Securing Piper Read online

“You’re compassionate and kind, but not a pushover. You have an innate sense of what our girls need and you’re not afraid to say no to them. You’re considerate and hard-working, and more often than not, you give more than you’d ever ask for in return. At night, when we go to bed, and you’re dead to the world on my chest, I can’t think of anything beyond how lucky I am.

  “How in the world I ended up with not only three beautiful children, but an amazing, one-of-a-kind wife, I have no idea. And spending the day with you today, and watching you laugh and smile and simply be present here with me, was a gift. One I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. I’m happy, Piper. And you’re the reason why. I could’ve adopted children and fulfilled my need to be a father on my own, but having you in my life has made everything perfect.

  “I told you when I gave you that ring that I’d replace it with something better…and I went shopping a couple weeks ago, and picked this up for you.”

  Piper knew she was on the verge of tears, but she held on to Ace as he lifted one ass cheek and reached into the pocket of the jeans he was wearing. He pulled something out and held it up to her. She could barely see it in the low light—but what she could see completely floored her.

  The ring had four yellow princess-cut diamonds in a row, with smaller white diamonds surrounding each of the larger ones. It looked expensive as hell…and was absolutely beautiful.

  “I wanted to get something that signified our family. I thought four diamonds worked well, three for our girls and one for us. I wanted it to be practical and not huge, but still tell anyone who cares to look that you are more than taken.”

  Piper didn’t reach for it; she was frozen in place. She couldn’t believe Ace had bought her something so beautiful. She’d gotten flowers from a man once, but nothing like this. Nothing even close. She wasn’t sure what to do. Cry? Laugh? Jump up and do a little dance?

  “If you don’t like it, I can take it back and get you something else,” Ace said apprehensively when she still didn’t respond.

  Without thought, Piper reached out and grabbed his wrist as he began to lower his hand.

  “It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen,” she whispered. “It’s way too expensive for someone like me.”

  “On the contrary,” Ace countered. “It’s not expensive enough. If I had my way, I would’ve gotten you an obnoxious ten-carat ring that stuck up from your finger so high, you wouldn’t be able to do anything with it on. But I figured this was more your style. You can leave it on when you draw, and when you play with Rani in the tub. It’s not gonna turn your finger green, like the one you’re wearing likely will. And I love the thought of all of us being on your finger, so every time you look at it, you’ll think of our family.”

  Taking a deep breath, Piper reached for the simple white-gold band Ace had put on her finger in Timor-Leste. She moved it to her right hand and held out her left.

  Smiling tenderly, Ace wrapped his hand around hers and slowly slid the beautiful ring down her finger, kissing it gently when it hit her knuckle. “Beautiful,” he murmured. “I also have a plain platinum wedding band inside to go with this.”

  Her heart melted. “What about you?” she asked.

  Ace crooked an eyebrow in question.

  “Will you still wear one too?”

  He smiled sheepishly and reached into his pocket again, pulling out a wide black band and holding it out for her inspection. Piper picked it up and examined it.

  “It’s black titanium. I figured I needed something tough, since I’ll probably put it through hell. It’ll most likely get scratched up and nicked, but I suppose that’ll just make it all the more interesting. I also wanted something that would be easy to see on my finger—so everyone would know I’m taken too. I can’t wear it on missions, but I swear I’ll always carry it with me. The second I can, it’ll go right back on my finger.”

  The tears she’d managed to keep at bay finally overflowed her eyes. Piper reached for his left hand and slid it on his finger, as he’d done with hers. She kissed it once it had reached the base, and he leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

  Neither spoke, soaking in the moment so they’d never forget it. Piper had never felt so loved. So cared for. So…wanted.

  She pulled back and said the words that had been floating in her mind all day. “I want you, Ace.”

  Holding her breath, she waited for his response.

  She felt his heart rate increase against her palm, and the next thing she knew, he’d stood up with her in his arms and was heading for the door.

  “I didn’t get to carry you over the threshold at our house, so this’ll have to do. Help me out?”

