Hot SEALs: Her Special Alpha (Kindle Worlds) (X-OPS 3.5) (8 page)

Since Travis was not only okay with her shifter side, but embraced it, Eden let go completely and gave in to her feline half, not caring what her yowls sounded like. She’d never had that kind of freedom before, and she was shocked at how much stronger her orgasm was because of it.

By the time the climax was over, her hands had slipped from his knees and she was lying back on this thighs. His eyes smoldered with undisguised lust as he gazed down at her heaving chest. She felt so unbelievably sexy when he looked at her that way.

Eden was still quivering with the aftershocks of her orgasm when Travis scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed. He pulled back the blanket and gently placed her on the sheets like she was the most precious thing in the world to him. And that made her feel pretty damn sexy, too.

While she laid back, Travis took off her shoes, then slowly pulled her jeans down her legs. As he did so, he trailed his fingers down her thighs and along her calves, making her shiver. She could really used to him undressing her like this all the time.

When she was done, he stood back and gazed at her nearly naked body for a moment, drinking her in and letting out a sexy little growl of his own.

“Damn, you are one beautiful woman,” he breathed.

Eden opened her mouth to thank him, but all that came out was a whimper as he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties and slowly eased them off. She could tell from the way they clung to her pussy as little that she was extremely wet. He had her so turned on she was about to burst into flames.

She would have told Travis as much, but then he reached over his shoulder and yanked his shirt over his head in one, smooth motion, and all intelligent words disappeared from her vocabulary. She could only lay there and stare at his broad, muscular chest and beautifully sculpted abs. Her mouth watered at the sight of such perfection.

When his shoes and jeans came off, she actually moaned out loud. There wasn’t a part of him that wasn’t toned, buff, and powerful looking as hell. And the way his boxer briefs were straining to hold in his cock made her think he was just as well-built down there as he was everywhere else.

He stuck his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear, but then froze, alarm crossing his face. “Um, this is probably a horrible time to ask, but do you have any protection? Because I sure as hell don’t.”

It took a moment for his words to filter through to her lust-fogged mind, and even then, all she could do was stare at him. “Protection?”

He nodded. “Yeah, protection. Like a condom. I wasn’t exactly planning this, so I’m not packing one. I don’t even have any back in my hotel room.”

Eden suddenly realized what he was talking about, but for one split second, all she cared about was that he’d said he didn’t even have any condom backs in the hotel room. That meant he wasn’t the type to pick up a girl for a one-night stand. She had no idea why that made her so happy—it just did.

Then the gravity of the current situation hit her. It was great that he wasn’t the type to just jump in bed with any woman who caught his fancy, but that meant if she couldn’t come up with a condom herself, he wasn’t going to be jumping in bed with her, either. At least not until they could make a run to the local drug store, and she seriously wasn’t in the mood for waiting.

He must have seen the panic in her eyes, because he held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Relax. There are plenty of other things we can do to enjoy ourselves. We don’t have to have a condom.”

The hell they didn’t
.

Eden jumped out of bed and sprinted naked for the bathroom.  She heard him behind her as she frantically dug through her toiletry bag. She’d bought some condoms a while back before going on a mission to Italy, just on the off chance she met a sexy Italian hunk. That hadn’t happened and the condoms had been relegated to the depths of her bag. She rooted around desperately until she found the small purple box. She practically ripped her bag apart getting the box out, but once she had it in hand, she turned and displayed it triumphantly to Travis.

“Score! I knew they were still in here.”

Travis stood there in his underwear, a broad smile on his face. “That’s great. Are they still good?”

Eden’s heart sank. “They go bad? How can they go bad? They’re rubber. Tires don’t go bad!”

They’d better still be good. She was hot as hell and had no desire to get dressed for a run to the store.

He chuckled and pointed at the box in her hand. “They’re not rubber. They’re latex. And latex can get brittle and weaken when it’s past the expiration date.”

