Shane Read online

  It’s a deadly combination.

  “I’m going to get a breath of fresh air. Would you like to join me? You can continue screaming at me if that makes you happy.” I brush by her and get a whiff of her perfume, making my eyelids flutter in response.

  I’m not expecting her to follow me, so it’s surprising to hear her footsteps on the hardwood floors behind me. She’s not through giving me a piece of her mind. I find it highly arousing to feel the sting of her words. She’s not holding anything back for the sake of appearances, and she certainly doesn’t mind making a scene.

  The back door is open and I squeeze past a man smoking, letting the tobacco rings float in the air.

  It’s not like me to let anybody take a piece of me without a damn good reason. I have a good mind to turn the tables, but I can’t get a word in edgewise.

  “Did you really think walking away from me was a good idea? I don’t need your permission to come out here after you. The one thing you should know about me is that I don’t back down gracefully from a fight. Are you going to apologize, or do I have to beat one out of you?” This takes me back and I don’t mean to be glib, but a smile appears on my face which she doesn’t take lightly.

  She invades my personal space with her body inches away from me. I can feel this current of something combustible between us. One spark will make her anger turn into an infatuation she can’t run away from.

  Those lips look amazingly soft and I want to shut her up, so, “I apologize.”

  This stuns her into silence.

  “Well, alright then,” she utters under her breath.

  “You don’t know what I have been through. Come see me when people around you are dying and there’s nothing you can do about it. I admit to having a chip on my shoulder, but you come back from fighting a war you don’t understand and find the person you love sleeping with somebody else and tell me how you feel,” I blurt out in a moment of weakness.

  “I’m...I’m truly sorry. It couldn’t have been easy to come home to that, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I do commend you for your service and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your sacrifice.” Her tone indicates that she is being genuine with her praise.

  I’m not sure what to say and I bite my bottom lip with this nervous energy surrounding me. This woman is giving me something I didn’t get when I came home and it’s refreshing to hear her speak with reverence. It’s not every day I don’t have the words.

  “You have no idea how much that means to me. I will admit what I did upstairs wasn’t very nice. That is not the impression I want you to have of me. Perhaps, there is something I can do to make it up to you. All you have to do is name it. Speaking of names, I don’t believe we have been properly introduced. I’m Shane, but my friends use my nickname, Sam.”

  “Why, Sam?”

  “It’s actually kind of funny when you think about it. Uncle Sam is always looking for a few good men, and I recruited those same men with the best skills to join my special unit. Those under the purview of my command gave me that nickname,” I remember fondly.

  A few of them went on to continue their careers in the military but I did poach a few of them, including Jake, into the private sector. I like to think I got the cream of the crop. They followed without question.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Shane.”

  I’m still drawn to those lips like a bee to honey. I find her irresistible with a mouth on her that could easily keep me entertained for days. It’s not purely sexual, but I do want to get beneath the pleasant packaging.

  It’s nice to talk to somebody that understands where I’m coming from.

  “Shane, I think you need come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”

  She’s colored me intrigued and I feel compelled to walk behind her. Amber threads her way through the crowd and stops momentarily to make her excuses to her best friend Chloe. They share a warm hug and then they separate with her coming back and grabbing me by the hand.

  It’s not like I have much choice, and I want to know more about her. The only way to do that is to get a little bit closer, but I’m still cautious, to be completely honest.

  “I don’t want to ruin the surprise. I know I’m asking a lot. Trust is something I take very seriously, but you did say you are willing to do anything to make it up to me...” She says with a devilish look in her eye. She jumps on her phone and soon there’s a taxi idling at the curb with its meter running.

  She climbs in and offers her hand, which I reluctantly take.

  Ch 3 – Amber

  “Well, it’s not glamorous, but it will do,” I say as I kick off my shoes.

  The hotel room is nothing more than a bed and a dresser in the corner. There isn’t even a clock. I don’t mind getting a little naughty with Shane, and it didn’t take much convincing to get me to drop everything when I saw what was ignited behind his eyes.

  It’s those damn blue eyes. I wonder if he knows the power they have over me.

  I try not to let on, but it’s hard when my brain is sending signals to my lower half. I’m not afraid to get physical, but it does worry me what’s going to happen afterwards. I can’t think about that, though, when he’s standing in front of me with his fingers diligently taking off his shirt.

  I was drawn to him magnetically when we first met.

  Sitting here in my special red dress makes it that much more delicious to be in his company. The muted sounds of passion can be heard through the thin walls of this place. It’s an interesting way to get in the mood.

  “You know what you’re doing to me. Don’t stand there looking all innocent when we both know the truth. I think we both knew this was going to happen. Teasing each other all evening is this generation’s idea of flirting. I never thought I would be caught up in a love affair of words,” I say, the air thick with this contagious feeling that would make any woman fall victim to his hungry stare.

  He removes his shirt and there isn’t even a tan line. “I know what you mean. I usually meet women in a bar, with very little said. This idea of passionately exchanging words is new, but I did find it exciting to see how far you were willing to go.” He slowly lowers his pants to bring into the light the formation of his package.

