Free Hot SEALs: SEAL's Ultimate Challenge by Elle James Page B

throbbing against her inner walls. His face was tense, his jaw tight as he spent his release. Then he lowered himself onto his elbow, his body lying on hers, but not with all of his weight crushing her.
    “That was…incredible.” Leigha sighed and snuggled closer.
    “All I have to say is thank God for years of one-armed pushups.”
    A chuckle bubbled up her throat and escaped from her mouth. Then another.
    His brow furrowed. “What’s so funny?”
    She stared up at him. “Nothing. I just feel…more alive than I’ve felt in a long time.” She cupped his cheek in her hand. “And it feels pretty damned good.” She tipped her head to the side. “Relax. You’ve already proved you can do better than any two-armed man.”
    With a huff of expelled breath, he rolled onto his right side.
    She rolled with him, retaining their connection, enjoying the feel of him still thick and hard inside her body. When he relaxed beside her, she traced a scar close to his nipple. “Was that the first time you’ve had sex since the explosion?”
    He nodded, his fingers caressing the swell of her breast.
    Tingles ran over her skin. Leigha snuggled against him, her cheek resting against his chest. She yawned and closed her eyes. “Thank you for staying with me tonight.”
    “I couldn’t let you stay alone.” His voice grew distant.
    Leigha knew what they’d done would have repercussions. He would have to deal with his conscience and his promise to marry another woman. She’d have to figure out how to manage his therapy without getting fired. But for tonight, she pushed all of those thoughts out of her mind and fell toward sleep, cradled in his arm. Tomorrow would come all too soon.
    As she drifted, a cell phone rang in the other room.
    Reaper slipped out of the bed and went to find it.
    Leigha rolled into the spot where he’d been, enjoying the lingering warmth.
    Then Reaper returned to the room, the phone in his hand, his magnificent body naked and ripped with muscles.
    Leigha took a moment to see the pallor beneath the tanned skin of his face. “What’s wrong?” she sat upright, pulling the sheet up over her breasts.
    “O’Connell’s been hit. They’re bringing her back to the states tomorrow.”

Chapter Seven
    REAPER HOVERED BESIDE O’Connell’s bed, holding her hand in his. This was his close friend. He, Tuck, and O’Connell had been as tight as the Three Musketeers during training at Little Creek.
    He barely recognized the woman covered in tubes and wires, her face pale against the hospital sheets. She didn’t resemble the tough, confident spitfire Black Hawk pilot from the 160 th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. She beat out five other male pilots to earn her spot on the Night Stalkers, ferrying navy SEALs and army Delta Force soldiers into harm’s way. The only female to enter the boys club who’d scorned women from the get-go.
    While O’Connell had been flying for her country, he’d been wallowing in his self-pity and cheating with his therapist. Last night, he’d laid next to Leigha, holding her petite body until morning, guilt squeezing his chest so tightly he couldn’t breathe. He’d wanted to leave as soon as he’d gotten word about O’Connell. At the same time, he couldn’t walk away from Leigha when someone was trying to kill her.
    After he’d made love to her, he’d come to the conclusion he had to break off the engagement with O’Connell. Yes, he loved her. But he loved her like he loved Tuck. Their last kiss should have been a clue. There’d been no spark on his part. Nothing like when he kissed Leigha and his world lit up like the Fourth of July.
    He feared he was falling for the feisty ex-cop, and now O’Connell was in serious condition. God, he couldn’t break her heart, but he couldn’t marry her knowing he didn’t love her like she deserved to be loved. Fully, whole-heartedly, and definitely not like a buddy.
    “Hey.” O’Connell’s eyes blinked open and she stared up at