When Day Breaks

CHAPTER 25

SWANNY relied on his gut for just about everything. It had saved his ass—and others’—more times than he could count. His teammates joked and said he had a sixth sense for sniffing out danger, but they didn’t argue that when he spoke, they listened. They accepted without reservation when he hesitated and they acted accordingly.

Six months ago on a seemingly simple extraction, it had all gone to hell and they could have all died if it weren’t for Swanny and his legendary “gut.” They’d been sent to go in and out, cover and protect an ambassador’s wife and daughter and take them from a precarious, escalating situation in an unstable country.

Swanny had known something was off the minute they retrieved the wife and daughter. Joe had started to lead the way to the back of the house where a helicopter was landing to complete the extrication, and Swanny had frozen, calling out to Joe as he stepped from the house.

Thirty seconds later, they would have been in the chopper when it exploded into fiery pieces, courtesy of a grenade launcher.

So now as he stood with Eden, Skylar and Edge, preparing to board the dinner boat, he marveled that his gut was quiet. No screaming at him that there was imminent danger or that he was an idiot for giving in to Eden’s request for dinner on a fucking boat.

Eden looked as excited as a child at Christmas, and even Skylar had a wide smile on her face. Eden’s enthusiasm was infectious because he swore he actually saw Edge give her an indulgent smile.

Swanny shook his head. He wondered if anyone was safe from Eden’s charm.

They were seated near the head of the boat, and true to Eden’s word the tables around them were empty with only a few occupied toward the middle, close to the cabin. The back of the boat was filled to capacity, but there was very much a feeling that they were the only four on board.

Quiet descended as the boat disembarked and a waiter appeared to pour them their choice of wine. Swanny, Edge and Skylar declined, opting for water instead while Eden chose a red, sipping it, seemingly savoring every taste.

“I can’t thank you enough for this,” she said, a broad smile lighting her face, her eyes twinkling in the lights of the city. “The city is so beautiful at night. There’s a magic to it.”

And yet she’d never opted to take the trip before. What was it she’d said? That there’d never been someone else she would have considered going on such a trip with.

Swanny’s heart swelled, as did other parts of his body, to his eternal disgust. The least he could do was get through the evening without a perpetual hard-on. He was already looking forward to taking her back to the hotel and making love to her the entire night.

He knew he had to be gentle and patient. She would be tender from the night before, but he was imagining a dozen ways he could accomplish just that without causing her a moment’s pain.

He sat, watching Skylar and Edge actually relaxed and laughing, Eden joining in, their enjoyment of the city and the lights and landmarks, and he marveled at how normal it all felt.

Was this what normal couples in normal relationships did? Normal wasn’t something he was very accustomed to. Sure, he’d seen members of KGI fall and fall hard for the women they loved, but in no way could one ever call their courtship or resulting relationship normal.

He hadn’t ever realized he’d even craved normal. Or craved a relationship at all. He’d always assumed anything more than a one-night-stand or at best a brief arrangement was out of his reach. And in his line of work, what woman would be lining up to sign up for something like that even if he wasn’t damaged goods?

The Kelly women seemed to have no issues with what their husbands did, but then it was “normal” to them. It was how they’d met their husbands, not some surprise sprung on them after months of dating and then the guy casually says, Oh, by the way, I kill people for a living.

Not that killing was their official goal. In fact, they always made the effort to make their missions as clean and effortless as possible, but there was always the possibility of it all going to hell and at that point it was either kill or be killed. No one had to ask their preference on that matter.

They floated gently down the Seine, soft music playing as accompaniment to the shimmering water and the twinkling lights of the city.

His enjoyment, however, wasn’t the scenery or how beautiful the city might be at night. He was riveted to Eden, his attention focused solely on her, absorbing every smile, every expression of delight. And he found himself more lost under her spell than ever.

She was so beautiful to look at that it hurt sometimes. Like looking directly into the sun. And she was his. Later he’d take her back to their hotel room and he’d make love to her as tenderly as he’d ever made love to a woman. Eden deserved the best. Special treatment. Because she was a special woman, indeed. A breed apart from any other woman Swanny had ever met.

Their dinner entrées were delivered and Swanny was happy to see that Eden had actually ordered real food. He doubted she’d eat all of it, but at least she’d enjoy some of the succulent feast before her.

