Page 47 of D-Day

He just grunted, and she sighed. “D-Day…”

“Not letting my guard down around you,” he growled, completely in warrior-wolf mode.

On top of being so devastatingly handsome, he was her highly skilled, ruthless, and protective guardian in almost full battle gear.

Their conversation last night set the tone between them. D-Day had effectively put time on hold. And Helen refused to think about where she was going to be or what she was going to be doing once she’d finished her assignment with Doctors for the World.

But she was never going to forget how awesome, how magnificent he was through all of this. He was a man to die for—and with a jolt, she realized that she would give up her life for him in a heartbeat.

There wasn’t a moment between them that she didn’t cherish, even the quiet moments with him were as charged as the disagreements and their physical interactions.

Without even looking at her, and so aware of his surroundings, he shifted slightly. “You keep looking at me like that, darlin’ and I’m going to show you how a SEAL goes into an intimate battle,” he said, his voice husky.

“Ooh,” she whispered. “Troops in contact, and you have the most perfect weapon.” Her gaze dipped below his belt. “Yes, please, bring the fire.”

He chuckled and snapped his gun into the holster. He didn’t quite give her a sidelong glance, he didn’t turn his head enough for that, but she still felt engulfed in his charismatic presence, and the combination of his shaggy hair curling on the ends, his profile with that coating of golden beard stubble, his oh-so-broad shoulders, wide, muscled chest, unbelievable torso with those heavily delineated abs, and that sexy, pronounced Adonis belt were enough to melt every bone in her body and turn her into a puddle.

“You are quite a magnificent man, Andrew Nolan, and I don’t mean just that body of yours.”

She got out of bed, grabbed a gray T-shirt on the floor and dropped it over her naked body as he slipped his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. His eyes were warm and…humble. Helen stared up at him, never expecting to see such an emotion on his face. Yet it was in his eyes, in his expression as if he was undeserving, and a lump formed in her throat.

She covered his hands, gently pushing them away from the buttons. With tender care, she did up each one, showing him, by this small act, that she meant every word she said. The corner of his mouth lifted, and she smiled at him, turning and reachingfor the tactical vest. She went to lift it and made a softoofsound. “For the love of God, that’s freaking heavy.” She turned and made a face at him. “Seriously?”

He chuckled, and had the nerve to reach past her, with one hand, lift the vest easily, slide it over his head, and smooth down the Velcro.

She grabbed the edges of that vest and brought that hard man close. “Show off,” she murmured.

He smiled, his expression sobering as he dropped his head, then looked up, a directness in his gaze that was open and honest. “Once we leave this room, it’s going to get ugly and dangerous, darlin’. You will do exactly as I say exactly when I say it. Don’t hesitate, and don’t think. Just move.”

She stiffened to attention and saluted. “Yes, sir.”

He shook his head with a wry, indulgent expression, tapped the pistol grip, and said, “You’ll need to be ready to shoot?”

She nodded, her stomach taking a nosedive, clenching hard as her heartbeat accelerated and adrenaline shot into her bloodstream. She eyed the firearm. “I’ll make you and Buck proud.”

He laughed, scoffing softly. “Of course, you will. That doesn’t surprise me.”

Shifting his head, he stared at her, a sudden tautness in his face, the muscles along his jaw bunched. When he finally spoke, there was a gruff catch in his voice. “The harder question is how do you feel about killing someone?”

The gruffness in his voice made Helen’s heart contract, and she clenched her jaw against the sudden ache. A charged silence settled over them, and he bent his head, his face still taut. She took a hard breath, everything that she had ever done was always about administering to the weak, sick, and wounded. Her stomach heaved at the thought of taking a life when she had vowed to preserve it. Taking her hand, he carefully aligned palmagainst palm, then just as carefully, laced his fingers through hers. She lifted her chin, realizing that right here, right now, she could make the kind of difference that would actually save an entire region from destruction. Her. Midwestern girl, dedicated caregiver, and the woman who had snagged the attention and affection of such a man as D-Day. “It wouldn’t be my choice, of course, but I will do what’s necessary to protect everyone on this island.”

