Under His Protection (6 page)

He shook his head once. “I haven’t been out with a woman since the day Mina and I walked into your shop.”

His words took her off guard so much that her eyes widened. He couldn’t mean because of her, could he? No, not a player like him. “Why not?” Because she didn’t think he wanted for female company. All he’d have to do was smile and turn on that charm and women would just fall at his feet.

Ivan rubbed the back of his neck, but he didn’t take his gaze off her. “I’ve been trying to figure out the right way to ask you out.”

It didn’t matter what he’d said in the elevator, his little confession couldn’t have stunned her more if he’d tried. And something about his tone told her he hadn’t planned to admit that. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. “So is this you asking me out on a date?”

He paused, then nodded. “Yes. Tomorrow night.”

“Is that a question?”

Those sexy lips quirked up again. “Please go out with me?”

Despite the vandalism and nasty texts today—and the fact that she probably had a stalker of sorts—the day had ended a lot better than she’d expected. She knew things with a man like Ivan would never be long-term. From what she’d heard he just did casual and while that thought burned in a way she didn’t understand, it had been way too long since she’d had any interest in the opposite sex and she wasn’t walking away from Ivan. “Yes.”

Chapter 5

Ivan steered down Julieta’s street for the second time in the last couple minutes. He’d wanted to do a sweep to make sure everything looked normal but he had no clue since he’d never been here before. He’d even texted Lizzy earlier and asked her to hide Julieta’s keys in a better place than under the mat like she’d said at the bridal shower. With everything going on, he didn’t want her keys in easy reach for anyone. “How’s everything look?”

Julieta fidgeted with the folds of her dress as she looked out the passenger window. “Good, I guess. I don’t see any strange cars. This is just too weird,” she muttered.

He could hear the stress in her voice and he hated it. He also didn’t like that she’d seemed so surprised when he’d asked her out. He knew he was good at covering how he felt but damn, he wished she’d had a clue he was interested in her before today. “Do you have a security system?”

Nodding, she turned to look at him, her dark eyes filled with too many emotions. Primarily worry. She wore her emotions right out in the open. He liked that he could read her so well. “It’s pretty basic, but yes. The windows and doors all have contacts.”

Some of the tension fled his shoulders. “Good. I’d still like to check out your place if that’s all right?” He had to remind himself to phrase it as a question. He was used to taking charge of most situations, especially with his job, but he knew with Julieta that he had to play it right and couldn’t go all caveman on her.

Her eyebrows drew together a fraction but she nodded.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m just surprised you asked, that’s all.” There was a slight note of humor in her voice. “I’ve seen the way you are with Mina,” she added, even though he hadn’t responded.

Damn, Julieta was more observant than he’d realized. Something he found incredibly hot. “That’s my job. This—you—are different.” Even if he did just want to take control of the situation.

“Mina’s more than your job,” Julieta said softly.

He lifted his shoulders, feeling uncomfortable because it was the truth. He’d worked for Mina’s father, Warren Hollingsworth, for years before his death and he’d cared for the man more than he’d ever admitted. When he’d died a few months ago it’d been hard. Was still hard. “Yeah.”

“Speaking of, are you sure you can take time away right now?” she asked as he steered into her driveway.

Her sporty two-door car was already in the driveway, but Lizzy had texted both of them letting them know it would be here. She’d also emailed Ivan that she was scanning the faces from the video he’d sent her outside the shop. He wasn’t sure what kind of program she used or how long it would take, or even if it was legal, but he knew she’d come through. “Yeah, it’s no problem.” He’d already called Blue, Mina’s fiancé, and let him know he needed a few days off, at least.

As they got out of the vehicle Ivan instinctively surveyed the neighborhood for any potential threats. Waiting for her while she got the keys that Lizzy had left in her car, he tried not to stare at Julieta’s ass as she bent over and retrieved them from under the cup holder. Tried and failed.

The woman was compact and curvy and he desperately wanted to lose himself in her. He’d always been with taller, more athletic women. He was big and tended to have bed partners he wasn’t worried about getting too rough with. Julieta made him forget any type he’d ever thought he’d had.

She
was his type, plain and simple.

Had been from the moment he’d walked into her shop and saw her wearing one of those sexy dresses she favored and high heels that defined those toned legs. Seeing her bent over like that made him think of bending her over the hood of her little car and taking her slowly from behind as he stroked her clit with his finger. He could fuck her for hours. Days. Something told him that once he’d had her, one time would never be enough.

When she straightened, he half-turned and stared back at the quiet street. He felt like a dick fantasizing about her when she had so much to deal with.

And he wasn’t going to fuck this up and do what he always did. He didn’t want to just jump into bed with her. Okay, he
did
want to, but he wanted to take things slow with her. Well, slower than normal, and get to know her more.

“Got them,” she said, smiling at him as she shut her car door.

He just nodded because he didn’t trust his voice and followed her up the walkway to her two-story house. He was surprised by how big it was since she hadn’t mentioned roommates.

“You don’t have to check it out, but I really appreciate that you are,” Julieta said as she slid her key in the lock. Her alarm started beeping as they stepped inside, but she quickly disarmed it and turned to face him with a half-smile. “This place is kinda big for just me. I don’t even have furniture in two of the bedrooms so it shouldn’t take long.”

He glanced to the left at the dimly lit living room. One lamp illuminated it, highlighting her bright, eclectic taste. A pale green loveseat was across from a long leather couch. Different shaped and colored throw pillows were on both. A giant throw rug covered a good portion of the dark hardwood floors. Striped ceiling to floor length curtains that made him think of Arabian nights overlaid the front windows. “This place looks like you,” he murmured. Vivid, beautiful, full of life.

