erection slip into her body. The way his thick organ entered
between her swollen lips. The way she opened just for him, her
skin stretching and holding him.
He shuddered as he felt the telltale sign of his upcoming
ejaculation. Closing his eyes, he fought for control. Still, his
hips picked up their pace again.
Harder he pistoned into her. Faster his body drilled hers
back into the wall. Deeper his cock went into her, sending
shockwaves through them both.
“Ohhh!” Tempest screamed.
Maverick grunted and opened his eyes to watch her. Her
body tightened around his and her nails dug into his skin.
“Tempest,” he ground out.
“Ohhh!” Her back arched. Breasts pushed towards him
as they bounced against her torso. The heels of her shoes began
burrowing into his back.
Maverick watched her face when her internal muscles
clenched around him. Her eyes fluttered back in her head as
she shuddered beneath him. The feel of her around him sent
him over the edge.
He came with a shout as his penis discharged thick
streams of come as deep as possible within her. Tempest
answered with an unholy shout as his release triggered another
one inside her.
If not for his hands supporting her and years of yoga,
surely she would have snapped her back in two. Her body was
bent like a pretzel as she quivered beneath him.
With exquisite care, despite the quaking his own limbs
were doing, Maverick lifted her so she was upright against
him. Sweat dripped from his head onto hers as he kissed her
gently.
Unhooking her legs, Tempest stood on the floor and
looked away from him. Her eyes took in the clothing tossed
around the floor. It made her take more notice of how naked
she was.
Ignoring the hand he held out to her, Tempest skirted
past him and got dressed in record time. As she was buttoning
her shorts, his hand clasped her wrist. Embarrassed, at how
she’d acted, she stole a glance up at him.
His pants were back on and zipped, but his shirt
remained off. Maverick’s eyes were staring back at her.
“Tempest,” he murmured.
Swallowing, she remained silent and waited for him to
say something else. Maverick ran his eyes over her before
sweeping her up in his arms. He carried her over to an open
space along the wall and lowered them both to the ground.
Keeping his strong body between her and the cold wall,
he tucked her under his chin. Latching his arms around her,
Maverick closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her head.
Tempest snuggled in deep to his warm chest. His arms
around her made her feel so secure. With a sigh, she closed her
eyes and felt perfectly content.
Flowery words weren’t needed as they lay cuddled
together in the cellar of her business. Without opening her eyes,
Tempest asked in a low voice, “Plan on telling me what
happened?”
His strong arms flexed around her. He buried his face
deeper into her hair. Tempest was about to ask again when she
felt the splash of a tear on the top of her head. That brought her
eyes open. Pulling back as far as his hold would allow, she
looked up at him.
The devastation in his eyes almost killed her. Never in
all of her years did she think she would see the great James
Lonetree cry. He stared at her as tears fell from the black
diamonds he had for eyes.
“James?” Tempest climbed off his lap and crouched
beside him.
“So beautiful,” he whispered, reaching out to thread his
fingers through her hair.
“Oh, James,” Tempest crooned as she sat down and
pulled his body toward hers.
For the first time in what seemed forever, James
Lonetree accepted comfort from someone outside of his Team.
Even with them, he was unnaturally composed. Unlike when
he’d held Lex at the hospital, all of his emotions released this
time.
Tempest had no idea how long she sat on that cold
cement floor, cradling the upper body of the man who had just
given her such extensive pleasure. All she knew was he
desperately sought some type of solace; and despite their past,
she couldn’t deny him, especially after seeing his raw pain.
“Mom?” Dakota’s voice floated down from the top of
the cellar. Maverick stiffened and moved away from her.
“I’m down here, Dak, grabbing some more cases. Be
right up.” Tempest stood as well, watching the agitated way
Maverick forced his shirt back on.
“Need help?” Dakota yelled down.
Flicking a quick glance to Maverick, who balled his
hands into fists, she shook her head. “No. We got it. Maverick
is down here with me.”
Silence reigned from above. “Okay,” Dakota shouted.
Tempest pretended not to notice the glance Maverick
shot her. Instead, she pointed at a box and said, “That one can
go up.”
Maverick picked up the box. It weighed next to nothing
for his strength. He waited for her to precede him up the stairs.
As she moved past him, Tempest didn’t say a word.
Dakota and Shelia were behind the bar as Tempest
walked in. The young couple was in a heated discussion, one
that dropped off the second she entered.
After the boxes were set down, Dakota glanced between
his parents. Both of them blankly retuned his stare. “What are
you doing here?” he asked the man who had given him half his
heritage.
