Page 56 of When He Protects

A tremble of fear might have gone through her heart.

“You think I’ll fuck you once and walk away?”

She actually hadn’t thought beyond the immediate fuck.Or…yes, I have thought beyond it. I know he’ll have to walk away eventually.

“Not happening. You’re going to be mine, Esme. I protect what’s mine.”

Her tongue swiped over her lips. “I thought you already were protecting me.”

“Because you’re already mine. You just didn’t fucking know it. You will now. Before I’m done, there will be no doubt.” And he caught her legs. He pulled them to the side of the bed. Pulled her there. “I’ve been dying to taste what’s mine.”

Her lips parted in surprise.

Then he put his mouth on her. Right where she ached the most for him. He devoured her.

Chapter Twelve

Her taste drove him insane.His hold on her waist was probably too tight, but Tyler couldn’t let go. Just like he couldn’t stop licking her. Taking more and more of her. Her hands flew over his shoulders even as she arched her hips against him. Not to get away. To get closer.

Then she screamed his name. He could swear he tasted her pleasure as she came for him. Against his lips and tongue. He didn’t stop. Just lapped her up greedily because he wanted every fucking drop of her bliss.

Esme is mine.

It was time for her to realize that.

“Tyler?” Soft. Broken.

He’d never have her broken. One more lick—one that made her shiver—and his head rose.

“I’m not…still dreaming, am I?” Her breath panted in and out. “Because I don’t usually have sex dreams that are this good.”

It felt like a dream to him. The most erotic of his life. But it wasn’t. “I’m going to fuck you until you scream my name again.”

“Promises, promises…”

Yeah, it was a promise.

He stood. Backed away. Then he hit the light on the lamp beside the bed. Immediately, a soft glow of illumination spilled onto Esme.

She blinked, and her hand flew out to grab one of the tangled sheets. She yanked it over her body.

Why the hell would she do something like that? His hands had gone to the waist of his jeans. At her move, though, he stilled. “Shy, Esme? Now?”

She clutched the sheet tighter. Then, slowly, she let it go. As she did, he saw the scar on her stomach. A line that stretched and twisted.

She’d walked toward the bed and tempted him earlier, showing him her perfect ass. But he realized that she’d hidden her scar from him. Odd. Damn unnecessary, too. “Thought you didn’t mind scars.”

“I don’t mindyourscars.” A hitch in her breathing. “But I?—”

He kissed her scar. Pressed his mouth to the line that marked her and tried not to remember the day she’d gotten that scar. The way she’d been so still in his arms. Her body so limp.Never again.

“Tyler.”

His head lifted.

“What’s changed?” A soft question from Esme.

Everything.He straightened once more. Then he opened the nightstand drawer. He’d put his weapon in that drawer earlier. His weapon. His phone. His wallet. Now he pulled out the condom that had been tucked into his wallet. He dropped it onto the top of the nightstand. His gaze slid back to Esme, and he found her eyes on the condom.

---