THE KISS OF A SEAL Read online

  The Kiss of a SEAL

  New York Times & USA Today Best Seller

  Anne Elizabeth

  The Kiss of a SEAL

  Copyright © 2014 Anne Elizabeth

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About The Kiss of a SEAL

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  About Anne Elizabeth

  Also by Anne Elizabeth

  Special Warfare Operator 1 (SO-1) Lincoln “Link” Tyler has found The One, the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He can’t keep his hands off of her; and to make the matter more difficult, the thought of her is consuming his whole world. His focus needs to be on his career, but he cannot lose her. Should he feel guilty that she belongs to someone else or should he sweep her off her feet and make this lady his love forever?

  Jessa Grainger has the ideal job, helping Navy SEALS optimize their physical abilities. She works at the Gym on the Amphibious Base, but working one-on-one has its disadvantages especially when you fall in love with your assignment. Losing your heart to a SEAL when you’re engaged to a Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) man is an even bigger problem.

  Can one kiss change your world? What would you do for love? Or for the forever you crave with The One?

  Dedication

  HOOYAH—

  To Our Military,

  To the Real Love Birds that defied all odds to find Happiness,

  And, to My Husband who is now and will always be the Greatest Love of My Life!

  How did it happen that their lips came together?

  How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill

  A kiss, and all was said.

  —Victor Hugo

  Chapter One

  ‡

  Night enveloped their naked bodies. It wasn’t much in terms of cover, given their current unclothed state, but neither of them cared. Their passion was like an endless circle that seemed to begin again only a few seconds after it stopped.

  Her eyes went to the windows. Starlight streamed through the large window allowing diffused light in, but still hiding the outline of their sweat slick bodies entwined in abandon. She couldn’t help wondering if someone would catch her one of these days.

  She and her lover were tucked into the back of the gym—away from prying eyes and taking advantage of the plush workout mats. The cushion was better than the best feather bed and she wasn’t just saying that because she and her man had been testing it out as of late.

  The workout center on the Naval Amphibious base in Coronado, CA, was atypical of normal places, because it was dedicated exclusively to active duty SEALs for their continuing success and fitness. With three years under her belt working here, Jessa knew the ins and outs of the building and even had her own key. But base security could be a bit dicey after nine p.m. What was it that they would say: all good Civilian Consultants should be tucked into bed after dark. She wasn’t sure that she could abide by that advice or that she was actually ‘good’…especially, in reference to following regulations. With other stuff, well, she had been rocking one particular SEAL’s world very well.

  “Stop day-dreaming, unless you’re thinking about me,” said a husky baritone voice of Special Warfare Operator 1 (SO-1) Lincoln “Link” Tyler right before he kissed her. The mind-blowing sweep of lips and tongue transported her. Only he could do this to her. Every kiss reminded her of their first spark. His eyes locked to hers, and the way his gaze embraced her heart and seared her soul was almost like Link was inside her before their lips even met. The experience was intense and completely unique. It made her realize in every fiber of her spirit that no one else’s kiss had ever been like that and the memory would be seared in her being.

  No one else had ever captured her heart or commanded her body this way. No man until him. Maybe that was why she had dared to date him, breaking her one golden rule of never dating where she worked. Lincoln broke all the molds. He was the exception to everything, and he was changing her life…drastically. Today, had been the moment she knew he was the one for her.

  Desire washed over her and her body responded, arching into his eager arms as her mouth shifted over his. Pleasure flooded Jessa’s senses; she lost herself in the wanton hunger of his touch, which made Link chuckle. “That’s more like it. I thought I had lost my touch.”

  “Never,” she admitted wryly, though she knew he could have any woman he wanted. His eyes seemed to trail her, and only her, when she was in his proximity. A lady never missed a heated connection like that. Besides, there were no rules to preclude the contact between a Navy Consultant and an enlisted man.

  His fingers played over her skin and her body clenched and released aching for more. She could barely contain the passion that surged through her as his lips laid a path of heat down her neck and his hands stroked over her. “We could get caught…”

  “Doesn’t that make it more sexy?” he whispered as his tongue flicked out and teased the sensitive flesh between her breasts before it traced over her nipples. When she squirmed to get away from the overwhelming sensations, he followed up by raking gently over the stiff peaks with his teeth.

  Her breath caught. “Lincoln. Please… I could get caught; sure it would probably only be a slap on the wrist, but neither of us needs it. Let’s go out to the beach, no one would get mad if we were caught out there. Everyone has sex on the Amphibious Base. Just last week, I saw Donna and her husband… Wait, that might take us out of the mood. Let’s not think about that.” She braced her hands against his shoulders and pushed. It was a half-hearted attempt and her body language conveyed it.

  “Did you have sex on the beach before us? With him?” Link raised an eyebrow.

