Protected by a Hero

by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne

  “Okay.” She couldn’t hide the hurt falling from within her. Her body went limp, rejected and dejected.

  “Don’t be like that.”

  She blushed, embarrassed that her feelings were so evident. “Yeah, sure.” She tried to roll out from under him, but he had her caged into the cushions.

  “Lex, I want something better from you than a quick-and-dirty fuck, and you deserve that from me.”

  Heat hit her cheeks. She knew, yet again, that she was blushing while Parker was front row to her uncertainty. But then his hand took hers, tugging her upright. Words wouldn’t come. She couldn’t read his mind as he could so easily read hers.

  “What—where are we going?”

  He pushed her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her torso as he guided her forward with a hunger in his growl and his erection thick against her back. “You’re convinced that since I’m not fucking you in the living room of a safe house, I don’t want to hear you scream.”

  Her stomach flipped. “What?”

  “I’m not letting you leave until this computes. You deserve the world, sweetheart. To be taken care of.” He threw open a door and displayed a ginormous bed. “And we’re not leaving this place until you know it.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Nerves and butterflies swept through Lexi as she stood at the door of the bedroom. Parker held her from behind. He was both strong and gentle, her every temptation rolled into a massive package of a man ripped with muscles, a genius without shoving it into anyone’s face. When he pressed her forward, she couldn’t breathe.

  “Changed your mind?” he asked against her neck.

  Need pulsed between her legs as strong as the desire in her heart. “No.”

  “Thank fuck for that.” His low rumble tickled her skin as he walked them to the foot of the bed. When her thighs touched the mattress, he slowly rotated her one hundred eighty degrees so that his arms still draped her, but they were face to face, stomach to stomach.

  “Thank you for finding me.”

  He sighed, pressing his forehead to hers. “Just when I think I’m immune to the sweetness that comes out of your mouth. God, Lex. You do not have to thank me.”

  “Then I’m glad I’m here. Like this. With you.”

  If she thought about it, she’d only seen him twice since she and Matt broke up, and both times, something crazy hot had happened. She shouldn’t have sex with him. This was only their second date or something, even though they’d known each other for years. No… more than a decade.

  Hear you scream… she shivered as Parker’s voice echoed in her ears, making arousal spark life into something that she hadn’t felt in so long. Matt had never cared if she found hers, but Parker, God, he was different. Not just a man who wanted to screw, but a gentleman who wanted to give and give and give.

  He shifted away and tore off his shirt. Her eyes went wide, hungrily drinking in the sight of his defined muscles. They had a smooth ripple, the taut skin pulled tight over the bulges of etched mass. Lexi pressed her palms to his pecs, and his eyes sank shut. He sighed in approval over something so simple. Matt had never made a sound like that, never appreciated her intent or touch. But this… this was far more than anything she’d ever experienced.

  Needing to forget her past and concentrate on Parker, Lexi widened her fingers, spanning them across his chest, then dragged them down. The sparse smattering of dark chest hair and the rigid tips of his tight nipples teased her palms. His cut stomach had slight valleys and grooves, even in a relaxed state.

  “Love your hands on me, Lex.” His head lolled to the side.

  His skin had goose bumps, a trail of explosions that followed her touch. The visceral reaction was stunning to watch. He wanted her. Like really wanted her… and didn’t hide from it. His chest expanded with each of his breaths. His eyes remained closed until she placed her hand on the buckle of his belt then stroked the bulging length of his erection through his jeans.

  Parker’s eyes opened, and his head dropped down as he covered her hands with his. “I’m getting lost in you, but I think the plan was to make you know what you’re worth.”

  The heaviness of his words coated her senses. Lexi pushed back onto the mattress, scooting toward the middle, and Parker took off her boots, one at a time. Each he tossed over his shoulder, his smile torturing her with whatever that devious mind had come up with.

  “So all about me?” she whispered, breathy and bothered.

  He crawled onto the mattress, kicking his shoes off as well. “Completely.”

