Protect Her (Aussie Military Romance Book 2) Read online

  “Bullshit, Xanth. You said it, you stayed because you thought I needed you. Well I don’t.”

  “Great to hear.”

  “What?”

  “I’m going for a month, you don’t need me but it will give you a chance to see if you miss me, want me. For more than being your carer. Damn it, how do you think I feel? Every time I meet up with you for lunch some strange woman is at your table flirting with you.”

  “I’m not interested in other women, I told you that.” He expected her to at least trust him a little by now. Even before this bloody accident he had given her his heart, promised there had been no others since they met. Despite his entire life of feeling unworthy of being loved, he’d put it all on the line for her and yet she couldn’t damn well see it. Or trust him.

  “It doesn’t stop them from being interested in you. I end up feeling more like your carer instead of your lover. Most of the time they don’t even stop flirting until I bloody well climb into your lap.”

  He’d never thought of it like that. “You know I don’t need a carer. I want a lover, more precisely I want you.”

  “But those women …” she started before he cut her off.

  “I’m not interested, I don’t encourage them. I promise you Xanth, I haven’t looked at another woman since I met you.”

  “I want you to look at me because you want me, not because you need me.”

  “You don’t have to leave me. I thought you liked me staying here, I thought the next step was talking about making things more permanent.”

  “I didn’t want to go, I’ve tried everything to stay but this time I don’t have a choice. Quite frankly, it’s an amazing opportunity. Have you any idea what it’s like to only be a year qualified and important people are looking at my ideas and thinking they could make a difference?”

  “I’m proud of you, really I am,” damn the chair, he could go to her, but she had to want to accept his arms. “Xanthe, I’m sorry. It wasn’t what I expected and when you said you only stayed because I needed you, well it triggered.”

  “I don’t mind you needing me, but I’m terrified that once you don’t, you’ll go back to The Mack with a monkey to show.”

  “I told you, you’re the last woman to see my monkey, in that way.”

  Minutes of silence hang over them as he saw everything, the pain and fear and unwarranted jealousy in her eyes. His own softened, and without words they both gave way to the love and fear of what her leaving would mean, for both of them.

  “Xanth, please. I’m so fucking sorry. You have to know how much you mean to me and it’s not just because of my legs. If I could have them back just for one day it would be to prove that I want you because I want you – not because I need you.”

  He didn’t know what else to say. Trapped in the stupid chair, he had to wait for her to come to him. “Xanth, please.”

  “Mack?” he could see she wanted to believe.

  “I’ve never felt like this about another woman before, not ever. Please Xanth.”

  “I stayed because I didn’t want to leave. But I couldn’t tell them that, not then and not know. Mack, I’ve run out of excuses but it’s a great opportunity.”

  “Don’t say ‘no’, then. Not to them and not to me.”

  “Mack, oh Mack,” she finally allowed to be pulled to his lap while his trusty kisses did their job.

  They’d had make up sex before, two strong personalities were bound to clash.

  This was different, they crossed a line towards commitment and that was something that couldn’t be ignored.

  Returning her kisses as strong as he’d ever known, his hands up her skirt and her panties quickly removed.

  “Bend over,” he pushed her towards the solid wooden table. He’d wanted to do this since they bought the dining suite. Wheeling under, he spread her legs either side of the chair, lifting her skirt and pulling her forward. Kissing up her inner thighs, he tested her readiness with his fingers.

  “Xanth, it’s about time you learnt the difference between need and want. I ‘need’ to do this to satisfy you but I ‘want’ to do this because I need you to be satisfied.”

  She had never tasted sweeter or moaned louder. Alternating between pulling his hair and grabbing the table as he brought her to the edge, only to go back to kissing her inner thighs before starting again.

  “Please, do it now,” she cried out and even though he was ready to give her what she wanted, this needed to be a gift. His hands crept under her shirt and twisted her naked nipples while his tongue finished the job. Gently releasing her when her shudders subsided, before pulling her back to his lap.

  “I want you, Xanth, but I need you to be happy.”

  “It’s only a month.”

  “I guess we’d better have that first date before you go.”

  Xanthe

  She must have checked her phone a thousand times. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the time go faster, or help her decide what to wear any easier.

  The navy blue dress lay on the floor where she threw it in favour of the nude dress she had worn the night they met. It had got his attention once, perhaps it would again?

  The curling wand had done wonders with her dark hair and the new charcoal eye-shadow made her eyes an even darker green. No, she picked up the navy dress and hung it next to the nude dress. Standing in her off white bra and panties, she discarded everything to start again.

  At the bottom of an unpacked box was an old, red leather skirt. Draping it across her hips in front of the mirror, it was shorter than she normally wore. Completely different from the classic folds of their other first date. She smiled, at least tonight she was pretty sure it would end up sleeping together, with very little sleeping. Ignoring the price tags, she ripped them from a brand new black thong and brassiere. Intended for a different night, she was starting to pull together something special for tonight. Yes, the brassiere and skirt could work together, but matched with a long black jacket and she’d almost be respectable. The jacket barely covered the skirt and could pass as a dress. Seamed black stockings fixed to a garter belt and under black, thigh high boots and she was ready for whatever games Mack wanted to play!