Maverick’s tone was emotionless. “I came to see
Tempest.”
“That much is obvious.” Dakota looked at his mother.
“Burl stopped by to see you.”
Maverick’s gaze slashed over to land on Tempest, who
was doing a good job of avoiding his look. “I’ll give him a call.”
Tempest paused. “Once I get home.”
Picking up his helmet, Maverick walked over to
Tempest. Once she met his eyes, his mouth kicked up into a
small grin. “Thank you. For listening.”
So much emotion swirled around in his dark eyes it
threw her off. “You’re welcome.” Tempest licked her lips and
almost groaned as his taste was immediately reintroduced to
her system.
Swiping her keys off the counter, she hollered to her son.
“Thanks for putting this stuff away.” A few steps away from
the door, she stopped. “Good to see you as well, Shelia.” With a
small wave, she slipped out of the door and into the brilliant
desert summer sun.
A hand was on her shoulder as she unlocked the door to
her Envoy. “Tempest.” Maverick’s rich tone wove a spell
around her.
She looked at him through her mirrored glasses.
“What?”
“This isn’t finished between us.”
Shuddering at his touch, Tempest was glad the
sunglasses gave her some protection from his eyes. “There isn’t
anything there.” As a frown furrowed across his face she shook
&nbs
p; her head. “No, let’s be real here, James. What happened in
there was just comfort. That’s all. We offered comfort to one
another.”
Stepping back from his intoxicating touch, she turned
her back on him and climbed into her vehicle. Tempest drove
off without looking back at the man standing there. Well,
perhaps there was one quick look in the rearview mirror.
_
Tempest grinned at the man across from her at the table.
“I must say I’m very glad you made it back okay.”
Dark eyes sparkled back at her. “Words that make each
return better than the last.”
She laughed and reached for her drink. “If you say so.”
Tempest found herself really looking at the man across from
her. He had dark-cocoa skin and black hair that was short all
over. He was tall and lean, muscular without being
overbearingly so.
“Are you sure you don’t want something other than
tea?” he questioned as he took a drink of his margarita.
“I’m sure. Serving alcohol all the time kind of makes me
not crazy to imbibe.” She shook her head. “Thank you,
though.”
Phillip “Burl” Burlson leaned up on his elbows. His
dinner companion was a stunning woman; he’d fallen for her
Quarry.
“Well, I don’t want you to feel left out.”
Tempest grinned. “Please, you are feeding me. I’m
perfectly content.”
“As am I. I love sharing a meal with a gorgeous
woman.” Winking at her, Burl picked up his fork and ate more
of his lime grilled chicken.
“So, did everything go okay?” Tempest dipped a
breadstick in the meat sauce on her plate.
“It wasn’t bad,” he conceded. “Glad to be back. Doesn’t
matter how exotic of a place we go, there are just some things
that are only found at home.” His eyes settled gently upon her
face.
Tempest flushed. “Are you trying to charm me, Burl?”
Brilliant teeth flashed against his darker skin. “You don’t
know?” He reached across the small table and picked up her
hand, holding it gently in his larger one.
Allowing their fingers to intertwine, Tempest shook her
head at him. “I’m not entirely sure about you; you know how
you like to tease and make jokes.”
“About some things, Tempest. Never about us. That is
way too important.” His fingers tightened on hers. “I do have
something to ask you tonight.”
Flashes of what Dakota had told her raced through her
mind followed closely by the face of one James Lonetree. His
eyes were full of anger as he looked at her. It was like he was
saying she belonged to him.
“Tempest?” Burl’s question brought her back.
“Everything okay? I lost you for a moment there.”
“I’m right here.” She returned the squeeze on his fingers
before letting go and bringing her hand back to her side of the
table.
“Really?” He turned intelligent eyes to her face. “Is there
someone else?”
Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head. “No,” she
managed to sputter. “There isn’t anyone in my life.”
Embarrassed, she wiped away the first traitorous tear that fell.
Without missing a beat, Burl waved for the bill and
escorted Tempest out of the restaurant by the time the tears
began to freely fall. He slipped one strong arm around her and
led her over to a nearby bench.
“What’s wrong? Tempest, please.” Burl sat beside her
and stretched one arm out across the back of the bench. He
turned her face toward him with his free hand. Upon seeing
her expression, he just shook his head and pulled her in close.
Pressing her head into his shoulder, he let her cry it out.
He didn’t have any idea what the problem was, but he truly
cared about this woman and wanted to marry her. Burl pulled
her in closer and rubbed her back.
