by Leslie Chase
He pressed Emily back into the couch, letting her recover. Slowly her breathing returned to normal and her eyes fluttered open again.
"Wow," she said, biting her lip. It looked like she had something more to say, but all she could manage was, "Just… wow."
Lucas couldn't keep himself from laughing at that, and shook his head. After a moment, she laughed too, breathless from her orgasm. She sounded so happy, and Lucas promised himself that he'd keep her that way.
There's nothing better in the world than seeing her happy and knowing it's because of me, he thought. Especially when he got to make her happy like this.
"Lucas, I still need you," she said, recovering enough to speak properly. A delightful flush spread across her face and chest, and she looked away, embarrassed. "I need you inside me."
"I know," he told her. "But not yet. Not quite yet."
He wasn't willing to stop just now. Not while he was enjoying her pleasure so much. She opened her mouth again, looking like she was going to object, but he silenced her with a kiss and stroked his fingers between her legs. Whatever she had been about to say vanished into a gasp of pleasure and she parted her legs for him.
Emily gasped as he pressed into her warmth. His fingers slid inside her easily, first one then a second. She was wet and open and inviting, and he groaned happily as he felt her squeeze around his fingers, her body responding quickly to him.
"That feels so good," he told her, kissing her neck, whispering in her ear. She arched under him, breathing quicker and quicker.
"You have no idea," she gasped, hands stroking over his skin, leaving lighting storms of joy where they touched. Lucas hissed as she raked her nails down his arm, and started to move faster.
The sight of her arching her back as he slid his fingers in and out of her, the scent of her arousal filling the room, the sound of her breathing – all of it was driving him wild. His thumb brushed over her clit as he thrust with his fingers, making her gasp delightfully. Letting him know how much she enjoyed his touch.
His lips pressed to her neck, teeth teasing at her skin, and he felt the shudder of pleasure that went through her body. Emily's hands clutched at him, her breath short and fast, little whimpers of joy escaping her mouth with each thrust of his fingers.
One last brush of his thumb on her clit was all he needed to push her over the edge. Emily cried out again, a loud passionate shout of joy, as her body arched under him. Her body tightened around his fingers squeezing them as though she never wanted to let him go. Lucas held her to him as her body shook, loving how well they fit together and savoring the feeling of her pleasure against him.
Finally, she relaxed, going limp in his arms. Breathing returning to normal, Emily murmured something that Lucas couldn't make out, her arms wrapped around him and holding him loosely. Sitting back to look at her, he couldn't keep a smile from his face. Disheveled, hair mussed and wild, half dressed, she looked so adorably sexy that he could hardly bear it.
Opening her eyes, Emily smiled back at him, biting her lip and blushing cutely. He felt his own smile broaden, and seeing that, Emily reached for his belt.
"Are you sure?" he asked as she undid it. She nodded, and there was no doubting the certainty in her eyes. She wanted him as much as he did her, Lucas saw.
With a swift motion, he pulled off her panties, throwing them aside. Emily gasped, tugging at his belt and unzipping his jeans with fumbling hands.
Lucas growled impatiently, finding himself unable to wait for her to undress him. Standing, he quickly undid his jeans, letting her watch as his erection sprang free. Her gasp and blush made him chuckle.
"Oh my," she said, staring. Hunger and need filled her wide eyes. "That's… wow…"
His smile broadened even more at the sight of her appreciation, and she licked her lips. Lucas plucked a condom packet from the back pocket of his jeans, then slid them down and off, letting Emily watch him undress. Her breath was short and eager, needy, and he felt his heart race as he rolled the condom onto his cock.
A little nervously, Emily sat up and reached out, stroking up and down his hard length, teasing him. She bit her lower lip again, a gesture that made her look even sexier, and looked up into his eyes. Lucas saw the fire in them, the need and the lust, and knew that he must look the same to her.
The bear inside him roared, impatient to be united with his mate. Lucas couldn't wait any longer.
Sinking back down, he lifted Emily and pulled her to him. Her body fit neatly against his as he slid himself into her, one powerful smooth thrust burying him in her and driving her back into the cushions of the couch. She writhed under him, her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his hips, and a great gasp of joy escaped her lips.
They pressed together, their bodies meeting and joining, and the sensation was perfect. She was so tight around him, and yet he fit perfectly, her warm wetness surrounding and holding him. The feeling was overwhelming, impossibly good.
Their mouths met in a passionate kiss as he held her still, enjoying the joint feeling and letting her get used to his size. Lucas could feel Emily's heart pounding, and her breath came in quick gasps. Little tremors ran through her body with every breath, and he growled a low and hungry sound. He'd never imagined that anything could feel so good.
Mine. The thought emerged from the bear inside him, filling him with an immense satisfaction and joy. He couldn't imagine ever letting her go. Not after this, not when they were so perfect together. Lucas didn't know why, or where the feeling came from. But it didn't matter. His bear was sure that she was the one, and he couldn't argue. He'd keep her safe, protect her from whatever menaced her.
Ours, he agreed, growling in unison with the bear within. Our mate, our one.
