Page 19 of Protecting Her

“You are incredible,” Jude kissed her tenderly.

There was a perfect minute of post orgasmic haze before Jude’s voice disrupted her.

“We just crossed every single professional boundary. I’m supposed to be the one protecting you.”

“And you can’t do that anymore?”

Jude stilled, her body coiling with tension again. “I don’t know,” she finally whispered. “I don’t want to lose my objectivity and focus. If I do and…”

“I know,” Carmen whispered. “I know.” Carmen leant in and kissed her before they both pulled apart and got up gathering their clothes.

Even though Carmen understood their need to keep their professional distance and not breach those boundaries anymore, she didn’t expect to feel the pain in her heart cut as deeply as it did.

5

JUDE

Jude moved through the gala venue's security sweep with mechanical precision, her body operating on training while her mind betrayed her with memories of last night. The historic ballroom's marble floors echoed beneath her boots as she checked sight lines and exit routes. Morning sun streamed through towering windows, creating shadows perfect for concealment—tactical concerns she should be focusing on instead of remembering how Carmen had felt and smelled and tasted.

"West entrance secured," Sarah reported through her earpiece. "Local security's running final checks on the guest list."

Jude acknowledged with a tap of her mic, studying the ornate columns that lined the ballroom. Each one could hide a threat, but her attention kept drifting to how they'd look with evening light streaming through the windows during tonight's gala. How Carmen would command the space in whatever she chose to wear, elegant and untouchable except for the memory of how she'd trembled under Jude's hands just hours ago.

Focus.She forced her mind back to security protocols, checking her weapon for the third time. They'd agreed it wasjust sex, just a release of tension that had been building since Washington. They had a job to do, and lives depended on their professional focus. But her body hummed with sensory memory: the silkiness of Carmen's skin, the way she'd arched into Jude's touch, how she'd whispered Jude's name like a plea.

"Personnel change at the service entrance," Kate's voice crackled through comms. "New waiter just checked in. Paperwork looks clean, but something feels off."

That caught Jude's full attention. She'd learned to trust her team's instincts. "Details?"

"Former military, according to his background check. Discharge dates match our intelligence about Nuevo Amanecer recruitment, but nothing concrete to flag him."

Jude moved to the service corridor, muscle memory taking over as she assessed angles and choke points. The waiter in question moved with too much precision, his casual stance carrying echoes of combat training that most wouldn't notice. But Jude had spent too many years in war zones to miss the signs.

"Track his movements," she ordered. "I want eyes on him at all times."

Her phone buzzed: a message from Carmen about final security arrangements. Just seeing her name on the screen made Jude's pulse jump, her professional demeanor cracking like ice in spring. She typed a brief response, all protocol and procedure, nothing betraying how her fingers remembered the curves of Carmen's body or how her lips still burned from their kisses.

The gala venue continued filling with staff: florists arranging centerpieces, audio technicians checking microphones, and security teams from various delegations establishing positions. Jude watched them all while calculating risk scenarios, trying to ignore how each evaluation included keeping Carmen safe notjust because of duty, but because the thought of losing her had become personally unbearable.

"Multiple changes to local security rotations," Sarah reported. "They're swapping out previously vetted personnel."

Ice settled in Jude's stomach. She'd seen this pattern before, both in Yemen and Caracas. Small changes that seemed innocent until they added up to a big problem. "How many changes?"

"Seven so far. All in key positions."

Too many to be a coincidence. Jude moved through the space again, noting how the new security positions created subtle gaps in coverage. Most wouldn't see it; the pattern was only visible if you knew what to look for. Like the waiter's military bearing or the way certain radio frequencies carried extra static.

Her team had the venue locked down tight: Sarah coordinating ground teams, Kate monitoring surveillance feeds, Marcus tracking vehicle movements, and James ready with medical support. They'd run every drill, planned for every contingency. But experience had taught Jude that the worst attacks came when you started feeling safe and got complacent.

The ballroom's ancient mirrors caught her reflection as she completed another sweep. She looked the same as always: tactical gear, weapon at ready, every movement precisely controlled. Only her eyes betrayed the war between protecting Carmen and wanting her. The memory of last night rose unbidden: Carmen's silver-streaked hair catching moonlight, the strength in her hands turned to passion, the way she'd made Jude forget everything except the feel of her.

"Final security briefing in ten," David reminded the team through comms. "Delegate arrivals begin in two hours."

Jude acknowledged, forcing her focus back to the mission. She had a job to do, a peace summit to protect, and a diplomat whose life was more precious to her than protocol allowed. Shecouldn't let personal feelings compromise Carmen's safety. Even if those feelings had become as vital as breathing.

But as she watched staff transform the historic space for tonight's gala, Jude accepted a hard truth: keeping Carmen alive might be her duty, but keeping her distance had become impossible.

Evening transformed the ballroom as the chandeliers cast warm light across marble floors where Colombia's elite now mingled. Jude maintained her position near the dais, watching Carmen navigate diplomatic conversations with effortless grace. The silver streaks in her hair caught the light as she moved between delegations, and her midnight blue evening gown was a stark contrast to Jude's tactical gear. She looked so beautiful, Jude could barely tear her eyes away from her, but she knew how vital it was that her eyes were everywhere.

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