She blinked. “Condoms have an expiration date?”

Why hadn’t she known that? She turned the three-pack box of condoms around and around in her hand, trying to find the expiration date, but all of the writing was so tiny.

Travis came to her rescue, gently taking the box from her hand and opening it. He pulled out the three foil-wrapped pieces of latex that were more valuable than gold at the moment and flipped them over, turning himself toward the bathroom light.

How long were condoms good for? Hell, when had she actually bought them?

Travis finally turned to her with a grin. “They’re still good, with a week to spare.”

That was all Eden needed to hear. Grabbing his hand, she dragged Travis into the bedroom. Once they were there, she stood him in the same place he’d been before and threw her naked butt in the bed, then smiled up at him.

“Where were we?”

“Should I put my clothes on and start over?” Travis asked with a laugh.

“Don’t you dare!” she told him. “I’m more than ready.”

And she was, too. Her body was still burning just as hot as it had been before. She could tell without reaching down to check that she was wet as hell. She didn’t need any more teasing. She was as ready as she was ever going to be.

Travis locked eyes with her and slowly pushed down his boxer briefs. It was a bit tough for him to do, since he had to get them over his hard-on along the way, but God, it was worth the wait. As she’d suspected, he had a completely perfect cock—long, thick, and hard as a rock.

Thankfully, he didn’t tease her anymore. He simply tore open the condom packet, rolled the thin piece of latex down that gorgeous shaft, and climbed into bed with her.

She immediately scooted into the middle, spreading her legs wide and giving him her best come-and-get-it look. He groaned as he moved between her legs, his mouth coming down on hers as he placed the head of his thick cock at the opening of her pussy and slowly ran it up and down.

Eden wrapped her legs around him and squeezed so tightly he could barely move. Travis got the message, wedging the tip of his shaft inside her opening and slowly pushing his length in with one long, smooth motion.

She moaned against his mouth, wrapping her legs around him even tighter and pulling him as deep as he could go. He was such a perfect fit for her, she practically saw stars.

Travis thrust slowly at first, but then faster and harder as they both got into the rhythm. She couldn’t keep her fingers from digging into his big, strong shoulders, and she prayed she wasn’t scratching him too badly with her claws, but it was so hard to focus on that as he began to really pound into her.

Travis reached up and grabbed her hands, pinning them to the bed over her head. Then he buried his face in her neck and really let her have it. Damn, that felt so freaking good.

“Oh, God,” she cried. “I’m going to…”

Eden didn’t get a chance to say what she was going to do because she simply did it instead. The climax that slammed into her felt like a tidal wave, and she found herself able to do little more than scream as she quivered under his thrusts.

She was just coming down from the crest of the first wave when she felt Travis flip her over. She was so dizzy she barely realized what was happening. But the next thing she knew, she was straddling his waist and his really big cock was poking her in places that had never been poked.

“Ride me,” he commanded.

She obeyed, not able to come up with a reason she shouldn’t.

The change in position pushed her right back up the top of Mount Climax and she bounced up and down on him like a bunny as tremors rocked her body over and over.

Eden was completely oblivious to everything else but how earthshattering it was. Her eyes were closed, her back was arched, and her mouth was open wide. But when she heard Travis hoarse groans underneath her and felt the way his thrusts started speeding up, she snapped back into her own head.

Her eyes locked with his as he came, and even through the protection he was wearing, she swore she felt him explode. Knowing she was making him come so hard while she was in full shifter mode was like a gift from God.

She collapsed on his strong chest, squeezing his whole body tightly as he thrust up into her and grunted his release. Even though she couldn’t imagine how she could possibly come any harder, she did.

When Travis was completely spent, she buried her face in his neck, kissing him there. Her teeth were still out, but she knew he didn’t mind, and that meant the world to her.

“That was absolutely amazing,” she whispered in his ear. “You’re amazing.”

