Hot SEAL by Lynn Raye Harris

for being outdoors.
    “You shouldn’t be outside.”
    Ivy jumped at the sound of a male voice—but it was Dane, so she didn’t panic. He stood in his open doorway and watched her. She hadn’t heard him slide the door back.
    “I couldn’t sleep.”
    He sighed. “Me either. I heard your door open.”
    “You wanted to know what I would do differently,” she blurted, her heart racing like mad. “I wouldn’t give you an ultimatum. I would trust that everything would be okay. And if it wasn’t, then at least we tried.”
    He stepped outside. He wasn’t wearing anything except a pair of dark shorts. The meager light caressed the smooth bumps and planes of his chest, outlining how perfect he was. They’d had sex in an alley, but she hadn’t seen his naked chest. Or any part of him, come to think of it. The whole thing had been so frantic and out of control that they’d only bared the essential parts.
    She wanted to explore him. Wanted to lick a trail down the center of his body until she could take his cock in her mouth and taste him again.  
    It was a surprising desire considering how emotionally shattered she’d felt after their recent encounter.  
    Physically, however, she hadn’t felt that good in ages. And she was shocked to learn that she wanted more.  
    He smiled at her then. A soft, sad smile that made her heart ache.  
    “Thanks for saying that, Ivy.”
    It hit her that he thought she was saying it out of a sense of guilt or something. “I mean it, Dane. I… I didn’t respond the way I should have the first time. Because you’re right that I hold back to protect myself. It’s an old habit, and it’s not easy to break.”
    He cocked his head as if considering. “Thanks,” he said softly. “I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
    She wrapped her arms around herself as a chill washed over her. It wasn’t from the outdoors, but from the emotions that always raged between them when they were in the same room together.
    “No, it wasn’t. But I know I need to acknowledge what’s broken before I can fix it.”
    “You did good tonight, Ivy. On the dock, I mean. I think you’re probably a hell of a DEA agent.”
    “Thank you.” She could feel the heat of his compliment in the tips of her ears. “All I want is to make a difference. To stop others from suffering from the drug trade.”
    “I think you’ve made a difference. You may never know some of the people you’ve helped, but their lives are better because of you and Ace.”
    Her throat tightened. “I hope so.”
    “Do you think you can sleep now?”
    “Not really. But I’ll go back inside since I know you won’t go in until I do.”
    “That’s right, honey.”
    She walked over to the sliding glass door and opened it. Then she stopped and looked at him. She could go to bed alone, and that was probably what she should do—but her heart hurt and her emotions boiled and she needed connection with someone. With Dane.
    “Wouldn’t it be easier to keep me safe if we were in the same room together?”
    She could feel the tension rolling from him. “Are you sure about that?”
    “Would I have said it if I wasn’t?”
    “Ivy, I don’t know fuck all about what you would do anymore. Maybe you want to torture me and you’ll lock your door in my face before I get there. Maybe you’ll insist you meant I have to sleep on the floor beside your bed. I honestly have no clue.”
    “Until tonight, I haven’t had sex in over a year. I forgot how much I missed it.”
    She thought he growled. “You know something? I really don’t like hearing about you having sex with someone else. It makes me want to hit something. Hard.”
    “I didn’t give you details.”
    He took a step toward her. “If you’ve had sex in less than four and a half years, it’s been with someone else. And yeah, that makes me crazy.”
    “Like you’ve been celibate.”
    “Nope.”
    Ivy shook her head even as jealousy bloomed in her soul. “We’re losing the thread