Her Dominant SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 9) Read online

  “Honey, I can’t help, if you don’t tell me what’s wrong, and I want to help. You look like your puppy died.”

  She turned to him, her hazel eyes shimmering with tears.

  They both heard footsteps.

  “Let me go get the coffee.”

  He turned and saw Evie and Darius. God, they were fast. Then there was Evie talking loudly. Shit, she was going to wake the others. He went to the front door.

  “What the hell? What are you yammering about?”

  “Dare said he’s going to drive me,” she said glaring at his teammate.

  “Sure, he is. What’s the problem?”

  “I’m perfectly capable of driving myself to the hospital.”

  “He’s going, and he’s driving.”

  “I’m doing the driving, I’m used to the icy roads,” she ground out.

  “Yep, she’s your sister.” Darius grinned. “Give me the keys to your car,” he asked Evie nicely.

  “You’re not taking her deathtrap. Here are the keys to my rental.” Drake handed his keys to Darius.

  “I. Am. Driving.”

  “Look, Evie. Get it through your head. He’s trained. Think this through. Ice and snow. No asphalt. Afghanistan. He’s trained for this shit. I’m serious as a heart attack on this point, if, and when, you’re more capable on something, he’ll let you take point. Do you know why? Because we’re trained to let the most capable person on our team take the lead. Right now, that’s not you. You’re not fucking driving.”

  Evie and Drake glared at one another.

  “Coffee’s made. I’m going back to bed.” Karen walked past them.

  All three of them looked at the woman who was normally so animated and now looked like a ghost.

  “Okay, you’re driving, Dare.” Evie turned to Drake. “You go take care of Karen.” She opened the front door and waved to Darius to proceed her.

  Darius sighed and shook his head. “Yep, she’s definitely your sister.”

  Drake turned to follow Karen, but Darius grabbed his arm.

  “Mason called me,” he said.

  “Yeah?”

  “He said you got a bullet to the chest. He said that if you do anything stupid like try to go after Huey, he’ll have your ass in a sling. You’re not supposed to do anything but get some shut-eye.” Darius squinted at him. “You’re not fucking superman. Take it easy, and if you do try to go out while we’re gone, I’ll knock the shit out of you.”

  “A bullet to the chest?” Evie said in a stunned voice.

  “Body armor,” Darius and Drake said simultaneously.

  “I’m fine, Sissy. Dare’s right. I’ll nap. It’s just a bruise.”

  She gave him a concerned look, then let go of the door handle. “Hold on, I’ll be right back. She darted towards the hallway. The two men looked at one another and then shrugged. She came back and opened the door.

  “What’s taking you so long, Dare?” she demanded.

  “That’s my cue to leave.” Darius smiled.

  Drake didn’t even watch the door close, he was taking the steps two at a time up to Karen’s bedroom. He tapped on the door. She didn’t answer. He hesitated for a nanosecond before opening it slightly. He saw her curled up in the window seat staring out into the storm. Hell, she didn’t even have a blanket wrapped around her.

  He went in and shut the door.

  “Karen?”

  She turned, still looking pale. It finally registered when he’d seen her look like this before. It was after those bastards had hurt her in her bathroom. When they had seen her partially nude. The situation with Lois had to have brought it all rushing back. He shouldn’t have told her about Lois. Dammit, he wasn’t good with this stuff.

  He strode across the room, snatching the comforter off the bed as he moved to her. He picked her up, wrapped her in the blanket and settled her in his lap. He bit back a groan as her head rested against his breastbone. But she caught it.

  “Drake, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, Baby. I’m so sorry I didn’t think about how this thing with Lois would impact you. These men are animals.” He stroked his hand down her hair. She shivered and burrowed closer.

  “I should be over it. It shouldn’t matter.”

  And he was a stupid jerk. She still wasn’t moving freely, and her jaw was slightly discolored, and he wondered why she was upset? He was never going to make it at this relationship thing.

