Under His Protection

by Karen Erickson

  It was the same one he wore every day he worked beside her.

  Even that cold hard stare sent tingles sweeping all over her skin. Because she knew the warmth beneath that faux coldness, knew the heat of his touch, the fulfillment of his body moving deep inside hers.

  A shiver stole over her and she breathed deep, hoping for strength.

  “What’s your hurry?” She stopped just before him, the tantalizing smell of his skin reaching out to her. She resisted the urge to touch him.

  Not yet, not yet.

  “It’s getting late. I should take a shower.” He shrugged, drawing her attention to those impossibly broad shoulders and she wished this uneasiness wasn’t between them. She wanted to move past it, embrace the pure delight they’d just shared.

  But she needed Mason to be willing first.

  “We could shower together,” she offered, her voice soft.

  The fire that lit his green eyes didn’t go unnoticed. “Blake, what we just shared was...amazing.” Dipping his head, he kissed her, his lips lingering. “But I still have a job to do and that job is protecting you. I can’t do that when I’m with you like...this. And I don’t want people talking about you either.”

  “Who would talk about me? No one can see us here. Together.” His words tugged at her heart, and that kiss, that one single kiss had almost unhinged her. She wanted another one. She wanted a thousand more of them.

  “You never know.” His mouth was grim and he rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t like taking risks where you’re concerned.”

  It was so arousing, how concerned he was for her welfare. She knew it was his job but he took that job so seriously. She was of the utmost importance to him and it was thrilling.

  “Come on, Mason.” She kept her tone even, with the slightest hint of cajoling tingeing it. “We just had sex. You just crawled out of my bed. Why don’t you crawl back into it so we can do it again? Trust me. Nothing can happen to me while we’re together like that.”

  He actually turned a bit red at her comment and she found that immensely endearing. “I should probably walk around the property first, check everything out.”

  “You can do that later.” The last word died on her lips and she slowly undid the belt of her robe, letting each end of the sash fall to her sides. The fabric parted, revealing a sliver of her naked form but damn him, he kept his eyes glued to her face. The tick in his jaw revealed that he was close to losing control, though. She had an arsenal ready to push him right over the edge.

  She was not above pulling out all the stops to get what she wanted. And right now, more than anything, she wanted Mason.

  “Blake.” He sighed and shook his head, his gaze dropping, his eyes widening. “You’re naked.”

  A smile curved her lips and she finally felt in control again. The feminine power of rendering a man speechless was heady stuff. “Is there something wrong with that?”

  He sighed again, this one not so heavy, maybe even a little lustful. “No, nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

  She stood straighter, the robe opening even more and giving him a full view of her naked body. He growled, literally growled as he grabbed her, pulling her hard against him. So hard, she rested her hands on his shoulders to brace herself, her fingers curling around the thick muscles.

  His mouth met hers in a soul wrenching kiss and he devoured her, one hand gripping the back of her head, the other hand curved possessively across her satin covered ass. She squealed when he yanked the robe up and smoothed his fingers over her naked skin.

  Breaking the kiss, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, her breath coming in fast spurts, body weak with desire. Just like that, he had her mind reeling, her body reacting.

  Mason picked her up with ease, depositing her so she sat on the edge of the counter and she watched, wide-eyed as he smoothed his hands up and down the inside of her thighs.

  “Like silk,” he murmured, his fingers getting closer to her heated center. “Satiny soft and smooth.”

  She spread her legs a little wider, giving him better access and the wicked smile that crossed his face made her smile in return.

  “I like touching you,” he admitted, his gaze lifting to meet hers.

  Her smile faded and she gripped the edge of the counter. “I like it when you touch me.”

  His hand cupped her sex, fingers teasing the dark blonde curls there. “Do you like it when I touch you here?”

  Blake nodded, unable to speak, only able to watch, to feel as his fingers began their search.

  “Wet.” One thick finger slid along her slit, searching her folds. “Hot.”

  A shuddering breath escaped her and she held on tight to the counter, afraid if she let go, she’d topple to the floor.

  “Wet and hot for me, baby?” He continued touching her, his focus solely on the spot between her legs and she whimpered her reply.

  He knelt before her, his big hands resting on the inside of her thighs, opening her to him. His mouth was so close and she couldn’t believe this was happening. Just minutes ago he tried to push her away and now he was about to go down on her.

  Would it always be this passionate, this lightning quick between them? Would it only take one glance, one word for them to fall into each other’s arms?

  God, she hoped so.

  Mason kissed first one thigh, then the other. His mouth teased, his teeth nipped and she lifted her hips, indicating exactly what she wanted without words.

  His mouth on her, lips sucking, tongue licking.

  When he placed a soft kiss directly onto her mound she shuddered. His tongue dabbed out to lick and search her thoroughly, making her cry out. God, she was so close already. It was such an intimate thing, his mouth on her sex, his hands spreading her wide open and she reveled in it.

  Nearly shot off the counter when he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as the full impact of what he did to her body hit her.

  It was as if he knew just what to do, just how to touch her to make her feel so amazingly good. Reaching out, she smoothed her hand over his head, her fingers sinking into his thick hair.