  She moved to him, and they were both on their knees, eyes locked, in the center of the bed. Her fingers went to his belt again. “I haven’t been able to do what I want in a long time. And what I’m dying for is this.” The harsh leather belt was hers to manipulate, and she unbuckled it before running her hands over his denim-covered thickness.

  His throat bobbed, and his eyelids were heavy. “Sweetheart…”

  Sliding her hands back to his chest, she pushed Parker onto his back. He complied with a look of complete awe, and didn’t that make her feel like his woman. She pulled at his jeans, unsnapping and dragging down the zipper to show dark boxer briefs. He lifted his hips, giving her the freedom to do what she wanted. Seconds later, Parker Black was completely naked, with his impressive, gorgeous erection reaching for attention.

  “Damn you, Parker, you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”

  He slowly stroked himself. “Got me naked. Wasn’t my plan, so what do you want—”

  She cut him off with her hands covering his. He quickly switched their fists so that the hot, silky flesh was directly under her touch, and his hands clamped tightly on top of hers.

  “God, Lex.” He worked his shaft with her hands. The tighter he squeezed, the thicker he felt in her fingers and the wetter she grew for him. She wanted the ache of an orgasm, but far more prevalent was a hunger, a curiosity asking if that bit of precum crowning the head of his cock tasted as good as her dreams.

  Lexi bent, swiping her tongue over his very essence. It was more than she expected—completely virile and masculine—and she was drunk on just one quick lick.

  “Fuck,” he groaned, drawing out the word. His hips flexed slightly, as if it had been unintentional and he’d caught himself and held back.

  Still with his tight hand over hers, he worked his length, and she opened her mouth, letting him fill her. Parker released her hand, and his palms threaded into her hair. She kept the same grip, the same rhythm that he had set, then she sucked him hard and licked him lightly. Every single gasp and groan that blurred from his lips urged her on.

  He sounded gutted, ravaged. His hips pumped and his cock fucked her mouth while she all but tried to swallow him. Nothing like this had ever seemed fun, let alone erotic. But as she made his entire body react—limbs trembling, hands grabbing, and words lost in moans—she decided that she’d never held more power.

  “Wait,” he panted. “Lex. Lexi.”

  She ran her thumb over his crown when she bobbed up, then she slid down to the base of him, needing to feel him come. He gave her every permission to back away, to work him until he spurted on his own stomach, but God, that wasn’t what she wanted.

  “Silver, sweetheart.” He groaned as his hips flexed up hard, and he came on her tongue, the hotness hitting her senses on several levels. “God. Damn.”

  His rigid body flexed, and his fingers pulled on her hair. She never let up, needing everything he gave her. It was an eternity of mind-altering arousal, and when his body went lax, she was in love with everything about him.

  He was her friend.

  Her co-worker.

  A protector.

  And her lover.

  She wanted this again and again and again. She wanted to watch him, taste him. To feel him push inside her, to have him hold her close. To let her take him in her mouth again, where it wasn’t just about him getting off—an experience her ex had used to debase her—but a connection
that they both flat-out loved.

  Parker laid there, looking at her in a way that made her swoon, with his heavy cock lying over his thigh and an appetite in his eyes. Even with all that, she knew he wouldn’t have sex with her yet. But it wasn’t just the location. Safe house or not, he didn’t want to screw up a good thing. Her sense was that until her invisible scars faded, he wouldn’t ride her deep.

  All of those were assumptions, but she was going to take them as fact until maybe he realized aloud that he was in love with her also.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  A calmness washed over Parker as Lexi curled next to his naked skin. Her mouth had been a complex heaven, with enough tease and taunt of promise and fulfillment that he might declare himself officially addicted. It was supposed to be all about her, but somehow he was the one naked. Not that he was complaining…

  Even as she lay next to him, she faced away. That was her—close yet far. She was someone he knew—two someones he knew—but oddly enough, he was only starting to learn all about the real Lexi Dare. He turned on his side to hold her from behind and let his hand drift from her thigh to the hem of her tight cotton shirt. His fingers slipped on her flat stomach, dipping across her belly button then sliding around in circles. She let out a soft sigh and leaned back against his bare chest.

