Protecting What's Mine: A Security Romance Collection

by Apryl Baker

  “Okay.”

  He bends over me, placing his lips on mine and kisses me. His tongue teases my lips, wanting entry. I nip at his tongue with my lips before I allow him access, and I unbuckle my seatbelt, allowing him to pull me up into him. Our kiss ignites a fire I haven’t felt all day and I don’t want this feeling to end. It’s consuming, and I want it to consume me like it’s the last kiss I’ll ever have.

  As I pull away to catch my breath, Aedan pulls me back into him and whispers, “This is just the beginning of our weekend, and you’re all mine.” He kisses my lips with haste and exits the plane.

  His words leave goose bumps on my skin. The anticipation of what is to come dances through my body. I hurry to the bathroom to freshen up, and I flip the light on and look in the mirror. The face looking back at me is a woman I almost don’t recognize, but I smile. I look happy and loved. These are feelings I haven’t felt in a while, and I love the way I feel. I hurry and go to gather my things from my seat and they are gone. I look around.

  “Hey. I put everything in the car.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  He helps me down the steps off the plane and onto the tarmac, and down to a black convertible Mustang. I thought we would try to lay low while we are here, but this car will get us noticed. Aedan opens the door, and I get in before he closes it. He gets in, starts the car, and we drive off with the sun setting in front of us. What a good ending to a shitty day.

  ***

  The ride to Alex’s house is beautiful. The last of the sun’s evening rays highlight hills and trees, and the flowers look as if they are glowing. Several miles outside of town, Aedan turns into a private housing development. The houses are big and the lots they sit on are even bigger. The car slows and turns. Trees and bushes line the drive, and once in the clearing, a wood cabin comes into view. The car stops, and I think Aedan made a wrong turn and pulled into a bed and breakfast instead. The rustic log home sits on the banks of Big Bear Lake, reminding me of a resort.

  Alex and his family greet us once we are out of the car. Maria ushers me inside as the guys carry our luggage to our room. She gives me a whirlwind tour and my focus is drawn to the back of the house when we come back downstairs. Floor to ceiling windows make up the wall of the house, and the view is stunning, especially now with the sun setting behind the trees, glittering off the lake.

  An oversized patio with a pergola wraps around the back of the home, and a boardwalk off the side of the patio leads to the beach. As soon as I can, I will be sunning out there.

  Once the guys are finished with the luggage, they meet us in the dining room to eat. Maria made a lot of food before we arrived. I don’t think we even had this much food at Thanksgiving when my mom was well and cooked for us. The mix of American and Mexican goes together well, and Maria wrote out recipes for the easier dishes to try at home. I’m so glad that Aedan brought me here.

  After the food is put away and all the dishes washed, we say our goodnights and head to our rooms. The room we are in has a view of the lake and I can’t wait to see the view in the daylight. I quickly put on a pair of shorts and a tank top and lie in bed waiting for Aedan to finish with his shower.

  “Everything okay?” Aedan asks as he comes out of the bathroom in pajama pants and a t-shirt and walks into the bedroom.

  “Yes, just thinking about today. It’s been a crazy, long day.”

  “It has been.” He lies in bed next to me and rolls over on his right side, placing his left hand on my abdomen. The heat from his hand warms my body. His fingers rub circles on my exposed bare skin, sending waves of chills through my body.

  “Cold?” he asks, pulling the covers around me.

  “No, but thank you.”

  “Welcome,” he says as he scoots closer to me.

  His body heat warms me. The goose bumps disappear from my skin as the smell of his body wash invades my senses, comforting me while unfamiliarity surrounds us. I lean into him, letting my body rest against his. He sighs as he places his hand on my stomach.

  “Something on your mind?” He never sighs.

  “I want to peel your clothes off, but I’m so tired, I don’t want to move.”

  I laugh, because I understand. “Me too. This bed feels amazing.”

  “What do you want to do tomorrow?” He pulls me closer to him until I’m almost lying on top of him.