“Is that a good thing?” The hesitancy in her voice surprised him.

He looked back at Julieta to find her watching him curiously with those big brown eyes. And she was nibbling on that full, lush bottom lip that made him wonder what it would feel like to have her mouth wrapped around his cock.

Getting hard at
that
thought, he tore his gaze away from her and glanced at the stairs behind her. “Definitely good. Bright and cheerful.” He couldn’t get out more words than that as he took a step toward the stairs. “Do you mind if I check upstairs?” he asked, needing to move and put a little distance between them. His brain threatened to short circuit when she was around. It was a constant thing and threw him off his game. He was always in control except when she was near. Around her all he could think about was raw fucking or burying his face between her legs. Would she be bare or… Damn it. This was not helping the state of his dick.

Belatedly he realized she’d said “no problem” so he headed for the stairs and did a quick, but thorough sweep of her place. When he reached her bedroom he tried to ignore the giant king-sized bed in the room, but it was damn hard. All he could do was imagine her stretched out on the multi-colored comforter in one of those skimpy lingerie pieces from her shop. Something sheer that left nothing to the imagination. He wondered if she used any of the toys she sold. Or brought herself to orgasm while thinking of him… His erection grew even harder at the thought so he backtracked from her room and barely managed to get himself under control.

Sweeping her place was easy enough because she hadn’t been kidding about two empty bedrooms. After securing the upstairs and downstairs he met her back where she still waited in the foyer, arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

That foreign possessiveness swept up inside him again at the sight of her distress, even as subtle as it was. He wanted to reach out and comfort her but wasn’t sure if he should, if it was too soon. They’d only gone out once and tonight hadn’t exactly been a date. He’d never been in a relationship with a woman so while he knew what to do in the bedroom, he had no clue how to act now. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was unsure of himself.

“Everything’s clear and if you set your alarm system after I leave, you’ll be good.”

She visibly relaxed, her hands falling to her side and she gave him one of those soft smiles that took his breath away. “Thank you for doing this. You seriously went above and beyond and I really appreciate it.”

He didn’t want her gratitude.

Moving slowly, he lifted his hand to cup her cheek, giving her plenty of time to stop him or pull away if she wanted. Her eyes widened but she didn’t step back.

Instead she took a small step forward, the action letting loose a fraction of the control he’d been keeping on lockdown.

He was just going to comfort her, really. But when she reached out and placed a hand on his chest, his entire body tightened, pulling taut with the kind of raging hunger he’d never experienced except in her presence. She clenched her fingers against his pec and he shuddered.

“Kiss me,” she whispered. Her eyes widened in pure shock the moment she’d uttered the words, as if she couldn’t believe she’d said them.

Ivan didn’t need more of an invitation than that. He ordered himself to go slow, to be smooth about their first kiss, but all that vanished the second his lips touched hers. She was so damn soft. Something electric arced between them, a tangible thing taking them both by surprise.

Feeling almost possessed, he grasped the wrist of the hand she had on his chest then caught hold of the other. Holding her hands above her head, he backed her up against the door in an unmistakably dominant move as he devoured her mouth with his, stroking, teasing, taking. He wanted to take everything she had to offer and then some. He wanted to imprint his mouth on hers so that she felt him after he’d left tonight, that his taste lingered with her when she laid her head on her pillow later. What he
really
wanted was to take her right up against this door, to claim her.

She let out a moan, maybe in surprise, but her tongue tangled with his hungrily as her body arched into him. Even with heels, she was a lot shorter than him so he bent over her, holding her wrists in place just so he wouldn’t touch her anywhere else.

Because he was incredibly tempted. He wanted to grab her hips and hoist her up against the door, pressing himself against her fully so that she’d feel what she did to him. But he was already walking a thin line with her, his control damn near in tatters. He wasn’t going to lose it tonight.

Not yet.

She made a soft little mewling sound and nipped his bottom lip playfully, her breathing just as harsh and erratic as his. She tasted sweet, like the after dinner coffee she’d had. It had been one of those specialty drinks with chocolate in it and mixed with her natural taste, it made him crazy.

He wasn’t sure how long they stood there making out like teenagers, but the feel of his phone buzzing in his pants’ pocket jerked him back to reality. Groaning, he pulled his head back from her and dragged in a ragged breath. He couldn’t ever remember being so damn hard. His erection was a heavy club between his legs and there wasn’t a damn thing to be done about it.

Julieta watched him with heavy-lidded eyes, her full mouth even more swollen and red, all traces of her lip gloss gone. Even though he didn’t want to, he let her wrists go, but placed his hands on either side of her head because he wasn’t ready to step back from her just yet. The phone call could be important, hopefully Lizzy getting back to him, but right now, all his focus was on Julieta.

“Dinner. Tomorrow.” The only two words he could manage at the moment. He knew they’d already confirmed their date but he wanted to hear her say yes again, needed to know without a doubt that he’d see her soon. He felt almost possessed with the damn need because soon he wanted her under him, on top of him, saying his name as she climaxed around him.

Blinking, as if coming out of a haze, Julieta nodded. “Yes.”

As more oxygen returned to his brain, he forced his throat to work again. “Pick you up at seven?”

She nodded again.

He let his hands fall and forced himself to step back even though he wanted to bury his hands in her hair and pull her close to him, to tease his tongue against hers again, to kiss and discover every inch of her tight body. “Make sure you turn your alarm on the second I leave.” He’d be watching her house anyway, because he couldn’t just leave her unprotected, but that alarm was important.

At the mention of the word alarm, some of the lust in her gaze dimmed, likely as reality set back in. “I will.”

“And you’ll call if anything doesn’t feel right?”