Page 5 of His To Protect

“Hey, Alexis!” he called to her. “Watch our stuff. I’m going to get us another cab.” Her dismissive nod that followed maddened him, dousing his arousal and reminding him of their situation. He pressed his lips in annoyance. Alexis was too absorbed in the surroundings to really pay attention to his instruction so, he crammed the bottle he’d bought at the airport into his bag and tossed it over his shoulder. He wasn’t leaving his stuff in her care, he decided, narrowing his eyes in contempt as he walked away.

Jack turned into a coffee house around the corner on a busier street and bought two more bottles of water. Perhaps she should have come to translate for him but he needed a break from her, and she probably didn’t know much more than him anyway.

“El carro? Uh, Taxi?” Jack made a driving motion and the clerk nodded.

“Do you need a taxi, sir?” The clerk smirked. His English was heavily accented but perfectly understandable.

“Si. Gracias señor.” The clerk smiled and phoned for one. Jack thanked him and went back outside. The heat of the sun on his back felt nice since the temperatures in Bogotá were significantly lower than the costal Caribbean regions.

According to his travel research, which he did plenty of prior to the trip, as well as during their flight (whereas she read a paperback romance), Bogotá was 2,600 meters above sea level and experienced temperatures from fifty-four to sixty-three degrees. The metropolis, rich in culture, had been raved about as one of the best places to visit as well. Maybe he would come back some day on vacation and enjoy more of the beautiful city when he didn’t have to keep his eye on a brat.

“The driver would’ve come back,” Alexis said crossing her arms when he came around the corner. The crossed-arms gesture was another one of his pet peeves, but he said nothing. Mostly because his eyes scanned the ground.

The first thing he noticed, besides the fact that the band and crowd were gone, was that her bag had gone with them. God-damned disaster, he thought. Had he ever met a girl more deserving of a good hard lesson than Alexis Riker? A sore red ass might teach her to pay more attention. Or maybe going without her belongs would be enough.

“If we’d waited for your guy to come back with a taxi, we’d be here all night.”

“You have no faith in humanity, Jack,” she said, spreading her toned arms wide. “Look at this place. It’s fabulous!”

“That’s because I’ve seen more than my fair share of life, Miss Riker. Besides, you said so yourself, you’re naive.” He handed her a bottle of cold water. “Come on, the cab will pick us up around the corner.”

“Thanks.” She turned and her hands went to her hips. “Oh, where’s my bag?”

“If you needed further proof of humanity’s true nature…” He let his words trail off with a smug smile as she looked for her missing bag.

“It was right here.” She twirled around, her forehead lined in confusion. But then she just shrugged, closing the space between them, as if she’d misplaced nothing more than a tissue.

Jack’s brows shot up. What the hell? Your bag goes missing and you just shrug? Little girl, you’re nuts!

“Nothing but clothes in it anyway,” she said and patted her large purse, smiling widely. “Everything important is in here.”

He growled and walked away. A damn hard spanking with a belt, he decided! And though he normally wouldn’t enjoy doling out a punishment, he’d damn well get a lot of satisfaction from spanking her!

“May I suggest that you not drop that bag to dance anymore then?” She was at his side, matching his stride in seconds, and thankfully, blissfully silent.

When they got to the front of the café, he leaned against the wall. He watched her as she ran her hand through her hair and scooped it up to allow the breeze to cool her neck. Her nape was delicate and pale with the slightest bit of peachy new hair growth. As much as his palm itched to smack her bottom, his fingers ached to touch the fuzzy soft growth—to twirl it around his fingers and bring a shiver to her. She turned and smiled at him. He quickly hid his fascinated expression with his resting grouch face, hoping she hadn’t caught his look of wonderment.

“You’re right. I guess it’s good I hired you.” She said this with a big smile and a little hop to her step.

Jack shook his head. “How old did you say you were?” He cut her off before she could answer, mumbling, “You act about five.” A group of cocky looking young men came around the corner. Their swaggers and loud talk put Jack on high alert.

“Come here,” he said in a low growl and pulled Alexis to him. At first her eyes widened and she tensed, but when she saw the group of men, she relaxed against him. Her back, pressed against his front, had her scent, sweet and citrusy, wafting up his nose. He placed his arms tighter around her waist and boldly eyed the men until they were almost gone.

When Alexis wiggled against him, he had to close his eyes and think about Pete in a pink thong bikini to keep his cock from hardening. Alexis turned, but remained pressed against him. He thought it was hard having his pelvis cupping her curvy bottom, but having her flat abdomen against his groin was so much worse.

“I’ve lived every one of my years,” she whispered and licked her plump bottom lip. “And I resent you insinuating otherwise.”

He grunted. “I bet, Miss Riker.”

“Is it my age you doubt or that I have lived?” Her mouth curved into a frown and the corner of her eyes tightened. Alexis was not pleased with him and it made his hackles rise. He released her and took a step back, needing the distance to keep his temper in check as well as his arousal.

He should be angry, not her. She’d been lying to him. He had a good instinct for people and truths. He’d built his business on it. And with Alexis, it was all half-truths and omissions.

“I know you’re keeping something from me.” He straightened from the wall and pointed at her. “And until you start being honest with me about it, I will doubt most of what comes out of your pretty mouth.”

She hugged her arms around herself, blinked twice, bit the corner of her lip and looked away.

Busted, Miss Riker!

---