  “Let’s not make plans. I want to go with the flow, but at some point, I want to go to the beach and soak up some sun. I can’t remember the last time I did that.”

  “Sounds like a plan…um…of not a plan.” We both laugh. Then we’re silent. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s new. Work dictates our lives, and with it off the table, we are able to enjoy each other, even the silence.

  “Sorry I’m not more talkative,” I murmur. “I’m trying to process everything.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I get it, but please talk to me if you need to talk. Don’t keep it in.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I love you, Jesse.”

  “I love you too.” I roll over and put my arm around his neck, and I caress the back of his head with my fingers. He closes his eyes as the simple massage lulls him to sleep, and I quickly fall asleep soon after.

  ***

  Aedan

  After three days of lying on the beach, I’m ready to do something different. Although for the first time in a very long time, I have a tan, and Jesse has some sexy tan lines too. Maybe I shouldn’t complain, but it’s time to do something not on the beach. I’m up before Jesse and as I wait for her to get up, I find a list of suggested things to do in the area. Hiking is high on the list, but it’s not something I want to do. Shopping is another activity listed and that’s what we are going to do.

  I head downstairs and make breakfast—eggs, toast, and fruit with coffee. I take it upstairs to serve in bed. As I walk in the room with the tray of food and coffee, Jesse wakes up. The sheet drops from her body as she sits up, revealing her golden tan.

  “Morning.” She yawns and stretches.

  “Good morning. Breakfast is served.”

  “Oh, how sweet of you. Thank you.” She smiles, and it goes straight to my dick. Down, boy. It’s not that kind of morning.

  “You’re welcome.”

  I place the tray on the bed and move the coffee to the nightstand before I pick up the tray and sit down beside her, then place the tray on my lap. I hand her a plate and pick up my own.

  “What do you want to do today?” she asks between bites.

  “I would like to go into town and look around. Something new to eat would be nice.”

  “Okay. I’ll wash dishes after we are done, and I’ll shower after that.”

  “Na, I’ll clean up and you can shower while I do that. I’ve already showered.” She starts giggling. “What’s that about?” I ask.

  “We’re like an old married couple.” She covers her mouth as she laughs.

  “If old people have sex like we do, then I agree.”

  “I’m sure some do.” She laughs again.

  “Let’s stay until Friday.”

  I’m not ready to go back to Denver and there’s been no progress in the case. She looks as if she’s mentally going through her calendar and she smiles.

  “Okay. I’ll need to call Stella and let her know.”

  “I’ll do that while you’re showering and getting ready.”

  “Perfect. I’m finished. Time for a shower,” she says, shoving the last bite of toast in her mouth and placing the plate on the tray.

  I shake my head at her sexiness, and I finish eating. “Okay. I’ll get everything taken care of. Enjoy your shower.”

  “I will…too bad you’ve already showered.” She pouts as she picks up her coffee and walks to the bathroom.

  “You’re out of control…I thought I was the insatiable one.” I smirk.

  Before she exits the bedroom, she turns, winks, and hurries in, shutting
the door behind her. Tease. I gather the dirty dishes and make my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. I wash the dishes, rinse, dry them, and put them away so I don’t have to worry about them later.

  I walk outside to make a few calls. The sun is already hot, but the breeze is blowing. It should be a great day to be outside. The first call will be to Sam, and I hope he has an update. Before I call, I grab a notepad in case he has information for me. The phone rings twice before he picks up.

  “How’s Big Bear?”

  “Pretty damn good. Any updates?”

  “Nothing. Craig said his crew isn’t happy with the blood at the scene, but they aren’t saying why until they either hit a dead end or get conclusive results.”

  “That doesn’t sound promising.”

  “Yeah, no shit, man.”

  “I still believe it’s staged.”

  “From what I saw, I’m leaning that way too. I didn’t see anything like that when I was on the force.”

  “It’s strange…I’ll let you go but call me as soon as you know either way what’s going on with that blood.”

