous

anticipation, but he wouldn’t move. His death grip on her hips kept her from nudging

forward, so she was forced to stay put, her pussy becoming increasingly wet with every

second that ticked by.

Then he pulled away, slowly rising to his feet. Bobbi wanted to cry out in protest,

but the fierce fire in his eyes stilled her tongue.

He wanted her all right. She had begun to wonder, seeing as how he always pulled

away whenever their kisses got a little heated. She was beginning to think it was her.

Maybe he liked hanging out with her, but wasn’t particularly interested in taking it any

further. The burning hunger radiating in his azure gaze left her no doubt.

So why didn’t he just take it? It was beyond obvious she was willing. She didn’t

understand what the holdup was.

“Oh, I am going to make you mine, baby. Never doubt that.”

Damn, his voice all husky and gravelly like that just made her wetter. He even

reached out to cup her cheek as he spoke, caressing her skin lazily with his thumb.

“I need your complete trust first, sweetheart. I need to know that you know I

would never hurt you.”

Bobbi whimpered involuntarily at the implication. She had suspected; she had

fantasized; he was all but saying it now. He was indeed forceful, one hundred percent

dominant male. The question of just how dominant was yet to be seen, but she hoped like

hell she was game. She wanted him to master her, needed him to take control of her

pleasure. Grayson inspired wicked fantasies she had only read about, never believing she

would trust a man enough to do those things with her

–

to her. Crazy it may be, but she

trusted Grayson.

“I trust you, Gray.”

It was surrender, they both knew it. He awarded the declaration with the merest

caress of his lips against hers before stepping back.

“Let’s go pack you a bag. You won’t be coming home tonight.” The corner of his

mouth quirked in a semblance of a smile, but Bobbi could feel the intense wave of sexual

hunger emanating from him. “Then we’re going to dinner. You are going to need your

protein, baby.”

Chapter 7

Grayson was walking the edge. He hadn’t considered what he would find

underneath Bobbi’s shirt when he had taken off. He had known she was a damn fine

woman, but the reality had thrown him. When he saw her in another man’s shirt, all he

could think of was taking it off. He had no idea where the possessiveness coursing

through him had come from, or even that he was able to foster that kind of jealousy. He

just could not take the sight of anything belonging to any male other than himself,

anywhere near her. Now he was paying the price.

He couldn’t get the sight of her bare flesh out of his mind. His mouth was still

watering as he watched her pick at her food. All he wanted to do was to take her home

and make her his in every way. His so-called patience and control was damn near non-

existent at this point. He had even gone so far as to slide into the booth right next to her

instead of across from her. He had to touch her. Twirl her hair around his fingers; trail his

fingers over her cheek. He was so damn hard right now he had a headache from the

constant throbbing of his dick.

“You’re not hungry?”

He glanced down at the fast cooling steak on his plate. He hadn’t taken more than

a couple of bites. How the hell could he eat when the vision of her standing bare ass

naked was emblazoned on his brain?

“You can feed me,” he said instead, trying like hell to think of anything but what

was underneath that dress.

Why in name of all that was holy had he insisted she not wear panties? It was

driving him batty knowing she was bare down there, a soft coating of dew on her nether

lips.

“I thought you dominant types like to feed your women, not the other way

around.”

There went his cock, jumping at the soft spoken, almost shy statement. Bobbi

wasn’t exactly shy, but when her voice went all sweet and soft like that…Man, it just did

something to him. She just didn’t realize she was teasing a man with very little control

left. The casual acceptance of the type of man he was wasn’t helping either.

“And where did you hear that?”

“Read up on it,” she shrugged, shoveling a healthy amount of food in her mouth.

Like that was going to stop him. “Why?”

He had to wait while she chewed and swallowed before he got his answer. “You

really didn’t think I would miss all those hints you’ve been dropping, did you? I’m not

dense, Gray.”

No, never dense. Too damn smart, apparently. As casually as he could muster, he

lifted her fork out of her hand. Truth be told, he kind of did want to feed her. He always

thought she’d slap his hand away.

“And what did you think about what you read?” He kept his voice low and even,

but his cock perked up waiting for her answer.

“I dunno,” she mumbled, shrugging. “It was all right I guess.”

That wouldn’t do at all. “Look at me, Bobbi.”

Aw, hell, maybe he shouldn’t have asked her to do that. Her eyes said everything

her mouth wouldn’t. She was excited. Her nipples were hard, her breathing was

escalated. The memory of the way those nubbins looked excited and hard came crashing

through his head. He had to distract himself, so he concentrated on piling food on her

fork and lifting it to her mouth. She opened immediately, no demur, no shyness. Just

acceptance. He was in trouble.

“Tell me what you thought when you read about dominant men, sweetheart.” He

said after watching her swallow a couple of bites. He wanted to hear what he thought he

saw.

“I thought it was hot.” She didn’t duck her head this time, looking him straight in

the eye with little head tilt thing he was starting to adore.

“And?” He was holding his breath at this point. He wasn’t a Dom in a pure sense

of the word, but he was quite dominant. He wanted her to be absolutely sure. He needed

to know if he had to pull back, even a little.

“And the thought of you doing those things to me excited me, which is why I

looked into it in the first place. I like it when you get all caveman”

He almost swallowed his tongue.

“I never said I was a Dom,” he felt it necessary to clarify.

“Are you telling me that wasn’t what you were trying to tell me since the night I

first met you?”

“Are you telling me you trust me?” he shot back. “I mean completely trust me?

I’m not talking about a fling either.”

He watched her carefully, waiting for any sign of balking. He didn’t get any.

Bobbi smiled, a combination of serenity and pure enticement. Grayson couldn’t recall

ever seeing that expression on a woman’s face before. He called to him on some deep,

primitive level he couldn’t explain or define. All he wanted to do was throw her over his

shoulder like the caveman she had accused him of being.

It was getting impossible to sit there in the quiet little restaurant nestled on a tiny

dead end street in the heart of Hillcrest. He brought her here because it was quiet and

romantic, and the neighborhood had some of the best unknown small eateries in San

Diego. He mentally calculated it would take about twenty minutes to get to his place.

Could he make it? Shit he was going to have to.

“You doing this on purpose aren’t you, sugar?” He breathed against her ear,

taking a little nip along the way. “You know I am sitting here hard as hell trying not to

throw you on this table and have my way with you don’t you? Is that why you had this

pretty pussy waxed all smooth for me?” As he spoke his hand slid up the side of her

dress, tracing the tips of his fingers across her slit. He found her moist and welcoming,

ready for the single digit invasion as he pushed his middle finger deep inside. He caught

her moan with his lips, waiting until she had some semblance of control before

continuing his questioning and the pleasurable manipulation of her body.

“You aren’t answering me, Bobbi,” he lightly pinched her clit for emphasis.

“Yes, that’s why I got the wax job,” she moaned, shifting her hips up to meet the

single digit driving inside her.

Grayson could feel her walls start to tremble. Her pupils were dilated, her

breathing so heavy she was almost panting. Almost. Giving her what he hoped was a

smile that communicated regret, he slipped his finger out of her almost coming pussy to

lick the juices coating it.

Damn, that was good. He couldn’t wait to get his head in between those dark,

creamy thighs.

“Is this punishment?”

The soft question lacking any of the anger he had expected. He had driven her to

the point of orgasm, and then backed off. In his experience, most women would be kind

of pissed about that. Bobbi sounded downright excited.

“Did you do anything that deserves punishment?” he asked with a coolness he

didn’t feel. His entire body was aflame. Man, he wanted this woman!

“I’m not sure,” she tilted her head again, looking directly at him. “But I know I’d

like to.”

“Check, please!”

Chapter 8

Seven minutes and forty-three seconds. That was how long it took for Gray to get

from the restaurant to his place on Shelter Island. It should have taken twenty. Bobbi

would have been amused if she hadn’t been terrified. Not of Gray. She doubted if he even

realized how sweet he was. He was too busy being all macho and protective all the damn

time. For whatever reason, she didn’t mind that. She was more afraid of herself. What did

it say about her that she really did love it when he got all primitive on her? It made her

knees like water whenever he got that gravelly growl thing in his voice, and he stared at

her like she was the only person in the universe. Worse yet, what if she couldn’t handle

him? What if once it can down to it, she would chicken out or be unable to match his

passion?

Bobbi had never really had a long-term relationship; not the kind she knew

Grayson would demand. He didn’t let her get away with half answers about herself. She

loved that about him. He listened when she talked. She was not the aggressive,

demanding type, so she never really had anyone really listen to her like that.

When he stopped the car in the garage and sat there, his hands holding the wheel

in a death grip. Had he changed his mind? Funny, but even with all the doubts she had

about herself, she didn’t have any uncertainty about what Gray felt. She knew beyond a

shadow of a doubt he wanted her, and wanted her bad. It was a heady thing to have a guy

that into you, especially one as delicious as he was, scar and all. No, he didn’t love her or

anything like that, but he was interested.

“Is something wrong?” It had to be her. He was having qualms about her.

“Don’t do that.”

It wasn’t one of his authoritative commands, but it had her head snapping in his

direction.

“Do what?”

Gray sighed, leaning back in the seat. “Don’t doubt yourself, he told her softly. “I

just need you to be really sure, okay. Take a minute to think about it. We can go inside,

watch a movie, maybe cuddle.” He sounded surprised to be making the offer. She was

surprised hearing it.

“Would you take me home if I asked?” She wouldn’t. It was the last thing in the

world she wanted.

“If you insist. I would really rather not.”

Bobbi let out a pent up breath. She could do this. She wanted to do this. Really

bad. “I’m sure. I am very sure. I want to be with you.”

Gray smiled, his blue eyes lighting up in a way that almost made him look almost

boyish. “Good, because I’m sure too. But if at any time you want to stop, just say ‘Stop’

and I will okay?”

Bobbi nodded, not really trusting her voice to say the words.

“I mean it, Bobbi. Say the word and everything stops.”

*****

Gray led Bobbi straight to his bedroom. He wanted to show her the house, but that

was going to have to wait until later. He was too far gone.

Stopping at the door he watched as she entered the room. He loved the way she

walked, with an innate sensuality she wasn’t even aware of. It was sexy as hell watching

her move. When she realized he was no longer walking with her, she stopped, looking at

him askance. Not quite two inches from the bed. Perfect.

“Take off your dress, slowly.”

He didn’t need a mirror to know his nostrils were flaring as she did exactly as he

instructed; no hesitation. The light cotton dress slid over the curves of her shoulders, her

arms, those scrumptious full breasts, her hips, where the material seemed to pause and

cling – probably to drive him crazy – until finally it slid down her legs to puddle at her

feet.

Fuck, she was perfect! No bony stick figure here. Her upper half dipped

gracefully at the waist, only to fill out again at her hips. Her ass was simply luscious,

round, firm, full and perfect. He could spend hours alone on that ass. So very spankable.

“So tell me, sugar, have you done anything that deserves punishment yet?”

Damn, he was so damn hot for her, he was gripping himself through his slacks.

Thank the heavens he hadn’t worn jeans! They would have been a nightmare to work

down past the raging hard on he had going on.

“Yes.”

Such a simple word, “Yes”. But when breathlessly spoken, it took on a host of

meanings. She had no idea what she was doing to him. She might think she did, but there

was no way she could even guess the erotic, hedonistic thoughts running through his

mind.

“And what was that?” He didn’t give a flying fuck what it was at this point, but he

wasn’t about to punish her for no reason. He was basically looking for an excuse.

“I doubted myself when we got here.”

Well, hell. That was something indeed. “What did you doubt?”

If she said she doubted she wanted this, it was over right now. They would make

love like a nice normal couple, and he would learn to deal with it. There was no way he

could walk away. Bobbi had wormed her way deep inside him, and he didn’t want to let

her go.

“I doubted that I could match your passion.”

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

“Explain.”

“I want this so much,” she admitted without looking away from his direct gaze.

Lord that turned him on. She was not some weak-kneed push over. All woman. That was

his Bobbi. “I have been waiting for this. I was afraid that I wouldn’t know what to do…”

He was by her side before she could finish the sentence, taking her mouth in a

soul stealing kiss. Didn’t know what to do his ass! All she had to be was herself, and he

was a goner.

