Bodyguard
She turned away and walked to her bedroom, carefully closing the door behind her. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. Muttering under her breath about the unfairness of the world, she toed off her chunky-heeled pumps. She pulled the dress over her head and threw it into the hamper in a fit of rage. Walking to her dresser, she unclasped the single strand of her mother's pearls at her neck and tossed it on the polished top. Next, she attacked the pins holding her hair up and began brushing her hair with merciless tugs, wincing at the pain in her scalp.
To her horror, the brush flew from her hand and skidded across the polished top of the dresser, knocking a bottle of perfume over. The bottle fell over the side and landed on the hardwood floor, crashing into a thousand tiny pieces.
Her bedroom door crashed against the wall. Nick rushed in, his gun in hand. Paige gaped at him, unable to move.
Nick froze. He stared at her, standing amidst broken glass and barely dressed in a low cut silk bra and matching thong. "What the hell happened?" he rasped. He couldn't take his gaze off her.
Paige felt his eyes like a physical caress. The shattered glass lay forgotten. The enticing, sensual scent of the perfume rose between them. She knew she should at least cover herself, but the fire in his eyes rooted her to the spot. Heat seeped through her skin. She felt hot. So hot. She finally summoned the energy to bring an arm up to cover her breasts.
"Don't move," he commanded in a hoarse voice. He flicked the safety on his gun and stuck it in the back of his jeans. He made his way over to her, carefully pushing the broken shards of glass to the side. "Are you hurt?"
She couldn't speak for the huge lump in her throat, so she simply shook her head. There was such heat in his eyes, heat that called an answering firestorm deep inside her. The intensity of it made her knees weak.
"Goddammit Paige, you scared the hell out of me." His hands curved around her waist as he lifted her clear of the sharp glass and deposited her on the other side of the bed.
God, why were his hands so hot on her skin? "It was an accident," she began to explain. Her breath hitched in her throat at the way he was staring at her.
Following the direction of his gaze, Paige flushed even deeper when she saw how the mounds of her too - generous breasts jutted against the cups of the bra. And was that a nipple peeking through the top? She pushed away from him, her eyes darting around for something within reach so she could cover herself.
He stilled her movements. "I can't figure you out." A blunt finger came up and traced her damp lower lip.
Her pulse skittered out of control. She couldn't look away from his dark eyes. "W- w hat do you mean?"
Nick shifted closer. He was so close that she felt the tremendous heat coming off him in waves. "I can't figure out why a beautiful woman like you would choose to hide under shapeless clothing."
She looked away. His hand gently nudged her chin to turn her face back to him. Her lashes lowered.
He bent his head, his cheek rubbing against hers in a tender, sensuous movement. "I grew up with four sisters. I remember them spending hours and hours trying on new clothes, makeup and hairstyles. They wanted to look beautiful." His finger skimmed over her cheek. "You, however, do the exact opposite. You put your hair in a ponytail, wear eyeglasses that I doubt you really need, and live in jeans and sweatshirts."
She squirmed. Her nipples were tight, painful points pushing against her bra. Unfamiliar warmth began to spread from her lower belly. "Nick," she breathed. What was he doing?
He traced the madly beating pulse at the base of her throat. "Tell me why."
How could she think when he touched her like that? She moaned. At the sound, he bent and brushed his lips against hers. A shudder tore through her as their bodies came into contact. His skin was rough where hers was smooth. She could feel a disturbing length of stiff flesh touching her bare skin.
He plunged his fingers into her hair and tilted her face up. Licking the corner of her lips, he bade her to open her mouth. "Give me your tongue, Paige. Let me taste you."
Her lips parted. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She touched her tongue to his, shyly, hesitantly. She jumped when a sound rumbled from his lips. "Nick?"
"Do it again," he ordered gruffly.
"This?" she asked, touching her tongue to his. He emitted a sound between a groan and a growl before he took over and pushed inside her mouth.
She moaned. Her limbs felt heavy and weightless. His hands splayed on her back, pulling her closer and keeping her there. Her senses whirled. Their lips parted and clung together again and again. She was breathing hard when he eventually let her up for air.
