by Ali Parker
In the bedroom closet, one that was larger than my own at home, I found a wide-eyed Emma crouched among Jansen’s clothing.
Shit.
I shook my head at her, but continued as if I’d not seen anything. I didn’t want to tip Jansen off to her presence. As I finished the sweep, I frantically racked my brain for a distraction that would give Emma time to slip out before the businessman noticed she was here.
I couldn’t believe that she’d snuck into Jansen’s room. What was she doing? Did she think this was some kind of game? Playing girl detective would at best lose Shadow Security a client, and at worst get her hurt.
I opened the door to the balcony, deciding to wing it. “What’s that?” I asked, attracting Jansen’s attention.
The man walked over to me and peered outside. “What?”
I pointed off in the distance towards the buildings of downtown. “You don’t see it?”
“See what?” Jansen went out the door and leaned against the balcony railing.
I took the opportunity to pull the phone from my pocket and text Emma. “Get out NOW.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Jansen asked, turning back in my direction. I stuffed the phone back in my pocket and stepped out to join him.
“Over there,” I said, jerking my head in the direction of downtown. “I mean, its right there. You really don’t see it?”
Jansen leaned on the railing again, craning his neck in the direction I’d indicated. The man shook his head. “I don’t see a damn thing.”
“How can you be missing this?” I asked, keeping an eye on the suite. “It’s just right there.” After a few beats, I saw Emma creeping carefully towards the exit. It wasn’t until the hotel room door closed behind her that I was able to take a breath.
“You’re crazy,” he said at last.
I blinked, then made a show of blinking again. “I’ll be damned,” I said with a forced chuckle. “I think I must have had something in my eye. Never mind.”
Jansen scowled at me. “This is the top-notch security I’m paying an arm and a leg for? Remind me to demand a discount from your boss.” He shouldered me out of the way and headed back into his suite.
“The room’s clean,” I said, giving him a two-fingered salute. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Then I showed myself out.
On the drive back to the office, I had to force my fingers to unclench from around the steering wheel. I was livid, angry at the sexy little secretary who’d tried to play spy. How could she even begin to think what she’d done was okay?
Emma had found a way into Jansen’s suite, probably looking for the envelope and its contents. She’d violated the privacy of one of their clients and had risked exposing herself, as well as me and the company, to a mountain of risk.
The drive seemed to take an eternity. I thought of all the things I’d say to her, how I’d dress her down for the danger she was putting herself in. If she’d hidden herself better, if I’d somehow missed her, then she’d still be holed up in Jansen’s suite, trying to figure a way out of the mess she’d gotten herself in.
Alone with Jansen, at his mercy, who knows what might have happened. Maybe he would have just called her father. But if the rich bastard really was mixed up in something shady, I wouldn’t put it past him to have more sinister plans for a beauty that had fallen into his clutches.
I parked at the office and took a few deep breaths, preparing myself for the confrontation I was about to have. Emma had to understand that she couldn’t take risks like these, couldn’t put herself in danger. I wouldn’t watch as another woman died in front of my eyes. The first one had almost crippled me.
Seeing Emma hurt would rip out my insides and set them on fire.
It was time to give her a taste of her own medicine. She’d threatened me to get her way. Let’s see how she liked it when I turned the tables on her.
Chapter 10
Emma
My heart was hitting my ribcage so hard, I figured I’d have a bruise on my chest come morning. I’d already bitten my nails down to the quick. I couldn’t believe how close I’d come to being caught. If Jack hadn’t been there...
He’s going to kick my ass. There was no doubt in my mind. I’d seen the storm clouds on his face when he’d caught me crouching in that closet. I was glad that Matt and Dad were already gone. I’d told them that I wanted to close the office early so I could go help out at the local veterinary clinic. I volunteered there sometimes, so it wasn’t too surprising, and Dad had been happy to oblige me.
The lie had enabled me to sneak to Jansen’s hotel and rifle through his belongings. Sadly, I hadn’t gotten very far by the time they showed up. Which meant I hadn’t found the envelope containing the photos. And then I’d almost gotten caught. Not the best day of my life.
I was pacing, unable to relax. I knew Jack would be on his way back to the office. And when he got here, it wasn’t going to be pretty.
The office door banged open and I looked up, biting my lip. If I’d thought he’d been upset before, I wasn’t at all prepared for the fury on his face now.
Jack lunged forward, grabbing my arms. “What in the fuck did you think you were doing?”
“My civic duty.”
His eyes narrowed, and his hands tightened on my arms. “Knock it off, Emma.”
“If the councilman is mixed up in something illicit, we have a duty to investigate it.” I spoke calmly, hoping it would diffuse his anger. “I thought I had time to get in and get out. I used the extra key provided for security detail, and since we control the camera feed, there was minimal risk.”
“That’s bullshit,” he growled. “You aren’t putting yourself in danger for the good of the community, on the thinnest shred of evidence. You’re playing spy to please yourself.”
I frowned up at him. “I will admit, I get tired of being cooped up in his office all day while the guys get to have all the fun. My dad and my brother handle me with kid gloves. Until you showed up, no one let me in on anything at all.”
