Page 151 of Damaged Protector

Mallori’s hands buried themselves in my hair as I banded my arms around her waist, holding her so tightly I was surprised she could even breathe. Her lips hovered over mine, and we paused the instant I was seated all the way to the hilt.

Her lips hovered over mine. “Tate,” she whispered, and I lifted one of my hands to cup the perfection of her face, letting my thumb brush back and forth across her cheekbone.

Something was happening between us. Something that should have scared me but didn’t. I was too gone for this woman.

“Need you closer, baby. Wrap your legs around me.”

She did, binding them tightly around my waist as she closed the distance between our mouths. Our tongues moved slowly. We’d kissed a thousand times, and yet this felt like an exploration of sorts. Like we were learning each other for the first time.

Mallori’s hips rocked like the gentle waves of a lake. It was slow, sensual. I was buried deep inside her, and yet this didn’t feel like fucking. It felt like… more.

I handed over all control to her, letting her have me like she needed, and it blew my mind. She blew my mind.

My Little Bee never sped up—and I didn’t urge her to—taking us both on a tender journey of pleasure. And not just the physical kind. Something profound was happening inside me that I couldn’t quite define, and my chest suddenly felt too small to contain my heart.

With the wind and rain still storming outside, we finished together. There was no wild thrusting or dirty talk, and yet it was the most fulfilling orgasm of my life. I poured every bit of myself into Mallori Fitz as she squeezed around me.

She stopped moving her body, just holding me inside her, though our kiss continued for a long while. When our tongues and lips slowed and she eventually pulled back, what I saw in her eyes should have scared me away, but it didn’t. I wanted those emotions from her, wanted to return them, but I didn’t know how.

All I knew was that one night in a closet in the middle of a raging storm changed me forever…

And I wasn’t sure how the hell I was going to let her go.

When a ringing sound shattered our moment, Mallori lifted off me and sat on the blanket before silently handing me my phone. I kissed the back of her hand before answering Woody’s call.

“Hey, man.” My voice sounded like the tornado had ripped directly down my throat.

“You okay?” he asked quickly. “You sound weird.”

“Fine,” I assured him, still holding Mal’s hand. She pulled it away, and I frowned. “You and Taz?” I watched as she stood and dressed.

“We’re good. We hunkered down in the closet.”

“Yeah, us too. I haven’t gone out to check for damage yet, but we don’t have lights,” I said as Mallori picked up the flashlight and moved around the walk-in closet.

“We don’t either. Our house is fine, but we have a lot of branches down. I was thinking we should go check on Cam’s place since they’re in Florida.”

“Good idea. I’ll meet you over there at first light.”

Woody waited a beat before saying in a low voice, “That scared the shit out of me. All I could think of was my wife and baby getting hurt.”

I feel ya, brother.

“But they’re okay?” I checked once again.

He chuckled. “Yes, Taz threatened to beat me with her leg if I asked one more time.”

“Sounds like her.” A soft gasp had my spine straightening in panic, and then a gentle hand touched my back. I tried not to wince at the pain. “Look, Woodster, I need to run. I’ll see you at dawn.”

“Okay, man. Glad you’re okay.”

As soon as we disconnected, Mallori sat behind me, her legs bracketing mine as she placed feathery kisses against the sore spot.

“You have a boot print on your back. It’s all bruised.”

I swiveled around to face her. “I’m okay, Bee. I’m going to check on the house. You stay here until I make sure it’s safe.”

She frowned and shook her head. “No, I’m coming with you.”

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