  “Will do. Later.” He hangs up and I dial Nadia. I’ll have her let Stella know that we are coming back Friday night.

  “McCoy Investments, Aedan Hughes’ office.”

  “Hey, Nadia. How is everything going?”

  “Good morning, Aedan. Everything is going smoothly. It’s nice and quiet.”

  “Excellent. Can you please clear my schedule for the rest of the week? We decided to come back Friday afternoon.”

  “Yes, and good for you. You need a vacation. I’ll let Stella know about the change in plans too.”

  “I appreciate that. If you need anything, call me or Sam.”

  “Can do. Have a happy Fourth of July, and I’ll see you next week.”

  “You too.”

  She hangs up and I place my phone back in its holder. I enjoy the view for a little longer until I get hot. I go back inside, pour another cup of coffee, and sit down at the table to wait for Jesse.

  I push the thoughts of work to the back of my mind, and this brings the feelings I have for Jesse to the front. Emotions I haven’t experienced before Jesse make me question my feelings, my actions, and myself. The time we’re spending together has been amazing, but I hope I’m not smothering her. She was so independent before I forced her to stay with me, but she hasn’t left. Her house has been ready for over a month, and instead of her going back to it, she moved her brother and sister in.

  When she enters a room, my focus goes straight to her, and my heart thuds. There could be a hundred people surrounding her and she’s all I see. I want to hold her, claim her, and show everyone she’s mine. Maybe I’m being a fool, because we’ve only been together a few months, but I knew the first time I saw her that she would be in my life forever. I was young and stupid to think that then, but eight years later, here I am…with her. I guess I wasn’t too stupid, I just knew.

  “What’s that look on your face?” Jesse asks as she enters the kitchen.

  “Thinking about you.”

  “That was a serious face. Everything okay?”

  “Yeah. I love you.” I stand up and take her in my arms. My lips touch hers. The taste of mint toothpaste and vanilla Chapstick greet my taste buds when my tongue meets hers. She pulls away and giggles.

  “I love you too, but if you keep that up, we won’t make it into town.”

  “We could stay here, and I can explore the rest of your body.”

  “You’ve done that several times since we’ve been here.” She winks.

  “I know, and each time I find another thing I love about you.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes.”

  “How about we look around town and grab lunch? After that we can come back.”

  “If that is what you want to do, it works for me.”

  “Good. I’m driving!” She runs toward the door, opens it, and goes outside, leaving me to stare at the door.

  I shake my head and chuckle. Looking at Jesse acting this way it’s hard to believe she owns a multi-million-dollar company. She’s relaxed and enjoying herself. I’m so glad that I get to experience this with her. The car horn blows, interrupting my thoughts, and I walk outside, locking the door behind me. She can’t go anywhere; I have the keys in my pocket, and I pull them out and hold them up for her to see.

  “Can I please drive?” she asks.

  “Yes. Be gentle with the gas, because the car will go a lot faster than you think you’re going.”

  “I will.” She starts it and puts the black leather top down. Maybe we should buy a convertible when we get back to Denver…it’s something to think about. I get in the car, shut the door, and buckle my seatbelt as I pray that she doesn’t drive it like she stole it.

  ***

  After lunch, Jesse decides she wants to stay in town and look around. There’s a shop I want to visit, but I don’t want Jesse there. The town is cozy, and I feel comfortable to watch her from afar, because she needs to have her space. We agree to meet up in front of the bookstore at three p.m. That gives us a few hours to do our own thing, not too far from each other.

  When we were in the gem shop, she saw a copper bowl, but didn’t purchase it. I don’t know why she liked it. I’m going to buy it, along with a gem bracelet I saw that I thought would look good on her.

  I walk into the shop and the same older gentleman I met before is here behind the counter.

  “Hello, sir. Back again?” he asks. His loud voice doesn’t match his smaller stature.

  “Yes, my girlfriend was looking at a copper bowl and I want to get it for her.”

