Chapter One of Kincade's Rose--unedited

CHAPTER ONE

Hot damn he’s fine! My every fantasy come to life.
Jayde Porter sat at the outdoor café in the warm tropical breeze, overlooking the inviting turquoise water. The thought that she almost turned down this vacation still shocked her. Belize was so warm and beautiful unlike the cold weather in New York this winter.
She sipped her iced tea and smiled sardonically as she looked around at the many couples that wandered in and out of the surf. And here she was alone. I suppose this is the price I have to pay for coming all by my lonesome.
Well, she could have come with the man she had been dating for the past seven and a half months, George, if she had not broken it off. And if she were honest with herself, she didn’t want him here, nor anywhere near her. That was another reason she was glad to be alone; George was a handful. He was arrogant, condescending, and most definitely an asshole.
Suddenly, a man walking across the boardwalk caught her attention, every other person faded from her sight. She focused in on the man wearing khakis and a white polo shirt as if she had tunnel vision. He screamed virility without trying. Hell, he dripped it.
It wasn’t that he bulged with muscles; his were lean and defined but very real. He was evenly tanned and his shaggy brown hair looked like it was in need of a trim. A very good looking man. Caucasian men didn’t usually turn her head, but this one was downright fine. The thought that he looked ominous and capable came to her mind instantaneously, along with the word sex. It was like looking at a jungle predator, beautiful and deadly at the same time.
She wet her dry lips before taking another sip of the drink keeping a small ice cube in her mouth for her cottonmouth. He seemed to be looking for someone and as he turned around back towards the ocean she got to see the finest ass she had seen since she had been here. The finest one in her life. She bit down on the piece of ice with her back teeth and continued to stare at his retreating body.
Hot damn, he’s fine! My every fantasy come to life. It seemed as she blinked and tried to slow her breathing he disappeared. “Oh well,” she murmured to the air. “He’s probably married anyways, or has some blonde adoring girlfriend. Just another man for my fantasies.” And he would be a good one.
The beeping of her watch broke intrusively into her daydream. Damn. She may be on vacation but she still had some people she had been ordered to call at a certain time. Gesturing for the check, she paid her bill and stood shouldering her bag that was full of souvenirs.
Jayde turned to walk the quarter mile back to her hotel. Two steps into her journey she ran into something that felt like a brick wall. “Ah hell,” she swore as she dropped her bag and stumbled, only to find herself in the strong grip of a stranger.
Looking over her skewed sunglasses, Jayde came face to face with none other than her fantasy man from the boardwalk. In that second, her bag was forgotten on the pavement of the walkway, its contents free for the taking if anyone were inclined to abscond with them.
After she felt the blush stain her cheeks she cleared her throat. “Excuse me,” the mumbled words came from her once again dry mouth. She licked her lips and hoped that he wouldn’t notice her blush or her nervousness.
He noticed. “No, the fault is all mine. Excuse me.” The stranger had a deep rich voice, the kind that made women weep with sexual frustration. He still hadn’t let go of her arms. Jayde could feel his fingers molding into the soft flesh of her triceps. He was branding her as his.
“Let me help you with that,” he offered as he stared into her beautiful big brown eyes. His body was trembling with a feeling he hadn’t ever felt before, and didn’t want to lose.
What the hell was he talking about? She was lost in his eyes. Oh yeah, her bag. “N...n...no,” she stuttered. “I can do it.” She paused for a moment; his eyes were hazel with green flecks in them. “Can you let go of me?”
“I don’t want to,” he whispered a response that she almost missed. Almost. In a louder voice he said, “Sorry.”
A second after his hands dropped from her body she felt the loss. Jayde chalked it up to loads of sexual frustration and him being so damn fine. Oh he was nice and tall, about six three. She knelt down and began to shove everything back into her beach bag.
Moments later she felt rather than saw, since she refused to look at him, his presence as he crouched down as well. His hands, lean yet strong and nicely tanned with clean fingernails, reached out and began to pick up some of her scattered things.
“You don’t have to…” she protested.
“It’s entirely my fault that it happened,” he responded as he stood up and offered a hand down to the woman at his feet.
