Page 27 of Protecting Her

"Like what?" Jude's whisper carried equal parts hope and fear.

"Like this." Carmen pressed closer, letting Jude feel her heart race. "Like someone who understands duty but chooses me anyway. Like falling asleep knowing you'll be here when I wake up." She paused, vulnerability creeping into her voice. "Like having something to lose again."

Jude rolled them gently, covering Carmen's body with her own. The weight felt like anchoring, like coming home. "I crossed every line I swore I never would," she admitted. "In Yemen, in Caracas, I learned that attachment gets people killed. That caring makes you vulnerable." Her voice roughened. "But watching that knife come at you today, I realized I'd rather be vulnerable with you than safe without you."

Carmen pulled her down for a kiss that tasted of promises and shared fears. When they broke apart, she saw her own emotions reflected in Jude's eyes. "The corporate contractors will try again," she said quietly. "They're used to eliminating problems, and I've become their biggest obstacle."

"Let them try." Jude's voice held steel beneath the tenderness. "I've spent my career protecting people out of duty. This is different. This is—" She stopped, emotion making her voice rough.

"I know." Carmen touched the fresh cut on her cheek. "That's what terrifies me. Not the danger, but how much I need you to survive it."

When Jude kissed her, Carmen felt herself opening to it, suddenly filled with need and desire as Jude’s kiss moved from tender to probing. Jude sensed her silent invitation and rolled on top of her, the weight of her body deliciously pressing Carmen down into the bed.

Jude’s kisses moved down her body, sucking her nipples one by one and Carmen felt the sharp caress of her teeth as her nipples hardened and her back arched in response.

Jude moved lower and Carmen felt her legs part willingly, open and wide, begging for Jude to give to her and Jude seamlessly moved to kneel between her legs, dipping her head till her mouth met Carmen’s soaking pussy.

She looked up for a second. “You are so wet, Carmen.” Her voice was gravelly and her eyes dark with desire.

“You make me like this,” she said, not losing eye contact.

Jude’s handsome face dipped again, the flat of her tongue drawing long lines up from her anus to her clitoris as her hands lifted Carmen’s thighs until they were resting over Jude’s strong shoulders.

Carmen felt absolutely open and exposed as her pussy enjoyed the warm caress of Jude’s tongue, lapping long slow hungry strokes again and again.

She leant her head back and closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation.

She felt Jude’s mouth moved to making out with her pussy as though it was her mouth, deep kisses, and sucks as she drew Carmen’s labia one at a time deep into her mouth and sucked on it.

She felt Jude’s fingers pulling her labia apart as Jude’s tongue pushed deep into her as deep as it would go.

She felt Jude’s tongue teasing her anus, circling it, pressing against it as she found it.

She heard her own moans coming deeper and louder as she lost herself in sensation. The beautiful beautiful sensation of Jude’s hot wet tongue in her most sensitive places.

Jude’s tongue moved back to long slow strokes and Carmen felt her orgasm build deep within her before it crashed, hot and wet through every fibre of her being.

Years of holding back were releasing in every moment alone with Jude.

She was lost in a kaleidoscope of color as she heard Jude swallowing and licking what must have been more squirting from her. She felt the comfort and tenderness in Jude’s licks now as they moved from her pussy to kisses on her thighs as she gently removed them one at a time from her shoulders.

Jude lay between her legs and rested her head on Carmen’s pelvis and Carmen reached down to stroke her face. She felt Jude stroking her thigh.

There was a quiet post orgasm peace between them and Carmen felt sleep overcoming her.

She drifted off into blackness with her lover’s head still resting between her legs.

7

JUDE

The encrypted message lit up Jude's phone:Security compromised. Multiple assets turned. Get out now.

David's warning scrolled across her screen as she maintained her position near the conference room door, watching Carmen navigate the latest round of negotiations. Morning sun streamed through bullet-resistant windows, painting patterns across the marble floor that her tactical mind automatically cataloged as potential cover points.

"The indigenous councils reject these terms." Carmen's voice carried that particular blend of steel and silk she used when cornering opponents. "Your corporate interests cannot override established treaties."

Victor Ramirez from the consortium shifted in his expensive chair, jaw set tight. His security detail—the same contractors Jude had been watching all morning—adjusted their stances with too much precision. She counted four visible weapons between them and spotted the distinctive bulge of shoulder holsters under their tailored suits.

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