One Good Man by Shara Azod
One Good Man By Shara Azod
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One Good Man by Shara Azod...
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
One Good Man By Shara Azod
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One Good Man by Shara Azod This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. One Good Man Copyright© 2009 Shara Azod ISBN: 978‐1‐60088‐460‐3 Cover Artist: Heidi Hutchinson Editor: Melissa Darnell All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Cobblestone Press, LLC www.cobblestone‐press.com
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
Dedication This book is dedicated to all who served at MCAS Tustin and MCAS El Toro. You were my very first heroes! Thank you!
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
Chapter One No one had ever given Major Erik Dean Young a damn thing. He’d joined the Corps at seventeen as soon as the ink was dry on his high school diploma. He’d kept his nose down and worked his way up from private to corporal, then went through Recon training with flying colors. He had fought to earn a place at the Naval Academy in Annapolis and graduated at the top of his class through sheer force of will. He’d volunteered for every dangerous mission in some of the worst hellholes on the face of the earth as the leader of his own Recon team. He’d served on the front lines of every conflict since the early 1990s, never losing a single member of his team. Well, sort of on the front lines. In his line of work, you weren’t exactly on the front line. If you’re good, you weren’t seen at all. He had more medals than would fit on the breast of his uniform. He had stood his post with honor, courage and unfailing loyalty. Semper Fidelis was a way of life for him. He had no family; the Corps was his family. His current command was his reward for years spent knee deep in the worst kind of shit imaginable. The quiet Maryland weapons depot was a reward for a job well done, as well as a transition to life outside combat zones and top secret missions. It was recognition that the Corps couldn’t and wouldn’t keep a warrior at war on a constant basis. He doubted he would return to the field, having spent more than thirteen of his sixteen years in the Corps on some sort of mission. He would eventually be
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One Good Man by Shara Azod transferred to the Pentagon, after it was clear he didn’t suffer from PTSD and could handle the highly stressed, political world of Washington D.C. Possibly a position with the Company, otherwise known as the CIA. This was a stress free assignment. He ran a depot that exported weapons to Marines and soldiers in the field. The weapons were shipped to the depot directly from the manufacturers. Everything from FIM‐9 Stinger Missiles to M‐4 Carbines came through here, where the Marines and a few military contractors (mostly ex‐military) would test, pack, and ship them to one of the midway points in the Mediterranean, then they would make their way to the troops in the Middle East. It was a sweet little command; they were a tight unit. The last thing he needed was a disruption to the well‐oiled machine that was his command. When he’d received word he was to have a new member in his tight knit crew, he had been curious. He wasn’t understaffed, and he hadn’t requested extra help. In fact, things were running pretty damned smoothly. Then in came Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Pearson. The damn woman was turning his nice little command upside down. Right now she was downstairs laughing and flirting with his crew, slowing the progress of his well‐oiled machine, causing havoc among officers and enlisted alike. All she had to do was bat those long, thick eyelashes of hers and work ground to a standstill while eighty percent of the command—the entire male population—drooled over the woman. And damned if he wasn’t one of them. The worst part wasn’t that Elizabeth had him sporting a permanent case of blue balls. Yeah, it was pure hell walking around with a perpetual hard on, especially because she worked in the office with him and his executive officer, Mike Torres. It wasn’t just that her perfume, light and airy, drove him crazy. It wasn’t that her flowing little sundresses hugged her goddess‐like curves, making a man want to drop to his knees and beg. It wasn’t the way her espresso‐colored skin glowed with health and vitality, a perfect foil for her amber eyes. It wasn’t the loose midnight curls falling to the middle of her back, daring a man to bury his hands in the thick, silky looking waves.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod No, none of those things were what burned Erik. Well, okay, he was burning all right. Burning to bury himself so deep inside her she wouldn’t know where he ended and she began. But that was neither here nor there. What he really wanted to know was why the daughter of the one and only General Pearson was working as a civilian in Maryland. General Pearson wasn’t the Commandant of the Marine Corps, but he was damned close. He happened to be the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the second highest ranked Marine in the entire Corps. As soon as Erik had gotten word that Elizabeth Pearson was coming to his command, he’d been suspicious. Her father could have gotten her a job anywhere in D.C.; why send her to a backwater command in Maryland? There were plenty of easy jobs for idiot children of the well placed. And no matter how ditzy Elizabeth acted, she was anything but an idiot. Erik was highly suspicious within a week of her arrival. There was just too much intelligence in those glowing eyes of hers. She watched everything, was careful to get to know everyone. No, she was not some ne’er do well kid of an important man. He’d gotten his second‐in‐command, Mike Torres, to dig around a little, dropped a few inquires and low and behold, little Lizzie Pearson was actually Lieutenant Commander Pearson, Intelligence Officer. Not just any intelligence officer, either. She reported directly to the Director of Intelligence of the Joint Chiefs. Apparently someone was shipping drugs directly to the front lines in Afghanistan, and they were using weapons shipments to smuggle them. They had managed to discover the supply route, which went through NAS Sigonella, RAF Mendenhall, directly back to this depot. Erik didn’t know what pissed him off more, the fact that she was investigating his command without his supposed knowledge, or the fact some asshole thought they could ship drugs from his domain. To be perfectly honest, it wasn’t really either one of these things. What really, really got him hot under the collar was the fact that the only person Miss Pearson hadn’t tried to beguile with that thousand‐watt smile and sexy cat eyes was him. It was like she was afraid to be alone with him. Whenever he
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One Good Man by Shara Azod approached, she would scurry away. He had to threaten Mike with bodily harm to get him to keep his distance. Elizabeth was all his, even if she didn’t know it yet. She had been his from the moment she’d arrived. He remembered it like it had happened five minutes ago, rather than three months ago. Erik had known he was in trouble as sure as he knew his own name. When she had driven up in the brightly colored Mini Cooper, waving at Mike and him as if she were greeting old friends, he’d been annoyed. At first glance, she had appeared to be everything he’d expected—empty‐headed, spoiled, and completely self‐centered. He was fine with that. There was plenty of busy‐work to be done far away from the weapons or any important paperwork. In fact, it made him feel good to know his suspicions about the daughter of a top general, given a job so far away from the hub of D.C., seemed to be unfounded. Then she’d gotten out of the car. “Holy fuck!” Mike had whispered gruffly beside him. For the last ten years, Mike Torres had been constantly by Erik’s side. They were an inseparable team, climbing the ranks and fighting through the worst shit‐storms together. Never in all that time had Erik ever wanted to punch the other man’s teeth down his throat, until now. He did know how the other man felt, however. The woman who stepped out of her jaunty little striped ride was not the same one who had driven up a few seconds ago. Gone was the air‐headed piece of fluff he could dismiss. As soon as she stepped out of the car, she assessed them. Erik could feel it. She was judging them in some way. The smile she wore did not reach the liquid depths of those cat‐shaped, topaz eyes. And those eyes missed very little. There was a faint tension to her movements. He probably wouldn’t have noticed had he been able to look away. Fat chance of that happening. Even if the short excuse for a dress she had worn hadn’t molded to her body, he would have noticed her full, lush curves underneath. She was a tiny little thing, no more than five foot‐one, if that, yet she was every bit as stacked as a statuesque woman a foot taller. Her generous