*****
Tyson couldn’t believe his past four months. He had been forced out from work on indefinite leave because of a medical issue, if that was what he could call a knife wound to the abdomen. To top it off, he had arrived home early from the stakeout situation only to find his fiancée in his bed with another man. The guy was someone with more money than him and had more time.
So three and a half months after kicking her out, he booked himself a vacation to Belize because he needed to get away from people he knew, people that wanted to check in on him all the time.
Deciding he needed some time to think about his future if he wasn’t allowed back into the Teams. Tyson was a solitary man and didn’t have many people he would call friends, with the exception of the members of the Megalodon Team. He liked to be alone. He operated best alone.
So he had come to this particular hangout along the beach for the first time since he had been in the tourist town and he saw her. Sitting alone under a big umbrella sipping on a tall cool drink, her full lips curving deliciously around a straw. He had no idea what she was doing alone because if she was his woman, she wouldn’t be left alone at all.
Tyson had literally frozen in place while he looked at her. Something from her reached out to him and intertwined itself onto his very essence, if he hadn’t known better he would have sworn he was looking across a crowded café front at his soul mate. She was not what he would have expected for his soul mate, but as of late his life had been full of surprises.
Her skin was perfect medium brown; she had shiny black hair that fell past her shoulders. But it was her smile that touched a part of him that he thought was dead; while she was looking in his direction she got a heated, intimate and passionately private look on her face.
He felt like a voyeur as he stared upon her. When her tongue snuck out to wet her lips, he groaned. Turning around had been the only way for him to salvage what was left of his sanity. Even his ex-fiancée hadn’t affected him like this. Tyson had walked off blending into the crowd until he got his control back.
Losing control was not his usual forte. In his line of work it could be dangerous. Lieutenant Tyson Kincade was a Navy SEAL who was currently on TAD (Temporary Assigned Duty). He was waiting to hear if he would be allowed to continue with the counterterrorism unit. When he did turn back around he saw she was getting ready to walk away.
Not one who usually jumps right in with a woman he surprised himself when he found himself heading for her. It had taken him over a month just to ask out his ex. Tyson was unsure of what to say to the mystery woman to break the ice. Before he could come up with something he ran into her, literally. Acting on pure instinct he reached out to steady her only to find he didn’t want to let her go. Ever.
So now here she knelt at his feet, taking his mind to all sorts of places. Places it shouldn’t necessarily be heading. Like how those full lips of hers will — not would — feel on parts of his body. How her limbs seemed built to fit exactly in his. Loving the view she offered his lecherous eyes as her top was exposing herself to him, he thoroughly enjoyed the green bra she wore. Unsure of what to do now he extended his hand to offer her assistance in returning to her feet.
*****
Jayde took his hand, trembling at the slight contact. He had a strong grip and it made her feel safe, protected. It was with incredible ease that he pulled her up to her feet showing that his arms held immense strength in them. Her eyes met his and she smiled. “Thank you.” She looked at his other hand and after tugging free of his grip opened her bag for him to deposit the remaining things inside it.
“You’re welcome. Again, I’m sorry about that,” he said as he set her things inside the mess of her beach bag.
“I should have been a bit more careful with where I was going,” she said and thought about his beautiful smile.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” his deep voice remarked. Tyson wasn’t sure what to make of the tilting of her head. Was she skeptical, scared?
“We haven’t officially met,” she observed and straightened her sunglasses, his view of her brown eyes once again hidden by darkened glass.
He sketched a bow. There was something about this woman. He didn’t want to leave her presence. “Hello, my name is Tyson. Tyson Kincade.” His greeting came with a stunning smile against his tanned skin. His lean hand reached out to close the distance between them.
Jayde took the hand and shook it, admiring the feel of his definitely callused hand on hers for the second time in the space of a few minutes. “Nice to meet you Tyson, Tyson Kincade.”
His top lip quirked along with his eyebrow as he tightened his hold on her hand when she tried to take it back. “That’s it? What about your name?”
A full smile crossed her face showing pearly white, beautifully straight teeth that gleamed against her darker skin. “Well, I already know my name,” she answered in a sweet southern drawl.
He laughed. A laugh that made her body clench with unreasonable desire. “But what about me?” His laughter sounded odd to him as well, for he hadn’t laughed in many months. Not that he had a reason to do so before.
