Protect Me - A Steamy Bodyguard Romance (You Can't Resist a Bad Boy Book 5)

by Layla Valentine

  “I know I should probably ask you how the article is going, but I don’t want to.” He reaches across the white tablecloth, and his fingers just skim over the tips of mine. “Today, no work talk. No articles. No Ethan.” His gaze locks onto mine. “Just us.”

  Just us.

  The words are so good they steal my breath, so I simply swallow and nod.

  “Sound good?”

  “Sounds great,” I finally manage.

  He smiles again, making me feel lightheaded. All I can think about is how many inches are between us and what I would be doing if we were somewhere alone right now.

  Before a full-throttle fantasy can take hold, a waitress arrives and we place our orders.

  “No cocktail after all?” I question Zach as the waitress brings us both cups of coffee.

  “I’m hoping there’ll be time for that later.” He gives me a meaningful look.

  I bite back my smile and get busy stirring cream into my coffee. It’s cup number three this morning, and I thought I was going to need it, but now that it’s here I find I’m amazingly awake. After a night spent researching over my computer, Zach’s bringing me back to life.

  A bit of shame washes over me when I think about my digging. If he knew what I was doing, he probably wouldn’t be smiling for long.

  Clearing my throat, I look for a cheerier topic. “You said we can’t talk about work today.”

  “Nope.”

  He leans back and sips his coffee. He’s the most casual I’ve ever seen him, in a T-shirt from a brewery and jeans, but the clothes still fit well, the shirt stretching tight against his muscles and the jeans probably custom made. I’ve already caught several women gazing longingly after him.

  “Then what are we going to talk about?”

  His cup lands on the saucer with a delicate clink. “Don’t tell me your whole life is work.”

  “Definitely not.” I place my folded hands on the table. “It’s only about ninety percent of my life.”

  We smile at the same time.

  “Seriously,” Zach rumbles. “Give me a typical day in the life of Noelle.”

  “A typical one? Hm, let’s see… I work. I go home. I go to the gym. Watch TV. Read. Sometimes meet my friends for drinks.” I shrug. “Just the usual things, I guess. What about you?”

  “Work.” He shakes his head. “Way too much. But we said—”

  “We said we weren’t going to talk about work,” I say over him.

  “Right.”

  Our food arrives, and we’re quiet for a minute as we unfold our napkins and take the first bites. It’s a comfortable silence, with no need to rush imbued in it.

  “Where do you go camping?” Zach asks, eyes flicking up from his plate.

  My fork stills. “So you were being serious about that?”

  He blinks, looking uncertain.

  “When you asked me about where I like to camp and hike,” I explain. “The night at the tapas bar.”

  “I remember,” he softly answers.

  His face hardening, he puts down his fork and knife.

  “I shouldn’t have pretended to be someone I wasn’t, telling you I was my own assistant. It was low. I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” My chest constricts. He looks so regretful, there’s no way I can stay mad.

  “I was on guard. Telling you my name was Ryan and I was my own assistant, that was something I’d planned on doing before I even got downstairs. And then, we connected… We had…something there.”

  “It’s fine, Zach. Actually, it’s kind of awesome. You’d make a good journalist. It takes balls to go undercover like that.”

  “Or maybe just stupidity.”

  I scrunch up my face. “I’m pretty sure it’s the former. Hey, by the way… I do have one question about all of that.”

  “Mm-hmm,” he eagerly nods. “What is it?”

  I lower my voice and bat my lashes. “Did you mean to put me in a position where I was calling out another man’s name while in bed with you?”

  It’s as forward of a statement as I’ve ever made, and I almost want to regret saying it, but then Zach’s foot finds mine under the table and his tongue darts out to moisten his lips. Just like that, my panties are soaked.

  Here we are, on a patio surrounded by other people, basically on the precipice of foreplay.

  “That’s something else I’d like to make up for,” he answers in a gravelly voice.

  Heat quickly spreads across my skin, and I take a sip of coffee just to stop myself from bursting out in excited giggles.