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One Good Man by Shara Azod breasts stood proud and firm, the kind that made a man’s mouth water just thinking about how they looked uncovered. He could probably span the width of her waist with his hands, but that tapered waist spanned out to hips that made his knees weak. Those were hips built to take a rough ride. There was no doubt in his mind. One day he would be the man to answer their siren’s call. By the time he managed to look back to her face, he had known he was lost. He had been to over twenty different countries and seen some of the most beautiful women on the face of the earth, but none of their faces could compare to the dark beauty in front of him now. Full, lush lips that begged to be kissed were dressed with a shiny gloss, plum colored tint. Arched eyebrows and long, thick lashes framed those beautiful eyes. Her cheekbones were high and aristocratic, all of it set off by dark skin. Even now, after all these months, the thought of that skin had him unconsciously licking his lips at the idea of how she would taste. His only thought then had been, Yeah, baby. Come to Daddy. Her eyes had lifted to meet his own, and she’d stopped dead for a split second. Electricity had zapped the air between them. In that moment, he had seen past the façade. There was nothing frivolous about this woman. She was here for a reason, and whatever it was, it wasn’t good. His lips had lifted in a wry parody of a smile. “She’s no aimless deb,” Mike had muttered. “Want me to find out what she’s really after?” “Hell, no!” He hadn’t meant to growl, but he didn’t want Mike anywhere near her. Something dark and primal took hold of his very soul. He didn’t even bother to try to fight it. Every cell in his body screamed out, Mine! And that was just fine and dandy with him. Erik trusted his gut instincts, and every one of them was telling him this was his woman. What was the point in denying it? In the end, he had enlisted Mike’s help to find out why exactly she had come to the depot. Shadowing her investigation had been tricky, but the two of them had managed to do it. They had to go to extreme measures at times, like breaking into the command to set up surveillance
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One Good Man by Shara Azod cameras because all key card entries were monitored by the Quality Assurance officers. Unfortunately for Erik, the military and civilian Quality Assurance officers were Elizabeth and her number one suspect, Lieutenant Johns. At least he now knew why she seemed so damned interested in the idiotic junior officer. Even now as Erik watched, she was chatting up the number one suspect, touching him, smiling up at him. Erik was hard pressed not to go down there and bash his face in. Lieutenant Timothy Johns was bad news. He’d entered Annapolis as a legacy, barely making it through. He was known to have a temper and be a complete bastard where women were concerned. Erik didn’t like Elizabeth anywhere near the bastard. This was going to have to be brought to a head soon; his sanity was hanging on by a very thin thread.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
Chapter Two Elizabeth had it bad. She’d known before taking this assignment that working with Major Young would be difficult. Erik had an exemplary record, a multitude of medals, ribbons, pins and commendations, and a great deal of his service record was top secret. To most anyway. She had read through his exploits with rapt attention. Although the first suspect was always the one at the top of the food chain, so to speak, Elizabeth had a very hard time seeing this man as a drug runner. He had too much pride and honor for that. She was more than willing to admit she was biased. Born into a proud military family, her ideal man would be a man much like Major Young. A man who, like her father, served with dignity and distinction. A hard ass. Ordinarily, she would have assigned someone else to go undercover, but this was personal. A drugged out, over stressed private first class had attacked her sister, who was currently stationed in Afghanistan. Victoria had been savagely beaten and almost raped. Elizabeth had known the kid was bad news. Victoria had written to her about him before, but the drugs made the kid’s surliness worse and had eventually pushed him to attack. Elizabeth was going to find out who the hell was shipping dangerous drugs to already stressed and strained Marines and soldiers. Then she was going to put her size seven feet straight up his ass. If only she could stop thinking about the gorgeous commanding officer of this base. By all rights, he should be a suspect. She should be
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One Good Man by Shara Azod investigating him just as deeply as she was everyone else, but she had an impossible time believing he was guilty. Despite the man’s glowing record and the complete lack of evidence that he was anything more than a gung ho Marine, he was still a suspect. Every member of his Recon team was stationed with him now. The Corps preferred to keep Recon units a tight knit group, which meant they stayed together stateside as well as overseas. While the support members who sustained a unit were often transferred in and out, the unit itself stayed whole. They were highly trained, consummate professionals. The chances of someone smuggling in drugs without their notice were slim to none. Still, it was happening. Thinking about Erik made her all hot and bothered. His service record stated he was six‐four, which she doubted. A lot of people lied about their height, at least a couple of inches. It looked as if he’d omitted a couple rather than added them. His high and tight was several different hues of blonde, ranging from damn near white to deep golden brown. She wondered what it would look if he allowed it to grow out. His body stood like a pillar of strength and virility. His cammies did little to hide his muscular build. His light green eyes smoldered with green fire whenever he looked at her. She told herself it was because she irritated him, but she knew that to be a lie. There was an undeniable heat between them, which was why she avoided the man like the plague. Her desire to drop all pretenses around him was too much of a temptation. How the hell was she supposed to act like a dingbat when all she wanted to do was make him hers? It was insane, she knew, to even consider such a notion when she didn’t know him at all. Only what she had read. Never in her twenty‐eight years had a man affected her like this, especially not by just seeing him. She didn’t talk to him much; she just couldn’t. Besides, she was pretty certain who really was behind the drug shipments. Elizabeth had managed to narrow down the list of suspects from the entire base to fifteen strong possibilities and ten maybes. Unfortunately, the too‐sexy major was on the strong possibility list. There