  He glanced up, his eyes meeting hers and he moved away from her the slightest bit, his tongue curling out to lick, lap at her over and over again.

  Just watching him, his gaze locked with hers, his mouth wet with her juices brought her closer, her orgasm right there just waiting for her to claim it. And when his lips wrapped around her clit and sucked it into his mouth and a thick finger slid deep into her body, she shattered. Fell apart all around him, her body growing so limp afterward, she almost slid off the counter.

  Thank God, Mason was there to catch her.

  * * * *

  Christ, Blake tasted so sweet. But the look on her face when he’d brought her to orgasm was even sweeter. Her eyelids had fluttered shut, her mouth went slack and the rosy flush that crossed her skin made her glow. Glowing with her orgasm, her entire body trembling, the inner walls of her sex clenched around his finger, her hard little clit throbbing against his lips.

  It had been incredibly arousing. And now the raging hard-on he had pressing against his jeans would not settle down. He needed to get inside Blake and quick.

  Funny, considering he’d been ready to bolt just a few moments ago. A clear head and a bit of distance had told him he’d put Blake at risk by having sex with her. Her father would hit the roof. He could lose his job.

  Clearly, he wasn’t thinking straight.

  But then she’d walked into the kitchen looking like a rumpled-I-just-had-sex-and-now-I’m-a-very-satisfied woman. The silky robe clinging to her every curve and the smile on her face had been full of knowledge. Of him. Of them. Together.

  He’d tried to play it cool, put her off, but ultimately, he couldn’t resist. And when she’d opened her robe and he caught a glimpse of all that delicious, naked skin, he’d caved.

  And hauled her up onto the kitchen counter and dived between her legs like so
me sort of crazed mad man. She might think he was too much of a barbarian to deal with after that experience, and he couldn’t blame her.

  “Oh, my God,” she whispered, her voice shaky and hoarse. She cleared her throat. “What was that?”

  Mason stood, dropping a kiss to her trembling lips and she deepened it, not seeming to care if she could taste herself on his mouth.

  He found that beyond arousing. So did his cock. It was straining against the fly of his jeans so hard, it was painful.

  “Did you like that?” He kissed her again, his tongue darting out to meet hers.

  She nodded, her expression slumberous. “Oh, my God, yes.”

  “Good.” He dropped a tender kiss to her lips, chuckling at the dazed expression on her face. “I want to be inside you.” He paused, pulling away so he could look at her. “This is a long shot, but do you have condoms in the kitchen? Maybe? Or somewhere else stashed in the house?”

  Blake shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Shit.” He thrust a hand in his hair, pushed it away from his forehead. He hadn’t planned for this very well, though he couldn’t deny the surge of possessiveness that filled him at her admission. No condoms in the house meant she’d rarely if ever brought a guy into this house, either. He liked that, macho asshole that he was. “I only had the one in my wallet.”

  Not like he’d planned on having sex with Blake, but damn. And how was he going to march down to the tiny drugstore in town and buy a box? The entire island would be amiss with the fact that the burly, quiet guy who followed the VP’s daughter bought condoms.

  Which meant he was having sex with the VP’s daughter. And wouldn’t that go over well with her dad if he ever found out?

  Yeah, he didn’t think so either.

  Gentle fingers touched his cheek and he glanced up, found Blake watching him intently. “I’m on the pill.”

  Of course, she was. The girl who had the outrageous sex life, according to the tabloids at least, would need to be on the pill just as an extra precaution.

  Mason grimaced. Talk about thinking like a macho asshole...

  He’d never seen her with another man since he started working protection duty with her. She flirted, she even went on the occasional date, but she never brought the man back home. Never entertained them anywhere.

  And he would know.

  “I’m safe,” she whispered, her fingers stroking down his cheek, along his jaw. “Are you?”

  “I just went through a set of tests four months ago, right before I began working your protection detail and needed to get a physical.” He shook his head, loving the way she touched him, wishing she would touch him like this everywhere. “I always use condoms.”

  “With all of those many girls you have sex with, Mason?” She smirked, but her eyes were filled with worry.

  He shook his head, wanting to comfort her. Despite his need for wanting to keep this—thing between them casual, he still cared. “You make me sound like a total player.”

  “You’re the one who admitted it’s been a long time since you’ve been with someone.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “Is that true?”

  “Yeah.” His reply was gruff. He hated admitting that to her.

  “Has it been since you started working for me?” Her voice sounded hopeful, not teasing at all, and it was embarrassing as all hell that she touched so close to the truth.

  Who was he kidding? She touched right on the truth. Yes, he’d been busy with work, following her everywhere, but since he met Blake Hewitt, no other woman had interested him.

  Only her.

  “Mason?” She pushed, though her voice was gentle. She was curious and he couldn’t blame her.

  “Yeah.” He met her gaze direct, saw the warmth in her eyes. He didn’t say anything else. Just let her think what she wanted to think.

  “Oh.” Her lips curved, a little ghost of a smile that proved his answer pleased her. “It’s been a long time for me, too.”