Even thinking it made him quiver inside her, arousal growing. Emily moaned, feeling him swelling in her, and she moved, withdrawing slightly and then pulling herself back against him. Both of them gasped as their bodies met again. Lucas felt his body shake as a tremor of pleasure flashed through him, driving him wild.
As she pulled back, he did too, lifting himself for a moment and then thrusting into her as she pulled him down. They met with a gasp, and breathless passion drove them on. Faster and faster they came together, their bodies shaking as they moved. Lucas gave up control quickly, pleasure overwhelming him and driving him to thrust harder, faster.
Emily's gasps became shouts, each thrust making her hold on tighter and cry out louder, her body tensing around him and gripping him tight. His own body responded, and he felt himself swell inside her, tensing.
Nothing in his life had prepared Lucas for an experience like this. He'd been through a lot of incredible experiences, but nothing so powerful, so wonderful, so awe-inspiring. Pulling Emily to him, he kissed her hard, and as he did he felt her tighten around him. Her body pressed against his, her hands gripped his shoulders hard, and her orgasm took her. She cried out, muffled by his kiss, and tightened around him as she came.
That was all he needed to push him over the edge, the sensation pushing him into his own release, and he came powerfully inside her. Together, they cried out, her nails digging into him as he thrust a final time, burying himself hard inside her. All thought fled his mind as the powerful orgasm filled him.
At last, the pleasure ebbed, and he looked down at his mate, feeling the joy that filled her as though it were his own. She was panting for breath, looking up at him with a smile that showed her happiness and her exhaustion. It was a smile he wanted to see for the rest of his life, and he would hurt anyone who took it from her.
That thought brought back some of the reality of the situation to him. She might be his mate, but right now, she was supposed to be his client, and as happy as she looked in the moment, what would she think of her bodyguard when the afterglow faded?
9
Emily looked up at him and smiled. That had been the most amazing sex she could possibly imagine. Just thinking back to it made her heart flutter again. But Lucas looke
d so serious above her, now that it was over.
She reached up to stroke his rough cheek and sighed happily.
"That was amazing," she told him, blushing to hear how raw her voice was. Hopefully the neighbors hadn't heard her shouting, that would be really embarrassing.
His grim face lightened a little, but there was something hidden behind his stoic expression. Sadness, or guilt? She wasn't sure.
"Hey, don't look so down," she told him. He pulled himself over to sit beside her on the couch, and she snuggled into the warm, solid, muscular bulk of his body happily. "Didn't you enjoy that?"
He laughed, as she'd hoped he would. "Of course I did, couldn't you tell?"
"Well, then, what's the problem? We both needed that, didn't we?"
"Yeah." He still sounded pensive, and she didn't know what to make of that. His arm wrapped around her and squeezed her to him, holding her tight, and she realized that for the first time since this had all begun, she'd forgotten to be afraid. Lucas made her feel safe in a way she hadn't thought she ever would again. There was something about him – something beyond his size and strength and skills – which made her believe that she was in safe hands.
She found herself smiling happily as she rested her head on his chest, his slow powerful heartbeat loud in her ears.
But they couldn't stay like that forever. Eventually he groaned and moved, bending down to kiss her. Lifting her off him, he set her back on the sofa and heaved himself to his feet.
"I should get myself cleaned up," he said, a note of regret in his rough voice.
And with that, he strode out of the living room and into the bathroom, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
What was I thinking? She stared up at the ceiling, trying to get a handle on what had happened. Lucas was her bodyguard, not her lover, and it this wasn't a very professional way for either of them to behave.
The answer, of course, was that she hadn't been thinking, not really. Her attraction to Lucas was overwhelming, overpowering, and he made her feel safe in that way that no one else ever had. And she'd needed the release.
But is that all it was? A little voice inside her didn't believe it. There was more to the connection between them than she understood, but there was a connection, more than just two people in lust. She was sure of it. But would it survive the end of their contract? She didn't know.
What would it cost to extend the contract forever? She shook her head at the silliness of the question and tried to stop thinking about it.
Lucas' return interrupted her thoughts. He was still naked, skin glistening wet from the shower, and he was gorgeous. Before, she hadn't had a chance to get a good look at him, but now she had the distance to see all of him at once and she stared. She couldn't help it.
Standing in the doorway, he let her look him over, a small smile on his face. She let her eyes roam over him, trying not to let her embarrassment overwhelm her as she looked at his nakedness and admired every inch of him.
No part of him wasn't worth lingering on. His muscular limbs, his washboard abs, his rugged face. And between his legs, his perfect… Emily felt her cheeks heat and glanced away, to Lucas' evident amusement.
"You can look if you want to, you know," he told her, striding into the room and over to the large bag he'd brought in the night before. She watched him move, admiring his grace as he bent and pulled out fresh clothes for himself. If she'd not seen it, she wouldn't have believed a man so large could move so elegantly. There was no wasted motion, and certainly no shyness about her seeing him naked.
It was almost a disappointment when he covered himself, though the t-shirt he pulled on was tight enough that she could still see his muscles move as he stood and looked down at her. It was only then that she realized the state she was in, and her blush reasserted itself.