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One Good Man by Shara Azod was very little going on around here that he didn’t know about. His entire Recon field team was stationed here together. That group of ten men stuck together no matter what, and the nine underneath the major told him everything. It worked beautifully for him because one was his executive officer, two were floor supervisors, two supervised the range out back where the weapons were tested, and the rest were lower enlisted, working with packing and unpacking and other laborious jobs. He had eyes and ears everywhere. Of course, that could also mean someone like his executive officer, Mike Torres, was taking advantage of his position and the unique tightness of the team to run drugs under Major Young’s nose, but she highly doubted it. His men all seemed loyal to a fault. If any one of them was the ring leader, it would be Erik. Elizabeth just couldn’t see him doing something like that, though. It didn’t feel right. Major Young was many things, but a drug runner? She just didn’t believe it. She couldn’t dismiss it outright, though. Her feelings were probably slewed due to her intense attraction to him. It was hell on her investigation. She was unable to openly snoop into records without first ditching either Young or Torres, which wasn’t often. In truth, she should have been a hell of a lot more pissed about the obstacles they caused her investigation than she actually was. It had become something of a challenge to go behind their backs to gather what little information she could. Usually, heavy flirting with any and every male within eyesight sent Major Young stalking away, for a little while at least. For some reason, he seemed to get pissed when she batted her eyelashes and pouted at some poor sailor or Marine. A couple of times the man had growled—growled!—when she’d run her hands down the chest of the hapless Lieutenant Johns who ran the downstairs office. He was supposed to be her counterpart, being that he was the military Quality Assurance officer and she was supposed to be the civilian Q.A. She was reasonably sure she had poor Johns wrapped around her pinky finger. Lifting the keys to his record cabinet had been all too easy, which was probably why Major Young could not stand to see her within a few feet of the lieutenant.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod The prospect that Erik was jealous thrilled her to no end, so yes, she did touch Johns a little more than necessary when she knew he was looking. She loved the way Erik’s eyes tracked her movements throughout the command. If she was out on the range, he was somewhere in the vicinity. There was no such thing as her going into the Q.A. office for more than a few minutes without Erik barging in on some pretense or another. While his curt commands that either she or Johns go do some meaningless task right that second never failed to make her wet, it was seriously hell on her plans to get Johns alone. She needed to go through his records, but that just wasn’t going to happen as long as either Erik or Captain Torres was around, which was always. Casting a quick glance at the second floor, she noticed Erik in deep conversation with Captain Torres, then both men moving to take the stairs. It was the perfect time to go back to the office, now that she was sure she wouldn’t be alone with the sexy Major. She needed to get her game plan together. The quicker she caught the bastard she was looking for, the better. Then she could go back to her mundane life in D.C. away from the lure that was Major Erik Young. She just couldn’t afford someone like him in her life, no matter how badly she might want him. A man like that would never allow his woman in dangerous situations. After this assignment, Elizabeth had every intention of transferring full time to the Company, and not as an analyst protected by her daddy’s name and reputation. She wanted to be in the field. No way would Erik allow his woman to go undercover in dangerous situations, and there was no way he would ever be satisfied with a one night stand. Those eyes demanded forever, and she believed them.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
Chapter Three “There is no way in hell this is going to happen!” Erik hissed at Mike. Looking over the papers Mike had brought back from D.C., Erik felt his simmer explode into a full boil. That little minx! Of course, now he understood why she’d demanded this assignment. If someone had attacked his sister—had he one—he would have been all over it. But it seemed Elizabeth’s reasons were two‐fold. She was looking to join the fucking C.I.A.! That was so not happening. “Is this offer guaranteed?” he asked Mike, afraid he already knew the answer. “Yep.” Damn it! He’d been offered a position with the Company himself. He had refused because he couldn’t bring his team with him. Looks like he might have to rethink that offer. There was no doubt Elizabeth knew he wanted her. Maybe she just didn’t understand how serious he was. Well, that shit was about to change. “There’s more,” Mike told him. “Yeah?” “Seems like covert ops needs a team. You name your men…or women.” For the first time in his life, Erik had an urge to actually kiss another man. Of course he wouldn’t, but he felt like it. His mind was already arranging the exact wording of his acceptance. What was a team
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One Good Man by Shara Azod without an experienced intelligence analysis officer? She wanted to be in the field? Fine, but it damn sure wouldn’t be without him. In fact, there were quite a few things she wouldn’t be doing without him from now on. Things like sleeping. He was tired of waiting. Waiting for some kind of acknowledgment of the pull between them. Waiting for her to stop running from him. It was high time he claimed his woman. “I need to run out for a while,” Erik told Mike, plotting out his plan of attack in his mind. “Make sure our Lieutenant Commander does not leave before I get back.” “What about the party tonight?” Mike asked. They knew she was planning something, but what was a mystery. She didn’t talk aloud when she was sitting at her desk plotting, and she never left papers at her desk. The one and only time they had managed to see anything out of the ordinary while watching the surveillance tapes was when she’d written Johns’s name, today’s date and chloral hydrate—a powerful knock out drug—on a little notepad she usually kept in her purse. There was no way in hell he was going to allow her to attempt whatever she was planning. Johns was unstable, and the swine was not going anywhere near his woman ever again. Speeding home, he changed his sheets. Thousand‐thread, white, Egyptian cotton would serve as a beautiful contrast to her skin. It was doubtful they would need the down comforter, but he put it on anyway. His condo was Spartan at best, but they would worry about that later. He never thought about things like decorating or anything else beyond creature comforts. There was a large leather sofa that he sometimes fell asleep on, his recliner, and a wide screen television. Other than his custom made king and an oversized Jacuzzi tub, there was little to recommend the place. He would just have to build her a house later, after their relationship was firmly established. Right now the goal was to get her here and claim her properly. As much as he wished he could drag her off to his cave and keep her there indefinitely, or at least until she recognized
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One Good Man by Shara Azod him as her man, women tended not to take kindly to kidnapping. Too bad, it would have made life much simpler. After doing all he could to make his place as presentable as possible, Erik headed out to the store. Because he had no idea what women liked, he bought a Cosmopolitan magazine to try to figure out what a romantic evening consisted of. Usually, he met women at a bar, went back to their place and was long gone before first light. But then, he had never been playing for keeps. Apparently, romancing a woman was damned hard work. He couldn’t cook worth a damn, so he opted for a cold platter. He bought champagne and wine, unsure which one she would prefer, if any. On his way out he picked up Essence, O, and Ebony magazines. He had no idea if African‐American women were different than Caucasian women; he thought it best to cover his bases just in case. A damn good thing he did. He bought out half a Korean beauty supply place, unsure as to what kind of hair products she might need. Evidently moisturizing the skin was important, so he wound up at the mall. Clothes were easy; he just bought a crap load of the skimpiest nighties he could find. One dress for the infernal party was all she would need. Unsure what size to get, he explained to the giggling teenage clerk and prayed for the best. He had no idea what shoe size she wore, so he bought five different sizes of the same shoe. One should fit. He was keeping her all weekend, maybe longer, so she wouldn’t need other clothes. Three hours later, more than a little shell shocked from the entire shopping ordeal, Erik was on his way back to base. Who knew women were so damned complicated? Still, the thought of finally being with Elizabeth made it worthwhile. Now all he had to do was get her to his condo. Damn, he hadn’t bothered to come up with a plan for that. Elizabeth was looking to nab Johns tonight. With his and Mike’s help, that shouldn’t be a problem. But how was he going to get her to let them help? “Seduce her,” he told himself. “You have to get her to trust you.”