His own steak looked cooked to perfection. Seared on the outside, providing a delicious crust, and when he cut into it, the meat was just the right shade of pink. Not quite raw, but not too well done either.

Edge had ordered a steak as well, while Skylar chose the seafood platter with a variety of succulent selections.

They ate in companionable silence, occasionally commenting on a sight that passed. But Swanny’s attention was solidly fixed on Eden and savoring her enjoyment of the evening out. His chest puffed out a bit, first at the knowledge that he’d been the only man she’d ever chosen to take this trip with, despite her many visits to the city, and second that he was the one to give her this experience she wanted so much.

She’d asked him. No one else. She’d waited for him.

At one point, Eden shivered delicately, the breeze picking up and blowing off the water. Not even giving it a thought, Swanny scooted closer to her, pushing their chairs until they were bumping. Then he leaned over and pulled Eden into his arms to provide her warmth.

She let out a contented sigh and snuggled into Swanny’s arms, melting bonelessly into his embrace.

“This has been the most perfect evening ever, Swanny. Thank you for doing this for me,” Eden said sweetly.

Didn’t the woman know he’d get her the damn moon if that was what she wanted?

For the rest of the dinner cruise, they sat, Eden swallowed up by Swanny’s arms, conversing between the four of them as if indeed they were simply two couples enjoying a romantic evening.

Swanny owed Edge and Skylar a huge thank-you later. This was certainly out of the line of duty for them, and the last thing he wanted was to cause discomfort between the two since they roomed together.

When they reached the end and docked, Swanny waited, wanting the other passengers to disembark before he, Skylar and Edge flanked Eden to take her to the waiting car.

As before, Skylar rode on Eden’s other side, with Eden in the middle, while Edge rode up front. Eden curled into Swanny’s side, seemingly uncaring of what anyone thought of their relationship.

He knew his teammates likely thought he’d lost his mind. He was always the most reserved, the quiet, observant one. It wasn’t like him to take a personal stake in any mission, or at least that was the appearance he gave. In fact, every mission they went on, Swanny felt deeply. Like Donovan, he had a special place in his heart for children. Donovan’s new family had quickly wormed their way into Swanny’s heart, especially the youngest, Cammie.

He would have done anything in the world to protect that little girl.

Eden nestled her head against Swanny’s shoulder, seemingly content to just sit in silence as they headed back to the hotel and what Swanny knew—anticipated—was waiting. He just hoped Eden was still on the same wavelength as him, as she’d hinted earlier.

When they got to the hotel, Swanny quickly did a sweep of Eden’s suite while Edge and Sky waited with her in the hallway. Once he cleared the interior he sent Edge and Sky on to their room and told Eden to go ahead and get ready for bed. He made a quick call to check in with Nathan and Joe to let them know all had gone well tonight, as well as to go over the plans for the following day and to discuss the upcoming soiree and the best way to handle security for Eden.

Once his conversation was completed, he headed to Eden’s bedroom, anticipation beating a strong pulse in his throat. He found her nude, lying in bed as though she’d been waiting for him.

“You’ve got some catching up to do,” she teased. “I’m already three steps ahead of you. I’ve showered and undressed and am in bed waiting for my man to come satisfy me.”

Swanny let out a low growl, tempering the urge to strip down where he was and immediately get into bed with her and spread those silken thighs. But he made himself go into the bathroom and take the world’s quickest shower. He came out moments later, still toweling the moisture from his hair, but he, like Eden, was wearing absolutely nothing and his dick was straining upward, hard, the head nearly purple with the blood rushing to his groin.

“Mmm, I’m guessing you won’t need any seductive wiles tonight,” she said, soft laughter in her voice.

“Just looking at you is seduction all in itself,” he rasped out. “But honey, I need to make certain you’re ready for this. We made love last night and I don’t want you to be so tender that I hurt you tonight.”

She smiled and pushed the covers down farther so more of her body was bared.

“The only ache I have will only be assuaged if you make love to me,” she whispered. “You won’t hurt me, Swanny. I trust you. You were wonderful last night. Taking it so slow and being so tender. I’ll never forget my first time, thanks to you. It couldn’t have been more perfect.”

Remembering that he’d planned to have a “relationship” talk with Eden tonight, he pondered briefly when would be the most appropriate time. Right now he wanted to make love to her so badly he hurt. And what he had to say might well dampen the whole mood, particularly if Eden wasn’t on the same wavelength he was.

