The Protector: The Complete C.I.A Romance Series

by Monroe, Lilian

  But another, bigger part of me didn’t really care. He wanted to forget about everything else tonight, and I was ready to do it.

  I slipped my hand into his and led him inside the house. We walked into the bedroom, and I glanced down the hall.

  “Maribel is asleep in the living room.”

  “Who’s Maribel?”

  “Uh… my grandfather’s nurse.”

  Chris frowned and I shook my head.

  “Never mind.”

  “I’m not promising I’ll be quiet,” he growled as I closed the door. He wrapped his arms around me and stifled my giggle with a kiss. I could feel the raw power inside him as he pulled me closer. His body felt hot to the touch, like his blood was burning up for me.

  I gasped when he picked me up and tossed me onto the bed. Crawling after me, his eyes darkened. I tangled my fingers into his hair and pulled him closer.

  His kiss tasted like honey and sin. The last remnants of my defenses fell away as he moaned against me, the weight of his body making me sink down into the bedsheets.

  The first time we had sex, it was hot and rushed and fueled by adrenaline. This time, Bennett—because I couldn’t call him anything else now—took his time. He kissed my collarbone and dragged my shirt up over my head. He kissed my shoulder, trailing his lips down between my breasts. He kissed my stomach all the way down to the waistband of my pants.

  I kicked off my old shoes and he grunted in approval. Using his fingers, he unbuttoned my pants as he continued to kiss my stomach.

  The anticipation was making me tremble. I knew what I wanted, and I knew that Bennett was going to give it to me. This went beyond lust. It went beyond desire.

  I wanted him.

  I wanted to be connected to him in a way that only our bodies knew how. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and feel him deep inside me. I wanted to feel his breath grow ragged as he climaxed. I wanted to feel his seed pumping inside me.

  I wanted it all.

  So, when his lips brushed over my inner thigh, I sighed. His hands pushed my legs apart and he teased the edge of my panties. They were already soaked. He made a noise in appreciation, dragging the thin fabric down my legs.

  He leaned his head down between my legs and groaned when his lips touched me. My hips rolled toward him as he pushed my legs further apart, lapping up every drop of my desire. I closed my eyes, sinking into the pillows as Bennett started to drive me wild.

  His tongue, his hands, his lips—it was almost too much to handle. He dragged his tongue through my slit as his fingers slid inside me. My mouth fell open with a gasp and he groaned appreciatively.

  I loved that he loved doing this. Knowing that he was enjoying eating me out was more erotic than anything I’d ever done before. He teased my bud, dragging his fingers in and out of me as my body bucked for him. Holding me down with one arm, he started fucking me with his fingers. He glanced up at me, his lips glistening with my honey as they curled into a smile.

  “You like that?” He said.

  I couldn’t respond. Tingles of pleasure started coursing through my veins, and all the blood in my body seemed to pool between my legs. His hands worked magic as the pressure in the pit of my stomach grew. My fingers curled into the bedsheets and I turned to bite the pillow.

  “I want you to come for me, Cat,” he said. “I want you to cover my hands with your sweet honey and let me taste it. I want to hear you scream my name with my fingers inside you like the dirty girl I know you are.”

  I moaned in response. I’d never been into dirty talk. Truthfully, I’d probably never let myself get close enough to someone to feel comfortable talking dirty to them.

  But Bennett was different. He could feel my body contracting at his touch and he groaned in response.

  “Give me what I want, angel. Make that sweet pussy come all over my fingers so I can lick them clean. I want to taste you.”

  He curled his fingers just so, and my whole body contracted. My hands curled into the bedsheets and I gasped, my lips falling open in a silent scream. Bennett worked both hands between my legs in ways that I couldn’t even begin to understand. All I knew was that he was teasing my bud, my opening, my ass—his hands were everywhere and my body was exploding.

  I flew over the edge as I bit the pillow to muffle my scream. Bennett groaned, laying a soft kiss on my stomach as he continued to bring me further into ecstasy. He didn’t stop until I clamped my thighs together, gulping deep breaths as I tried to fill my lungs.

  When I peeled my eyes open again, he was grinning.