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One Good Man by Shara Azod Sounded good, but he had no experience with that sort of thing. He had never seduced a woman in his life. Women just kind of fell in his lap. He didn’t think he was that good looking or anything. Just that certain women seemed to be into a few good men. Before meeting Elizabeth, all he’d wanted to be was one of those few good men. Now, he just needed to be one good man for one perfect woman. “Lord, help me please not to screw this up.” He was going to need all the help he could get.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
Chapter Four Elizabeth shivered as Erik’s large, callous‐roughened hands swept slowly down her back. His teeth nipped the back of her neck sharply, followed by the warm, soothing swipe of his tongue. Her breathing became labored as one of his masterful hands reached around her front to find her weeping sex. “Open for me,” his hard voice demanded. Her legs opened immediately, obedient to his harsh command. He played her body with the same forceful dominance in which he did everything. His thick digit traced slow circles around her unsheathed clit then dipped deep into her aching sex. Over and over again, he circled then plunged, keeping her on the edge but never allowing her to come. “Please!” She had promised herself that this time she would not beg, but she was helpless to keep the plea unsaid. The burning ache was killing her! Moaning, she arched into his hand, trying to urge him deeper. She needed…something. “Elizabeth?” She couldn’t answer. She was too far gone, lost in a sensual haze of desperate longing. “Elizabeth!” Her eyes snapped open as she focused on her surroundings. Oh God, she was not sitting at her desk daydreaming about that damn man
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One Good Man by Shara Azod again, was she? Feeling her face blazing, she defiantly faced her tormentor. “Yes?” She kept her voice as imperial as she dared. Major Young was smirking at her as if he knew she was seconds away from coming at the very thought of his hands on her body. He probably did. There was very little at this command that escaped his attention. She didn’t believe he was fooled for one second by her airhead act, but he said nothing to the contrary. He watched her, a little too much. How the hell was she supposed to find out who was involved with the shipping of drugs if the damn man was watching her all the time? “Are you all right? You were moaning.” Thank God no one else was in the office. That was just too embarrassing, to be caught moaning out loud, for Heaven’s sake! “Uh, yeah,” she mumbled, trying to think up a suitable excuse as to why she had been moaning. “I…uh…I…” “You looked like you might be in pain.” She seized on the explanation, unable to think of one on her own. The man just frazzled her nerves. “Yep, that’s it!” she agreed eagerly. “I…uh…my stomach aches. Must have been something I ate.” “That’s too bad,” Major Young murmured with sympathy every bit as fake as her excuse had been. Elizabeth’s senses went on high alert. What was up with him? No, she did not believe for a second that he bought her cover story, not just about the stomach ache, but that she was just a brainless dimwit sent to the wilds of Maryland so as not to be an embarrassment to the family. He watched her way too closely, making sure she was rarely alone, with either himself or Torres always by her side. She was also positive that was why her desk was in the office he shared with his X.O. and yeoman instead of the office downstairs where the work center supervisors shared a space. “It’s probably best that you go home,” the Major oozed sympathy she didn’t quite believe, leaning over her chair and getting in her personal space. What the hell was this dude doing? There was something
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One Good Man by Shara Azod dangerous in those eerie light green eyes of his that made her suddenly want to run—or strip, she wasn’t altogether sure which. Although he had never ceased to get a little too close, violating her personal space at will, Elizabeth was pretty sure the Major despised her. That, she was positive, was one of the reasons he kept trying to steer her clear of his precious “men”. She was damn good at playing the bubble‐headed flirt, but he always had to interrupt and drag her away. She would probably have all the information she needed to wrap up this case if it weren’t for his constant interference. “Yeah,” she agreed readily. Anything to get away. “You go ahead and run along home.” He was fairly purring, soft, deep, and dangerously near her ear. His hard body leaned over so close she could feel his heat against her skin. Although his words said she was free to scurry away, he didn’t move. “I’ll tell Lieutenant Johns you won’t be going with him to the party tonight.” Damn! She’d completely forgotten about that. How the hell could that have slipped her mind? Tonight most of the command would be going to the local bar, and she had plans for the good lieutenant. The man was a sucker for a pretty face, and although she knew she wasn’t exactly all that, it was more than enough for the painfully thin, pimple‐faced man. Maybe it was a bit cruel, but she was relatively sure she could find proof someone was deliberately sabotaging some of the weapons and returning them to the manufacturer as defective. Once that was done, there was more free room in the weapons shipments. Because space had been set aside for a certain weight, as long as it was slightly under that weight, no one bothered to check the shipments. All she had to do was get Johns more than a little drunk and lift his keys. Of course, she was going to have to pretend to sleep with him. No problem, she had a neat little vial of a knock out drug to guarantee that when he woke up in her bed tomorrow morning, he would have no idea what had happened the night before. She would use his car and his electronic access key to get into the building, go through his records and have the information she needed before first light. The only hard part would be cuddling the next morning. Ew! Tim
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One Good Man by Shara Azod Johns was not her idea of a knight in shining armor. He was attractive in a conventional kind of way, but he left her cold. The blonde haired, blue‐eyed lieutenant considered himself something of a ladies’ man. In Elizabeth’s opinion, he was an overbearing prick. Just yesterday his slimy hands had been all over her under the pretense of teaching her how to assemble a M16. She could put the damn rifle together blindfolded. She would have felt bad leading the poor guy on, if he weren’t such an asshole. “I, uh, I’m sure I will be fine by then. I’ll go home and lie down for a few; he can pick me up later.” She was babbling. But damn it, Erik unnerved her! She tried to get up from her chair, but Erik didn’t move. “If you’ll excuse me?” “Oh, I don’t think so, sweetheart.”
