John (Guardian Defenders Book 3)

by Kris Michaels

  “Get naked, there’s more.” Shae moved away from him and nodded toward the bed. He shucked his shirt, boots, socks, and jeans in record time. As always, he left his boxers on. Shae shook her head and pointed. “Those too.”

  He took them off and stood, letting her see his need before he sat down on the bed and pushed back so he was leaning against the wall. The cold of the logs barely registered. The only thing he saw was the woman in front of him. She consumed him as surely as the fire in the fireplace consumed the split-cottonwood wedges. The result was heat. Sizzling, mind-boggling heat. No other woman had ever snared his attention to the degree Shae had.

  She smiled and turned around. Peeking over her shoulder, she shimmied out of her jeans, pushing them down as she bent over.

  “Oh, sweet mercy. Shae, baby, you are slaying me here.” She had on a thong, the perfect rounds of her ass split with red lace. The scars that ridged on her shoulders and legs weren’t even seen. To him, she was absolutely perfect. She must have finally believed him because this was the first time they’d undressed with the light on. She stood up and turned around to face him. Fuck, he was going to die if he didn’t get into her soon. He cupped his shaft in one hand and his balls in the other.

  She walked forward. “I know I’m not perfect.”

  “Babe, you are absolutely perfect. Beautiful.”

  “The scars—”

  He extended a hand to her. “—are part of you. I love all of you. Not just the unblemished parts.”

  Shae blinked and stopped with one knee on the bed. “What?”

  He lifted his eyes, realizing what he’d said. “I said I love you.” It was probably premature and damn it, he’d wanted to wait until he was sure she was in the same place as he was, but fuck it. It was the truth. He held her hand and they stayed in that position while he tried to read her expression. Finally, she blinked and came forward onto the bed. She crawled up his legs and straddled his lap. She lifted her hands to his cheeks. He turned and kissed each one, closing his eyes and praying he didn’t fuck up the best thing that ever happened to him.

  “When did you know?” She whispered the question but he heard it as if a bullhorn had blared an inch away from his ear.

  “Months ago.” He took both of her hands in his. “I didn’t want to scare you.”

  She echoed his words. “Scare me?”

  He nodded. “You don’t have to say it. I understand if you’re not ready.” The words sliced him like a fucking knife. He clenched his teeth tightly, waiting for her to pull his heart out and drop it on the floor.

  “But I do love you. I don’t want to wait to say it.” She leaned forward and he launched into action. It took one point three seconds to have her on her back on the bed. Her eyes widened in surprise before a smile split her face.

  “Say it again,” he demanded before he dropped for a kiss. He plundered her mouth and chased her tongue as her arms wrapped around his neck. He pulled away and repeated his demand. “Say. It. Again.” He kissed her between each word.

  “How? You keep kissing me!” She shrieked with laughter when his fingers found her ribs. “Stop! Stoooop!” She twisted and laughed under him as he tickled her.

  He let up and stared at her; the smile on his face had to be a mile wide. “Say it.”

  “I love you.” He dropped to his elbows at her softly-spoken words. He couldn’t pull his gaze away from her eyes. They echoed her words. He could see the honesty. It was a gift he’d cherish until his last breath. He lowered and kissed her. She snaked her legs around him and used those toned muscles to urge him forward. When he encountered her lace thong, he acted on his most basic urges. The fabric lasted a fraction of a second. Shae gasped. He dropped a kiss on her surprised expression. “I’ll buy you more just so I can do that again.”

  “You better.” She wiggled under him. “Are you going to do something now that you have access or are we going to talk?”

  “No talking, but…” He reached down to the bustier and pushed it down. Freeing her breasts, he leaned down to worship her body. He’d show her exactly what it meant to him to love her. With a reverence he hadn’t been able to express before, he led her to the summit and let her crash over it before he entered her. She sighed and with languid arms held him as he found the way to his own peak. Shae’s body clutched. Her gasp and nails digging into his biceps pushed him over the edge. He held himself up over her. When she opened her eyes, he pushed her sweaty hair from her face. “I love you.”