  “It matters. It’s going to matter for a long time, Honey. This isn’t something that just goes away. What would you tell Trenda? Piper? Would you say they should be over it?”

  He felt her head shake.

  “No, of course, you wouldn’t. So be as kind to yourself. God, I wish we weren’t holed up here, so you had someone to talk to.”

  “But I do. I have you.”

  “Somebody real,” he countered.

  She lifted her head, and hazel eyes glinted in the moonlight. “What’s that supposed to mean? You’re real.”

  He didn’t respond.

  She pushed back the blanket, reached up and pulled his hair.

  “Drake, what did you mean you’re not-”

  “I forgot to ask you how you were feeling after hearing about Lois.”

  “I told you, I should be over it.”

  “Are you sad? Are you mad? Are you scared?”

  “What is this, a counselling session?”

  “Honey, I didn’t mean it like that. I just didn’t ask you how you were feeling. I want you to be able to share with me is all.”

  It was as if the air went out of her body. “See, you are somebody real,” she whispered into his chest.

  He waited.

  “All of it. I feel sad, and scared, and mad. Right now, I’m so sad for her, but then it made me mad...but.”

  “But what, Honey?”

  She clutched him harder. “But sometimes I’ve been feeling scared. Just really scared, you know?”

  He stroked her hair. “You’re safe here.”

  She shuddered against him. “Will I ever feel safe in my own home again?”

  He tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “I don’t know the answer to that. That’s why you need to see someone real.”

  “Ouch!” he said after she pulled his hair.

  “You’re real. You’ve helped me. You’re helping me right now. Don’t put yourself down.”

  “I know I helped you.”

  “I’m not talking about saving me that day. I mean the little things. You’ve held my hand. You’ve been listening to me at night, not just tonight. You’ve stayed close when Aiden is around. You somehow knew he made me nervous because I’ve gone all wimpy.”

  “Hey, none of that.”

  “See, you’re supporting me right now. These last three days, you’ve cared for me. Not as some kind of shrink, but as a protector. As a man. I’ve needed you, and you’ve been there.” Her eyes slipped away from his and stared at a point over his shoulder. “But maybe I’ve been getting my signals crossed. Maybe you’re just doing for me what you would do for your sisters.”

  A tear fell, and he thought his heart would explode.

  “No, you don’t have your signals crossed. I don’t think of you as a patient, or as a sister. But you’ve been through so much. I do want to protect you. I want to make sure you’re all right, in all ways. But right now, you’re fragile.”

  She looked back at him, her eyes searching. “Are you saying you want me?”

  “I so much more than want you.”

  “Enough to kiss me?”

  “I don’t know if that’s the best idea.”

  Oh, it was a fucking wonderful idea.

  “Please?”

  He wrapped one arm around her hips, his other hand sifted through the silk of her hair, cupping her head.

  “God, you’re beautiful,” he groaned just before his lips touched hers. It was so much more than a meeting of mouths, pleasure raced through him, and intensified as he felt her tremble.


  The blanket tumbled down, and he felt the weight of her breasts against him through her pajamas and his shirt, the sensation rushed blood to his cock. Karen found the bottom hem of his t-shirt, and her cold hand hit his warm abdomen. He sucked in his breath, but not from the icy touch, more from the burst of lust that shot through his body.

  Soon they were both hot, and he thrust his tongue into her mouth, and she welcomed the intrusion, sucking him in, making him ache. He pulled her closer, she yanked at the blanket, wriggling, trying to get rid of it so she could sit directly on his lap. At the same time, her hand stroked upwards under his shirt, kneading his chest. He winced.

  “What?”

  “Come back here.” He tried to pull her back into the kiss.

  She stopped wriggling, and her hand began to softly probe. He sucked in a breath.

  “You’re hurt!”

  “No worse than you were after you got done with those bastards.”

  Karen stilled, then she reared back and yanked up his shirt.

  “Arms up, Mister,” she said in that terrifying and heat-inducing teacher’s voice.