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One Good Man by Shara Azod
Chapter Five Erik knew before he did it that it would be a mistake, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. His lips descended of their own accord, settling on that soft, kissable mouth of hers. Just a faint brushing of flesh, surely he could stop at that, right? His tongue snaked out to trace the seam of her lips, just a tiny taste, then he would stop. He hadn’t expected her to open so sweetly, hadn’t expected the soft moan that escaped from her. With a growl, he practically yanked her from her chair and backed her up against the wall. She offered no resistance as he took her mouth with savage possessiveness, demanding entry, which she gave without a fight. Instead, her legs wrapped themselves around his waist, welcoming him between them. There was nothing he could do to stop his hips from rocking against her sizzling core. He could feel the heat and her growing wetness through the fabric of his uniform. He had to have her. His arms snaked around her waist as he lifted her away from the wall to the desk behind them. He perched her on the desk and immediately dropped to his knees. He didn’t bother to take the time to remove her underwear; he couldn’t. He needed to taste her, to be inside her any way possible. For now, his tongue would do. Hurriedly pushing her dress out of the way, he moved the minuscule material to the side. Erik couldn’t hold back the groan at the mouthwatering sight. This was the most beautiful pussy it had ever been his pleasure to behold. All chocolaty‐brown on the outside and pretty, bright pink on the inside.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod Spreading the lips of her labia, he ran the flat of his tongue against the entire length. Her sweet honey flavor burst on his tongue, eliciting another belly deep groan. She tasted like ambrosia, the decadent food of the gods. Unable to help himself, he drove his tongue deep inside her as far as he could, thrusting in and out, then moving quickly upwards to swirl her clit before sucking it between his lips. “Oh, damn!” Elizabeth gasped, anchoring her feet on his shoulders, her hips lifted to press harder against his ravenous mouth. Never in her life had anything felt so deliciously wicked. He licked, slurped, sucked and nibbled like a starving man offered a seven‐course meal. What the hell was she doing? She should push him away, run screaming out of the office. Even as she thought it, she knew that was not going to happen. This moment had been inevitable since the second she had seen him. Intense attraction and undeniable heat had flared between them from their first meeting, getting more intense each day. Hell, she had been half in love with the man ever since she’d read his file. “So sweet, so good,” Erik murmured against her open pussy, the vibrations of his deep voice shooting into her core. “Oh, my…!” Her orgasm caught her completely off guard, tilting her entire world on its axis. Her body shook with the force of her tremors, her breath caught in a soundless scream. “That was so beautiful, baby,” he whispered, kissing his way up her body. On his feet once more, he bit down on the tender spot between her neck and her shoulder, sucking the small hurt away while unzipping the flighty little dress. “I wanna see you come for me again, sweetheart. Will you do that for me?” Elizabeth couldn’t speak. She was panting, desperate for blessed relief. She had no idea what he was doing to her body, but she didn’t want him to stop. She needed so badly, needed his touch, needed his mouth on her burning skin. Her legs opened wider as his hand slid between them, teasing her mercilessly. She didn’t think to protest when she felt the top of her dress being pushed midway down her arms, trapping them while exposing her breasts. His demanding mouth blazed a path from her neck
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One Good Man by Shara Azod to her chest, so very close to her puckered nipples, but not close enough. “Erik, please!” she moaned, pushing her chest up, trying to force his mouth where she needed him. “Please what, baby?” He lifted his head to watch the myriad of emotions that passed across her wonderfully expressive face. “Tell me what you need.” How was she supposed to know that? Her experience with men was limited at best. Never had anyone made her feel all the delicious sensations that were assaulting her body right now. “I don’t know!” The bewildered innocence matched with the wanton display before him was almost too much. His cock was harder than it had ever been in his life, leaking buckets of precum as he prepared her for him. He would not rush this. He wanted her wild for him; he wanted to fuck her to kingdom come then back again. He knew instinctively it still wouldn’t be enough. Forever would never be long enough. Erik pushed his thick finger inside her quim. As badly as he wanted to forge upwards and find her g‐spot, he managed shallow thrusts—for now. “Is this what you want, baby?” His voice was gruff with barely suppressed desire. He needed to hear her say she wanted him, that she needed him. He needed to hear it like he needed his next breath. “Tell me, is this what you need?” “More!” Elizabeth gasped, trying to grind her hips to bring him deeper. “I need more.” “More what, sweetheart? What do you need?” Desperate, he changed the question. “Who do you need? Is it Lieutenant Johns you want right now?” She was beyond caring if he saw her naked desire. He’d started a fire, damn it. He needed to put it out! “You! Only you! I need you to…to…” To what? She wasn’t so ignorant that she didn’t know what an orgasm was, but she had never felt one before today. At least, not one given by anyone other than herself.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod That was all he needed to hear. He drove two broad digits deep inside her as his mouth claimed a taut nipple. At the sharp gasp that had nothing to do with pleasure, his head snapped up, watching her expression intently. There was a slight grimace marring her gorgeous face, one he couldn’t attribute to the throes of passion. Although her eyes were firmly closed and her chest thrust out as if seeking his mouth once again, the discomfort was undeniable. Experimentally, he pushed his fingers deeper, much slower this time. There was another painful gasp, though she didn’t move to stop him, nor did she open her eyes. Wiggling his finger a little, he felt it. An undeniable barrier to his ultimate goal. The implication nearly had him shooting in his pants. She was a virgin. No man had ever been between these firm, luscious thighs of hers. Once more, the primitive caveman inside him took complete control of his mind. Mine! his brain screamed, the sound echoing inside his skull. All mine! “Please, Erik! Please.” Gritting his teeth, Erik shifted her into a better position against the desk, quickly running a hand down her leg to remove her panties. Without pausing, he continued fingering her cunt, though not nearly as deeply as before. His lowered his head once again to her heaving chest. He lightly bit her nipples as his thumb reached up to circle her clit, without having to removing his questing fingers. His only aim was to bring her off. There was no way in hell he would be taking her here on the desk. Not for her first time. She would lose her virginity in his bed, where she belonged, for her first time. Her first time would be about twenty minutes after her next orgasm. “Oh, shit!” The breathy exclamation followed by shudders racking her body was blessed relief. His dick was so hard he felt lightheaded. He needed to get his woman home and in bed now! Extracting his fingers, Erik’s burning gaze held Elizabeth’s as he brought the digits to his mouth, licking every drop of her precious cream from their surface. With patience he damn sure didn’t feel, he eased her
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One Good Man by Shara Azod dress up her arms, zipping it securely. “Get your things together,” he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. “We’re leaving.”