He wrapped his warm arms around her and chuckled softly. “And just think, we still have two more condoms in that pack of yours. Wouldn’t want them to go bad, would we?”

Eden nipped him with her fangs. “Definitely not.”

Chapter Eight

Travis strolled around the country club, impressed despite himself. He’d never been one for elaborate weddings, but he had to admit the place Eden’s sister picked out was beautiful. This part of the club’s property overlooked the ocean, and the long white sand beaches that stretched off into the distance were stunning to behold—even for a guy.

The wedding ceremony would take place on the well-manicured lawns, complete with a dais covered in rose petals for the wedding party and endless rows of perfectly aligned folding chairs for the guests. More rose petals littered the aisle between the seats, and the pianist was already playing soft music off to one side. Travis couldn’t imagine how much this place cost, though the phrase “an arm and a leg” came to mind. He wondered if Eden would want a wedding like this.

Travis stopped in his tracks. Damn. Was he actually considering marriage to a woman he’d known for four days and just slept with for the first time last night? If not considering it, definitely thinking about it. They’d already admitted there was this special connection between them. Hell, he was going to move to DC simply so he could be closer to her. And if last night had taught him anything, it was that he and Eden were perfect together.

His mouth curved at the memory of Eden lying in his arms that morning, a light sheen of perspiration glistening on her beautiful naked body. They’d just finished making love again and she looked like a goddess come to earth, even with the tiny crease of worry furrowing her brow. When he’d asked what was on her mind, she said it was nothing, but he could tell something was bothering her. Finally, she admitted she was thought there was still something shady going on with Tim.

“So now you don’t think the wolf shifter and his buddies left town?” Travis asked.

Eden shrugged one shoulder, almost as if she was embarrassed to say more. “I’m not sure. Sometimes I get these sensations—my kitty alarms, I call them—and right now they’re telling me that whatever is going on with Tim and those guys isn’t over. I’m worried they might try something at the wedding.” She pushed up on her elbow to look at him. “I know it probably sounds crazy, but I’ve relied on my feline instincts for a long time and they’ve never let me down.”

Travis didn’t know anything about feline instincts, but he knew a hell of a lot about going with your gut. If Eden thought the wolf shifter and his buddies might try to crash the wedding, that was good enough for him.

“Why don’t I call my friend Jon and see if he and the guys from GAPS can give us some backup on this one?” he suggested. “If nothing else, they can help keep an eye on Emily.”

At Eden’s nod, Travis dug his cell phone out of his jeans’ pocket and called his friend way too early for a Saturday morning. Jon had immediately agreed, saying he’d bring fellow former SEAL and current partner in the company Zane Alexander along, too. Travis had insisted on paying them, but he wasn’t sure Jon would take his money. Not that Travis expected anything to happen at the wedding. Even that wolf shifter wouldn’t be crazy enough to try something in front of so many people.

Travis scanned the guests, looking for Jon and caught sight of him standing a few feet off to the side. The security specialist didn’t even look his way, which was exactly the way a member of the country club’s waitstaff would behave. No doubt Zane was nearby as well, also in the guise of a waiter. Travis had no idea how Jon had been able to get himself and Zane country club uniforms and nametags on such short notice, but he had, and for that, Travis was seriously in his debt.

Realizing the chairs were quickly filling with guests, Travis glanced at his watch. The ceremony was supposed to start in a few minutes and none of the wedding party had shown up yet. Eden had gone into one of the back rooms to help her sister get ready the moment they got there. That had been three hours ago. How long could it take to get someone in a wedding dress?

“You must be Travis Dalton,” a male voice said from behind him.

Travis turned to see Eden’s parents standing there. He hadn’t officially met them the other night in the alley behind the restaurant, but now he saw that Eden’s mother was an older version of her daughter with the same blue eyes, dark hair, and friendly smile. While her father wasn’t in uniform, he had the look of someone who’d been a lifer in the military.

