Protecting Shaylee

by Elle Christensen

  Brannon nods, and then slaps me on the back as he leaves to take a shower. “Good luck, dude. I’m sure you’ve noticed, being so whipped and all, but Shaylee’s got a kick ass attitude and as much as I’d love to see her beat the shit out of you, solely for my own entertainment, I might shed a tear if she kills you.” He shrugs, “Just saying.” Then he disappears into the bathroom, narrowly missing the wind I sent to knock him on his ass. I can hear him chortling on the other side of the door.

  I’d love to give as good as I get with him, but some of Brannon’s humor is masking his own girl problems and heartache. His normal personality is big, fun-loving, and carefree, and he does a stellar job of only letting people see that side of him. However, Ean and I have been friends with Brannon and Kendrix all our lives. As his twin, Kendrix knows him better than anyone, but it didn’t take too much observation for Ean and me to see the pain he hides. I love Hayleigh, but I hope she comes to her senses soon and sees that Brannon is the surest bet she’ll ever find. Because if she irreparably breaks his heart, we’ll cut her out of our lives without a second thought.

  I return to my apartment, determined to finally lay everything out for Shaylee. Not hold anything back and try to work through what I’m sure will be a huge fucking fight before I have to leave.

  After a quick shower, I dress in a pair of pajama pants, forgoing the shirt. I’m not completely stupid; I’ll take any advantage I can get.

  I get busy in the kitchen and start making dinner in hopes of impressing her. I also grab a couple of bottles of wine because I figure loosening her up a little wouldn’t hurt, either.

  Miles Davis is playing softly from the stereo and dinner is just about ready when I hear the lock on the door turn. Shaylee comes in, smiling brightly and looking like my own personal wet dream, with her skin glistening with sweat and her clothes plastered to her luscious body.

  Down boy.

  She drops her stuff and takes in the soft music and lighting, the dinner waiting to be served, and my naked chest, her mouth slightly parted in a cute little o. Her eyes get a little glazed as she takes in my appearance from head to toe.

  Mission accomplished on that front. I silently thank my abs for their support.

  I walk around the island, stop in front of her, and give her a lingering kiss. “Hey, baby, why don’t you go grab a shower. I’ll put your stuff away and get dinner finished up.”

  The bright smile she walked in with, lights up her face again, and her eyes are soft as they look into mine. “Thanks,” her voice is soft and sweet, but her eyes get a naughty little gleam. “Too bad you have to get dinner ready. Now, I’ll just have to wash every inch of my body, all by myself.”

  A groan slips out before I can stop it and her bright smile turns instantly seductive. Shit. Focus, asshole. Don’t you have any control? You don’t want dinner to be ruined; stick to the plan. “I don’t want to ruin dinner, so I’ll take a rain check, ok?”

  Disappointment flashes behind the sea of blue in her eyes.

  I lightly kiss her nose and whisper, “I love you.” Just like that, the disappointment is gone and replaced by a calculating glitter. “I love you too. Ok, rain check.” She sighs and I can hear the fake acceptance in her tone. She’s up to something. Before I get sucked into whatever she has planned in that mischievous little brain of hers, I practically run back into the kitchen and grab the garlic bread and salmon from the warmer in the oven. I keep my gaze on the food and fight the instinct to watch her ass and hips sway as she walks back to our bedroom.

  Ten minutes later (yeah, she the perfect fucking woman…and my mind is officially screwed now that I’m picturing how I’d like to fuck her tonight.), I hear the bedroom door open and Shaylee’s soft footsteps coming down the hall. I grab two wine glasses and the bottle and move over to the dining table sitting in an alcove, next to the kitchen, on the other side of the hallway entrance. I feel her presence behind me, stopped in the doorway, and after setting the bottle down, I turn to tell her to have a seat.

  Holy fucking hell. I’m suddenly grateful for my carpeting because the wine glass slips right out of my hands and onto the floor, where my jaw has conveniently fallen as well. Neither break. Despite everything else falling down, my cock has come up with a vengeance and I’m immediately in pain at how hard I am.

