Chapter Nine

Stone stood in the kitchen and watched Jasira as she walked around his living room. He’d convinced her to stay for dinner, so it cooked and she explored while he stared. He could see her try to hide the stiffness riding had given her. Never once had she complained.

His thoughts returned to the cave she’d led him to. I still don’t know how I’ve not seen that there before. From her expression when they left he could plainly see she wanted to talk more about it and he appreciated the fact she didn’t push, just let it go. He needed answers. He wanted her to meet Red Eagle.

That ain’t all I want with her.

For a moment, Stone recalled the fear which filled his body when Jasira had lain unresponsive in his arms. Then another type of shiver overtook him when the memory of her passionate response to his kiss took its place. With a deep breath, he yanked his gaze from the enticing roundness of her butt in the jeans she wore.

“Stone?”

“Yes?” he asked, stirring the sauce in a slow boil on the stovetop.

“What’s this?”

“One second.” He put the spoon down, wiped his hands off on the towel draped over his shoulder, and strode toward her. Stopping behind her, he queried, “What’s what?”

“This.” Jasira lifted her finger and pointed.

Fighting the urge to draw her into his arms, Stone swallowed hard. “That’s a Medicine Wheel.” He watched her stare at it. There was recognition in her expression as well as confusion.

“Okay,” she mumbled. Then her entire expression changed and her large eyes met his. “Put me to work. What can I do?”

A million answers ran though his mind, and he kept his mouth clamped shut until he was confident with the one slipping out. “Can you handle making salad?”

Jasira nodded. “Lead the way.”

Soon they worked together in the open kitchen. Stone found himself even more enchanted by the woman in his home. Swiping a pepper chunk from where she stood chopping them, he popped it in his mouth and ducked away when she brandished the knife at him.

“Hey now,” she growled playfully. “I’ll never finish if you keep stealing.”

“Sorry,” he said, not really caring at all. “Now, keep talking. I believe you were telling me how many languages you speak.” Stone checked the spaghetti noodles then put his gaze back on Jasira.

“I speak four. One being English, then I am also fluent in Farsi, Mandarin, and Arabic. I know some phrases in others, but don’t think that counts.”

Stone was impressed. “Wow. You are full of surprises, Jasira. Were those the languages that intrigued you immediately?”

She laughed, an act that lit up her entire face. “No.” Jasira added the pepper to the salad and reached for the tomatoes. “I wanted to study romance languages. But in Boot, I discovered these weren’t as common. Farsi and Arabic are more so now, but there still seemed to me as if there was more of a call…need…for them. I’m working on picking up Korean.” She chuckled again. “Man, I love the Rosetta Stone.”

Stone rested his hip against the countertop. Rosetta Stone? Full of surprises, Jasira, you’re full of surprises. He turned off the heat under the sauce. “And your brother also serves?”

“He’s a lieutenant in the Coast Guard.”

“This is Justice?” Stone wanted to know everything about the woman in his house with him.

“Justice, yes. My only brother.” A wistful smile crossed her face. “I miss him.”

“Sounds like you have a close family.”

“Yes. I feel bad I haven’t gone home to see Mom or Grandpa since the first year I was here.”

He caught his frown before it filled his face. “Are your parents divorced?”

She lifted her gaze to his. “No. Daddy was KIA during Vietnam.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.” She dumped the tomatoes in and wiped off the board before picking up the cucumbers.

“So, why did you join the Navy?” Stone poured them both some wine.

“Oh, no wine for me. I’m sorry I should have said something sooner. I don’t drink when I have to drive.”

Stay the night. Stay forever. “Don’t apologize for being responsible. Let me see; I have water, tea, milk, or Dr. Pepper.”

“A DP would be great, please.”

“Coming right up.” He removed the glasses and filled two more glasses with ice and her drink of choice. Then he placed one before her. “Your drink, my dear.”

“Thank you.”

Stone watched her drink and became envious of the glass which could feel her lips upon it. He grew hard when her tongue snuck out and swiped up the lone remaining drop from her plump enticing lower lip. After clearing his throat, he took a drink himself.

“You joined why?” he questioned, setting his glass down.

“I love the ocean and I grew up hearing my grandfather tell about serving in the Navy during WWII. My family has always served their country.”

He knew there was more story then and he wanted to know. “Tell me.”

“My great-great grandfather, Sergeant Isaiah Graham, was a Buffalo Soldier who married Gentle Wind, a Comanche woman. His son, the one who survived, served at Pea Island LSS. Great grandpa Calvin got married and had Grandpa Jamal. Grandpa Jamal served in World War Two in the Navy. He married Grandma Martha Rose. She actually served during WWII also. She was a WAC and part of the only battalion who saw overseas duty before VE-day. Martha Rose was stationed over in Europe.”

“What’s Pea Island LSS?”

“Oh, sorry, it is, or rather was, the Pea Island Life-saving Station. The only fully-black manned life-saving station crew during that time.”

Stone remained intent upon her face. There was such pride and honor in her tone and expression. Her family had remarkable people in it.

“Amazing. Keep going.”

“They had Daddy and Grandma died delivering a second child; a little girl. She died too. Daddy married Momma and was in the Army. Like I said before, he never came home from Vietnam. Mom and Grandpa live in Quiet Harbor, North Carolina. So does Justice. He’s home ported there.”

“And you’re out here away from both family and your beloved ocean.”

Jasira smiled. “It’s not so bad.” She added the cucumbers and looked at him. “There are some things South Dakota has which North Carolina doesn’t.”

He moved to stand before her. Brushing some hair behind her ear, Stone cupped her jaw with his other hand. His thumb swiped over her full lips. Her eyes burned with desire as she looked at him.

“I was just thinking something similar to that,” he murmured.

Licking his lips, Stone stepped even closer and moved his hand around to the back of her head. Their eyes locked and held as he brought their mouths together. A low groan rose up within him at the feel of her soft lips once again beneath his. Using his tongue, he swiped along the seam and slipped in when she opened for him. Jasira tasted of Dr. Pepper and passion. She whimpered as he explored her mouth, slowly, leisurely, as if he weren’t being chased by a demon demanding he ravish her. His other hand slid to settle upon the flare of her hip.

Jasira rested her hands on his chest and leaned into him, stroking along his tongue with her own. His pants felt two sizes to small the way his hard shaft pressed against them. He repositioned his hand so his fingers grazed the globe of her ass. She shifted slightly and released the most delicate and arousing purr he’d ever heard in his entire life.

Stone reluctantly ended the kiss and held her heavy-lidded gaze. “We need to eat dinner,” he murmured without moving.

Her hands stroked idly on his chest and she sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

He grinned and winked. “Well, we don’t have to eat.”

“Oh no, I want to experience your cooking…for starters.”

His erection hardened even more. “Let’s get that out of the way then,” he said with a low rasp.

“Yes, let’s.” Jasira smoothed her hands down his torso one more time and said, “Besides, I think it’s time you tell me more about you.”

Unable to resist, Stone kissed her once more, quickly, before going back to the stove. “What do you want to know about me?”

“Everything.” He looked over his shoulder at her, and she grinned. “Fine, how about anything you’d like to tell me.”

He chuckled. “Okay, ask your questions.”