  “You like Inspiration Point,” he says.

  I feel my eyebrows go up.

  “You remember that.”

  “You’re a memorable girl, Noelle. Get used to it.”

  “Okay,” I saucily answer. “I’ll try. And yes, I like Inspiration Point.”

  “How about we go there?”

  “After this?”

  “I was thinking more like go on our way back from my cabin on Sunday.”

  I almost choke on my coffee. “Sorry?”

  “I have a place outside of the city. Come with me there. It’s on a lake, secluded from everything else. We can spend the night there, build a fire, do anything we want…”

  He lets the suggestiveness hang in the air. My heart is beating wildly, rush after rush of what can only be described as adrenaline mixed with sugar water shooting through my veins. I’m swooning. Hard.

  Of course I want to go to Zach’s cabin. I want to experience everything there is to there—and to maybe never leave.

  “Do you go there a lot?” I ask.

  He gives an almost imperceptible shake of the head. “Not nearly enough.”

  “So you only go when you take girls there?” It’s a thinly hidden joke. I’m actually dying to know whether or not I’m special to Zach.

  “I don’t take anyone there, Noelle,” he seriously says. “But I want to take you.”

  It feels as if I’m hurtling through space. That’s the best way to describe what’s happening. My whole world, the life I’ve always known, is flying by my eyes. I’m reaching out, desperately trying to grab onto something.

  And what I lock onto is Zach.

  “I would love to go.”

  His eyes light up. “Excellent. It’s only about an hour outside of the city. We can stop by your place after this so you can grab your things.”

  “What about your stuff?”

  The slightest blush tints his cheeks. “I, uh, did some optimistic packing. There’s a bag in my car.”

  I laugh out loud. “Excellent.”

  I excuse myself to the restroom, thinking I should probably check my makeup and make sure everything is still good. I feel Zach’s eyes on my back as I walk inside, drilling a hole between my shoulder blades. Just to give him a show, I add a little hip swing to each step.

  In the ladies’ room, a grin the size of the Grand Canyon meets me. I’m going to the country with Zach Garner. And not just for a few hours. We’re going on a weekend getaway!

  Still smiling, I touch up my lip gloss and powder. Just as I’m dropping the makeup brush in my purse, my phone beeps.

  With one look at the screen, I’m breathless.

  Good morning. Meet me at the office? Ethan asks.

  My thumbs hover over the screen as I debate what to say. Of course I can’t meet him at the office right now. I’m with Zach, about to head out of the city for the next twenty-four hours. But Ethan can’t know that.

  Can’t today, I type back. Is this about the article?

  The little dots on the text thread dance as he types back.

  The article…and other things.

  A hot shiver works its way through me. Closing my eyes, I lean against the sink and let out a low moan. If you’d told me a month ago that it was possible to lust this hard after two men at the same time, I would have called you crazy. Now I know the impossible really can come true.

  I’m not canceling my plans with Zach for Ethan. I�
��m drawn to both these men, albeit in very different ways. But things are more complicated with Ethan. He’s my boss, the man signing my checks. There’s a lot more at risk in our relationship.

  That doesn’t mean that I’m laying what we have to rest. Quite the contrary. If Ethan ever touches me again, my panties will be melting. For sure.

  It just means that right now, with a hot, attentive, blond billionaire waiting for me, I’m giving myself to the moment. I’m getting out of San Francisco for the weekend, and I’m going to have the time of my life.

  Chapter 12

  So long, San Francisco.

  I watch the last signs of the city shrink in the rear-view mirror of Zach’s white convertible as we zoom down the interstate. He smiles over at me, short strands of hair beating at his forehead in the wind. The rush of air all around us makes it too hard to talk unless we want to shout, but I don’t care. Feeling the sun on my arms and face is enough. Having Zach next to me is the cherry on top.

  I never responded to Ethan’s last text. Didn’t know how to. Though his suggestion at us hooking up together had me shaking in the knees, now that I’m on a weekend excursion with Zach I’m not even thinking about Ethan.