  Drake immediately held up his arms, and she pulled his shirt over his head. She scrambled out of his lap and turned on a lamp. Seconds later she was back on the window seat, kneeling in front of him.

  “Dammit, Drake. Were you just going on about my injuries? You have a bruise as big as a football. What the hell happened?”

  “It’s nothing. The body armor protected me. I’m fine.” Karen’s fingers lightly traced the discolored area.

  “Oh, Drake. You should have told me. You let me lean against you,” Karen said in a dismayed voice.

  “Seriously, Karen, this is minor, Mason just wants me to rest tonight. No hospital. Hell, he even forgot to tell me to ice it.”

  She was up again and across the room before he could even blink. Fuck, no more kisses for him.

  “I’ll be right back with the bag of peas. You better be in bed by the time I get back.” Drake watched her ass twitch as she opened the door and left the room, then he grinned. She hadn’t said which bed, now had she? But he had to shower before he got into her bed.

  ***

  God, she had it bad. When she’d come back and realized he was taking a shower in her suite, she’d been thrilled. Karen took it to mean he planned to sleep in her room. With her. In her bed. In her arms.

  She’d gone into his room and rummaged through his duffel bag to find something for him to sleep in. There wasn’t much. She suspected he normally slept naked like she did, but because he was here at the Chalet with Bella and his sisters he must wear something. She finally found some sweatpants.

  Sneaking into the bathroom and putting a pair of his sweats on the counter and seeing an outline of Drake’s naked body against the frosted glass of the shower had been the most erotic experience of her life. She went back out into the bedroom and put the comforter back on the bed, and slipped under the covers.

  The door to the bathroom opened letting out steam, and Drake. Okay, now she was feeling steamy. Holy hell, seeing a shirtless Drake sitting down just wasn’t the same as seeing him standing up, towering over her. She didn’t feel scared, she felt...hot.

  “Karen?”

  “Uhmm.”

  “Are those for me?” he pointed to the bag of peas she was now holding against her chest.

  “Oh. Oh yeah. For you.” She held them out to him.

  He must have finally caught on why she was so tongue tied because he gave her a slow panty-melting grin. He held the frozen bag of vegetables to his chest, and she wondered if it would cook instantly.

  “Not to be pushy, but I kind of am that guy,” he pulled back the covers and stretched out beneath them. “I thought I might catch some sleep here before breakfast, if you don’t mind, that is.”

  Her brain started to work again. “So, you’re asking me after your leg is already underneath mine?”

  “It’s too heavy to go on top of yours. But yeah, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

  He put the soggy bag of peas over on the nightstand. She’d been right, he did melt them. He melted everything he touched.

  “There’s nothing to forgive,” she said quietly. “You’re injured. Mason told you to go to sleep.”

  “This time there’s nothing to forgive. But, Lady, next time I intend to take advantage.” He stroked back her hair and positioned her so that her head was resting on his shoulder.

  She sighed, stroking her hand down his chest, tangling her hand in his chest hair. “You could take advantage now,” she whispered.

  “Not after hearing about Lois.”

  “I’m past that.”

  “Plus, my chest hurts.”

  She highly doubted that was what was really going on. He was just saying that because he was worried about her state of mind.

  “You do know I want you, don’t you?” she asked.

  He gave her a slow grin. “Well, that’s damn good to hear, Karen. Because I would hate for this to be all one-sided. But I have an owie, and my lieutenant told me I need a nap. You’re a kindergarten teacher, you understand.”

  It was the smile. It was that damn, sexy smile. Then he had the audacity to kiss the tip of her nose.

  “I’m going to do so many naughty things to you, Miss Eastman. Just not right now.”

  “Fine.” She sighed. “I’m holding you to that. I’m betting you know a lot more than I do.”

  “I’m not going to take that bet.” He settled her closer. “Now close your eyes, Sweetheart.”

  She did. The last thought she had is how safe she felt in Drake’s arms.

