Protecting Macy (Cavanaugh Security Book 1)

by C. M. Steele

  I could feel his heart thundering over the drumming of my own that played in my ears. He bent his head with his eyes focusing on my lips. “Tell me not to kiss you, Macy. Tell me I’m moving too fast.”

  “No, I can’t,” I whispered. His lips came down on mine. A kiss I hadn’t expected but couldn’t deny. He pulled me in tighter, my small frame being wrapped up in his larger one; the bulge between his thighs grazed my belly. I moaned against his lips, and it brought him back to reality. He pushed away reluctantly and smiled sheepishly at me.

  “Little miss, you are a natural hazard to my common sense,” he growled, grabbing my hand and leading me up the grand stone steps to the entrance of the house.

  “I’m sorry,” I muttered unapologetically.

  He turned around and arched his perfectly masculine brow at me, and then he shook his head. “You say it, but your body tells me you don’t mean it.”

  He was right about that. A new desire I’d never had before throbbed between my legs, but I knew that it was fleeting. The man was hot and my protector. It would be natural for me to feel like he was more than he was. At least the memory of his kiss would hold me over until I left tomorrow—that was what I told myself.

  I couldn’t stay here. I’d lose my heart to a man who I barely even knew. Don’t mix yourself up, I screamed internally.

  Chapter Nine

  Sean

  I brought her here because this was where I wanted her to be, but now that I had her here, I knew it was a bad decision. Not that I didn’t want her here, but I had a feeling that I might not ever let her leave. She was safe in this house, and I was pleased to see her standing in the large foyer looking like a princess in her castle. This was going to be her home.

  “Come. I’ll show you to your room, and you can get some sleep for the night.”

  “Can we get some of my clothes from the car?”

  “Okay.” I went back to open the door and heard a loud crash of thunder. The rain was pouring down in sheets. I turned around to look at her. “How about I give you something to wear for the night, and we’ll get your things in the morning?”

  “Sounds fine to me. I’m pretty tired anyway.”

  “Okay.” I grabbed her hand and led her to my bedroom. None of the rooms had been set up here. I’d only moved in last week and had no one else living with me. I was going to have to sleep on the sofa in the movie room I had specially made for me.

  I pushed the door open to my room, and I heard her gasp. “What’s up, baby?”

  “It’s so big,” she said. I did everything I could to hold back the laugh. Sometimes the teen boy comes out in me; this was one of those times.

  “It’s pretty large.”

  “This room is huge. It’s like they left it from when it was first built.” She ran her hands over the intricate trim and designs, feeling the history. I could see the wonder in her eyes.

  “It was. I liked the look, so I just wanted it to look classic, but with modern conveniences.”

  She spun around, gaping at me with her mouth open wide. Then her eyes narrowed, and she questioned, “Wait. Is this your room?”

  “It is, but I’m not sleeping in here. I’ll sleep in the movie room so you can sleep here.”

  She slammed her hands to her hips and raised a brow while staring at me in all seriousness. “So wait. You have a guest, and you let them stay in your bed, and you get to watch movies. I don’t know if I should feel average or insulted. I love movies.”

  I broke out into a laugh. “I don’t have guests here. I haven’t been here long enough to set up the other rooms the way they should be. As for the movies, starting tomorrow, You can chill out and watch them anytime you want. Tonight we both need our sleep. I’m beat, and I’m sure you’re tired, too.”

  “You’re right about that,” she yawned, shaking her head to clear out some of the sleepiness, but the exhaustion was visible in her lovely eyes.

  “Let me get you something to wear.”

  I made my way toward the dresser, when she spoke up, “I can just wear the scrubs that they gave me at the hospital.”

  I froze mid-motion then turned around and stared at her with a raised brow and tilted my head. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded, clasping her hands together with a pasted-on smile. That was fine with me. I’d do anything to make her feel safe and at home.

  Returning a gentle, friendly smile, I answered, “Okay. So…I'm going downstairs. If you need anything, just holler.”