“I’m Emma, Eden’s mother,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “And this is her father, Noah. We couldn’t be more thrilled to meet you, especially since we never got a chance to personally thank you for being in that alley behind the restaurant the other night.”

Travis chuckled, shaking Emma’s hand first, then Noah’s. “I can’t take much credit, I’m afraid. Eden did the heavy lifting. I was just there to take up the slack.”

“That’s not what Eden told us. She said you saved her life.” Emma smiled. “I can’t thank you enough. We’ll be forever in your debt.”

The way Noah Bristow regarded him made Travis think he wasn’t nearly as impressed. “She also mentioned you just got out of the military. Which branch of service?”

“Army Special Forces,” Travis said.

Noah’s gray eyes narrowed. “So, you’re unemployed and you weren’t in the navy. Anything else I should know about you?”

Eden hadn’t been joking when she said her dad was navy to the core. If Noah wasn’t her father, Travis might have been tempted to have some fun with that.

“Dear, stop badgering poor Travis right now,” Emma said sternly. When Noah opened his mouth, she added, “Be nice or you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.”

Noah muttered something under his breath and strode off, leaving Travis standing there with Eden’s mother.

“Don’t pay any attention to him,” Emma said. “Noah thinks the sun rises and sets on the navy and forgets that you don’t need saltwater running through your veins like him to make you every bit a military hero.” She smiled. “The girls are on their way out, so everything is about to get started, but I do hope we have a chance to talk more at the reception.”

“I’d like that,” Travis said.

He wondered if he should offer to show Emma to her seat up front since none of Brandon’s groomsmen seemed to be around, but Eden’s mother was already walking down the aisle. Travis grabbed a chair in the very back on the end of the row. He never liked having people behind him.

Up front, Brandon and several other men in navy dress whites took their places on the raised dais, along with the priest. It took Travis a minute to figure out what was wrong with the setup until he realized that Tim wasn’t there. And Brandon was looking mighty nervous about that fact.

Suddenly, everyone ahead of him got to their feet and turned to look toward the back. Travis did the same to see the four bridesmaids starting down the aisle one after the other. As maid of honor, Eden was last, gracefully following behind. She gave him a dazzling smile as she passed, and for a moment his heart felt like it stopped. She was wearing the same pastel purple dress as the other women in the wedding party, but she looked a whole hell of a lot better in it. He had a hard time tearing his eyes away from her to look at the bride.

Emily and her father were already halfway down the aisle by the time Travis turned his attention in their direction. Emily only had eyes for her soon-to-be husband and didn’t even notice that Tim still wasn’t there. The guests had noticed, though. From where he sat in the back row, Travis heard someone murmur the scariest line ever spoken at a wedding.

But he has the ring.
  

Up front, Eden gave Travis a what-the-hell look.

Travis was just about to get up and look for the wayward best man when Tim came jogging up to the dais from the side, straightening his uniform jacket and tie amid a few chuckles from the guests. They clearly didn’t notice the bruise that was already starting to darken the guy’s jawline.

Brandon gave his friend a curious look, but Tim just shrugged it off and motioned for the priest to get on with the ceremony. Even though he was trying to play it cool, it was obvious the best man was unsettled. His eyes were scanning the area behind the seats and a sheen of sweat was starting to cover his face.

Eden gave Travis another bewildered look as if he knew what the hell was going on. Travis would have thrown his hands up in the air in mutual confusion if his phone hadn’t buzzed right then.

He dug it out of his inside jacket pocket and discovered it wasn’t his phone buzzing. It was Eden’s. She’d asked him to hold her cell, her gun, and a whole collection of make-up products he couldn’t imagine her ever needing.

He glanced at the name on the call screen—Kendra MacBride, Eden’s contact in the DCO. He was tempted to let the call go to voice mail, but decided against it. He doubted Eden’s friend from the DCO would be calling to find out how beautiful the ceremony was. He thumbed the green button and got up to go stand in the back.