“Turn around, sweetheart,” he murmured, breaking their lips apart. “Place your

palms flat on the bed and arch your back.

And of course she did it immediately.

Gray tore his clothes off, heedless to where they landed. There was no way he

could be fully clothed for this. She already had him painfully hard, his dick was weeping

with need.

Her ass was too much of a temptation not to caress before her well deserved

spanking. He even paused long enough to place a tender kiss on her lower hip. Yeah, he

and this ass were going to have to get closely acquainted – later.

Taking a step back he smacked her right cheek with the palm of his hand, pausing

to feel the heat blossom on her tender flesh.

“Ow!” She cried out, jerking a little before settling back in place.

She was breathing deeper, but not seriously. The next hit was on her left. No

exclamation this time, but her breathing got a little faster, and Gray could have sworn he

caught a little moan in there.

“Spread you legs wider,” he instructed, then dipped two fingers to rub along her

slit.

Wet, and getting wetter. Heaven.

Two quick smacks to each ass cheek, careful never to hit the same place twice,

and she was panting, moving into the smacks. There was no way he could take much

more. Touching her was just too much. He had to pull himself back from fingering her

while he spanked her. She was just so wonderfully responsive.

“Move up on to the bed and lay on your back.”

Now he was breathing heavy, his cock bobbing up and down as he watched her

move. No slow, jerky movements for Bobbi. Oh, no, she damn near slid up on the bed,

turning to face him after laying down, her eyes bright with desire.

So fucking beautiful.

“Spread your legs.” Her legs fell open. Smooth chocolate pussy stared back at

him, glistening and ready. This was the meal he had been waiting for. “Put you arms up

and grip the headboard. Do not let go until I tell you to.”

He didn’t bother to watch to see if she followed instructions this time. He was too

damn hungry and she had exactly what he needed to eat.

*****

The first long, torturous lick of his tongue and Bobbi was ready. Her body was

already humming with excitement.

“Do. Not. Cum.” He growled it against her hypersensitive flesh, sending

vibrations shuddering through her down to her toes.

How was she supposed to stop it? She tried, she really did. But the man was

eating her like she was his favorite brand of ice cream he might never have again. He

nibbled her clit, licked it, sucked it, then dug his tongue deep inside her, fucking her with

his tongue. Her muscles strained with the effort it took not to let go of the headboard.

“Gray, please? I need to come!”

He bit down lightly on her clit again sending shockwaves through her body. She

was going to lose. He added his fingers to the torment of his tongue, slipping two large

digits into her weeping pussy, and then curved them upward, stroking her g-spot. Bolts of

electricity raced through her veins, making white spots dance in front of her eyes. She

tried to beg, but all she could do was gasp for air. Her body was strung too tightly; any

more strain could possibly break her. Her eyes flew wide, trying desperately to convey

her need but not knowing how.

Gray lifted his upper body. His fingers pistoning in and out, driving her body

higher and higher.

“Do you want to come, baby?”

Bobbi nodded vigorously, But Gray demanded more.

“You have to say it.” Oh, shit if she didn’t come soon she was going to die!

Surely a body couldn’t take this much stimulation. “Come on, sweetheart, you can do it.”

It took everything in her to gather enough air in her lungs. Even then, what came

out was a wispy groan. “Please, may I come, Gray?”

“Yes, baby. Come for me.”

Bobbi screamed as her body shook, flying to the moon, coming back, and going

back up again. Her skin felt as if it had burst into flame. She exploded so hard, she felt as

if her insides were quaking.

It took a while for her to recover enough to take stock of her position. She was

lying legs splayed wide, hands above her head causing her breasts to push up and out.

She was completely open to him, and he was taking in every inch. No man had ever

looked at her that way, with predatory hunger that made her juices flow although she had

come so hard she wouldn’t have thought she had any juices left. There was nothing

hidden from that burning blue gaze. She had never felt so vulnerable or so completely

protected in her life.

And she loved every minute of it.

*****

Gray was completely enchanted. He had heard it said there was nothing as

beautiful as a woman coming, but he could never agree to that saying until now. And

whoever said black women didn’t blush either lied or didn’t know what the hell they

were talking about. A deep red flush graced Bobbi’s cheeks, spreading down to her chest.

And what a lovely chest it was.

He slid his fingers out of her with regret, stopping only to lick up every drop. Her

dew was much too precious to waste. Slowly he moved up her frame, stopping to place

soothing kisses on her heated skin. He had wanted to play a while longer, but there was

no way he could hold back now.

Lifting her legs on to his shoulders, he rubbed the head of his cock against her slit.

Her clit jumped at the contact, her moan music to his ears.

“Is this what your greedy little pussy wants?” he rasped, slowly stroking himself

against her.

“Let me taste you,” she surprised him by saying.

Just the thought of those lips wrapped around his pulsating cock made his hips

jerk in response. A tortured groan escaped before he could call it back. If he allowed her

to take him in her mouth right now, he wouldn’t last more than a minute. That wouldn’t

do at all for what he had planned for his woman.

“Not this time. Later, I promise,” he assured as he slid just his head inside her.

Her nether lips sucked at him greedily as if trying to pull him inside. Damn, it was

so tight! He had to grit his teeth to stop himself from plunging forward. He was not a

small man, he didn’t want to hurt her.

“More, Gray, please!”

He had to do something to distract himself from the riveting sight of his cock

disappearing inch by inch inside the prettiest pink pussy on the earth. He used her little

outburst as opportunity. Spreading her legs he lightly spanked her pussy, careful to keep

his hand flat and not to hit too hard, just a light sting.

That was a mistake.

Her walls contracted, pulsating all around him. He sunk deep inside before he

could pull back; it felt too damn good not to be all the way in.

“Aw, shit!”

It was too late to stop now. He was moving, stroking deep then withdrawing to

the very tip. She followed his every move, her body rising and falling to meet every

surge. He could feel her heels digging into his shoulder, using him as leverage as they

moved together. He couldn’t care less.

“Baby, you feel so good wrapped around my dick.”

For the first time in his adult life, Gray didn’t give a damn that Bobbi was coming

without permission. Every single time she did, she would clamp down on him in a close

to painful grip, suckling on his dick like a hot, tight, wet mouth. He was fascinated

watching her, loving the faces she made, the way she bit her bottom lip. Every expression

of rapture spurred him on. He never felt like more of a man. He couldn’t even be moved

to care when she let go of the headboard, her nails running down his chest. He could feel

the trail of her fingers through his skin down to his very soul.

Women didn’t touch Gray during sex. He never allowed it. But at this particular

moment, a simply touch had never felt so good, so comforting, or so right.

“Shit! Baby, come for me again! Come now!”

He let her legs fall to his waist. Laying fully on top of her he drove like a mad

man, loving her hands across his back, griping his ass. She was building again, he could

feel it. He had to hold on a little longer.

Then she bit him, right on his shoulder. Gray shot off like a rocket. He came so

hard his head swam. And heaven love her, she came right along with him.

“Gray! Oh, shit, Grayson!”

So good. So damn good. And all he could think of was how much better it would

be next time, in about fifteen minutes.

Chapter 9

Gray woke up smiling for the first time in a long time. His woman was curled up

against his chest, his dick was pleasantly sore. What more could a man want? This felt

damned good. He was thirty and although he had been around the block, he had never

spent a full night with a woman; he damned sure had never held one close as he slept. His

conscious and subconscious acceptance of Bobbi was astounding. Man, he was a goner.

He didn’t want to move. Having her smaller body tucked close gave him a sense

of peace he had never realized he had been missing. Now sappy shit, like being in love

forever seemed not only possible, but probable. He could love Bobbi. He already did love

Bobbi. She was perfect.

They had only made love three times before falling into the deep sleep of the truly

exhausted. Today he planned to make love many, many times over. Right after the

command picnic.

He wished like hell he hadn’t promised to go. He didn’t want to get out of bed;

not with Bobbi in it. He wanted to keep her right where she was all day. With any luck,

they could make an appearance and leave.

“Good morning,” Bobbi chose that moment to awaken.

She didn’t move away, but snuggled closer, making him smile. Oh yes, he could

get used to this.

“Move in with me.” It was crazy impulsive, but damn it, he wanted to wake up

like this every day.

“Yeah, right,” she playfully punched his shoulder, blowing off his suggestion.

Too bad he was deadly serious.

“I’m not kidding, Bobbi. Move in with me.”

“No.”

No argument, no discussion, just no. He loved that about her. She wasn’t angry of

being coy. She was ever practical.

“I’m not going to give up,” he warned her dropping a light kiss on her forehead

before rolling out bed. “I’m going to keep on you until you say yes.” Bobbi groaned

when he slapped her on her ass. “Get up. We have a picnic to go to.” It was best to

change the subject now. He didn’t want to give her a chance to think too long about what

he had impulsively asked. She would only freak out.

“Picnic?”

“Command get-together thing out at Mission Beach. Welcoming the new C.O.

Kind of mandatory, but we won’t stay for long, I promise.”

She didn’t like the idea, he could tell by the frown and the way she was gnawing

on her bottom lip. He was going too fast. As good as they were together; Bobbi was

naturally reserved. If he could he would get out of it, but he was expected. He didn’t want

to leave Bobbi for even a few minutes, let alone a couple of hours.

“I know you don’t want to go –” he started, but Bobbi cut him off.

“No, it’s not that! I just…don’t do well in crowds.”

Well, damn. Gray gathered her in his arms. She was shaking. Not much, but

enough. He wanted to punch something. A woman like Bobbi should never have to feel

insecure, no matter the situation.

“Hey. I promise not to leave your side okay?”

*****

Gray had promised not to leave her side, and he hadn’t. That didn’t make Bobbi

any more comfortable. The wives were catty, the girlfriends a little desperate, and the

guys…

One woman had looked her up and down before sneering, “So you think to snare

our Gray, do you?”

There was one serious rock on the lady’s finger, but she was acting as if Bobbi

had stolen her man or something. And her husband was right there, giving his wife no

more than a cursory glance when she had spoken. He was too busy leering at Bobbi

himself. Thankfully, Gray maneuvered them away quickly.

“What the heck was her problem?” Bobbi was compelled to ask. It was all so

weird.

“I met her first.”

Bobbi wasn’t so sure she liked that answer. She glanced back at the strawberry

blonde with brittle eyes. The woman seemed a bit too mercenary.

“I introduced her to her husband after talking to her for about five minutes,” he

explained further when Bobbi had looked back.

That made her feel better. A little anyway.

It was kind of like a hazing, being there. Even with Gray’s arm firmly around her

waist, she had never gotten so many stealth come-ons in her life. She was under no

illusion that it was her they were after, it was a conquest thing. Gray had a shiny new toy

and they wanted to play with it, too. Man, she hated aimless testosterone. These guys had

it in spades. One would distract Gray while another would flirt right there in front of him.

No less than five guys slipped her their numbers, with Gray right beside her. If he

saw any of it, he didn’t let on. It made her feel cheap. She hated it. She hated them. It

made her remember why she hated SEALs – assholes, convinced of their own

supremacy. The day couldn’t end fast enough for her.

“Was it that bad?” Gray asked once they were in the car and headed to his place.

Had it been? Yeah, yeah it was. She didn’t want this. As much as she really liked

Gray, dangerously close to more than like really, she didn’t think she could deal with

gatherings like this one. Hell, she didn’t even go to her own command picnics or

barbeques. She had a small group of friends and acquaintances, that’s how she liked it.

Her world was confined on purpose. She wasn’t the social butterfly, she never would be.

“Here.” Instead of answering him, she dumped the phone numbers in his lap. “I

don’t appreciate feeling like some kind of flavor of the month. You can take me home. I

don’t think this is going to work out.”

Gray didn’t answer her, nor did he do more than glance at the tiny scraps of paper

in his lap. Bobbi began to wonder if he had heard her at all until he exited the freeway

nowhere near North Park or Shelter Island. He pulled into a marina parking lot teeming

with people out to enjoy a pleasant Saturday on their boats. Bobbi glanced nervously

around at the couples and families. How uncomplicated their lives seemed to the casual

observer. All smiles and laughter.

