Under His Protection (25 page)

“What are you doing here?” She pulled away,
staring up at him with wonder as she cupped his cheek with cold,
slender fingers.

“I came for you.” He kissed her, unable to
restrain himself. Her lips clung to his as if she never wanted to
stop, until finally they had to come up for air.

“Oh, my God.” She smiled, a real,
heartbreaking smile and his heart felt like it really did crack
when he saw it. “Mason. I can’t believe you’re here. You
look...wonderful.”

She, on the other hand, was thin, her
shoulders slim, almost bony, her collarbone more pronounced. She
looked fragile, far too delicate and his first thought was to
direct her to the buffet table on the other side of the room.

Then he realized he’d rather direct her to a
bed first. His bed. Eating could come later.

“You’re gorgeous.” He kissed her again,
those upturned lips of hers too tempting to refuse. He felt her
tremulous smile against his mouth, her trembling fingers slid down
his cheek, curved around the back of his neck and she breathed
deep.

“I’m sorry, Mason. I’m so sorry I didn’t
come see you.”

“Your father explained everything.” He
kissed the tip of her nose, slid his hand down her back. It was so
easy to forgive her. He wasn’t angry anymore, though he had been at
first. More than anything, he’d been angry with himself. Full of so
much regret it had nearly choked him with its intensity.

“He did? I just spoke with him and he was
so—
different.
” Blake tilted her head back, searching his
face with her gaze. “I think he finally realized that you’re good
for me.”

He squeezed her slim waist. “We’re good for
each other.”

“Are you all right?” Her other hand rested
on his chest, on the snowy white shirt he wore and her fingers
drifted down, hovered close to his stomach. “Your injuries, are
you—okay?”

“I’m fine.” He closed his hand over hers,
brought it up to his mouth. Brushing a soft kiss over her knuckles,
he realized he couldn’t stop touching her, kissing her, looking at
her. “Did you hear what happened to Rich and Amber?”

Blake nodded. “Will you be going back for
the trial?”

“When they’re ready to go to trial, yes,
I’ll be there.” Mason dreaded going, facing that asshole once more,
but it needed to be done. “I start a new assignment in the White
House after the inauguration.” He wanted to change the subject.

“Oh, really?” Her lips pursed and a
perfectly arched brow lifted. “Working for the enemy, hmm?”

“A man has to do what he can to survive.” He
held her tight, curled his arm around her waist and she tilted her
head close to his. “Your dress is unbelievable,” he murmured close
to her ear. “You’re gorgeous.”

Her lids fluttered downward, her thick
lashes veiling her blue eyes. “My mother picked it out. I thought
it was too flashy.”

“I thought you were all about the flash,” he
teased.

“I haven’t felt very flashy lately,” she
confessed and the words tugged at his heart.

“Well, I think you look like a pretty red
Christmas package.” He smoothed his hand across her exposed back,
curved his fingers around her bare shoulder. “And I can’t wait to
unwrap my present.”

Her cheeks flushed and she admonished him
with a glance. “Mason.”

“You know you want it, babe.” Angling his
mouth close to her ear, he lowered his voice to a husky whisper. “I
can’t wait to get you naked.” He’d thought of nothing else for
weeks.

She sighed, a wistful, yearning sound that
went straight to his cock. “I have to make an appearance here, you
know.”

“I’m sure we won’t be missed.” He blew a hot
breath over her ear, then nibbled the lobe. She shivered and he
smiled. “What do you say?”

Blake drew away from him, her expression
solemn, her mouth a sexy little pout. Her lower lip trembled and
she moistened it with her tongue. His now empty hands tightened in
frustration.

“I don’t ever want to be apart from you
again,” she admitted, her voice so soft, he had to strain to hear
her. Her gaze dropped to the floor, as if she was ashamed she
admitted so much.

He reached for her, curling his fingers
around her chin and tilting her face up. “You never will be.”

Her eyes went glassy and she blinked once,
twice. “I love you. I might not have shown that very well these
last six weeks, but I plan on showing you for the rest of your
life, if you’ll let me.”

The second the words flew out of her mouth,
Blake wanted to cry. No, she wanted to fall to her knees and beg
his forgiveness, damn the huge dress. If she crushed it, she didn’t
care.

Her mother would be appalled, but it didn’t
matter. Her life was on the line here.

She’d wanted to be honest. That first moment
upon seeing him, realizing it was Mason who stood just feet away
from her, had filled her with such joy she thought she might burst.
He was so dashingly handsome in the tuxedo that fit as if it were
tailor made for his tall, broad form. He looked a little thinner
than she remembered. His cheekbones were more pronounced, his hair
longer, tousled and sexy, and so very touchable.

When he took her in his arms, she’d melted.
When he kissed her, her knees buckled. And when he looked at her
with his vivid green eyes, whispered those sexy words in her ear
about unwrapping her like a present, she quivered, a rush of heat
flooding between her thighs.

And now she awaited his reaction to her
declaration of love.

The few seconds that ticked by felt like an
eternity. She waited breathlessly for his answer until finally,
without saying a word, he brought her to him, hugging her close.
She slipped her arms around him, her breasts smashed tightly
against his chest and she buried her face in the crook of his
neck.

Breathing deep, she inhaled his wonderfully
spicy male scent. A mixture of subtle cologne, soap and just plain
him. If they were alone, she’d lick him there, savor his salty male
taste.