“Hey Eden, I finally ID’ed those other three guys you and Travis fought in the alley, and it’s not good.”

“Hey Kendra, it’s Travis,” he interrupted. “The wedding just started. I’m holding her phone.”

That silenced Kendra for a second. “Um, okay. Do you think there’s any way you can get a message to her? I think the best man, Tim, is in some deep crap.”

Travis glanced at the dais to see Eden’s gaze locked on him. The way she was looking at him, it was almost like she could hear what Kendra was saying. Maybe she could.

“Hold on a second, Kendra. I get the feeling that Eden can hear both of us just fine,” he said into the phone.

Up front, Eden nodded at him once.

“Eden just confirmed that she can hear you, Kendra, so go ahead,” he said. “What do you have on these guys?”

“Sorry it took me so long to dig this up, but there’s a reason I couldn’t find out who those three guys are,” Kendra continued. “They’re freelance spies who work for various governments. They specialize in collecting classified information, usually of military significance. Right now they’re working for the Chinese, and they’re after information on the navy’s latest warship—the
USS
Freedom
. Somehow, they seemed to have found a source of information in Brandon’s best man. As far as I can tell, Tim agreed to sell them the top-secret data they’re after in return for erasing his gambling debt with Sammy Spillane.”

“Shit,” Travis muttered.

Eden looked just as pissed as he was if the way she was skewering Tim with a glare was any indication.

“But if this is all about Tim being a mole for the Chinese, why the hell did that wolf shifter and his buddies beat him up?” Travis asked Kendra.

“That part I don’t know. The deal should have already been done by now. I have no idea what’s holding it up.”

Travis eyed Tim. The best man was scanning the place like he thought he was about to get shot any second. That’s when everything clicked.

“Shit,” he muttered again. “Eden, that stupid weasel made a deal for the classified info he has, and now he’s trying to renegotiate the terms. That’s why he was outside in that alley in the first place—to make the drop. I bet you dollars to doughnuts he decided he wanted more than just a clean slate. He wanted cash, too. They beat him up because he wouldn’t turn over the stuff.”

Eden looked from Travis to Tim. The best man wasn’t even pretending to pay attention to the ceremony now. Instead, he was looking around nervously, as if he expected the cops to come arrest him at any moment. Or as if he thought a nasty-ass wolf shifter and his buddies were going to come and finish what they started.

Kendra was saying something in his ear about backup, but Travis wasn’t listening. He was too busy keeping an eye on Tim. From the look on the asshole’s face, there was a good chance trouble was about to start.

“Gotta go, Kendra. Call you later.” Travis hung up and shoved the phone back in his inside pocket. “Eden, I think the bad guys are here, and Tim knows it. That’s why he’s freaking out right now. Can you smell the shifter?”

Eden shook her head, then turned to look at Tim again. Between Eden staring at him from the other side of the dais, and Travis doing it from the back of the seating area, it was all apparently too much for the best man. Tim jumped off the dais and bolted toward the country club.

Eden kicked off her heels and took off after him. The guests let out a collective gasp, but the low murmur that began to build among them was drowned out by Emily shouting that Tim still had the ring.

Okay, and the shit just hit the fan.

Travis pulled Eden’s 9mm out of his pocket and followed her and Tim. He slowed only long enough to catch Jon’s eye, giving him the cover-our-move signal, then sprinted to catch up to Eden and Tim. He wasn’t worried about Tim being a danger to Eden, but if he was right and the shifter was here, that could be a problem. Those guys had already shown a willingness to shoot, and Travis was sure nothing had changed that.

He was still twenty feet behind Eden when they darted around the country club’s main building and left the wedding ceremony behind. That was when Eden dropped all pretenses of being a normal person and hit the after burners. Even in a maid of honor’s fancy dress, she was pure greased lightning. She caught up to Tim in less than five seconds, giving him a violent shove as she raced past him, sending him tumbling and flipping across the ground.