  “Ready for 1st date?” his text meant she didn’t have time to change her mind, again. She’d already assured him the one concession she would make for his mobility was not to insist he get out and knock on the door. A text would do.

  He was in the backseat and greeted her with his specialty kiss.

  “You look amazing,” he handed her a small box. “I thought about flowers but figured I didn’t want you to leave and put them in water.”

  “Thank you,” memories of another box flooded back. As the taxi pulled away, she undid the black ribbon. Fumbling to open the box, she dared not even think.

  “Here, let me,” he turned it over and released the flap.

  She lost her breath, a yellow gold chain threaded through nine hearts, four with diamonds.

  “I wanted to give you a monkey to remember me by,” he started. “I figured four of diamonds and nine of hearts would be easier to explain.”

  “I love it, thank you,” she turned so he could place it around her neck. “So what other surprises have you got in store for me on this first date?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “Dinner was amazing!” as the waiter took away the dessert plates. Turkish meze for entre, lamb tangine for main and almond cake with orange drizzle cut through the bitterness of the strong coffee.

  “I asked around and most of the café’s on the boardwalk are easy to access and if you say wheelchair friendly in the booking, well you get the best seat in the house.”

  They had watched the sun go down behind the Brisbane river. Hours spent talking and laughing like any other couple on a first date, except they also had the history.

  “Feel like going for a walk?” he asked after the waitress returned his credit card.

  “If you think you can handle it,” she laughed with him. Some days
he could joke about his legs, other times it was too difficult. Tonight, anything seemed possible.

  She’d become used to holding his hand while he controlled his chair. It didn’t even feel strange anymore until she had to let him go to make room for other people on the path. The one thing she couldn’t get used to was people’s reactions to them as a couple. Anything from pity to avoidance, she only hoped he didn’t see them or at least let the looks brush over him.

  “How about we see if we can get a room for the night,” he rolled up the driveway of one of the city’s finest hotels.

  “I doubt they would have anything suitable,” she tried but too late as the concierge opened the doors to the large marble foyer.

  “Lieutenant Mackenzie. It is a pleasure to host you and your partner tonight. Your bags are already in your room, but can I invite you to the piano bar for a complementary bottle of champagne?”

  Completely speechless, Xanthe looked to the receptionist and back to Mack. She had no idea this was an overnight kind of date, at least in the city. With his wheelchair this needed planning. Serious planning.

  Mack almost lost control of the chair on the steep ramp but regained control before she could react in her high heeled boots. A path to an empty table had already been cleared and as they were about to be seated, the piano player stopped to gain the attention of the room.

  “Ladies and gentlemen we are privileged here tonight to welcome Lieutenant Mackenzie from the Australian Army and his date. You might notice that Lieutenant Mackenzie has brought his own transport. Six months ago he was injured in a skirmish that claimed the life of one friend and injured five others. Before he went on that mission, he had planned to take Miss Davies on their first date. It has taken overcoming more challenges that we can probably imagine, but I would like you to stand and show your respect for this, their first date.”

  As the piano started the familiar chords, the crowd stood and started, “Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free.”

  By the end of the first verse, Xanthe was standing with them, by the chorus she couldn’t sing through the tears. She had never truly experienced the patriotism of her own country, yes the song was sung at events and sporting fixtures. At almost every Defence parade there was a rendition.

  Not in a restaurant, and not for her boyfriend.

  After the applause finished, Mack raised his hand and the pianist offered him the microphone.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, it has been my deepest honor to serve and on behalf of all the service men and women of all forces, I thank you for the respect you have shown us tonight. I promised this lovely lady a first date that was worth waiting six months for, and I thank you for making that possible.”

  Xanthe didn’t notice all of the guests who had recorded the whole thing. Even if she did, she would never have appreciated the significance. All she cared was that they showed her man the respect of a nation.

  And that Mack had delivered on his promise of a real first date.

  Mack

  He never expected that when he had made his special requests for a hotel room that catered to his physical needs, that the staff would go to such lengths to acknowledge his service and the other service men and women who were out there putting their bodies and lives on the line.

  A wonderful dinner followed by a romantic bottle of champagne accompanied by piano, his first date with Xanthe had been perfect from start through to the ride up to their suite.

  Several phone calls with explicit instructions and yet it all came down to trust. Did they truly understand what he had asked for, and were they able to deliver? Mack had stressed that price wasn’t a consideration, but while they were downstairs a text had come through assuring him that the whole evening and stay was complementary.

  At no time had he ever considered himself a hero.

  Not when he knew what true heroes looked like, hell, he had worked beside them day and night for years. Still, it was nice to be considered one of them. If that’s what it took to give Xanthe the perfect first date.