  Shaylee is posed in the door with her arms spread out, one on each wall. My gaze starts at her stiletto clad feet. Black, sky high, fucking stilettos. As my eyes climb her black stocking-covered legs, oh fuck, thigh high covered legs, over the garters holding them up, taking in the sheer black teddy clinging to her body. The top wraps around her neck and each side comes down over one of her mouthwatering tits and tucking into some kind of belt. It leaves her middle bare, as well as either side, and I can see the roundness of her tits peeking out from both sides. My eyes continue back down, stopping at her barely-covered pussy.

  Is that? I squint and look a little closer, then glance up at her face for confirmation. She gives me a sexy wink as a nod. Crotch-less panties. My knees go a little weak and for a moment, I think I’m going to crash to the ground in a red haze of lust. I manage to stay upright, until she cocks her hip sassily, placing her hand on it.

  “Are you coming?” She turns around and that’s when I have to reach out for a chair to steady myself. My dick is so fucking hard, I’m seeing spots. There is no back. Just two pieces of ribbon, one across her lower back, and the other dropping from there and disappearing into her round little ass. I stare, mesmerized by that ass as she sashays back to where she came from. “Judging from your face right now, I’m sure we’ll both be,” she calls over her shoulder.

  What was the plan again? Fuck her. No, dinner and then fuck her. No, there was something else. Oh right—fuck her.

  Without another thought, I follow my cock, which is anxiously chasing the pussy walking down the hall.

  “I’ll be back in a few days, baby.” I wrap Shaylee up in my arms and kiss her soundly. Damn, I’m going to miss her.

  She returns my kiss with fervor, then pulls away and pats my butt. “No worries. Just be safe and I’ll see you when you get back.”

  I feel my face droop into a pout at her easy acceptance. I am so fucking whipped. I sigh at my ridiculous behavior, but give into the attitude anyway. “Won’t you miss me?”

  Shaylee grins at me, her eyes dancing with laughter. Yeah, if I were in anybody else’s shoes, I’d be laughing at me too.

  “Of course, I’ll miss you.” She pecks me on the lips and then steps away, motioning toward the door. “The faster you get out of here, the faster you get back and get welcomed home the way you were sent off.”

  I groan deeply and pull her in for another crushing kiss. Just thinking about last night has me hard and practically desperate. I’d fucked her with her heels and teddy still on, through the magic little hole in the lingerie. Then I’d stripped her and fucked her naked. Then I eaten her pussy until she was screaming my name so loud I thought the neighbors might come banging on the door, before she rode me hard and I ended up shouting the rafters down too. I was pretty much in a fucking coma after that, and yet, I’d managed to work up the energy to fuck her against the wall in the shower. Then I’d woken up with her warm, wet mouth wrapped around my cock as she sucked me until I was coming down her throat.

  We never did talk. Well…I suppose that depends on your definition of talk. There were all kinds of dirty things being said, moaned, and screamed. The guilt is building up in me and I used found excuse after excuse to avoid talking to her about it.

  But, that wasn’t the only guilt eating at me. I hadn’t used a damn condom the first time last night. Shaylee doesn’t notice much when she is that riled up and when she didn’t point out my slip up in the bathroom Friday...I figured it wasn’t worth pointing out. But, then I forgot again last night. Yeah, I’m stretching it with the word forgot. It may have flitted through my mind briefly, but then I was coming and it shot right out.

  I pull away abrup
tly and plant a kiss on her forehead before taking off, yelling over my shoulder that I love her and for her to be good. I just barely hear her snort and mutter “Yeah, ok.” before I shut the door.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Shaylee

  I missed Aden more than I expected to, especially when his trip took a week, instead of a few days. I worked with Laila during the day, keeping my mind occupied. I spent an evening with my grandparents and another, having a girl’s night with Laila and Hayleigh. But, when the time with them was done, I went back to our apartment and lied down in our big, cold bed, wrapping myself around his pillow, breathing in his scent. I’d finally gotten a cell phone and I looked longingly at it, wishing I could reach Aden on it. Instead, I’d pull out my e-reader and wait for my eyes to grow heavy.

