Page 45 of Untamed Protector

“And our bodies, in your case.”

“Good night, Lena.” I scoff and hang up. These guys, Protectors? Dominic’s a notorious playboy, and Gabriel sells his services to whoever pays more, people like Peter or Lucas. Still, that brooding intensity… maybe being protected wouldn’t be so bad after all. Ugh. It all seems fishy, no matter how hot Gabriel is.

***

It’s been over an hour, and I’ve been tossing and turning, unable to catch any sleep. I couldn’t find any decent pajamas in my bag. I needed something looser, comfier, something like a man’s shirt. And then I saw them—a stack of Gabriel’s plain white tees in the dresser, each one holding a faint whiff of that citrus cologne he wears. I put one of them on, and it smelled so good, so clean, and so undeniably him.

Since the accident, I’ve never had this much happen in just twenty-four hours, or since we were kids and she died, or since my mom walked out on us.

This room is like a cave. The frosted glass window barely lets in any moonlight. Every few seconds, I swear I hear the sea and the wind whipping off the beach, but it’s so dark I can’t even tell how close we are. Who on earth puts a frosted window in their bedroom? Does Gabriel hate sunlight or something? This house would make you think he was a vampire. But that olive, slightly sunburnt skin of his that makes his jaw look even more chiseled and rugged… that’s something else. He seemed pretty intimidating at first. But here in his house, he looks a little more relaxed, maybe.

Every creak and groan outside makes me cringe. Maybe it’s just the wind messing with the trees. There’s not even any traffic hum to block it out. This area must be super quiet at night. So, I left the bathroom door cracked open and the lights on. I’m not a fan of the dark.

Right now, I could use Lena. I need someone to talk to, laugh with, and drown out the noise in my head with a good old heart-to-heart over drinks. Or I could do a puzzle—anything to distract myself and make these memories fade away. I’ll never forget the time Lena surprised me with an erotic puzzle from the sex shop, made of nude images. We spent hours putting it together, matching the body parts, and laughing the whole way through. God, I miss her. She’s like my soul sister, and she and Dad keep me grounded.

My throat feels like sandpaper. Why didn’t I grab some water before Gabriel switched off the lights? Just a few sips would be a godsend right now, anything to settle the knot of nerves in my stomach. But venturing into the kitchen would probably set off the alarm system—and Gabriel’s in the study at the other end of the living room.

This house is seriously weird. You walk in through giant doors, but there aren’t any regular windows. Instead, there’s a huge skylight smack in the middle of the living room ceiling. You can look right up at the stars at night or the sunbeams streaming in during the day. All the other rooms are clustered around it, like little pods in a beehive.

I’ll get a closer look at the house tomorrow. And maybe I get a chance to talk to Lena about the mystery car that ran into us. On Monday, I’m back at Grain Inc. and resuming my search mission. Gabriel will probably pick me up in the evenings, leaving me with Mike or someone else during the day. But I’ll be free though. At least, I hope so.

This room is closing in on me! Creaking the door open as quietly as a mouse, I tiptoe into the living room. It’s dark in here, but I remember seeing the fridge on the left when Gabriel grabbed a water bottle earlier. He’s probably holed up in his study working—that off-limits room at the end of the hall.

With the water bottle in my hand, I turn to slink back to the bedroom when a dark figure jumps off the couch and lunges at me. Before I can even blink, a scream rips out of my throat. Then I hear Gabriel’s voice, all confused, “Why are you sneaking around?” He flicks on the lights, and there he is, looking like he just rolled out of bed with his hair sticking up everywhere and… buck naked.

I try to look away but can’t pull myself to do it. In the dim light, his abs look incredible, like someone spent ages chiseling them into a work of art. Every muscle seems to tell a story of hard work and dedication. But it’s the whole package that’s got me hooked. The way he moves, all smooth and powerful, is seriously distracting. His broad shoulders taper down to a perfect V-shape, with two lines etched into his muscles that fade next to something… large and very naked. He’s like the epitome of manhood, and I’m like a moth to a flame.

I drop the bottle, and it breaks into a thousand pieces. That was the water I was supposed to be quietly drinking in my room. Too late for that now.

“Don’t move, or you’ll hurt yourself.” A blush creeps up Gabriel’s neck as he snatches his jeans off the couch, throws them on clumsily, and strides over to me. “Hold on, I’ll take you to the bedroom.”

He picks me up like a feather, carefully hopping over the glass mess. My arms wrap around his neck, surprised by how hot his skin is. Crap, I woke him up. He was probably snuggled up on the couch with just a sheet to cover him. I can’t help but run two fingers up his neck and through his hair—softer than I expected. The beard makes him look way more intense, especially with that grumpy face. But those lips… they look like they know what they want and aren’t afraid to get it. Ever since he grabbed me at the Casino, surrounded by all those people, I’ve been dying to touch that beard and feel his hair. Now, in this quiet house, it’s just us two. And this bodyguard-client thing feels way different right now.

Everything flipped when he ditched the suit and tie and let go of this uptight, got-to-follow-every-rule attitude. When we were just two people sharing a corner table and a salad. When he listened to me, really listened. When he touched my lips, and then when I saw his full-on Greek god body.

He carries me over to the bed, where he gently lowers me down. “I’ll get you some more water. Get in, please.” He sounds like he wants to let go, but his hand stays parked on my hip like he isn’t quite ready to leave.

“And the broken glass?”

“I’ll pick that up later. Let’s get you to sleep. You’ve had a long day. We have a lot to do tomorrow,” he whispers.

“I can’t sleep, I’m sorry. You’re not my babysitter, I know, but I need someone. I’m constantly battling my memories. They drag me back to some dark places, and I can’t seem to shake them on my own tonight.”

“How do you usually fall asleep?”

“I have Lena. We talk, and she hangs out with me and helps me calm down. Or I do a puzzle.”

“I’ll buy you some puzzles tomorrow.”

He pulls his hand away and takes a step back, looking me in the eye like he wants to make sure I’m going to listen to what he has to say. “Lexi, look. I don’t do relationships,” he says, as if giving a death sentence.

I’m not asking for a relationship. What the hell is this guy thinking? I just need him to hang out with me for a bit. But he looks scared. Or maybe I’m just not his type.

“You don’t do relationships with women like me, or in general? Seeing Anita all over you last night…”

“Anita is nothing to worry about. I don’t do relationships because my lifestyle doesn’t allow me.”

“What’s wrong with your lifestyle? We met because of your lifestyle.”

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