  She drew him near, her mouth so close to his, he could feel its every movement when she spoke. “I don’t let just anyone into my life.”

  He was silent, unable to resist sneaking his tongue out to lick at the corner of his lips and she kissed him there.

  “I don’t trust very many people.”

  “I know.”

  “I trust you, Mason. I trust you with my life.”

  Her words shouldn’t mean anything. She was supposed to trust him with her life, it was his goddamn job. It was the reason he woke up in the morning and went to bed at night. The reason he was with her, protecting her, watching over her on a daily basis.

  But her words did mean something. The sincerity in her voice when she spoke, the way she looked at him. He’d told her this was nothing but sex between them, but he lied. He was a complete liar. What was happening between them was so much more than sex.

  Fuck, he didn’t mean for that to happen. But he was helpless to it. For once in his life, he was simply letting go.

  And liking it.

  “I’ll protect you with my life,” he vowed, meaning every single word.

  She sighed, the sound so full of longing, it tugged at his heart. “And you’ll protect me by always doing the right thing. You won’t hurt me, Mason. I know this.”

  “I would never hurt you,” he whispered, his voice so harsh it hurt his throat when he spoke.

  God, he couldn’t imagine harming one single hair on her head. She meant far too much to him to even consider it.

  “I know.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her face up, her mouth rubbing against his in a kiss that wasn’t quite a kiss. More of a gentle connection of lips, a brushing of damp skin upon damp skin.

  Awareness exploded throughout his body, his cock going on high alert. All from the tentative touch of her lips. “So make love to me without a condom, Mason. I trust you.”

  Before he could reply, she reached down, her hand closing over his erection, smoothing over his denim-covered length. She undid the snap of his jeans, drew down the zipper and dove her hand in. Since he wore no underwear, she cupped him, her fingers curling around his cock. He jerked against her hold.

  “Take me here on the counter,” she urged, slowly sliding her hand up and then down. Up and down again, her thumb swirling over the head, smoothing the bit of liquid that had formed all over. “I want you, Mason. I want to feel you come inside me.”

  He groaned and kissed her, hot and heady, completely out of control. The counter’s height perfect, he positioned her so he could enter her with ease. Bending his knees, he thrust upward, filling her completely.

  She closed her eyes when he entered her, expelling a sweet sigh. Her head dropped back, the little moan of pleasure escaping her making him plunge deeper, her beautiful face contorting with ecstasy. He couldn’t help the dose of male animal pride that swept over him at being the one who put that expression on her face.

  He held on for dear life, moving within her deep, deeper. She clutched at him, her nails digging into his skin, her legs sliding around his waist and he stood up straight. Grabbed her by the waist and brought her down upon his cock, the base of him nudging against her swollen little clit.

  “Oh God, that feels so. Good,” she moaned, grinding down on him. He knew he couldn’t last much longer. Not with her hot pussy grasping him in its deliciously tight grip. Certainly not with the way she looked, the things she said, her naked body propped upon the kitchen counter for God’s sake.

  It was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. And her complete surrender to him made it all the better.

  Blake came first, the little whimpers sounding in her throat getting deeper, more urgent as her inner walls milked his cock, sending him straight into orgasm.

  Straight into bliss.

  Seconds or minutes later, he wasn’t sure, he finally moved away from her. Smiled when she stood on wobbly legs, her naked skin flushed from their lovemaking. The scent of sex lingered in the air and his dick roused
halfheartedly.

  Unbelievable.

  “Let’s go take that shower,” he suggested once he’d fully recovered and found his voice once again.

  “Mmm.” She hauled him close, her lips meeting his in a most delectable kiss. “Let’s.”

  Chapter Nine

  He moved into her bedroom.

  Blake wanted to do a little dance of joy but kept herself in check. He usually woke up first and headed to his temporary headquarters. Getting right to work and on the phone, so he could make his daily calls to DC.

  This morning though, had been different. He’d lingered in her bed, trailing his fingers along her bare arm, gooseflesh following in his wake. She’d batted his hand away, which only seemed to make him want to touch her more, not that she protested.

  After a thorough kiss that left her breathless, he’d made the suggestion casually. Like it was no big deal.

  “I should just sleep here every night.”

  She’d responded just as casually, not wanting to make more out of it. Mason did not like big deals. He was quiet, subtle. An absolute devil in the bed, with those wicked hands and that wicked tongue.

  He’d made love to her after they’d agreed he should move into her bedroom. And make love was what he’d done. It was no quick and frenzied sexual encounter like they usually experienced. As if they had no control and couldn’t get enough of each other.

  No, this time he’d kissed her everywhere, stroked her with a methodical plan to devastate her senses, building up her anticipation until she positively ached with it. And when he’d finally entered her, he’d taken her so slow she’d ended up crying her relief when the sweeping orgasm had finally taken over her body.

  Too intense, what they shared. She’d known it would be like this between them. He was still the one who insisted it was just sex but it wasn’t. She sensed, though, that what they shared was affecting him as strongly as it affected her.