“Well, well, well. Even my good buddy Taggard. The bastard.”

Bobbi was jerked out of her musings by Gray’s voice. She had never heard him

like that. His rage was barely controlled, masked by a quietness that was frightening.

“Yeah, well, he probably thought I am a passing curiosity to you.” She tried to

calm him down. His face was molten red, making his scar stand out stark white. She was

scared, but not for herself. Gray wouldn’t hurt her. His friend, Taggard, was another story

altogether. “I mean, from what the other women implied, you aren’t the steady girlfriend

type, so you really can’t blame him.”

“Can’t I?” His eyes had changed; so deeply blue, they looked almost black. “And

what do you think Bobbi? Do you think I see you as the flavor of the month?”

“I don’t know.”

Some guys spent a lot of time and effort getting behind a woman’s defenses. They

enjoyed the conquest, not stopping until they had a woman’s complete surrender. How

did she know Gray wasn’t one of them? Because he has never given you a reason to

doubt him.

“Shit,” Gray exclaimed softly, running his fingers through his hair. “Bobbi,

I…Look, you have no reason to believe me, but I promise you I’m not playing games

here. I’ll take care of this,” he held up the phone numbers in his clinched fist. “No one

will ever come at you wrong again. And as far as you and I go,” he ran his finger down

her cheek, swallowing hard. Bobbi’s heart tripped, then beat overtime. “I want to be with

you, Bobbi. Just you. Give it a chance, okay?”

No flowery speeches, no empty promises. Yet, with simplicity only Gray could

manage, he made her melt inside.

“Okay,” she agreed with a trembling smile. She wanted it to work, she really did.

Gray made her feel things she had never felt before, and she liked it – a lot.

“Come here, baby.”

*****

Bobbi had the most kissable lips. Soft and inviting, they were quickly becoming

an obsession. Gray loved the way she became all soft and pliable in his arms. He loved

digging his hands in her hair and holding her to him. He loved the feel of her breasts

pressed against his chest, the way her nipples tightened at his touch.

“Gray? Someone might see,” she whispered as he slid his hand up her dress.

She didn’t try to move away, and he wasn’t about to let her. He eased the seat

back as far as it would go, settling his precious package in his lap. “I guess we will have

to be careful, huh?”

He couldn’t stop touching her now. Not knowing how sweetly she responded. His

hand found her mound, soft and wet. He slid one digit against her slit until she was

squirming against his raging erection. Damn, she felt so good!

“We can’t do this here, Gray.”

She was right, but stopping was too much to ask for.

“Shhh. I just want to touch you.” His finger delved inside her, caressing what was

fast becoming his favorite place to be. “Show me you want me just as bad as I want you.”

He used his thumb to strum her clit, watching as her eyes closed, her head thrown

back. Damn, he wished he could see his fingers disappearing in her snug warmth. He

wanted to see her ride his fingers, he wanted to be inside her.

“Come for me, Bobbi.”

She rode his fingers hard, biting her bottom lip as she crested the peak.

“Oh, shit! Gray. I need more.”

So did he. The feel of her spasms against his buried digits was driving him mad.

Shifting in his seat he pulled her onto his lap, simultaneously starting the car. Thankfully

he hadn’t chosen to drive the jeep, it was too open. The Navigator, they were currently in

was high enough off the ground, it was hard to peer into the windows, which were tinted

just enough to hide what he was doing.

He let the seat all the way back, lying almost flat, freeing his aching cock from his

shorts. He maneuvered her so that although she was bare against his groin area, her dress

was pulled down around her.

“I need you to climb on top, baby. I want you to ride me.”

She didn’t even glance around before moving her body in perfect alignment with

his shaft. He couldn’t resist playing with her a little. He knew she was hot and ready, but

he wanted her crazy for it. He rubbed the thick crown of his cock against her labia. The

thick cream of her arousal coated the head, making him groan from the delicious

sensation.

“My pretty pussy is so hot, isn’t it?” he crooned, lightly slapping his dick across

her clit for emphasis. “You’re so damn wet, baby. What does my pussy want?”

“Please, Gray?” Bobbi cried, bucking her hips against him. She was trying to

force her pussy down, but he wasn’t letting her. Not yet.

“What if someone saw?” he taunted her. “Do you want those people out there

seeing me take what’s mine?”

Her eyes flew open, wide and shocked, and unless he missed his guess, excited.

The fresh coat of moisture starting to coat his cock assured him he wasn’t mistaken at all.

With a groan, he moved his hand, forging upward he was buried balls deep with

one stroke. His hand fell heavily on her ass cheek, loving the way she threw her head

back in the most sensual moan he had ever seen. She was so damn sexy like this, her eyes

blazing with passion, a dark red flush across her face. He wished he could free those

magnificent breasts, but he didn’t want to risk anyone seeing them. They were for his

enjoyment, not some poor slob walking by.

“Ride it, sugar, Ride your cock like you want it.”

He should have been prepared for the wet, burning velvet fist encasing his dick in

the most pleasurable sensations imaginable. His hands might have been gripping her hips,

but she was the one in charge of this ride. She slammed down on his again and again,

driving him wild. His teeth gently pulled on her breasts over the fabric of her dress. He

wanted so bad to taste that bare flesh in his mouth. He wanted to be so deep inside her

she wouldn't want to be free.

“Gray, it feels so good. I can’t…I can’t…”

He knew. She couldn’t hold back much longer. Neither could he. Gritting his

teeth, he surged upward, meeting her thrust for thrust. He could feel the slight tremor of

her walls gradually grow into quakes, milking him, demanding every drop he had to give.

“Fuck yeah! Give me that, Bobbi! Come all over your cock. Make me feel it,

baby. Come for me.”

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, biting down on his flesh to muffle

her scream of surrender. The sharp pain from her teeth, the chocking grip on his cock, it

was too much. He exploded inside her, grinding their hips together as the world burst

from the inside out.

So fucking good, but it was not nearly enough.

*****

Bobbi bit her lip as she considered how to tell Gray she needed to go. It wasn’t

that she hadn’t had a great time this weekend, but she had to get back to her apartment.

She had to get centered. Gray threw her off, made her feel all upside down. She needed

the peace and solitude to get her back in the right mindset.

Truthfully, she was waiting. In her limited experience, men started taking women

for granted as soon as they slept with them. Bobbi never was the kind of woman who

would wait around to be cut from someone’s life, it was just too painful. She was careful

to keep her mind and body separate. Enjoy the moment then move on quietly.

It freaked some guys out. They didn’t seem to understand that she couldn’t be

bothered trying to keep someone who didn’t want to be kept. So, if he cheated, so what?

Men were like buses, you stay still long enough another one would come along.

Bobbi was very afraid Gray wouldn’t be so easy to get over. He had somehow

peered into her darkest fantasies and was quickly working his way through them. He

didn’t treat her like spun glass, nor did he treat her like an empty receptacle in his bed

solely for his own pleasure.

But it wasn’t just the sex. Gray listened to her, like really listened. He sometimes

picked up on things she didn’t say. It was a little unnerving. Quite frankly, Bobbi had no

idea what to do with him. He was unlike any guy she had ever dated. It was too soon to

know for certain, but he was starting off differently.

She needed to go home. She would be able to think, without one of Gray’s hands

rubbing her back and the other playing in her hair. Oh, for crying out loud, she was

letting a man play in her hair! What the hell was wrong with her? No one save her

hairdresser had ever played with her freaking hair! Yet here she was, lounging around on

Gray’s very nice, soft as butter, mammoth-sized couch, watching sci-fi, letting him play

with her hair. It seemed all too natural; after all, he had pulled it just one short hour ago,

and she had loved it. She was way too comfortable in this three-level fantasy of a

townhouse, right on the water. Yeah, it was bit…cold. Everything was spotless, there

wasn’t a trace of anything personal on the walls or the shelves. There was art to go with

the décor, but it all felt so impersonal. Kind of like someone copied pages out of a design

magazine.

She had to stop herself from redesigning this or that in her head. This was not her

home, nor would it ever be. She shouldn’t be feeling so completely at home here.

“I need to go home,” she blurted out suddenly jumping to her feet. At Gray’s

frown, Bobbi rushed into a not very well thought out explanation. “I have to work

tomorrow, and I have duty Tuesday, so I need to make sure I have all my, uh, uniforms

ready to go and all. Plus, I need to clean my place.”

Wow, that so didn’t come out right. She sounded like she was looking for an

excuse. And she was.

Gray stared at her silently, making her squirm under his close scrutiny. He was so

quiet, Bobbi was half afraid he would call her bluff. She knew he saw right through her,

but damn it, she didn’t need an explanation!

“Let me get some stuff, and I will take you home,” he finally told her, climbing

slowly to his feet. “But, Bobbi, we will talk about this later.”

Chapter 10

Gray waited in the office for Taggard Monday afternoon, the other man’s number

clutched in his fist. The more he thought about the smiling blonde surfer boy, the madder

he got. And the bastard had done it with Gray standing right there.

He’d already had brief words with the other guys who had slipped Bobbi their

numbers, but none of them really bothered him. They didn’t really know him all that well

outside of work. Taggard should have. Gray didn’t share. Ever. And he damn sure didn’t

share Bobbi. Taggard knew him. The man knew that when he was done with a woman,

he was done; he didn’t go around inviting them to command functions. In fact, he had

never once invited any woman to a command function.

“Hey, man what’s up?” Taggard grinned as he sauntered into the office.

The three other guys milling around beat a quick retreat. One didn’t become a

SEAL without learning to pay attention to detail. Gray had been fuming for over an hour,

asking about the whereabouts of one Devon Taggard every fifteen minutes or so. Gray

knew he was giving away big time tells, but he just couldn’t be moved to give a shit.

“What the fuck is this?” Gray threw the number at his squad member as soon as

Taggard sat down.

The son of a bitch had the nerve to smile. Smile! It was boyish smile that lacked

any hint of being contrite. It was the kind of smile that made Gray want to bury his fist

right in the bastard’s face.

“Hey, man. I had no idea you were that serious about her. But at least you know

she’s into it – for now.”

A red haze swam before Gray’s eyes. What the fuck? Didn’t know he was

serious? Even had Gray not known Taggard, he could’ve smelled that weak ass lie.

Unbelievable.

“I am not feeling at all mellow right now, Tag,” Gray growled his only warning.

“In fact, I ‘m feeling downright froggy. I’m just looking for a reason to jump.”

Taggard seemed to get the message, his face clearing of all false humor. He

swallowed sporadically before throwing up his hands.

“Yeah, Gray you’re right. I should have known. I’m sorry man. It was a

miscalculation. No disrespect to your lady. I swear it will never happen again.”

“Tag, I want you to listen to me very carefully,” Gray leaned forward, getting

right into Tag’s face. “Come within a hundred feet of her, and I will rip you from limb to

limb. Got me?”

Gray hung out with Taggard from time to time. The guy was a major asshole

when it came to women. He treated them like dirt, going a little too far with whole

dominance thing. It turned Gray’s stomach.

“Yeah, dude, I get you.” Like a fucking dog who had met his alpha, Taggard’s

head lowered a little.

The man was a United States Navy SEAL, he shouldn’t be backing down to

anyone. Gray could almost see his metaphorical tail trucked between his legs. Man, was

that sad.

“So, I guess your place is off limits for a little partying?” Taggard dared to ask

just as Gray was getting out of his chair.

Gray paused, but didn’t turn around. Taggard didn’t know about his place on

Shelter Island. As far as he knew, the place here in Coronado was his home. The place

with all the toys, and various bondage equipment. Even if he felt so inclined, he would

never use anything in that house with Bobbi. That was a playhouse, Bobbi wasn’t a game.

Still, he didn’t want anyone knowing about his other place.

“Definitely off limits,” Gray more or less growled before stalking out.