  “So, soldier, what have you got for me tonight?” a slightly buzzed Xanthe lay across his lap in the elevator up to their room.

  “What do you want?”

  “I have you, that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she rested her head on his shoulder as the floor levels kept climbing. He had no reason to disbelieve her, it’s all he wanted as well.

  Mack shouldn’t have felt so proud at opening the hotel door as he did. He couldn’t remember the last time Xanthe hadn’t opened a door for him. Instead, being able to wheel her inside, relaxed in his arms was the greatest start to a night that he could imagine. Until she saw the black straps attached to a large brass hook above the bed.

  “What the?”

  “Obviously because I’m in a wheel chair, I needed a hoist,” he did a quick spin around the room, noting that all his requests had been fulfilled. A city view, spacious room for him to move around freely with his wheelchair, the swing above the bed and a shower chair that could easily fit two. Food, wine were all additional extras that made the hotel think they were pandering to his desires when it was the swing that would give him everything.

  “You don’t need a hoist at home.”

  “I love that you want me to call it home, but you know damned well that it is your place and I’m an invited guest,” he nibbled her ear. “Something we should talk about, but after our first date.”

  “So, what’s it doing above our bed?”

  He started unbuttoning her jacket, “Do you remember what I said if you ever wore something with more than three buttons?”

  “You said you’d bite them off.”

  “Please, pretty please, take off the jacket, I’ve wanted to know all night what you’ve got underneath.”

  Slowly, she stood and while holding his gaze, undid the remaining five buttons. He caught a glimpse of the top of her stockings before she straightened the red skirt.

  “Drop it,” it wasn’t a question.

  Her jacket fell to the floor. He wheeled over to the bed and with a grace he didn’t even expect, transitioned onto the bed and pulled himself to underneath the hoist. He tried not to show the strength needed to pull himself into the swing harness.

  “Wanna play?” he teased, opening his arms for whatever she wanted to do.

  Xanthe carefully removed each heel before climbing to a stand on the bed in front of him. “How does this work?”

  Fully balanced on the swing, he could almost imagine they were standing in front of each other. Pulling her towards him, he could hold her in his arms and kiss her the way he used to. Fully, passionately and without feeling like a cripple. His hands in the small of her back, he found the zipper to her skirt and released it to the bed so she was standing in her black latex bra, thong and stockings.

  In his mind, he had imagined this moment, practiced it over again and thought he knew what to do, but having her made it all the more real and important to get right. He spun her around until her back was against the bedroom wall and the swing supported him against her.

  “Are you ready?” he kissed her until she removed his shirt and went for his pants. Using all his strength, he lifted until his pants met hers on the floor. Balancing on the edge of the swing, they clung together as he slid between her thighs. Not quite there, but with the help of the swing, he had his lady where he wanted her.

  All he needed to do was make sure she was satisfied.

  Xanthe

  Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine sex could be so, absolutely intoxicating!

  Coming up to the room she expected a romantic night cap and making love in a strange room. Not the swing and not standing on a bed urging him to find her.

  “Wait,” she had an idea, hooking one leg over the swing with him. All of a sudden, life made sense and he found her home. Using her weight, Mack took control of every thrust with such passion she was scared either the swing or bed would collapse. The harder he pushed her against the wall,
the more erotic the feeling. She wanted to open more, inhale more of him.

  This wasn’t the normal making love of regular couples.

  This was hot, ferocious, carnal and pleasure seeking sex of lovers.

  Even if he never understood, she loved Mack and hoped that by the time she returned home to him that he would love her more than he needed her in return.

  “Swing on me, baby,” he lowered the hoist until she could straddle him with her feet lightly touching the bed. A gentle rocking until the unexpected shudder started at her toes and invaded her body.

  As she came, Mack swung her against the wall and gently bit her nipples while teasing her bud. She wanted to stop but wouldn’t let him go. Not until she cried out his name and he released all his passion within her.

  “I don’t think the landlord will let me install one of those,” she finally collapsed on the bed. “Although I can see the benefits for getting you out of bed in the morning.”

  “Baby, the reason I can’t get out of bed is because usually, you’re still in it.”

  “Not my fault when you’ve worn me out the night before.”

  “I aim to please,” he handed her another strawberry from the complementary fruit platter.

  “You always do.”

  Catching their breath never usually took this long and she turned on the television. Mack was almost asleep when she asked, “Are you okay about me going back for a month?”

  “Not really, but we don’t have a choice.”

  “I mean,” she wanted to keep it light but with his reputation, she needed to be sure. “This is our first date and all, but …”

  “Xanthe,” he pulled her closer. “I’m the one who should be worried. You go on base and there’s a thousand guys all fitter and more fuckable than me. I don’t want you coming back here and looking at me like I’m some pity-fuck that you’re stuck with.”

  She laughed, “I don’t cheat, never have and never will.”

  “No, but you could send me one of those ‘Dear John’ texts or emails so there’s at least half an hour break between me and the next guy.”