Page 47 of Corey
“Let it out,” he encouraged her, dragging her against his chest. “Let every last fucking demon out. That day has no power over you anymore. We know better than anyone how fragile life is, that it can be taken away in an instant. But you know what? That’s what also makes it so fucking precious and exhilarating and worth getting up every single morning to be with the ones we love. If we let our tragedies stop us from living then we may as well have died, too.”
God.His words resonated deeply and she understood how right he was. She’d stopped living after the shooting, had become a shell of her former self. And in no way did that honor the people who had died. In fact, it suddenly seemed so very selfish.
Leaning down, he began kissing her tears away and her eyes slid shut as the emotions took over. She wasn’t sure how long she sobbed in the cradle of his arms, but eventually, the tears stopped. A peace like she hadn’t known in a year settled over her and she fell asleep.
And no nightmares came.
Her sweet SEAL had vanquished the demons once and for all.
???
Corey held Sera, and once she fell asleep, he breathed a little easier. Her body relaxed against his and she drifted off into a peaceful slumber. He hoped she would never haveanother nightmare about that horrific day again. If he could somehow absorb every terrible memory from her, he would. Unfortunately, tragedy had a way of following people to their graves.
A part of him wanted to confide in her about what had happened to him that fateful day when his world imploded. Maybe he’d be able to find the strength to do it. Eventually.
Something she’d said kept repeating in his head:You’re stronger than you feel.
During SEAL training, it had been ingrained into everything he’d done to take it one small step at a time. His superiors drilled into his team members not to look at the whole picture, but instead, to set smaller, manageable goals that would keep moving you forward. It was a successful formula. In other words, you don’t have to be strong all at once. By taking it one small step, one small breath at a time, you’d reach your goal.
It pertained to missions and, now he was realizing, to grief. Why the hell had it taken him twenty years to see that? And now that he understood, he wanted to see it through with Sera. Together, they were stronger, and he knew they could help each other through the storm. Eventually, they’d find their way out of the shadows and back into the sun.
Maybe there was hope for him yet.
Closing his eyes, he breathed in Sera’s rose and rain scent, listened to the steady lull of her breathing, and fell asleep.
Normally when Corey woke up, Storm was staring in his face. But, this time, he woke up in a much more enjoyable way.No offense, Storm,he thought as his eyes opened and he watched Sera kiss her way down his chest. When he made asoft grunt of appreciation, she glanced up at him with a naughty smile before her head disappeared beneath the sheet.
The sensation of her hands wrapping around his already hard cock felt unbelievable. And definitely not a view he wanted to miss. Throwing the covers back, his nostrils flared as he watched her take his dick into her mouth. It was a sight more majestic than the mountains outside his window.
She sucked hard, pulling him to the back of her throat, and a harsh sound tore from his throat. Threading his fingers through her hair, he pulled, fixated on the way she licked the underside of his cock then swirled her tongue around his sensitive tip. Her hands squeezed, twisting around his steel length. Up and down. Driving him mad. He fought hard to keep his control, but it was a losing battle.
Grabbing her shoulders, he pulled her up into his arms and slid off the bed. Plucking a condom from the drawer, he headed toward the bathroom.
“Hey! I wasn’t done down there,” she protested, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“How about we finish in the shower?” he suggested. “I want to be inside you when I come.”
“Promise?” she whispered silkily. When she began sucking on his neck, his knees almost buckled. And this time it had nothing to do with arthritis.
Chapter Nineteen
Since they’d fallen into bed when the sun came up, their internal clocks were a little off. But Sera had never felt so alive or vibrant. She and Corey spent most of the day in his bedroom, exploring each other’s bodies and coming together in a way she couldn’t quite explain.
Whatever was happening, it was so much more than physical. She didn’t know what to call it. Sex didn’t come close to doing it justice and sounded impersonal. And making love? That didn’t sound exactly right either because he didn’t love her. They hadn’t known each other long enough for that. Love was something shared between couples who’d been together forever.
Right?
Except, when he was moving inside her body, the experience defied words. She felteverything. His very essence. His desire, his energy, his heart, even his shadows. Their connection felt almost sacred, taking intimacy to a whole new level.
Now, as she watched him whip up a batch of his delicious scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese, she tilted her head, studying him, and something felt different. But in a really good way. The air around him seemed lighter. Brighter, too, maybe?
Was hehumminga tune?
Sex. Just go with sex,she told herself. It seemed the safest explanation, especially when her head buzzed with words like “soulmate” and “once in a lifetime.” He glanced over at her and sent her a dazzling smile, as though he’d just won the lottery. Her stomach flipped, attention zeroing in on the boyish dimple now visible since he’d shaved his beard.
How could one little indentation make her insides melt?
He hadn’t confided in her yet, but she’d poured her heart and story out to him after an orgasm. Or maybe it had been three orgasms. Giving her head a shake, she accepted the plate he handed her, watching from beneath her lashes as he sat down across from her.