His first destination was the little house located not far from the base. It took a

total of three hours to clear all his little toys, baring things like his St. Andrew’s Cross,

the cage, the tower and the punishment bench. He didn’t need these things anymore. Any

toys introduced to Bobbi in the bedroom would be brand new. He took all his clothes and

threw them into the jeep. He wouldn’t be staying here anymore. He had no need. He had

found the thing he had been searching for – someone to love. All the rest of this shit was

just that.

*****

There was a long rectangular box leaning against the door waiting for Bobbi when

she got off of work on Wednesday. A wreath of smiles lit her face as she retrieved it

before letting herself into her apartment. The chill smacked her against her face as soon

as she walked in.

Had she left the air conditioning on? She had duty last night, so she hadn’t been

home since Tuesday morning. Things had been a little hot in her tiny place Monday

night. When Gray had taken her home Sunday, he had stayed, taking her to work the next

day. When she walked down the pier after knocking off, he had been there waiting.

Despite the light ribbing from her friends, Bobbi had been beyond jazzed seeing him at

the end of the pier, as if he had every right to park his jeep right there and wait for her.

She was humming as she stripped off her uniform and hopped into the shower.

She would open them all clean and fresh and comfortable. Despite all her misgivings

about where this thing was going, no one had ever sent her flowers before. She wanted to

enjoy it, and maybe call Gray and express her heartfelt thanks. It had been a while since

they got it on over the phone. They had been too busy getting it on in life and in person.

Pouring herself a glass of wine, she settled onto the couch and opened her box. A

dozen dead black roses lay nestled on blood red silk. There was a card; stark white so she

couldn’t miss it placed dead center of the disturbing contents. There was a black skull on

the front of the card.

Bobbi had to take in deep breaths as she stared at the box’s contents. She couldn’t

quite believe what she was seeing. Gray didn’t send these. She had no idea who would do

such a thing.

So open the card numb-nuts.

She really didn’t want to. She was petrified what it might say. With trembling

fingers, she reached out and carefully lifted the card, flipping it over away from her face

with her thumb.

Where have you been? Who have you been with? You have been a naughty girl,

haven’t you? I know you have.

Bobbi had an overwhelming urge to cry. She never cried. Who would do such a

thing? She had never done anything to anyone. She had never blown anyone off, or

spurned anyone. Why would anyone do this?

It was a sick joke, it had to be. Jumping up she put the flowers down the garbage

disposal, taking the box outside to throw it in the dumpster. She would forget it. It wasn’t

worth dwelling on. Once that was done, she called Gray. She needed to take her mind off

this. When she was with him, the troubles of the outside world seemed to melt away.

It didn’t occur to her until she was in the car, bag packed, on her way to his house

what she had done.

What the hell was thinking? When the hell had she come to depend on Gray to

make all her troubles go away?

This was bad. She was getting hooked, and that would only lead to heartbreak.

Chapter 11

“You have been spending way too much time with this dude.”

Bobbi sighed at Maria. The chick was seriously bitter. None of them knew what

exactly happened between Maria and her ex-husband, but whatever it was had left her

bitter.

“Leave her alone, Maria,” Tara cut their friend off before she could launch into a

diatribe about the evils of relationships.

“Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em,” Maria mumbled anyway. “Before they can leave you.”

“Ignore her, Bobbi, and spill it,” Carmen ignored their friend full of piss and

vinegar at the end of Bobbi’s couch. “What’s it like being all full time with a hunky

SEAL?”

“Are they really psycho?” Trina chimed in. “Are they all commando in bed?”

“Didn’t you guys pick up some of your own that night in Coronado?” Bobbi

didn’t want to share her relationship with Gray with anyone, not even her best friends.

Gray brought out things in her she had never known were there. He was beyond

commando in bed, he was masterful. She loved the way he held dominion over her body,

driving her higher and higher every time they were together. Even when he was being all

dominant he still had a sweet side, making her feel cherished. It wasn’t just the sex that

had her hooked, it was the way he cared for her.

After their first weekend together, she rarely slept alone. Either he was here or she

was at his place. It had been six weeks, and he was just as attentive as he had been before

they started sleeping together. She didn’t understand it at all, but she liked it.

But as special as their time together was, Bobbi was starting to feel caged in.

Grayson was a force of nature. She was fast becoming swept up in Hurricane Gray, and

the thought terrified her. Maybe Maria was right. Maybe she should move on before she

got in too deep. After all was said and done, she could be completely devastated. She

prided herself on keeping it all together. She didn’t get upset or vengeful. She didn’t cry,

she didn’t yell, she didn’t scream. It was her nature to look at things objectively and

decide on a course of action after evaluating all the angles.

Gray didn’t allow her to do that. Not that he stopped her by force or anything. It

was just that he made her feel so weak with just a smoldering look, or a roguish smile.

When he spoke all low and sexy she was wet in seconds, panting for it. He held her

through the night like she was someone special. She wasn’t special, no one was. She was

just her. Too much of this and she would start believing in things that didn’t exist – like

love.

“I don’t want to talk about Gray,” Bobbi changed the subject. “Let’s talk about

what we are going to do tonight.”

It helped for a few hours. A night out with her friends was never dull. Still, club

hopping seemed lackluster. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see Gray

any second. It was silly, he had duty this weekend. He had to babysit a new crop of

wanna-be SEALS new to the BUDS program. She missed him, she realized halfway

through the night.

“I’m so glad to have you back,” Maria slurred on the way home. She was four

sheets to the wind, as usual. “Thought we lost you to that – man.”

“Was it really that bad? Being married?” Bobbi hadn’t meant to ask, but she was

beyond curious. It seemed Maria had spent the whole night going on and on about the

perils of men and being drawn in by pretty lies.

“For a while it was perfect,” Maria smiled in a rare moment of reflection. “I was

so happy. I thought he was, too…”

“But?” It felt awful, but Bobbi really wanted to know what to look out for.

“But I apparently wasn’t enough for him. Or maybe I was too much of a good

girl.” Maria smiled weakly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I wasn’t very

adventurous back then. I didn’t drink, never partied. Hell, I thought blow jobs were

scandalous. In the end, he left me for a hard drinking good-time girl. I decided right then

and there, never again.” Maria grabbed her hand, looking at her earnestly. “Don’t be

sucked in, Bobbi. They promise forever, but in the end, they aren’t capable of being

faithful. Hell, just look at every married man on the ships. How many of them keep it

zipped up after leaving port? Take what they have to offer and move on. Shield your

heart.”

It wasn’t so much of what Maria had said that kept Bobbi from calling Gray, or

from accepting his offers to pick her up or to come over. She knew she was in way over

her head. When she was with him, everything was great. It was when they were apart that

got to Bobbi.

She missed him. Madly. It felt as if she was missing something, and she hated that

feeling. Bobbi was a self-sufficient woman. She didn’t need anyone else. She had made it

all on her lonesome since she was a kid. Why should now be any different? Not to

mention weird things were happening in her apartment when she was away.

Once she had come home and the door was wide open. Nothing was taken, it was

just strange. Maybe she had left the door unlocked by mistake. Every now and then,

something would be missing. Nothing big or expensive. Just small things like articles of

clothing or a knick knack here and there. Several times the air had been turned to

freezing, making the place feel like an ice box.

Since she’d been coming straight home from work or hanging with her girls, all

the strange things had stopped. She wasn’t sure what that meant, but she was relieved.

Too bad she couldn’t say she was happy. She was downright miserable. A least a dozen

times a day, she had opened her phone to call him only to catch herself.

She wasn’t sleeping well, she wasn’t eating much, and she was scared as to what

it all meant. She missed him. She yearned for the sound of his voice, the touch of his

hand. Her body felt so cold without him beside her. Maybe it was for the best. Had she

waited longer to take a step back from him, she might not have been able to do so.

So why did she feel like she was being a fool?

Because you are punishing him for something he didn’t do, just something he

might or might not do.

The little voice inside her head was driving her crazy. It seemed even her

subconscious was working against her. Always with the “He didn’t do anything wrong or

What’s wrong with taking a chance?”, or even worse, “Are you seriously going to give

up your chance at love because Maria got hurt once, long ago?” That one killed her

because she didn’t have answer for it. Maria had influenced her decision to back off, but

it wasn’t the only reason. It was merely the most tangible, which wasn’t saying much.

She wanted him.

She didn’t want him.

She needed him.

She didn’t need anyone but herself.

One thing was for sure, she couldn’t stay in her apartment by herself much longer.

It had been just six days since she had seen Gray, and she was climbing the walls. Friday

night and she was a bundle of nervous energy, yet she didn’t want to go anywhere. She

was going to have to. If she stayed here alone, she would break down and call Gray.

Every fiber of her being was calling out for him, all but the small, still rational part of her

brain. He had become more of a friend than her girls. It wasn’t just her pussy that missed

him; the soft feminine side of herself had recognized something in Gray she had never

experienced before.

Damn, this was bad. She stared at her phone trying to summon the will to call her

girls to go out. The thought of a crowded club, desperate bodies grinding together in the

mindless search for companionship turned her stomach. This was so not good.

It took splashing cold water on her face three times before she worked up the

nerve to make the call. And of course, they had been all too happy to swing by and pick

her up. Only she didn’t make it far. Three blocks, a whole ten freaking minutes and she

was done.

The mindless chatter about various male body parts grated on her nerves like nails

on a chalkboard. She didn’t want this. The meat market held zero appeal. Maria was

already half drunk, and railing against men in general. Tara, Carmen, and Trina ignored

it, but it bothered Bobbi more than ever. What the fuck was up with this chick?

“Maria, how long have you been divorced?” she snapped without really meaning

to, but enough was enough already.

“Six glorious years,” Maria happily replied. “And good riddance to bad rubbish.”

“Really? Then why is it you can’t seem to get over it?” Bobbi was at the end of

her patience. “That man fucked up your head, and no one should ever be allowed to do

that to a person. You have lived every day since he left you in bitterness. You can’t get

through a day without taking a drink and everyone is judged by the standard he set, he

defeated you, and you just laid down and let him.” She was on a roll. She knew the words

were harsh, but she couldn’t stop them from flying from her mouth. “How long are you

going to let some sorry, no account man ruin the rest of your life. You aren’t living, you

are grieving. Every time you let that bile you have built up in you lose, you are declaring

to the world that you are beaten. Every time you judge a man by comparing him to your

ex, you are letting him cheat you of something that could be wonderful. You were both

eight-fucking-teen when you got married. Young and dumb. Statistically speaking, it

wasn’t going to work out. Get the fuck over it and move the fuck on, because frankly, I

can’t take any more of your bullshit!”

The car was deathly quiet for a full minute before Tara, Carmen and Trina chimed

in with a simultaneous, “Amen.”

Bobbi let out a harsh breath, leaning back in the back seat. That was kind of

harsh, but damn it, Maria needed to hear it.

“I’m sorry,” Bobbi whispered to her shaken friend, taking her in her arms.

“No, you’re not,” Maria whispered in shock. “You meant that shit.”

“Hell, yeah, I meant it, but I am sorry I was so blunt.”

“We’re not,” Tara, Carmen, and Trina replied in unison.

Fuckers.

“We love you, girl,” Tara put in. “But seriously, you need to let it go.”

“I’m guessing you want to go back home and call your man?” Carmen, who was

behind the wheel smiled in the rear view mirror.

Okay, taking on Maria was one thing, but admitting her need for Gray wasn’t

something she was ready for right now. It didn’t matter that she had ever intention on

calling him.

“I left my cell at home,” Bobbi offered as an excuse. Lame, but it was all she had.

“And I think I have a headache.”

“Uh huh,” Carmen answered turning around. “I just bet you do.”

As soon as Bobbi opened her door she knew something was wrong. A loud crash

in her bedroom confirmed it. Without thinking, she ran toward the sound, stopping in her

tracks in the doorway.

The room was completely trashed. There was something scrawled in red on her

wall, but she couldn’t make it out, her eyes were watering. Piles of clothes and underwear

had been ripped to shreds on her bed. She was shaking. Literally shaking. She didn’t

know what to do, so she did the first thing that came to mind. She called Gray.

Chapter 12

It had been six days and no Bobbi. Everything had been going great before his

duty weekend. It seemed over those two days everything had changed. Every time he

called she had something else planned with her friends. It was maddening. He was going

mad wanting her. Gray had told himself to be patient, to give her space, but she was

pulling back from him. He heard it in her voice on the phone. She was running.