After they made love. During the postcoital glow and snuggle time, then he’d talk to her about what he wanted to discuss. Right now? The sexiest woman in the universe was lying naked in her bed, inviting him to make love to her. How the hell was he supposed to resist that?

She glanced shyly at him as he approached the bed, and he could see that she had something on her mind but was hesitant to reveal whatever was causing her shyness.

He stopped at the edge, wondering if perhaps she was harboring second thoughts.

“I have something to ask you,” she finally said, her voice breathy, as though she’d been holding her breath until she spoke.

“I think we’ve already covered that you can tell or ask me anything, Eden,” he said seriously. “You never have to worry about angering me or upsetting me.”

Her cheeks went pink and then, as if gathering her courage, she blurted it out in a quiet voice.

“Can I make love to you tonight? I mean, I want to touch you and explore you like you did me last night. Last night was what I wanted, I mean, I wanted it to be perfect and you did exactly that. But tonight I’d like to take more . . . control, I guess you could call it, and make love to you. At least until the end,” she added with a blush. “I don’t want to be on top or anything. I’m not even sure I’d do it right.”

He cut her off before she could ramble any further because he could tell with each passing word that she was growing more and more self-conscious.

He leaned over, pulling one knee onto the bed, and pressed a kiss to her luscious mouth.

“Honey, there isn’t a man alive who wouldn’t respond with a resounding ‘Hell, yeah!’ to a proposition like that. I’ll lie here and let you do whatever your little heart desires and if any time you feel out of your element just tell me. We’ll work through it together and when you’re ready for me to take over, just say the word.”

She smiled, relief lighting her eyes, and then her gaze flickered over his nude body as he stretched out on the bed, nothing hidden from her view.

She knelt up over him, her hair cascading, a curtain of silk, teasing his skin with those light brushes.

She pressed a kiss to his chest, directly over one of the scars, and then kissed a line up to his neck and the hollow of his throat. She nibbled delicately at his jaw before moving to his ear, where she sucked the lobe between her teeth.

Swanny was one hot mess of seething, extremely aroused alpha male. Her every touch drove him to the brink of insanity. And then his heart swelled with emotion—love—as she oh so tenderly laved her tongue over the scar on his cheek and followed up with little tiny kisses, covering every inch of the mangled flesh.

“Do you know how beautiful you are to me?” she whispered.

He couldn’t speak for the knot in his throat. He could only nod, though it was a lie, because no, he couldn’t imagine her finding him beautiful. Or even handsome. There were so many other men out there without the baggage he came with. Without the hideous scarring and imperfections he wore inside and out.

But she was fast slipping past the exterior, the visible scars, and fast easing into his heart and soul where the most painful scars resided. She soothed him in a way he’d never found peace before.

How could he ever let her go? He’d never find another woman like this. One who could so easily see beyond his imperfections to the heart of him and recognize that he was a good man with a good heart. No one would even try. Had never tried. Not until Eden.

She slid her mouth downward again, repositioning her body until she knelt right at his hip and hovered over the apex of his legs.

Tentatively she wrapped long, gentle fingers around his straining erection. He gasped, already feeling moisture beading the head and leaking onto her hand. With measured strokes, she moved her hand up and down, bringing him to a new frenzy with every upward and downward pull.

With her free hand, she cupped his balls, gently squeezing and rolling them in her palm, exploring every inch of his most sensitive region.

She glanced up at him, her hands still working their magic on his dick and balls. There was a gleam in her eyes, almost laughter.

“Um, are most men this size?” she asked. “You obviously know I have little experience and it’s not like I Google naked pictures of men so I don’t have much to go by, but you seem a little . . . big.”

Swanny chuckled. “Can’t say I’ve whipped out my dick and measured it against other men, but the average penis size is between five and a half and six inches fully erect. I, um, have more than that. So I’m not the biggest guy for sure, but I do fall above the average.”

“Now why doesn’t it surprise me that you’d be above average,” she teased. “You certainly are in every aspect of your body. I have to admit I was worried last night. I didn’t know how the heck you were going to get that thing inside me.”

He stroked her cheek, pushing her hair behind her ear. “You were made for me, Eden. Just as I was made for you. We fit. We just fit.”

She smiled and then resumed her careful exploration of his dick. Then she leaned her head down, her hair spilling downward to obscure his view. Oh hell no. He wasn’t missing a second of this.

