Under His Protection (4 page)

“Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack,” Byron said grimly.
“I’ll talk to Mitchell. Let him know you need the rest of the
afternoon off to pack and handle personal matters. He’ll cover for
you. It’s an easy detail since Blake is confined to her condo at
the moment. We’re flying the two of you out in the morning.”

“How long will we be staying?” He knew, but
needed to hear it again. Hear his torturous sentence slapped down
upon him like some sort of criminal being sent off to prison.

“Three weeks, tops. Right up to the
election. Not like you have plans, right? You knew it would be busy
this time of year.”

Of course, he didn’t have plans. His life
had become nothing but his job. But spending a solid twenty-one
days with Blake all alone?

He didn’t know if he could take it.

Chapter Three

“I bet you’re not happy being here with me.”
Blake watched Mason carefully, curious to see his reaction.

She, on the other hand, was ecstatic he was
the agent accompanying her on this new adventure. So ecstatic,
she’d started to form a plan since the moment she learned he was
coming with her during her banishment to the family cabin.

He shrugged, didn’t offer a reply. Merely
took her suitcases from the trunk of the rental car and wheeled
them into the cabin. She followed him, letting her gaze linger on
his backside. A shame she couldn’t see it since his ass was covered
by his suit jacket.

And didn’t he stick out like a sore thumb on
the island? Everyone around here dressed country casual and she’d
come accordingly. Chunky knit ivory sweater and tight dark rinsed
jeans tucked into knee high black boots, she certainly fit in
better than he did.

She glanced down at herself and grimaced.
Rich country casual was more the look she sported. Something she
needed to work on. And Mason looked like exactly what he was. A
Secret Service agent arrived on island to serve and protect.

“Maybe you want to be back in DC? The
election is almost over. Everything’s pretty exciting right now.”
All she wanted was a reaction. A clue that maybe, just maybe he was
happy to be with her.

She was certainly glad to be back on the
island, where she could gain some peace and quiet, maybe indulge in
her painting. She’d converted one of the bedrooms in the main cabin
into a studio a couple of years ago just for it.

Her little secret, the one thing she found
joy in more than anything, was painting. She’d told no one, afraid
they would laugh at her and not take her seriously.

Not that anyone took her seriously
anyway.

“This is where I’ve been assigned. I have no
complaints.” His vivid green eyes lit upon her, lingered for the
briefest moment before they skittered away, scanning the room with
ruthless efficiency.

“You’re so diplomatic.” They’d hardly spoken
the entire trip and if he wanted to ignore her, then fine, she’d
ignore him too.

But there was no denying the attraction
brewing between them. She wasn’t imagining it either. It was there.
Like vibrant little strikes of electricity bouncing back and forth
between them, shocking her every time they struck, making her more
aware of him.

His potency, his raw, masculine beauty, it
called to her. Sometimes she caught him looking at her, his gaze
heated, his expression full of potent desire. He’d always turn
away, as if afraid he’d been caught.

Aching arousal spiraled through her every
time their gazes met. It was palpable, this energy between them. He
liked to pretend it didn’t exist, she could tell.

But she had a couple of extra tricks up her
sleeve. He couldn’t ignore her the entire time they were together
on the island, not even Jerry around to interfere. She needed to
take advantage of the situation handed her.

Blake couldn’t believe she was even
contemplating this, but she needed to take advantage of her private
time with Mason.

“Everything looks good. I still need to do a
more thorough search, though,” he declared as he started down the
hall. “Which bedroom is yours?”

“Last door on the left,” she called as she
walked toward the window that faced the backyard and in the
distance, the Pacific Ocean.

It was gorgeous here, a place she’d loved
visiting since she was a child. Her grandparents had owned it
originally, leaving the property to her mother when they’d both
eventually passed on. Her mother never came here though, and had
given Blake her full permission to use the property whenever and
however she wanted.

So she did.

“I put your luggage in your room,” Mason
announced as he strode back into the living room.