  “How was that?”

  “Yeah,” I panted. “It was good.”

  I glanced down and I could see his hardness straining against his pants. I reached down as he closed his eyes, sighing as I touched him over his clothes.

  “You should take those off,” I said in a hoarse whisper.

  He didn’t hesitate. In an instant, he was tearing his shirt off and kicking his pants across the room. My blood was still hot from my orgasm, but the sight of his naked body made me flush even hotter.

  He knelt between my legs and I reached down to touch him. I wrapped my fingers around his shaft, dragging my thumb over his crown. He moaned.

  I bit my lip. “We didn’t use protection last time.”

  Bennett’s eyes were dark and hooded. He nodded. “I know. You got any now?”

  I blushed, shaking my head. “This sort of impromptu sex session doesn’t happen very often in my life.”

  “Impromptu sex session?” A grin tugged at his lips. I moved my hand up and down his shaft, unable to stop myself from touching his hot, hard cock.

  “You know what I mean.”

  He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. I could tell he liked the way I was touching him. I knew it wasn’t responsible, and I knew I should use protection, but my body had other ideas. The sigh of this gorgeous, naked, well-hung Adonis of a man was too much for me.

  “I’m on the pill,” I heard myself say. “If you’re… If you’re clean, I mean.”

  “I am,” he said quietly. He leaned down over me, his elbows resting on either side of my head. He laid a gentle kiss on my lips, and I felt his cock resting between my legs. My hips rolled toward him automatically.

  “Only if you’re sure,” he said again, kissing on my neck. “I don’t want to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “You have no idea how much I want this,” I laughed, running my hands down his back. I gave his ass a squeeze and he shifted his weight off me. Before I knew what was happening, his fingers were inside me again.

  “I think I know how much you want this,” he growled. He dragged his fingers out of me and brought them to my lips. My eyes widened and I let him slip his fingers inside my mouth, tasting my own juices on them. He exhaled, watching me suck his fingers as his eyes darkened.

  “I want you, Cat.”

  “I want you, too.”

  “You trust me?”

  “With my life.”

  In one smooth motion, he shifted himself between my legs again and spread them wide. He speared me in one thrust and I cried out, not caring who could hear me. Bennett’s abs contracted as he started to piston in and out of me. My nails left deep scratch marks on his chest as I rolled my hips toward him.

  He leaned down over me, grunting as he thrust inside me. A strand of hair fell across his forehead as his eyes darkened even more. Desire made every muscle in his body ripple as I gasped for breath.

  It was almost too much to handle. I wanted it all. I arched my back to accept him deeper. As if he could sense what I wanted, he picked my leg up and threw it over his shoulder.

  Pleasure built up inside me like water behind a dam. I could feel it growing and growing until I knew it was about to burst.

  With one long thrust, Bennett unleashed it. My orgasm crashed into me like a tidal wave, flooding every artery, every vein, every capillary with pleasure. I bit into the pillow as my legs wrapped around his body. My hands grabbed at anything—
one curled into the bedsheets while the other gripped his bicep.

  I flew into the abyss like never before. Vaguely, in the far reaches of my consciousness, I felt him orgasm as well. He emptied himself inside me as my pleasure continued to crest. My whole body convulsed as we collapsed into a sweaty, blissful, post-coital heap.

  30

  Chris

  I just came here to apologize, and to tell Cat that I cared about her. I came here to be honest with her. The last thing I expected to happen was the most intense, hottest sex of my life.

  Not that I was complaining.

  I rolled onto my back and let out a sigh, glancing down at my still-hard cock. It bounced against my stomach happily, as if it was letting me know that it was pleased with the evening’s proceedings. I covered it with the sheet and let out a long breath.

  “You okay over there?” Cat said, eyes closed. Her hand reached over and flopped against my chest. I grabbed it and chuckled.

  “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  “You did that to yourself.”

  “You seemed to enjoy it.”

  “I did,” she grinned, glancing at me. Then, putting on a bad Scottish accent, she rolled over and patted my head. “That’ll do, donkey. That’ll do.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “That was the most condescending, possibly offensive thing anyone has ever said to me after sex.”