  “Ah, yes. The redhead?” His reading glasses hang around his neck and he puts them on.

  “Yes, that would be her.”

  “I figured she would be back in to get it. She kept picking it up and putting it down,” he says as he walks over to the shelf to pick up the bowl Jesse was looking at. He steps behind the counter with it.

  “I’m going to surprise her with it later. Also, do you have that gemstone bracelet? It has delicate metal work with the smaller stones.” He walks over to the jewelry case and looks at the bracelets and points at the one I want. “Yes, that’s it,” I tell him.

  “I made it this morning. It’s white gold with sapphires.” He gently picks up the bracelet and removes the tag.

  “Perfect. Do you do gift wrapping?”

  “I sure can.”

  “Thank you.”

  He rings me up, I pay, and he wraps Jesse’s gifts. “You from around here?”

  “No, sir. Housesitting for a friend who’s on vacation.”

  “Sounds like a good gig.”

  “That it is. Do you know where we could go watch fireworks tomorrow night?”

  “Yes, they shoot them off a barge in the lake, and you’ll be able to see them from any of the parks around the lake.”

  “Nice. We should see them from my friend’s house, then.”

  “If it’s close to the lake, yes. It’s the biggest fireworks show in the area.”

  “Thanks for the info.”

  “You’re welcome. I think I have everything wrapped up nicely for you.” He hands me two boxes wrapped in deep red paper with an embossed bear design.

  “They look great. Thank you.”

  “Have a good one,” he says, and waves before I walk out the door.

  I pop the trunk on the car and hurry to put the boxes in to hide them from Jesse, then I close the lid and hope she doesn’t need to get in there after she’s finished shopping.

  I walk in the direction of bookstore, window shopping as I walk, and I see her in the store I’m getting ready to walk by. The store has antique collectables from movies that have released in the past fifty years. There are props from Marvel and DC films, pieces of the sets from James Bond movies, and they even have the couch from a comedy that was on TV. I don’t remember the name because I rarely watch TV shows. I walk on by the store to make sure
Jesse doesn’t see me watching her.

  A small café is situated next to the antique store, and I go in. The smell of fresh ground coffee hits my nose, and I know Jesse would love a cup from here. An older lady behind the counter greets me, and I order two coffees, one with two creams and a sugar. The pastries in the display look amazing, but I don’t buy any. I pay and take the two coffees outside, and I sit at one of the small metal tables in front of the store.

  A few minutes pass, and Jesse walks by. She stops and turns around, smiling. “Hey, do I know you? You look a lot like my sexy boyfriend. I’m meeting him here in an hour.”

  “Maybe.” I stand up, pull her into me, and kiss her. He lips sear mine as we touch. She’s so hot, and I feel like I’m going to explode every time we touch.

  “Mmm. Hi, boyfriend.”

  “Hi, yourself. Are you finished or are you going to more shops?”

  “I’m not finished, I actually was looking for something to drink.”

  “Two creams and a sugar.” I hand it to her.

  “Thank you!” She places her bags in an empty chair opposite me and sits down beside me.

  “You’re welcome.” I take a seat.

  “I love it here. People are nice and easygoing. They aren’t in rush to get here and there.”

  “Very relaxing. I was talking to a local about the fireworks here, and he said we should be able to see them from Alex’s house.”

  “I like that. We don’t have to mess with a crowd of people.”

  “My thoughts too. We can watch them from the beach, the patio, or inside the house. They let them off on a barge in the lake.”

  “The beach would be perfect.”

  “It’s a date then.”

  She smiles. Her eyes are bright and carefree. Seeing her like this makes me want to hurry up and get back to Denver and catch that SOB. She needs to be carefree in Denver too.

  Jesse finishes her coffee. “I’m going to the store next to the bookstore now. Do you still want to meet there or do you want me to come back here?”

  “I’ll meet you at the bookstore.”

  “Okay. Can you take my bags?”

  “I’ll put them in the car.”