“Thank you.” She left the window and walked
toward the couch, stopping just behind it. Brushing a hand across
the back of the dark brown suede, she wasn’t quite ready for him to
leave her yet. “I hope you brought jeans.”

“I did.”

“And T-shirts maybe?”

He gave her a non-committal shrug. “A
few.”

“Good. You stick out in your fancy
suits.”

“I know.”

“I should’ve warned you. I came prepared.”
She gestured at herself.

Not saying a word, his warm gaze did a slow
perusal, starting at the top of her head and then wandering down,
lingering on her breasts, her hips, her legs.

Her body warmed beneath his blatant stare,
tingled in all the right places. God, she both hated and loved it
when he said nothing, just let his eyes and facial expressions do
all the talking.

Mason said so much more when he didn’t
speak.

“Want me to walk you over to your cabin?”
The property consisted of two wooded acres and two cabins. The main
house was larger, at nearly two thousand square feet, while the
second cabin was small but quaint and a little less than half the
size.

“I’ve got it handled. I’ll be back in a few
minutes to finish my search. There are a few things I need to take
care of first.” He started to go and she went toward him, following
him to the front door.

Desperation clawed within her and her mind
raced. How could she keep him here longer? Where did all of her
grand plans go? The ones she concocted on the plane ride over? All
sorts of delicious scenarios, including her jumping him the second
they arrived on the island.

None of them were coming to fruition. She
was such a chicken.

“What are you doing for dinner?” she
blurted. Gah, she wanted to smack herself in the forehead, stuff a
sock in her mouth, anything to stop her saying such stupid stuff.
He was going to turn her down, she just knew it.

“I’m staying in, though I’ll do one last
pass through the house before bed time. Call me if you need
anything.” He turned on his heel and exited the cabin, not even
giving her a backward glance.

She watched him leave, anger simmering low
in her belly. He’d just walked away from her, didn’t even give her
a chance to say anything. Dismissing her like everyone else.

It frustrated the hell out of her. Was she
so unimportant that everyone forgot her the second they turned
away? She hated the way it made her feel. Despised more she allowed
it to happen in the first place.

Determination filled her and she went to her
bedroom. Rifling through her dresser, she finally found what she
was looking for. A cream colored satin and lace nightgown with
matching robe she’d bought to wear for an old boyfriend she’d
brought to the island long ago. The price tag still dangled from
it, an expensive little item that hadn’t deserved to sit in a
drawer gathering dust. She’d never got the chance to wear it for
her ex. Why, she couldn’t remember.

Blake frowned. Didn’t that just make her
feel like a slut? God, she’d been through more men than she’d care
to admit, though she rarely had sex with them. None of them had
been long-term boyfriends. More like boy toys she hung out with on
occasion. Very rarely had she indulged sexually.

Secretly, she didn’t like to let anyone get
too close. It scared her, letting someone in. Allowing a man to see
all her faults, share her hopes and dreams only for him to laugh at
her and tell her she was stupid. Crazy. Foolish.

It was easier being alone. There was no
waiting around at a man’s beck and call, begging for his attention.
She got enough of that treatment from her father. And yet she
allowed Mason to do much the same on a daily basis.

Well, he wasn’t going to be able to ignore
her any longer. He wouldn’t be able to after what she had planned.
Doubt clawed at her and she pushed it aside. She was determined to
make this happen. She needed to cling to her newfound courage and
follow through.

Follow through on her seduction of Mason
Russell.

* * * *

Mason was exhausted, cranky and horny. And
not necessarily in that order.

The long day was killing him. It was almost
midnight and he was exhausted. Yet his subject was bouncing around.
She was still up, practically every light in the large cabin
ablaze.

He’d chosen the bedroom he stayed in so he
could keep an eye on her. Even lying in bed, he could stare out the
window and watch her. He refused to go to bed until she turned out
the lights. His grumpiness level went up a notch with every minute
that passed.