  I’m on the edge of the bed with my feet dangling over the side. After watching him disrobe, I get to my feet and approach him while relieving myself of my dress. I do that with my hand pulling down the zipper in one fluid motion down the back. There’s no embarrassment from standing in front of him in only a bra and a pair of red underwear that is practically sticking to me. It feels like everything outside these doors has been forgotten.

  I touch his shoulders and trace my fingers down over his arms, with every bump and groove of his muscles committed to memory. I strain my eyes to the lump in his shorts. It’s quite something and the wet spot at the waistband confirms his excitement for me.

  I never waver from eye contact when I put my hands on both sides of his underwear. I slip my fingers inside and I feel his naked skin. He watches me intently and I pull them down until I’m on my knees where I can see it with vivid clarity.

  That one vein down the back is quite pronounced. I grab it by the base and bring the head, wet and glistening, to the tip of my tongue, which is sticking out.

  “I think I would kick myself if I didn’t do this,” I say with my tongue curled around him, getting that first taste out of the way.

  I hear him breathe deeper and his mouth is open along with his eyes. He doesn’t want to miss a thing. I don’t blame him. I would probably feel the same way in his shoes. I work that vibrating muscle into my mouth, and I clamp my lips closed. My lips slowly glide down the shaft, putting extra emphasis on the constriction of my mouth wrapped around him.

  “Amber, I’m glad you suggested this. I would have done it if you didn’t. This isn’t the best place to do this, but it’s better than in the car. We have a bed and all the time in the world.” He twists my hair around his fingers
and holds me still with his imposing member lying heavily on my tongue.

  He’s using his hips to feed that large piece of real estate back and forth in my mouth. It’s a thrill ride that I can’t begin to put into words. My failure to speak comes from having something to do with my mouth that is more pleasurable than talking.

  The shaft pumps against the surface of my tongue, announcing his impending climax. He must have been thinking about this for quite some time and seems to be a hair-trigger from going off. I don’t mind, and the feeling of his excitement bubbling to the surface is more than most women would be able to handle.

  I find pleasing him an aphrodisiac. The sounds coming out of him have me moaning around every single inch. That extra stimulation causes the heat to expand from the bottom to the top. I can feel the bloated presence of his orgasm simmering on the surface.

  “I’m still not sure about this. I don’t want to send mixed messages. I’ve been hurt in the past and really don’t have any interest in revisiting that feeling ever again. I guess we both have to take a risk to find that little piece of happiness,” he says before stopping his forward momentum and exercising his right to contain the fire that is about to spew from within him.

  I use his body for leverage to climb to my feet. I’m a little shaky, but I know what I want and how to get it. I put my finger to his lips to let him taste what he does to me. He sucks it with this recognition in his eyes.

  He knows what I’m feeding him, and he spins me around until my back is toward him. He presses on my shoulders until my hands are firmly on the bed, waiting for him to take me like a wild animal.

  I yelp when my legs come out from underneath me and his hands are holding me in the air. I feel weightless, completely at his mercy. It’s not long before something begins to insinuate itself between my legs. It’s quite demanding and finds little resistance when it begins to inch its way along the highway of my love.

  “I love your creativity in the bedroom. That one look at the party cinched it for me. I think you know by now my angry outburst was constrained passion. I should’ve just told you I was interested. Deep down I already knew, but I was afraid to say something,” I declare while he is sliding back and forth in the velvet grip of my love muscles.

  He’s foolish to think that he can pull away at the last second. I’m not going to let him go without a fight.

  I glance over my shoulder to see him struggling to remain in control. It’s not something he has to worry about. He thinks he has a choice, but he doesn’t. I can easily rid him of the burden of his excess energy, but I want to prolong the spread of the fire burning out of control between us.

  This is not an empty flame and there’s something more going on between us.

  I grip the sheets and begin pulling them from the bed without even realizing it. They are soon on the floor discarded and forgotten. I can smell the pheromones of his lusty overtures and then I drop face down on the bed with him following me.

  He spreads my legs and leans over me, easily finding his target in one thrust of his hips. He has a hand around my neck, but there’s nothing menacing about it. I turn and kiss him while he is injecting his love into that tight space.

  It feels like I’m having an acute case of heatstroke with this expanding warmth. My mouth opens and I scream, unable to hold it back any longer. Listening to him is nothing compared to the way that his body responds to my orgasmic touch as we both climax together.

  “This was impulsive, but I think I need a little bit of unpredictability in my life. You balance me and give me something more than my job to live for,” I say through clenched teeth. There is a glow of satisfaction on my face.

  Ch 4 – Shane

  Delegating authority isn’t always easy for me. I like to be there to oversee the operations from a critical standpoint. Passing off the baton to Jake is a huge burden lifted from my shoulders. He’s a little skeptical, but gratefully accepts the responsibility.