She never lost her grin and her eyes sparkled behind the shades as she responded, “I know who you are as well. You just told me, you are Tyson, Tyson Kincade. Sounds kinda like James, James Bond.” Jayde removed her hand from his grasp and clutched her bag tighter, more than a little unnerved by her body’s reaction to his simple touch.
“You’re clever. I still want to know your name.” He stepped in closer bringing with him the scent of sandalwood and man, pure man. The grip on her bag wasn’t one of fear just caution, he noticed.
“I don’t know you well enough, besides I have to go. I have a few calls to make.” Her dark eyes moved over his body.
“Sure you aren’t just trying to get rid of me?”
Another brilliant flash of teeth. “I’m sure. I have to call home,” Jayde admitted.
“Husband?” Tyson wanted that answer to be negative, at the same time he heard the reluctance in her voice about calling home and decided even if she did have one it wasn’t a good relationship and so therefore shouldn’t feel guilty about his sinful thoughts towards her. And wouldn’t.
She shook her head, sending the subtle scent of grapefruit up to tantalize his nose. “No. No husband. I would hope that if I were married, he would want to be with me.” George was unquestionably not the one she wanted to be married to. This man however, she could easily picture waking up next to his body morning after morning.
“I know I would,” Tyson said immediately.
Jayde chose to ignore that statement. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you Tyson, Tyson Kincade. Excuse me.” As she walked around him he spun as well and fell into step beside her. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Walking you to your door,” he said and continued to walk resolutely. He found her answering giggle and blush endearing.
“Isn’t walking someone to their door, done after a date? At night.” Her brown eyes glanced towards his without hesitation, for she was somewhat protected behind the glasses.
“Most of the time. But my mama raised me to be a gentleman. So I am walking you to your door,” he claimed.
“Your mama, huh?” Jayde smiled at the thought of his mother teaching him manners.
“Yes, Ma’am. Are you going to give me your name?” Hazel eyes implored.
“I don’t know. I don’t know you.” She was glad her glasses hid her eyes.
She was smart. Tyson applauded her reserve to give out information, but damn it all he wanted to know her name. “You know my name. How about this…have dinner with me tonight,” he offered as a suggestion...or a solution.
Jayde stopped walking and faced him. “Dinner?” She even removed her sunglasses allowing him to see the expressive eyes she had.
“Yes, you do eat don’t you?” Tyson wasn’t about to give in. He was going to hold onto this like a dog with a bone, he wanted to know all about her.
Like he didn’t see she wasn’t rail thin. “Of course. It’s just that…”
“Don’t tell me you have plans. With your boyfriend?” Tyson frowned at that thought.
“No plans, no boyfriend and that is not what I was even going to say.” She put one hand on a shapely hip and stared at him. “I was going to say that it could be dangerous for me to do this.”
“I’d protect you.” And he meant it.
Who’d protect me from you? Jayde could feel her father’s disapproval even from the large distance that separated them. This solidified her decision. “Meet in a neutral place?”
“Of course. We could eat at the restaurant in your hotel if that would make you feel better.” Tyson would be willing to eat anywhere as long as he could spend some more time with her.
“You don’t know where my hotel is,” Jayde stated the obvious.
“Not yet. I will since I am walking you to your door.” His confident voice thrummed every synapse in her body.
Why not, she was on this vacation to have fun. It was a time for her. “Alright. I’ll agree to dinner.” This man called to her body in—dare she say it—a way that she had never felt before, a spiritual way.
“Now, will you tell me your name?” he asked as they began to walk again.
“No.”
“That’s not fair,” he protested.
“Okay, let’s trade.” The words slipped out of her mouth.
Tyson was intrigued. “Trade what?”
“What will you give me if I give you my name?” Jayde asked. When did my voice become so throaty?
He touched her arm gently, and she stopped to turn those extraordinary dark brown eyes on him. “What do you want?” His tone had become even more seductive and with those four words had opened up a gate that Jayde wasn’t sure she would know how to get back through once she entered. Or if she would want to there was something about him made her want to act wantonly for once in her life.
Unable to turn away from his mesmerizing stare she countered. “What’s up for grabs?” Hello, double meaning.
Despite the numerous people that streamed past them it was like they were in their own world and were the only two people. “Name it,” the words he murmured were silky with challenge.
