Missing in Action Read online

  When I’d heard the locks and then saw her in workout clothes with her eyes closed, my cock grew to an uncomfortable length, and suddenly, I had my excuse. My need for her had been beating a slow drum in the background from the moment I first spoke to her.

  Codie exudes pain and heartache all the while begging for happiness and pleasure.

  If I can’t fix one, I can damn well give her the other.

  Fusing myself to her was all I could think of to get her to open her mind to the possibilities. Now, I’m about to lay her on her bed and devour every sexy inch of her frame. Her mewls of pleasure as I rock my cock against her hot core is all I need to continue my course.

  Sprawled out on her bed with hair a mess from my fingers, blush creeping up her neck, and sweat covering her body, she’s never looked more beautiful.

  Kicking off my shoes, I drop my shorts to the ground and allow Codie a second to admire the flesh I’ve exposed for her. Eyes wide, mouth agape, her hands make tiny fists at her sides. I can’t help but tease her. “Like what you see?”

  She glances up at me quickly, and her blush deepens as she licks her lips. “A lot,” is her murmured response.

  Kneeling over her, I straddle one of her thighs as her legs part, and I dip my head to suck on her nipple through the fabric of her bra. “Oh!” she cries out. Brushing my hand up the length of her body, from thigh to hip and slowly up her flat stomach to her bra, I push the material up so her breasts are free.

  The milky flesh begs for a good loving. Small dusky pink nipples stand straight up in anticipation. Cupping one globe, I lean back down to suck her into my mouth, nipping the surface. Her back arches, forcing me to take more of her into my mouth.

  Codie’s hands grip my hair in tight fists, pulling me closer to her body. Rocking my cock against her thigh, I can feel a liquidy slide making the movements smoother. Shocked, I pause when I feel the heat of her pussy against my leg, moving in tandem to my own.

  “Horny little thing, aren’t you?” I chuckle when she whines. Kissing down her body, I nibble on her flesh while massaging one of her tits with my hand. Her hold in my hair doesn’t loosen until she feels me between her thighs.

  “Ryder,” she gasps as I bury my face in her cunt, inhaling deeply.

  “You gonna give me some of that honey, dove?” My voice is raw with this need for her crawling up my throat.

  “Yes,” she cries out, “please.”

  Grasping the edges of her shorts, I pull the material down her legs in one smooth move. I feel her muscles tense as I spread her open for me. Dragging her to the edge of the bed, I kneel on the floor and lift her calves over my shoulders.

  With a stern, “Don’t move them,” I gaze down at her dewy skin and lick my lips. Salivating with the need to taste her, I slowly glide my tongue across her pussy lips. Up and down, I play with her. Not enough pressure to give her relief, but enough that she knows I’m enjoying her.

  “Not fair,” she groans when I caress her nub repeatedly.

  “Never said I was going to play fair, dove.” I grin at her growl of frustration.

  Too worked up to continue playing with her, I suck the little bud in my mouth and nibble as my tongue flicks it back and forth. Her screams of pleasure fuel on my desire to give her more than she knows what to ask for.

  Slipping a finger inside her tightness, I move it in and out in gentle motions as her hips rise up to my face. Pushing her back down to the bed, she digs her heel into my back, and I know she’s ready for me to set her off.

  Inserting another finger, I scissor them around for easier movement. Her panting, moaning, and groaning coupled with my own growing need make sending her off an even greater reward.

  Freeing my fingers from her channel, I press on her clit with my thumb and start licking in and out of her hole with my tongue, slurping up all her juices as she comes apart for me.

  “Ryder!” she screams into the empty room.

  Not giving her a moment of reprieve, I stand up, flip her over onto her stomach and slam into her from behind. My hips thrust in rapid movement as I feel her continue to pulse around me. With hands full of her luscious ass, I close my eyes and concentrate as we’re taken away into a realm of pleasure and tranquility I’ve never experienced before.