  “Thank you, Sean.”

  With that, I left her in the room and stood on the other side of the door for what seemed like forever. My mind went to my unnatural and instant attraction to her. If it had been a regular encounter say in her diner or even at the store or something, I wouldn’t feel as guilty as I do. She had to be the most beautiful woman in the world. I had to get myself under control.

  Shaking my head and taking a deep breath, I pushed away from her door and went downstairs. This night was going to be a long one. I was serious about everything I’d said to her about keeping her safe. Hell, I was just plain serious about Macy.

  Entering the media room, I plopped down on the massive sofa, trying to relax enough to let the fatigue set in. I was exhausted, but the adrenaline and the pretty little thing in my bed refused to let me rest.

  I laid my head back, reclining on the movie-theater sofa. It was plush and comfortable and easily big enough for four people to lie down on. Kicking off my shoes, I realized, I’d forgotten to change into something to wear.

  “Fuck,” I muttered, standing up and taking off my shoes and jeans. The house was warm, so I decided to pull off my sweater and sleep in my boxers and white undershirt. I hoped she didn’t call for me, or she was going to think I was a pervert.

  Lying back down, I put on the first movie I saw in my history and closed my eyes. The movie played, and I could hear it, but my thoughts were all focused on the man who tried to touch my future wife. I was seething in rage as I thought about it.

  From the description, it couldn’t have been my former partner; his hair color was different. There wasn’t any way to tell if it had been a real cop or someone masquerading as one. It drove me insane. A growing need to punch something came over me.

  My adrenaline pumped through me, needing an outlet before I could get any sleep. Whenever stressed out, I hit the gym. I hopped off the sofa and headed over to the gym. I hoped I wasn’t too loud, but I needed to punch out the rage and maybe then I would get some sleep.

  I hit the punching bag slowly at first, then sped up until I got into a steady rhythm. It felt good as I pictured the fucker’s imaginary image, sending several body shots to him. Within minutes, my body was dripping with sweat and my heart was thumping hard. I almost missed the sound of little feet approaching. I stopped the bag from swinging and turned toward her.

  “I’m sorry, Macy. I didn’t mean to keep you up.”

  “No, you didn’t. I couldn’t sleep, and I was thirsty. I was looking for the kitchen when I heard the pounding, and, well, I got nosy.” A flush crept up over her face because she got caught watching me.

  “It’s okay. Let me show you where the kitchen is.” I didn’t touch her because I was covered in a filthy sweat, but the way she was staring at me, she didn’t seem to mind.

  I crossed the living room and passed the swinging doors into the large, country-looking kitchen. I was a decent cook, but I didn’t spend a lot of time in here. This was for when I finally found my wife, and I knew I just had. I watched her eyes and hoped she liked it.

  Her mouth popped opened and closed several times in slow motion. “Wow. Like, really wow. This entire house is so amazing. One room after the other has me panting like a fool.”

  I just gave her a smile. Internally I jumped up and down, but I didn’t care to give away my intentions. Instead, I made her feel embarrassed. Shit. I want her to love this place the way I did. Having her here would make this place feel like home.

  “I felt
the same way when I came to look at it. I saw its potential, and I wanted to bring it back to life.”

  “Well, you did a tremendous job. It’s classic meets modern and freaking perfect.” She hadn’t gotten to see all of the mansion. There was much more to this mansion, and I couldn’t wait to show it to her.

  She blushed, then added, “Sorry, I don’t mean to come off all goo-goo over your home. It’s very nice of you to let me stay tonight.”

  I went into the fridge and grabbed both of us a bottle of water. While handing one to her, our fingers brushed against each other, my eyes meeting hers. The emotions raced through me as I took in her radiant beauty. Unable to hold back, I confessed, “You know I want you to stay longer than tonight.”

  She glanced away, and I knew I’d gone a bit too far too fast. She was young and sweet from what I could see. Plus, she’d just had a fucked-up night. “I know, but that’s not smart.”