  Piper smiled and reached over and opened the door, and he easily carried her through. But he didn’t put her down in the living room; he went straight for the master bedroom and carried her to the bed. He leaned over and placed her on it, then rested his palms on the mattress on either side of her.

  Piper felt small beneath him, and she loved the feeling. The only other time she’d felt this way, surrounded by him and equally as protected, was when he’d covered her body with his own in the forest in Timor-Leste.

  “If I make love to you, there’s no going back,” Ace warned.

  Piper knew exactly what he meant. “I don’t want to go back. I don’t want an annulment or a divorce. You’re an amazing father and an even better man. I want to grow old with you, and I can’t wait to see what our future holds. We’ll disagree, and you’ll probably get annoyed with me, just as I will you. You’ll be gone on missions more than I’d like, and you might get irritated with all the female hormones in the house. But with every day that passes with you by my side, I’m falling more in love with you. It scares the hell out of me, Ace…but I hope one day you might be able to love me back.”

  “I already do,” Ace said. His gaze bored into hers, and Piper could barely breathe. “I think the fact of the matter is that I’ll end up annoying you way more than you could ever annoy me. I just hope you’ll talk to me and let me fix whatever it is I’ve done.”

  Piper brought a hand up to his face and gently covered his lips. “Right now, I’m annoyed because you won’t shut up and make love to me,” she said with a grin.

  She felt his lips move into a smile under her hand, then he pulled her up farther onto the bed and rolled over. She was lying on top of him, much as she’d done every night since they’d met, but this time she could feel his erection pressing between her thighs.

  “I love sleeping with you, but I have to admit that I’ve had more than one fantasy of you taking me deep inside your body as you lay on top of me, just like this,” he said, completely serious.

  “Far be it from me to deny one of America’s hero SEALs one of his fantasies.” And with that, Piper took a deep breath, sat up, and tore her shirt over her head, letting it fall somewhere to the floor next to the bed.

  She knew she’d remember the look on Ace’s expression for the rest of her life. A mixture of humor and lust crossed his face before he sat up with her still on his lap and buried his face between her boobs.

  His breath was hot against her skin, and his beard tickled a bit as it brushed against tender skin. “Beautiful,” he murmured, as his fingers found the clasp at her back and undid it. Her bra loosened, and Ace didn’t even hesitate to pull it off her mounds, and then he was sucking on a nipple as if his life depended on it.

  Piper cried out in ecstasy, her head falling back as one of her hands fisted in Ace’s hair. He wasn’t tentative in his exploration of her; he went after what he wanted as if he’d been barely holding himself in check. His hand moved to hold her tit to his mouth as he suckled, and his free hand pinched and played with her other nipple.

  She couldn’t hold still and began to rub herself against the erection she could easily feel under her ass. “Ace, God…” she breathed as she writhed against him.

  He didn’t respond with words, but he moved to her other nipple and sucked it into his
mouth, nipping and licking at her ravenously.

  Goose bumps broke out on Piper’s arms, and she desperately wanted to feel his naked skin against her own. She reached for the hem of his shirt and tried to pull it up and off, but he wasn’t cooperating. Wasn’t letting go of her.

  “Ace,” she whined as her hands caressed his naked chest under his shirt. His nipples were hard, like hers, and she roughly pinched them, wanting him to be just as desperate as she was. That did the trick. He pulled away from her and his shirt was gone seconds later. Then his fingers went to the button and zipper of her shorts, and in another second, those were also undone.

  “Off,” he said in a low, hoarse baritone that excited Piper as much as it spurred her to action. She hated to lose her connection with him, but knew she’d never be able to get her shorts and panties off if she didn’t. She quickly climbed off Ace and stood next to the bed, pushing her bra off the rest of the way and discarding her other clothes.

  By the time she straddled Ace again, he’d kicked off his jeans and boxers and was on his back once more, waiting for her to return. Piper couldn’t take her eyes off his erection. It was as beautiful as it was intimidating. It had been a while since she’d been with a man, and suddenly she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to comfortably take him.

