Protecting Jenna (NCIS Series Book 8)

by Zoe Dawson

  “I promised myself I would behave,” he whispered. “But Jenna…” He trailed off, his voice thick with strain. He went still, then released an unsteady sigh and slid his hand against the nape of her neck, spanning the base of her head.

  He walked her back behind the door until she was pressed up against the wall. His chest expanding, he turned her head and covered her mouth with his hot, soft lips. He cupped her breast, kneading slowly, his thumb rubbing rhythmically over one hard, aching nipple. With a honeyed gasp, she opened to him, the thrust of his tongue sending hot, weakening need through her.

  Moaning softly against his mouth, desperate for the feel of him, she reached for his waistband, an avalanche of wanting compressing her lungs as she ran her hand over the bulge in his pants. He shuddered and crushed her against him, grasping her wrists and trapping them against the wall above her head.

  Jenna was lost. Lost to the hunger. Lost to the sensations pumping through her. Lost to the urgency of his questing hand, slipping beneath her skirt to cup her butt as he pressed his heated groin against her. His mouth and teeth scored her neck.

  He let go of her wrists as he thrust against her, sliding his hand into the waistband of her panties, to the wet core of her. She cried out, the sound muffled against his mouth as he found her center and brushed his fingers against her, over and over again.

  The sting of pleasure coasted through her as she kissed him, his mouth hot and hard against her lips, her breath ragged. Her climax rocked through her as his thumb played her like an instrument, masterful and knowing how to get the best music out of her. She came so hard, her knees buckled, but he had her around the waist as if he knew she would collapse.

  “Jenna,” he whispered over and over again. He waited a beat, then his fingers were back, making her come again.

  He took her hand as the stars faded and molded it over his erection straining behind his fly. She pulled at his pants, got the zipper down so she could delve inside and find him hard, hot and smooth. She worked him against her palm. His breathing harsh and labored, his body rigid with tension, he twisted her head back and trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses down the arch of her neck. “Please, Jenna,” he groaned and rocked his hips against her hand. “Please.”

  She choked out his name as he moved her panties out of the way, his hand sliding over her butt, then to her knee as he lifted her leg.

  She guided him to her, and a violent tremor shuddered through him, a low groan breaking from him as she directed him into her. He was so rigid and thick and even as he wanted her, she could tell he was trying to hold back, but she didn’t want his restraint. She needed him hard, deep, and out of control. Feeling her whole body collect and tighten, she arched her head back and lifted her hips to meet him, choking out his name. He shuddered again, then clutched her against him and drove into her again and again and again, finally sending her over the edge of a high, splintering chasm. He thrust into her once more, grinding against her, then stiffened, an agonized groan wrenched from him as he climaxed deep inside her.

  After a few minutes, Austin took a breath and said, “Jenna.” He let her go. She adjusted her clothes, and he tucked and zipped up. “I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.” He frowned and brushed at the wisps of hair at her temple, then bracketed her face. “At a party? People in the next room and…your ex. That has got to be a first for me. Not very professional.”

  “Austin, we’re obviously very attracted to each other. There’s nothing wrong with what we did.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “Not a darn thing.”

  He chuckled, but when she opened her eyes, his expression was still pensive. “Come on. Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s bigger than both of us.”

  “That’s what worries me.”

  She reached up to her hair. “How do I look?” she said.

  His features softened. “Beautiful.”

  Her brows rose, and she smiled. “Disheveled, mussed up, a mess?”

  His chest heaved and he rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb. “All those things, but still freaking beautiful.”

  “Do you think people will know what we were doing?”

  “I should care about that, but I don’t.”

  “You are incorrigible.”

  “Come on. I’ll shield you into the bathroom.”

  He clasped her hand and steered her out of the study right to the powder room. The conversations continued to flow, and no one seemed to notice them at all. She ducked inside and laughed at her reflection in the mirror. She positively glowed with happiness, her cheeks rosy, her eyes bright, but she definitely had to do something with her hair and reapply her lipstick.