After a few moments, Tempest pulled back and wiped
her eyes. “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry I did that. I don’t know
what the problem is.”
He helped her wipe the tears. “Don’t be. I’m here if you
want to talk.”
“I’m just feeling overwhelmed.”
“Anything I can help you with?”
“No. Just that the father of my son has come back into
my life and it’s sorta tossed me into a tailspin. I haven’t seen
him since I was pregnant with Dakota.”
Having met her son, he asked, “How’s Dakota taking
it?”
“So, so. It’s not easy, but he’s handling it.” Tempest held
his hand tightly as they sat there under the streetlight.
Pursing his lips, Burl stated, “He’s a wonderful kid.”
“I know. It has to be hard not knowing your father for
your whole life and then one day he just appears out of the
blue.” Tempest tried hard for a smile but failed.
“Come on, let me take you home.” Burl stood and
helped Tempest up too.
“I’m sorry I ruined the evening.”
“Sweetie, you didn’t ruin it. I was glad to see you and
any time I can spend with you is never a waste.” His strong
arms surrounded her in a hug and he placed a kiss on the top
of her head.
Tempest slid her arms around him in return. “I’ll make
it up to you.”
“Well, that’s something I won’t let you forget,” Burl
As Burl kissed her goodnight outside of her house,
neither was privy to the hard dark eyes that watched the
exchange. Large fists bundled as the man watched the kiss.
The longer it went on, the angrier Maverick became.
Seconds before he was ready to announce his presence and put
his fist in the tall man’s face, the kiss ended.
Maverick growled. So this was the Air Force man, the
one who wanted to marry Tempest. His eyes looked
desperately for any sign of a ring on her finger. In the low light
level, he couldn’t see anything; but also her left side was not
toward him, either.
“You won’t marry him, Tempest.” His voice was low
and deadly. “You belong to me, and I’ll be damned if I let you
go to someone else!” Maverick was rigid with fury. Black
flames poured from his gaze and he observed the couple. It
was time to stake his claim. Be careful, his mind warned, she’s
still leery of you and your motives.
Fifteen
Maverick didn’t make his move until the other man
spun around and climbed into his Nissan Xterra. Tempest
waved as he drove away. There was a small smile on her face
as she faced her door.
“Is that the man who thinks he’s going to marry you?”
Maverick demanded as he materialized beside her.
A scream erupted from her as her whole body jumped.
“Oh, my God!” she hollered as she took a swing at him.
Maverick blocked it even while extremely impressed with her
reactions. “What
the hell do you think you are doing?” Her
hand covered her chest as she tried to calm her rapid breathing.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Tempest shook her head and retorted, “What the hell
did you think was gonna happen when you jumped out of the
dark at me?”
He smiled at her reaction. “I didn’t jump out at you.”
“Whatever. One minute you aren’t here then suddenly
you are. I call that jumping out at me. You can call it whatever
you want.”
“Oh, I’ve been around,” he responded, his voice
dropping lower. “I think you were just too damn busy to
notice.” Maverick stepped closer to her.
Tempest trembled. This man was dangerous. She tried
to shrug nonchalantly.
“How could you?” His question was a low growl.
“How could I what?” Her head turned to keep an eye on
him as he prowled around her.
“Go from my arms into his.” Maverick back her up
against the wall of her house. Strong arms boxed her in. “Did it
mean so little to you?”
Blinking slowly to give herself extra time, Tempest tried
to ignore the masculine scent that seemed to permeated her
pores. “We’ve already discussed that was nothing more than
two people comforting one another. Want to tell me why you
were waiting in the dark?”
“Don’t change the subject. Is that the Flap who’s been
wooing you?” He pressed closer to her.
Dark eyes narrowed. “What the hell’s a Flap?”
Maverick ran his tongue over his teeth. “Sorry. It’s
someone in the Air Force. Now answer my question.”
“What was your question?” Tempest was getting all
muddled by his nearness.
“That man, who dared put not only his hands but also
his lips upon you, is that the one Dakota was talking about?”
Shivering at the thought of him jealous, Tempest didn’t
respond. Instead, she looked everywhere expect directly at
him.
“Look at me, Tempest,” he ordered. In case she wasn’t
inclined to listen, he used one callused hand to help her.
“Who that was is really none of your business,” she
muttered softly.
“Oh, my sweet, naive mitawin. This is all my business.”
“No,” she protested as his face drew closer.
“Yes,” he spoke against her lush lips. “You, Ms.
Tempest, are all my business.”
Licking her lips in an attempt to control her nerves, she
shivered as her tongue swiped over his in the process. “I’m