That tension in his face eased, his gaze direct and solemn. Swallowing against the fullness in her throat, she gave him a wan smile, silently agreeing with the response she saw in his eyes.

He held her gaze for a moment, then, giving her hand a firm squeeze, he nodded. “You are a beautiful and brave woman, Helen. I think you’re the magnificent one.” He gathered her against him, the tactical vest hard against her chest, in an embrace so strong, so tight, that Helen felt almost lost in it. His hand rough against her face, he tucked her head against him, then molded her to his powerful frame, as if trying to take her inside his body. Helen shivered, so many sensations breaking loose inside her that she could barely handle them all. But what finally unhinged her was the way he tucked back her hair, then pressed his face against hers. It was the tenderest of touches and did unbearable things to her heart, and Helen abruptly turned her face into the curve of his neck sliding her arms around him.

“I adore you,” he whispered hoarsely against her hair. “So very much.” He smoothed back her hair with this thumb, then brushed his mouth against her temple. And that one single, gentle caress devastated her, and she caught him by the back of his neck and turned her face against his. He inhaled sharply and lifted her chin, covering her mouth in a hot, starving kiss.

Helen made a low sound, succumbing to the urgency clamoring in her, her mouth going slack beneath his, desperate for the taste of him. His fingers tangling in her hair, D-Dayshifted his hold and dragged her up against him. A frenzied weakness pumped through her when she felt him against her thigh. Another low sound was driven from her, and D-Day spread his hand wide against the back of her head, increasing the pressure of his mouth as the kiss turned wet and urgent, as though some grinding need had broken loose. Feeling as if she were drowning in lava, Helen clung to him, yielding up everything, the searching hungry heat of his mouth electrifying her, the feel of his hand against her face destroying her.

A violent shudder coursed through him, and D-Day tore his mouth away, his breathing harsh and labored in the silent room. His arm around her hips, he dragged her higher, crushing her against him, and Helen whispered his name when she felt the hard, thick ridge of flesh against her. Frantic to have this one last excruciatingly meaningful moment between them to wash away the unfulfilling act they had to perform last night, she wrapped her legs around him. D-Day carried her to the door, and pressed her back against the wood, taking her mouth in another wild, plundering kiss, and Helen surrendered everything to his hot, searching mouth, shuddering at the movement of his thighs and hips riding hard against her.

As if driven by an out-of-control need, he rocked his hips against her, and Helen clutched his shoulders, the feel of him rubbing against her blinding her with desire. Fully ravaging his sexy mouth, she lifted herself against him, counter-stroking along the length of him, trying to relieve his need—and hers.

He jerked against her as he begged against her lips, his breathing harsh and labored, he rasped out, “Free me, Helen, darlin’.” His voice was gruff, unsteady, and thick with desire. “I need you and this after last night.”

She reached down and unzipped his pants, his chest expanding raggedly. She cried out against his mouth as his erection settled between her thighs, his face contorting atthe pleasure. Lifting her hips to accommodate him, he began thrusting against her, his mouth hungry and wild, and Helen clutched him with her legs, frantic for the feel of his hard dick inside her, a throbbing heaviness in her.

Sliding deep inside her, he rocked against her, and Helen tightened her legs around him, his merciless hold fusing them body to body. He gripped her around the hips, locking her against him, his body thrusting, driving, urgent against hers. He touched her with his thumb, ramping up every sensation in her tiny bundle of nerves, and she came with blinding pleasure, convulsing around him. Then with a hoarse groan and a savage thrust, he cried out and arched against her. Covering her mouth in a punishing kiss, drinking the sounds that were driven from her, he thrust just as fiercely into her, a fragmented groan shuddering from him as he climaxed inside her.

---