  Emerging with her exterior looking together and proper, and her insides anything but, she was a mess of tingling awareness, her thoughts dirty and unkempt. She wanted more of Austin, and not just the physical.

  The party was breaking up, several people in the foyer saying their goodbyes to Elise and Tom. She passed the bar, and a hand snaked out and grabbed ahold of her upper arm. Robert’s hard eyes and pinched face thrust into hers. “I want to talk to you.”

  Austin and Beau were a few steps from her. When she gasped, they turned to look and started forward, but she held up her hand. It was time she dealt with Robert. Once and for all.

  “You’re hurting me,” she said, yanking her arm away, but he only squeezed it tighter. His eyes narrowed as if that had been his intention. “What do you want?” she snapped, keeping her voice low. She could see Tom watching them with a protective and militant look on his face, but Elise grabbed his arm, her eyes very concerned. Jenna gave her a reassuring look and a quick shake of her head to Tom. He relaxed but kept his eyes on her.

  “You cheated on me in Ja’arbah. Didn’t you?” His eyes, filled with hatred, cut to Austin. “With him,” he hissed.

  She lifted her chin, well aware of Robert’s machinations. “And you threw me in his path. Was that some kind of test?”

  “Yes! You failed.”

  “I will admit that I kissed him, and I thought about sleeping with him. But that’s all. Your twisted games make me sick. I realized over the years that if I was that attracted to Austin, then I couldn’t be in love with you. I was too young when I got married. You knew I wanted children, and you never said one word about it.” He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “Don’t say that you did. You’re controlling, self-centered, and cold. You had no faith in me, and I was nothing to you but a pretty trophy wife. Now let me go before I allow Austin to do his job.”

  He didn’t just let her go, he shoved her hard away from him, and she hit the bar, using it to keep herself from falling. He then pierced Austin with a look full of disdain and strode away, then out the door. She closed her eyes and rubbed at her upper arm. Austin, Beau, Tom, and Elise all converged on her. Thank God most of the guests had already left.

  “Are you all right?” Austin said.

  She took a breath and nodded.

  She accepted all their concerned words and Tom’s angry declaration that Robert Webb was no longer welcome in his house.

  She realized that Robert had masked quite a bit of his anger and frustration at her rejection. Their divorce might have been amicable, but that had been a smokescreen. She wondered with a shiver down her spine what that smokescreen was obscuring.

  And if Sarah had paid the ultimate price for Jenna's sins.

  Chapter Twelve

  When they got home, Beau said, “I’ll be down here until midnight, then Agent Vin Fitzgerald will relieve me, so don’t be alarmed if you hear voices and the front door.”

  Austin nodded. He hadn’t left Jenna’s side since Robert’s outburst. Her arm throbbed where he’d held her and where it had cracked against the bar.

  He walked her to her room, and that’s where he stopped.

  “Austin, please. I don’t want to sleep alone. I want to be with you.”

  His face was tight with strain and his eyes tormented as he fought against his duty and his desire.
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br />   “I respect your position, but this isn’t a normal situation, and we are involved. I don’t care about protocol anymore.”

  “I just don’t want this to get any more complicated than it is, Jenna. I shouldn’t have touched you in the first place, especially with circumstances being so unsettled for you. It makes me remember the embassy and how jacked up we were on fear, adrenaline, and lust.”

  “This isn’t the embassy and we’re different people. We have a fully capable NCIS agent downstairs watching out for us.”

  “For you. I’m watching, too.”

  “Of course, you are. Vigilant and intense as usual.”

  He looked away, and she consoled herself that his eyes gave away the battle going on inside his head. “We can just snuggle and talk.”

  He let out a short laugh. “Yeah, right, Jenna. We both know what will happen if we’re in the same bed together.” Resting his jaw against her temple, he gathered her close. “A houseful of people, and I couldn’t keep my erection to myself.”

  “Erection. You had an erection during the party before you came into the study?” She reached back and opened the door. “Tell me what brought that on.”