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Chapter Six What the hell am I doing? Elizabeth asked herself for the second time as Erik practically dragged her out of the office using the back door and down the rickety metal stairs to the parking lot. There was no doubt in her mind he’d chosen the back way so no one would see them, namely Tim Johns. Damn, damn, damn! She really needed to get Johns’s key card tonight! It would be far safer if she slipped him a mickey and lifted the card in a crowd. By the time she maneuvered him into her car, he would be out cold. Drugging him during a one‐on‐one situation would be much harder. No matter how many times the lieutenant asked, she refused to go out on a date with him. He gave off bad vibes. She thought about objecting to being manhandled, but the truth was, she liked it. She loved the way that tic was back in Erik’s jaw. If he clenched that jaw any tighter, it might break. He strode toward his car like a man on a mission—all fierce and determined. Despite the fact she had just experience the most explosive orgasm she’d ever had, she found her greedy little pussy all wet and needy once more. Oh man, was she in trouble. He didn’t bother taking her to the passenger side of the car. Apparently, he didn’t want her that far away. Opening the driver’s side door, he slid behind the wheel, pulling her into the sparse space between his legs as he did so. “You can’t drive with me sitting here,” Elizabeth gasped when it became clear he planned on doing just that.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod “Sure, I can,” came the rueful reply. “I may be a jarhead, but they did teach me Navy know‐how at the Academy, Lieutenant Commander.” Any further protest died instantly on her tongue as his words bathed her in a shower of ice water. He knew. Dread crawled down her throat, threatening to choke her. Was that what all this was about? Did he plan on punishing her in some way? Did he know all of it? Oh, dear Lord, what if he really was the smuggler and not Johns? Fears and doubt warred with rational deduction as she tried to come up with a plausible excuse. But how could she when she had no idea how much he knew? A small part of her had known he would find her out. The man’s entire career was based on covert ops. But to hear him just come on out and admit he knew who she really was came as a shock. She felt his warm breath caressing her cheek before the deep rumble of his voice murmured in her ear. “Relax, I promise not to interfere with your investigation. Much.” What the hell was that supposed to mean? His cammies did very little to block his heat from her ass, making her squirm with need. When she shifted against the hardness of his penis, he drove his hips upward, and she gasped. Lord help her, but she ground back against that hard length. He slid his left hand leisurely up her thigh. As if he had commanded it, her legs gaped open a little more, just enough for him to travel to the juncture between her thighs. This was so wrong, but she had been dreaming of this man a little too much to stop. He lightly ran his fingers along her slit, making her thankful he’d thought to pocket her panties so there was no barrier. She didn’t even bother trying to hold back the whimpering moan inspired by his touch. “Damn, baby, you’re so wet.” His voice was reduced to little more than a growl, yet he didn’t plunge his fingers inside her. Instead, he lightly stroked her engorged clit, keeping her on the edge. “Please, Erik, please.” “Not yet, sweetheart. Soon, I promise.” Though his condo was only a fifteen‐minute drive, every second felt like a year. He drove fast, cutting the time in half. Still, by the time
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One Good Man by Shara Azod they finally made it, she was close to bursting. There were so many conflicting emotions and sensations coursing through her body, Elizabeth found it hard to focus on just one. Then the ride was over and Erik was half carrying her into his place. She couldn’t really say she was surprised that Erik knew her identity. He had probably known for some time. She was surprised he hadn’t said anything before now, though. As much as she would like to delve into exactly how much he knew, and what he planned on doing now that the cat was out of the bag, she found she couldn’t focus on much. As soon as the door was closed and locked behind them, she found her back pressed against it, her mouth locked against the man she had fantasized so often about. The reality was far headier than her daydreams. As her body melted against his rock hard frame, she found herself being lifted off her feet by strong, capable hands. She gladly locked her legs around his waist as their tongues battled, stroking, teasing for supremacy. Her hips rocked against the rigid bulge in his pants, wetting the fabric with undeniable proof of her need. She would have thought she would be embarrassed by such a wanton display, but she didn’t care. She was desperate for something she knew only he could provide. “Keep that up and I will take you right here,” Erik growled against the sensitive flesh of her throat. The deep rumble of his voice made her tremble. She bucked harder against him. So close, she was so very close. She wanted to scream out, “Yes! Take me now!”, but the only sound she seemed capable of was a needy whimper. Her hands clawed his back, frantic to pull him closer. Her hips pumped down on his encased penis as if she could force it inside despite the obstructive clothing. If he didn’t do something soon, she was going to have to throw him down and take what she needed. Erik carried her to the bedroom. Setting her on her feet, he wasted no time in stripping the clothes off of them both. “Get on the bed, sweetheart.” Elizabeth swallowed the knot of fear and did as instructed. This was it! No more living vicariously through her sister’s exploits. She was about to lose her virginity. Although she tried not to look, her gaze
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One Good Man by Shara Azod returned again and again to his penis. The reddish‐purple organ looked way too big to fit inside her. She watched in fascination as he lightly stroked the angry looking weapon with his hand, up and down. The tiny eye leaked precum from the bulbous head, making her lick her lips. What would he taste like? Would she be able to fit that long, thick organ into her mouth? A harsh groan brought her gaze back up to the man attached to the cock. He was watching her, his eyelids heavy with passion. She had read about that look and seen it in movies, but never had anyone looked at her like that. He looked like he wanted to eat her alive. A delicious chill raced up her spine, and her nipples pebbled hard as rocks. His look made her feel like the most desirable woman in the world. She wanted this man inside her, a part of her forever. “Lay back, sweetheart.” Erik crawled up her body, leaving a hot trail of kisses in his wake. He stopped at her pussy and gave it a long, lingering kiss. Positioning himself between her legs, he paused. “Look at me, Elizabeth.” As soon as her gaze met his, he began pressing forward. She felt herself stretching, opening to accommodate his girth. Despite the slight burn of pain, she lifted her hips, opening wider. She was entranced by the pure, unadulterated ardor in his gaze. His jaw was clenched tight; beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face. Still, his gaze didn’t leave hers. She felt him reach the thin barrier blocking his way, then felt the sharp sting as the thin membrane gave way. Despite her best efforts, her eyes squeezed closed and a painful cry escaped her lips. “It’s okay, baby. It’s all over now,” Erik assured her in a harsh whisper. “Open your eyes, sweetheart. Look at me.” Gasping for breath, Elizabeth opened her eyes, trying to relax her body. “That’s right, baby. Just relax. Feel me. Feel me inside of you.” He began to move slowly, withdrawing to the very tip, then slowly sinking back in again. There was still the slight nip of pain, but soon there was something more. The sensation of her walls wrapped around his hot,
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One Good Man by Shara Azod solid rod—it set off nerve endings she’d never known she had. “Oh!” she gasped as he plunged forward. With each thrust, he seemed to hit something deep inside, making her flood with more moisture. “Oh! Oh, my…!” She couldn’t catch her breath. The pain had all but faded, leaving in its place such delectable sensations. Her hips lifted, meeting each downward thrust with one of her own. She wanted more. Tension built in her lower belly, stretching tauter and tauter until, until… “Erik!” “Shit!” he howled as he drove harder, deeper. He plunged in as deep as he could go, grabbing her ass and grinding into her. He surged forward, his hips pistoning like a runaway train. “Again!” he demanded. “Come for me again!” This time, when her walls tightened down on him, he let go. His body shuddered along with hers, reaching the ultimate crest. Elizabeth couldn’t breathe. It was too much. With every stroke, her body was pushed higher and higher. Each explosion brought on another, more intense detonation. Her body convulsed as her legs locked around his waist. Who knew it would feel this good? No, good was far too weak a word to describe how it felt. She was awash in sensations, threatening to overload, when he slammed home one final time, his hands jerking her hips even closer. Stars exploded behind her closed eyes. Her body felt as if it had taken flight. She gasped, trying desperately to hold on, before blessed darkness descended and she passed out.