  The ‘him’ that her lover was referring to was Scott ‘Goody’ Goodman—the man she was engaged to. In essence it was a camouflage technique, so that men didn’t hit on her. Goody was a real person, a friend from college and they were really engaged; but it wasn’t a true man/woman relationship at least not by her standards. It was more like two friends that were…safe port in a storm without the benefits. She shook her head. “No. I didn’t break any of the rules…until you. You know, it had been a while…since I had sex with anyone.”

  “A long time.” He nodded and then looked up at her from underneath those long dark lashes. “Sex, huh?” Those beautiful eyes and his rich caramel skin were a gift from his Italian mother. Link had shown her pictures of a stunning woman that could have been Sophia Lauren’s sister. The charisma and charm had been transported from her visage to that of her handsome son.

  She rolled her eyes. “Made love. Damn, you’re such a romantic.” And, he was. She liked that about him. The big bad warrior had a soft spot for enduring words, romantic dates, and long gazes. How could she resist it, or him? And, how had she never known that this was what love was supposed to be like?

  “You look like you’re studying me.” Lincoln was a very candid soul. She liked that about him.

  She was studying, too. Today had been a revelation, a turning point. Link had
dressed down several Teammates for disrespecting her. He didn’t know that she had seen it and it might not seem like much, but the depth of his emotion had made her realize that these rendezvouses were not a ‘roll in the hay’ or some ‘fly-by-night’ experience, instead this was a real love affair. He was hooked on her, the same way she was hooked on him. They were really…a ‘they.’

  “I am looking at you.” She didn’t want to reveal how much she knew about him, yet. So, she stroked her fingers along his jaw and asked, “What attributes did you get from your…father?”

  “Seriously! We’re laying here naked and you want to know about my family.” He chuckled. “You’re a piece of work and confusing as hell. But, you asked!”

  “Never mind!” It did seem ludicrous to her when he said it like that. But, she wasn’t ready to have the relationship talk or to force their discussion to focus on determining their status. It was enough that she knew, in her heart that Link cared deeply for her. Convenient, since she was falling in love with him.

  He put his hands up. “No. You asked.” Link pulled her into his arms and they snuggled into the cushioned mat. “My dad was a frogman—I know you know that fact—so he taught me a love of the Navy and SEAL Teams. He was a stickler for honor and taking responsibility, and very adamant about the need to take risks.” He kissed the top of her head. “We have the same physical build, ahem, roughly. And, he’d probably tell you that I’m the tadpole he always wanted.”

  “Tadpole?” she asked quizzically.

  “Yeah. Family thing. SEAL thing—frogs and tadpoles…”

  “Ah. Right. I’ve heard some instructors yelling that before. I just never made the connection.” She settled her chin on his chest. “What do you want to do after the Teams?”

  “A million things. I’ve considered opening my own consulting firm, business strategies or designing weapons or being an architect or master carpenter. I love building things. Last fall, I rewired my cousin’s house in upstate Washington. The thing hasn’t burned down, yet, so I assume it was pretty good.”

  She smiled.

  He was quiet for a few minutes. “I want a family. That’s important to me. I’m not going to wait until after the Teams.” There was something implied there.

  She didn’t want to tackle that subject, not now. There were things she had to deal with first. She decided to change the topic and allowed her hands to wander. She always wanted him, as his hands found her she needed him again. Was this desire ever going to mellow-out? She hoped not. Lincoln was like no man she’d ever known.

  “Keep moving those hands that way and we’re done talking.”

  “This place has sound-proofing.” She said, teasing his sensitive parts.

  He tickled her roughly and she squealed. His teeth tugged gently at the necklace holding a tiny gold circle—a college graduation gift from her older brother—and the flesh raised with goose bumps even as her body leaned in his for more. “I think we should christen a few other places. There are no secrets here, nothing worth getting flustered about by Command. Now, if we have sex in CO’s office, I can see that being a problem.”

  “Lincoln!” His mouth covered hers. Any further protestations died in her throat. She wasn’t ready to be that bold. Or, was she?

  When he released the tortured flesh of her lips, his tongue bathed it tenderly before moving back to her breasts where his mouth fastened on her nipple. The sensitive nub sent electricity zipping throughout her body as she threw back her head in pure heavenly bliss.

  She could do this forever, be in his arms and give her body into his tender care. Why hadn’t she met anyone like him before? Same background. Same values. Same dedication to passion. Her life with him had never been better.

  Her back arched and her body was on the cusp of releasing as his fingers cupped her between her thighs and his thumb gently undid every last little bit of control she had over her senses.

  She didn’t want to let go. She had to hold on…to this moment…and the unending pleasure. But, the sensations were too big and encompassing and with a roaring release she came. Wave after wave of pleasure so white-hot consuming that the satisfaction was almost painful.

  He cried out, burying his head next to her hair. “You’ve changed my world, Jessa. I don’t recognize it anymore without you in it.”

  The words tantalized her senses.

