by Eileen Green
“I thought you were a dream,” she revealed.
“Huh?”
She had been unconscious the entire time he was there. How could she say that?
“I felt your presence, and I heard your voice. It was like through a fog, but I knew you were there. I didn’t feel lonely.” She looked up at him, a small smile on her perfect cupid’s mouth. A faint red shiny tint had painted them, which looked great on her. The color made them look even more kissable.
His spirit soared at her words. He was seeing that she really was the woman for him.
“I’m glad I could help you out, then, and now,” he said, trying to draw his focus back onto her situation. “Now, tell me why you think someone is trying to hurt you. I can’t believe anyone would have a problem with you.”
Clara released his hand, so he unfolded the paper she had given him. He noticed she bowed her head as she waited for him to read it.
The words were typed out in a bold font as if she wouldn’t be able to read them if they weren’t. A way to really gain her attention, which it had.
Stop digging where you don’t belong. If you don’t, you will be taken care of.
That was it, but the threat was evident and ominous.
“How’d you get this?” he asked as he unfolded his leg and stood. Stepping over to his desk, he opened the second left drawer and drew out a plastic bag. He slid the paper inside it and folded the top down.
“It was stuck in my door one day when I got home from work,” she answered. She had remained on the couch and was watching him.
“Has anyone touched this besides you?” he asked, not just from the security side of the issue, but digging to see if there was anyone in her life.
She shook her head, her black hair dancing slightly across her breasts. “No. I live alone, and honestly, since my name wasn’t on it, I thought perhaps it wasn’t really meant for me.” A pregnant pause settled over the room for several moments. Shane could tell the tears were back, and a sob escaped her. “At least until the accident.”
He took several steps back over to the couch and sat next to her, this time, his thigh was flush with hers. Her hands were shaking, so he closed his hands over both of hers. “Take some deep breaths, angel. I promise I am here for you, no matter what.”
Shane pulled her forward, released her hands, and then wrapped his arms around her shoulders. At first, she stiffened, but then a few moments later, she seemed to melt into him. She felt like heaven in his arms.
* * * *
Sinking into his embrace and wrapping her arms around his waist, Clara felt as if this man was her salvation. Her heart had been beating a mile a minute since she had stepped into the spacious room and saw the large man himself. She had nearly forgotten why she was even there.
Intimidation surrounded the man. He was at least a foot taller than her, and his shoulders were massive, along with his chest. The sleeves of his dark gray suit jacket were tight from the muscles that resided in his arms. There were muscles in his thighs that filled out the slacks he wore.
He was a striking man. He had a square jaw with a Grecian nose. She was almost envious of that perfect nose now that hers was marred.
Green eyes the color of algae had looked down on her as if searching her soul, causing her to feel naked before him, someplace she wouldn’t mind being. When she had told him her problem, his jaw tightened, and anger flashed in those lovely orbs of his.
A voice deep inside her asked if he was going to be her champion and more. Her pussy wanted him for a different reason, but she couldn’t appear to be too greedy.
A woodsy, clean aroma assailed her senses as Clara let Shane Owens hold her. Her body was on high alert, but for all she knew he was attached, and she would walk out of this office disappointed even if he took the job.
“Do you have any idea who could be behind this, angel?” he asked, his voice reverberating through her head since his chin was on the top of her head.
The deep octave of his voice went straight to her cunt. The traitor throbbed and leaked as if it knew who it belonged to.
Clara released her hold on Shane, letting her hands rest on the sides of his waist, and leaned back a bit. He followed suit so that they were looking at each other.
“I was born in South Korea. My biological father was in the military, and apparently, my mother and father fell in love. When I was about two, he was sent back here to the States, and that’s when he told her he had a wife and a son, and he couldn’t stay.
“My mother got sick when I was really little, but she tried to hide it from me. Her family disowned her because she had me out of wedlock, so when she died, they refused to take me in. I was put in an orphanage and stayed there until I was nearly eight and I was adopted by an older couple from here. They raised me.”
Clara couldn’t take her eyes off his gorgeous face as she spoke. “Mom and Dad never chastised me for wanting to find my real father. In fact, they supported me wholeheartedly. When we discovered who he was, we tried to contact him, but never heard back from him.”
“Do your parents still have that information?” Shane asked, his forehead furrowed.
After the question, Clara’s thoughts went in a direction she hadn’t thought to go. Was it possible?
Then another thought struck her. She began to shake, and she couldn’t stop. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. A cry escaped her when she realized that her parents were not the victims of an accidental fire at their home.
Covering her face with both hands, she cried out, “Oh, God! He killed them!”
Chapter Three
Clara’s words were like a slap in the face.
Shane held her as she cried. From her last statement, he had a feeling her parents’ death was still fresh. He was curious to know how they died.
A knock at the door caught his attention before the large oak barrier opened. Sharon’s head peeped around it. She looked toward Shane’s desk first and then over to the couch.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Shane,” she said in a whisper. “It’s time for me to leave, but there’s a gentleman in the lobby who wants to see you. He doesn’t have an appointment, but he said you gave him your card at the scene of an accident one night.”
