Page 20 of The Hero’s Bride (Unbreakable SEALs #2)

R ed lay still and absorbed the feel of Thalia in his arms. He’d woken ten minutes ago as a glow began to seep through the edge of the curtains, allowing him to see her face in the dimly lit room.

Goddamn, she was beautiful with her dark hair spread over the pillows.

Before sleep had claimed him, a burn spread through his chest when Thalia’s arms wrapped tightly around him.

More when she’d buried her face against his chest and sighed deeply.

When she murmured that he made her feel safe before dropping into sleep, that burn settled deep in his heart.

A place previously untouched. A place that belonged only to the woman swathed in his arms. He wasn’t about to let his guard down, but they’d made it safely across the border.

After she gave her statement about her abduction and worked with the FBI to see if she could discern any useful information about her initial entry into the United States and her time with the Days, he was taking her straight home after a quick stop to reunite her with Vivienne.

He angled his head to rest his lips on her hair, dragging her scent deep into his lungs.

She mumbled something incoherent and snuggled closer, slipping her leg between his thighs.

The sensation of her bare skin on his made his cock swell.

Christ, she was killing him. The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up to the feel of his erection.

For nearly ten minutes, he soaked in the feel of her while willing his body to cooperate.

Then, he felt her lips move at the base of his throat.

“Sleep talking again,” he chuffed lightly.

“Good morning.” Her voice was thick with sleep, but she sighed and stroked her tongue over the sensitive skin of his neck.

The groan broke past his lips before he could stifle it. “Morning,” he choked out, as her mouth continued to flutter up his neck to his jaw. “Thalia,” he breathed, all the air rushing from his lungs.

She sat up quickly, blinking her eyes. “Are you okay?” Her long hair swayed against the side of his face and his fingers itched to fist into the thick strands. “I should’ve asked before—”

“Come here,” he growled. She giggled as he dragged her down for a kiss.

If that wasn’t the best sound to wake to in the morning, he didn’t know what was.

He felt her smile against his lips, then swallowed her moan as he took their connection deeper, quickening the stroke of his tongue over hers.

His blood pounded through his veins and roared in his ears.

Thalia. His Thalia. He’d never dreamed he’d see her again, but after all these years their paths had crossed.

The thought of letting her walk away before she knew how much she meant to him was getting harder and harder to picture.

She pulled back and looked up at him, eyes glowing.

“Kissing you feels like freedom,” she whispered.

“I haven’t felt that in so long. It feels like skipping along the path home after school, knowing when I got there, I could do anything I wanted before I had to help my mother make dinner.

I didn’t appreciate that freedom. Maybe that’s because I never expected to lose it. ”

Her words, everything that had been taken from her, gutted him. “That will never be taken from you again. Not while I’m breathing.”

She shook her head, an expression of distress evident on her beautiful face.

“No. Please don’t say that. My freedom is not worth your life.

I could never be truly free if something happened to you while you were defending me.

Kissing you, having time to just feel after not knowing what was going to happen to me… it’s precious.”

He couldn’t deny this woman anything. Being able to make her feel alive and free, to let her be in control and have autonomy over her actions was precious to him, too.

He leaned closer, pausing to give her time to object.

She surged forward, diving back into the kiss.

Heat flashed in his gut. This kiss was no easy exploration.

A fuse had been lit, and they bonded together with magnetic force.

Her delicate lips were a contrast to their crude efforts to get closer.

Any ounce of finesse was abandoned for something raw and real.

She worked her small hand between the gap in his robe, spreading her fingers over his chest. His breath seized at her touch as an ache pulsed through him.

“You can touch me, too,” she said leaning back. Her robe had loosed enough to see the lush curves of her breasts.

Even through the thick material of the robe, her nipples were hard and strained.

How he wanted to suck each bud into his mouth.

Give her pleasure she’d never experienced before.

Her pupils were blown out, the black eclipsing her green irises, and her lips were swollen from their heated kisses.

Eyes never leaving hers, he caressed the sides of her breasts, reveling in her silken skin.

Her breath quickened, warm against his face.

His hands ached to explore her body with abandon, but even though she wanted his touch, he wasn’t about to lose control. This was about her.

When he continued to stroke her breasts, she arched against him.

His calloused hands moved over the swollen tips, and she gasped.

He lowered his head, sucking one point into his mouth.

Her short nails dug into his scalp, as he continued to lick and tease.

He could feel her body tighten, and wondered if he could make her shatter from this alone.

Her thighs clenched together tightly, and a light sheen of sweat coated her skin.

“I want to give you more,” he said grazing his teeth over her sensitive skin. He dipped his hand beneath the robe, trailing to her mid-thigh before stopping. “Can I touch you? Is this okay?”

“Yes, Mason. Please.” The sound of his name spoken breathlessly from her sweet lips made the base of his erection throb.

He continued to taste her skin, working his hand closer to her center.

When he gently stroked her slick folds, she gasped.

More when he centered his attention at the small bundle of nerves between her thighs.

She rocked against his fingers, gasping for air.

“Easy, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” Need was a living, breathing thing curling through him.

Not to bury himself inside her, but to be the one to bring her over the edge.

Her body tensed, eyes half closed with pleasure before her entire body began to tremble.

He continued to stroke, prolonging her pleasure before easing her down from the orgasm slowly.

She continued to breathe with her eyes closed as he drew her body into his embrace.

“You are so fucking beautiful, but Thalia, when you break apart like that for me? Absolutely gorgeous.”

A blush worked up her cheeks and her eyes fluttered open. “I thought I disappointed you. Why didn’t you… You haven’t…” She stumbled over her words, finally trailing off into silence.

“Just because I kiss you. Because I touch you, doesn’t mean what we’re doing has to end in sex.

What you just gave me? The trust you placed in me by allowing me to bring you pleasure?

That’s a gift. One I won’t take for granted.

” He kissed her deeply. “Make no mistake, Thalia. I want to make love to you, if and when the time is right for both of us.”

“When will the time be right for you?” Curiosity piqued her gaze as she stared up at him.

“When you know with your heart and soul that’s what you want too.

” Before he opened his mouth and bared his soul, he gave her a quick kiss and sat up.

“It’s almost noon. We should expect the FBI soon, and I’d like to make sure you eat and feel comfortable before they get here.

I’m going to run a bath for you, and I’ll take a shower down the hall. ”

Her eyes lit the moment he mentioned the bath, and he grinned, glad there was something he could do to put her at ease before the interview.

He crossed the room into the en suite and turned on the taps, adjusting the water so it was the right temperature.

He noticed the scented bath salts on the side of the tub and sprinkled one liberally into the water.

The sweet scent of sugared lemons rose with the steam.

Once the bath was filled, he turned off the faucet.

When he entered the bedroom, Thalia was sitting on the side of the mattress.

Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and he immediately thought of how silky and thick it had felt between his fingers.

“Take your time.” He crossed the room and placed a kiss on her head before grabbing his clothes.

Although he wanted more time with her, he purposely paced out of the room, wanting some distance to regain his equilibrium.

He was prepared to take the coldest shower of his life after the morning he’d shared with Thalia.

He walked into the bathroom and slid open the glass door of the shower.

Bracing one hand against the wall, he turned on the water, quickly stepping beneath the spray.

He shampooed his hair, and as he stood beneath the overhead rain shower, thoughts of Thalia filled his head.

The way she moved against him. The satin feel of her skin. Soft gasps of breath in his ear.