  I shook my head because it was true, but my heart didn’t stop thumping as I stared at her. The idea of her leaving sent a sting of searing pain through my chest. “Nope, but some of the best decisions weren’t always the smartest. Hell, I wasn’t even going to go that way last night, but I wanted to kill some time before having to go back to the station.”

  She looked up with a smile that eased the fear that I pushed too far. “Are you going to miss it? Being a cop?” she asked. It was a question I’d gotten from my parents several times since I gave my two weeks’ notice.

  “I don’t think so. I really wanted to be a detective, so the whole patrol cop did nothing for me.”

  With her lips twisted, her forehead wrinkling, she paused, then she said, “So why don’t you become some sort of PI, or do they have those anymore?”

  “Yes.” I laughed. “They still have them. Most of the time they’re used for cheating spouses, but yes, they exist.”

  “Then if that’s not your cup of tea, just decline the cheating spouse aspect. I’m sure you can do whatever you please. You said money isn’t a concern.”

  “You’re a bright woman. It’s hard to believe you’re only eighteen.”

  “I’ve had to do a lot of growing up in the past few years, so it’s either learn the hard way or the easy way.”

  “That’s a great way to go about it. So do you want to be my secretary?” I said, wagging my eyebrows at her. I thought about all those old movies, and Humphrey Bogart popped into my head.

  “I don’t know. You may want someone competent to do that.”

  I reached forward and tipped her chin to look up at me. “Hey, this will be a learning experience for both of us. Besides, I have no intention of letting you out of my sight, so I think it’ll work perfectly.”

  Again, I was pushing her, but damn, the woman had stolen my heart, and I had no doubt that one day she’d be my wife. I’d do everything I could to convince her that we would be perfect together. After that kiss between us, she had to know that wasn’t normal.

  “You are something else, Sean. I don’t know whether to take you seriously or just ignore your outrageous words.”

  A bit of embarrassment hit me. I got that nothing I said would be construed as serious because who the fuck did that kind of thing, but I could read people well. And, well, she was made for me.

  “I get it. What I’m saying seems outrageous to myself too, but that doesn’t change that I want you more than you can even understand. I want to protect you. And honestly, I want to own your body until it bends to my will. I want to hear you call out my name as my tongue bathes your pussy.”

  “Oh, wow,” she whispered in slow motion.

  “A bit too outrageous for you?”

  “A little, but it does sound incredibly intriguing,” she admitted with lust in her eyes. The tension between us was getting out of control. I had to rein it in before I carried her to bed and buried my cock so deep inside of her that we couldn’t be separated.

  “It will be. But let’s get some sleep.” She smiled as I grabbed her around the waist and led her back upstairs. I opened the bedroom door, letting her step inside, but I didn’t go in. “Goodnight, Macy.”

  Disappointment crossed her face. “Are you going back downstairs?”

  I leaned in, gently cupping her chin with my fingers, and vehemently whispered, “I have to, or I’ll forget my promise to both of us.” Then I stole a brief kiss, letting go and stepping back.

  “Okay. Goodnight, Sean,” she murmured.

  “Goodnight, sweetheart.” I smiled and closed the door without another word. It took me a second or two to move from where I stood, but I managed to get myself settled back down in the movie room. I tossed and turned, thinking about the way she wanted to be possessed by me.

  Every time I thought of changing my mind and rushing up the stairs two at a time, I remembered that she had been through hell and was looking at me as a hero. I wanted to keep that look in her eyes. I couldn’t bear it if she showed regret in those beautiful green eyes of hers because I pushed her too fast.

  Chapter Ten

  Macy

  I didn’t climb into the bed like I should have. I closed my eyes and leaned on the door, hoping to control the emotions dancing through my chest. Sean took away the pain, anger, and fear that followed me that night. It scared me how relevant he became in a matter of hours to me. He was right to pull away from the hunger in both of us. I wasn’t ready.

  As soon as that thought passed through my head, I thought about what happened when I made that awful choice to stop.

