Tripped Up Read online

  Table of Contents

  Tripped Up

  Copyright

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  Dedication

  PRAISE FOR AUTHORS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  About author Nicole Austin

  About author Allie Standifer

  Also Available

  Also Available

  Thank you for purchasing this Wild Rose Press, Inc. publication.

  Tripped Up

  by

  Nicole Austin

  & Allie Standifer

  Book 8 of the SEALs On Fire Series

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Tripped Up

  COPYRIGHT © 2013

  by Nicole Austin & Allie Standifer

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: [email protected]

  Cover Art by Diana Carlile

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

  Publishing History

  First Scarlet Rose Edition, July 2013

  Digital ISBN 978-1-62830-104-5

  Published in the United States of America

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  The author of this work of fiction

  acknowledges the following trademarks:

  NASCAR: National Association for

  Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

  Wal-Mart: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

  K-Mart: Sears Brands, LLC

  Dedication

  As life goes on you don't lose friends,

  you just find out who the real ones are.

  This book is for the friends who have

  stuck by us along the way.

  PRAISE FOR AUTHORS

  Nicole Austin

  "As always, Ms. Austin creates complex characters whose passion leaps of the pages."

  ~Miranda, Joyfully Reviewed

  "Ms. Austin stokes the flames of desire for her characters as well as her readers, and the inevitable explosion leaves everyone burning for more."

  ~Lototy, Coffee Time Romance

  Allie Standifer

  "I think I've found a new favorite erotic romance author! Allie Standifer sure can write them hot!"

  ~Nina, For The Love Of Reading Reviews

  "Allie Standifer keeps things saucy and sensual while kicking things up a notch with great humor."

  ~Miranda, Joyfully Reviewed

  Chapter One

  Frickin’ Saturday night and instead of getting ready for an evening of fun, Karen James worked her fluffy ass off.

  Ha, if only!

  No amount of staging sets in the studio would reduce the ample proportions of her curvy ass. She’d tried trendy diets and strenuous exercise until she dropped from insufficient calories and exhaustion. Finally, she’d declared a truce and come to terms with her jiggly parts.

  She didn’t have anyone to go out with anyway. All her friends were either married or planning to be, and she didn’t have a steady man. Okay, so she didn’t have any man. So what! Tomorrow she’d add yet another bridesmaid dress to her extensive collection when her deliriously happy friend/employer, Syndra Banks walked down the aisle with her Navy SEAL, Sam “Ice” Westervelt. Karen was destined to be a lonely old cat lady.

  Karen blew out a heavy sigh, wondering about Ice’s buddy, Trip, who should have arrived earlier in the day. Syn had said something about him getting the code name not only because of his surname, Trippington, but for his work as the team demo guy. Apparently Trip loved to blow stuff up and the name was short for Tripwire. Some adrenaline junky she’d essentially been assigned to babysit until after the wedding. Just what the hell was she supposed to do with an overgrown Neanderthal frogman anyway? Maybe she’d get lucky and he’d be a no show.

  Alexa, Jagger’s girl and Karen’s new friend, tried to act casual when talking up Trip. As if she’d been fooled. Karen knew the other woman was trying her hand at matchmaking. Alexa didn’t know Karen’s history with men well enough to understand her attempts were doomed to failure.

  The whole SEAL team and their significant others were attempting to draw her in, make her one of them. “Should have known living where I work was a bad idea.”

  Above the studio were two apartments, joined by a central entryway. Syn often got so wrapped up in her creative process she’d lose track of time, working late into the night, and used one of the apartments as a crash pad when she got tired. The second apartment was Karen’s.

  Goodbye peace, quiet, and solitude. Once Ice’s friend got here, she’d have to deal with him to some degree since he’d be practically living with her. Hopefully he wasn’t a partier who would be coming and going at all times of the night or turn the shared entryway into a revolving door for trashy bimbos.

  This wedding couldn’t be over fast enough for her.

  To Karen’s cynical mind, marriage meant getting to annoy one special person for the rest of your life. Not that she had any prospects for the position. Thank goodness. She wouldn’t settle for a lazy jerk like Will the dickless wonder. Spending the rest of her life picking up a guy’s smelly clothes off the floor was not her idea of wedded bliss. But why did people get married to begin with? The old-fashioned notion didn’t make sense to her. She thought the ultimate lifestyle would be that of a kept woman. She’d get to have the guy for hot sex once in a while, with him paying the bills and leaving the domestic duties to the little wife. Seemed like a sweet set up.

  She shook off the unproductive train of thought and took in the romantic scene with a critical eye, picturing how it would appear to Syn’s camera. Pale pink rose petals scattered over black silk sheets that would be a stunning contrast to bare skin. On a side table, crystal glasses filled with golden liquid sat next to a bowl of plump strawberries. Dozens of candles—not yet lit—littered every flat surface, and umbrella lights had been positioned to avoid shadow while generating a soft glow.

  Too bad it would be wasted on arrogant models only concerned with how they looked for the camera. They wouldn’t truly enjoy the mood she’d carefully created. And the shoot wouldn’t even happen until after the honeymoon so Karen wasn’t sure why she was already working to get it perfect.