Well, this is a surprise! This day is getting better and better.
He had to wonder what Clara would think about the man that had caused Shane’s heart to flip that night and his cock to throb. Shane wanted both Clara and the unnamed man from that night, and he had dreamed about them both. He couldn’t throw them together just yet, not while Clara was falling apart.
“Ask him to wait. I’ll be with him shortly,” Shane whispered back as he tightened his hold on Clara.
Sharon disappeared, and the door closed, leaving him alone with his woman.
Yes, his heart, body, and his mind were considering Clara his. He would need to convince her though.
Clara remained in his embrace a while longer, her sobs subsiding. When she stopped, she pulled away and looked around. Knowing what she was looking for, he removed the handkerchief from his breast pocket and held it out for her.
Accepting it, she softly said, “Thank you.”
She wiped the tears from under her eyes and then blew her nose. Looking up at him as she crumpled the piece of silk in her hand, she said, “I’ll have it cleaned and bring it back to you.”
Shane smiled at that. “You don’t have to do that, angel. I’m not afraid of some germs, or snot.”
A laugh sounded from her shaking her body. “You are something else.”
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it, Clara.” He looked down at her, catching her gaze. He turned serious. “You’ve been on my mind since the night of the accident, angel. I want to get to know you and see what happens, and while we do that, I want to protect you from whoever is trying to hurt you. I will take your case pro bono even if you say no to dating me.”
“I can’t let you do it at no charge,” she said in disbelief.
&n
bsp; “Then we can discuss a charge. But know that I am a stubborn man.”
A myriad of expressions crossed her face as she seemed to be thinking about his offer. Finally, she nodded as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him again.
“There’s things we need to discuss, angel, things about what type of man I am, but we can do that at another time. Now, there’s someone that is waiting in the lobby that you might want to meet. He was there at the accident to help you out also.”
Shane was looking forward to meeting the man formally, and hopefully, he wondered if Clara and the man to like each other enough to bring him into as a third. It was good to see if they could all begin something together on a level playing field.
Standing, Shane helped Clara to her feet. “If you wish to freshen up, my personal bathroom is just through that door over there,” he said as he gestured toward the closed door on the opposite wall. “I’ll speak with the gentleman in the lobby for a few minutes to give you time.”
“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice tugging at his heart.
Shane couldn’t help but watch her watch her walk away from him. Her black skirt with red flowers on it swayed back and forth with the movement of her hips. He could tell she had a nicely shaped ass from the outline of the garment.
As she disappeared into the bathroom, Shane buttoned his jacket and headed out the door into the lobby.
The room was empty save a man sitting near the door that led to the elevator. Shane had to wonder why he had chosen that one. A magazine was in the man’s hands, his gaze steadily on the pages as if something he was reading had really caught his attention.
Stealthily, Shane made his way over to the man, the subtle geometric patterned carpet hushing his footsteps. Stopping a couple of feet away from him, Shane waited for the man to realize he was no longer alone.
When he did, the man looked up, gasped, and tossed the magazine onto the end table next to him. He stood quickly and cleared his voice.
“Sorry. I didn’t hear you come in,” he said breathily.
Shane smiled. “Sometimes it’s better that way. I can watch a person, and that can tell me a lot about them.”
Doubt or concern appeared the man’s face. Shane couldn’t tell. When the man before him lowered his gaze and then nibbled on his lower lip, it was obvious nerves had taken over, or perhaps, submission.
“I didn’t catch your name that night,” Shane put out there.
“Jeremy,” he said as he looked up at Shane. “Jeremy Swenson.”
Extending his right hand despite the pain and ugliness of it, Shane introduced himself. “I’m Shane Owens. It’s nice to meet you, Jeremy.”
A frown crossed Jeremy’s face as he looked at Shane’s hand. Was it because of the hideousness of it?
Slowly, as if in a trance, Jeremy reached out and slid his hand into Shane’s. He surprised Shane when he turned it in curiosity and moved it back and forth as if inspecting it. “I remember you bleeding. You were hurt at the accident and didn’t say anything right away. Why not?”
Jeremy looked back up at Shane, cocked his head slightly, and seemingly visually inspected Shane’s face. Shane stood taller and set his face in a stern expression, hoping Jeremy would see the Dom in him.
It worked for Jeremy lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep.” His words were soft, and his apology was submissive.
He had just proven what Shane had suspected of the man.
“No apology needed, Jeremy. Thank you for your concern. I was rather preoccupied that night even though I wanted to make sure that the victim was taken care of,” Shane explained as he tightened his hold on Jeremy’s hand. “There’s going to be some lasting damage, but I had to make the right call that night.”
When Jeremy didn’t look up, Shane raised his left hand and cupped Jeremy’s cheek, raising his face up so that the two men were looking at each other. “There isn’t protocol at this point.” Shane watched the play of expressions on Jeremy’s face. Shane continued. “That is if you want there to be protocol between us.”
