by Elle James
Emily nodded. “It gives me an idea of where you’re from anyway. So, I suppose, you ride horses?”
Mustang nodded. “I learned to ride before I learned to walk.”
Emily’s grin broadened. “Wow. Does that mean you’re an honest-to-God, real-life cowboy?”
“If by cowboy you mean I know the difference between a horse and a cow, then, yes, I guess you could say I’m a cowboy.”
“So, did you do all those things that cowboys do out West? You know, like branding and roping and herding the cattle?”
Mustang chuckled. “We did whatever it took to make sure the cattle were healthy and survived the brutal winters that they have out there on the plains in Montana.”
“And then you joined the marines straight out of high school?”
Mustang nodded. “It’s not like I would inherit the ranch when my parents pass away. My dad is the foreman of the ranch. I either had to sign on as a ranch hand or find another job. And since they had plenty of ranch hands, it was pretty much settled for me. The marines gave me an opportunity to get away from Montana and see the world.”
As Emily stared across the room at Mustang, a thought occurred to her. “Do you have someone special in your life? Are you married? I mean, if you are, how are you going to explain sleeping in the same bedroom with another woman?”
Mustang chuckled. “I’m not married.”
“Do you have a girlfriend or somebody you left behind in Montana?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t. The nature of the Marine Force Recon missions makes it so that it’s hard to maintain a relationship when you could be deployed at any moment.”
Emily frowned. “That has to be lonely.”
“You don’t have time to be lonely. And we have all our team to keep us company.”
“I imagine the things you go through in the marines establishes a pretty strong bond between the men of your team,” Emily said. “How long have you and your team been together? And are they the same ones you had when you were on active duty?”
“The men of Declan’s Defenders are my teammates. Most of us have been together for the past four years. Jack Snow is the slack man—the newest member of the team. But even he’s been with us for the past two years. They’re my family now, my brothers. I’d take a bullet for any one of them.”
“I imagine you would,” Emily said.
“What about you?” Mustang asked.
“What about me?” Emily responded. “I don’t know too many people I’d take a bullet for.” She shrugged. “Although, I suppose I would for Grace.”
Mustang shook his head. “No, I want to know more about you. Like, did you grow up on a ranch or did you grow up in the city?”
“My parents were older when they had me. They did the best they could to make sure I had a well-rounded upbringing. We lived in Virginia, in a suburb of DC.” She smiled. “I learned to walk before I learned to ride a bicycle or ride a horse.”
“So, you have ridden a horse?” Mustang asked.
“I have.” Emily smiled. “Although it was purely through riding lessons. I’ve never owned my own horse. And we rode English not Western.”
“That’s more than some people have done. So many kids that grew up in the city have never even seen a horse in person. Yes, they’ve seen them on television, but they’ve never stood close to one, so you are fortunate in that respect.”
“My parents did try to give me a good understanding of the world and everything in it. And that included a smattering of sports, which I was never very good at, and the riding lessons, which I enjoyed. I had hoped someday to have my own horse.”
“And what’s stopped you?”
“I live in the city.” Emily shrugged. “The traffic and commute are awful. I wouldn’t have time to really spend with a horse.”
“Why DC? Why did you settle here?” Mustang asked.
Emily slipped down onto the pillow and yawned. “I don’t know. I guess I just kind of slid in to the position at the university after completing my undergraduate degree, my masters and my doctorate there.”
“You didn’t want to explore the world and use your Russian language training in other parts of the country or the world?” Mustang asked.
Emily smiled. “I did study abroad for a semester in Moscow. And that was great, and I would really like to do some more traveling.” She yawned again and stretched. “Just not tonight. The stress must have taken it out of me. I can’t...” Emily closed her eyes as she yawned once more, hugely this time. “Sorry... I’m going to sleep now.”
“Go ahead. I’ll keep you safe while you do.” He settled back, stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his arms behind his head.
“Mmm.” She nestled into the pillow, closing her eyes to a slit wide enough to study Mustang. He really was a handsome man. Too bad he was only there to keep her safe. He seemed a bit dangerous to her. At least to her libido. The man had charisma in spades. If she wasn’t so darned tired, she might try to seduce him.
Another yawn nearly split her face in two.
Oh, who was she kidding? She didn’t know how to seduce a man. So busy making good grades and then helping students make good grades and working as an interpreter, she hadn’t taken the time out of her packed schedule to really learn the art of flirting much less dating.
Yeah, she’d gone out with a boy or two in college. She’d even experimented with sex. But she hadn’t felt that certain “something” other women had claimed they’d felt. Perhaps her body wasn’t built the same way as other women. Maybe she wasn’t capable of feeling that special something during sex.
Another yawn made her eyes water. She couldn’t fight it anymore. She had to let go of consciousness and sleep.