  She looked over the set again then dropped onto the mattress, making a mental note to smooth the sheets out later. How sad to have lovingly produced the decadent scene for work instead of to seduce a lover. When was the last time she’d had one of those? She searched her memory, realizing it had been almost a year since anyone had managed to spark her interest.

  Pathetic!

  Lying on her side, she stroked her fingers over her ribs, dipped down at her waist then rose over her hip, following her silhouette the way a lover might. She plucked a rose petal from the sheet and teased the silky bloom over her lips. Slowly brushing the fragrant flower along her throat, she circled the notch between her clavicles before continuing lower.

  Warmth spread over Karen, and her heart galloped beneath her breastbone. Oh, yeah, now here was a plan she could get behind. Give herself a big O to relieve some of the tension.

  Closing her eyes, she pretended the petal gliding along her generous cleavage
was a warm, wet tongue. She hissed out a breath as she circled an achy nipple through the thin material of her halter dress. The small bud puckered beneath her fingertips. Yes, it had been too long and she needed this.

  In her head, she pictured her dream guy. Not one of the pretty models she put on a front about and fawned all over during the book cover shoots. No sir. The kind of guy she truly desired would have a raw and rugged appeal. He’d be tall and muscular, but the sculpted definition of his body came from hard work not hours in a gym. And no fake orangey spray tans. She didn’t have a hair or eye color preference but knew that when their gazes locked she’d be swept away, everything other than him ceasing to exist.

  As her fantasy lover joined her on the bed, big callused hands blazed a hot path from her ankle, along her calf, tickled the back of her knee, and dragged the hem of her dress along as they glided up her thigh. He’d flash a wicked grin when his fingertips caressed her hip and he discovered she’d gone commando.

  He gently rolled her onto her back, and she eagerly parted her legs wide. Taking a long look at her glistening pussy, he hissed in a hard breath. Gentle fingers parted her folds as broad shoulders wedged her legs impossibly farther apart. Warm breath wafted over her damp flesh, making her entire body quiver with anticipation.

  He knew exactly what she liked, sweeping his tongue the length of her slit and circling her clit before dropping back to thrust into her pussy. She arched her back, moaning to the ceiling as he fucked her pussy with his talented tongue, a preview of what was to come when his cock filled her.

  Replacing his tongue with two thick fingers, he licked her tender folds and headed for her erect clit that peeked out from under its hood. Using his teeth to hold the tiny bundle of nerves, he sucked and lashed at the end with his tongue.

  “Oh, fuck yes,” she cried. That’s when his fingertips found her sweet spot. Rubbing in the perfect rhythm to match his sucking lips and flickering tongue, he drove her wild. Her head thrashed back and forth on the mattress. She needed an anchor, something to hold on to, and thrust her fingers into his hair, holding his head captive so he wouldn’t stop.

  “Don’t,” she panted, “stop. Don’t stop.” He mumbled something against her clit, the vibrations of his voice rumbling through her flesh and driving her to the edge of the precipice. But it wasn’t enough, she needed something else.

  “More. I need more,” she begged.

  A whiskey-deep, raspy voice spoke from the doorway, startling a squeak out of Karen and pulling her back from the brink of ecstasy. “Can I give you a hand with that?”

  ****

  Trip made a mental note to send a thank you present to his swim-buddy, Jagger. Since he’d been dreading this little set up from the moment Alexa, the love of Jagger’s life, had suggested it, the reality blew away all his expectations. He hadn’t known Jagger’s girl long, but it wasn’t surprising the outgoing woman had befriended Syn’s partner and tried to set her up with the last unattached member of the team.

  “She’s a sweetheart, Trip, with the best sense of humor, and one of the smartest, most talented women I know.” The minute the words left Alexa’s mouth, Trip’s libido sank.

  Every man with an ounce of testosterone knew those words were the knell of death for a blind date. Generally, those words translated to ugly, fat, and two steps away from licking windows on the freak bus.

  If it hadn’t been for Trip owing Jagger, he would have backed out as fast as a Navy trained SEAL could. Instead, he sucked up his dread and agreed to “hang out” with Alexa’s friend.

  Long, lush, and lickable were the first few descriptions that came to mind when he caught sight of the woman. Thick brown hair tumbled down her back in a tangle of wild curls that had his hands itching to slide through the dark mass. Curves upon curves had him checking his mouth for drool. Had he ever seen a woman more perfectly put together? Plump breasts big enough to overflow his palms, strained against her thin dress while the hard tip of her nipples pushed against the cotton barrier. Hips plush enough to cushion a man’s hard desire and sleek longs legs that would grip his ass or waist while she demanded more.

  Damn, what would it take to get her beneath him? Would she be offended if he tossed her against the wall and fucked her senseless then introduced himself? He’d been cock blocked since landing in the Florida Keys with his buddies for a little R&R. While the rest of the guys in his unit happily shackled themselves to single women, Trip had no intention of doing the same. He liked variety and one thing he’d never do was settle for the same flavor of woman for the rest of his life.