Damn. What could he do? He didn’t want to pressure her, but he damned sure

wasn’t prepared to let her go. He had driven past her house no less than five times in the

last two days. It was driving him batty. He couldn’t sleep without her next to him. Man,

he had it bad.

Maybe he should go out with the guys. It looked like he wasn’t going to see her

this weekend. She’d gone out with her friends, so she said. Stalking her was not an

option. He would be patient – to a point. He was just about to head out when his cell

rang.

“Yeah?” he barked without checking the number. He wasn’t feeling very social.

Maybe he should just stay in.

“Gray – Grayson?”

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Bobbi, and she didn’t sound good.

“Bobbi? Baby, what’s wrong? Where are you?”

“Someone broke in. I didn’t notice until my friends left but, but…”

“Lock the doors and windows and stay on the phone with me,” Gray tried to

sound as calm as he could, he didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was.

“Did you call the police?”

“No, I called you.”

It wasn’t exactly the right time or situation, but the statement made him rock hard.

She called him.

“Okay, baby, just take deep breaths,” he was in the car on the freeway in seconds,

driving like a bat out of hell to his woman.

It was difficult keeping a conversation going, but he needed to hear her voice to

reassure himself that she was all right. His gut twisted in hard knots, he tried his

damnedest to stay cool.

“Okay, baby. I’m here. Come and open the door for me, okay?”

As soon as the door opened, she fell into his waiting arms. It had been too long.

Just the smell of her hair; damn, he missed her. His lips descended on her in a

demanding, tongue stroking, heart stopping kiss before he could trust himself to talk.

“Tell me what happened, honey,” he eased her back, just enough to look at her

face. He wasn’t about to let her out of his embrace.

“I went out with my friends, but I didn’t really feel like clubbing. So I got them to

bring me home. Someone had been here. The door was open, and someone went through

my underwear drawer. They cut up all my bras and panties.” Tears trailed down her face.

Gray wanted to punch something, anything. How dare anyone make his Bobbi cry? When

he found the bastard who did this, he was going to dismember him slowly.

“Show me.”

He almost wished he hadn’t asked. There was glass everywhere from a broken

window, but by all appearances, whoever had been in the apartment had taken the

window out, not in. More glass was in the parking lot beneath the bedroom window. Her

underwear drawer had been ripped out of the dresser, every piece of lingerie cut, not torn,

leaving everything in shreds. What Bobbi had failed to mention was most of her clothes

and shoes had suffered the same treatment. The only things that hadn’t been touched

were her uniforms, boots, and dress uniform shoes. But what really got him was the word

“WHORE” spelled out above her bed.

Sick fuck! Whoever had done this was dead. And Gray would find them. It was

hard to inspect the damage with one arm wrapped securely around his woman, but he

wasn’t about to let her go. Small tremors wracked her body, though he could tell she was

trying to suppress them. Damn and hell, this was bad. He had a damn good idea who did

this, but the asshole left very little evidence. He was going to have to come back without

Bobbi with a few of the guys to go over the apartment with a fine toothed comb.

“Did he go anywhere else in the apartment?” His throat felt raw. It was hard just

trying to get the words out.

“I don’t know. I was going to go out with my friends, but I forgot my cell, and I

really didn’t feel like going anyway, so I told them to take me home,” her voice trembled,

but she didn’t cry. Not his Bobbi. She kept it all bottled up inside; stoic as ever. “I guess I

must have startled him because when I came in I heard the window –”

Gray’s heart stopped. Red swam in front of his eyes. She came in while the

animal was here? And she stayed?

“Back up,” he interrupted. “What do you mean you interrupted him?” His ears

were ringing. What if he hadn’t run? What if he had seen the car and Bobbi getting out

alone? His temples began to pound. “And you came in the apartment anyway? Alone?”

At least she called, he kept saying to himself. That was something, right? She

called me before calling anyone else. Wait, had she called anyone else?

“Did you call anyone else?” Asking was proudly a dick move, but he couldn’t

help himself.

Bobbi looked up at him with a confused expression. “Who else would I call?”

She didn’t realize it, but the statement spoke volumes. His chest swelled almost as

big as his cock. Not the time and place.

“Maybe I should have called the police after the flowers and the break-ins but the

dead roses seemed like a prank and I was never sure about the break-ins.”

Gray’s head started to pound. “Dead roses? Break-ins? And you didn’t think to

tell me – why?” He kept his voice soft, positive. He was livid. The damn woman thought

she had to take on the world by herself.

“It didn’t seem important.”

Not important, right.

To distract himself, he scooped her up in his arms. She was coming home with

him. He didn’t think he would be able to let her come back here. Not until he and the man

with the telescope pointed at Bobbi’s apartment had a come to Jesus meeting.

“What are you doing? I have to clean up this mess and see what I can salvage, not

to mention call the police…”

“Shhh, I am taking you home. And you aren’t going to touch anything. I need to

bring some guys over to check out a few things.”

He had expected her to argue, at the very least express her independence by

insisting they call the police. To his supreme delight, she did none of those things.

“Okay,” was all she said before laying her head on his shoulder and allowing him

to grab her purse, lock the door, and carry her to his car.

It was all he could do not to cry.

*****

She was tired. Bobbi couldn’t ever remember being so scared. Even as a kid, in

the house alone while her father was on one of his many deployments had she ever been

terrified to be in her own home. When she was small, he would leave her with another

military family, usually some wife of a shipmate. But after she got to high school, he just

left her to her own devices. She preferred it that way; she wasn’t made to feel like so

much of a charity case. But living behind the walls of base housing was an entirely

different thing. People looked out for one another; there was no way in hell a strange

person was going to break into your house without at least five neighbors taking note and

calling Shore Patrol.

She had one neighbor whose apartment was directly across from hers and two

downstairs neighbors, all of which were home given the sounds of televisions or loud

voices, and no one had noticed a thing.

She honestly had no idea why she had called Gray instead of the police. No, that

was a lie; she called him because she knew he would keep her safe. Somehow, he had

gotten her to depend on him. It was almost as scary as the break-in had been. Bobbi had

never depended on another living person in her life. Even for something as small as a ride

to work, she always had backups just in case. And yet, in this instance, all she could think

about was Gray. Gray would protect her, Gray would make it right.

And he had.

On the drive back to his place, he had kept on arm around her shoulder, pulling

her close. He carried her inside, straight up the bedroom and set her on the bed. Without

a word to her, he went in the bathroom and drew her a bath, undressing her without once

touching her sexually. If it wasn’t for the impressive bulge in his pants as he did so, she

might have felt slighted. He even carried her into the bathroom and eased her into the hot,

fragrant water. Lilac. The man had lilac bathing salts. If she hadn’t been very well

acquainted with his virility she might have been suspicious.

“Soak for a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Laying back and closing her eyes, Bobbi willed the tension and fear from her

body. Neither would do her any good. She needed to focus on the things she could

control, not dwell on things she couldn’t. Apparently, her seemingly natural compliance

when it came to her very sexy SEAL-man was not one of those things she could control.

She would have to deal with that later. Right now she had a very big problem on her

hands.

Was it the guy who had been looking in her apartment? It seemed the only logical

explanation. Who else would do such a thing? What had she ever done to anyone? She

couldn’t remember blowing anyone off, or even talking to any dude other than Gray for

months. Maybe he was pissed because she started making certain she closed her blinds?

“Don’t think about it.” Bobbi opened her eyes to find Gray settling down beside

the tub, a steamy mug in his hands. “Hot toddy. Drink it all. And here, lean forward a

little so I can put up your hair. You are getting it wet.”

Well, damn what hadn’t he noticed? Not only did he put her hair up in a clip she

had left behind from her last stay, but he started to wash her, kneading her muscles in his

large hands as he did so. By the time she had finished her toddy, her body was relaxed,

her headache gone, and her mood considerably mellow.

“Come on. Up.”

He dried her off and even lotioned her skin – lilac again – before slipping one of

his t-shirt on her and settling her in bed. He didn’t make a move to join her, but he didn’t

move either. He sat quietly beside her, stroking her hair.

“Where did you learn to do all this?” Bobbi broke the compatible silence, not

because it bothered her. She just really wanted to know. “I mean, take care of a woman

like that. You don’t strike me as a guy with many long-term relationships.”

“Really?” He raised a brow giving her a wry smile. “And why is that?”

“There was no sign a woman had ever set foot in this house,” Bobbi answered

honestly. “And all your friends seem surprised when you brought me to the picnic.”

“Good observation.” Bobbi wondered if he would answer her at all before he

finally went on. “I guess from my dad. He was always pretty protective of my mother. I

remember she could burn her finger on a teapot and he was pulling out all kinds of salves

and wrapping it carefully. Then he wouldn’t let her lift that finger until it was completely

healed. He always told me when you find a woman of worth, you should do everything

on God’s green earth to make sure she knows how special she is.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Yeah,” Gray smiled. She loved that smile. It made him look so much younger

and so less the hard ass. Not that he looked bad when he was looking all serious. But his

smile made her stomach strangely light and her heart flip. “I guess it is sweet. I am kind

of grateful they went together.”

Bobbi considered not asking, but Gray had never really talked about his parents

before. She knew they had died, but she had no idea how. Now her heart was breaking for

him. There was still sadness in his eyes now that he was thinking about. She wondered

what it might have been like to love your parents so much and to have them taken away.

Not that she hadn’t loved her father; she just never really known him.

“It was a car accident,” he supplied without her asking. “They had just picked me

up from the airport after boot camp. A semi hit the car head on. The driver had been

driving too many hours, fell asleep behind the wheel.”

“You were in the car?” Bobbi wanted to cry. How horrible that had to be, to be

present as the two people you loved the most in the world were ripped from you.

“That’s where I got the scar. I was thrown for whatever reason. Mom and Dad

died instantly. Hey, don’t cry, sweetheart. It’s been a while. I’m okay, I promise.”

Had she been crying? She didn’t realize. “Lay with me.” She just wanted to hold

him. She wouldn’t be able to take the hurt away, but at least she could let him know what

sharing his story meant to her.

To her vast relief, Gray shrugged out of his jeans and t-shirt and settled in beside

her. There was no passionate kisses, no heated touches. Just two people entwined

together in a moment of peaceful reflection. Bobbi wanted to stay awake as long as she

could to savor the moment. It was her last thought before she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 13

“Man, this is some sick shit here.”

Gray didn’t spare Taggard a glance. It was hard being in the same room with the man

after he had come on to Bobbi. They had almost come to blows over it, but Taggard was

damn good at detecting things other people took for granted. And the man could track

anyone anywhere. For Bobbi, Gray would ask just about anyone to help out.

The truth was Gray felt the same way. The totally destruction of all of Bobbi’s

clothes did not bode well. The bedroom was a mess. There wasn’t anything among her

civilian clothing that was worth keeping. He could fix that, but he couldn’t fix the

damage this had to have had on Bobbi’s psyche. This guy had fixated on her for whatever

reason. Maybe because prior to meeting him, she wasn’t didn’t dating much. She had

probably never brought a man to her apartment. As much as that pleased him, it

apparently sent this dude over the edge when he had popped into her life.

“Find anything?” Gray was frustrated as hell. The bastard hadn’t left a single clue.

That didn’t bode well either. Nor did the fact that the apartment facing Bobbi’s from the

other complex was supposedly empty. The manager had even let them in. There was

simply nothing there. According to that manager, the apartment had been empty for close

to a year.

Gray didn’t like it. They weren’t dealing with the run of the mill stalker. This guy

had special forces type skills. Shit, this was really not good.

“Well, we might as well just start cleaning this crap up.” another of his buddies,

suggested. “We aren’t gonna find anything.”

Gray had brought five guys with him this morning, leaving Bobbi asleep in his

bed. He had left a note, but he had wanted to be back before she woke up.

“Yeah, lets board up the window first, and then take care of the glass and trash.

