Chapter 19

19

SARAH

H e took a deep breath, his gaze intense. "Go back inside, Sarah."

I grabbed his ass and jerked him forward. "Out here, off base, you don't get to tell me what to do."

"I will always outrank you and I don't care if we're here, in training, or in fucking Australia, I am your superior."

"I. Don't. Care. Kiss me."

The look he gave me sent a shiver down my spine. His voice was low, almost a growl. "Are you sure about that?"

The air between us was electric, charged with an irresistible attraction. I could see the struggle in his eyes, the same battle I was fighting within myself. And then he kissed me. It was a kiss like no other, filled with passion and desperation.

My arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. I felt his warmth through the fabric of my shirt. I pressed myself against him, wanting more. His hard body pushed against mine, confirming what I had seen with my eyes. He was all hard muscles.

My heart pounded in my chest as he traced his fingers along the curve of my waist, the sensation causing me to gasp. He nipped at my bottom lip, drawing a soft moan that echoed into the quiet night. I tugged at his hair, pulling a growl from him. The sound vibrated through my body, igniting every nerve ending.

"Sarah," he muttered against my lips, his voice heavy with desire. "We shouldn't."

"We should ." I pulled him closer.

His resistance was rapidly crumbling. Our bodies melded as if we were forged together. Dean's kiss was intoxicating, each movement of his lips against mine igniting a fire within me. I moaned softly, the sound muffled against his mouth. His hands moved to my hips, gripping me tightly as if he never wanted to let go. I could feel the hard lines of his body, the strength in his arms, and it only made me want him more.

His mouth trailed down to my neck. I gasped as he kissed the sensitive skin there. I tilted my head back, giving him better access, and he took full advantage, his lips and tongue driving me wild. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, needing more of him. His teeth scraped over my sensitive flesh. His hands roamed over my body, firm and rough, causing a storm of sensations that left me trembling. One hand squeezed my ass while the other groped my breast. I arched into his hand, wanting more of the same.

A groan of pleasure escaped me, a sound lost in the quiet night air. The stars were the only witnesses as he traced my collarbone with his lips. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of my hips as he pulled me closer.

"We're playing with fire," Dean whispered against my neck, his warm breath chilling the sweat that had gathered there. I tangled my fingers tighter in his hair and shushed him, pulling his mouth back to mine. We kissed again, lost in our own world of heated passion and wild desire.

And then he stopped, pulling away slightly.

"Sarah," he whispered against my skin, the sound of my name on his lips sending shivers down my spine. "We have to stop."

"Dean," I whispered. "You're overthinking this. We both want it."

He groaned against my neck, his breath hot against my skin. "Sarah, we can't do this."

I pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes. "Why not? I thought you got your kicks breaking barriers and testing new things."

I hooked my fingers in his jean pockets and pulled him forward, daring him to come back to me. For a moment, I thought he would, but then he shook his head, a look of regret in his eyes.

"Enough is enough," he said, his voice firm. "This can't happen. You're my student. I'm your mentor."

The words stung, but I could see how much it pained him to deny me. We were both burning up inside. "That doesn't matter right now. What are your instincts telling you?"

He gently pried my hands from his pockets, stepping back. "They're telling me you should have plenty of energy for fitness drills tomorrow."

I watched him go, my ovaries weeping. The kiss had been everything I'd hoped for and more, but now I was left with an ache worse than my sore muscles. He disappeared back inside the bar, and I leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself. I wiped my mouth, glad I wasn't the type to wear lipstick because it would have been a hot mess right then. Everyone would know what we had been up to.

It was clear that Dean was struggling with the same feelings that were tearing me apart. But he was right. There were lines that shouldn't be crossed, boundaries that needed to be respected. It didn't make the desire any less real, but it presented obstacles more difficult than the damn rope net.

How in the hell was I supposed to look at that man and not remember what it felt like to have had six feet of hard body pressed against me?

I stayed outside for a few more minutes. The muggy air made me sweat out some of the alcohol, helping to clear my head. When I finally went back inside, my friends were in a heated argument about cloud formations.

"I'm telling you, it's cirrostratus," Kylee insisted.

Clay shook his head like she was a fool. "It's cumulonimbus. Sarah, thank God. Tell your best friend she couldn't tell the difference between a storm cloud and a loud fart."

I didn't think they had noticed how long I was gone. I hoped not. I felt different. Changed.

"Don't be gross, Clay." I waved him away and refilled my glass from the fresh pitcher of beer, suddenly feeling very parched.

Clay grabbed Rolley to get his opinion. I took a long drink and casually glanced behind the bar. I didn't see Dean. The way he'd kissed me, the feel of his hands on my body—it was something I would be thinking about later once I was alone.

