Page 46 of Protected By the Billionaire Ex-SEAL

When I get to the middle of Charlie Hooper and His Red Ball, my brows lift. At the same time, the door to Raven’s bedroom opens and I hear her excited footsteps before she appears before me.

“I did it. Made it to half of the book, but I already know how it’s going to end.”

Triumph shines on her face, making her look even more vibrant than she already is. I grin. “Congratulations. That sounds like an achievement.” Then I remember something. “How do you know the landmarks of San Diego so well?”

She puzzles over my question, then shrugs. “I grew up there.”

“Shut the hell up.”

Her mouth drops open, but I’m already bouncing off the couch toward her.

“What?”

“I know San Diego. I was stationed in Coronado for a few years, and my headquarters is there. But I also have a small office in downtown San Diego.”

Her eyes widen. “No freaking way. Since when?”

“Stationed about six years ago, but the office in San Diego is around two years old.”

“Oh. I didn’t go home much after college. Maybe a week or two breaks, but I also mostly just spent time with my family. Why is your headquarters on an island?”

“Tourists. They bring in a lot of clients.”

She nods, then brightens. “Wow, we finally have something in common.”

“What do you mean? We have a lot in common.”

I lean close to her, wanting her to know exactly what I mean. Her eyes widen again, then darken, while her lips slide into an impish smile.

“We do? I don’t know what you mean. Perhaps you should remind me.”

God, this teasing side of Raven is so natural—and so tempting. I start walking, and she does, too. Eventually, I have her cornered with her ass and back against the kitchen island.

“Perhaps I should,” I whisper against her mouth, our lips brushing repeatedly over each other, kissing but not kissing, as we wait for one of us to make the first move. I tease her to break first, but Raven’s tongue comes out and licks my lower lip. Just like that, it’s game over. “Fuck.”

In the blink of an eye, I band my arm around her waist and crush my mouth to hers while I lift her to sit on the counter. She immediately spreads her legs for me and kisses me back, drawing me into a heady desire that I know all too well now. It’s as potent as ever between us as if each time we come together just adds to the wanting instead of satiating it.

When she runs a finger down my throat, I growl. “Kitchen island?”

“Couch?”

“We’ve done couch. But I kind of want you there again…maybe bent over.”

The image of Raven in that position is enough to destroy me and melt my brain. She moans, too, in shock.

“Oh, my God.”

“Oh, Christian,” I correct, then lift her again, intending to carry her straight toward the couch. “Keep moaning my name like that and I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Then the doorbell rings, freezing us both. When it rings again, I struggle not to curse or throw something at the door. Instead, we reluctantly pull apart.

“Maybe it’s important.”

Her suggestion doesn’t calm me in the least bit, especially when her mouth still looks ripe and swollen. I grimace, then adjust myself in my pants, not about to let the world see that I’m already hard and primed for this woman.

Then I open the door and am faced with another woman, one with a friendly smile and a plate of pie in her hands.

“Aimee?”

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