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Chapter Seven “You’re scowling.” Erik wanted to snap at Mike, but he knew he was right. As much as he disliked it, he had to pretend he didn’t notice Johns’s hands all over his woman. What the hell had possessed him to agree to this madness? One look at those amber eyes and he had capitulated, allowing her to go forward with this insane plan. But if she thought for one second he was letting her out of his sight, she was sorely mistaken. Taking a deep breath to calm his growing anger, Erik looked away. Like a well‐oiled machine, Mike began his own covert surveillance as soon as Erik looked away. His X.O. didn’t need to be told what to do; they had been together long enough for the other man to anticipate what Erik needed. “Now that was just a thing of beauty,” Mike muttered with a mixture of awe and genuine appreciation. “What?” Erik demanded, afraid to turn around, yet more afraid not to. Elizabeth had a drink to her lips, but she wasn’t drinking. Not that Johns could tell the difference. His greasy smile widened as he watched her, downing his own drink in return. “She switched drinks,” Mike informed him. “Right in front of his face and he never noticed.” “He tried to drug her?” Erik demanded. Yeah, she’d planned on drugging him, but she had a damned good reason. If Johns had planned
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One Good Man by Shara Azod on drugging Elizabeth…. Erik’s gaze went red at the implication. That little bastard had planned on date raping his woman. “I don’t give a flying fuck what happens after we search his office,” Erik growled. “I’m kicking his ass.” “I hear ya, buddy,” Mike agreed. Erik knew Mike couldn’t stand men who took advantage of women, either. Erik waited until the drug showed signs of taking affect. Johns began to slightly sway on his feet. He seemed confused at first, but then a dawning of awareness seemed to creep over his visage. Elizabeth, being the true pro she was, began to steer him out of the bar, acting every bit as intoxicated as she wasn’t. “Time to move,” Erik said, dropping his voice and nodding toward the back door. Most of the members of the command paid the C.O. and X.O. little attention, seeing as how they’d staked a place in the back removed from the masses. Still, Erik took his time, making sure to be seen by as many people as possible before he made his escape out of the back doors. His heart pounded against his rib cage, terrified Tim Johns was just conscious enough to hurt Elizabeth. He would kill the man if he laid one finger on her. “About time!” Elizabeth whispered harshly, trying to bear the weight of an out‐of‐it Johns. “Sorry, baby,” Erik muttered, taking the weight of the incoherent man from her. “Had to make sure I was seen. Most people will swear I was there all night if it comes to that.” Elizabeth nodded, hurrying to open the door of Johns’s car. She moved to get in the back with the comatose man when Erik stopped her. “I don’t want you back there with him.” He knew Johns would be out for some time, but he couldn’t stomach the thought of her anywhere near the asshole. “What about the gate guards?” Elizabeth asked breathlessly. “Fuck ‘em.” He would think of something. Chances were the gate guards wouldn’t look too closely at the I.D. card. It might be better for them if they thought Elizabeth was with Johns. Because he had been
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One Good Man by Shara Azod drugged, it was possible to plant memories in his head. Thankfully, she didn’t argue. It took less than ten minutes to get to the base. Just as he’d predicted, the guards didn’t look twice as he flashed Johns’s identification card. And as Elizabeth had predicted, they barely looked at her. Using Johns’s security card, they entered the building, quickly making their way to his office to search for any evidence that he was behind the drug smuggling. Elizabeth worked on the computer files, having snuck a peak at Johns’s pass codes, while Erik went through the file cabinets using Johns’s keys. It took less than thirty minutes for Erik to find pins for weapons that had been sent back as defective and Elizabeth to uncover falsified records. “We got him!” Erik exclaimed, more than ready to be out of there and on to more important things, like Elizabeth naked and willing in his bed. “Wait,” she told him, pouring over the computerized records. “There is no doubt Johns is involved, but I don’t think he is the ring leader.” Erik moved behind her to watch the records flashing across the screen. Johns was a methodical bastard. He’d kept detailed records of all the weapons he had deemed defective and the exact amounts of meth, marijuana, speed, and various other drugs that had been shipped from the depot. It seemed that Timothy Johns was a middle man. From what was written here, the real ring leader was none other than Staff Sergeant Tracey Daniels, Erik’s yeoman. “Hang on,” Elizabeth told a stunned Erik, plugging in a scrambler that would allow her to log into a secure Pentagon search engine without detection. Within minutes she’d pulled up detailed information on Tracey Daniels, or rather Miguel Colón, illegitimate son of Estaban del Leon, the biggest narco‐terrorist in the Americas. “Holy shit!” Erik exclaimed under his breath, reading the flashing information over Elizabeth’s shoulders. “We have to take in Tracey, or rather Miguel,” Elizabeth said needlessly. They both knew Tracey had probably witnessed her drugging
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One Good Man by Shara Azod his lackey. Chances were he was long gone by now. “I’ll have Mike try to track him down.” Even as he began dialing his buddy’s number, he had a feeling the effort was futile. This Miguel character had managed to join the Marine Corps under an assumed name, flying under the radar for years. This was his fourth command that had shipments going overseas. This was hardly his first rodeo. He’d managed to stay undetected this long; he knew how to read the signs. Besides that, he was a hardened drug smuggler. His type killed first and asked questions later. Erik couldn’t have Elizabeth anywhere near Miguel’s type. As it was, he was kicking himself in the ass for never having suspected that Tracey was much more than met the eye. “Let’s get out of here,” Erik growled. He needed to touch her, make love to her. He had to reassure himself she was okay, even though he could see she was fine, right here in front of him. He’d had her working with the son of a notorious killer for months! He would have never forgiven himself if something had happened to her. “Wait a minute,” she told him, sending off missives to God‐only‐knows who. Erik couldn’t explain it, but he knew they needed to get out of here. He was standing here at this moment because he always trusted his sixth sense. They needed to leave. There was only one thing he could think of to make Elizabeth want to leave. Moving behind her, he slid his hands between her legs. To his shock, her pussy was bare. He had driven her home after their interlude at his condo, waiting patiently in the living room as she’d readied herself for tonight. It had been a special kind of hell to stay put, knowing she was delightfully naked in the next room, but he had held on, knowing that had he gone into her bedroom while she was getting ready, they probably would have never left the house. Staying hidden while Johns had picked her up had been a nightmare. The bastard had kissed his woman on the cheek, placed his filthy hands on her skin. It had taken everything in his being not to come out and beat the living shit out of Johns when he had showed up at Elizabeth’s apartment.
