Page 4 of Her UnBearable Protector

He opened his mouth to speak and she held up her hand.

“Nod or shake.”

He moved closer, leaning toward her until she was nearly breathing him in. His eyes roamed over her face, a lazy smile curving his full lips between his mustache and beard. When his lips passed within a hair of her palm he grinned until his teeth shone white between his suntanned skin and firm lips. He tilted his chin down in a nod. The rough scratch of his mustache tickled down her palm, sending shivers through her body.

And then he was gone, walking to the door with confident strides, and all she could do was stare at the way his suit hugged his form. Sure, she’d been all straightforward sass with him, but she couldn’t deny to herself that Salvatore Orsino was one man who could take her mind off of Fashion Week. This persistent bodyguard could do more damage than anything else if she let him.

She watched him pull the door open and wait for her to leave the room, his intense chocolate stare warming her all over. Lifting her chin in the air, she walked past him with a resolute stride and her heart quickening in her chest.

Chapter Two

In all of their time working in Italy and the Americas, Orsino Security had never worked for a fashion house. But their secretary, Paloma, had an unnatural fascination with the show Project Runway and had all but shoved him out the door when Giovanni Durante had called for an appointment. He was told to make sure that he acquired a pair of tickets for the show in SoHo.

To hear Paloma talk about fashion design, it was hours of cruel insults, theft of designs, and ‘fashionable’ looks that bore more resemblance to modern art than actual wearable garments.

So, spending the better part of a day at the entrance of the Durante workroom should have been mind-numbing. Should have been.

The workroom was a lesson in organized chaos. While he'd watched, nearly two dozen models came into the workroom. Each of the women was assigned a garment and shown to a changing room, and they changed while their portfolios were studied and then set into piles on a side table.

Women walked… and walked… and walked. The hardest thing for Salvatore to do was to keep his bear calm during all the activity. All the pacing back and forth drew the animal’s attention like prey, urging them to hunt. To counter the flurry of activity, his bear sought out the purpose of their visit.

“Natale,” he felt her name rumble over his tongue as if he could feel her skin instead of just the sound. He drew in a breath and swore he caught her scent in his lungs. As he watched the way she controlled all the movement in the room, he found he respected her as much as he craved her.

His bear chuffed within him, the large and powerful beast hunkered down to enjoy the view. Salvatore agreed wholeheartedly.

She wore a black skirt that caressed her body, not tight enough to make her movements uncomfortable, but enough that he could see the swell of her hip under the soft and yielding fabric. Her blouse, a deep garnet color that made her skin luminous even in the windowless room, was styled like that of a men’s dress shirt. The fold-over collar open and laid flat over her luscious curves, made them look even more feminine in contrast.

He could tell by the crease between her brows and slight purse of her lips that something wasn't right. Before he made a conscious decision to move, he was already off the counter-height stool, straightening to his full height.

More than a few heads turned in his direction. He saw curious glances and a few cautious ones as well.

Salvatore stopped and met Natale’s eyes with his own. He waited, watching her, and saw the rising color in her face. It wasn't fear. He had embarrassed her.

His bear didn't like that and asserted a fair amount of control over him, turning him back to his chair with a low rumbling growl deep within his head.

Before he could sit back down, he felt someone touch his back. Whirling around he made a grab for their hand, and ended up with Natale’s wrist in his grasp.

He heard an indrawn gasp and saw her eyes widen in reaction.

“Wow.”

A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“For a big guy,” she blushed a little, “you certainly are fast.”

“I have to be,” he answered back, “I need to stop the people trying to hurt you.”

He watched his words wash over her like the tide at the beach, and he wondered how close she was to going under.

And then he found out.

He knew his height was enough to give others pause, it was what made his work in security a little easier. People rarely tried to go toe to toe with him. Natale drew her hand back from him and he let go as she raised her eyes to his face.

“I'm fine.”

“You were upset.” He wanted to draw her close into his embrace, but he knew he'd not only shock Natale, but her staff, and the models. He’d promised that he wouldn’t interfere, and that was going to upset her. He was tempted to pull her close enough to breathe her in. His bear would have been more than happy to try, but he knew Natale wouldn’t feel that way. Not one bit.

His bear continued to push him. He wanted to stake their claim at that very minute, wrap her up in their arms and carry her off to their den.

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