  But I will be soon. Come Monday, when I go to work and look into his eyes…he’ll be all I’m thinking about.

  Is this immoral, wanting—no, scratch that—casually seeing two guys at one time? Am I just insane to think I should be guilty? Men do this kind of thing all the time, right? ‘Play the field’ or whatever. No one here is getting serious. Yet.

  For all I know, both Ethan and Zach are seeing other women.

  I steal a glance at Ethan, and jealousy instantly fills me up. To think of another girl’s hands and mouth on him… To think of him on her… I gulp and look away.

  I’m getting ahead of myself. This is fun. That’s what we’re having here. Still, I can’t ignore the growing feelings I’m having. Zach is something special, and I’m thrilled to be here with him.

  If only he and Ethan were still friends…

  Then maybe it would be three of us, not two, taking this trip.

  I shake off the thought. Only in my fantasies are those two besties, and I’m… Well, I don’t know… The woman they share?

  I hold back a laugh as Zach takes an exit. The buildings become further and further apart, and the people sightings less. We stop for gas at a station that looks like is hasn’t switched out its pumps since the fifties, and then we’re back on the road, heading deeper into the country.

  “Since it’s the weekend, the neighbors might be around,” Zach explains as he takes a narrow road into the woods. “But, like I said, the houses are well spaced. We’ll have plenty of room to ourselves.”

  We pass a few homes, all of them set back quite a distance from the narrow road. After about a mile or so, the road dips down, and water is visible between the trees. Not far from the lake’s edge, halfway up a slight hill, is Zach’s place.

  To call it a cabin would be to do it serious injustice. The place is massive, two floors, with giant windows everywhere and a wraparound porch. Zach parks under an open garage and I wait while he puts the car roof up. He was right about how removed the place is. The only things surrounding us are trees, water, and birds calling to each other.

  “Want a tour?”

  Zach reaches for my hand, pulling me along. He’s already got both of our bags in his other hand, and I follow him up the wooden steps and into the house. There’s a vaulted-ceiling living room, a movie theater with giant bean bags, a game room with a pool table, air hockey, and a few arcade games, and a master bedroom with a glass ceiling that shows off the treetops.

  Yep, definitely not your ordinary cabin.

  The place is also immaculate. It’s hard to say whether Zach comes out here much or not, but he at least has a housekeeper making the trip.

  On the back part of the patio, we stand by the hot tub and look out at the lake. The late afternoon sun bounces off the water, making the little waves sparkle like a field of diamonds.

  Zach’s arm finds its way around my waist, and I’m struck by how perfectly I fit against him. I snuggle close, tucking my head into the crook of his arm. The moment, perfect as it is, also feels wild and crazy. Last weekend I was home by myself, eating ice cream that I had dumped the crumbs from a potato chip bag into and watching viral videos of funny animals. And now, I’m here, on a weekend getaway with a stunning man.

  “Show me the water.” I snatch his hand before he can answer, and now I’m the one running the show. I take us down to the lake’s edge, where there’s a tiny bar of pebbles and smooth rocks.

  “Do you think it’s warm enough to swim in?” I ask.

  Zach nuzzles the top of my head.

  “Probably not.”

  “I’m gonna do it.”

  He stares at me like I’m crazy, and maybe I am. But I’ve done a lot in the last week that I hadn’t before. Why break the streak now? Pulling off my sundress and kicking off the flats I changed into on the stop at my apartment, I step toward the water and stick a toe in. It’s cold, but far from icy.

  “You’re going to get that nice underwear wet?” Zach asks from behind me.

  Since he can’t see my face, I let myself smile wide. “Hmm. Maybe not.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to ruin such a nice set. Since it’s matching and all.”

  I reach behind to unhook my bra, but a pair of hands is already on me. Zach runs the backs of his fingers up my shoulder blades and down my arms. I close my eyes and sink back against him, melting into his warm and strong embrace.

  He lifts my hair, kisses the spot behind my ear. It’s a sweet gesture. Romantic. While the night we met was fueled by instant lust and crazed passion, there’s something different here.

