Eyes Turned Skyward

Every sensation in my body concentrated where his fingers were, locking my muscles, building and intensifying until I wanted to scream from the sweet tension. His tongue, his lips, his fingers…so many sensations rolled into one general feeling of sheer bliss.

“Let me feel you come, Paisley,” he begged, and I was powerless against him. He thrust his fingers inside me once more, meeting me as I rocked my hips into him, and when he rubbed the heel of his hand against me with the perfect pressure and whispered, “I love you,” I shattered, clenching around his fingers.

I screamed his name, my hips shamelessly bucking as my world narrowed to Jagger. He kissed my breath from me, like he could inhale my orgasm, and stroked the aftershocks from my body with deft, skilled fingers. I tightened around him when another wave hit, and he groaned.

“Amazing,” he said, his eyes raking over me. He withdrew his fingers and snapped my jeans, trembling slightly. “You’re so beautiful.”

I flushed at his praise and rolled my thumb over his exposed erection. He groaned and took hold of my wrist, pulling me away. “You sure?” I asked him. “I don’t want to leave you hurting.”

His grin was enough to make me think about unbuttoning my jeans. “God, Paisley. You can’t…I’m not going to be able to control myself. I’ll be buried deep inside you faster than you can blink, and I know you’re not ready for that. Plus, selfishly, I’d like to not be on an ATV our first time.”

I nearly shook from his words, for the first time thinking to check my heart monitor. My pulse was elevated, just outside desired parameters, but I felt great. What would sex with Jagger do to it? Already I’d felt more in these few moments than I ever had before.

We righted our clothes, and he kissed me like a starving man just before I put my helmet on. “Let’s go home,” I said, smiling at him.

“Yeah, let’s,” he agreed.

I climbed behind him, trying not to jump when the vibrations from the four-wheeler rubbed my overly sensitized flesh. Jagger turned us around, and we headed toward the path.

I knew I was only supposed to check each block off the list once, but mercy, number fourteen deserved further exploration.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jagger

Even now, I bet you’re trying to think of a way to punish me, but the truth is, I’ve lived in hell for so long that there’s nothing worse you could do.

The seconds ticking by on the wall clock were the only sound in Major Davidson’s office the next day as Carter and I both stood at attention, facing his empty desk. Block leave was over; it was time for the hammer to drop.

“Bateman,” Carter started, his tone remorseful.

“Don’t,” I snapped.

The door opened, and Major Davidson walked in, setting his coffee down. “Lieutenants.”

“Sir,” we responded in time.

I stared at the plaque just above his head until he said, “At ease.” We both visibly relaxed. “Well, gentlemen, I don’t think we really need to rehash the events from New Year’s Eve, since I saw the whole thing.”

Here comes the axe.

“What do you have to say for yourself, Bateman?”

“No excuse, sir.”

Carter’s head snapped in my direction, but I still ignored him. I’d take what was coming. I deserved it.

“Carter?” Davidson asked, his tone tight.

“No excuse, sir.”

Davidson pinched the bridge of his nose and mumbled something that sounded like, “It’s too early for this shit.” He took a deep breath, his gaze flickering between us. “Well, what the hell were you thinking?” We glanced at each other, then back to Davidson. “Somebody answer.”

“So, we are going to rehash New Year’s Eve?” I asked, clarifying.

“For the love of God, just explain why it is you two idiots decided that beating the crap out of each other during a formal gathering at General Donovan’s house would be acceptable?”

“He started it,” Cater grumbled.

Are you fucking serious? “I did.” They both looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Well, I did. I’m not the one who got in the last sucker punch, but I initiated it.”

Carter looked at the floor momentarily before lifting his head.

“Is this about the polar bear, or Miss Donovan?”

“Both,” we answered simultaneously.

“The only reason your asses aren’t out on your…asses is because General Donovan feels some sort of responsibility, seeing as it’s his daughter.”

A swift sense of relief swept over me. I wasn’t getting kicked out. Then again, neither was Carter.

“In light of what’s happened, I think we need to reassign you as stick buddies.” He started flipping through a file on his desk.

“Sir?” Carter spoke up, no doubt thrilled. Major Davison raised his eyebrows at him, and Carter rushed ahead. “I’d like to keep Bateman. He’s the second best in the class and pushes me, sir.”

“Second best, my ass,” I snapped without thinking.

“You two are going to give me ulcers,” Davidson mumbled.

I couldn’t deny Carter’s logic. Flying with him drove me to fly perfectly and answer every question right, because if I got it wrong, I knew he’d be on my heels with the correct one, ready to show me up at the earliest opportunity. “He’s right,” I spoke slowly.