Falling For His Badass Read online

  Totally tipsy, I swing my leg over to cross my legs as I set the empty glass on the table. His eyes drop to the movement and linger looking at my hemline. Knowing I’m bare down there, his intense gaze makes me both nervous and excited, and the booze makes me daring. What would a man like him do if I was his girl and I teased him right now by spreading my legs invitingly? Would he ignore the temptation because we’re in public, or would he discretely slide his hand between my legs, then insert his finger to test how wet I am? I bet he would check my status. My leg starts to pump up and down with that thought, satisfying the tickle that is growing down there.

  He looks up to my face and catches the fantasy playing on it. The look on his face shifts in a fraction of a second from a man enjoying a comedy at a dinner show to a man who would totally fuck my brains out given the opportunity. My breath hitches in my throat and my heart stops beating. This man is nothing like the “decent” men I’m used to dating. He pushes my panic button in a way I’ve never felt before. My whole body is tingling. The look on his face is barely concealed hunger and I bite my lip to keep from coming unglued.

  Fucking hell! Woman! Don’t tease my ass so blatantly. I could fuck that look into tomorrow. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the waiter with our food. Thankful for the distraction, I lean back in my seat to gain control of myself as I stare at Lizzy. Lucky for you, babe, our food is here, because I’m hungry and ready to eat. Her eyes stare back intimated.

  The waiter steps between us, blocking my view of her, and sets the entree on the table in front of her. “Madam,” he says in a totally fake accent. “Your Prime Rib is cooked medium as requested.”

  I hear her take a deep breath, then comment. “Mmmm, it smells delicious.”

  The sweet sound of her voice keeps my dick hard. I drain my beer, needing to get my shit together.

  The waiter snaps his fingers and his helper passes him another entree. This one has twice the food as her serving had and he sets the loaded platter in front of me. Jeff. Always taking care of me.

  The waiter snaps his fingers again and is handed Lizzy’s second Sangria Margarita and two beers for me. When he turns to leave, he pats me on the shoulder, and says respectfully, “Thank you for your service. It’s on the house.”

  I offer my hand, and he shakes it. When he walks away, I can see Lizzy again. Her expression makes me chuckle. She is staring at my platter overflowing with food wearing an astonished look on her face. Her pouty mouth is hanging open and the thought of filling it with my meat cancels my deflating dick and my cock begins to grow again. Guess I’m going to just have to deal with the effect she has on me. There are things you can control and things you can’t.

  Knowing she will watch me consume my meal, if for no other reason than she’ll be curious to see if I can consume it all, I pick up my knife and fork to give her a taste of who I am and what she can expect from me. I gently but firmly slice into the tender steak, then stroke steadily back and forth. The rare meat oozes its juice onto the plate, rolling off the knife, unfolding onto the platter, splaying, laid bare, waiting for me to stab it. I poke it with my fork, then push it around to soak up the juice. When I lean toward it and lift it to my open mouth, I pause in midair. Waiting for her eyes to connect with mine, I see the effect of my seduction sitting on her face, and when our eyes connect, I give her my sexy as fuck boyish grin to tease her further, and state. “I burn a lot of calories.”

  She blushes again, busted, and looks down at her own plate. I’m not sure if she turned red because she was gawking or if it was because she got the innuendo but either way her ability to blush like that makes me want to see how flushed she becomes when she’s really tuned up and turned on. I smirk, not taking my eyes off her pretty face. I insert the bite into my mouth and savor the flavor. “Umm, delicious! Soft, juicy, perfection.”

  Lizzy, pretending she’s ignoring me, takes her dinnerware, and begins to slice into her steak. I know I have her when she begins to smirk as she strokes the meat back and forth. Yup, I stab my steak and slice another piece. She may be shy now, but I’m betting the right man will make her a minx. I lift the tender piece to my lips, smirking, knowing I’m going to be the right man.