I shut down the ridiculous cloud argument once it was clear feelings were getting hurt. Clay was nearly in tears he was so frustrated. I asked them what they thought of the course we'd done this morning, which elicited groans, but they perked up when I told them how I had overcome some of the obstacles. What approach I took and what techniques seemed to work for me. That led to another spirited discussion about whose methods were best.

It was a fantastic evening.

As the night wore on, I couldn't help but glance toward the bar, hoping to catch another glimpse of Dean. But he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was avoiding me, or maybe he was just as shaken by our encounter as I was.

Eventually, Rolley declared we needed to get back to base and get some sleep before tomorrow's meat grinder. I had a feeling Dean was going to be extra tough on us after what happened. He was going to want to drive home the point he was my superior and there wasn't a damn thing we could do about it.

We got back to our room and I collapsed into bed. I closed my eyes and I saw Dean's face again, when he stalked toward me. I could still feel the rough scrape of the brick wall against my back. I didn't mind if I had a few scratches. It had all been worth it.

As I drifted off to sleep, my body was still humming. I could still smell him. Taste him.

"Dean, please," I moaned into his mouth.

"I've got you," he replied with his hands sliding down my thighs.

My dream was consumed by flashes of reality and fantasy. I wanted the fantasy.

Dean was there, his gaze as intense as it had been under the streetlight. Only this time, there were no restrictions, no fear of the consequences. Here in my dreams, he allowed himself to lean into me, pulling me tight. Our bodies met with a force that held a promise of pleasure.

"I can't resist you, Sarah," he confessed, his voice husky with hunger. "You've got me wrapped around your little finger."

"Good. Now kiss me."

He did as he was told, his tongue swooping inside my mouth. His hands ran over the curve of my hips, igniting a fiery path wherever they touched. My fingers played with his hair, delighting in the feel of it between my fingers, coarse yet surprisingly soft.

"I should stop this," he murmured against my lips, pulling away slightly. " We should stop this." But his eyes betrayed his words, burning brightly with a passion stronger than any sense of duty. His hands sliding under my shirt and unhooking my bra didn't match his words either.

"Stop trying to fight it," I pleaded, tugging him back toward me. The scent of him was intoxicating and I breathed him in greedily. "We don't have to deny ourselves this. I want it. You want it. We are consenting adults. Quit denying what we both want."

"Sarah," he breathed, his voice catching in a gasp as I tugged him even closer. His lips moved back to my neck, kissing and nipping along the sensitive skin there. I arched into him, my body seeking his instinctively.

His hands tracing a heated path down my side, slipping beneath the hem of my shirt. My muscles clenched under his touch, every nerve screaming for more.

"Take me," I whispered into his ear, nipping at the lobe and causing him to groan in response. His hands quickened their pace, exploring more of my body. Every touch set a new part of me on fire.

His hand snaked up my shirt once again, rubbing my breasts and flicking his thumb over my hard nipple. His fingers continued their tantalizing exploration. I slid my hand between us, rubbing over his chest. I jerked his shirt up, wanting to see him. The moment it was over his head, I groaned with pleasure once again.

His body was finely toned, muscles rippling under the dim light. His skin was tanned and hot under my touch. My fingers traced the hard planes of his abs and the subtle outlines of his pecs. His breath hitched at my touch, his hands spanning over my hips and drawing me closer to him.

As I ran my hands over his chest and down his abs, he gasped, a low moan escaping from deep within. His fingers dug into my hips as he leaned down to capture my mouth once again. I pushed against him, wrapping my legs around him.

He was so hot. Pin-up quality. He deserved to be on billboards modeling underwear. This was a body that women deserved to see. They could look but not touch. I was claiming this man. I ran my hand lower, reaching around to grab his ass that was just as firm and muscular as the rest of him. His body was a work of art, honed to perfection by years of grueling physical workouts.

His skin burned under my touch. His scent filled my senses, a potent mixture of sweat and the unique musk that was purely Dean. My lips trailed down his chest, tasting the salt on his skin. He groaned in response, his fingers knotting into my hair.

"I want you," I whispered against his skin, letting my tongue trace down his abs and over the waistband of his jeans. His muscles clenched under my touch, his breath hitching in anticipation. I looked up at him and found his gaze burning with pure desire.

In one swift movement, he lifted me off my feet and carried me to the bed, laying me on the soft sheets. I smiled up at him, reaching out to pull him to me. He leaned down, his lips capturing mine again in a searing kiss.

His hands moved over me with a sense of anticipation that sent shivers down my spine. He undid each button of my blouse slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. His fingers moved possessively over the lace of my panties, tracing the outline and making me gasp with anticipation. He slipped his hand under my panties, touching me and sending bolts of heat through me.

Just when things were about to get really good, I heard my alarm. I groaned, still feeling flushed and wet and way too turned on to face the day.