  It had been more than eight months since he’d touched a woman, sunk into a female’s wet heat, and lost himself in mindless pleasure.

  He reached down to adjust his aching cock through the thick material of his jeans. Maybe the babysitting jig Jagger and Ice dumped on him wouldn’t be as trying as he’d imagined. A little flirtation, some easy compliments, and he’d finally be able to end his almost yearlong enforced celibacy.

  Walking in to see this gorgeous creature pleasuring herself had his cock locked, loaded, and ready for action. Inhaling deeply, he smelled the musky scent of her arousal and it went right to his head. Shit, he wanted her. Wanted her so much he spoke without thinking and broke the sensual atmosphere in the dimly lit studio.

  ****

  Karen jerked upright and shot from the bed with the husky masculine voice still reverberating around in her head. Heart pounding, she yanked her dress into place before turning to face the sheer male perfection that greeted her. Tall, at least six-three, with long dark hair, his face half covered by a worn cowboy hat. She almost swallowed her tongue when their gazes finally met.

  He had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen on a human being. The thought that he might be wearing colored contacts was quickly dismissed. Everything she’d seen and heard from Ice and Jagger assured her vanity in the looks department wasn’t part of the SEAL’s make-up.

  Chiseled cheekbones, a long Roman nose with a bump in the middle and full lips completed her inspection of the stranger she only knew from the other guys’ stories.

  “I’m guessing that’s a no,” her wet dream come to life drawled in a thick Texas accent. Of course, he had a drool worthy accent, one of her biggest weaknesses.

  “That’d be a hell no,” she snapped. She was ninety-nine percent sure this man was Garrett “Trip” Trippington, Ice’s and Jagger’s teammate, but the remaining one percent demanded caution when dealing with the unknown man. “I don’t have a clue who you are or how you got in here.”

  The hat came off in a move of practiced ease as a self-deprecating smile curved his way too tempting lips. “Damn, I’m sorry, darlin’. I got caught up in watching you and forgot my manners at such a sexy sight.” Wicked heat and humor radiated from those gorgeous eyes. “I’m Trip,” he explained before setting his hat back on his dark hair. “Jagger and Ice’s buddy. Syndra said I could grab some shut eye here before the insanity starts.”

  “Tell me why I shouldn’t call the police and have your water-loving ass tossed in jail? Syn might have offered you the use of the other apartment, but somehow I doubt her invitation included spying on me in the studio.”

  “‘Cause I’m a too handsome to survive a jail cell boyfriend,” he declared in that thick drawl, which had her nipples drawing up tight. Damn, had a Texas accent always sounded so sexy? How had she never noticed? “I’m delicate and fragile that way. As for spying on you? Darlin’, no red-blooded man with a pulse would have been able to walk away from such a beautiful sight.”

  “Do you need a separate parachute for your ego, or do you just wrap your arms tightly around its massive weight and hold on?” Where were these words coming from? Who opened her mouth and poured the words in? No way would she ever spout off like a mad woman to this hunk of perfection. What the hell was wrong with her? “I can’t believe you get away with using lines that corny on women.”

  Never in a million years would she ever have enough
courage to be herself with a guy like this. Hot men with eight-pack abs and faces perfect enough to make a sculptor cry did not stop to converse with her. Hell, the most she ever got was a mild once over before men’s gazes always turned to her prettier, slimmer, and less shy friends. Now this man with the crooked smile and easy grace actually stopped to play word games thick with sensual intent. With her. Talk about throwing a girl for a loop.

  “Darlin’, if anything needs an extra chute it’s not my ego. Think a little further south.” The wink he sent her caused a pulse of pleasure to gather between her thighs. “And I never say things I don’t mean.”

  “That’s both sick and pretty damn funny.” Karen couldn’t resist the smile tugging at her lips. The man did know his way around verbal foreplay, something she hadn’t known she enjoyed.

  “Nothing sick about perfection of God’s design, or at least that’s what my dearly departed Southern Baptist grandmother would say. Besides, it’s not nice to laugh at a man when he’s trying to seduce you.”

  Seduce her? What the hell? Had the man taken one too many hits as a test dummy? Did he need glasses? Did jetlag affect mental capabilities?

  “I wonder if there’s a twelve step program for idiots? Maybe you can get a group discount for you and your ego?”

  “Ouch!” His husky chuckle filled the room as he met her stare, laughter causing his light blue eyes to sparkle underneath the brim of his hat. “Not that this verbal foreplay lacks entertainment value, but I do need to a little information from you. And since Ice’s getting hitched tomorrow, we need to decide if we’re gonna play nice. Or maybe you’ll give into your animalistic desires and take advantage of my rockin’ nubile body.”

  “Do you take anything seriously?” Why did this man continue to toy with her? Did he have some type of bet going on with his buddies to see who could nail the fat chick? And curse him for actually affecting her.

  Karen didn’t have issues with her body. She accepted who she was and what she looked like. She’d never be the perfect skinny chick, not unless she removed a rib or two. The women in her family were all generously curved and the men they married seemed to worship that aspect of their spouses. Too bad she hadn’t found a man like that yet. Maybe she needed to expand her circle of friends?