Page 54 of Guarding Bristol

He turned away from her and started down the short hallway.“I just washed the sheets yesterday, but I can throw them in the machine again now if you want.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Good, because that same primitive part of him liked the thought of her lying in the sheets with his scent on them.Getting all over her.

What the hell’s wrong with you?That’s Eric’s baby sister you’re fantasizing about.

In the bedroom, he flipped on the light and did a quick visual sweep to make sure it was tidy.The window above the headboard was small.Even if someone tried to force their way through it, it would be a tight squeeze.“Make yourself at home.Bathroom’s through there.”He nodded at the en suite.The window in there was even smaller.

Bristol stepped past him, leaving a trail of her scent on the way by.She set her bag and bat down next to the bed, faced him while he struggled to keep his eyes on hers and not drink in the rest of her body.“Where are the towels?”

“Here.”He got some from the closet, went to hand them to her, and stopped short as he turned around.

She was standing directly in front of him, having followed him across the room.They were practically face to face.Close enough that he could see the thin ring of pale blue around her pupils that he’d never noticed before.

Their gazes locked.Neither of them moved.

His pulse surged, his blood heating instantly.The air thickened between them, and his gaze dropped to her lips.Full and plush and pink.Insanely kissable.

He could almost feel them giving beneath his own.Imagined what it would be like to slide his tongue between them.To taste her.Tease her until she whimpered and wrapped around him, demanding more.Give her enough pleasure to make up for everything else.

Her gaze dropped to his mouth in turn.Her lashes lowered.She leaned forward ever so slightly, and he realized too late that he was already doing the same.

Their lips touched.It was only the briefest contact, but a stark, primal hunger streaked through him, so strong he could barely control it.

He jerked his head back, shaken by the power of his response.He slid his tongue across his lower lip as Bristol blinked up at him, pupils dilated behind her glasses.He imagined her wearing them and nothing else, her hair gathered up in his fist while she knelt before him and—

It took every bit of control he had not to grab her and crush his mouth to hers.To take what she so willingly offered.

He ruthlessly shoved his libido back into the vault where he’d been keeping it.She didn’t know what the hell she was doing.Didn’t know how tightly wound he was.How long it had been since he’d...

She cleared her throat and stepped back, lowering her gaze as if embarrassed.“Thanks.”She took the towels and disappeared into the bathroom, allowing him to finally pull in a breath and get hold of himself.

Jesus, if he hadn’t pulled back when he had, he wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to stop.

He ran a hand over his face.Christ, what a mess.It was bad enough that she was in this situation because of him.He needed to protect and take care of her until the threat passed, not fixate on getting her naked and under him in his bed.

“I’ll let you turn in,” he said gruffly from the bedroom doorway.“Been a long day, you must be tired.”

She stepped back out of the bathroom, hair loose and shiny around her shoulders.And God help him, all he could think about was plunging his hands into it, fisting it as he feasted on her, plundering her soft mouth before savoring every inch of her smooth, warm skin.Every inch of each delectable curve hidden under her scrubs."Okay.Good night."

He hesitated a second, feeling the need to leave her with something comforting.“You’re safe here.”As long as he remembered not to touch her again, that is.“Try to get some sleep.”

“You too.”

Yeah, right.Not likely with his blood running this hot and an unspecified threat hanging over them.

"Night."He shut the door, putting a physical barrier between them, and strode back down the hall.But the rush of arousal continued to pump through his system long after he walked away.

He’d never wanted anyone the way he wanted Bristol.Wasn’t sure what it was about her that twisted him up inside so badly, but she did.Maybe it was the situation they were in.Or his personal connection to her through Eric.

And he damned well owed it to Eric’s memory to not only keep her safe, but to keep his distance from her.

After grabbing a blanket from the hall closet, he made sure all the windows and doors were still secure, then checked his phone.No new messages.He and Bristol were officially trapped in here together at least overnight.

Ignoring the ache between his legs, he stretched out on the couch, grabbing a throw cushion to use as a pillow.He lay there for a long time in the darkness listening to the quiet hum of the fridge, his mind drifting from what actions the cartel might take against him to Bristol curled up in his bed right now, her hair tousled over his pillow and his scent surrounding her.

Even though he knew it was wrong, he’d still have given damned near anything for the chance to be in it with her.

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