Page 23 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 1

He was the last person I expected to see here. I figured Axel was my personal guard dog.

Gideon spied me and nodded without saying a word. The guy was definitely the strong silent type. But man alive, he was a grade A hunk with a full head of dark hair and a trim beard lining his strong jaw. He had a straight, Roman nose that bisected his face. His cheekbones were like sharp blades, his brow proud, with the most mesmerizing eyes of anyone I had ever met. Even more so than Axel, because Axel let me see what he’s thinking. Gideon was a mystery. A gorgeous, six foot two, walking wet dream of a mystery. He wore a gray muscle tank with the sides cut out almost to his waist and a pair of black basketball shorts.

The man was ripped. While Axel was a big, bulky guy with muscles atop muscles and was easily the size of a gorilla, Gideon was a sleek panther.

I shifted poses as he began lifting weights. And wowzers. I started paying more attention to him than yoga. I did my poses, going through my cycle of movements. But they were ingrained in me.

And hello, I had a major, panty-melting hottie pumping iron not fifteen feet away.

He exuded strength and confidence like some men breathed. Again, I couldn’t help comparing Axel and Gideon. It wasn’t fair of me, especially since I slept with Axel last night. But I couldn’t help it. Nor could I stop my body from recognizing the prime alpha.

Gideon was a man who walked into a room with his bearing and charisma, and everyone took notice.

As his series of exercises progressed, sweat visibly stained his tank and coated his skin in a fine mist. My treacherous body responded. I didn’t understand it either. Why was I this attracted to Gideon when mere hours ago Axel and I had been fucking each other as if our lives depended upon it?

Perhaps after all the years I spent with my dickwad husband, who only fucked me when he was pissed and wanted to hurt me, my bodyguards’ advent into my life awoke a sleeping giant and my libido roared back to life ready to gorge.

He sat on the bench, doing bicep curls. His arm muscles flexed and bulged with each lift. And I might be in the running for slut of the year, but I no longer cared what other people thought of me. Because I lusted after Gideon.

He dripped sex appeal. So much so, as I went up intoutthita hasta padangusthasana, or extended hand-to-big-toe pose, where you balance on one leg and bring the other up to an angle holding your big toe. But my balance was off. Mainly because my hormones were going gaga over Gideon’s sweaty muscles. Struggling to stay upright, my lack of balance tipped me to the left. And my legs went out from under me. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain of impact.

Solid male arms caught me before I slammed into the floor. I blinked and then stared into steel-gray eyes that reminded me of a stormy sky at midday.

“Are you all right?” Gideon searched my face and lowered me onto my feet. But being this close to him. Smelling his manly body that was part sweat and part just him that made me think of a crisp fall day, left my body humming—in sweet anticipation.

Because I wanted to be bad. I wanted all that sleek muscle focused on me.

Entranced by his muscles, I couldn’t help myself and reached for me. He was a damn powerful specimen. And my greedy hands had a mind of their own.

I caressed his muscled chest through his tank. I think he was even more ripped than Axel. Did he have a nice inky happy trail, or was his chest bare?

“Can I help you with something?” Gideon murmured in a low, sexy bedroom voice that sent a cascade of shivers drifting down my spine. God, even the man’s voice sounded like hot, kinky, up against the wall, sex. The deep bass rumbled through his chest and tickled my fingers.

Lust consumed me. I lifted my gaze to his striking face. Heat curled in hot tendrils in my belly. My sex pulsed with need, and my skin prickled at the desire coursing through my body. I licked my lips. I wanted him to touch me. My hands lowered over his torso. And fuck me, but even through his shirt, I felt his washboard abs.

Gideon caught my hands on his chest. Then in a growly voice said, “Kylie, if you don’t stop touching me, I won’t be held accountable for my actions. Do you understand? I will fuck you.”

At his comment, my girly bits rejoiced. This was wrong. I should walk away. I should stop. I slept with Axel last night. I couldn’t bang Gideon. But I felt like I would die if he didn’t touch me. He stared, waiting for my response. My gaze lowered to his sexy mouth, shrouded by his beard. His bottom lip was fuller than the top, and I yearned to suck on it.

I should take my hands off him and back away. It was the smart thing to do. I lifted my gaze back up to his eyes that had darkened with hunger—for me. He studied me like a panther about to pounce on its prey. And god help me, but I wanted to be that prey.

My response tumbled out. “Then fuck me.”

He slammed his mouth down over mine with a rough growl that went straight to my sex.

Chapter fifteen

Unexpected Advance

Gideon

Sonofabitch!

I didn’t expect Kylie to taste this sweet. Her alluring flavor permeated my existence. How could I when I had no other comparison? Was it any wonder Axel was already extremely protective of her?

She tasted like the sweetest, most potent wine with a criminally high alcohol content. One taste, and I was drunk on her flavor. Those supple, satiny-smooth plump lips parted for my tongue. I swept inside, suddenly desperate to taste every inch of her. To leave my imprint on her body and soul. To drink her surrender and plunder her depths until I erased the memory of all who had come before me.

Christ. My hands fucking shook like a teen with his first woman as I touched her. The sheer volume of need staggered me. Her nails dug into my chest. Sparks erupted from her touch. I growled at the electric contact. I angled her head, adjusting our positions, taking the kiss even deeper.

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