“They are protecting you.” His voice was low, insistent. “Keeping you safe from the bad shit that’s out there. Because, believe me, there’s some really bad shit in the world.”
I blinked up at him, noting the shadow that crossed his face. “I don’t want to be so protected that nothing exciting ever happens.”
“Exciting?” A black expression took up residence on his face and I knew I’d said something wrong. “You’re worried about excitement when you could have gotten yourself hurt, or worse? I was never so worried in my goddamn life as when I saw you hiding in that closet. You have no right to put yourself in danger. Your dad and your brother have the right of it. You need to be protected. Even from yourself.”
I could feel his hands shaking as they gripped my arms. He was genuinely upset, and not just because I’d almost gotten caught. The look in his eyes was suddenly more dangerous than hiding out in Jansen’s hotel room closet.
Without warning, Jack pulled me into his arms, his lips descending to crash into mine. I was caught off guard by his kiss. It was more powerful than the one we’d shared before. Like electricity from a live wire arcing between us. He devoured my mouth, which only left me begging for more.
I melted into the kiss, giving him anything he wanted. Jack was like a force of nature, and my body was responding without conscious control. Anything he wanted to take, I wanted to give him.
Jack pulled me into the conference room and lifted me up to set me on the table. He pushed open my thighs and positioned himself between him, putting his hands on either side of my face and returning his lips to mine. I couldn’t catch my breath, drowning under the assault of his passion.
Then his hands were on my blouse, pulling it up over my head. I was happy to see it go, wanting my skin to be pressed against his. I shoved his jacket off, then started yanking at the buttons on his shirt. He helped, his hands still shaking, although this time with a different emotion.
Sliding my hand
s under his undershirt, I was amazed at the heat I found there. His skin was on fire, and I wanted to be closer to the flames. Jack yanked his shirt off and I eagerly pressed myself against him, marveling in the hard feel of his chest against mine.
His head lowered and he pressed a kiss to my shoulder, then worked his way over to my neck. His lips there were soft but searching, and when he reached my ear, the sensation of his hot breath there was driving my senses into overload.
Jack’s hands were on my thighs, pushing my skirt up and pulling me forward so that our lower regions came in contact. I removed my bra, baring myself to him, and his eyes lit up, causing a warmth to spread through my midsection. I could see that he wanted me. I wanted him just as bad.
Maybe worse.
I pulled his head over to my lips and kissed him again, wishing we could always be connected this way. I’d never experienced a kiss like this, full of longing and anticipation. My hips started moving involuntarily, rubbing against the hardness I could feel behind his slacks.
Jack groaned, then moved to undo his pants. Sliding them to the floor along with his boxer briefs, he at last stood fully nude before me.
His body was sexier than any of the Greek gods I’d seen in marble. He was the real thing, living flesh, toned muscles, warmth and strength and desire all melded into a remarkable package. Jack was the ultimate fantasy, and I was finally going to experience the reality.
His tongue licked at my lips and my head fell back, a moan escaping. I could feel a wetness soaking into my panties, panties that suddenly felt confining. Especially when his fingers brushed along my slit through them.
I moved to follow his questing fingers, but he gave a dark chuckle, finding ways to frustrate me. When he finally pushed a finger beneath the material to touch me, I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from crying out.
Jack pressed a finger into my core and I could feel the muscles stretching around it. Although I’d been with a couple of guys, I was relatively inexperienced with sex. My father and brother had managed to scare off most guys who’d expressed an interest in me, often before we’d reached the sexual stage in our relationship.
I prayed Jack didn’t scare easy, because this was already the most sensual experience of my life, and I knew I’d want to do it over and over again.
Removing his finger, Jack gripped my hips and pulled me forward to grind his caged cock against my panties. “Please,” I couldn’t help saying. There were still too many layers of clothing between us.
“Please?” His tone was teasing, and in that moment, I hated him as much as I desired him. Must he tease me? Why couldn’t he just give me what I craved?
“Please,” was all I could say in reply, half out of my mind with lust but unable to form the words to ask for what I wanted.
“Shhh,” he whispered, placing a finger against my lip. It was the finger that had been inside me. As I met his gaze, my tongue peeked out of my mouth and licked him.
His eyes widened, going dark, and I knew then that he wouldn’t be able to hold back for long. He wanted me as much as I wanted him.
A few more twitches of my hips elicited a frustrated growl from him. “Time to give you what you’re asking for,” he said against my ear. Then he pulled aside my panties and slowly, ever so slowly, slid his hard cock inside me.
It was massive, and Jack was forced to go slow. But when he finally was buried to the hilt, I let out a sigh of satisfaction. He felt so good inside me, like no one had before. As he held there, he kissed my face, then my neck and lower, beginning to lick at my breasts.
I could feel him throbbing inside me, and felt an answering throb in my nipples as he began to tease them with his tongue and teeth. It wasn’t long before I was panting, trying to move my hips to get more blessed friction.
