Page 20 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha
Everything since the morning before we’d been captured made no sense.
I was crying so hard that I couldn’t see past the tears that spilled from my eyes and down my cheeks. My legs wobbled from the sudden adrenaline letdown and I crumpled to the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs and rocking myself. I realised it now. I’d been an idiot. I’d allowed myself to hope. That was the biggest mistake of all. I couldn’t afford to hope. After the Summit I was done. I was going to get as far away from him as I possibly could and I was going to find a man who wanted me. Why had he chosennowto show interest?
It wasn’t until I felt myself being lifted onto hard thighs, that I realised Bastien had sat down beside me. He pulled me against his chest, a purr rumbling against my ear.
No, I couldn’t do this, whatever it was. I tried to push him away. I needed space to regain my equilibrium. To pull the ruins of my emotional armour back over my bruised heart. But his arms tightened around me. I was trapped. And my body didn’t want me to leave. My body wanted him to hold me tight. Iwanted him to kiss me, the way he had before. As if nothing was more important than me.
I wanted more. I wanted it all.
Chapter 22
Bastien
I stood frozen for long moments, panic fluttering in my chest. I’d made her cry.How do I fix it? I pulled on the smart human side of me to help. His snort was exasperated. Hold her you idiot. You’ll be able to feel her emotions.
Of course. I couldn’t think straight around her.
Carefully, worried of doing anything that might upset her more, I sat down beside her.Put an arm around her,urged the sane one.
I should just bite her, I told him.Then I’ll know what’s wrong.
NO!His shout reverberated through my skull.You haven’t Declared your Intent.We have enough of a bond that you will sense what she’s feelingwhen you touch her. I rolled my eyes at him. Such a stickler for the rules. But he sounded like he knew what he was talking about and I sure as fuck didn’t. My only solution was to bite her and claim her. And as much as I wanted that, maybe that wasn’t the right move at this instant in time. Although maybe if I made her orgasm, she would forget why she was crying. My cock jerked at the thought.
Focus, he snapped.
Fine. I pulled her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her. And I felt it all. Her emotions saturated my thoughts.
Guilt. Helplessness. Anger. She felt useless because I’d not let her do her job. As if her only importance to me was her role as my bodyguard. But that wasn’t all. Beneath the guilt and anger, she was sad. So sad. I pulled her to my chest, surrounding her with my body, letting her feelings wash over me. Loneliness. Yearning. She longed for me the way I longed for her. She didn’t think I wanted her.Oh baby. Her pain pierced my heart. The gnat in charge of our body had been so stupid, letting her believe there was nothing between us. If he’d done what I’d told him to do five years ago, we would have spared her this pain. She would have known from the first day that she was my mate. I would have spoiled her openly, rather than feeding her crumbs of affection disguised behind layers of civility and professionalism. The rest of my security team had known from the moment I’d served the first plate of food to her.
For five years she had been oblivious to the signals he’d tried to send her. And we had all suffered for it.
No more, I told him.
Dude, no!Frantic, he pushed at the cage I’d trapped him in.You can’t. Not now.
I can. I will. We tried it your way and look how well that turned out.
She needs to know you intend to bond her. You must get her consent!
Bah. She wants this.I slammed the door to his cage, putting up my shields.Loser.
I will make it good for her.
I took a moment to check that there were no more humans in the vicinity, then I focused my attention back on my mate. On the softness of her breasts mashed against my chest. Of the delicate scent of her arousal that filled the air around us. She had ducked her head, pressing it against my chest. This was right. She was MINE.
I removed a hand from her body, lifting her chin until she met my gaze. A tear trembled on her lashes, making her eyes sparkle like the finest emeralds. I would drape her in matching jewels every day for the rest of our lives. And every night I would fuck her wearing nothing but the gems that matched her eyes. I leaned forward to lick the tear from her skin. Then I dipped my head slowly to meet her gaze, letting her see and feel the inevitability of us. Her pupils dilated, black swallowing emerald. Moving lower, slowly but inexorably, I took her mouth. Her lips beneath mine were soft and warm. I pressed against the seam of her lips. I would coax her. Slowly, slowly. My shy little Pixie needed to understand that I would worship her.
I gave her soft nibbles at the edge of her lips, a soft tug with my teeth on her lower lip. The hand that wasn’t under her chin moved to the clothes that kept her beautiful body from my gaze. I had dreamed of her body for years. I’d imagined my hands on her breasts, my mouth on her nipples.
Buttons popped and my hand reached its destination. She pulled back with a gasp when my hand covered her breast. I fought against the beginning of the frenzy, wanting to reassure her. Words. She couldn’t feel my emotions, so I had to give her words. My voice was rough, unused, when I spoke. “It’s alright, baby. Just let me show you pleasure.” I rolled her nipple between my fingers and her breath hissed out. She melted against me again and I pressed more kisses to her lips while I worshipped her breast with my fingers.
I loved it, but I needed more.
“Let me in, baby,” I said against her the seam of her mouth. On a sigh, she opened for me and I took control of the kiss, my fingers tangling in her hair to keep her head angled as I wanted. My tongue plundered. Devoured. She tasted of sin, of freedom. She tasted like she was mine. Then she kissed me back, her tongue tangling with mine.
Mate. Claim.
Her scent bloomed around us—so fucking sweet— and my cock hardened to the point of pain, pre-cum leaking from the tip. Elie began to rock on my lap as I drank in her moans, her breathy pants. One of her hands moved to the back of my neck and she pulled me closer. Her eyes had fluttered shut. This was what she needed. If my mate felt pleasure, she wouldn’t be sad. Wouldn’t be angry.