  He gave her a look that told her he knew exactly what she was doing. “You in the dress. The moment I saw you, I got hard.”

  She reached down and slid her hand over his groin. “Like you are now?”

  He groaned softly. “You’re still wearing the dress. I guess it hasn’t worn off yet.”

  She pushed the suit jacket off his wonderful shoulders, molding her hands over the muscles on the sides of his chest, bypassing his shoulder holster and weapon, deliberately brushing over his nipple. “You came at the party, didn’t you?”

  He made a soft male sound of pleasure that she knew she could never get enough of. The jacket dropped to the floor and Austin, breathing raggedly, caught the door with the heel of his boot and nudged it closed. Jenna smiled. Seduction was new to her. She’d never had her way with a man before Austin. She liked the feeling of being in control.

  “I came deep inside you.” He shrugged out of the holster and set it on the dresser. “I liked putting my scent on you. Maybe that was male domination, to show your ex-husband that you’re mine now. I wanted to kill him when he treated you like that.” He rubbed at her arm lightly. “That’s going to bruise.”

  Anger and resentment curled in her as she murmured, “He meant for it to hurt.”

  “What did he say to you?”

  “I’ll tell you what he said, but not now. I’m busy.”

  She couldn’t get enough of looking at him. She reached for the hem of the T-shirt and pushed it up over his hard, washboard stomach, her breath catching at the beauty of Austin’s body. The shirt hadn’t even cleared his ribs before her mouth was on him, her tongue trailing over each ridge. His hands went to her head and tightened when she scored her nails over his lower abdomen. She moved her mouth up, pushing the shirt as she went and again, she stopped. She breathed in the scent of his skin, placing small kisses against that wall of heated muscle, then she covered the flat disk of his nipple. His chest heaved when she sucked, then used her tongue against the now rigid tip. Gripping her arm, he gazed down at her, his eyes hazed with sensation as she continued with her slow, soft exploration.

  “Take it off,” he whispered, and she slid her hands over his warm flesh and pulled the T-shirt over his head. “Strip me bare, Jenna. I’m naked with you. I have no armor left. No reason, no will.”

  She reached for his waistband, cupping him firmly but gently through the fabric. He stiffened and groaned, twisting his head, but he didn’t try to make her hurry. She unbuckled, undid, and unzipped him as the garment fell to his ankles. He toed out of his boots and then she was eagerly pushing him back on the bed. Stripping off her panties, she climbed on top of him and took him inside.

  Nothing mattered. Nothing but him. Nothing but her. Nothing but them.

  Later, after the passion had played out, she rested against his chest, moving her fingertips over and over his satiny skin. The night was hushed, but she heard voices downstairs and the opening and closing of the front door. Vin had arrived. They were protected, and she loved every minute of being with Austin.

  She curled her leg over the top of his, flattening her palm and mapping the contours of his chest. Too spent to move, not wanting to speak, she savored the heady sensation of contentment, loving the feel of his smooth skin beneath her touch. She found a ridge of scar tissue on his shoulder and lightly traced it. Dredging up energy from somewhere, she said, her voice husky, “This where you got shot?”

  Stirring heavily, Austin reached up and cupped her hand, rubbing the back with his palm. Then he lifted it to his mouth and placed a kiss there. “Yes. It bled so much because it hit a good-sized vein. Lost too much blood too fast and passed out.” His voice was gruff. “Not the way I wanted to say goodbye to you.”

  She rose up and bent down and kissed the area, sighing. “I was torn up about you getting hurt. Robert gave me reports about your condition. I was glad to have them.”

  “I was surprised you didn’t come to Walter Reed to see me. Webb did. Thanked me for my service.”

  “What?” she sat up a little straighter. “You were in DC? Robert didn’t tell me. All he said was that you were treated overseas, then sent home to recover. Damn him,” she bit out. “I would have come to Walter Reed to see you.” She bit her lip, her insides twisting at the thought of what would have happened if she had gone there so shortly after the embassy takeover. “I wonder how it would have changed the course of our lives if I had. I’m not sure I would have wanted to say goodbye to you a second time. Frankly, I was afraid.”