Lucas offered her his hand and pulled her up from the sofa, and she wordlessly scampered off to the bathroom herself.
Lucas started to unpack as he waited for Emily to return from her shower. His bag held a couple of changes of clothes, but more importantly, it was full of personal protection equipment. Perhaps he should have set that up the night before, but back then he hadn't been sure that there was anything to protect Emily from.
That thought made him feel a little guilty. He should have taken her fears seriously from the start, even if he didn't know whether they were based on fact. But he could make that right, at least.
By the time she emerged, wearing a robe and a towel wrapped around her hair, he was at work at the door, fitting a portable alarm. He looked around and was amazed at the effect seeing her had on him. Fresh from the shower, she made him want to get dirty with her again. Maybe we should have showered together? Then again, we'd never have left the bathroom if we had.
"What are you doing?" she asked, folding her arms and looking at him.
"Installing a security system. Part of the package," he told her. "This will call me if the door opens unexpectedly. The alarm fob I gave you will switch it off, but if someone without one comes in this way, I'll know about it."
"Do I need that? I mean, won't you be here anyway?" She sounded a little confused, and a little worried. Did she think he was going to leave now?
Frowning, he nodded. "You need it. I'm going to be here to look after you, but that doesn't mean I can pay attention to the door all the time. I'll have to sleep, or go to the bathroom. And if we're somewhere else when someone breaks in, I'll want to know about it right away, rather than finding out when we get back here."
Emily's eyes were starting to fill with fear, and he cursed under his breath.
This is meant to make her feel safe, not afraid, he thought, annoyed at himself.
"Look, it probably won't be needed. I just don't want to take any chances with your safety, okay? Not now, and not ever."
"Okay," she said, not sounding entirely reassured. "Well, I'm going to make dinner then. Somebody's given me quite an appetite."
Lucas grinned at that. "Great."
As he finished up his work on the door, the apartment filled with smells of cooking. He added similar alarms to the windows in the living room and the bedroom. As he finished activating the last one, he saw Emily's laptop on the bedside table and frowned. It looked like a high-end machine, not the kind of thing that he'd expect a waitress to own. It had to be something she'd brought with her from her previous life. And he remembered that she'd grabbed it when she'd fled.
Nothing else, not even a jacket: the laptop in its bag had been the only possession she'd stopped to collect on her way out of the window.
Looking at it more carefully, he saw that it was quite new. He reached out for it and paused. Emily wouldn't like me poking at this, he thought. But I have to know what trouble she's in if I'm going to keep her safe.
After a moment's pause, he made his decision and opened the laptop. The screen came on instantly, but just to ask for a password. Lucas grimaced.
So much for that. He quietly closed the screen, still curious about what she was hiding. The login screen hadn't looked like a standard one – it had a corporate logo on it, as though it were a company computer rather than a personal one.
TannerTech, never heard of that one, he thought, making a note to look it up later. Where had Emily picked it up and why?
His thoughts were interrupted by Emily calling him through, and he hurried to the kitchen. She wasn't the only one who'd worked up an appetite, and the delicious smells filling the apartment were making his stomach growl.
She was setting the small table when he came in, a large bowl of stir-fry sitting in the middle of it. The chair creaked under him as he sat down, and she joined him at the table almost hesitantly. It looked like her fears were reasserting themselves.
Lucas shook his head, unwilling to wait, and took up the serving spoons to fill up her plate and his.
"Oh no, that's enough for me," Emily protested after the first spoonful. Lucas laughed and added a second anyway.
"You have to
keep up your strength," he told her, taking an equally large portion for himself. There was still plenty in the serving bowl. "Anyway, you cooked enough to have twice that much."
"I thought you'd be hungry," she protested with a little blush. "And whatever's left over will keep till tomorrow."
Lucas laughed again. "You've as much reason to have an appetite as I do."
With that, he dug into his own plate. Biting down on the first mouthful he paused, surprised, and then chewed with relish.
"This is delicious," he exclaimed as he readied another forkful. "My god, Emily, you should be cooking at a restaurant not waiting at a diner!"
Her blush deepened and she shook her head. "I can't really do much, but this is a recipe that my mother taught me and it's my favorite. I couldn't handle cooking it for a roomful of people, though."
"Maybe that's just as well," Lucas said, shaking his head in admiration. "I'd be jealous of anyone else eating this."
He enjoyed her pleased blush and turned his concentration to the food again, not looking up until he'd finished. Despite her protestations, he saw that she had nearly cleared her plate too. Taking a sip of his drink, he sat back and smiled happily.
"Now that was a meal worth having," he told her. "I can't believe you made that in this tiny little kitchen."
She shrugged, embarrassed. "I told you, it's an old recipe. I can make it anywhere. But I'm glad you liked it."
Now that they were no longer eating, the silences felt tense, like empty space waiting to be filled with words. After a minute, Lucas sighed. There was no point in putting off the difficult conversation any further.
"We have to talk about what you're running away from, Emily."
She stood abruptly, picking up their bowls and moving to the sink to clean them. "I don't want to talk about it. Isn't it enough that I need protection?"