  She smiled and pulled him down for another kiss. When they broke apart to breathe, he rolled to his side and pulled her close. His fingers trailed along the hard wires in the garment she still semi-wore. He smiled as she snuggled closer to him and pulled blankets over them. He was happy. Perfectly, one hundred percent happy for the first time in his life. “Now watch some bastard louse it up.” His father’s words echoed in his mind as he closed his eyes.

  Chapter 19

  Happiness was in the air. Well, actually, there was icy coldness in the air, but for Shae, the day was perfect. John had left the cottage before the sun had peeked over the horizon this morning but not before he rekindled the fire and kissed her good-bye. He was riding north with the hands to start bringing the herd closer to the ranch where they could be managed when the snow prevented them from reaching the other pastures.

  Dixon and Drake were in the breakroom, but they only gave a cursory greeting. They were buried in a file and speaking in engineer terms. She’d learned not to ask what they were talking about. One time had been enough. After an hour of meticulously describing the project in fine detail, she had no idea what they were talking about but smiled and caught Mike as he walked by, extracting herself from even more tutelage. She poured a cup of coffee and floated on happy feet to her desk.

  The work for the complex wasn’t difficult, but it was more than one person could effectively handle, especially the budget and projecting costs for classes. The medical portion of the budget was addressed by Adam and his staff; still, they needed to meld that information into the overall request for resources. Guardian was generous, but the business end of the company had precise reporting requirements and learning the system, how to input the numbers and process the reports, kept her busy for the majority of the day.

  A massive man slammed the door open, making her jump. “Dude, who is in our cabin?”

  Mike looked up from his work and shook his head. “That is not your cottage, it is Frank’s.”

  “My cabin?” Shae asked, drawing the attention of the man standing in the door.

  “Are you in the drover’s cottage?” A woman leaned into the office and smiled at her.

  “I am.” She glanced from Mike to the couple.

  “Isaac and Lyric, this is Shae Diamant. She’s been here most of the year and is living in the drover’s cottage.”

  Shae stood up and offered her hand. Isaac and then Lyric shook her hand. “You got a place for us to hang? We’re here for the weekend, then we head back to Jacksonville.”

  The lines in Mike’s forehead deepened. “We have other unexpected guests this weekend, probably working on the same thing you are. I have a dorm room.”

  “A dorm room?” Lyric wrinkled her nose.

  “Wait, I have a solution. John is gone. I can stay at his place for the weekend and give you guys the cottage. I’d just need to nip down and grab a few things.”

  “Are you sure?” Mike and Isaac asked at the same time.

  “Yes, of course. He won’t mind, but I’ll call.” She glanced at the time. “He might still have reception.” John had been subtly hinting that he’d welcome her to spend more time with him at his house.

  She picked up the phone and hit one of the three numbers she had on speed dial. He answered on the fifth ring. “Miss me already?”

  “I do, but I have a favor to ask.”

  “Anything.”

  “Don’t you want to hear what it is?”

  “No. Whatever it is, I’ll make it happen
. That’s what people in love do.”

  Her face flamed and she stared at the floor. “May I stay in your house this weekend? Isaac and Lyric need a place to stay.”

  “Absolutely. The place is yours.” At a sharp, ear-splitting whistle she pulled the phone from her ear, and John’s yell could be heard plainly in the room. “She’s making a break for it, cut her off!” In a conversational tone he apologized, “Sorry.”

  “That’s okay. I know you’re busy.”

  “We’ll be back late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. I’d love to find you in my bed when I get back.”

  She glanced at the three people across the office; they were talking, ignoring her. Thank goodness. She smiled at the floor again. “I think that can be arranged.”

  John laughed, “Excellent. I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Stay warm.”