  It’s my attempt to show him that I am perfectly fine with him taking a step back.

  It’s not necessarily true and I am going to miss his wise counsel when everybody around me are ‘yes’ men. I need his differing opinion to point me in the right direction. It’s good he’s going to be around to consult with and take assignments when necessary.

  Zac Brody is someone I trust with all of my dirty little secrets. Jake isn’t the only one I confide in.

  He comes in Monday morning for the daily briefing and I tell him about what happened before and after the party a couple days ago. I don’t go into vivid detail, but he understands this is a huge step for me.

  “There’s no reason why you have to kick yourself for having a bit of fun. It was mutual, right? I see nothing wrong with letting your hair down from time to time. I know these last few months have been hard for you. We’ve all been there at one time in our lives. I’m glad you found somebody you can have fun with. Is it more than that? I only ask because you’ve been walking around with this big grin on your face.” He’s dressed to impress, towing the company line, and I have to admit his attention to detail staggers me.

  He knows the inventory like the back of his hand. Nothing escapes his notice.

  “I’m really not sure how I feel about her. Having fun is one thing, but going beyond that doesn’t seem plausible after everything I’ve been through. Can I truly trust her not to hurt me after what happened in the past? I really don’t know how to answer that,” I lament, obsessing over something that is in the past, where it should remain.

  “You can’t let the past define you. Giving it that kind of power will make you lose out on something right in front of you. Take a page from Jake’s book. I’m not saying get down on one knee and propose, just be open to the possibility of something more happening. There’s no reason that you have to close that door forever. Everybody deserves to be happy, even grunts like us,” he mocks and smiles.

  I know we’ve all been down the same road too many times to count. Zac needs to take his own advice. He sure can dispense it, but he doesn’t follow it for himself.

  “I’m just not sure she feels the same way. I can’t put myself out there again without knowing. Is there any surefire method to find out?” I ask the question, not really expecting an answer, but he provides one nonetheless.

  “I wish there was an easy answer, but every situation is different. My suggestion is that you show up unexpectedly at her workplace. If she’s glad to see you then you have a pretty good indication that there is more to it than one night. If she slams the door in your face and tells you to never darken her doorway again...well...that should tell you what you want to know,” he advises, with his head motioning to the door, suggesting without saying it that I should just do it before I lose my nerve.

  “I can face down any enemy without hesitation, but women confound me. I do want to see her again and it could be very interesting. I guess it is about time I went a little bit further to see where we stand. The only way to know is to face the challenge.” I speak a good game, but I’m not sure that I’m going to be able to back it up with actions.

  “There’s no time like the present. I’m sure we can take care of things in your absence for a few hours. If you truly feel something for her more than just the physical stuff, then go to her and show her before you lose her to somebody else,” Zac urges and I’m already on my feet, going to the door, still unsure of how she’s going to respond when she sees my face.

  “Shane, this is a different kind of war, requiring a different set of rules. Just remember the golden rule and you will be alright. A happy life is a happy wife or...maybe it’s the other way around.”

  “Zac, do you even know what you’re talking about? There’s somebody out there for all of us and I need to know for sure if Amber is worth pursuing or if I’m wasting my time. I appreciate the talk; it has surprisingly helped more than you know.” I grab my jacket and head for the elevator, on a collision course with my destiny.

  It is a fork in the road
and what she is going to say is going to determine whether we walk down that path alone or together.

  Ch 5 – Amber

  I’m not sure what has come over me, but I know the name that haunts me is Shane. He came into my life and there is nothing more that has to be said. The L word is still hanging there in limbo, waiting for one of us to say it. I don’t know how to let that one word come out of my mouth. I think he feels it and I think I do too, but I have no concrete proof to substantiate my claim.

  Work is the only thing that makes any sense. There is a beginning, middle, and an end at work, and I have a clear vision of what I have to do. The same thing can’t be said with Shane. I stumble around in the dark with only visions of his electric blue eyes. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night wishing that he’s next to me; it can be very distracting.

  Suddenly, he’s here in the doorway and I can’t decide whether he’s a fantasy or reality. I have been fooled in the past with dreams that felt so real, so I want to reach out and touch him to be sure.

  “I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been able to do much work today. I’m not even sure the reason why I’m here, other than that I wanted to see you again. I know I shouldn’t be here. It’s wrong but I don’t care. I thought that one time was spontaneous, but I can’t stop thinking about it, can’t stop thinking about you.” He advances quickly and lifts me onto my desk with my legs spread, courtesy of his knee pressing his advantage.

  I’m about to say something but he doesn’t give me the chance.

  His kiss finds me ready for it and I’m not an innocent bystander.

  His knee is rubbing my spot, making me more than a little bit wet for his caress. My hand begins acting with a mind of its own. The other one follows suit until I am not so subtly unbuttoning his shirt.

  I grab it and pull it down until he is restrained by the cuffs. Kissing his chest makes him growl like an animal ready to attack. There’s no way that I can disguise how much I want him to take me right here and now.