He reached down to snag her hair and held it up and out of the way just as her tongue flicked out and delicately licked the tip of his cock.

His entire body leapt like he’d been delivered an electric shock. He arched his hips upward, automatically. Wanting—needing—more.

“You like that,” she murmured.

“Hell yes, I like it,” he said in a guttural tone he didn’t even recognize.

She grew bolder then, swirling her tongue around the head and then finally, finally, she sucked him between her lips, into that hot satiny heat of her mouth. And his eyes rolled back into his head at the explosion of pleasure that burst through his body.

If he died right now, he’d die a happy man and wouldn’t have a single regret. Being with Eden was like being bathed in indescribable warmth. Sunshine and honey all mixed together.

But he also knew he couldn’t let her continue much longer or he’d come and then she’d be left behind and like hell he was going to be that selfish.

“Eden, honey,” he gasped. “You have to stop or I’m going to come all over your mouth and down your throat and I want you with me. I want you to feel as much pleasure as you’re giving me.”

She slowly released suction and lifted her head, her eyes half-lidded and heavy with desire.

“I think I could come just by pleasuring you and making you come,” she admitted. “I’m so on edge right now that it’s not going to take much.”

“That makes two of us,” Swanny growled. “Get over here and get on your back. This is going to be way quicker than I intended, but you’ve driven me beyond my breaking point.”

She smiled but quickly complied with his guttural command. She laid out her body like a cat stretching in lazy contentment. Fire burned in her ocean eyes, making them more vivid, the sparks of green glowing even more brightly against the darker blue that at times dominated.

He rolled over and onto her, spreading her thighs to position himself at her opening. But before he pushed in, he slid a finger in, testing her readiness. He didn’t want to hurt her and even if it killed him to wait, he was going to make damn sure she was wet and ready for him.

She moaned softly, partly in dismay that it was his finger and not his dick entering her. Her pussy clutched at his fingers as if demanding more. The walls were liquid velvet, so satiny and plush. He stroked the inside, pushing farther until he hit her G-spot, and she nearly came off the bed and his hand was suddenly bathed in wetness.

Satisfied that she was more than ready for him, he withdrew his fingers and then grasped the base of his dick and began to push inward, feeling her stretch around him to accommodate his size.

This time her moan was one of deep satisfaction. She gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh, and she tilted her hips upward, meeting his thrusts, drawing him deeper inside her.

“Wrap your legs around me and hold on. This is going to be fast and hard. If I hurt you in the slightest, you tell me to stop and I will, no matter how far gone I am.”

“Stop worrying about hurting me,” she said softly. “I want you. I want this. I want everything you have to give me. Show me how much you want me, Swanny. Take us both over the edge.”

Her words had the effect of a whip, galvanizing him to action. He slid his hands down her breasts, cupping them gently before caressing a line down her sides to her hips. Then he slipped his palms beneath her ass and lifted her to meet his more forceful thrusts.

At the very first plunge, he was lost. A haze fell over him, sucking him into a violent vortex of pleasure and desire such as he’d never experienced. He powered into her, retreating the barest of inches before planting himself as deeply as he could go. Until they were one person, joined intimately, him taking up where she left off.

There was no Swanny. No Eden. There was only Swanny and Eden. Together. One person. Two pieces of a whole. Finally complete.

She clung to him tightly but gave no indication that she was in any pain. Her soft moans and cries of ecstasy reassured him that she was with him.

He removed one hand from her bottom and worked his thumb between where they were joined to stroke her clit. Her entire body shook and then tightened and he knew she was as close as he was.

“Hang on, honey. We’re almost there. Stay with me. I’ll get us there. I swear.”

“Hurry,” she whispered. “I’m burning up, Swanny. I can’t take this any longer. I feel like I’m going to break apart.”

He began thrusting hard and fast, as much as his strength would allow. His vision blurred as his orgasm rose and flashed and he began spilling into her silken depths. She arched upward with a violent cry. A frenzied noise of utter satisfaction and completion.

He continued to stroke in and out of her, slowing his movements, even after he’d finished pouring the last of himself inside her. He couldn’t bring himself to leave her yet. He felt cold without her. Only with her did the parts inside him that had remained untouched by warmth for so very long begin to thaw.

He needed her. In a way he’d never needed another person in his entire life.

And that scared the holy hell out of him.

He settled into sleep, his last fleeting thought that he’d never brought up the topic of their “relationship” as he’d planned to do.