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One Good Man by Shara Azod Pressing himself against her soft behind, Erik whispered in Elizabeth’s ear, “Call the MP’s, baby, and let’s go home.” Elizabeth shivered at the soft command growled in her ear. Erik couldn’t agree more. Home. That sounded positively scrumptious. Elizabeth may not realize where this thing was going, but Erik had long since decided that “home” was where the two of them would reside as one. It didn’t matter if it was her place or his, as long as it was theirs. “Just a minute,” she retorted without much conviction. He noted her body arched back in invitation, like she wanted him to force the issue, needed him to take charge. As his hand crept up her dress, she smiled. Yes, that’s what he thought. His pretty baby had no desire to take the lead, not yet. She wanted him to show her how much he wanted her, needed her, so he would do just that. She gasped as his fingers found her slit, already weeping for him, wet and ready. She spread her legs wider for his perusal. Would he ever get enough of her? He sincerely doubted it. “I need you now,” he grumbled in her ear. He hadn’t planned on taking her here. He really hadn’t. But as she arched her back, her legs spread so perfectly, he found his hands releasing his pulsating cock from his slacks. Before he knew it, he was probing her opening, pissed yet pleased to find no underwear to bar his way. “Naughty little girl,” he griped in her ear, catching the lobe between his teeth. “I ought to spank you for not wearing underwear.” Without waiting for a response, Erik slammed his full length deep inside, relishing in her breathless gasp. He had no patience to take this one slow. Knowing she was multi‐orgasmic, a delightful rarity in his mind, he strove to drive her to the edge again and again. He allowed one hand to snake to her breasts, kneading the soft flesh, while the other hand guided her pelvis back to him with every thrust. He delighted in every moan, every gasp. It was his lifeline. He needed her like he needed air; he needed her satisfaction more than he needed his own. “Come for me, baby,” he whispered harshly. “Please, come for me.” Her body shuddered, bending to his will, then exploded, shattering
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One Good Man by Shara Azod beautifully under his demanding strokes. “Erik, oh my…Erik!” He came with her. Not the first time; he managed to hold on that much. As soon as she clamped down on him a second time, he didn’t bother to hold back. “Yeah, baby. Just like that,” he groaned, letting go. Slamming into her again and again, Erik came harder than he had earlier, her snug puss suckling all he had. They lay there against the desk for a few minutes, neither of them all that interested in parting and losing the connection. “I guess I better call to have Johns picked up,” Elizabeth sighed after a few minutes. “Umm,” was Erik’s only reply. He had meant to pull out, he really did. But she was so exquisitely tight, so exclusively his. He found himself growing hard once again. Instead of extracting his dick from her warm cocoon, Erik found himself stroking in and out without removing himself from her. The heavens help them both, he needed more. He wasn’t sure a thousand years would be enough. “In a minute,” he finally replied then slammed back into her juicy sheath. She gasped, moving her hips backward to receive all he had to offer. “We’ll call in a minute.”
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Chapter Eight “Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander Pearson,” her boss told her as he shook her hand. “I wish there was something we could do to change your mind.” Elizabeth knew her father was silently fuming as he watched his daughter’s ceremony, but this was something she had always dreamed of doing. Being an intelligence officer was all well and good, but she’d wanted to join the Company for as long as she could remember. She would leave the military to Victoria. Being a C.I.A. agent was the only way she could be a real covert officer. “When do you report for duty?” General Pearson asked his daughter. His gruff tone did little to disguise the anguish he must be feeling. “My team leader will contact me,” she told him. As excited as she was, she had to admit she was also more than a little scared. Her father engulfed her in a bear hug. As leery as he was to let her go, he knew he could never make her stay. She had to make her own way. “If that jarhead allows one single scratch…” General Pearson let his sentence trail off. It wasn’t really necessary to finish it. She knew what he meant. “Erik will take perfect care of me,” she assured him. And he would. She had been unsure how she’d felt when she’d first found out she was assigned to his unit. But all in all, she decided now she was thrilled he
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One Good Man by Shara Azod would never let her wander into harm’s way without him by her side. It felt wonderful to have a man who loved her so much he was willing to do anything to protect her. “He better,” General Pearson growled. “He better.” * * * * * Erik nodded at the sentry, waiting for the guard to exit the premises and turn off the video tape. As Johns shuffled nervously, Erik smiled. Oh, this was going to be good. “Where did Miguel go?” Erik asked finally. Johns shrugged his shoulders. “I have no—” Erik’s fist smashed into his mouth before he could finish his sentence. Johns crumbled, dropping to the floor like a rock. “I’ll ask you one more time. Where is Miguel?” “Columbia!” Johns wailed. “He knew his cover was blown when he watched Lizzie switch the drinks! The bastard took off that night. Back to his father.” Erik didn’t doubt it, but he punched Johns as soon as he staggered to his feet anyway. He had a score to settle with this bastard. “What was that for! I told you what I know!” That might have been true, but he still couldn’t let the bastard go after trying to drug his woman for his own nefarious purposes. There was no excuse for that, no answer Johns could give to appease him. “That was for attempting to drug my woman,” Erik informed him, placing another well aimed fist across Johns’s jaw. “I‐I—” Another fist slammed into Johns’s face before he could formulate an appropriate lie. “You are going to rot in the brig,” Erik informed him, punching his face once again. “There will be no trial. Your father has been briefed. Even now, he’s breaking the news to your mother how you were lost at sea in a terrible accident.” “I’m sorry,” Johns blabbered. “I am so…”
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One Good Man by Shara Azod As Erik’s fist connected against his eye, Johns surrendered to oblivion.
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Epilogue Victoria knew Elizabeth would be pissed, but this was something she had to do for herself. It had taken months and a shit load of therapy, but finally, finally she had stopped being afraid. She would find the bastard truly responsible for her attack. It was too easy to blame the boot camp when a soldier couldn’t handle being in a combat zone so soon after his enlistment. As far as she was concerned, the bastard who imported the drugs and pushed them on young, impressionable sources was solely to blame. She had come here to Columbia to root out the source of the drugs and deal with the offender her own way. She shivered as she melted into the crowd. At least she wasn’t alone. She had acquired a tail before she’d left D.C. She had no idea what he looked like—he was that good—but she knew he was there. She could feel him. Had felt him before leaving stateside. His presence gave her a strange degree of comfort because she knew he had been ordered to tail her thanks to her sister and her sister’s new husband. For some reason, she felt safe knowing he was there. But how long would she stay safe? * * * * * Mike Torres had agreed to look after Elizabeth’s sister as a favor, at first. The closer Victoria got to her goal, however, the deeper his admiration for her grew. She was a tenacious little thing. She was bound and determined to find the supplier who had been shipping drugs to
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One Good Man by Shara Azod vulnerable troops. He’d thought Elizabeth a natural at covert ops. But Victoria’s sister didn’t have a thing on her. Victoria was a natural. She became a part of the shadows when necessary, blending into the crowd though she looked nothing like them. He was intrigued. Hell, he was half in love. All he knew was that he had to watch her, protect her. It was beyond any promise he’d given to Elizabeth. He had a feeling Victoria was going to play a central part in his life from here on out.
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Author Bio Shara Azod is a self‐professed nerd who loves to research ancient history, politics, pre‐1800s battles and obscure religions just because. Shara was born in Florida, grew up in Southern California, and has lived all over the world. A Marine brat, Navy vet, and the wife of a Navy lifer, she has visited four of the worldʹs seven continents. Her favorite destinations are Paris, Hong Kong, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Catania. She has been writing all her life, but decided she wanted to write romance after reading The Flame & the Flower at the tender age of 13. That led to the notebook saga of Duran Duran, which was confiscated and turned over to her none‐too‐amused parents.
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