Page 149 of Protective Heroes

“Is it so you can keep an eye on me out of some promise to my brother?”

He took a step back from her, crossing his arms as if she’d slapped him in the face.

In a blink his expression switched from would-be-lover to full Marine mode. Her shoulders slumped. A brick wall would give her more answers.

“You know what, Nathan, never mind. That was Adrian’s and your mistake. Thinking you knew what was better for me than letting me decide my own life. A mistake I’ll correct.” Heat rippled across her skin from the fire lacing her veins, constricting her sweater around her neck. She pulled at the hem for some needed air.

Maybe it was time for her to go before one of them made a mistake neither would forget or forgive.

But a lug of cocky muscle walled off the front door. Guess that left the back door. With one last glance over her shoulder at the warm fire, and the promises of wild Christmas Eve sex, she turned toward the kitchen, her dreams dying a little with each step.

She rolled her eyes at the sound of heavy footsteps behind her.

“Are you done?” The arrogance in his tone turned her on her heel.

“I’m not only done, Nathan, but I am out of?—”

He prowled close and didn’t stop until his nose nearly touched hers.

He didn’t stop there.

His lips claiming hers a split second before he caught her hips and pulled them into his. He walked until he had her pinned to the kitchen wall with his body, devouring her mouth with each step.

His heavy, thick cock pressed into the soft muscle of her stomach. It was like he wanted to drive her mad.

It was foolish to let him have so much control over her, but she liked it.

Still, foolish, nonetheless.

With a single caress of his tongue along the seam of her lips, the pain of not having him close receded, replaced by the urge to fall into the passion he provoked deep within her. Was it so bad for her to crave him so strongly? That he had the power to heal the hurt with a kiss, a touch here or there?

She ached to return the attention, to nuzzle closer, to wrap her fingers around the girth of his dick and stroke his hard, silky steel length until he released masculine groans of pleasure for her.

Willa let her head fall back against the wall and relented control over her senses, her thighs clenching around his waist as he brought her legs up to wrap around him.

She panted softly as he broke the kiss and pulled back far enough to gaze into her eyes.

“Every time you touch me, Nathan, you make something come to life. Something I thought died when I buried my brother—my heart. And here we are again, dealing with the loss of another loved one. Yet, through the pain I see the desire in your eyes when we touch. Stop trying to hide it behind some promise that means nothing.” She took a deep breath. “Are my words falling on deaf ears?” She raked her fingertips through his thick brown hair. “I don’t want to close my mind and body against what we could be. But I’m scared. Scared you’ll fuel this wicked fire in me and leave me to burn alone until it consumes me whole and leaves me nothing but a shell.”

She slid down his hard, enormous body and came to stand in front of him. He gathered both of her hands in one of his and spun her around to face the large meadow beyond the deck that lined the outer part of the house.

He eased his hands down to her hips, his grip tight against her jean-clad skin. Her eyelids dipped and she welcomed warmth that cocooned their bodies together.

In the background, pops and cracks from the fire filled the silence that settled around them. Small flakes of white glistened in the soft light outside the window. All the makings of a romantic Christmas.

She threw a quick glance over her shoulder. God, she was getting high just being this close to him. How pathetic did that make her? Did she really care? This was her Heaven anyway. No one outside this room mattered right now, if at all.

Instead of answering her question, he eased his free hand beneath the hem of her sweater. Shockwaves of lust took over her senses the moment his callused fingers encased her sensitive nipple through the thin silk of her bra and tugged.

“How about we let my actions speak for now?” He dipped his head and she fell into his embrace as he licked and nibbled the tender flesh of her shoulder.

Actions. Right. Yes, she could do that.

Kiss me.

Lick me.

Eat me.

---