Under His Protection (Protect and Defend 1)

Silence again.

“I always disappoint them.”

He stared at her, she could feel it, saw it in the way his head tilted downward, his sensual mouth drawn tight. She glanced at him and he looked away, feigning nonchalance, but she saw it. Saw him.

“I do,” Blake insisted. She held her breath, waited for him to say something, anything to keep the conversation going.

He didn’t reply, just continued walking, keeping pace. Holding the door open for her as a gentleman would.

He was a gentleman, born and bred, raised in Virginia before he’d enlisted in the Navy. Those minor facts she’d had to practically rip out of him since he’d been assigned to keep tabs on her. And that was pretty much all she knew.

Oh, she also knew he smelled delicious, like a forest on a crisp, cold winter’s day. And he had strong hands and arms she fantasized about on an almost daily basis.

God. She had turned into such a cliché, it was almost painful.

The air was brisk, slapping her like an invisible wall when they ventured outside and she drew in a deep breath, tugged her sweater closer. Even though it was early fall, the weather was surprisingly cold. Especially considering she’d splashed around in a pool only a week ago.

“Should’ve worn a heavier coat,” Mason muttered as they walked down the stairs and toward her car parked in front of the house.

She laughed. “What, are you turning into my father? Telling me what to do?”

“Ms. Hewitt, we need to talk.”

She halted at his words, at the way he called her Ms. Hewitt. She hated that. It was so formal and she much preferred hearing that low, melting voice say her name. “What do we need to talk about?”

“Your father. He’s concerned.”

Right. She knew that. Her father didn’t want her doing any more so-called humiliating things to ruin his career.

Blake frowned. She so didn’t need to go there. It would only hurt too much.

“I’m sure he’s very concerned.” She shook her head, yanked the key ring from her purse and hit the keyless remote. Her car beeped and the headlights flashed once, letting her know it unlocked. “I appreciate your concern

as well, Mason. But I’ll be fine.”

His mouth went tight, that extremely sexy mouth. It was right up there in her fantasies too. She could only imagine being kissed by him. His lips pressed against the base of her throat, sliding across her skin, wrapping around one hard nipple and then the other, sucking and licking and...

Another, more pronounced shiver moved through her and she tried to focus.

“I don’t know the full details yet but there’ve been—threats made since the article broke.”

She stopped in front of her car and turned to cast a skeptical glance in Mason’s direction. Crossing her arms in front of her, she waited for him to finish.

He didn’t. He just stood there watching her.

“Threats? Like against my life? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’m not.” He shook his head, his expression grim. “We’re meeting in a half hour to discuss it.”

“Discuss me?” When he nodded, she rested her hands on her hips, indignation flowing through her. “Take off those damn sunglasses, Russell.”

He did as she asked, always seeming to move into action when someone used his last name. Probably the military part of him still shining through. He whipped those glasses off with a quick flick of his wrist, and she drew in a sharp breath.

Goodness, he was handsome. It hit her like a punch in the stomach every time he trained that intense green stare on her.

“You’re telling me the truth. There have been threats regarding my life since I appeared in that stupid magazine.”

He nodded again, his mouth still grim though at least now she could look him in the eye. And look him in the eye she did, savoring every blessed moment of it too. His gaze wandered over her face, then lower, lower still. Making her want to ask exactly what he was looking at.