  I’d known it was wrong to stop in an unlit area, but when you see an SUV with cop lights, it’s ingrained in you to stop. I pocketed my father’s knife and listened to him on the intercom as he said, “Please step out of the vehicle.” Thinking he may have had the wrong car, I got out to comply. I followed his directions, all the while trying to plead my case that I wasn’t a threat. “I am,” he growled, his hands holding onto me roughly and dragging me down the ditch to the tree line. Knowing that I didn’t have much of a chance, I fought. He struck me so hard that I saw stars as I hit the ground. He undid his pants and lowered himself over me.

  “Please stop,” I begged, trying to scoot back with my hands on the muddy grass. He shook his head and smiled, but I couldn’t make out the rest his features in the dark. I had a choice: pray that he’d only rape me and let me go, or fight and run. Then I remembered all the missing girls in this area.

  Him.

  Run, I chanted mentally. He tore my blouse and rubbed his hands all over my chest. I cringed and did my best to gather my senses. He reached for the button on my shorts, leaving me a moment to grab the knife in my pocket. I worked quickly and pulled it out before he undid my zipper. With all the strength I had, I stabbed him right in his balls. I twisted, then pulled it out and kicked him in the head before running to my car. I got in and sped off.

  A loud thunder shocked me out of that memory. I pushed off the door and headed into the bathroom. I had showered at the hospital before they released me since I was covered in mud, but that few moments of thinking of my attacker made me feel filthy.

  The bathroom was gorgeous. It was remodeled and stunning. The large bath called me, but it was late, so I took off my scrubs and put them on the counter and stepped into the shower. I let the spray hit me for longer than I should have, and I started to lose myself in thoughts. The shower had always been good for that. This time my thoughts traveled to my host. The man who kissed me gently and yet powerfully.

  I had to stop because hunting him down to give him my virginity wouldn’t be appropriate. Sean was already doing his best to fight and control our desire to give me the time I truly needed. Turning off the water, I got out, dried off my breasts and looked into the large mirror. “Holy fuck,” I exclaimed, taking in the bruised face.

  How Sean even found me remotely attractive was hard to believe. I had to get out of here before I broke down. Drying off the rest of the way, I slipped on my top and bottoms, tossing my panties next to the hamper to be washed
.

  Crawling into his bed, I pressed my face to the pillow and breathed in his scent. Even his sheets smelled incredible. I moaned and snuggled up in them. Like a cocoon of safety, his sheets protected me from my bad dreams as I fell asleep.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sean

  I woke up covered in sweat. It was early summer, and the weather could get steamy here. I climbed off the sofa and headed upstairs to shower. Almost forgetting that she was staying in my room, I opened the door partially. I peeked in to check if it was okay to enter, and she was still asleep. Good. I had to get in a shower and shave before she saw me.

  I was tempted to cross lines last night, and I needed a shower before I stopped caring if I was fresh. Hell, the thought of taking her after I worked out and letting her know that this was all for her had my cock growing stiffer by the minute.

  The sun was high in the room, so I stayed a little longer to admire her beauty. Her long reddish-brown hair splayed across my pillow, and I bit back a groan. She was a bit of fucking porcelain perfection. She moaned and turned slightly, and I caught the large bruise on her face. I was fucking pissed all over again. Shaking myself out of my desire and anger, I walked into the bathroom to shower.

  I turned on the spray, letting it warm up as I got my shaving stuff together. Once it was ready, I dumped my dirty clothes in the hamper. The fucker was getting full; laundry day was coming sooner than I wanted it to come.

  I opened the glass door and stepped into the hot, steamy spray. I closed my eyes as I let the water cascade down my chest. I rubbed the water into my skin before grabbing the bar of soap and running it all over my body. When I got to my shaft, the fucker was stiff as hell. I could pound nails with it. Rubbing the bar of soap until my hands were covered in suds, I put it back on the shelf and began to run my hands over my length. I shivered as the simple washing action turned into a hungry need to come.