Jack smiled down at me and then pulled out, only to thrust back in. I moaned, unable to help myself, and when he did it again, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
Chapter 11
Jack
I couldn’t stop myself. I had to touch her. Had to hold her.
When I’d found her in Jansen’s closet, I’d almost lost my mind. The thought of Emma in danger drove me crazy. I couldn’t let another woman die on my watch.
Especially not her.
Emma was the kindest, the sweetest, the most gorgeous woman I’d ever known. The anger I’d felt on the drive home had transformed. Now the swirl of emotions inside me drove me to possess her.
I could no longer control my longing. I had to have her. Had to taste her. Had to feel her trembling around me.
She pulled my head down, her mouth close to my ear. “You feel so good inside me,” she whispered, and I had to grit my teeth and close my eyes to maintain control of my body. I already wanted to release inside her, and I’d barely gotten started.
I picked up the pace, my thrusts taking on a wild quality. Something about this woman drove me to the edge of my control. I’d never been so turned on, had never had anyone feel so right in my arms.
Emma moaned, and it sent a shiver through me. I wanted her there, wanted her to surrender her pleasure to me. Reaching between us, I ran a finger over her sensitive nub. Her thigh muscles jumped, and her legs began to shake.
I traced little circles over her clit, loving the needy sounds she made as we came together. Back to begging, her head thrashing, I knew she was about to go over the edge.
I leaned closer, kissing her neck. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered, then nibbled her earlobe while pushing deep inside her.
The wave of pleasure broke inside her, and I could feel her climax ripple through her entire body. She was squeezing so tightly around me, I couldn’t help myself. With a groan, I let go, following her over the edge.
When I came back to Earth, I realized what had just happened. Here I stood, still inside Emma as she lay strewn across the conference table. Of the office that her father owned. What the fuck had I just done?
I just had sex with my boss’s only daughter. My best friend’s only sister. I’m a fucking asshole.
I moved back, pulling up my pants and fastening them, then bending down to retrieve my shirt. As much as I could, I avoided her gaze, trying to catch my breath and get my bearings.
This kind of shit won’t fly. I can’t do this.
I had to put a stop to this, before I lost all control. No matter how good what just happened felt, it was a mistake. This was not the way to transition into my new life stateside. I couldn’t betray the family that had shown me nothing but compassion. Such a fucking asshole.
I glanced at Emma, who had finally sat up and was straightening her skirt. She was so goddamn beautiful, so goddamn perfect, I wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her to my car, drive her home and keep her locked up there forever.
At least then she’d be out of danger.
I seized on that thought, focusing my mind with precision honed in the Special Forces. “Well,” I said, adopting a nonchalant tone. “You’ve had your fun. It’s time to get back to your day job and leave this spy business alone.”
Emma looked as if she didn’t understand. “What?”
“This stuff with Jansen. You should drop it. You’ve got enough on your plate, running this office.”
She slowly shook her head, a hint of hurt creeping into her eyes. “I don’t understand. I thought we were working together on this.”
“We’re not.” My tone brooked no argument. “You’re not an operative, Emma. Time to stop playing private detective.”
“Damn you,” she grumbled, fastening her bra and pulling her shirt on, then hopping off the table to stalk out of the conference room.
My chest began to ache, but I pushed through it. This was the right decision. She needed to be protected. And so did my heart.
It was clear that we couldn’t put our heads together on this Jansen thing, because our heads weren’t the only thing we put together. To resist her, I would have to keep her at arms’ length. And to keep my own
sanity, I had to keep her safe.
I hated to hurt her, but I didn’t see any other option. I left the conference room and found my jacket. Then I stood beside the door, watching as Emma shakily shoved her things into her bag and shrugged into her coat.
She didn’t say a word to me as she exited, and I followed, waiting while she locked the door. It was dark, and I wouldn’t leave her to walk to her car alone. It was awkward, escorting her to her vehicle, the silence like a knife’s edge between us.
When she drove off, I headed to my own car and started for home. Another night spent alone, in a near-empty house that felt less like a home than a tent in the desert.
The next morning, I got a call from Dexter Jansen. It was the weekend, but that didn’t mean I was off duty, it appeared.
“I’ve got somewhere important to be today, and I want my security guy.”
My brow furrowed. “Back to the office?”
“No. Just get your ass over here.”
“My boss’s instructions state that you are to remain in your hotel room over the weekends.”
Jansen lost it. “You don’t fucking tell me what to do. I fucking tell you what to fucking do. If you don’t bring your sorry security ass over here within the next hour, you’ll be in breach of contract and I’ll call my lawyer and have him draw up papers to sue you AND your fucking boss.”
Jansen hung up, and I debated throwing the phone across the room. This job was turning into a pile of shit. Not to mention the circumstances surrounding it.
I couldn’t get Emma out of my head, not through my shower, in which I had to turn the knob all the way to cold to freeze out my erection at the thought of her. Not through breakfast, when I imagined waking up next to her and bringing her breakfast in bed. Not through the drive to Jansen’s hotel, when I remembered her tanned skin that seemed to have an inner glow.