  “Think we should lose this.” He tugged on the cotton, helping her slip out of it without turning around.

  Lexi leaned back against his chest, and his mouth pressed to the angle where her neck became her shoulder. She smelled like citrus, and he breathed her in as his hand cupped her breast, its tip hardening against his palm. Massaging its perfect weight, he let his tongue slide on her skin until she squirmed. Her hips writhed and her back arched just enough that he took that as his cue to slip under the lacy cup of her bra and worship the perked breast.

  “God, Parker,” she whispered.

  He pushed up onto his elbow and, with his other hand, undid her bra. The thing fell away, and he tilted her back as he moved over her. Wide-eyed and pink-cheeked, Lexi watched him watch her. They stayed in their moment, him naked and nestled between her leather-clad legs, the length of his erection thickening all over again.

  “You’re gorgeous, sweetheart.” Parker unsnapped her pants and peeled them off her, taking her panties and socks in one ravenous sweep.

  There was complete trust on her face, and he’d never wanted a woman more. Hell, the way in which he wanted her was nothing like he’d experienced. It was possessive, protective… even branding, permanently imprinting her inside him. He wanted to know that the burning aggravation he felt for her was mirrored, that she was in deep for him that same way.

  Parker dropped her clothes off the edge of the bed and held her slender ankle. Slowly, he kissed up her calf until he got to a sensitive spot behind her knee.

  Lexi moaned and turned her head. “Wow…”

  His tongue played in a circle as he grinned at her reaction.

  “That’s so not fair.”

  He laughed against that special spot then moved to the other knee—bending her leg to see if that same location had the same effect. As her hips moved and her lips moaned, he reached the conclusion that it did.

  “Fair’s no fun.” He let his stubble scratch the inside of her thigh.

  “Oh, right.” Her hips wiggled again. “But torture is.”

  Tracing his fingertips along the same path, Parker spread her legs and put her on display, giving him all of her perfect, pink sweetness. “That wasn’t torture, sweetheart. But I’m willing to give that a go too.”

  His lips hovered over her folds, making her thighs crush against him. She smelled like desire, and as his tongue licked her smooth skin, she sucked in a breath that he felt down to his toes.

  “That’s insane,” she whispered hoarsely.

  Parker touched her, teased her, danced his fingers over where his tongue had just been, and when she moved too much, he drew his hand away and clamped her hip in place at the same moment that lips found her clit.

  Lexi moaned and moved, almost pushing herself onto him, and everything about him went into overdrive. His forearms pushed her thighs wide, and she walked her feet up the bed, bending her knees.

  Her knees clamped down on his head, and she jumped back. “Sorry. Sorry.”

  Lost in the woman, it took him a second to realize that she was apologizing for… reacting to him. To what he did and how much she liked it. “No reason to say that.” He flicked his tongue over the sensitive bundle of nerves.

  “I know. I just…” Her body was tense, her mind not with him anymore.

  Parker’s deep-blue eyes darkened. “God, I should’ve killed that fucker for you.”

  “I’m screwing this up.” Her forehead scrunched.

  He rose up to kiss her stomach and leaned against her small frame. “I said it before. Now I’m going to promise it.”

  “What?”

  His fingers moved between her legs, paying attention to her slick entrance. “I’m going to take care of you. I’m not between your legs because I’m killing time. I want it, and you deserve it.” His thumb circled her clit. “Relax. Forget wherever your head went.”

  “Mmm,” she whispered. “Okay.” She moaned again. “Alright.”

  He chuckled as he kissed her side. “Good, because, sweetheart, I’m gonna eat you until you get it. I like your taste. Those sounds. The way you feel moving against my lips.” He inched down, pushing between her legs again. “You want to clamp and claw on me, then fucking do it.”