  “I understand why you would have been afraid, Jenna. This thing between us was intense.”

  She nodded, her throat thick. “I was so lost after the embassy takeover. I was raw about not having children and thinking about a bleak future being nothing but arm candy. It took me a long time to get over that…and over…you.”

  He turned his head and opened his eyes, blinking a few times. “You got over me?”

  She dropped her head. Then shook it. “No. I only thought I had. You were between us after that. Your courage fueled mine and as the years passed, I got more vocal and unhappy until finally we were living separate lives. I think Robert was okay with that.”

  “Foolish jackass.”

  He pushed up on his elbow and rubbed the now black and blue finger marks on her arm. He frowned. “I think it’s him, Jenna. My gut tells me it’s him. Except I have to prove it. Tomorrow, I’m digging into his life.”

  She nodded, rose up and kissed his jaw. “I know you are,” she whispered. His mouth was moist, warm, and slightly swollen. She drew her thumb along his bottom lip, thinking about the care he’d taken with her. “He accused me of cheating on him with you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”

  “First off, he threw me at you on purpose. He said it was a test, and I failed. I told him he was wrong. Only that I kissed you and thought about sleeping with you.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his jaw. “I think he knew he was starting to lose control and it had something to do with you.”

  This time his eyes widened. “You thought about sleeping with me?” He looked away. “Damn, I was so close after that kiss to taking you right there in full battle dress, the embassy under attack. Damn, my duty…” His voice was pitched low when he said, “I’m glad I didn’t compromise you, Jenna. Part of me wished I had, but you were married, and I was with someone. It would have been wrong.”

  She nodded. “Maybe, but we don’t have those constraints now. We can explore as much as we want.”

  He grabbed her chin and looked deeply into her eyes, and she got just as lost in the gray fog of his. He dragged her mouth close, adjusting the angle of her head as he kissed her. Releasing a long sigh, he kissed her again. There was a solemn tone to his voice as he responded, “This case will be over eventually
, Jenna. I go back to Pendleton and your life is here in DC. You’ve got to bring Sarah home. Lay her to rest. Figure out what you want to do. I don’t want to get in the way of that or muddle your thinking. This has been…exciting, satisfying, and forbidden. Right back to that—the forbidden. I can’t help thinking everything is fueled by that.”

  “I don’t think so,” she said, placing a string of kisses down his neck, shifting her naked hips closer to his, her breasts pressing against his chest. “But I see your point. It’s smart to have a clear head when making final decisions. I can’t thank you enough for helping me navigate the funeral arrangements. Sarah deserves fanfare—and justice. If Robert is behind this…he definitely should pay.” Anger crept into her voice and settled like a hard knot in her belly.

  He brushed back the hair at her temple, then lowered his head and kissed her. Neither of them spoke for several moments, content with gentle stroking and even gentler kisses. Making room for her knee between his, he nestled her head on his shoulder, his touch caressing as he stroked her hip, his hand so warm and big. After a comfortable silence, he tucked in his chin and brushed a kiss against her forehead. “Did you get her will yesterday?”

  Drowsy with contentment, she sleepily watched the shadow of the moonlight fall across the bed, comfortable in the cradle of his arms. “Yes, Beau took me to the bank, and I got it out of the safe deposit box. It made me so sad. I truly thought when I put it in there, I wouldn’t need to even look at it for a long time. Barring an accident, Sarah was so competent in the air.” He had been quiet and stoic while helping her, it had to have brought up memories about his dad. “I’m sorry if this stirs up emotions about your dad’s death. That must have been very hard for you.”

  He didn’t answer right away. Finally, he shifted and settled back against the pillows, his arm curling around her and dragging her close. “It was. My dad was career military. He was sorry about the time he had missed with us, my sisters and me. But we had some good times after he retired and was home more. My mom loved it.”