“We were about three weeks from coming home and out on our last mission.  I was sidetracked and depressed...so much so that when the ambush hit us, I couldn’t even think straight. By the time I was able to fire my weapon, three of my brothers had already been killed. Another three died in the ensuing firefight.”

He leaned back and pointed to his memorial tattoo. “These are the six that we lost that day.”

“I hope you don’t feel responsible for that,” I said softly, unsure of his lingering feelings on the situation.

“At first I did. But after getting home, therapy, and divorcing Evelyn, I was finally able to reconcile myself with what had happened.” He blew out a deep breath, then rubbed the back of his head. “So this is where Castillo comes in.”

 He paused, trying to gauge me, but I gave nothing away. I wanted to hear this part.

“In the midst of my divorce, Evelyn kept trying to get me to work things out with her. I didn’t want to, but I did want to hurt her. I knew Leti had a thing for me, so I started sleeping with her because I knew she would run her mouth and it would get back to Evelyn. Leti got attached, but I hadn’t gotten attached at all. It was just fucking to me. My divorce finalized, Leti and I stopped fucking, stopped talking, and I felt like my life kind of went back to normal. After about three months of pretending the other didn’t exist, she said she missed my friendship and wanted it back. I didn’t see the harm in it, so we went back to being friends. Until you…”

“Until me?”

“Yes. She’s jealous. She’s pissed. So she’s trying to sabotage us.”

I grabbed his face and cradled it in both hands. “I’m not going anywhere. You understand that?”

“You using my saying on me?”

“Yes, I am.”

He moved me from his lap. “Close your eyes for a sec.”

I did as told. A minute later he was sitting next to me whispering, “Open your eyes.”

When I opened them, I caught sight of a small black box in his hands. The flicker of the fire illuminating it and showcasing the velvety exterior. My mind wandered and then went blank. Surely it was much too soon for this?

“It’s not what you think it is,” he said, grinning at me. “It’s too soon for that, but I think this is just as good.”

He’d read my mind.

He opened the box and pulled out a sparkling pair of silver dog tags. My hand went to my chest as a tear rolled down my cheek. For a Marine, and especially Alex, this was significant. Dog tags meant something, and the fact that he was passing his over to me solidified our standing as a couple.

“I can’t take these—“

“Yes you can,” he interrupted. “My regular pair are tied to my boot strings. These are my first pair. I want them around your neck. Over your heart.”

He slid the chain over my head and down my neck, allowing the tags to rest just past my heart. I was overwhelmed.

“When I planned this getaway, I planned every fucking trick in the book to get you to see that I wasn’t the big asshole I showed myself to be—that I really wanted you and that I was just a dumbass who couldn’t think straight. Then last night that song came on and just put everything into perspective.”

“Fall For You?”

“Yes.” He reached behind him and pulled out an acoustic guitar. “I learned a thing or two in juvie. Music kind of helped me focus.”

The next thing I knew, Alex was strumming a very sweet sounding rendition of Fall for You by Secondhand Serenade while I hummed along. His eyes lowered, but sparks could be felt from miles away. Each chord poured on a new level of adoration, putting me in a place that I never thought I would experience again. In that moment, our getaway felt so much like that butterfly that I had branded on my body. We were caged down in Twentynine, hiding and pretending, lying and dodging. Here, we could be us, and without the pressures of the Corps. Free to fly and be who we were.

He finished the song, and I gave him a small round of applause. His lowered eyes turned sinister. He dropped the guitar and crawled over to me. I felt like an animal waiting to be captured. The end result was sure to be promising.

“Tengo que estar dentro de ti, mi pequena y linda mariposa.”

I giggled as he hovered over me, his eyes burning brighter than the fire raging not too far away from us.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I need to be inside of you, my pretty little butterfly.”

His hushed words and lustful gaze did me in. I grabbed hold of his head and pulled him down with me as I lowered myself onto the sand. His sexy use of Spanish had my libido overflowing.

I couldn’t wait to grant his request. 

Chapter 23

Alex

Her tongue took over where mine usually did all of the work. Those soft, petite hands that normally stroked my head were noticeably absent. Replacing them were strong, commanding hands, holding me down to her while her lips and tongue owned me. The leftover chocolate flavor in her mouth plucked my senses, finally making me overrule her, using my own tongue to claim my rightful place as aggressor.

One of my hands reluctantly left her ass and snaked its way up her back, her warm, silk-like skin weakening my resolve. I tugged on the strings and untied her top as she arched her back, my mouth now working its way across her sultry jawline and down her neck.

My lips kissed their way down her neck, over her collarbone, and down to her chest, where my teeth took hold of her bikini top and tugged until her beautiful tits were displayed, primed and ready for me.

I pulled back from her, staring down and whispering. “How the fuck did I get so lucky?”

She didn’t answer. Her eyes just rolled back in her head as she lifted her hips, inviting me into her. I sat back on my knees and reached into the bag, pulling out a condom before untying my board shorts and pulling them down. My dick was throbbing, aching to get inside of its sanctuary. She had no idea the effects that her body had on me, calming shot nerves while pleasuring me in ways that I didn’t even know were possible.

I worked my way out of my board shorts, not wanting to deal with any sort of restrictions.

I grabbed her hips, gently sliding her down to me, and skimmed the very top of her bikini bottoms, finally hooking my fingers just inside of the hem and pulling down. Elation hit me as I stared down at her beautiful pussy. I grabbed a towel and placed it underneath her, not wanting too much sand to get into crevices that would make her even the slightest bit uncomfortable. I wanted this night to be filled with nothing but absolute pleasure.

I sat between her legs, peering into her beautiful jade hued eyes. “I’m not fucking you tonight. Tonight, I take my time. Tonight I get to know you.”

I licked my fingers, sinking one, then two inside her, gently stroking her insides. She moaned, a sound that sent tingles down my back and a shock to my cock. She was so wet, so ready, so wanting. I continued to finger fuck her, then worked my way over her body, reaching down to position my solid erection right at her entrance.

She smiled as her arms wrapped around my neck, then opened her legs a little wider as I slowly sank my waiting cock into her. The slow entrance allowed me to feel her deliciously sweet pussy as her walls clamped down, holding on for dear life. A guttural sound escaped me, truly relishing the feel of her for the first time.

“You’re so fucking tight. It’s like the first time all over again.”

I set to work using slow, rhythmic movements, not wanting her pussy to lose the grip it had on me, making me lose the mesmerizing feeling that was rocketing through my body. Cassie had always been beautiful to me, that was a given, but the tale of her past, coupled with the strength to persevere, sent that beauty to whole new heights. Fucking her just didn’t feel right at the moment. I needed to engulf myself in her. I needed to become one with her.