Under His Protection (Protect and Defend 1)
Page 28
Blake stopped in her tracks, causing Mason to stop as well. “Did you just call me sweetheart?”
Hell, he did. “Ah, yeah. Sorry about that.”
She shook her head slowly, her long hair spilling over her right shoulder. “You know what, Mason? I don’t mind. I don’t mind at all. In fact, I kind of like it.”
He just bet she did. He wondered if she’d like it if he called her baby just before he entered her sweet little body too. Something else he might try later. Once he got her naked and into his bed. “Glad I can oblige.”
Damn, his mood was dark. Sexual. He needed to get laid.
He wanted Blake naked and writhing beneath him.
They were silent for a moment and Mason stared up at the clear blue sky, inhaling the cold, crisp air deep into his lungs. He felt the need to fortify himself, prepare for what was about to happen next.
Because something was definitely going to happen between them, he had no doubt of that. And yeah, he felt like an ass for plotting it but hell, he was done putting her off. She wanted him. He wanted her.
Why deny each other any longer?
“Do you think they gossip about me? Here on the island?”
Her question startled him out of his reverie. “Absolutely. They gossip about everyone.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve been sitting on one public bench after another for the past week and I hear the stories. Trust me.”
“Mmm, hmm.” She was quiet and he placed his hand at the center of her back when they crossed the street, the cabin looming in the distance. “Do you think they gossip about you and me?”
“They probably have our relationship figured out.” He’d tried to keep the Secret Service part of him tamped down, but the locals knew her and in turn, probably figured out who he was to her.
“Well, they’re one up on me, then.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“At least they have our relationship figured out. I know I certainly don’t.” Confusion rang in her voice.
“Do you want to figure it out?”
“Are you trying to confuse me?”
He stopped walking, as did she. The wind whipped her hair across her face and he was sorely tempted to reach out, brush the strands away from her cheek. Let his fingers linger on her soft skin.
And he knew it was soft since he’d touched her before. He wanted to see if she was that soft everywhere…
“No,” he finally said. “I don’t want to confuse you. I think everything is finally crystal clear. At least for me.”
“Really?” She frowned.
“Oh, yeah.” He kind of enjoyed the little banter they had going on. It was like foreplay before the actual foreplay. “Definitely.”
“Well, I hope you show me the light.”
“You can count on it.” She turned before she caught sight of his leering grin.
* * * *
What the heck was he talking about? Confusion swirled within Blake as they entered the house, Mason right behind her. And that confused her even more.
He rarely stood too close to her anymore, choosing to avoid her like the plague since their last blissful moment together. Only with her out of duty, doing his job like the properly trained and highly moral Secret Service agent that he was.