We can take out the mattress and paint the wall last,” Gray agreed. Thank the Lord Bobbi

hadn’t noticed the slashes in her mattress with more vulgar words etched into the

material. It was made to look as though the mattress was bleeding, the white stuffing

spilling over the gashes looking suspiciously staged. Gray’s fist clinched and unclenched

when he first saw it. His buddies had taken cautious steps back, seeing the seething rage

he was fighting like hell to suppress.

Not his woman. No one was ever going to hurt what was his and whether Bobbi

wanted to admit it or not, she was his.

Three hours and a lot of hoofing later, as they were just finishing up, Bobbi

herself walked into the apartment.

“What’s all this?” she stared at the now clean bedroom, frowning at the bed’s

missing mattress. “Gray?”

Almost simultaneously, the other guys decided now was the time to leave.

“See ya later, Gray.”

“Yeah, man I gotta book. See ya Monday.”

There were various other departing phrases, but Gray didn’t hear any of them.

His focus was squarely on the woman who was supposed to be safe and sound at home.

He waited until the last of the footsteps faded from the stairwell.

“I have two questions for you. Don’t answer the first until after I’ve asked the

second” Gray was proud he was able to keep the façade of calm. He was anything but.

“Did you not read my note? And how did you get here?”

His note had explicitly asked her not to come here this morning. He had written

he was bringing a couple of guys from his unit over to look things over, and if she needed

to go anywhere, to take one of the two cars he was willing to bet a million dollars was

still in his garage. He knew she had read the note. It was taped on the mirror above the

sink. He also knew she wouldn’t take the car there, although he had stated in said note he

had put the keys on her key ring.

“I, uh...Well, I thought I could help and I didn’t really feel right about the car so I

took a cab. I had to come clean up the mess.”

Gray blinked. She had to come clean up the mess? Did she really just say that?

“Follow me, Bobbi.”

He didn’t wait to see if she would. He stopped in the middle of the living room,

away from the fumes of the paint in the bedroom. He was right, Bobbi followed.

Well, it’s now or never. She might balk at what he was about to do. She might

slap his face and never want to see him again. He didn’t think she would though, and if

they were going to make this work, she had to know every part of him.

“Bobbi, do you trust me? I mean really trust me?” Gray had to ask.

In spite of everything, the woman still thought she had to take care of this all on

her own. He couldn’t live with that. She either trusted in him to protect her or not. He

couldn’t force it.

“Yes, I trust you.”

He wanted to weep with relief, but this was just the beginning. “Do you know

beyond a doubt I would never hurt you?”

“Yes.”

“Take off your clothes, Bobbi.”

He held his breath, waiting for what she would do. He didn’t have to wait long.

Without batting an eye, she stripped out of the ungodly tight jeans she had been wearing

last night and one of his t-shirts. She stood there without flinching, looking him dead in

the eyes.

That was his Bobbi.

“All of it,” he pointed to her bra and panties. She had a total of four left, since

they were over at his place. He had counted. When they were together, Gray asked that

she not wear anything. Bobbi, being Bobbi, hadn’t even questioned it. He would like to

think if he had been any other man she would have scoffed and been about her merry

way. That was just how she was. She didn’t waste time arguing over anything, she did

what she wanted without apologizing or being coy. For whatever reason, she had never

questioned his requests; she did what he asked. Not because she was intimidated or

afraid, but she because wanted to. So why couldn’t she get it into her thick head they

were made for one another?

He waited until she was completely nude before he made a move. He pulled his

shirt off slowly, then his own jeans. He didn’t take off his boxers, not yet. He needed

something between them or he would be all over her and it would completely defeat the

purpose.

“I want you to get down on your hands and knees facing away from me.” He kept

his voice low and even. He may have gone from parade rest to attention in a heartbeat,

but he had to maintain control this time.

He waited until she was positioned correctly before kneeling behind her. He

didn’t touch her. Leaning down he whispered darkly in her ear. “Are you sure you want

this, Bobbi? Because once we go here, we can’t go back. I am making you mine for good.

And I mean that.”

*****

Oh damn! Bobbi thought she would come from the whispered words alone. She

had honestly just come back to see if there was anything she could do. Plus, she hadn’t

considered Gray and his buddies would clean the place. She should have. On one level,

she knew he would be upset with her for ignoring his note. A part of her had just wanted

to see what he would do. Another part knew this was exactly what would happen and she

wanted it desperately.

The week spent without Gray had opened Bobbi’s eyes to a lot of things. First and

foremost, she was sick and tired of not being able to depend on anyone. She was done

with her lonely existence with only her friends to keep her company. She couldn’t judge

her own relationship on Maria’s bad experience. Gray wasn’t Maria’s ex. The rest of her

friends had never had a serious relationship, so they really couldn’t speak with authority.

She was happy with Gray. She felt cherished for the first time in her entire life. She

didn’t want to give that up.

“I’m sure.” Her answer was clear and strong without a trace of nerves. She had no

doubt.

She shivered when Gray ran one of his thick fingers down the seam of her slit.

She knew she frustrated the hell out of him and still he never touched her with anything

but gentleness. Today, she didn’t want gentle. She wanted the Gray he kept a tight rein on

to come out and take his woman.

“You don’t need a moment to think about it?” he rasped.

His voice was so sexy when it got all gravelly and dangerous like that. She

moaned, her body tense with expectation. He was going to make her wait. He was going

to punish her by driving her crazy with need. She licked her lips thinking about the sweet

torment ahead of her. Hell, no, she didn’t need a moment.

“No,” she shook her head vigorously as she said it. “I don’t need to think about it.

I know what I want.”

Lifting her head with a calmness that belied the tension of his body, Gray stared

intently into her eyes. The blue of his irises had darkened to midnight, his face tight. She

wanted to kiss him so bad! She wanted to crawl up so close there wasn’t an ounce of

space between them. “What do you want, Bobbi?”

“You. All of you. I want everything you have kept to yourself. I want the wildness

I can sense in you. I want you to make me your woman.”

Even though she was prepared for the kiss, a gasp escaped when he crushed his

mouth to hers. Their tongues met and interlaced, sparring for supremacy. Of course, he

won. She wouldn’t have it any other way. He controlled the kiss like a master, his hands

gripping her hair to hold her right where he wanted her. When they finally broke apart,

Bobbi felt as though a piece of her was missing. She wanted him back, but Gray was not

about to be denied.

“Back on your hands and knees,” he ordered, his chest heaving.

Bobbi complied immediately, her stomach doing summersaults as he moved

behind her. What would he do? In the past, every time he attempted to spank her, he

wound up buried deep inside after a few swats. Would this time be any different?

SMACK!

The first sharp slap took her breath away. Her ass cheek burned before the heat

gradually spread throughout her body. Oh, damn, that hurt so good!

“Do you know what that was for?” The commanding, resonant tone of his voice

thrilled her to her very toes. She loved it when he got all caveman on her.

She didn’t answer, opting to nod. She knew what he wanted, but she needed more.

SMACK!

Oh, yeah, that was it.

“I can’t hear you, Bobbi.” He rubbed both cheeks burning hot from his spanking.

She rocked back, begging without words for more. “Tell me why I’m spanking you.”

“Because I was bad?” So very bad. And she would be again. And again and again.

The punishment was far too sweet not to.

Four sharp smacks followed in fast progression, then the soothing massage. Bobbi

could feel wetness coating her inner thighs. Her breathing was coming in short puffs of

air.

“Spread your legs, sugar.”

Oh yes, finally! She opened her legs as much as she could and still stay perched in

position. Her body was on fire, needing him in the most basic way.

“Please?” There was no shame in begging. Gray had what she craved, she would

beg for it, plead for it, she didn’t really give a damn as long as she got it.

“Not so fast, sweetheart,” he laughed, but there was far more lust than mirth in his

voice. “You were a very bad girl. Bad girls need to be punished.”

SMACK!

Oh sweet mercy! He spanked her right on her clit. Not hard, just a quick sting.

Her legs started to tremble as she felt the tension growing inside.

“Do you want me to stop?”

Was he crazy?!

“No! Please!” It was go good! So damn good.

SMACK!

As soon as he delivered the sharp swat, he plunged two fingers deep inside her,

stroking up to her g-spot before retreating. No! She was so close, just a little bit more.

SMACK!

As soon as his fingers entered her the second time, her body convulsed, tightening

in a death grip around his fingers.

“Gray!” She hadn’t meant to come, but it was just too good to hold off.

“Did you ask to come, Bobbi?”

He was right there now, bending over her, his body molded to her backside.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.” She wasn’t the least bit sorry. Her body was

radiating with pure joy.

“Mm,” Gray murmured, pulling her up until her upper body was upright resting

against his broad chest. “You’re not even a little bit sorry.”

*****

Gray held Bobbi tight, taking deep, calming breaths. It wasn’t helping. His dick

was pulsating with voracious hunger. She was so fantastically responsive, it drove him

wild. He had to hold on long enough to let her know he was deadly serious. He wouldn’t

sacrifice her safety for anything in the world, including her constant drive to stand alone.

She wasn’t alone, and if he had anything to say about it, she never would be again.

This wasn’t really about punishment per se. This was about trust. He wanted her

complete trust, and she was giving it to him.

It was quite a feat taking off his boxers while holding Bobbi against him but he

managed. He didn’t want to let her go. He didn’t loosen his embrace as his cock plunged

into her soaked pussy. It was excruciating agony to stay completely still once fully

seated. Sweat popped across his brow as he gritted his teeth. Fuck! Her walls were

contracting around him, sucking him in and threatening to push him out all at the same

time.

“So. Damn. Sweet.” He had to move, just a little. Three long hard thrusts, then he

forced himself to still.

Bobbi was writhing against him, seeking the exquisite tension they both sought. It

took a minute, but Gray managed to get a hold of himself before he gave in to the

demanding call of her body.

“Stop moving, sugar, or I will stop.”

Of course, she didn’t stop moving. He hadn’t really expected her to. Reaching

down he placed three light open handed slaps against her clit. Man, he shouldn’t have

done that. Her vaginal walls began to quake, milking his cock unmercifully. It took

everything in him not to move, despite her pretty please.

“Gray, oh shit! Please? Please move!”

He had to press against her as tightly as he could in order to keep her from taking

what she wanted. The beads of sweat on his brow began to trickle down his face.

“If you don’t stop moving, I’m going to bite you,” he warned, pinching down on

her nipple.

Her answering groan was damn near his undoing. She was practically begging for

it, so he bit down on her shoulder. Not hard, he didn’t want to hurt her, but enough to

know he was serious. The damn woman came again.

“Oh, fuck it,” he groaned, surging inside her.

He moved both hands to the fullness of her breasts, alternately pinching down on

her nipples, then kneading the soft, firm flesh in his hands. She was quite simply

perfection. She fit him like a glove, hugging his cock like second skin. Her body moved

with his, her legs spreading to give him deeper access.

“You feel so good around me, baby. So damn good.” His hands glided around her

sides to her back and he pushed her upper body almost to the floor.

“Yes, Gray. Please, please, harder!”

“Nope,” he grinned. He may not be able to resist her, but that didn’t mean she

would always get her way.

Leaning back on his shins, he was able to stop his own hips long enough to get

her attention. Her frustrated growl followed by her little hand slapping the floor would

have been comical if he hadn’t been for the persistent throbbing of his dick. He widened

his stance, pushing her thighs apart even more. Cupping her sweet ass, he rubbed and

kneaded the firm flesh before giving her another couple of smacks.

“You work for it,” he told her. “Show me how you want it.” Gray’s mouth

watered at the sight of her; her position was perfect for deeper penetration and still let his

hands caress and explore. To make her completely his.

Immediately, her ass slammed down on his upturned hips, moving twice as fast

and twice as hard as he had previously. Gray moaned, his head falling back as he let her

work his cock to her desire.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Take what you want. Tell me you like it.”

“Yes! I love it. It’s so good Gray! You make me feel so good!”

Oh, hell, yes. If she only knew how good she made him feel, she could blackmail

him forever. His balls drew up painfully tight. He wanted to come so bad. But he wanted

to see her come again first. It was all for her, her trust and need. He provided. That was

something he never wanted her to doubt again.

He didn’t have to wait long.