Putting out there the suggestion of protocol, Shane was digging to see if Jeremy was a submissive as Shane had thought, but also how much so. He had found his answer.
“I’ve really just met you, Sir. I don’t expect any protocol.” Jeremy said the right thing though there was yearning in his eyes.
“We can move along slowly, Jeremy, because there is more. Come on into my office, and we can talk. Also, I believe there is someone that will want to meet you.” Shane knew that Clara would be grateful.
* * * *
Jeremy had forgotten how gorgeous Shane was. Of course, it had been nighttime, and the red and blue lights were flashing along with the bright lights of Shane’s truck washing over them. Little justice had been given for the man standing before him was an Adonis.
Material did little to hide bulging muscles. Jeremy was of an average height for men at five-ten, but Shane had another four or five inches on him. The gray suit Shane was wearing most likely had to be specially made for the man for Jeremy didn’t think line-backer sized suits were standard at Men’s Warehouse.
Every day off Jeremy had since the accident he had wanted to come up to Denver and see Shane. However, he talked himself out of it each time. Today he was in town for a job interview, so he thought why not stop in. He was glad he had.
Standing in the intimidating presence of the man who had stolen his dreams for the past month, Jeremy now knew Shane was as dominant as he dreamed. Oh, the things his subconscious said Shane could do was making Jeremy blush.
As the heat rose in Jeremy under Shane’s scrutiny, Jeremy lowered his gaze to the large hand that still held his. There was strength in the appendage despite the damage that had been done to it. It bothered Jeremy that Shane hadn’t said anything, but he knew Shane had something else he needed to attend to that was more important than himself. That spoke volumes about the man.
“Eyes up here, Jeremy,” he heard Shane say, drawing his attention back up to Shane’s face. “Let’s go in my office.”
Shane released his hand before turning toward the door furthest from the receptionist’s desk. Jeremy followed behind the man, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat. He had the feeling that when he walked through that door, his life was going to change forever.
The interior of Shane’s office proved to be as masculine as the man himself. Dark woods, leather chairs, and couch. Even the blinds on the big window that was facing the Rockies were dark wood.
Jeremy had gotten to the middle of the room and stopped. He had visually gathered the details of the room, just as he had done to Shane in the lobby. Now, Jeremy didn’t know what to do.
The intimidation that oozed from Shane had Jeremy weary of the man, but Jeremy also knew that he didn’t want to be away from the godlike man before him.
Leaning against the desk now, Shane was looking at Jeremy, with a slight smirk.
“So, how long have you been in the lifestyle, Jeremy?” Shane asked as he crossed his massive arms across his chest.
Muscles bulged, and Jeremy moaned involuntarily. The sound seemed to echo through the room. A sound Jeremy wouldn’t mind hearing repeatedly. And hopefully brought on by the man standing before him.
“Jeremy?”
He could hear Shane’s voice from a distance as if he was in a tunnel.
“Jeremy!” the dominant voice broke into Jeremy’s mind.
Mentally shaking his head, Jeremy focused on Shane.
The man was now standing directly in front of Jeremy, causing him to have to look up. “I asked you a question.”
The question. What was the question again?
Oh, yeah.
Wait! How’d he know?
He cleared his throat. “About six years, Sir,” Jeremy answered, his eyes lowering.
“Like I said before, Jeremy,” Shane said, his voice going softer as he leaned back against the desk. “No protocol right now. I just wan
ted to know.”
Letting his body relax, Jeremy smiled. “Sorry. It’s hard to know how I’m supposed to act when I meet a Dom. Some are hard-core, and others are just wanting to play at being dominant.”
“I know how that is. I’ve seen a lot of different types out there. You need to be careful. I like that you seem to know that I am truly a Dominant.”
Shane chuckled. “That’s kind of hard to miss. I mean, look at you!”
“I’m a former Navy SEAL. I keep the same discipline as I did when I served, or at least I try. It helps in my line of work.”
Jeremy glanced at the chair to his right. When he looked back up at Shane, the big guy nodded. Jeremy sat, sinking into the buttery leather.
“I know we have to stay in shape for our jobs,” Jeremy began. “But it looks like you exercise for about three people.”
Rich laughter sounded from Shane, a sound that consumed the room. It was a nice sound.
Remembering what Shane had said out in the lobby, Jeremy let his gaze move around the room. It was empty of any other person.
As if on cue, the door to the left opened, and a familiar face stepped through. It was a face of beauty, temporarily marred by bruises, but it was still beautiful.
His heart skipped a beat at the sight of the victim of that fateful night, and his cock decided it wanted some attention, from not just Shane, but the lovely woman who shyly moved toward him.
Jeremy stood.
* * * *
The man sitting in the chair in front of the desk stood, and Clara didn’t miss the fact that he was aroused. From what, she didn’t know.
Shane held his hand out for her to come over to him.
It confused her on why she blindly did as he motioned. Stepping up to his side, he smiled down at her before making the introduction.
“Clara Parsons, this is Jeremy Swenson. He was one of the paramedics that came to your rescue the night of your accident. Jeremy, this here is Clara, your patient.”