Page 24 of Tempted by a SEAL

“Flat, apartment—whatever the hell you want to call it. You can’t go back there. Not now—not ever.

He turned and continued walking toward the stairwell.

“What do you mean I can’t go back there ‘ever’?” she asked, sounding more irritated than frightened. “And why are we walking this way? The elevator’s back there.”

“We’re taking the stairs. Just a precaution. And as I was saying, I’ll arrange to bring you back with me.”

“Back? Back where?”

“I’m stationed in Little Creek. It’s near Virginia Beach—about four hours south of DC, depending on traffic, of course.”

“I can’t go back with you,” she said.

“And I can’t leave you here. Your research—you can do that anywhere, right? All you need is your laptop. I’m a Navy SEAL supposedly on R&R—I have to get back to base at some point. But I’ll feel better with you nearby until this entire shit show is over.”

“I’m not your responsibility. You certainly don’t need to feel obligated to offer me some sort of protection.”

The elevator dinged behind them, and he glanced back, watching a middle-aged couple get off. Walk in the other direction.

Emma stopped behind him as he paused at the door to the stairwell, listening. The small square window didn’t show much—anyone could be crouching down behind it. Waiting on the level below.

Emma’s floral scent filled the air as she edged closer behind him, and his groin tightened. Yeah, like now was the appropriate time to be thinking with his dick. He’d already had her in his hotel room and hadn’t even touched her. He was here to protect her—that was all.

The fact that she had his libido rising was inconvenient, but this wasn’t some chick he’d bang and then walk away from. Never see again. He’d felt protective toward her since the moment she’d bumped into him earlier—all green eyes, pale skin, and gorgeous hair. And when he’d realized she was the one those assholes had been after?

He’d seen red. The idea of letting her out of his sight now was unfathomable.

“Why are we stopping?” she asked as she tried to peer around his shoulder. “Is someone there?”

Fucking hell.

She was so small, the top of her head barely reached his shoulders. Her lips were at his bicep as she tried to peer around him—and he could feel her breath on his skin. Wouldn’t he love to be able to turn and pull her against him. Back her against the door. Kiss her until she whimpered and gasped for more.

He was hard everywhere she was soft, and yeah. It would be pretty damn spectacular.

Like they had time for that right now.

“Just listening,” he said, his voice gravel. “Making sure no one is hiding in the stairwell. I doubt anyone followed us up here, but I’m not taking any chances.”

He didn’t miss the intake of her breath. The way she stiffened behind him.

“Oh, right. Of course.”

Hell. He didn’t want to frighten her any more than she already was. He should keep his damn mouth shut. But was it better to keep her in the dark? She was clueless about the most basic of precautions. He clenched his fist, moving his hand back to his weapon.

Hunter was just pushing open the door to the stairwell when they were startled by angry shouts behind them. By the screams of the couple walking the other way.

Two men came charging off the elevator, looking left and right. Emma shrieked behind him as they came running down the hall, and Hunter tugged her in front of him as he grabbed his firearm. Pushed her through the doorway of the stairwell.

“Run!” he commanded. “Don’t wait for me.”

She didn’t question him or look back, just dashed down the stairs, red hair flying behind her. Hunter muttered under his breath and ducked out of the way as shots ran down the corridor. As the heavy door shut behind him. Grabbing a wet umbrella someone had left on the stairs, he jammed it into the door handle.

Yeah. That would stop them for all of five seconds.

Fucking hell.

“Oh my God!” Emma exclaimed breathlessly as they raced down the flights. “They came after us! They’re right up there. Ohmigod ohmigod!”

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