  She could feel his smile against her skin. His mouth was still toying with her flesh as his hands moved lower down her flesh. She didn’t know if she had anything left in her, but a part of her was willing to try. It reminded her of a childhood dare, if someone asked you to jump off a cliff would you? If Link were holding her, she just might take the dare. She trusted him with her heart and her body, knowing he would protect her and keep her safe.

  “Am I doing it right, Trainer Grainger?” he asked mockingly.

  Her laugh was low and throaty. “Perhaps a little lower next time with more attention to detail.” She delighted in teasing him, even when her body was mostly spent. She knew she could find it in herself to rally if he inspired her to do so. But, could he?

  “Aye, aye, Ma’am,” he said as he shifted his position. His thumb found a rather unique spot, the A spot.

  She could have swooned right then and there at his intimate touch.

  A noise outside alerted her.

  Jessa batted away his hand.

  Her green eyes cut to the entrance of the building. Everything looked clear.

  Being a Nutritionist and Strength Trainer for Spec Ops was a dream position; made even more prestigious by its location in Coronado, CA on the Amphibious in the heart of frog-ville. Sure there were other places that were prime SEAL Team spots, but this place had warm sand, decent surf, balmy temperatures, and a dedication to physical fittest—her favorite. Most people would consider being single here was like working in a candy store, but she wasn’t like that. None of these men held allure for her; none except for Lincoln. And, she had been looking long and hard at him, their relationship, and the entire situation.

  “Do you really want me to stop?” he asked as his hands cupped her hips and tipped her onto her side. Pushing his leg between hers, he positioned himself at an optimal angle.

  “Again? Really?”

  “I’m just getting started. I’m still a young man, you know.” He gave his ‘Me, Tarzan. You, Jane.’ look, and she laughed.

  She sighed. How could she say ‘no’ to this man? He was her greatest weakness; and had become it from the moment they met. One month to the day–when Executive Officer Warren Kare of SEAL Team SEVEN (ST-7) had introduced them to each other–every hormone in her body had stood up and saluted. It was embarrassing how attracted she’d felt to him. Never before had a chemical attraction overrode her logical life approach.

  The job assigned to her was to prep Lincoln for a temporary, though possibly permanent switch, to Development Group. She’d successfully completed the task several times before with other candidates and could size a SEAL up pretty quickly to know whether or not the individual was hungry for the assignment. The ones that washed out of BUD/S rolled into other facets of the Navy. The Teams weren’t for everyone. It took a certain mindset and specific type of physical endurance.

  Some Team guys had referred to Dev Group as the NFL and the rest of the Teams as Collegiate level. Jessa knew that was a rogue statement. Every Team had assignments that put them in danger; no one was out of the thick of battle except those who stayed home.

  Link’s mouth found its target, taking her brain and body to a whole new realm.

  Her fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulders as she pushed away the thought that he could be gone in just a few short weeks. Every second with him mattered.

  She reached for him. Her lips found the corner of his ear lobe and she used her teeth to toy with the sensitive flesh.

  His response was immediate. Ah, how men loved having their ears played with.

  She rolled herself on top of him, pushing his shoulders agains
t the ground.

  He growled, a very masculine sound as she used her strength to pin him right where she wanted him. Jessa knew she was significantly stronger than she looked. You didn’t get to be a Strength Trainer, because you looked good in tiny shorts. Her fingers toyed with his shaft, pleased to find that he had the good sense to slide a fresh condom on, protection for both of them. Neither of them was of a mind to give up their live-style…or in this case, their current position…for one moment of distinctly incredible pleasure. She was glad he had brought multiple little packs with him; for them, one was never enough.

  Holding him with one hand, she positioned herself over him. Slowly she lowered her body onto his. The feel of his python-sized cock pushed her wide, the stretch igniting another layer of hunger and heat inside of him.

  When he was seated to the hilt, she moved slowly…wantonly, knowing that his eyes were trained on her. Even in the semi-darkness, he could see her move and her actions were part of the enticement.

  She changed her rhythm, gauging his reaction. Seeing his fists open and close, she knew she had found the perfect pace—just slow enough to intrigue him and just fast enough to torment him. She couldn’t help herself; toying with him was a powerful aphrodisiac and one she’d never felt before Lincoln.

  In the blink of an eye, he flipped their positions. It was his turn to pin her and to take what he wanted.

  Her teeth sank into his shoulder and his body rocketed them forward. Higher and higher her body climbed until her desire spilled over the edge draining him of every ounce of his essence. Thank goodness for condoms, she thought as he rolled to the side.

  He kissed her forehead. “I’m falling for you, Jessa.”

  “No,” she said breaking his embrace and sitting up abruptly. “Don’t. You know how complicated it is.”

  “No,” he said, pulling her back into his arms. “It’s not.” He held her tight, unwilling to let go. “You are everything I’ve ever hoped for in my other half. Think about it.”