  Sitting here sipping my drink, I’m only half listening to the show. The actors kicked it up a notch, allowing the audience to enjoy their meal, and I managed to eat most of mine, but this hunk of man sitting beside me has totally captured my imagination. Sure, I’m laughing when the audience laughs, but I am only pretending to be paying attention. There is something about the way he handles his fork and knife that keeps the tingling sensation swirling around down there, fully engaged. I’m hot and wet! He cuts his eyes at me, and I quickly lower mine to stir my drink. If those eyes connect again, zapping my aroused erogenous zones, I will hand this stranger my room key.

  A voice behind me says, “Excuse me, may I collect your plate?” The waiter has appeared to clear the dishes away. He leans in on my right side to remove my plate.

  “Yes, thank you,” I answer as I turn to look at him. Thankful for the distraction.

  “Dessert will be served next. Would you like a cup of coffee with it?” He asks politely.

  “No, thank you.”

  Just as he steps back, I hear B.A. say, “Would you like another drink instead?”

  My heart nearly stops in my chest. His voice is close! Like, super close. My eyes drift to the left. He has pulled his chair next to mine. His aroma hits me again, and damn, he smells good. My eyes drift to his lap to see all the bulges hidden in his jeans. I try hard not to flush at the thought of his cock being close enough to touch. Dear lord, I’m a hot mess. I lift my drink. “Thank you, but no, I’m good.”

  He chuckles, “You do realize your glass is empty again?”

  I blink and focus on it. “Oh, so it is.” Embarrassed, I laugh, and my eyes seize on the lapse of control to find his. The intensity in his dark green gaze makes my heart flip over and I find myself wanting to stare into them.

  He smiles and his look softens, but the intensity remains the same, making me bite my bottom lip. “Are you enjoying the show?” He asks. The question is a reasonable one to ask. But it feels more like he’s asking if I’m into him.

  “Yes, I am,” slips out, “Very much so.”

  He grins, “I am too.”

  Oh my! That grin is so cute! He’s adorable.

  The people around us laugh at something happening on the stage, but we just grin at each other.

  Then the waiter returns with our desserts. B.A. raises his eyebrows and asks, “You sure you don’t need a drink to wash that cake down?”

  “Are you afraid I’m going to choke?” I flirt.

  He chuckles, “Well, if you do, I know the Heimlich maneuver.”

  Dear lord, the thought of his arms wrapped around me crushing my body against his makes my legs weak and my pussy even wetter. Can I fake choking? I smile at him, and his eyes tell me he knows what I am thinking.

  Just then, he looks down at his chest, then retrieves his phone from the front pocket. He stares at it for just a second, then begins to rise. “Excuse me.” He tells me, then turns and walks away.

  Watching his confident posture disappear, I marvel at what a perfect ass he has, but when he exits the restaurant, the breath that I didn’t know I was holding exhales in a long sigh. Just my fucking luck. I roll my eyes. Hopeful he is coming back, I glance over more than a few times in the first five minutes he’s gone, but after that I know he’s not coming back. Disappointment settles over me and the only consolation I have is he turned to go into the hotel area, not out the exit. Maybe he’ll come to the bar later.

  Damn, I hate to leave Lizzy. I was just starting to gain her trust, but when duty calls, I have to answer. When I step outside the restaurant, I read the text alert I received from my unit commander. *B.A. Congrats. I received notification that your RFO to OCS has been accepted. Your official orders will follow, but I wanted to be the first to offer my congratulations. Welco
me to the elite of the elite.*

  *Fucking A! Thanks for the heads up, Boss.* Grinning, I lower my phone, then unable to contain my excitement, I let out a “Hooyah!” Everyone turns to stare at me, but I don’t care. This is great news! I text John. *John, great news! My request for Officer Candidate School has been accepted. Details to follow.*

  *Congratulations, Little Brother! So proud of you. You deserve it! Are you dancing the night away with Lizzy?*

  *Working on it.* I grin.

