Page 64 of Control

“I’m glad you recognize the seriousness of the threat that was delivered, because that’s been on my mind since last night,” Ty shared. “And it’s making me a bit nervous about your return to work. The thought of you being out of my sight isn’t easing any of that.”

There was that, too.

Work.

I had planned to head back in a matter of days, but something told me that my investigation into this story wouldn’t be wrapped up that quickly. And while I hadn’t expected I would have uncovered the truth by the time I’d returned, the issue was that I couldn’t very well take Ty with me when I returned to the news station unless I wanted Dale to start asking questions about why I needed a bodyguard.

“Maybe I could buy myself some additional time by simply calling and telling them I need a few more weeks for my foot to heal. Technically, I won’t have this boot off for six weeks. That means I’m looking at just shy of two more weeks. I have enough in savings to cover myself, and I do technically have some paid time off I could use. Applying for short-term disability seems like a lot of extra work right now, and considering what I might still get myself into over the next couple of weeks, it just wouldn’tfeel right,” I reasoned. “Plus, the more things go like this, the more I’m realizing just how important it is to do this work. I’m leaning heavily toward going off on my own for work.”

Ty set his fork down after taking his final bite of steak and lifted a piece of toast toward his mouth. “I’ll support you in any way I can if that’s what you choose. Like I said, I don’t want to tell you what to do or step on your toes when it comes to your job. But I’d be lying if I said that things didn’t change between us, Alana. Your safety is my priority.”

Things changed.

Obviously, I knew that.

After that kiss last night, I got the sneaking suspicion. But following what happened in his bed this morning, there wasn’t a doubt about it.

Something squeezed in my chest at his admission. “Things changed between us,” I said softly.

“I hope that doesn’t come as a surprise to you.”

I shook my head. “No. No, I just like the way it makes me feel to hear you say it. And I guess I’m curious what it means for you when it comes to stuff like we’re discussing.”

Ty popped the last bite of toast into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. “You’re no longer the girl who walked into Harper Security Ops looking for a bodyguard. You’re mine now, babe. And that means I’m going to go above and beyond what I would have already done to protect you.”

With the last bite of my breakfast gone, I got out of my seat and crawled into Ty’s lap. He didn’t hesitate to sit back and give me the space I needed. I draped my arms over his shoulders, nuzzled my face close, and kissed along his neck. My lips made their way to his ear, and once I was there, I whispered, “What else does it mean?”

His lips curved into a smile. “Sounds like someone’s not feeling so shy anymore. How about I take you upstairs and show you what else it means to be mine?”

“Hmmm. I guess a slight delay in figuring out what to do next won’t hurt anything.”

Ty didn’t hesitate.

He lifted me in his arms and carried me upstairs. Then he showed me what was arguably the best part about being his.

EIGHTEEN

Ty

“Alright, so we’ve got a plan now, right?”

Sitting with my back resting against the arm of the couch, Alana’s body between my legs, my arms were wrapped around her, and I nipped at her ear. “I’ll do anything you want, baby.”

Her body shivered. “Ty, you have to focus.”

My mouth moved along the skin just beneath her ear, a smile playing at my lips. I found it amusing when her words said one thing and her body told me something else.

The thing was, even if she had been entirely serious, Alana had to have lost her mind if she thought I could have her cuddled so close—smelling her and feeling her soft body—and not want to have my hands and mouth on her. With the exception of her seemingly wanting to have this conversation now, Alana had made it clear she enjoyed the things I did to her.

One of my hands drifted up to her breast, where my thumb stroked lightly over the material covering her nipple. “Who says I’m not focused?”

Alana pressed the back of her head into my shoulder. “What you’re doing now is not helping anyone stay focused. It’s distracting both of us.”

I chuckled, offering another swipe and a squeeze. “You’re distracted?”

Twisting her neck, she glanced up at me and begged, “Please?”

When she looked at me like that, I couldn’t deny her. No matter how much I knew she was enjoying what I’d been doing and would love what would happen when it led to where I had intended for it to go, I decided to stop trying to distract the both of us and give her what she wanted. “Okay, okay. But you need to accept my apology. I’m sorry. It’s just that…well, I don’t think it’s fair I get blamed for being unable to resist you.”

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