Way of the Warrior (Troubleshooters #17.5)(102)

“You are.” He took the bag from her and put it on the ground. “Give me a break here. I’m trying.”

She sat down. “I’m listening.”

He followed suit, sitting across from her. The box threatened to give way beneath him, but he balanced himself so it wouldn’t. “Here are all my cards. Meeting you. Spending time with you…that was an important time for me.”

“Not more important than whatever dragged you away from me,” she said.

“Alisha, I left because you said that you only wanted a man who could give you his sole focus. You told Julie’s mother that it was a nine-to-five man or nothing. I was devastated. I’m not that! I’ll never be that. Even when I retire, I’ll probably do something else that has me on the go 24/7. I can’t stop being me.” Jonah hadn’t meant to state it that way, to put the onus on her, but bottled emotion expressed passionately had a way of becoming greater in the heat of the moment.

Her mouth was hanging open. “You…you weren’t meant to hear that. How…did you?”

“Julie sent me to find you. She needed help with her dress; something about the maid of honor has a bathroom duty or something like that. When I heard what you said, I didn’t know what to think or how to react.” Jonah wavered between anger and sadness. He knew what he’d wanted to happen that night, but none of it had been possible after those words.

Alisha stood up. “So you decided to screw me and leave me, was that it?”

His nostrils flared. “I made love to you, and I hope you never forget it, lady.” He stood up to leave. He didn’t have to take this. Having no idea what her game plan was, he didn’t feel up for any more conversation. This emotion was very real to him. He took a step toward the door.

“I didn’t.” Her words were very soft.

“What?” He turned back.

Her eyes were filled with tears. “I didn’t forget. You are the measuring stick that all men have to live up to, Jonah Melo. There’s never been anyone else.” She wiped her sleeve over her eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you that night. For that, I will always be sorry.” Grabbing a clean napkin off the makeshift table, she blew her nose. “I said those words to appease Julie’s mother, because she was upset that her daughter married a Marine and she was scared about the kind of life her daughter would have. Those words were for her…no one else.”

Standing up, she walked toward him. Her hand touched his arm tenderly. “I respect the military. I wish…I wish you had told me your reason. I thought…it was me. That was the reason you left. Maybe I was bad in bed, or you decided you didn’t like me or something like that.”

He looked up, beckoning strength, because the hurt in her voice was crushing him. “Never. Ali, I could only see you.” Drawing her into his arms, he kissed her. It was like drinking from a heavenly spring, and he didn’t want to stop.

“Jonah…” Her hands drew him closer, pulling at his clothes.

He wanted nothing more than to get naked with her, but not if it meant either one of them ran away afterward. “Wait. Let’s promise. We both stick past tonight. We work this out, a way to be together.”

“I agree,” she said, eagerly undoing the straps of her overalls and pulling her T-shirt over her head.

His shirt and pants hit the floor just as quickly. He hadn’t worn underwear since the third grade, so he didn’t have to worry about that. Seeing Alisha in her underthings was a treat, and his admiration was making itself very evident.

? ? ?

Her fingers ran over his taut frame. She loved watching the muscles dance. If someone had told her an hour ago that she’d be getting naked with Jonah again, she would have laughed in his face and made a snide comment. Now that she knew the truth, nothing was going to keep her from being with him again. Only a man who a woman loved could make her that angry, and this was definitely the case for her.

She knew in her heart of hearts that she loved Jonah Melo, and she wanted to be his girlfriend and someday his wife. Would that scare him off? If he were the man she thought he was, probably not. Her guess was…that he loved her, too.

Regardless, she was going to live in the moment and enjoy being alive. Hadn’t Kevin and Julie been telling her for years that she needed to be spontaneous? Well, here goes.

Alisha did a risqué striptease with her bra and panties and then launched herself at him.

Jonah put on a condom, caught her to him, wrapping her legs around his waist, and walked them to the wall. He balanced them against the deep red backdrop with the bright blue crown molding and kissed her.

Alisha had never felt a kiss like his. It transported her. Filling her with such intense need and passion that she clawed at him until he was there, pushing himself gently inside her.

Her wetness and heat beckoned him, and with one thrust he was seated to the hilt.

Spasms of pleasure washed through her senses. She could climax from his size alone—he filled her completely. She held on to him for dear life as her body drew on his for satiation.

But he wasn’t done, and neither was she.

Jonah tilted her head toward his, so they were looking at each other as they made love. Slowly, deliberately, and passionately, they moved as one until the intensity was too much for either of them, and they came together, crying out each other’s name.