  Parker slid his fingers into her tightness and covered her nub with his lips, lapping and loving on her. The more she moved, the harder he took her. He was relentless, and she was letting go. He fucked her with his tongue, his fingers. He held her open, teased her top to bottom.

  “God, Parker. God.” She gasped and thrashed as if she’d never neared orgasm before.

  He wanted her to pulse on his tongue, shudder and shatter against his kiss, and he moaned into her body, telling her to come for him.

  “Oh!” Her hands fisted the covers as she came. Her hips bucked, her back tried to arch off the mattress, but he held her in place, making Lexi ride her climax as long as he could.

  Finally, her covers-knotted hands went limp, her body went soft, and he kissed her gently, eliciting the tiniest of shivers. The boneless woman before him was what he’d always wanted, and now that he’d finally had his taste, he didn’t plan on letting go.

  He pulled his frame over her and caged her face. Her ice-blue eyes radiated trust. Her fair skin was pink and flushed. He kissed her, tasting her as his tongue tangled with hers. They kissed forever, for days, until again he lost his mind, consumed by her.

  Lexi held him, melding herself to his body, until finally she broke away, her eyes heavy-lidded. “I know what you said before, but please. This is me giving myself to you, erasing the past and wanting something different in my future.”

  Too drunk on everything about her, he had little resources to back away, to say no. He couldn’t remember his reasoning for that logical decision he’d made. “Sweetheart…”

  “Make love to me.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  A part of Lexi’s soul had never been bared, and she was handing it to Parker as though she was a virgin all over again. His features darkened, his deep-blue eyes firing with a need that mirrored the white lightning flowing in her veins. She wanted him to touch her, to love her, to smooth away all of her past and pave the way for a real love. A relationship that was fulfilling.

  She gulped her nerves, refusing to apologize, but as the seconds ticked by, a slice of fear wrapped its ugly tendrils around her neck. “Parker?”

  He dropped a kiss to her lips then moved to her ear. “It…” His weight pressed down, his tongue touching the bottom of her lobe. “Would be my honor.”

  Shivers cascaded down her shoulders, her spine, and she was consumed by the tension burning her. Parker rolled away, and a cold brush of air ran over
her naked body. He grabbed his jeans off the floor, pulled a condom from his wallet, and rolled it over his hard length. The seconds it took for him to do that, Lexi drank in his physique. Parker was etched muscles, like a living, breathing Michelangelo.

  He moved back to the bed and gathered her against his chest. Once again, they were on their knees, his full lips eating hers, his tongue driving her to the brilliant edge of madness. One of his hands threaded into her hair, and the other wrapped around her waist. Holding her, he sat against the backboard, her legs straddling him. His strong hands ran up and down her back. She was lost in the sensation. He wasn’t rushing her, wasn’t jumping at the green light to slam into what she offered.

  Lexi lifted against him, pressing his sheathed head against her needy core. With her arms over his shoulders, his arms supporting her, and their gazes held, she inched down, embracing that amazing, intoxicating stretch as he invaded her muscles. Her eyes rolled, her head lolled, and Lexi’s jaw hinged as she sank onto his shaft.

  “Fuck, sweetheart,” his hoarse voice ground out.

  This was perfect. Of course he knew how not to push her, how to make her feel in control after not having any recently. Parker missed nothing when it came to her. He honestly couldn’t be a better man. She swayed her hips and watched his eyes squeeze shut. Lexi tested herself on him, sliding up and down, back and forth, establishing a rhythm that made her want to die in his arms.

  Parker flexed up, damn near impaling her soul, and it sparked a fire of reactions. Reading her mind as he always did, he owned the motions she had set. The speed, the sway, everything that she wanted, he took over as their mouths tangled and her breasts bounced against him. All of his strength surrounded her, and their fury blasted out of control. He growled into their kiss, pumped into her, holding her tight.

  “Parker.” Her heartbeat drummed as her climax built. She moaned and gasped and called his name against his ear. “Make me come again, please.”