She recognized her hesitation and knew it had to do with all that had happened. She didn’t want to dream about her attacker. Reliving the horrific experience was what nightmares were made of.
Knowing Mustang was only a few short steps away gave her a sense of relief. Finally she let go and drifted off into a dark abyss.
* * *
EMILY RAN, her breathing ragged, her lungs ready to burst. She didn’t know where she was. All around her was a deep, inky blackness. And someone was chasing her.
Fear clutched at her chest, making it difficult to draw air into her lungs. But she had to keep moving.
Footsteps crunched on leaves and branches behind her.
Her foot caught on a root, pitching her forward. She landed hard in the dirt, the wind knocked from her lungs.
More footsteps sounded behind her.
Move! She had to move!
When she tucked her legs beneath her, they refused to push her to a standing position. With no strength left in her legs, she dragged herself up against a tree and curled into a ball, praying her pursuer couldn’t find her. The darkness around her seemed to spin, sucking her downward. One moment she floated through space. The next she was falling...falling...falling.
Emily would have reached out her hands in search of something to hold on to, to break her fall, but she was afraid it would be him...
* * *
THE SOUND OF a soft cry jerked Mustang awake. He must have dozed off. His gaze shot to the bed and his heart froze in his chest.
Empty.
In a split second he shot to his feet and raced toward the door. The chair stood in the same place he’d positioned it. Reaching over the back of the chair, he gripped the handle, fully expecting the door to open easily, but the lock remained in place.
A keening moan sounded behind Mustang.
He spun and his heart dropped to his knees.
Emily sat on the floor, wedged between the nightstand and the bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, her hands wrapped around her legs, and she was rocking back and forth. Another moan rose from her throat and a tear slipped from the cor
ner of her eye.
“Oh, Emily,” Mustang whispered. He hurried to her, switched on the light on the nightstand and dropped down beside her. “You’re okay.” He captured her hands in his and gently pulled her into his arms. “Hey, sweetheart, wake up.”
She struggled, her body rigid, her hands pushing against his chest. “No. Please, no.”
“It’s okay,” he crooned. “I won’t let him hurt you.”
Emily stopped fighting but her eyes remained closed.
“It’s me, Mustang,” he said. “Open your eyes. You’re safe.”
She shook her head, her fingers curling into his shirt.
“You’re dreaming. Wake up and look at me.” He chuckled, though it caught in his throat. “I’m one of the good guys.”
Her eyelids fluttered and then opened. She stared up at him, blinking, a frown denting her smooth brow. Finally her eyes widened and she melted into his arms.
Mustang wrapped her in his embrace, smoothing his hands down her back. “You’re all right. It was just a bad dream. I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“He was chasing me. I tr-tripped.” She dragged in a shaky breath and let it out.
The warmth of her exhalation spread across Mustang’s chest. He held her closer and swept his hand over her hair, cupping the back of her head.
She leaned back far enough that she could look up into his eyes. “Thank you.”
He shook his head. “For what?”
“For saving me again,” Emily said, and laid her cheek against his chest, snuggling closer against him.
“I didn’t do anything but wake you up.”
“It was enough.” She slipped her arms around his waist and held on, as if she might fall if she let go.
Mustang shifted, pulling her into his lap. For a long time he sat there, holding her until her body relaxed against his. She was warm and soft against him, and her hair smelled of flowers and springtime. His T-shirt on her body did little to disguise her curves pressed against his torso and chest.
His groin tightened. Now was not a good time to be turned on by the woman he was there to protect. She didn’t need her bodyguard making a pass at her.
But he couldn’t control his body’s reaction. And if he didn’t move soon, she’d become aware of his lack of control.
“We should get you off the floor,” he whispered against her ear, fighting the urge to nibble at her lobe.
Her arms tightened around his middle. For a long moment she didn’t say anything. Slowly she loosened her hold around him and nodded. “Okay.”
He shifted her off his lap and rose. Instead of reaching a hand down to pull her to a standing position, he bent, scooped her up in his arms and lifted her onto the bed.
She clung to him until he settled her on the comforter. “I could have gotten here on my own,” she reminded him. “But thank you.” Emily leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Her eyes widened and she dropped back against the pillow. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Mustang’s face tingled where Emily’s lips had touched. He pressed his fingers to the spot and gave her a crooked smile. “I didn’t mind.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Still, I shouldn’t have.” She snuggled under the sheets then pulled them and the comforter up to her chin and stared at him, her eyes wide.
“You can leave the light on. It won’t bother me,” Mustang said. He turned toward his chair.
“Mustang?” Emily said, her voice little more than a whisper.
He could hear the desperation and fear lacing the sweet sound of his name on her lips. Without hesitation, he turned back to her. “Yes?”
She chewed on her bottom lip before answering, “Will you stay with me?”
He nodded. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be in that chair, all night long.”
