Page 19 of Saved By the SEAL

Michelle tosses her head back and gleefully laughs. “Oh, you really do sound like my husband when you say that.”

A tight ball forms in my chest.Imagine if I were. But the thought is a weirdly good thing. I never would have liked the idea of commitment before. I didn’t think it would ever be for me, but now… well, with Michelle, everything is different. That’s frightening. I’m not sure how the hell I’m going to get out of this without becoming a broken man.

“Tonight has been incredible,” Michelle whispers as she leans into me. “Dinner was awesome, and this is even better.”

It might only be walking along the riverside in the moonlight, but after the night we’ve had, it really does feel incredibly romantic. My feelings for Michelle are only growing with every passing second, and I don’t think there’s any chance of me shoving them away now, even if Max does find out and kick my ass. She’s just so perfect for me in every single way.

Don’t forget that you might lose her, I try to remind myself. This might only be temporary. Don’t fall too deeply.

But protecting my heart doesn’t feel easy when I look into her eyes. I don’t think I can do it. So instead of continuing, I simplyspin her around where she stands and pull her toward me for yet another intense, mind-blowing kiss. My God, I could spend the rest of my life kissing her. The taste of her takes me somewhere new, somewhere exciting that I adore.

“This has been the best night of my life,” I let her know as we pull apart ever so slightly. “I never want it to end.”

“Well, just because we’re going back to the apartment, it doesn’t mean the night has to end now, does it?”

She shoots me a seductive wink, letting me know exactly what she means, which has me on fire with desire instantly. I can’t wait to get ahold of Michelle in that dress and to do all the things I wanted to do to her in the middle of that store. I don’t know how I resisted her in the changing rooms, but now I don’t need to worry about it. Now, I can live out every fantasy.

“Then what are we still doing here outside?” I laugh. “Let’s get back to the apartment right away and have dessert.”

“Ooh, I don’t know,” she teases playfully. “I might be full after all of that ice cream. They really did give me loads…”

But as I tug on her arm, she comes willingly, and we both end up giddily racing through the streets like teenagers in the throes of first love and lust. I honestly do feel like as much as Michelle is getting the life that she wants and is blooming into the flower she truly is, she’s bringing me out of my shell too. I’m becoming the person I always wanted to be. I’m softer than I thought I was, with a more open heart, which I don’t think is a bad thing at all. I’m also capable of lots I didn’t think I could be. I would love to continue on with this journey with her for as long as I can, until she’s had enough of me. I kinda need this too.

“Well, here we are.” Michelle unlocks the door and crashes inside the apartment. “Home, sweet home. What are you going to do about it, huh? You finally have me alone at last, and it’s date night, so what happens next?”

“Oh, Michelle,” I growl back. “You are about to find out. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you all night long.”

I grab her hard and kiss her immediately. I press her up against the wall with my fingers knotted up in her hair, the desire flowing hard and fast through my body. Moans fly out of Michelle’s lips and vibrate in my mouth, sending lightning bolts of pleasure crashing all the way through me. I hook my eager fingers under the hemline of her dress and trace my fingers all over her soft, supple thighs. She presses her foot up against the wall and parts her legs for me, needing me to take her.

My fingers graze over her panties first. I stroke the material, never getting close enough to her core to give her any satisfaction, but enough to tease her and drive her insane. Michelle screams and cries out for more. I can tell that she’s wanted me all evening, too, which only intensifies the pleasure between us. We’re both on fire, and I love it.

“Not here,” I groan as I whip her from her feet and wrap her around me. “This has been date night. I’m going to treat you like the princess you really are. I’ll carry you to bed and make sweet, passionate love to you there.”

At first, I panic about the use of the L word. I didn’t mean it like that, but thankfully, Michelle doesn’t seem to notice. Her eyes are twinkling and sparkling too much with desire to get lost in any fear about misspoken words.

“You will?” She giggles and squeals with delight. “Oh, I like the sound of that. I feel like a real lady.”

I’m going to spend the whole night, or until we crash out to sleep, anyway, making her feel phenomenal. I want Michelle to absolutely lose her shit over me. I want to corrupt her, to crush her with bliss, to see her gorgeous face contorted in pleasure as the orgasm rockets through her body. I don’t even care if I experience heaven myself, although I know with Michelle, that’s a guarantee, but tonight is all about her and making her feel everything. Mmm, I just can’t wait.

But I can’t fall for her any more than I already have. As long as I don’t get carried away and really fall inlovewith her, then I’ll hopefully be okay when everything falls apart and my life crashes down around me. I want to be able to pick myself up to at leasttryto find happiness again… even if I can’t ever imagine it being as good with anyone else like it is with Michelle.

16

MICHELLE

“Ooh, I’m nervous now.” I’ve been excited all weekend about starting my new job, but now that the moment of truth is here, I’m anxious all over again. “What if I’m wrong and I don’t end up making any friends or anything like that?”

“You will.” I don’t know how Jordan isn’t sick of reassuring me. It feels like he’s been doing it forever. Honestly, he’s more of an emotional support than anything else right now. “You’re going to have a really good time. The first day is always the most overwhelming at any new job, anyway. After that, it gets a whole lot easier. Trust me, you’re going to be just fine.”

I nod hard and fast, but I don’t think the words are fully sinking in just yet. Until I walk through those doors and into the office to get my new job up and running, I won’t be able to feel anything other than sheer panic. “Yes, I guess so.”

“You'd better get going.” Jordan looks disappointed as he says this. I have a funny feeling that he’s going to miss me today, which is super sweet. I’m sure as hell going to miss him too. I’m getting used to his being around. It’s starting to get weird tothink that maybe one day, he won’t be around me at all times. I don’t know how I’ll cope. “You don’t want to be late.”

I almost edge over to lean up and kiss him, but I think better of it at the last moment. It’s all well and good, us hooking up in private, but we really need to be careful about how we act in public. Especially since he’s here as my bodyguard.

“Well, I’ll see you later, then.” I try to convey all of this with the meaningful look that I give him. Whether he understands it or not, I don’t quite know. “I’ll see you at the end of the day. Will you be here to pick me up afterward?”

“Sure, I’ll be here. Now, you go and kick some ass, Michelle. Remind them why they hired you in the first place.”

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