  Running my hands along her spine, Codie shivers with the light touch and whimpers her bliss away as I thrust in and out of her in short, sharp pumps of my hips. Needing the carnality of the moment to last a little longer before I have to pull out of her sweet body.

  “Fuck. This pussy. So damn sweet,” I hiss between clenched teeth. I try to fight off my release for as long as I can, but when she turns her head to meet my gaze and arches her back, I can’t hold on any longer.

  Withdrawing free of her heat, I flip her onto her back and grip my dick in a tight fist to pump my release out on her heaving tits. “Shit,” I growl as long jets of cum shoot out onto her belly and chest until I’m totally spent.

  Seeing the evidence of our passion splattered on her body like paint, I trail one finger through the sticky mess before offering it up to her mouth. Unsure if she’ll accept my offering, I hold my breath until her lips open wide and her tongue peeks out. Gripping my hand in her own, Codie draws the digit into her mouth before closing her eyes and moaning as she sucks up and down on my finger.

  “Jesus, dove.” I can’t control myself as my hips mimic the way her head moves as she sucks. “Gorgeous.”

  Dropping down beside her, I slide an arm under her head and bring her body into my side.

  “You’re going to get sticky,” she whispers, scandalized now that the passion-filled fog is beginning to wear off.

  “Baby, I’ll get messy with you anytime. Especially if it involves that pretty pussy of yours.” Swatting her hand against my chest, I feel Codie relax and find that this moment might be just what we’ve both come to need for a long time.

  Chapter 11

  Codie

  My body still aches from the loving Ryder imparted on me. It was spontaneous, voracious, incredible. Everything we both needed.

  After a short nap, he was called away for training, and I immediately missed him by my side. When he’s here with me, the voices hush and the doubts can’t creep in. He keeps all the horrendousness at bay. When he’s gone, it’s easy to fall back on old habits of not being good enough.

  It doesn’t take much for my over-active imagination to conjure up the worst of the worst and convince me I’m nothing to him. After being away from him all afternoon, I’m still fighting off the doubts as I try to work.

  Filling orders and dispatching money to companies is mundane work that doesn’t take a lot of thought once you have the hang of it. I’ve been doing it for two years now. When the only social worker to ever be kind to me found out I was good with spreadsheets, templates, and organizing, she set me up with this job.

  Debbie Johansson was a godsend I hadn’t realized I’d been praying for. She not only hooked me up with the job but the house. She gifted it to me. Like it was a crockpot. She handed me the deed and the keys and dropped me off.

  If it weren’t for her doing that, I’m not sure what I’d have done with myself. In a lot of ways, it’s absolutely a blessing, and in others, a curse. If I didn’t have the house, I wouldn’t be terrified of the outside world. On the other hand, if I didn’t have the house, I’d probably be dead.

  Losing Lucas killed me.

  It was so much more than losing a child. My baby boy was everything to me, and I can’t think about him without feeling the crippling pain that consumes every ounce of my being. But losing him also made me terrified to open myself up to the world again. All I saw was anguish. Death stared me in the face, and with it, he took my hope.

  “Jesus, Code, get out of your head,” I mumble into my hands. I hate the depression that comes with who I am now. I barely remember the girl I used to be. I don’t know if she was happy or if she was as tormented as I am now.

  I have to pray for a better futu
re, though, or I’m not sure I’ll be able to completely open myself to Ryder.

  A knock on the door, followed by, “Codie! It’s Nix Bishop, open the door,” startles me into nearly falling off my chair.

  Nix…

  Ryder’s boss?

  What the heck could he want?

  Slowly, I push back from my desk and stride towards the door. I almost jump out of my skin when there’s another pound as I gaze through the peephole.

  My heart feels ready to beat out of my chest. “Ryder isn’t here,” I call back, unsure whether to open the door or not. I barely know the man.

  “I know. He’s at the gym, but I’d like to talk to you.” He looks as if he’s clenching his jaw. “Please.” He bites out after a moment.