  She ended the call and met Mike’s eyes. He winked at her. The heat in her cheeks could have melted the snow that had fallen last night. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take the laptop and the rest of my work. I want to change the sheets and clean up just a bit. I’ll see you on Monday?”

  “You don’t need to take the work; you can finish on Monday.”

  “I’ve got nothing else to do this weekend.” Except visiting Velvet. She picked up the files and the laptop, shoving them all into the case it came in. “Give me thirty minutes or so?” She looked at Lyric when she spoke.

  “Thank you so much, I’m sorry for the inconvenience.” Isaac dropped his arm around Lyric’s shoulders as she spoke.

  “No inconvenience. I’ll see you soon. Mike, see you Monday?”

  Mike nodded. “Enjoy your weekend.”

  “You, too.” She grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and hustled out of the office. It took about twenty minutes to wash the coffee cups and random pieces of silverware that were in her sink, change the sheets, and wipe down every surface. Only then did she pack a weekend bag and sit it by the door. Just as the knock on the door came, she banked the fireplace. Shae opened it and left moments later.

  The ground was frozen under her feet and the brown grass made a crunching noise as she crossed the field. A meow and fluff of fur greeted her at the porch. “Aren’t you freezing?” Shae asked the cat as she jogged up the stairs. The animal meowed and headed straight for the door. Of course, the door wasn’t locked. Nothing on the ranch was secured, yet the sitting out in the middle of nowhere was monitored by the highest-level security. She’d seen security systems invoices in past budgets. Things that couldn’t be observed were in action at the complex. Programs and intranet folders that she couldn’t access were greyed out on her laptop. Her clearance was high enough, but she didn’t have a need to know. Frankly, she didn’t want to know. The work she did for Mike, allowing him to have a more stable home life with Taty, was enjoyable and rewarding. She was used to security measures within the Mossad, but here at Guardian, it appeared that no expense was spared, which spoke volumes on how Guardian valued its people.

  The light switch next to the door illuminated the entryway and the hall that split the kitchen from the living room. She’d visited John’s house enough to know her way around. Cat headed into the kitchen, meowing like her life depended on it. “You know, I know Drake feeds you. We’ve got your number.”

  Cat sat down by the cupboard that held her food and yowled. “I can tell you don’t care. Give me a second to put this in the office and this in the bedroom. You aren’t going to starve in two minutes.”

  The cat disagreed loudly. Shae chuckled and headed back into the bedroom to drop her bag beside her side of the bed. A smile appeared at that thought. She had a side of the bed. They were a couple, and they were in love. Cat padded into the bedroom and meowed loudly. “All right, already. Let me put the computer in John’s den and then I’ll feed you. Where is your friend? Is she staying inside? Maybe she’s smarter than everyone says.”

  She carried a running conversation with her four-legged companion. She set the laptop on the huge desk and hurried the animal out. After giving Cat her much-demanded meal, she made herself a cup of tea and went into the living room to start a fire. John had left it ready to light. She drew a long match from the holder in the hearth and opened the flue.

  Settling back into the couch, she almost jumped out of her skin when her phone rang. There was no number displayed. Frowning, she slid her finger across the face. “Hello.”

  “Standby for Archangel,” a clipped authoritative tone snapped across the connection.

  Shae took the phone from her ear and looked at the face. “Who the hell is Archangel?”

  “That would be me.”

  The voice was one she wouldn’t forget. “Mr. King. What can I do for you?”

  “I need to speak to John, and I can’t reach him or Frank.”

  “He’s probably out of cell service by now. He’s bringing the herd in with the hands and I believe Frank went with them. Is there… a problem?”

  “Perhaps. I need to speak with John before I can confirm that.” A huge sigh came through the connection. “All right, I’ll take alternate measures to reach him. Do you know where they were going first?”