  *I didn’t tell Tara where you went. Didn’t want her asking questions and wanting status updates.*

  I laugh at that. *Good call. Out here.*

  *See you Sunday.*

  When I turn to head back into the dinner theater, Jeff rounds the corner. He throws his hand up and waves. “Did I hear a Hooyah?”

  I grin. “Yes, sir! You sure did.” I walk to him with my hand outstretched. He clasps it firmly and pumps it.

  “Good to see you, Brody.”

  “You too.”

  “So, you’ve gotten good news?”

  “Yes, my application for OCS has been accepted.”

  “That’s awesome news! Congratulations!” He pumps my hand again. “When do you leave?”

  “I don’t know the details yet, just that I’m in.”

  “Well, this calls for a celebration! Come on,” he throws his arm around my shoulder. “Let’s go to the bar and toast this amazing news.”

  I don’t really want to leave Lizzy behind, but my allegiance to Jeff is without question, so I follow along. On the ride up, Jeff and I shoot the shit, catching up on the general details of where I was stationed and how long I’ve been back. The elevator arrives and we exit. The bouncer greets him, and he introduces him as Damien. Tells him, our history, and that if I get into a confrontation, he is too have my back. We laugh, shake hands, then I follow Jeff into the bar. Several people shout his name as we head toward the VIP area, and he throws his hand up in acknowledgement. His missions have made him a local legend. When we slide into his booth, a waitress is already there to take our order. She looks at me, “What will you have, cutie?”

  I laugh. Cutie. I haven’t been called that since grade school. “Bud in a bottle.”

  “You sure you don’t want a frosted mug?”

  I laugh again, “Nope. If a fight breaks out, I’ll have a weapon.”

  She laughs, “I should have known you were a SEAL. Coming right up.” She spins around and walks off.

  I turn to Jeff. “Before I start entertaining you with war stories, what have you been up to?” I grin at him.

  “Nothing good, but that’s about to change.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  The waitress returns with a bucket of beer. Jeff slides one to me, then lifts one. “First, a toast to your acceptance into the elite of the elite. Hooyah!”

  “Hooyah!” I lift the beer, drain it, then slam the bottle down onto the table at the same time as Jeff.

  He laughs. “Either I’m getting slower, or you’re getting better.” He slides the next beer over. “I wanted to speak to you about a special project I’ve been working on. It seems there is a need right here at home for our skills.”

  “Really?” I lean in.

  “A few months ago, I was approached by a family whose son and his girlfriend had been taken hostage while on a mission trip. Long story short, they hired me to put together an extraction team. We went in, did a snatch and grab, and brought them both home safely. Word has spread and I’ve had multiple missions requested, so I’m putting together a team of special operators.” He stops and stares at me.

  I rock back in my seat. “And you were going to ask me to join you?”

  “Affirmative.” He opens two more beers and pushes one to me. “But if you’re going to become an officer, you’ll have to tact on more years and another tour.

  I take the bottle and tip it up. “It will, but I like options. Tell me more.”

  As soon as the show is over, I stand, exchange pleasantries with Karolina, Debbie, and their men, agreeing it was terrific and worth every penny paid then head straight for the elevator. Standing with the crowd, waiting to go up to the bar, my phone vibrates. It’s Tara. *Are you dancing yet?*

  *Going up to the bar now.*

  *OK. Have fun. Dance the night away.*

  *I fully intend to.*

  *Promise me, you will dance with a dude that’s not decent in your book. ;)*

  I smile at my phone, hoping B.A. is in the bar. *I will.*

  When the elevator doors open, the music is loud. My heart starts to race. I am so ready for a night of fun. I prove my age, get my hand stamped, then walk in. The joint is jumping. Quickly scanning the area for B.A., I’m disappointed I don’t see him, but it’s possible I missed him. The dance floor is crowded and so are the tables and booths surrounding it. Heading across the room to the bar, I walk around the edge of the dancers, still on the lookout, but no luck spotting him. When I arrive, the patrons waiting for their drinks are five deep, and I know, because I’m short, I have to get closer to be seen and served, so I weave in and out of the crowd until I’m behind the second row. The bartender spots me as he hands two drinks to the couple in front of me. When they turn to leave, I slide into their space. He smiles as he leans toward me. I shout, “Sangria Margarita, please.” He nods his acknowledgement and begins to make it.

