Under His Protection (Protect and Defend 1)

All of that had been dashed the minute she went nuts on him. And because of that, he’d been wary of relationships ever since.

Christ. He was sick and damn tired of being wary.

He scrubbed his hands over his face once, twice. Yes, he could admit everything he’d shared with Blake had been worth it. The sex between them was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. The most intense pleasure every single time, and it amazingly increased with every encounter.

Their shared and constant conversation was more of that unbelievable experience. She was smart, sweet, fun. She had a devilish sense of humor and liked to tease him. He wasn’t one for being teased, but he enjoyed it when it came from her. The light in her eyes when she gave him a hard time, the way she smiled at him. It brightened her whole face and it was such an achingly beautiful face...

He especially liked the way she watched him with those big blue eyes, as if anything and everything he did pleased her. He liked doing things for her, taking care of her beyond his role as the SS agent in charge.

And when he touched her, or when she touched him, it was as if they couldn’t resist. One touch led to two, then to three and then...it didn’t stop. They never wanted it to stop. Hell, he always ended up naked and thrusting deep within her welcoming body. Filling her up every chance he got.

Mason frowned. Did he really want to end this? Was this really just about sex? The sex was fantastic, but there was more. Much more. And despite his earlier negative thoughts about relationships, he realized he didn’t want to stop seeing her.

He didn’t want to let Blake get away. Not yet.

Now he needed to figure out how to prove that to her. That she mattered.

But would she believe him?

Chapter Ten

When Blake woke from her nap, Mason was nowhere to be found. Sleep had been fitful, full of odd dreams—no, nightmares—about Mason leaving her. Making her cry, leaving her desolate and alone. She gave up on sleep after jerking awake for what felt like the hundredth time.

She found a note Mason left her on the bedside table, saying he was working and would be back at the main house in a while. She studied his bold, slashing script, unfamiliar with his handwriting since he had no reason to communicate with her in such a manner.

There was so much about him she still didn’t know, was a mystery to her. She wanted to know, had cherished every private, intimate fact he’d doled out to her since they’d been together on the island, but it wasn’t enough.

She wanted more. She wanted everything when it came to Mason. But did that make her greedy?

Well, if it did, then so be it.

After puttering around in her studio for a few moments, she realized she couldn’t concentrate. Her thoughts were consumed with Mason. She wanted to go out and talk to him but she just...couldn’t.

Allowing him entry into her private world, letting him see the one thing she did that no one else knew about, left her feeling raw and vulnerable. When she’d told him, she’d been shaking with nerves over his reaction and dreading what he might say.

His words had been kind, his reaction a complete surprise. She hadn’t expected his immediate, easy acceptance. And because of it, emotion had overwhelmed her. Emotions she couldn’t express no matter how badly she wanted to.

Sniffing, she grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, then her nose. She didn’t know why she cried. They hadn’t fought and he definitely hadn’t been mean to her.

That was precisely the problem. He hadn’t dismissed her easily or tore her down for her art. He hadn’t made her feel small or useless. Anyone else would’ve told her she was wasting her time.

Mason told her she had talent—and he’d been sincere.

Tears streaked down her cheeks and she swiped at them irritably. She never cried. It was a sign of weakness and her father abhorred weakness above all else. Yet it felt as if she’d done nothing but cry since she arrived on the island. The waterworks wouldn’t let up.

It felt surprisingly good to revel in the show of emotion.

Memories flooded her of the last time she cried, after she talked to her dad and he’d been so terribly cruel. Mason’s gentle, tentative offering of comfort had touched her, made her realize then maybe what they shared wasn’t all one-sided.

And then that kiss, which had ended far too soon, but eventually led to so much more.

Blake tossed the crumpled tissue into the wastebasket with a frustrated sigh. She’d been foolish earlier, letting her emotions get the best of her. All of the jumbled feelings that warred within her made her head ahe, her stomach burn.

She needed to focus on some

thing else, something meaningful. Constantly trying to prove herself by pleasing her father was getting her nowhere. She usually ended up making a fool of herself instead.

When she returned to DC, she was going to do something different. Make a positive change in her life and not let all the negativity get her down.