She’d do it later, if he let her. She could
hardly wait.

“Mason,” she murmured against the strong
column of his throat. “Please.”

He drew away so he could smile down at her.
“Please what?”

Nerves made her stomach jump and she shook
her head, not in the mood for his teasing. “Give me an answer.
Please.”

“Oh sweetheart, don’t you know? Can’t you
see it written all over my face?” He brushed his mouth against
hers, his tongue darting out for the quickest lick and tingles
swept along her body at his daring. “I love you, too. More than I
can ever say,” he whispered against her mouth.

She knew deep in her heart what his answer
would be, but relief still washed over her at his words. Sweet,
sweet relief at the realization Mason Russell actually loved her.
Such a delicious, heady feeling, she grew dizzy with want and
clutched him close, her arms tightening around his waist.

“Do you think they’ll let me visit you at
the White House?” she asked.

His brows furrowed, confusion written all
over his beautiful, handsome face. His eyes, those brilliant green
eyes roved over her, lingering on her mouth and her lips tingled in
anticipation. “What are you talking about?”

She smiled, wondered if she’d ever felt so
lighthearted. “When you’re working there, do you think they’ll
grant me admittance? I will be, after all, the former vice
president’s troublesome daughter. And from the opposition too. They
might frown on me making an appearance.”

He laughed, the low rumbling sound doing
spectacular things to her body. She loved his laugh, loved
everything about him.

“I’m sure they’ll let you visit. You’ll have
to be on your best behavior, though. They might assign you a tail
to keep a watch on you, control your antics.”

“Will
you
be my tail?” She arched her
brows, almost daring him to come up with something suggestive.

“I know I do love your tail.” He smoothed
his big hands over her satin covered bottom, subtly kneading her
flesh. Her body pulsed at his intimate touch. “I’ll definitely keep
watch on your tail. With pleasure.”

She smiled. “I’m sure.” Leaning in, she
sealed his promise with a kiss.

WIN A $200 GIFT CARD TO
AMAZON OR B&N!

Join us in celebrating the launch of UNDER
HIS PROTECTION (Defend and Protect, Book 1) and DANGEROUS SECRETS
(Tall, Dark and Deadly, Book 2) with a special contest to win a
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can enter in two easy steps.

(1) Post a review of DANGEROUS SECRETS or
UNDER HIS PROTECTION at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com between
now and May 15, 2012. Each posted review of any Lisa Renee Jones or
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(2)
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ON BORROWED SERVICE
(Protect and Defend, Book
2)

COMING SUMMER 2012

© 2012 by Karen Erickson

A controversial town hall meeting has turned police
officer Caitlin Hanson’s hometown into a national hub. The
politicians have taken over, accompanied by the ever present media,
but it’s too much for her local force to handle.

Working security detail alongside the Secret
Service, Caitlin realizes one of them is awfully familiar. A shame
that summer relationship she had with gorgeous Joe Connor had to
end so spectacularly bad or else she’d be tempted to give it
another go.

She doesn’t count on Agent Connor to be so
persistent—or so incredibly sexy. Their passionate bickering soon
leads into something else. But with threats being made against
those he’s supposed to protect, Joe needs to be on top of his game
more than ever…

ON BORROWED SERVICE Excerpt:

“There’s no way I can work with you.”
Caitlin started past him but Joe reached out, his strong fingers
encircling her arm in an attempt to stop her.

“You don’t have a choice.” His touch was
firm yet light enough to give her the false sense that she had the
strength to pull away.

She so didn’t. The son of a bitch had such a
firm grip on her, no way could she escape. “Let me go.”

“No.” His deep voice sent a ripple
of…something down her spine and she fought like hell to ignore it
with everything she had. “We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Lifting her
chin, she glared at him.

He glared back. “Are you going to treat me
like shit the entire time we have to work together?” Joe drew her
closer, so close she could see the golden flecks in his dark blue
eyes, could feel the heat from his body radiating toward her. A
shiver whispered down her spine at his nearness. “Are you still
making me pay for something that happened a long ass time ago?”

“Bastard.” She yanked out of his hold,
rubbed her arm where he’d touched her, her skin still tingling from
the press of his fingers. “Why would you bring that up?”

“Because you did first.”

“I never said anything about—” She couldn’t
bring herself to say it. Hadn’t really thought about
it—
him
—in years but one glimpse of Joseph Connor’s fine face
brought all those old memories flooding back.

Both the good ones
and
the bad
ones.

“—about our past,” she finished lamely.

The skepticism in his narrowed eyes was
clear. He didn’t believe her whatsoever. “You didn’t have to say
anything. Your body language spoke volumes.”

“We were kids. I’m not about to let our
teenage-romance-gone-bad effect me.” She shrugged. “I can be
civil.”

“Can you, Red?” His voice lowered to a
dangerous level, as in dangerously sexy.
“Can you really?”

Caitlin clamped her lips together, silently
fuming. No one had called her that in years. No doubt he said it on
purpose to provoke, that was his usual style. She refused to let
him get to her. “I’m not the same stupid girl you dumped all those
years ago.”

“No.” He chuckled. “You are most definitely
not.” He let his gaze do a slow perusal of her, from the top of her
head to the tips of her toes. Her skin warmed, as if he’d
physically touched her and she knew she should be furious.