Redeeming Her SEAL (ASSIGNMENT Caribbean Nights #9) - Kat Cantrell Page 0,53

After a minute or two, he let her slide down until her feet touched the floor, but he didn’t let her go and she didn’t ask him to.

“Take me to bed, Charlie,” she whispered.

There was so much more to rediscover between them, and she couldn’t wait to get started. The more sex they had, the less she would dwell on the panicky feeling in her chest.

Every man in her life left—with the exception of the one she wished would fall off the face of the earth. How would she survive it if… when Charlie left her again? She could scarcely think about that, but she’d better, because it was inevitable. The sooner she reconciled being okay with it, the better.

But please God, let tonight be about reconnecting, not figuring out how to stop herself from falling in love with a difficult-to-love man. He was here now, and she grabbed on with both hands.

“Again?” he said, and she heard the smile in his voice.

“And again,” she promised. “We have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

Charlie couldn’t comply with that directive fast enough. Separating from Audra long enough to snag the rest of the condoms, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. She weighed practically nothing but felt substantial in his arms.

He’d needed this. The romantic date could wait. Audra surrounding him, laughing, her mouth on his skin, the way she crawled inside him to salve the calluses he’d developed—that could not.

Laying her out on the bed, he got revved up for round two instantly, with something akin to relief rushing through his veins. Up against the door? Hot. Necessary. He’d had almost no choice but to take the edge off his pounding lust so he could get serious.

This go-around, he planned to take his time. She peered up at him, her gaze entirely too bright and lucid. He wanted her sloe-eyed with pleasure, sighing and gasping her way through orgasm after orgasm. He wanted to watch her body flush with pleasure, flood with desire and bow up with intensity. He wanted it all. The more he made her come, the less damaged he felt. Like being with her had turned back the clock somehow, restoring him almost to the man he’d been.

She made him feel… better. The last two years could never be erased. His scars were permanent. But maybe an eraser wasn’t what he needed after all. Maybe he just needed her.

“Join me?” She held out her arms, clearly expecting him to fall down next to her.

“No.” If she got her hot little hands on him, there was no telling how long he’d last. That first time had taken considerable will to draw out as long as he had, considering he’d been aching for her the moment she opened the door. “I broke all kinds of rules just now, and I have some serious restitution to attend to.”

She arched a brow, rolling to one side to slide her lithe legs together, her breasts still ripe from his mouth. That was such a beautiful sight that he let himself look his fill.

“Rules?” she repeated. “What is this thing called rules you speak of? I came. You came. We all came. What wasn’t perfect about that?”

He laughed and let the wicked edge roll off his tongue. “How many times have we done this? The rules are that I always start with you. And I was very bad, refusing to wait my turn because you were so hot in that little dress that I could not stand it. I will have to be extra inventive with how I make it up to you. By my count, I owe you at least three orgasms before it’s my turn again.”

Or four or five. Who was counting?

As he crawled onto the mattress, she followed his progress with her eyes. “That’s not a real rule. What if I want to make it all about you?”

“Too bad.” He ringed her nipple with one finger, satisfied to see it jump to attention. “It’s a real rule in my world, and we’re doing things my way. Turn over.”

“What?” Eyeing him warily, she flicked hair out of her face. “Why?”

“Shall I make a list?” he growled and refused to return the smile when the corners of her mouth lifted. “Number one. Because I said so. Number two. Because I’m in charge. Number three, because if you don’t, you will be very sorry.”

She crossed her arms and batted her eyelashes. “I’m kind of curious what you