King (Maine Silver Foxes #1)

Chapter 8

M ia

They decided to meet Ben at the American Legion Hall, so Mia drove. As they headed there, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about King. It seemed he was always popping up in her thoughts now. She wondered if he was thinking about her too, if he was feeling the same infatuation for her that she was for him. She tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind, to focus on enjoying the evening ahead.

As they entered the hall, the sound of music and laughter filled the room. Mia was struck by the camaraderie of the veterans, the way they all seemed to be connected by their shared experiences, no matter what branch they’d served in. She knew that, in a way, they were a brotherhood, one bound together by something deeper than blood.

They found a table near the dance floor, and Mia watched as Sammy and Ben joined the other couples to dance. Sammy looked fabulous in her new dress. She had taken a little extra time on her hair and makeup, and Mia could tell it had given her confidence. The look in Ben’s eyes when she’d first walked in revealed that he was serious about his romantic intentions. He’d been right about the band, too—they were good, and right now they were playing a Garth Brooks’ tune.

Feeling a little out of place, Mia sipped her drink, her gaze moving about the room. It was a good size for dinners and dancing. There appeared to be a kitchen area at one end and a bar at the other. The band was set up in a roped-off corner. The furnishings were outdated, but in fairly good condition. There were also two old-fashioned jukeboxes against one wall. A smaller room off to the side appeared to be a game room, as she could just make out the sound of pool balls being hit. As her eyes made a sweep back toward the bar, she saw him.

King.

He was leaning against the bar with a drink in his hand, his eyes locked on her. Mia felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body, and she knew by his intense expression that he was feeling something too, something strong enough to expose his arousal and put a little fear in her. Her heart began to race.

He looked good in a pair of jeans that outlined the size and strength of his thighs and a blue henley shirt beneath an opened leather jacket. Neither disguised his muscular arms and chest. His hair was combed back, the lights overhead bouncing off the subtle silver strands. His beard looked as if it had been trimmed since the last time she’d seen him.

Mia wondered what it would feel like to have that beard brushing between her thighs.

She caught her breath when he set his drink down and moved toward her. She rose to her feet as the predatory gleam in his eyes drew her toward him until they met in the middle of the dance floor. “Fancy meeting you here,” she flirted with a smile.

“Hey, sugar.” The twinkle of appreciation in King’s eyes revealed that he liked the little summer dress she was wearing. Something low and tight at the bodice and flowed down over her curvy hips. His eyes burned her where they roamed over her body.

The enticing scent of his aftershave enveloped Mia immediately, something woodsy and warm, reminding her of warm nights in front of a fire. As if on cue, the music changed to a slow, sensual beat. Without a word, King wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled Mia close to him, and she was immediately aware of how safe she felt in his arms.

Before she knew it, they were dancing.

“What are you doing here?” His dance moves were smooth and precise.

The gruffness of his tone surprised her, but it didn’t wipe the smile off her face. “I came with a friend.”

King frowned. “I know for a fact that Sammy was never in the service.” His sharp eyes began to scan the room. When they landed on Sammy, the rigidness in his arms relaxed. “Ah, Ben,” he said in understanding. “Good man.”

“Yes, he is. I like him.”

Her quick response made King’s head whip back to her. His eyes narrowed. “Don’t get any ideas.”

Was that jealousy she detected in his firm tone? Or a warning? Laughter escaped Mia as the thought of King being jealous sent a thrill through her. “He and Sammy are dating.”

He grunted. “’Bout fucking time. They’ve been dancing around each other for months.”

Mia’s eyebrows lifted.

“Everyone in town knows they have a thing for each other.”

She could feel the heat emanating from his big body and pressed herself closer to him, sighing at the feeling of the hardness growing against her belly. Their bodies moved together in a slow, sensual flow; their eyes locked in a heated exchange. Mia could see the arousal smoldering in King’s dark eyes, and she knew that he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.

With a growl that sounded like defeat, King led her off the dance floor and into a dark corner of the hall where a large, fake plant partially hid them from view. He pushed her up against the wall, his hands roaming over her body and eliciting soft moans from her lips. Her heart rate picked up speed so rapidly that it left her feeling a little breathless. Their mouths collided in a grinding kiss of need and tongues battling for dominance. King’s hands cupped her neck as he took his fill.

They were both breathing hard when he tore away. “Damn, woman, this isn’t going to work,” he grumbled against her swollen mouth. “We need privacy for what I have in mind.”

Mia didn’t question him as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room and through a doorway that led to a hallway. King seemed to know exactly where he was going when he stormed past several other doors before turning the knob to one and dragging her inside. Mia realized they were in an unoccupied office, and she smiled to herself, praying that they wouldn’t be disturbed, because she had no doubt what King had in mind. He pushed the door shut with one foot and then he drew her over to the desk.

His hands found their way to her hips as he picked her up and set her down on the surface. They stared at each other for a moment, and Mia wondered if the expression on her face mirrored the strong arousal stamped on his. What was he waiting for? For her to come to her senses and say they couldn’t do this?

Was she ready for this? Because she sensed it was going to be raw and basic and brutally intense.

“This is the only chance I’m giving you to back out because once I start, I’m not stopping. I’ve thought about this, about you, all goddamned week. Since I chased your ass down in the woods.”

Wow. She appreciated his honesty but was too chicken to confess that he’d been on her mind since then too. She wasn’t a teenager experiencing lust for the first time, but given her situation, she felt like one. She was sure King had a lot more partners and therefor experience than her when it came to sex.

As he leaned in slowly, Mia leaned back and asked, “Does that mean if I say stop in the middle of it, you won’t?”

He pulled back sharply, clearly not expecting the question, and hesitated. “It’d be damned hard, sugar, and I might throw a tantrum, but I’d stop.” And then he added, “ If that’s what you really want.”

Something warned Mia that he’d know if she was serious or not if the word “stop” passed through her lips.

Her mouth quivered with the need to smile. “Then what are you waiting for?”