Page 17 of When He Protects

I want you. Her husky words rolled through Tyler’s head again. When she’d spoken those three little words, hiswhole body had jolted. His dick had gotten instantly hard. Oh, who was he kidding? It had gottenharderfor her. Because he’d already been semi-aroused. How could he not be? Especially after she mentioned their kisses. Kisses that had ignited a dangerously intense lust within him. Which brought him to an important point. “Not a good idea for me to protect her.” He did not need to be in twenty-four, seven contact with a woman who tempted him so badly. Nope. Not a stellar plan.

“You excel at protecting. It’s your thing. No bad guys are gonna get past your guard.”

“Find someone else.”

Her eyelashes flickered.

He leaned forward. She looked sad. Esme had damn well better not cry again. Fake tears or not, he didn’t like it when she cried.

“There isn’t anyone else. You heard her. You’re the woman’s non-negotiable part. She wants you.”

And I want to do all sorts of bad things with her.

Nope. He was the marshal. The good guy. He would not cross that line.

“She has power, Tyler.” Low. Careful. “Pull that I didn’t expect, and I’m not just talking about her ambassador father. My boss is about to lose his mind because he thinks she is some major player that can do serious damage to some very bad people.”

She didn’t look like a major player. She looked fragile. Her shoulders had hunched a little. Esme was so much smaller than he was. Small things were breakable in his world.

“She wants you. That’s her sticking point. And, I’m sorry, but your boss has agreed to the terms. Unless you want to have one major battle with him, I think you’re goingto be pulling protection duty with Esme Laurent for the foreseeable future.”

Oh, he could handle a battle with his boss. Any day of the week. And in the end, Tyler would get what he wanted because he had plenty of power, too. But…

“We need her to stay alive,” Gray continued grimly. “Alive. A five-million-dollar hit doesn’t just vanish. Some skilled assassins will be closing in. You really think justanyonecan handle them? Hell, no. We need someone with experience. With a deadly skill set. We need someone who can stay calm under the most extreme of circumstances—stay calm and still kick ass. In other words, I need you for the job. Come on, buddy. Look at it this way. You do this, and the FBI will owe you. The CIA will owe you.Iwill owe you. Hell, I’ll name my first-born son after you, if you want.”

He grunted. He didn’t care about the Feds and the Spooks owing him. What he did care about…

“She could very well die without you.”

Fuck.

“Tell me this…” Gray never stopped talking. “Didshe really step between you and a gun?”

“Yes.” A moment burned in his mind. What in the hell had she been thinking?

“So, don’tyouowe the woman? One good life save deserves another and all that?”

Esme lifted her delicate hand to her mouth. Her fingers pressed to her lips. She blew Tyler a kiss.

His eyes narrowed.

“We, ah, even have a cover story.” Gray cleared his throat. “Since the two of you will be staying together in such a close manner, it seemed best that you have a paired new identity.”

He wasn’t going to like this. Not at all.

Esme hopped off the table. She strolled toward the mirror. Her steps were slow. Graceful. Her heels clicked on the floor. She walked across the grungy floor of the Fed’s interrogation room like she was taking a glide across a runway at a fashion show.

“You’ll be her husband.”

Esme stopped in front of the glass. One small hand lifted. Pressed to the mirror.

“She’ll, uh, she’ll pretend to be your wife.”

Esme’s brilliant smile curled her lips.

“Tyler?”

He stared at Esme. His hands remained fisted at his sides. He damn well wasn’t gonna do some dumb shit like put his hand on top of hers as it rested on the glass. Why the hell would he do that?

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