  “Okay,” I answer, flipping the locks and counting in my head instead of out loud. It takes a very tense jaw to do it, but I manage. I inhale a deep breath before turning the knob and opening the door. Nix is…intimidating. Huge. Angry? “Come in,” I say, taking a step back with just enough room for him to slip through.

  “Don’t bother,” he instructs when I go to lock the door again. Hesitating, my fear of this man in my home halts me from doing as my instincts force me to each time I open and then close it. “I won’t be here long.”

  “Ummm…” I lick my dry lips and force myself to swallow. “How can I help you?”

  “You need to let Ryder go,” he snaps.

  My gaze shoot up to him with wide-eyed surprise. “I don’t understand…” I truly don’t. Let him go? I’m barely holding onto myself.

  “Ryder went through hell. Has the physical and emotional scars to prove it. The very last thing he needs is some damsel in distress holding him back from regaining his focus on the team.” Ouch. He hit every insecurity I’ve been feeling. All the reasons I’ve been trying to push Ryder away.

  “He seems to have a handle on things.” I try hard not to look away from his rigid stare.

  “He’s good at faking things. He can’t hide from me, though. He has to be completely honest and open about his life while a part of the team. If he’s not, I can replace him easily enough.” From what I’ve gathered after getting to know Ryder, and even Theo, he’s not easily replaceable.

  “You would do that? Because he’s shown an interest in me?” I’m very confused about this.

  “I would do that because you’re a distraction he doesn’t want.” Want… It’s the one word I hang on.

  “He said that?” My doubts are creeping in again.

  “Not in so many words.” Nix looks away. “But I know him well enough to know what he does and doesn’t need.”

  “And that’s me?” My entire body slumps with sadness. Ryder’s been so persistent. He’s pushed past every roadblock I’ve thrown his way and forced himself through my door to show me he’s not easily scared off.

  “That’s right. You’re going to get him killed in the field. His head is always here with you. You’re a liability we can’t afford. As an important team member, we can’t have that.”

  Something feels off. “I see.”

  “Good. Leave him be, and I’ll make sure he leaves you alone, too.” Without another word, Nix is out the door just as quick as he came, like he promised.

  Emotionally, I have whiplash after that encounter.

  Realistically, I have to talk to Ryder.

  What we shared this morning can’t be dismissed. Not with the way he loved me. The emotions I felt poured into our coupling were too strong to be thrown away so easily and without a fight.

  Ryder

  * * *

  I hadn’t meant to skip the morning of workouts planned for me. I hadn’t meant to stay home and watch for any signs of movement from Codie. I hadn’t meant to barge in on her and maul her into making love to me.

  But it’s what happened.

  I finally got to show her just what she’s coming to mean to me as a man. I know she has demons. Far more than I can slay on my own. Hell, I have my own monkeys on my back. But I know that if we can stick it out together, we’ll both come out whole on the other side.

  Holding Codie in my arms, feeling her writhing flesh against my own as we came apart was far better than I ever imagined. She was a timebomb waiting to go off, and I was lucky enough to bear witness to a small fraction of how beautiful she can be.

  Running the track now with earbuds in, I allow a country mix to play through my mind, and almost every song seems to be about lovers. It’s no wonder I can’t get her out of my head for more than a second.

  Nix was pissed when I came in late. He laced into me harder than any other time I’ve angered the giant of a man, but I’m not shocked. His sole focus is this team. At nearing forty years old, all he cares about is the next mission.

  When I joined the Navy, it was never with the intention of being a career man. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life at the time, and it seemed the best option for me. When Nix came for me, I knew immediately who he was. I knew what he was going to ask before he opened his mouth, and I jumped at the chance to be part of this country’s most elite team.

  Task Force 779 isn’t just a group of men looking for thrills. We’re a team of men chosen specifically by the President of the United States. He pored over military records for weeks before selecting Theo, Weston, and I to join Nix and Foster on this newly assembled squad.