  I’ve lost the light. I feel as though I’ll never find it again, like it’s beyond my grasp. The darkness is pressing on me, smothering me, and I’m struggling to breathe. I open my mouth wide, trying to gasp for oxygen and flail my arms in an attempt to dislodge the source of evil suffocating me. My heart is pounding so hard, struggling for every beat. Is this it, then? Will I be swallowed by the darkness?

  My limbs begin to feel so heavy and I stop fighting the inevitable. At least I’m wrapped in Aden’s scent; I can take a little part of him with me as I succumb to the oblivion I’m hovering over. I think I hear whispers, soft phrases floating into my delirium. “You let him touch you.” Who? “You should have been mine.” I don’t understand! “He can’t have you.” Who are you? My mind is screaming, railing at the darkness, determined to know why it wants me.

  Finally, I resort to begging through my gasps of what little air I can catch. The tears aren’t helping, they are clogging my throat and the blackness is edging into my consciousness. I try to ask why, to beg for my life, to find the light once again.

  Suddenly, the thick darkness becomes a little less heavy. Each attempt to breath results in a gush of air filling my lungs. I feel a cool brush of something down my cheek, almost like a caress, wiping at the tears that are falling from my eyes.

  I heave a huge gasp as I sit up in the bed, clawing at my shirt, pulling away anything that could impede oxygen from getting to my lungs. The tears that had obviously started in my dreams have morphed into gigantic sobs that shudder through my body. How could a dream be so real? I look down and see Aden’s pillow resting on my lap. I pick it up, ready to hold it close to me for comfort, but a feeling of terror washes over me and I hurl it across the room.

  Jumping out of the bed, I stumble to the bathroom and reach for the light switch just inside the door. Before I find it, I freeze. My brain is ordering me to turn on the light, but I feel a pull in the shadows and the fear of illuminating what’s there grips me tight. Ripping my senses away, I rush into the bathroom, slam the door behind me and turn on the light.

  When I turn to the mirror, I’m shocked at how haggard I look. My skin, though flushed with fear, has a blue pallor to it. My eyes are pale and lackluster, with only horror to see in their depths. Though my sobs have subsided, the tears continue to pour silently and I wrap my arms around me, backing away from the person in the mirror. No longer able to look at myself, I turn and lean against the wall, still feeling dizzy and out of breath. I shuffle forward, turn on the shower and as I’m waiting for the water to heat up, my eyes drift to the door. I pad over to it and silently turn the lock. A small bit of relief trickles through me and I hurry to get undressed and step under the heated water, hoping it will wash away the rest of my anxiety.

  After some time in the shower, my breathing has mostly returned to normal, though I still feel a slight burn with every breath. My muscles have started to relax and exhaustion is quickly overcoming me. When I feel like I can no longer stand, I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a big towel, before collapsing on the floor, my back resting against the tub. I stare at the door and wonder if there is any light yet, since I have no idea what time it is. I’ve never been afraid of the dark. But now, the thought of leaving the bathroom before the sun is up terrifies me and it keeps me sitting on the floor, staring at the crack in the door, until my eyes get heavy and I slide into a heap and fall into a fitful sleep.

  “Shaylee!” Laila yells from across the room. “Remember to keep your magic wrapped tight around you. Only let the element you are using extend out from you. But, keep it on a leash; don’t let it control you.”

  We’ve been working all day on purposely separating my abilities for each element. I’ve used specific ones before, but it was an accident. When I’ve made the effort to bring my magic into a fight during training, I always seem to call on them all. I’m also trying to rein it in so that I don’t do things like blow the walls down when all I need is a small burst of wind. Brannon has been working with me so that Laila can coach from the sidelines. Every time, I lose control of my magic, he calls me “Buttercup” (Aden is so going to pay for that) and I’m about ready to go for the groin. I know he’s teasing, but I’m tired and cranky from my lack of sleep and the residual fear from my nightmare.

  Brannon steps closer and reaches out his hand, a glow forms until a small ball of fire (that’s right, a freaking ball of fire. I’m really starting to think I’ve stepped into an X-Men movie. Something to do with exothermic process…blah blah blah. It’s still a ball of fire.) is hovering just above.

