Page 28 of Savage Protector

Chapter Twelve

Izzy

After two more glances behind me, I swiped the hotel key against the lock and pushed my way into Houston’s room. I’d lapped the hotel three times and visited six different floors via both the elevator and stairs in an attempt to lose any potential followers. I’d seen no one. Or any sign at all for that matter of my father’s men.

Paranoia, I do adore ya. Not.

I didn’t see Houston when I entered the room, but the bathroom door was closed so…

I dropped my bag of new clothes and moved to the window. I pushed aside the curtain an inch so I could see outside and search the area. For what, I didn’t know at this point. I was beginning to feel like an idiot. It seemed, however, that I wasn’t going to shake the feeling of being followed.

“Do I even want to know?”

I jerked at Houston’s voice behind me as if I’d been caught doing something wrong.

“Want to know what?” I asked, while pretending I hadn’t almost jumped out of my own skin. I turned to face him and almost swallowed my tongue in the process.

He stood there in nothing but a pair of half buttoned jeans and holy cow I swear he looked better every time I got an up close look.

His broad chest with its smattering of light brown hair across it made me want to run my fingers along his flesh so I could rediscover it’s downy softness over firm muscles.

I’d gotten more than a taste last night, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Since I didn’t think I should leave the room any time soon just in case, I suddenly had the perfect idea for distraction.

“What in the world are you wearing?”

I smiled, my idea crystallizing further. “You don’t like my idea to pose as an undercover vacationer?”

His forehead creased in an obvious frown. “Depends. Undercover from what exactly?”

Shit. I hadn’t exactly thought that sentence through before I’d blurted it out. Now I’d have to explain. Not for long though. I still had a secret weapon at my disposal and I wasn’t above using it.

I swiped the hat from my head and shook my curls free before removing the sunglasses as well. “Just in case anyone came looking for me.”

“Like?”

I sighed heavily. Okay, I’d opened the door, now I just needed to slam it shut again. I reached for the buttons of my cover up and undid several of them before I responded. “My father’s a serious asshole. He won’t take my defiance well. If he can find me he’d be all too happy to drag me back to the church.”

I saw the next question on Houston’s face and I quickly opened the cover up and dropped it to the floor before he could voice it.

As I’d hoped, his gaze followed my movements and it was fun as hell to watch. His eyes widened as they traveled south and then back up again.

“Holy hell,” he rasped, taking a step towards me. “You found that in a hotel gift shop?”

“Yes,” I answered, my voice already breathless with desire. It seemed that even potential danger couldn’t bank the craving I had for more of this man. Apparently I had a sex switch and this bad ass man flipped it.

Not that anyone could blame me when faced with such mouth-watering temptation. He had a body made for carnal sin and after last night’s frantic fun, I wanted to take my time and explore every last inch.

Starting with the tattoos that circled his arms that I needed to trace with my tongue. They were a series of tribal patterns and symbols that had to have meaning.

Hell, right or wrong, inappropriate or not, I wanted to know everything about him.

He reached for me, snagging me around my waist and pulled me up against him. His hard planes pressing against my softer curves. Did he even get the reactions he stirred in me?

“You make me reckless,” I said, my chest heaving. “I can’t stop thinking about more.”

“Right back at you, babe. I’m certain the image of you in this red bikini is going to be burned in my brain for the rest of my life. It’s the ultimate spank bank material.”

“Seriously?” I groaned, although it would be a lie if I said I hated that idea. I knew this wouldn’t last much longer, but I did love the notion that he would think about me after I’d gone.

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