The woman refused to go to bed. He knew
Blake could be a night owl, but this was ridiculous.

He regretted his earlier behavior, but he’d
never admit it. The woman set him on edge every time she came
close. He didn’t know what to do with his tumultuous feelings that
bubbled just beneath the surface. It threw him, how his emotions
came into play when he was with Blake.

Well, not necessarily emotions. More like
lusty, lurid thoughts of what he could do to her sexy body for
hours on end if given the opportunity.

The hurt in her eyes when he’d left her
standing alone in the living room was still etched in his mind.
She’d ignored him when he’d returned to check on the place, locking
herself away in the little studio. She’d ushered him right out of
there when he’d searched it earlier. She’d been short, upset and
he’d been rude and abrupt. He was sorry, but he didn’t plan on
apologizing.

She’d forget. Just like he’d forget. They
always did.

Movement caught his attention and he watched
her go from room to room, turning off the lights as she went, not
bothering to close the blinds or curtains. A fact he needed to
speak to her about tomorrow. Breathing a sigh of relief, he settled
his head deeper into the pillows, more than ready to fall
asleep.

She entered her bedroom and went to the
dresser, her back to him. With quick, efficient movements, she
stripped, tossing off her sweater, stepping out of her jeans, until
she stood only in her underwear, a black bra and matching pair of
black, low-rise panties.

Mason sat up, his mouth gone dry.
Anticipation rode hard through him, his exhaustion disappearing
just like that.

He could only focus on Blake.

She reached into an open drawer and pulled
out a nightgown, cream colored and silky. Glancing over her
shoulder, she looked his way and he was tempted to duck and hide
but he couldn’t move.

Could she see him? He didn’t think so.

With a flick of her fingers, the bra went
flying. He broke out in a cold sweat. Fuck, he wished she’d turn
around. Give him a look at her bare breasted. He was desperate to
see her like this. Naked and vulnerable and so fucking beautiful,
it hurt to look at her.

Blake shimmied into the nightgown, letting
it drop over her head, the thin, lacy straps settling on her slim
shoulders. Tossing her hair back, she reached for the hem of the
gown, gathering it up to mid-thigh before she slid her panties down
her legs, kicking them off.

Clenching his hands into fists, he waited,
catching the second glance over her shoulder before realization
kicked in.

She did all of this for him—a little
performance to drive him crazy with lust.

It was working.

Walking to the window, she stood there,
reaching out to grip either side of the frame. She stared directly
at him and he stared back, mesmerized, desperate to see what she
might do next.

Her lips pursed, delicate dark blonde brows
arched and he swore the expression on her face asked, “Like what
you see?”

She was innocence and temptation combined.
One minute she was the shy, scared girl and the next, a bold,
seductive woman. He didn’t understand her.

But he wanted her.

Christ, how she tempted him. What would she
do if he went to her? Would she be surprised? Or expecting him? He
imagined grabbing her, yanking the nightgown clean from her body.
Take her from behind right where she stood. Against the window, her
lush breasts pressed against the cool glass as he thrust his cock
inside her welcoming body again and again.

That’s what she asked for, putting on this
little show. She wanted him, he wanted her. But he refused to get
involved.

In other words, he was screwed.

Frustration ripped through him and with a
growl, he flicked on the lamp, then reached for his cell phone. Hit
the speed dial for Blake’s number.

He was going to make her stop. Now.

Blake’s cell phone rang but she ignored it,
too intent on driving a certain man crazy with desire.

Was it working? She had no clue. She
couldn’t see him. It was too dark within his room, though the
curtains were open. It would’ve been so much easier if he’d stayed
in the house with her. He reassured her she was safe before he left
for the night. The entire cabin had been bugged or tricked out with
the latest in technology. He’d know if someone entered her cabin
before she would.

Her cell stopped ringing only to start again
and she gave a little murmur of frustration. Who’d call at this
time of night anyway? Her parents were already in bed and not like
she had any real friends. Not anymore.