Emily shook her head. “No. Here.” She moved over, making room for him on the queen-size bed.
He stared at her and the space beside her and swallowed a groan. “I don’t know. That might not be a good idea.”
She shrank back against the pillow. “Oh. Okay. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. It’s just...when I close my eyes, I’m afraid I’ll end up right back in that dream.” Her voice faded at the end. With a little more oomph, she added, “It’s okay. I’ll manage.” And she turned over, away from him. “Good night, Mustang,” she said.
Mustang stood for a long time, reminding himself he was being paid to watch out for this woman, not to sleep with her. His jeans tightened uncomfortably. Lying in bed with Emily could only be painful and make for a very long, sleepless night. Even more so than sleeping in the chair.
He straightened his shoulders.
No. He should walk away and keep his distance from her. They’d been strangers before that night. They’d be strangers when the threat was neutralized. He didn’t need to start anything that would go nowhere. Not that lying in bed with her meant he had her permission to start something.
He started toward the chair, stopped, spun and crossed to the bed. Kicking off his shoes, he stretched out beside Emily on the bed, lying on top of the comforter.
Emily drew in a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. “Thank you.”
For a long time Mustang lay staring at the ceiling, his body hard, his fists clenched.
He was just about to slide out of the bed and return to his chair when Emily rolled over and slid an arm across his chest.
Swallowing hard to keep from groaning, Mustang froze.
Emily pressed her cheek against the side of his chest, her eyes closed, her breathing steady and relaxed.
He couldn’t move. What scared him worst was...he didn’t want to. He liked having her body next to his. He wanted to hold her all through the night. What scared him even more was he had a feeling one night wouldn’t be long enough.
Chapter Nine
Emily woke to sunshine streaming through a window, cutting across the floor and edging beneath the slits of her closed eyes. She blinked them open, winced and closed them again. On her second attempt, she was able to open her eyes fully and welcome the morning with a smile.
She stretched, her arm falling across the opposite side of the bed. It was empty.
Sometime during the night or early morning Mustang had left the bed. The bathroom door stood halfway open and she could hear water running in the sink. Emily rolled onto her side.
Through the gap in the door, she could see him.
Mustang stood shirtless at the sink, smearing shaving cream over his chin.
Emily’s breath lodged in her throat and her pulse pounded through her veins.
The man had broad, tanned shoulders. From where she lay, she could see the evidence of scars on his arms and side. They didn’t detract at all from his rugged good looks. In fact, they made her heart flutter and warmth spread low in her belly.
He’d held her in his arms when she’d been frightened by a dream. Then she’d taken advantage of him by asking him to lie beside her in the bed. She had no regrets in that regard. Having his hard body beside hers had chased away all the bad guys of her imagination and made her feel safe and protected.
She’d slept the rest of the night without a recurrence of the horrible nightmare. With sun shining through the window, she met the day with more optimism than she’d had the night before. And more determination to discover who was behind the attacks. She suspected it had something to do with her visit to the Russian embassy. Had the situation with the ambassador’s daughter caused such a stir they didn’t want the information to leak out? Emily shook her head. Why would they need to keep that such a secret? Who cared besides the ambassador?
Mustang finished shaving and tapped the razor on the side of the sink. Then he turned his head toward her and winked. “Caught ya looking.”
Heat flared in Emily’s cheeks and she rolled back to her side
of the bed. Her bare feet hit the cool wooden floor. She searched the room for her clothes before she remembered they had been covered in mud and too nasty to wear again. The sweatpants and T-shirt Grace had loaned her were gone as well.
“If you’re looking for clothes, you’ll find the items you arrived in stacked on the dresser. Charlie had them cleaned while you slept.”
Relief washed over her as she gathered her pants, shirt, panties and bra. When she started toward the adjoining door, intent on changing out of the revealing T-shirt, she was brought up short by Mustang clearing his throat.
“Ahem. Where are you going?”
She spun to face him, clutching the stack of clothing to her chest. “To change into my clothes.”
“If you go into my room and close the door, I won’t be able to see you, or protect you against an intruder entering that room.” He tipped his head toward the bathroom behind him. “I’m done in here.”
She nodded and hurried forward, intent on giving him a wide berth, knowing if she touched him, she’d feel that spark of electricity he managed to generate without trying.
As she walked past him, he reached out a hand and touched her arm.
Emily fought hard not to moan. She came to a halt, gathered her scattered senses and looked up into Mustang’s eyes questioningly.
“How do you feel this morning?” he asked, his tone low, intimate and far too sexy for Emily’s good.
Those scattered senses scrambled all over again. She struggled to concentrate on what he’d said while staring at his lips, wondering what they would feel like against hers. She shook her head. “Fine,” she blurted. “I’m fine.” Then she scurried into the bathroom. Once she’d closed the door between them, she leaned against it and let go of the breath she’d been holding.