  Chapter Eleven

  Drake woke breathing in the beauty and warmth that was Karen. Damn he hurt, but that was secondary. Thirdary was getting that asshole relative Huey. Fourthary was having another conversation with his dad because something had finally solidified in his mind, while he was sleeping. Fifthary is that he needed to stop saying ‘ary.'

  Karen stretched, and he was back to the first most important thing. The woman smelled, looked, and felt wonderful. He’d never had a thing for redheads, and here he was in love with one.

  How in the hell could it be love so fast? He played through different moments, like hearing her lie to those assholes and say she didn’t know where Piper was when they were beating her. That memory still humbled and terrified him. Seeing her with Bella. Having her hold her own with Evie. But shit, was it really any of those things, or was it just those first few seconds and knowing she was the one?

  “Drake? How do you feel?”

  “Pretty damn awesome. The question is, how do you feel?”

  “I got to sleep with sex-on-a-stick, I’m feeling pretty good myself.” She grinned up at him.

  He bracketed her with both arms and stared down. “Sex-on-a-stick, huh? I like that.” He considered kissing her but knew if he started, he wouldn’t be able to stop. She didn’t look fragile this morning. She looked feisty.

  “I’ve got to get up,” he peered out the window. It was still snowing.

  She twisted her head to look. “Is the snow good or bad?”

  “We’ll make it work to our advantage. But it could have slowed down the DEA agents. I need to check on Aiden.” He looked at his watch and winced. He’d been sleeping for five hours. None of the alarms in the house had gone off. That also meant that nobody was home from the hospital. He would have thought that Mason would have been back by now.

  “Come on, let’s get going.”

  When they got downstairs, everyone was at breakfast except for Aiden. That included Mason, Evie, and Darius. Drake scowled. Evie looked guilty.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “What?” Mason immediately asked as he looked between the brother and sister.

  “Evie knew the protocol. When we’re in residence somebody isn’t allowed to just key into the gate, there is also a buzzer that requires somebody inside the house to allow them in. It’s a double security, t
hat was apparently overridden last night.” Drake glowered at Evie.

  “You needed to nap,” she said crossing her arms over her chest.

  “You don’t fuck with the security.”

  “You needed to nap, Mason said so,” she insisted.

  “We can’t jeopardize people’s lives because I need a damn nap!”

  “He’s right, Evie,” Mason said. “I actually wondered about that when she keyed us into the Chalet this morning.”

  “Thank God you thought better of me than that.”

  “How about you thank Evie for staying up all night, and then cooking your favorite breakfast?” Trenda asked as she handed Drake his niece.

  Drake smiled down at Bella and realized he couldn’t continue to bitch at Evie without upsetting his niece who was grinning. She was holding a biscuit in her jelly covered hand. He noted that Piper’s sweatshirt had a small jelly handprint on the front of it. Nobody was immune.

  “Can I get a bite?”

  She carefully pulled off a corner and dropped the piece in Drake’s mouth.

  “Karen and Drake, why don’t you sit down, and help yourself. Evie’s been slaving away.”

  “Oh cut it out, Trenda. I can take my lumps. Drake was right, I was out of line. You made most of the breakfast.”

  Drake laughed. Evie always led with her chin, she wasn’t going to hide behind anyone. “I appreciate you trying to take care of me, Evie. Thanks. And thanks for the biscuits and gravy.”

  Evie brightened. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Karen’s impressed expression. He felt like preening. But he also noticed she hadn’t sat down. When he lifted his eyebrow to ask why, she just continued to stand there, smiling at him with that kindergarten teacher smile. Dammit, he’d forgotten to introduce her to Mason. He adjusted Bella on his hip and put his arm around Karen.

  “Karen, Honey, this is Mason Gault, my lieutenant.”

  Mason was, of course, already standing. Karen held out her hand. “My name is actually Karen Eastman, not Karen Honey.” She grinned.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Karen.” Mason smiled.

  “And Darius, this is Miss Eastman, she’s Piper’s teacher.”

  “It’s okay, I wasn’t going to call her Karen Honey. I was going to call her K.H.”