  “Come here,” Ace said, even as he was reaching for her.

  Piper threw one leg over his hips again, feeling much more exposed this time.

  She could feel his thumbs caressing the creases where her legs met her hips, and when he didn’t immediately lunge for her or otherwise make any other sexual move, she slowly relaxed.

  “That’s it,” he said softly. “We’re going at your pace. You are so fucking beautiful, I could sit here all night and just stare at you.”

  “I’m not sure that would satisfy either of us,” she said wryly.

  Ace chuckled, then he gazed up at her with so much love and intensity, Piper found it almost hard to breathe.

  “I, Beckett Morgan, take you, Piper Morgan, to be my lawfully wedded wife. For better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I’ll care for you and our children and expect nothing in return. I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll kill to protect you from anyone who does.”

  Her throat felt tight, and all Piper could manage to say was, “Ace…”

  “Let me love you,” he said. “I won’t hurt you. Ever.”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  One of Ace’s hands moved between her legs, and he slowly and gently began to caress her clit. Her legs were spread over him, and she was completely open to anything he wanted to do, but he didn’t thrust his fingers inside her. He took his time. Played with her. Spread her growing wetness around her folds, teasing and preparing.

  It wasn’t long before Piper found her hips moving in time with his fingers. Seeking more. More of his touch, harder. She reached down and took his cock in her hand, not surprised when her fingers barely touched as she curled them around him. She scooted up until she could slide her wet folds up and down the vein on the underside of his erection.

  Ace groaned, but he didn’t thrust his hips. Didn’t force her to take him inside her body. His thumb did move faster and harder against her clit though, touching her almost in the same way she would’ve touched herself if she was masturbating. His other hand reached up and took one of her breasts, and he pinched the nipple as she writhed against him.

  “That’s it,” he murmured. “Just like that. You’re so fucking beautiful, Piper. God, I could watch you do this all night. Ride me, get yourself off on me.”

  Piper tried, but as good as his thumb felt, he wasn’t moving quite fast enough. Wasn’t rubbing her clit hard enough. She was on the edge of her orgasm, and it was frustrating that she couldn’t quite get there.

  Without thought, she went up on her knees enough to support her body and her free hand went between her legs.

  For a second, Ace’s fingers were in her way, then he backed off.

  “Fuck me, that’s so hot,” she heard him say, but she was too lost in her own pleasure. Her fingers pressed hard against herself, and she rubbed her clit frantically. Wanting to get there. Wanting to go over the edge.

  Piper jolted when she felt one of Ace’s fingers ease inside her body. She’d given him room by going up on her knees. Then she couldn’t keep her hips still as she humped his finger. She groaned loudly.

  “Keep going, sweetheart. I’ll catch you. So sexy. Damn.”

  It was the last thing she heard before she flew over the edge, moaning as she did.

  “Say yes,” Ace pleaded from under her.

  Piper looked down and saw he was grimacing. Then she felt him between her legs. And not his finger this time. He had his cock in one hand and was running the tip between the now dripping folds of her sex. He hadn’t pushed inside, was waiting for her to say it was all right.

  In response, and still feeling little aftershocks from her orgasm, Piper wrapped her hand around his on his cock and slowly sank down onto him.

  They both groaned as the head of his erection eased inside her hot, wet core. She paused a moment, adjusting to his girth, and Ace’s body under hers was as solid as a rock. He held himself still, letting her take him and not pushing for more than she could handle.

  Slowly, ever so slowly, Piper eased down a fraction of an inch, before lifting. The next time she lowered herself, she took more of him.

  In what could’ve been minutes, but was probably more like mere seconds, she’d taken him all the way in.

  He was buried so far inside her, their pubic hair meshed together. When she looked down at where they were connected, she couldn’t see where he ended and she began.

  “Goddamn, that’s so fucking sexy,” Ace growled.

  Piper looked up and saw his eyes were also fixated on where they were joined. Her inner muscles flexed, and he moaned.

