Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents 2)

And whispering his name as pleasure flashed in her eyes.

Her tongue slid over his lip in a move so sweet and sexy that she had him growling. The woman was getting beneath his skin. Making him want, when he should be focusing on the job.

He never lost focus. He got the job done, no matter what. He always finished the mission.

He licked her lip. Thrust his tongue into her mouth.

Her taste drove him insane, made him crave more of her. So much more. His blood seemed to burn in his veins as arousal hardened his body.

Time to get a few things straight. He lifted his mouth from hers, but didn’t let her go. He was enjoying having his hands on her far too much for that. “I’m not taking your money.”

She blinked. There was desire in her eyes. The desire deepened the blue color. Made her even sexier. “But we had a deal.”

The deal was getting real complicated, fast. The deal was also based on a lie.

Lying to her was becoming harder each moment.

“Things have changed.” He wasn’t the coldhearted bastard so many people seemed to think.

Since when did it matter what anyone thought?

Not anyone. Her. “People are dying in this town, left and right.”

Her arms were on his shoulders. When he’d kissed her, Veronica’s nails had bit into his skin.

He’d liked that. When they had sex, and they were going to get naked together, he wanted her wild.

Business. Focus on business.

But now her hands were trying to ease away from him. She was easing away. “Are you scared?” She seemed shocked by the idea. “I mean, I understand, I’m scared, too. I don’t want to die—”

“Not happening.” The words ripped from him automatically. Hell, no, she wasn’t dying. Not on his watch.

Her gaze held his. “It’s okay if you want to leave.” Her hands dropped. “You have to look after yourself. When w-we made the deal, you didn’t know you were signing on to something that would involve three murders and a kidnapping in less than twenty-four hours—”

He kissed her. He didn’t want her backing away from him, and he sure didn’t want her trying to build a wall between them. So Jasper poured his hunger and need into the kiss. Let her know that this wasn’t some hired gun’s deal. This was a man, wanting a woman. Wanting her.

His right hand rose from the curve of her hip. Rose to cup her jaw. When his mouth finally pulled from hers—she’d been as eager to keep that kiss going as he had been—Jasper tilted her chin up to make sure she kept her focus on him.

And not on trying to flee.

“The deal isn’t gonna work,” he told her, “because right now my priority isn’t on finding your brother.”

“But—”

“It’s on keeping you safe.”

A faint line appeared between her eyes.

“I’ll be doing that job, no pay, got it? I’ll keep looking for your brother because I’m not leaving you on your own. It’s too dangerous. You need help, and I’m right here to help you.” And to do anything else to her that she’d let him do.

His fingers caressed her skin. Then he let her go.

With a shake of her head, Veronica said, “Why would a guy like you protect me for free?”

He stiffened at that. “A guy like me?” Weren’t they past this by now?

“I—I’m sorry, I didn’t—”