“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about me,” Jayde said softly, suddenly embarrassed for her forward action.
“I won’t. Tell me, what do you want?” His voice was smooth and yet still insistent.
You to make love to me all night long. You to make me feel like a real woman. Your woman. “Dinner.” Had she really been about to say what she wanted?
He arched an eyebrow at that one. “Is it going to be a date?”
“Sure. Even with the whole walking me to my door afterward,” Jayde responded with a brilliant smile.
“Okay then, since you aren’t going to tell me what you really want, how about I tell you what I suggest?” His voice was down right primal and sex-infused.
Embarrassment was all gone leaving lust in its wake.
“Go ahead,” she said proud her words weren’t hesitant.
“A kiss,” Tyson said in his deep voice. His gaze remained steady and never wavered from hers.
“A kiss?” Jayde’s voice broke as she imagined his firm lips on hers.
“One name, one kiss,” he paused for a moment. “Deal?”
“Deal,” she agreed.
He broke into a leisurely smile that contained more than a bit of eroticism. Tyson stepped right up to her lush body; her smell of baby powder combined with the light citrus smell in her hair sent a jolt straight to his groin.
Jayde narrowed her eyes in confusion. “What?”
“I gave you two names.” His wolfish smile grew. “You owe me two kisses.”
Her insides melted. The rational part of her brain knew she should protest, but the promiscuous side of her wanted the kiss. Before she could form a word one way or another he took the decision away from her.
Tyson cupped the back of her head and held her still as his firm lips slowly lowered to hers. The touch was light but it sent a shockwave through both of their bodies. As his mouth pressed harder to hers, she felt her knees weaken.
Jayde was lost in a passionate haze. His tongue swept over her teeth before plunging into the warmth of her mouth to stroke her own tongue. In and out, in and out it went, mimicking an action that both of them wanted to experience with one another. The heat that grew between them was the kind that made lava look cool.
They both lost track of time before the other voices grew louder and they realized the people around them were cheering and catcalling them.
As Tyson gradually pulled away, Jayde found she was leaning on him; her hands had balled up his shirt in her fists. His eyes still burned with a fervor that made her trembling body even shakier. “One,” he said in a breathy voice, telling her that he wasn’t as composed as he wanted her to believe.
“Jesus,” was all Jayde said as she put a bit of space between them. Her fingers touched her swollen lips as if reliving the feeling of his on hers. In all her twenty-nine years she had never experienced a kiss like that one.
“That’s one way of putting it.” Tyson felt like he had just gone through Hell Week at BUD’s training, where boys go to become men and only a select few of those determined men got to become SEALs. His heart was pounding hard, palms were sweaty and he was exhausted. At the same time he was as hard as he had ever been and ready to take this woman to bed and please her or die trying. He was pretty sure he could please her; her explosive response to his kiss was proof of that.
“I really have to go,” Jayde stuttered, determined to ignore the hard erection that had been pressed against her while she was in his arms.
“And like I said, I will walk you to your door.” He gestured for her to lead the way.
This time though when they walked she felt the light contact of his hand on the small of her back. Protective and a bit possessive, his touch made her feel wonderful. The groups of tourists that they strode through may have gotten close, but none ever touched her. He made sure of that.
At the entrance to her hotel she stopped. “I can make it from here.” Her words broke the silence that had fallen between on the walk back.
“Dinner still?” Since she hadn’t said anything else about the kiss Tyson wasn’t sure if she had changed her mind and become angry over his forwardness. But it was not something he would take back; he loved the feel of her lips.
Jayde looked at him and nodded. “Sure. Here at…” she shrugged. “What? Six?”
“Six it is,” he picked up her hand and kissed the back of it, never releasing her gaze. “This doesn’t count as kiss number two.”
Jayde didn’t respond. She couldn’t. All she could do was stare until her watch beeped again. “Shit. I really have to go.”
Tyson watched as the panic crossed her face. “Go then. I will see you at six in front of the restaurant.”
“Don’t be late Tyson Kincade,” Jayde drew out his name, winked at him as she turned and ran inside the hotel disappearing from his sight. Totally unaware of her affect on him.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said to her retreating back. As he walked off towards his own hotel he knew he had found the other half to his lonely soul.