Page 55 of Untamed Protector

I roll my eyes at him, but as I try to jump off the counter, he comes over to me determined and lifts me, wrapping my legs around him. “And put on some goddamn panties, or we won’t get to eat anytime soon.”

Before dinner, Gabriel changes into his jeans, brings me my pants from the bedroom floor, and tries to reclaim his shirt. But all he gets is a determined grin—I’m keeping it.

We manage to look somewhat decent. Especially me. Gabriel’s just strolling around the kitchen shirtless, completely oblivious to the fact that I can’t stop staring at him. Maybe another twenty-four hours together will cure me of my desire to feel him tense up under my fingers. Or maybe not.

The dinner was quick since we both were starving. The evening is relaxed and quiet, and nothing’s bothering us—no noise, no calls, no texts, and no threats.

When I looked out the living room windows this morning, I noticed how close the beach and the sea were. I wanted to feel the sand under my feet and the breeze in my hair, but there wasn’t enough time for a walk. I’ve been living in a port city for almost two months, but the beach is north, and Lena and I hardly ever make it there. Since the weather still feels spring-like and the water is cold, our walks have mostly been along the waterfront.

“Now that I got you in a better mood, why don’t we talk about something else?” Gabriel says with a playful wink. “Like what happened today.”

“What’s there to say? I know how you feel about women clients, and I don’t want to break your famous rule.”

“That’s not what I meant. I was talking about the mess that Lucas made with that video. But if you feel like it, we can also talk about that other thing, too.”

That other thing…. meaning me and him fucking like crazy the whole afternoon. I know where we stand. At least, my rational mind does. But my heart is… I don’t know, I still don’t want to admit it; it would be a disaster if I…

“Whatever happens, happens. You’re safe with me, even if it might sound weird for me to be the one talking about safety,” I say, licking off the last bit of ice cream we dug into after dinner. We’ve both been eating from the same box, like a couple hanging out after making love—or in our case, after fucking.

“The way I act when I’m around you… I can’t explain it. And I certainly didn’t plan for it,” Gabriel says, his voice rough with barely contained emotion. “But I can’t let you get tangled up in my life. You deserve better.” His gaze flickers across my face as if willing me to understand. “I’ll just drag you down. You need to be out there, shining. This lifestyle I chose works perfectly for me, but it would be a total nightmare for you.”

I keep silent. What does he know about the nightmares I have? That comes with being a survivor. I’m not allowed to complain or say it’s too much because I’m the lucky one who got the chance to live.

“Let’s go to the beach. We can probably squeeze in an hour or two before the sun sets. Are you up for it?” I plead, imagining how beautiful it must be at this time—just breathing in the salty air while watching the sun dip into the water.

Gabriel looks at me, weighing his options. I stare him down so he won’t think of saying no, and he gives in. “Okay, sure. It shouldn’t take us more than five minutes if we cut across the small sand dunes. It’s a secluded beach, kind of wild. At this time of day, I don’t think there’s anyone there. It’s far from the busy roads.”

“Let’s go then.”

He throws on a T-shirt, grabs a hoodie, puts his shoes on, and signals for me to follow him outside. “Don’t forget your shoes. There are parts of the road with stones leading to the beach, so you might hurt your feet. And I got a hoodie for you, just in case.”

Minutes later, we make our way through the backyard, sneaking out through a small gate that leads to the beach. As soon as we step outside, Gabriel pulls out his phone and starts typing away.

“Are you locking up? Are there any burglars around here?” I ask.

“I’m turning on the alarm and the sensors. Our story’s already public. Some nosy folks might show up. Stay close.”

His hand finds mine, sending a jolt that shoots up my arm. His fingers brush hesitantly, almost shyly, before lacing through mine completely. The warmth of his touch is comforting, and I find myself instinctively matching his pace, our steps falling into sync effortlessly.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his smile genuine, his eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I meet his eyes, a rush of emotions swirling within me. I try to decode it—it’s a sense of belonging that I’ve never experienced before.

“Yeah,” I say softly and smile, my voice barely above a whisper. “It feels nice.”

I can already smell the sea air as I throw his hoodie over my shoulders. We sit down on a dry stump that the waves brought in. The beach is empty, so quiet. I haven’t felt this safe and calm in forever, with Gabriel beside me.

“I think I understand how your clients must feel when they have you around. You know, speaking as a client myself. You leave nothing to chance.”

“Well, technically, you’re not a client. I’m not getting paid to look after you,” Gabriel says, smiling.

“Maybe I could fix that.”

“I don’t think you could afford me.”

“Oh, really? And how do you know what I can afford or not?”

He smirks and raises an eyebrow.

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