  We’re each the best of the best in our fields, and I’m forever grateful to be what this country needs, but I’m also a man. With a man’s needs.

  And Codie is precisely what I need.

  Before I was captured, I might have walked away from her. I was harder then. I didn’t get to appreciate life for what it was.

  One big adventure.

  I’m not looking for cheap thrills. Not anymore. With my shy dove, I can see an entire future laid out before us, and nothing short of death is going to keep me from achieving it.

  After being so close to my own passing, I want everything I can get out of life, and my neighbor is part of that. I know Nix is pissed and would rather I push her away. What he fails to understand at this point, is that by pushing her away, I’d be losing part of myself. It’s not lust driving me to pursue her, it’s my heart.

  I’d watched the way Levi took care of my little sister and jealousy consumed me. I didn’t think I’d find anyone I felt comfortable enough to be myself around after coming back. I never thought I’d let anyone see my scars.

  With Codie, it’s easy. She sees the imperfect me, and she understands all my agony.

  She pushes back because she’s afraid, and after everything I’ve learned about her past, I can’t say that I blame her all that much. She’s been burned in the worst way imaginable by her parents, her boyfriend, everyone. She imagined that she was going to gain someone who would love her, and instead, was brought to her knees by her own emotions.

  “Ry!” I see Theo before I hear him as I come around the bend on our race track.

  “What’s up?” I ask as I pull the buds from my ears.

  “You’re not going to like it,” he growls, looking pissed off himself.

  “What?”

  “Nix went to Codie’s.” Fuck.

  “What the hell for?” Our commander would never go out of his way to do something like that unless… “Fuck! He went to push her away, didn’t he?” I shout as I run past Theo to the training center.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, Ryder!” I hear him call as he sprints to catch up to me.

  The fucking dick. I knew he didn’t want me seeing her because he thought she was a distraction and, sure, today she was. But I’ve proven already, in Moldova, that she will not affect my missions. If anything, she makes me hyper aware of the dangers around us.

  I recognized something was up on that last operation, and that was because I wanted to go back home to her.

  Slamming through the door after a thumbprint scan, I storm into the great room to see Weston and Foster scrapping on the mats. “Where’s Nix!” My
shout reverberates around the room as they stop and stare at me.

  “Right here.” The man in question comes through the hallway where the elevators lead to the parking garage.

  “What the fuck were you doing?” I snap, my breathing harsh.

  “Keeping you from making a huge mistake.” He glares at me.

  “No, commander, you were trying to keep me in line.”

  “Watch yourself, Tac.” His snarl isn’t missed by the men around us.

  “Cool it, Ry,” Theo mumbles from beside me.

  Stepping forward, I know I’m daring the older man to a fight I likely won’t win. But for this, me, for Codie, I won’t back down.

  “What did you say to her?”

  “Nothing that didn’t need saying.” He turns his back on me, walking towards the weapons locker.

  “Don’t fucking walk away from me, Knot!” If this is the way it has to go down, I’m ready for him.

  Turning around slowly, a deadly look enters his face. “You’ll do good to mind yourself, Morrison. This is my team, and I’ll run it the way I see fit.”

  “The way you see fit,” I repeat. “If you want to run the team that way, fine. But you don’t get to run our lives that way.”

  “She was a distraction!” he hollers.

  “No, she fucking wasn’t, and you know it. I knew something was off on that last op, and it’s because of her that I was even aware of it. Thanks to her, the ambassador knows the Russians are spying on them.”

  “She’ll get you killed.”

  “No, she won’t. You had no right to interfere.” I don’t have any interest in coming to blows with a man I respect so highly, but if he doesn’t back off, it might come down to that.

  “You have a choice to make here, Morrison. It’s the girl or the team. You don’t get to have both.” With that parting shot, he walks off, and I’m left angrier than when I came storming in.