  He groans lowly.

  “You’re going to make me follow you into that water.”

  “How?” I laugh. “I’m just standing here.”

  He steps around to where I can see him, eyes bright and intense.

  “That’s all you have to do.”

  Silently, he strips, and I follow suit, leaving my bra and panties lying on the ground. Seeing him naked makes me want to forget all about the impromptu skinny-dipping and go try out that master bedroom instead, but Zach’s taking my hand and pulling me into the lake.

  The low temperature is a slap against my skin, and I brace myself against it.

  “Wow! Okay, this is cold.”

  He laughs. “Told you.”

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  We hurry from the water, and I snatch up my dress and use it to pat at my wettest areas. I’m stopped by Zach pulling me into him. He looks down at me, his features soft, and just holds me still. There’s no move to kiss me.

  We stay like that for a while, just looking at each other. Out here in the daylight, there are even more streaks of differing colors in his eyes than I’d initially thought. A slight wind pushes its way across the lake and tickles my still-damp skin. Instantly, I’m all goosebumps.

  I can feel Zach’s length, taut and velvety against my hip. The muscles of my pussy are contracting, squeezing together tight and fast. I shift forward, gently rubbing myself against him. His lips open just the slightest bit, brushing against mine before he pulls away.

  “I’m going to wait,” he says with a low rumble.

  I stare at him in confusion.

  “What for what?”

  Zach rubs my shoulders lightly. “Until you’re absolutely begging for me.”

  My sharp intake of breath surprises even me. “I am. I’m… I’m that right now.”

  His dimples cut deep as he smiles. “No. I mean, absolutely begging. This whole day is foreplay, Noelle. From breakfast to now, to dinner tonight, and everything in between. I’m going to show you just how nice it is to have you here.”

  I’m speechless. There’s no way I can get more turned on than I am right now. But what am I to do about it? Follow him around like a puppy dog?


  Yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Until he lets me put my hands on him, I’m going to be hot on his heels every minute.

  But for now, I do as Zach says. We collect our clothes and go up to the house, where I take a shower as Zach preps an early dinner. He doesn’t let me help with the meal, so instead I sit at the kitchen island and watch him cook. His hands are quick, chopping and peeling vegetables like a professional chef.

  Quietly watching him, I can see him out here all alone, doing his thing, cooking. Playing the games he’s amassed down the hall. Reading from the long rows of shelves covering the living room. I like the thought of him out here, getting a much-needed reprieve from the city. But I like the thought of me out here with him even better.

  Feeling my eyes on him, he looks up from where he’s sliding the baking pan into the oven.

  “Thirty minutes.”

  “What are we going to do till then?”

  He grins and comes over to me. With one swift move, I’m up on the edge of the kitchen counter, the stool I sat on a moment ago long gone. Zach plants his hands on either side of me and stares me down.

  “You said no fun till later,” I point out over the sound of my pounding heart.

  “Mm. True.” Zach rubs his face against my neck, and I sag against his shoulders. With my arms wrapped around his neck, he looks back up at me. “I just wanted a little taste.”

  No sooner is he done talking then his hands are up the soft shorts I’m wearing, probing and stroking my flesh. His fingertips find my panties, and he presses against the outside of them. A wet spot forms in response, testament to the desire that’s been building since we got naked down at the lake.

  I hiss in pleasure, arching my back and pushing into his hand. But Zach only trails his fingers lightly across my mound, teasing, flicking, never giving me exactly what I need.

  “Zach,” I gasp.

  “Mm-hmm?”

  I’m not going to beg. He knows what I want.

  Pulling back a bit, he pushes my shorts and panties to the side and drops down. His face disappears between my thighs, and his warm tongue hits me where I want it the most.

  Leaning back, I put my weight on my arms and throw my head back. Zach’s tongue darts into my opening, expertly rolling against the walls as he pinches my clit between two fingers. I’m spinning from the pleasure, breathing fast and heavy. My fingers clench open and closed as I think about getting them on Zach’s thick length.