As soon as the telltale shivers began, he vaulted upright once more. One arm

wrapped firmly around her midsection, he began to piston inside her slippery warmth. He

used his other hand to lightly pat at her clit, kissing, biting and sucking against her neck.

“Oh, shit! Gray!”

Her arms flew up to hook around his neck, her hands tugging mercilessly on his

short cropped hair. Her pussy squeezed unbearably tight demanding everything. With a

shuddering roar, he came harder than he had ever done his life.

It occurred to him as they spooned on the floor he had forgotten to close the

curtains. Damn.

Chapter 14

Something wasn’t right. Gray could feel it in his bones. He lied awake half the

night, holding Bobbi tightly to him. There was something he was missing, something

important. This wasn’t some random loss of control, but a slow burning that had blazed

out of control. This guy had been driven, and Gray knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, it

was his seeing Bobbi with someone else that had driven him over the edge.

The sick fuck that had trashed her apartment had come to think of her as his.

Another man was a threat. But there was something more. There was something oddly

familiar about…something. He couldn’t seem to nail it down. It was there on the edge of

his consciousness as he drifted off to sleep, and stayed in place once the new day had

dawned.

He tried not to show his distraction. Bobbi didn’t need that now. He kept

conversation light, encouraging her to talk without saying much. Inside, he was boiling.

Anything could have happened to her. His nerves were rubbed raw, going half mad at the

possibilities. By midday he was jumping at shadows. When his cell rang he was almost

grateful for the distraction.

It was Taggard. “Yeah, what?” Better to take it out on him than on Bobbi.

“Recruit went missing last night. Senior chief wants everyone to come in.”

Gray looked at Bobbi. Damn.

“Tag, I can’t leave her. Not today. I’ll call in and talk to Senior Chief.”

“Yeah, man I wouldn’t advise it. Dude was seriously pissed.”

Shit.

“Gray, if you have to go in, go on,” Bobbi caught onto the situation quickly. “I

will be fine here. Who would dare attack the home of a SEAL?”

She was attempting humor, but Gray felt anything but humorous right now.

“Yeah, Tag I’ll be there in thirty.”

Hanging up he went to kneel where Bobbi sat. She looked so damn serene, despite

all that had happened. His Bobbi, always together no matter what.

“Baby, I will be right back okay? Call me if anything strange happens.”

“Nothing strange has ever happened to me here,” she replied. “I’m fine, really.”

She wasn’t. Damn it.

“You could go along with me.” It would cause a minor ruckus, but it was better

than leaving her here alone.

“Gray, I refuse to be cowed. I won’t let some psycho asshole make me afraid to

be alone. I will be fine. Go get dressed and hurry back.”

She wasn’t going to budge so Gray didn’t force it. The stupid AWOL recruit had

better pray he didn’t get his hands on him.

*****

Bobbi hummed as she moved around the kitchen. Her body was a little sore, but

deliciously so. After the wild morning at her apartment, Gray had first taken her

shopping, not only for clothes, but some fun new toys as well. He had spent the rest of

the afternoon trying to “punish” her. He hadn’t been able to stop himself from burying

that thick, stiff weapon very much longer than any other time. She had loved every

minute of it.

He had to run into work, something about a BUDS recruit going AWOL last

night. She decided she would cook a big Sunday dinner. Although she had always been a

pretty good cook, she had never been moved to cook for anyone other than herself. Not

even her friends knew she was lethal in the kitchen.

Because Gray was a good ‘ole country boy, she had decided to make smothered

pork chops with rice, macaroni and cheese and cabbage, complete with cornbread and

peach cobbler for dessert. She wanted everything done and perfect before he got back.

She had just put the cobbler in the oven when there was a knock on the door.

Frowning, Bobbi considered ignoring it. It wasn’t for her after all, and Gray wasn’t here.

But it could be important. Who would come by unannounced on a Sunday just to shoot

the shit?

“Taggard!” She exclaimed as she opened the door.

She didn’t like him. Something about the way he looked at her was creepy. It was

like he expected something from her, but what that could be she couldn’t imagine. After

the picnic, he had been nothing but respectful, grudgingly, but respectful nonetheless. At

least he hadn’t come on to her again.

“Um, Gray isn’t here right now. You can probably reach him on his cell…” Then

it occurred to her, Taggard was the one who had called to inform Gray of the missing

recruit.

She tried to slam the door shut, but it was too late. He caught the swinging door

with both hands and pushed back so hard it knocked her off her feet. Instead of

scrambling back and trying to run, Bobbi stayed right where she was. Turning her back

on this man was the worst thing she could do. He wanted that, she could see it in his eyes.

He stood over her, waiting. She wasn’t going to give him what he wanted, which either

could be very bad for her, or just the distraction she needed to get her hands on something

heavy or sharp.

“It was you all along, wasn’t it?” No wonder he always made her feel icky. The

man was a psycho.

“I’ve been watching you much longer than Gray’s been fucking you,” he sneered.

“But you had to go and give it up to the pretty boy, didn’t you?”

Pretty boy? Gray? Was he crazy? There was nothing pretty about Gray. Smoking

hot, dangerously sexy yeah, but pretty? No one would ever use that adjective to describe

her man. Taggard could’ve been cute if it wasn’t for the perpetual sneer on his face. He

was reasonably tall, blonde; she supposed most women would find him attractive. She

hadn’t ever really considered it.

“You never noticed me,” he spoke softly, almost to himself. “I have seen you

dozens of times in clubs, at the mall with those bitch friends of yours and you never even

looked my way.”

“Was I supposed to? Most men come up and talk to a woman they wanted to get

to know.”

That pissed him off but good. He grabbed a hank of her hair dragging her up to

face him.

“You were pure!” he hissed in her face, bits of spittle flying from his mouth.

“You went and let that animal foul you. Have you seen yourself with him? He has you

begging for it.”

She would have laughed if his grip hadn’t hurt so damn bad. Her head was

starting to pound, but she had to keep it together.

“Jealous he’s more of a man than you are?”

His hand came out of nowhere, smacking her on the side of her face with his open

hand. Had he used his fist, he probably would have knocked her out. She would have fell

if it hadn’t been for the vicious hold he had on her hair. Her hair felt like it was being

pulled from the roots. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she should be

screaming, clawing, anything to try to get away, but rational Bobbi had emerged with a

vengeance. He was stronger than she was, and worst, he was trained in subduing whoever

the hell he had to. To physically fight him would only incense him, and could spell an

early death for her. She needed to keep her wits about her.

“You need to be purified. You are defiled, you are fallen. I am trying to help

you.”

Man, he was gone! He was talking through clinched teeth, sweating profusely. He

was dragging her to and fro, without a clear destination.

“Had you just noticed me; had you called me, I would have saved you.” He was

pacing, clearly agitated. “Did you have to like it? He had you on your hands and knees

like a dog!”

He was crying now. This wasn’t good. But at least he was getting closer to the

fireplace. Just a little bit closer.

“How could you?” He swung her to face him again. Tears were running freely

down his face, his eyes wild.

Bobbi didn’t dare look away. Behind her she was reaching desperately for the

poker, the shovel, something. She almost cried out in relief when her fingers grasped

something. At this point she didn’t give a damn what it was, as long as it could do some

damage. All she had to do was wait for the right time. Taggard was a SEAL. One wild

swing and she was through. All she needed to do was daze him long enough to get away.

She had to get out of the house. Gray had been gone a while, hopefully he would be back

soon. She just couldn’t depend on it.

“I didn’t want to have to hurt you,” he was babbling. “I wanted you just like you

were. Perfect, pure.”

“What the fuck!?!” Gray!

Bobbi wept openly in relief, but she wasn’t about to chuck her planned attack.

Taggard’s grip tightened when he hear the bellow. He could snap her neck without much

effort.

Gray came barreling through the door. Taggard’s grip slipped just enough for

Bobbi to drop her weight and fall as he braced himself for Gray’s charge. When Taggard

tried to re-establish his punishing grip on her hair, Bobbi made her move. Bringing what

turned out to be the small fireplace shovel over her head she swung with all she had. It

was a direct hit. The thud jarred her to her bones. It didn’t bring him down but it was

enough for her to break his hold and let her jump out of his reach.

Then Gray was there. His fists slammed into Taggard in quick succession. Two to

the face, three to the gut. Taggard was stunned, but he managed to get off a kick to

Gray’s thigh. Gray didn’t go down. His fist connected to Taggard’s face again, knocking

the other man back. Taggard connected a fist to Gray’s face, but his other swings were

wildly off.

Bobbi had to bite back a cry of dismay, when Taggard charged her man, knocking

him off his feet. Both men went down in a wild tangle of arms and legs. Their punches

were brutal, loud thunks echoing through the room. Bobbi had every confidence Gray

would come out on top, but Taggard wasn’t sane. Insane people tended to withstand a

hell of a lot of punishment, this psycho was no different.

Somehow Gray wound up on top of Taggard, his fists flying straight into the

crazy man’s face. Bobbi couldn’t turn away from the bloody mess Taggard’s face was

fast becoming. It was like watching a car crash, she was disgusted and fascinated all at

once.

Not that she was disgusted at Gray. No, on the contrary, she felt…strangely

elated. That bastard had been ready to kill her, and Gray was meeting out nothing short of

justice. As long as he didn’t take it too far. And Bobbi was afraid Gray might do just that.

However, while Taggard was fighting back, there was no way in the world Bobbi was

going to distract Gray by doing something stupid like telling him to stop.

Taggard got off a lucky kick to Gray’s midsection, knocking her lover off him

long enough to get away. But Taggard seemed confused. He looked back at her, then at

the door.

“I’ll be back for you, bitch!” he screeched at her. “You’re nothing but a dirty –”

He had thought about his next move too long. Gray tackled him, bringing him to

the ground. The fists flying at Taggard were almost too fast to catch. Gray was relentless.

His face was a mask of something Bobbi had never seen before. She could believe he had

been trained to kill, because murder was written all over him.

“Gray, he’s out,” Bobbi cried, tears streaming down her face. Gray wasn’t

listening. “Gray! Gray, please stop!”

Gray stopped, looking dazed. His eyes were icy, his face grim. Bobbi couldn’t

image what he was thinking. Was he mad at her for letting Taggard in? Would he blame

her?

“It was him all along wasn’t it? The guy watching you from the empty

apartment?”

“Yeah, it was him.” Bobbi hugged herself, trying frantically to hang on – not for

herself, but for him. He would need her to be strong.

“Can you please go into the garage and get me some rope?” he changed the

subject. “Hanging on the far left wall, all right, baby?”

In spite of the almost pleasant tone he took with her, he was still seething, his

body rigid as he literally sat on Taggard. Bobbi scurried to bring him what he asked for,

standing back as Gray hogtied Taggard with the rope. Taking out his cell, Gray made a

call to someone named Master Chief Sheppard. The command, not the cops. Bobbi

shivered at the implication. As scared as she had been, she didn’t want Gray doing

anything that would get him in trouble.

“Gray?”

“Go upstairs, baby. Wait for me there.”

She had seen Gray annoyed, mildly pissed off, even furious, but she had never

seen him murderous. His face was devoid of any emotion at all. Although his voice was

soft and gentle to her, it wasn’t while he was on the phone. He stopped mid-sentence,

looking right at her.

“Bobbi, baby, please. Go upstairs. It will be okay, I promise.”

Gray didn’t make promises lightly. She went upstairs.

It was less than ten minutes before there was a bustle of activity downstairs.

Muted male voices drifted up to where she sat on the edge of the bed, biting her bottom

lip. She rubbed her arms in a futile attempt to stop her shivers. She had never been so

scared! The funny thing was, she hadn’t been nearly as scared for herself as she was for

Gray. The look on his face when he came crashing in; it had been terrifying. The way he

had hit Taggard…

A new surge of shivers wracked her. There would have been nothing she could

say to stop him from killing the twisted man. She hadn’t even tried. Gray had gone from

dangerous to deadly right before her eyes. She prayed he didn’t do something stupid.

Then it hit her – she could have died. Taggard was insane. For whatever reason he

had fixated on her, and he had every intention of ridding himself of the obsession in the

only way his diseased brain could figure out how.

