Desert Alpha: A Lady Boss Press Navy SEAL Novella, Bethany Lopez [readict books .txt] 📗

I scooted closer and noted her tongue darting out nervously.

I liked that too.

“You okay?” I asked, bringing my hand up slowly to tuck her hair behind her ears. Slow enough for her to track my movements and protest if she wanted. When she didn’t, I cupped her cheek and lightly caressed it with my thumb.

I saw her take a deep breath and watched it shudder out in response to my caress.

Cass wet her lips and tilted her head up slightly and that was all the invitation I needed.

I leaned down and lightly brushed my lips against hers, which were soft and supple. When she parted her lips, I groaned and accepted her silent invitation, capturing her mouth and deepening the kiss.

One hand remained on her cheek, while the other moved to sift through her hair, which felt as silky as I’d imagined. Her palms landed on my chest, staying there for a moment, before she moved them up, over my shoulders and into the hair at the back of my neck, urging me closer.

Cass emitted a little sound, like a purr in the back of her throat, causing my blood to heat. I slid toward her, pulling her legs up so they crossed over mine, enabling us to hold each other in a tighter embrace. Her breasts brushed against my chest and my cock hardened painfully.

Things escalated pretty quickly from there.

I shifted her again, this time so that she was straddling me, her legs clasped behind mine and her pussy sitting on my cock, right where I needed her.

She moved against me, moaning into my mouth, bringing me out of the lust-filled fog I was in. Suddenly remembering where we were, I gently unwrapped Cass from my body and eased back.

“You okay?” I asked when she gave me a wide-eyed stare.

Cass brought her hand to her mouth and nodded.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for things to get so heated,” I began, taking her free hand in mine. “How could I know our chemistry would be off the charts?”

Because holy shit … it is.

Cass smiled broadly at that and gave a little laugh.

“We probably should have talked about this early, but I’m assuming you’re single…”

“Completely,” she replied. “You?”

“One-hundred percent.”

Cass took a deep breath and let it out. “Good. That’s good … I mean, not that I expect anything. I know you’re only here a short time and what just happened is explicitly against the rules…”

I chuckled lightly and moved my thumb over the back of her hand.

“You a big rule follower, Cassandra?”

She ducked her chin and said, “Usually, yeah.”

“If it’s too risky we don’t have to.”

“No,” Cass said quickly, lifting her head and meeting my eyes. “I want to.”

“All right, well, how about for now we just get to know each other a little better … enjoy our drinks?” I suggested, putting some more distance between us and picking up my beer.

It was a move I needed to make, because all I really wanted to do was lift her up and take her right there on the picnic table.

“Okay,” she agreed, picking up her discarded glass of wine and pointedly taking a drink. Once she was done, Cass said, “So, tell me about yourself. I mean, I know how long you’ve been a SEAL, where you’re stationed, and that you’re single. What about family? Parents, siblings, children?”

“No kids.” Thank God. “I do have parents. They divorced when I was young and both remarried. One brother and two stepsisters, one from each side. What about you?”

“I’m so sorry about your mom. My parents are still together, but I’m an only child. No kids, but I do have an ex-husband.”

“Oh, I have an ex-wife,” I told her. “That wasn’t part of your initial questionnaire.”

Cass laughed sweetly and I found myself grinning along with her.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to change it up.”

“No problem,” I joked. “My marriage was pretty short-lived. Women tend to think hooking up with a SEAL is goals, until their faced with the reality of what that life actually looks like.”

“What does it look like?” she asked.

“We spend more time away from home than at home. A lot of guys come home with injuries, whether physical or mental. Others don’t come home at all. You get a lot of loneliness, depression, cheating … on both sides. Out of the guys I’m with now, four of us are divorced, two already twice, and one has kids back home with the ex. Only our Chief is in a successful marriage with kids. It’s a lot for anyone to take on.”

“I can see that.”

“What about you? Your marriage?” I asked.

“We were married almost five years. We tried having kids, but luckily it never came to fruition. It would have made things much more difficult if we’d been successful and it’s hard enough now. He didn’t really want to get the divorce, it was all me, so things between us can get pretty awkward.”

“Do you still see him?” I asked. “I never see my ex, luckily.”

“We work in the same squadron. And, actually, he’s here on the deployment with me.”

Chapter 7

Cassandra

I bit my lip and held my breath as I looked up at him.

I was one-hundred percent sure the reason why no guys had approached me, let alone even talked to me since my divorce, was because of my ex-husband. He’d been pretty vocal about the fact he didn’t want the divorce and still considered me his.

Which was honestly revolting and annoying.

I mean, get the hint and move on! We’d been divorced for two years and I didn’t even speak with him unless it was about work.

“Wow,” Rip said with a scoff. “That sucks. Must be pretty awkward, too.”

I laughed lightly as relief hit me. He didn’t seem upset or put off by the fact Rich was here.

“Yeah, it can be, for sure. But he’s in a different section than me, so it’s usually pretty easy for me to avoid him at work.”

“Yeah, but at a base this