Page 147 of Protective Heroes

A soft click of a lock brought her out of the inner thoughts. Her balance wobbled just slightly, and she bumped into a table. She shot out a hand and grabbed a photo before it could fall to the hardwood floor.

Willa zeroed in on the image. There he was—Adrian—all smiles and full of promise. Her chest tightened and tears broke loose to fall freely.

Damn the holidays. They always made her a little more emotional.

A little more heartbroken for all the things she didn’t have.

Like Nathan and a warm home and lover to call her own.

Ugh. She needed to shove her heart into a vault and clamp that fucker shut already.

She shouldn’t have come. Being here was a big fat mistake.

She sensed Nathan’s strength a second before he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Strong. Muscular.

Her heart jumped in her throat and refused to budge.

And then she did the one thing she shouldn’t have done.

She hoped.

His strong arm slipped around her waist while he took the photo from her grasp. Solid muscle pressed up against her back and her body melted into him, welcoming his strong support.

Nathan set the picture on the table and gently turned her to face him.

She blinked quickly, dashing all the tears away.

Catching her chin in a firm but gentle hold, he forced her to look at him.

His warm, brown gaze caressing over every part of her face as if he was looking at her for the first time.

“He made me promise not to touch you, Willa.” A gentle touch to her cheek sent a pulse of desire to rock through her. “I want you to know since the first day you walked into my life you’re all I ever wanted. Adrian knew that. And you need to know I plan on breaking that promise to stay away from you tonight. I’m going to claim that virgin pussy with my fingers, my mouth and my thick cock. Part those beautiful silky thighs and watch as I stretch you and take what I’ve wanted since the first time I met you. I knew you would be mine one day. And Willa, today I’m tired of running. Tired of waiting. I want what’s mine. You.”

Me?

Claim me?

Her breath hitched in shock.

A good shock. A do-I-strip-right-now kind of shock.

Jesus, she couldn’t catch her breath. It was like he wanted to make her come right then and there without even touching her all-too-willing body. She might be inexperienced, but her body had desired him long enough and her fantasies were fierce. Plus she did have the internet. Her body might not know the touch of a man, but her well-primed mind would fill in the gaps where she lacked experience.

Her gaze raised to his as he spoke. Heavy and thick with lust, each word struck a tingling nerve. Mentally stuck on the imagery that went along with his words, she was caught off guard when his lips crashed into hers.

Hungry, starving.

Minty with a hint of whiskey? Or was that tequila? Who cared—she was drunk on his taste already.

There was no denying the need, the lust, the deep-seated passion that thrived between them untapped for so long. His tongue parted her lips and she opened, matching his masculine moan with her feminine one. It fed into her through him. Each stroke of his tongue against hers. She wound her arms around his neck and he anchored her against his hard body with an arm around her waist.

Willa paused and her heart broke a fraction. “Why? Why would you make such a promise and why wouldn’t he want me—us—happy?” Thoughts warred between his words and his actions over the past years.

Against her better judgment, she leaned into his warm welcoming body and soaked in his touch before he pulled away from her. A single tear slid down her cheek at the thought of letting go of him for good this time.

But he didn’t pull away. Not in the way she thought he would anyway.

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