Page 11 of Her Protective Lumberjack

Goddammit.

Our kiss was incredible. Chloe’s lips were so fucking soft and sweet, like ripe cherries. She set off fireworks in my gut when she moaned against me, gripping me tightly like she couldn’t get enough. It was perfect. I keep running it over in my mind, replaying each moment again and again. The way Chloe looked at me, eyes molten, lips parted. The way she kissed me back, tentative at first, then deeper, hungrier.Fuck.My cock aches at the memory of her curves pressing against me before that damn cell phone ruined everything.

I’m not an idiot. I can guess why Chloe pulled away from me. She knows I’m her dad’s oldest friend, and she did the mature thing—breaking our kiss instead of breaking his trust. I’m twiceher age, dammit. It should be me doing the mature thing. I should be the one to know better; do better. But I want her so fucking badly that nothing else matters to me. I care about Roman. He and Nolan were my brothers in arms back in the military, and that will always be important to me. But not even my respect for Roman can stop me from craving his daughter.

When the sun rises a few hours later, my head hurts from thinking so damn much. I rub my dry eyes and feed Rocky his breakfast, but I don’t have much of an appetite. Instead, I grab my axe and chop up the tree I felled yesterday, trying to pour all my frustration into every thwack of metal against wood. My stomach knots when I hear movement from inside the cabin, and I abandon my work, heading inside to see Chloe. I don’t know what I’m going to say, but it doesn’t matter. I need to see her.

She’s sitting at the table when I walk in, petting Rocky. I watch her tense when she hears me enter, and the air around us crackles, thick and heavy, like the sky before a thunderstorm.

“Good morning,” she mumbles.

“Morning, Chloe.”

I stare at her hungrily, taking her in. It’s only been one night, but it feels like I haven’t seen her in days. I should feel awkward as hell after she pulled away from me yesterday, but I don’t; I’m too far gone to feel embarrassed, too fucking captivated by this girl.

“Sorry about last night,” she says eventually, looking up at me with guilty eyes. “Running off like that…it wasn’t the best way to handle things.”

“I get it.” I take the seat opposite her, leaning across the table to look into her eyes. “You don’t want to hurt your dad.”

Chloe bites her lip, shaking her head. “No. I don’t. I feel bad knowing he’s back in the city trying to protect me while I’m out here…kissing his friend…”

The word “kissing” sets my pulse thrumming, memories of last night swirling behind my eyes.

“Your dad is doing his job,” I say simply. “He wants you here with me. Safe.”

“I know.” Chloe looks at me pointedly. “But he didn’t say anything about making out with you while I’m here.”

I swallow hard, losing myself in her gaze. We haven’t broken eye contact for a while, and it makes my heart pound as I ask, “Is that the only thing holding you back? Your dad?”

Chloe frowns slightly. “I…no. It’s not just that.” She finally looks away. “I don’t want to get attached, not when we’re going to end up never seeing each other again.”

Her voice sounds thick, like she’s trying to hold back her emotions, and something sinks in my gut.

“Who says we’re never going to see each other again?” I demand, standing up with a frown.

Chloe blinks up at me. “We live so far apart. Once I go back to Phoenix, you’ll be gone from my life.”

“What makes you think that?”

She shrugs sadly. “That’s just what happens, isn’t it? People drift apart. They leave…”

“Not me, Chloe.” I circle the table and hook my thumb under her chin, forcing her to look at me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“But—”

“There are no buts,” I say. “I promised to protect you, and that’s what I’ll do. Not just now, but always. Whatever it takes.” I lean down, our faces almost touching as I say it again. “Whatever it takes, Chloe.”

“But you’ll be in Colorado?—”

My hands cup her cheeks, my thumb brushing her bottom lip. “I’ll be wherever you are, princess.”

Then I kiss her. And this time, I won’t let anything distract us. A fucking avalanche could rip through the mountains rightnow—I’m still not letting Chloe go. This girl is mine, and it’s time for me to prove it.

I lift her into my arms and push her back against the wall, her curves melting against me as we kiss desperately. It feels like a dam has burst. All the frustration that has been eating away at me for days is spurring me on, flowing through me.

Chloe’s tongue slides against mine, sweet as cherry pie, her legs straddling my hips. My cock is hard as rock, throbbing in my boxers, and I push my bulge against her, savoring the way she gasps.

“This is what you do to me, Chloe,” I mutter, trailing kisses down the soft skin of her neck. “Fuck, you don’t know how much I want you.”

---