  “You don’t need much to extinguish this, Buttercup.” Aden is a dead man.

  I narrow my eyes at him in annoyance, just revisiting the urge to stick my tongue out at him. He gives an unapologetic, lopsided smile and I’ve forgiven him already. Ugh. How does he do that?

  Looking at the small fire, I think about collecting water molecules and using air to drop the temperature without creating a large gust of wind. I can feel the heat begin to spread, the warmth of the sun giving me energy. Just as I start to push the cold water toward Brannon’s hand, the warmth of my magic intensifies and the pulse gives a boost to both the water and the air, causing me to practically shove a large amount of the icy liquid (at this point, some of it is icicles) at Brannon and I’m suddenly terrified that I’m going to flay him with the shards of frozen water. The force of the pulse knocks me backwards, just as Brannon topples over the other way.

  I scramble to my knees and my breath whooshes out of me in relief when I see the air sizzling with humidity all around Brannon. Laila had used the air around him to combust with fire and it quickly melted and evaporated the water. Brannon is staring at me in stunned silence, but Laila’s attention is now focused on the door to the training room. His eyes dart in that direction and a look of understanding dawns on his face. His dimples dig deep when he grins at me and starts laughing uproariously.

  Okaaaaaay. I think he might have a screw loose in that head of his.

  “Hey, baby.” The sound of Aden’s voice whips my head around and I jump up with a scream of delight, before running over and throwing myself into his open arms. Our lips crash together and he grabs my ass, lifting me higher to align our bodies. I wrap my legs around his waist and plaster myself against him, the warmth left over from my magic growing into a burn.

  I pull my lips away and just hold him tight, whispering, “I missed you so much, Aden.”

  His eyes sparkle at my words and he rubs his nose softly over mine. “Yeah?”

  I don’t even try to keep the big, goofy smile off of my face when I answer, “Yeah.”

  “Oh get a room, would ya?” Brannon jeers.

  “We have one.” Aden’s amused eyes never leave mine as he responds,

  “USE IT!”

  “Shut your trap, Brannon,” Laila interjects. “Aden, you can have Shaylee later. We aren’t done for the day.”

  Aden smirks, still not looking away, “Oh, I’m going to have you. Every single way I can think of, in every room of our house, over and over again,” he growls in a lower tone only I can hear.

  I’m pretty sure I just had a mini orgasm.

  He completely ignores
Laila and keeping a firm hold on my ass, turns and leaves with me still wrapped around him like a spider monkey.

  Another sleepless night.

  I’ve been dragging today, but I can’t bring myself to be sorry about it. Laila finally called a halt to training, giving me an irritated scowl, to which I responded with a properly contrite smile.

  “Hey,” I chirp. Man, I’m in a great mood. “You want to get a late lunch? Aden has to meet with Callum to talk about some issues he had with one of the kids he guards.”

  “Are you going to remain this chipper or act like a normal person?” she drawls, sarcasm behind each word. I just laugh at her attitude and give her a big hug. “Damn, my brother must be a god in bed,” Laila mutters. “No,” She holds her hand up for silence. “DO NOT respond to that comment.”

  I break out into hysterics, and then clap my hand over my mouth to keep my noisy actions from disturbing the others in the training room.

  Laila rolls her eyes and turns to walk away. “Get the keys to Aden’s beamer and we’ll go to Bridget’s Café,” she throws the statement over her shoulder as she walks out the door.

  I tell Aden to borrow Ean’s car and grab his keys. When he protests, I very thoroughly convince him to see things my way. Besides, Ean is out on assignment anyway.

  Laila and I grab a booth at Bridget’s, a ridiculously cute little diner about ten minutes away from the training facility. The first time we walked in, I found it incredibly funny that I was standing in a 50’s style restaurant. It just seemed…so human. But, I suppose their history isn’t that different from ours.

  The red vinyl booths sparkle in the sun, shining in from the window we are seated up against and the warmth feels delicious. The waitress (yes, she’s wearing a poodle skirt and saddle shoes. I told you…) takes our order and we settle into conversation.