And Gray had saved her. He had not only saved her, he had been beyond furious.

The look on his face…

He loved her. It was clear as the nose on her face. Tears gathered and overflowed

as the realization hit her. No one had ever loved her like that. Not her mother, who had

disappeared before she could talk. Not her father, who had put his career before his child.

Even her friends couldn’t say they loved her enough to kill for her. But Gray did.

“Aw, shit, baby, please don’t cry. We took care of it, I swear. Taggard will never

be able to hurt you again where he’s going.”

Gray was surrounding her with his hard, safe body before she became conscious

he was even in the room. Her body surrendered to his embrace immediately, but her brain

was still boggled by her newfound knowledge.

“I’m not crying over him,” she sniffed, snuggling even closer into the security of

her man. Her man. Who would have ever thought?

“I know you were scared. I am so sorry, baby, Next time I’ll call the command

first –”

“No! That’s not why I’m crying either.”

No, she was crying because she was loved. Completely and unequivocally loved.

How novel, how wonderful. It was the most precious thing he could have ever given her.

“Then what is it? Is it me? Did I scare you?”

He sounded so worried, she moved out of the comfort of his arms to turn to face

him.

Pushing him back on the bed, she straddled his thighs so she could get face to

face.

“You love me.” Saying it out loud was as much of a wonder as the thought. It

made it more real somehow, and she said it with absolute conviction. “You really love

me.”

Gray looked confused. It was so cute, she started giggling. The big strong SEAL-

man was baffled.

“Of course, I love you. I think I loved you from the moment I saw you trying to

escape from your friends. How could I not love you?”

That one threw her. Because, no one else had bothered to love her? Because she

was just her.

“I don’t know. Because there is nothing special about me?”

“The only reason why I’m not going to spank your ass for that is because you

have been through enough today. But if you ever say anything so asinine again I swear I

might have to go buy a flogger. Bobbi you are an amazing woman. You are strong yet

soft. You are loving and giving. You are smart and beautiful, not to mention sexy as hell.

I am damn lucky you decided to give a slob like me the time of day.”

There wasn’t a response for all that, so she kissed him. She poured everything she

couldn’t say, wasn’t ready to say into it, biting at his lower lip, battling his tongue with

her own. He didn’t ask her to say it; he just accepted what she had to give. Holding her

tight against his body, he didn’t take over or demand what she wasn’t ready to give. Gray

was perfect like that.

“Bobbi?” he murmured against her lips.

“Hmm?”

“What’s that smell?”

“Oh shit! My cobbler!” She jumped up and ran down the stairs. She hoped it

hadn’t burned.

“You made cobbler?” Gray asked following more slowly.

“And smothered pork chops, rice, macaroni and cheese, and cabbage. Oh, and

some corn bread,” she answered absently, pulling the cobbler from the oven with a sigh

of relief. Not burned, but perfectly golden brown with the juices bubbling over the edges

of the crust. If Taggard had ruined her perfect dinner she would have had to let Gray kill

him.

“Bobbi, you know I am never going to let you leave right? I mean, I hadn’t

planned to anyway, but all this…Damn, woman!”

It was a good thing she hadn’t planned on leaving. Gray had more than proved

himself. Even if he hadn’t said anything, she was definitely moving in.

Chapter 15

Most commands had their own brig. Gray paced outside Taggard’s cell, waiting

for the Senior Chief. He tried not to let the other man’s taunts get to him. He tried

blocking out the sounds of the insane ranting. The guys standing post around him were

visibly cringing. Gray grit his teeth, his hands clutched in fists by his sides.

“Such a sweet piece of ass you got yourself there, Gray!” Taggard screeched.

“Did she tell you how she spread her legs for me before you got there? Did she tell you

how I had her kneeling while I fed her my cock?” The mad man grabbed at his crotch as

he taunted, jerking his hips back and forth in a sick parody of fucking. “I had her take all

of this right up that chocolate ass. She was begging for it! She is nothing but a dirty,

filthy whore – just like the rest of them!”

“The rest of them?” Senior Chief Hensen asked as if he was uninterested, walking

into the holding area with a stack of manila folders. “Like Trisha Greene, Monica

Bedford and Laticia Morgan? Were they all dirty whores too?”

Gray paled. He remembered each one of those names. He had slept with each one,

more than once. A few times when Taggard had been hanging out at the cottage he had

recently rented out.

“Did he…?” Gray couldn’t get the words out. Had he been responsible for those

women’s deaths by bringing them to Taggard’s notice?

“He didn’t kill them. But each one had extensive stays in the hospital. Each one

refused to give any testimony on who had messed them up,” Senior Chief replied,

looking at Taggard with raw, undisguised disgust.

“I purified them!” Taggard screamed. “I saved them from becoming dirty whores!

They were lost, I helped them. I still help them.”

“Seems they were scared because the bastard kept showing up, even in the

hospital. What he did to them,” Senior shook his head opening one of the folders for

Gray.

What he saw made him want to vomit. It was some of the sickest shit he had ever

seen. He had seen the worst of war, the most twisted of criminals, but never had he seen

anything like that. It was beyond animalistic. The monster had sewn up their labia, then

burned it closed. He had taken a hot poker to their breasts, and the rest. And this is what

he had wanted to do to Bobbi?

“Please let me in the cell,” Gray pleaded to the Senior Chief.

“I might have a hard time explaining a banged up defendant at his court martial.”

“Senior, I will write the accident report myself. Please.”

Senior Chief Hensen nodded to the guards, who moved to unlock the cell.

Taggard didn’t even try to get out; he just crouched low in a defensive mode, waiting for

Gray.

Gray didn’t go charging in. The fury that had shaken his body settled, replaced by

cold hard determination. He walked into cell calmly and stood there in the middle,

waiting.

“What are you waiting for lover-boy? Make your move!” Taggard taunted.

There was no way Gray was falling for it. Tag fought dirty. He was probably

waiting for a charge. Gray wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction. Rolling his shoulders

he loosened his body, flexing his muscles.

“Maybe that black bitch isn’t worth fighting for!” Taggard sneered.

“You certainly thought she was worth it.” It was killing him to be so nonchalant

when he felt anything but. “How long have you been watching her Tag? And she never

noticed you. Must have driven you crazy.”

That did it.

Taggard charged, allowing Gray to kick him on the chin, knocking him back. Tag

recovered quickly, trying to tackle Gray around the midsection. Gray caught one of his

arms, twisting it back until he heard the joint snap. To his credit, Tag didn’t scream. He

had been trained not to after all.

Tag tried to sweep Gray’s feet out from under him, but he was moving too slow,

too erratic. One punch to the diaphragm and Tag was on his knees. Gray squatted to get

right in his face.

“Say another word about her. I dare you.”

Most men would immediately see the dead serious intensity in his eyes, hear the

warning in his voice – Tag didn’t. But then, Tag was insane.

“Was that ass as juicy as it looked? I am still going to get a piece of it you know.

As soon as I…”

Gray cut off any further words with his hand firmly around his throat.

“If you don’t stop, I will kill you,” he warned. It was a wasted warning.

“I am going to find her,” Taggard croaked. “And I am going to…”

Gray surged to his feet, Taggard still tightly in his grip. He slammed the other

man against the wall.

“I will never stop,” Taggard insisted.

Gray knew he was trying to get him to kill him. He wanted death over the very

long sentence that awaited him.

Gray let go, stepping back.

“Not gonna do it, Tag.” The man looked pathetic, slumped against the wall. Gray

had no pity to offer him.

With one final kick to the side of his head, Gray gave Tag the ultimate insult. He

turned his back on him.

“Thank you for showing restraint, Gray,” Senior Chief nodded as the guards let

him out of the cell, both of them went in. “I’m not so sure the guards here will be so kind.

*****

One Year Later…

It was a beautiful summer day. The sun glistened off the Pacific’s sapphire

surface, making it appear like millions of diamonds decorated the surface. Bobbi

stretched on her lounger, loving the way the sun heated her skin.

“You should really put some clothes on.”

Bobbi shuddered just a little as Gray ran his fingers down her exposed back,

stopping at the base of her spine and pausing.

“And if I don’t,” she teased, knowing damn well the last thing he wanted was for

her to put her bathing suit back on. Not after he had torn it off of her in the first place.

“If you don’t, I’m going to fuck you.”

Damn, she would never get used to that authoritarian tone of his. It was sinfully

delectable. She tried to roll over to, but Gray moved, quick as a cat, straddling her legs.

“Oh no you don’t, you bad girl. This is exactly where I want you.”

Bobbi moaned as frissons of tingly expectation coursed through her. Gray had

taught her so many things over the past year, one of them was what she suspected he was

about to do right now.

“On your knees.”

Bobbi didn’t have to be told twice. Crawling to her knees, she waited impatiently,

biting her lip when she heard the sound of the small bottle resting next to his lounge chair

being flipped open.

“Lean forward, baby. Put your chest flat on the chair.” His voice was deeper now,

his hands kneading the cheeks of her ass.

The feel of his hand gently worked the lubricant first around her rosette, then

deeper. She felt the now familiar stretch and burn, then the delicious feeling of fullness. It

wasn’t enough. While she appreciated the careful preparation and all, she was more than

ready for the main course.

“Gray, please?” she pleaded prettily. She knew he loved that. “I want you so bad.”

With a tortured groan, he began to work inside her. She bore down, relaxing her

muscles to allow him inside. She tried to rock back to force him in, but Gray was going to

take his own sweet time no matter what she did.

“Easy baby, I don’t want to hurt you.”

It was maddening. He would never hurt her. He had proved it over and over again.

It seemed to take forever before he was fully inside her, completing her.

“Gray, it’s too good,” she gasped, finally able to move against him.

The pleasure on the edge of pain was so intense she had to gulp to breathe. He

pulled her up, anchoring her in his strong arms. He worked in slow, smooth strokes,

stoking her smolder into a four alarm fire.

“You feel so good, sugar,” Gray groaned in her ear, pinching down on her clit.

The sensations sent minor quakes through her. “Yeah, baby, just like that. Fuck me back,

just like that.”

Bobbi gyrated helplessly, her world bursting into a kaleidoscope of bright colors.

As close as she was, he seemed to know just when she was about to crash over the edge.

He would stop, sucking on the most sensitive part of her neck. Her body was drawn so

tightly she thought for sure she would break at any second.

“Gray, you have to let me come. Please!”

“Soon, baby, soon.”

He waited until she settled down a bit, and then started his special brand of torture

all over again. Instead of pinching her clit he began to rub in languid circles. He moved a

little faster, stretching, burning, fulfilling.

“You are so beautiful like this,” Gray whispered fervently. “Come for me,

Bobbi.”

Finally! Her body flew apart at his command, shaking so fiercely she fell forward,

with Gray coming down right after her.

“You are going to kill me,” Gray groaned, easing off her only to gather her up in

his arms and lay her on top of him. “Man, but what a way to go.”

“Are you complaining?” she teased, running her hand over his chest. She loved

his chest. He had just a light sprinkling of hair and; perfect pecs. All well defined and

broad.

“Hell, no! I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

They lay in peaceful silence for a while, enjoying the perfect afternoon.

It seemed so unreal to Bobbi. One year, one psycho, and a lot of adjustments, but

she felt truly complete. Poor Taggard had been court marshaled. It had taken Gray a

while to get over the caveman-like overprotective routine, but they were working it out.

She couldn’t imagine her life without Gray. It was nice to have someone to come home to

every night. Only one thing was missing. The words she had not yet managed to bring

herself to say.

“I love you, Grayson.”

She felt rather than heard the sharp inhale of breath. He had said it to her, many

times, but she had never said it back. She knew he had been waiting.

“Oh, baby, I love you so much.” He crushed her to him, holding her so tight.

Marry me. I would have brought the ring, but I didn’t think you would ever say it.”

“You bought me a ring?” She hadn’t expected that. When had he bought her a

ring?

“I bought it a year ago. I was just waiting for you to catch up.’ He smiled that

boyish smile that made her heart flip. “So?”

“Yes! Hell, yes!”

The End