  Two guys seated at the bar turn to check me out. I smile and they lean away from each other, inviting me to step between them. They are dressed in suits with their shirt collars unbuttoned and their ties loosened. Lawyers. When I take the position offered, they both lean back in and shout at the same time.

  “Hi, I’m Greg."

  “Hi, I’m Matt.”

  Then they glare at each other. Remembering the “dibs” call from earlier, I laugh. ” Hi,” I tell them both, “I’m Lizzy.”

  The bartender slides my drink to me, and Matt tells him. "Put that on my tab.”

  I smile at the bartender, firmly telling him, “I got this.” Then I slide my hand inside the V-neck of my dress and pull my credit card from under my bra strap. The bartender grins as he reaches for the card. “Yes, ma’am.”

  "It guarantees I buy my own drinks." I wink at him and we all laugh.

  When he returns my card with my drink, I carefully return it to its safe place.

  Matt’s eyes are glued to my tits and when I pull my hand out, he says with a grin, “I hope you drink a lot.”

  I laugh as I pull my drink to me and take a sip. “Are you two attending the conference?”

  “We are.” Greg answers.

  “Are you from here?” I ask.

  Matt answers, “No, we flew in from the coast.”

  “Are you from here?” Greg asks.

  “Just visiting for the weekend too.”

  Greg looks around. “You with someone?”

  I glance at the mirror trying to bide time while I think of how to answer that. I don’t want them to know I’m here alone, so I answer. “I’m waiting on a friend.”

  Greg and Matt exchange a look over my head and I know they don’t believe me. I lift my drink to my lips and take a drink.

  Matt leans toward me and asks if I want to dance. He smells good, but not as good as B.A. Am I going to compare everyone from now on to him?

  It’s all I can do to keep my attention on Jeff’s project. Lizzy walked into the bar about 15 minutes ago looking absolutely breathtaking in her dress and heels. Her voluptuous body made my dick grow hard again. But she disappeared into the crowd at the bar, and I’ve lost sight of her. “Brody, I’d love to have you join my team. I’d compensate you well for your time. When you’re on a mission, you’ll get a cut of the contract. When you’re not on a mission, you’ll be required to train regularly, of course, and you’ll have a set salary that we can discuss later. Other than that, you’ll have all the free time you want.”

  I lift my beer and take a draw. “Who’s the money man backing you?”

&nbs
p; “His name is Aurei Moore. He’s a venture capitalist, former Army Aviator, Apache pilot. We go way back.”

  “Do you have training facilities?”

  “Yes, Aurei bought a ranch outside of Vegas.”

  “Vegas, huh?” I grin.

  He grins too. “Yeah. It’s definitely a perk.”

  “Who else have you recruited?”

  He gives me a quick rundown on the special operators who have signed on so far.

  “Sounds like an impressive group.”

  “They are. Does it sound like something you’d be interested in?” He lifts his brew and takes a draw.

  “You definitely have given me something to think about. I love what I do, but I’ll give it consideration.”

  “Fair enough.” He says and sits back in his seat.

  I look out at the dance floor and catch a glimpse of Lizzy. She is moving and grooving between the other dancers on the floor. She’s graceful and gorgeous. My eyes feast on her beauty and I feel a hunger for her growing in the pit of my stomach.

  Jeff asks, “So tell me about your last mission?”

  I open my mouth to begin my accounting of what went down, when I see the dude Lizzy's dancing with, and my words vanish. It irks me knowing he is enjoying her attention. I shift in the seat and reach for another beer. If I’ve got to endure watching her with someone else, I’m going to need more alcohol.

  Jeff turns his head looking in the same direction. He laughs, “I’m betting that’s Miss Lizzy Mayer out there dancing with another man from the look on your face.”