  “They were going to split up. Frank was taking a team and John was leading another. I don’t know much more besides that.” Damn it, she wished she’d asked more questions. Why hadn’t she? Gut clenching cold wrapped around her. “Mr. King, is John in danger?”

  “What? No, shit, I’m sorry. I need some information about something he was involved with before coming to the ranch.” The man’s voice softened. “He’s fine, I promise.”

  Shae finally took a breath. “Thank you.” What else was she supposed to say?

  “Thanks for the information. I’ve got to go.”

  Shae looked at the phone until the illumination faded. Archangel. A code name. She tucked that information away. There were many things about Guardian she still didn’t know, but eventually…

  The great whopping of a helicopter firing up split the silence of the ranch. Shae turned to look out the window. It was completely dark. Was the helicopter going out in search of John? She closed her eyes and drew several deep breaths before she called the one person she needed to talk to. A lot had happened recently.

  “Hey, Shae, are you all right?” Jeremiah Wheeler’s voice was a warm balm against her rattled nerves.

  “I am now. Can we talk for a minute?”

  “Sure. Give me a second.” She heard him speaking to someone before he came back on the line. “What’s up?”

  “I’m in love.”

  Her admission met with a low rolling chuckle. “Finally.”

  “Oh, so you are going to tell me that you knew this? I only just figured it out!” She laughed. God, the man knew how to deflate her anxiety. Only John was better at it.

  “I’ve got to tell you, Shae, sometimes I wonder if the Mossad let you go because you’re not the sharpest stick in the box.”

  “Oh, you did not just say that!” They both laughed until a soft silence fell between them.

  “Congratulations. Have you told John?”

  “We have exchanged the words, yes.”

  “Then what is the problem?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

  “Being afraid to trust is something you’re working on. You’ve come a long way.” He reminded her of how far she’d come at every opportunity.

  “What if it doesn’t work out?”

  “Then both you and John will face that problem when and if it happens. Don’t borrow trouble, Shae.”

  “I know, but I can’t help this feeling that something horrible is going to happen. I’ve never been this happy.” She bit her thumbnail.

  “Why do you think you have that feeling? Why do you think something is going to happen?”

  Jeremiah’s voice coaxed her to look at the question. She thought about it as the helicopter from the Guardian side of the ranch took off and fl
ew directly overhead.

  “Something is going on out there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is that adding to your feelings?”

  “I… yes.” God, yes. She was worried about what in John’s past was lifting its head and how it would affect their relationship.

  “Okay, are you comfortable?”

  She leaned back into the corner of the couch. “I am.”

  Jerimiah’s voice took on a professional tone, “Let’s start with why you think…”

  “Do you hear that?” John’s question drew his guys’ attention away from the hand of cards they were playing at the line shack’s kitchen table. The dull, thudding whomp of the helicopter’s rotors grew stronger in the silence. “Fuck.” John was up and grabbing his coat before the others had time to react. If a helicopter was coming up here, there was big trouble. Immediately, he thought of Shae. Was she okay? What about his men’s families? God, it could be a myriad of things.

  The helicopter sat down behind the line shack as far away from the scattering herd as it could get. He glanced at the corral where the horses were being held. Thankfully, they were okay. Antsy, but okay. He walked toward the helicopter, motioning for his men to watch the horses just in case one of them decided to get stupid.

  Dixon met him halfway. “You need to come back. Archangel needs you.”

  “Shae?”

  “She’s fine. Guardian Business.”

  “Give me two minutes.”

  “Hurry, we went to the other camp first.” Dixon nodded and jogged back to the bird.

  John jogged back to the line shack. “Gregg, you’re in charge. Frank is aware I’m leaving. Bring my kit back. Dancer is acting flighty. If anyone needs to ride her, make sure they stay sharp.” There was no doubt Frank knew what was going on. If the bird sat down outside his camp, he damn sure got the scoop from Dixon or Drake.

  Gregg grabbed his bicep as he turned to leave. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, should be.”