  “Do that again,” he pleaded.

  She did, and then smiled at the look of pleasure that crossed his face.

  Then his eyes flew up to hers…and she stilled. She couldn’t look away from him, from the love she saw in his gaze.

  “Fuck me, Piper,” he begged.

  Piper didn’t have a lot of sexual experience, and she’d never made love like this, but she did what felt good. She lifted up on her knees a little and swiveled her hips as she lowered herself once more.

  “Yeah, baby. Just like that.”

  So she did it again. Over and over. But soon that wasn’t enough. It felt nice, but she didn’t want nice. She wanted out-of-control passion.

  “Help me,” she whispered.

  His hands, which had been gently playing with her nipples, immediately went to her hips and gripped, hard. Without looking like he was exerting any energy whatsoever, Ace lifted her off his cock, then slammed her back down much harder than she ever would’ve thought could feel good. But it did. It felt as if his cock went even deeper inside her body as her thighs slapped down against him.

  Then he did it again.

  And again.

  Then Piper caught the rhythm of his movements and began to help. She used her thigh muscles to ride him. Up and down. Up and down. The wet noises coming from between their thighs were loud, but sexy as hell. She’d never been this wet, this turned on.

  Looking down, she saw Ace’s gaze had fallen from her face and was alternating between her bouncing tits and his cock disappearing and reemerging as she rode him.

  The sex was out of control. And messy. And better than anything she’d ever had before.

  Suddenly, she wanted to come again. Wanted to squeeze his dick as he fucked her. Piper hadn’t had two orgasms in one lovemaking session ever, hadn’t known she was capable, but at the moment, she needed it.

  Once more, one hand went between her legs. She caressed Ace’s cock as it disappeared inside her, and she heard him moan in response. Once her fingers were coated with her own excitement, she began flicking her clit once more.

>   “Yes…oh, God, I can feel you squeezing me so hard,” Ace said. “Get yourself off again. I want to feel it on my dick. That’s it. Fuck!”

  Piper loved the way Ace became somewhat incoherent as she fucked him. She was doing that. She tweaked her clit harder and faster and within seconds, she felt herself on the edge. She froze, hovering above him, but that didn’t stop him. As her thigh muscles shook, his hips pistoned up and down, and he fucked her as she remained motionless.

  It was sexy and hot and Piper couldn’t hold her orgasm back anymore.

  She moaned, and as her body shook and tightened around him, Ace grabbed her hips and forced her down on top of him. Hard. He was buried as far inside her as he could get, and Piper swore she could feel his cock throbbing.

  “Oh, yeah, Piper… Your cunt is amazing! You’re squeezing my cock so fucking hard…God, I’m gonna come. Unghhhhhh!”

  She would’ve laughed at all the noise he made as he came, but she was mostly out of it herself. Ace lowered her to his chest but she couldn’t do more than lie there like a sack of potatoes.

  They were still connected, and it felt amazing. She loved sleeping on top of him, but she wouldn’t be able to do so ever again without remembering this moment.

  When her heart rate finally lowered enough for her to think coherently, she brought a hand up and petted his beard.

  She felt and heard him chuckle as he reached up and took her hand in his. “We didn’t use anything,” he said softly.

  Piper was confused for a moment, but just then, his softening cock slid out of her body—and she knew exactly what he meant. She lifted her head. “I’m clean,” she said earnestly.

  Surprisingly, he chuckled again. “I know you are, sweetheart. As am I. I can show you the reports if you want. We’re regularly examined as part of our health checks for the navy. I was talking more about birth control. Are you covered?”

  She slowly shook her head. “There was no need to be on anything because my periods are regular, and I wasn’t dating anyone. Not for a long time.”

  She couldn’t interpret the look on Ace’s face. But eventually, he said, “I love you, Piper. I do. We’ve had the fastest courtship on the planet, but that doesn’t take away from my feelings about you. Just sayin’…I wouldn’t be upset if you got pregnant.”