  “That’ll do,” she said again, closing her eyes and snuggling into me. “Haven’t you ever seen Shrek?”

  I laughed and kissed her forehead. “Yes, but it’s not exactly what I want to hear right now.”

  “Shh,” she said, her eyes still closed. “No more talking.”

  I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, and then we both drifted off to sleep.

  I woke up to a loud bang in the house and sunlight streaming through the windows. I sat up with a start as Cat tumbled off my chest. My legs were tangled in the sheets and I looked around me in a panic.

  Cat groaned. “That’s probably just Maribel.”

  My shoulders slumped and I exhaled.

  Cat glanced at me. “I think you need to meditate or do yoga or something. You are twitchy as hell when you sleep.”

  “Am I?”

  She nodded. “Almost had to build a pillow fort between us to keep me safe. Do you dream a lot?”

  “If I do, I don’t remember them.”

  “Maybe you’re stressed.”

  “Maybe I am.”

  She smiled at me and swung her legs off the edge of the bed. I watched her wrap a bathrobe around her and stretch her neck from side to side. Considering we were both in mortal danger with killer mobsters after us, I was surprised she wasn’t more stressed.

  “Coffee?”

  “Sure.”

  “The shower is just through there if you want to freshen up. I’ll put a pot on.”

  She disappeared through the door and I took a deep breath. My head was spinning. Gary would probably be wondering where I was and if I was still alive. I was way behind on tracking Kowalski, and I hadn’t really done much to protect Cat.

  But I was happier than I’d been in a long time. Cat’s alarm clock said it was just after seven am, which was way later than I usually woke up, but I felt great. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept more than four hours.

  After a quick shower, I made my way to the kitchen. Cat was sipping coffee and laughing about something with another young woman.

  “You must be Maribel,” I said.

  “You’re Chris? Nice to meet you.” If she was fazed by my presence, she didn’t show it. Cat handed me a mug of coffee, and it felt almost normal for me to be here.

  I took a sip as Cat turned to Maribel.

  “So, you know what you need to do?”

  “Yep,” Maribel said. “I’ll make sure I’m by Arthur’s side all day today.”

  “Good. I want to get a line on this Kowalski guy. I have a few questions to ask him.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said, glancing between them. “What’s going on? You’re not getting a line on anyone, Cat.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  “Look, no offense, but you two aren’t exactly trained in this type of operation. You don’t have the skills or resources to take on a guy like Kowalski and his cronies.”

  “His ‘cronies’?” Maribel said with a grin.

  Cat rolled her eyes. “And you’ve been so effective at stopping them? Look, Bennett, I need to figure out what’s going on. They’ve targeted my grandfather, my brother, and now tried to use Maribel against me. I need to do something.”

  “Wait, what? What happened with Maribel?”

  Cat took a deep breath and told me about the incident with her porch last night. It explained the smell of bleach when I first came over. I frowned.

  “That doesn’t make sense. The original activist who dumped fish on you had nothing to do with the Russians and Kowalski. We’ve confirmed that.”

  “Well, maybe you’re wrong,” Cat said, filling her mug with coffee again. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

  I took a deep breath as frustration threatened to boil over inside me. “Cat, Maribel, look.” I took another breath to calm my voice. “I know you want to help, but this is dangerous.”

  “Yes, and I’m sick of feeling scared,” Cat snapped. “I need to do something. And if you know where this Kowalski guy is, I need to know.”

  “It’s not safe—”

  “What, and staying here like sitting ducks is?”

  I paused, sighing. The two of them were staring at me, and I could tell by the set in Cat’s jaw that she wasn’t going to let this go. I slid into a chair and nodded at her.

  “Okay, so what’s this plan of yours?”

  They glanced at each other, and after a long pause, Cat started talking. I forced myself to listen quietly without interrupting. It took nearly all my self-control, but I managed. When she was done, I let out a sigh.

  “It’s not the smartest plan I’ve ever heard, but it’s not terrible, either.”

  “So you won’t stop us?”

  “I’ll do better—I’ll help you.”

  Cat’s eyes widened and a smile started stretching across her face. “Really?”

  “I’m the one who got you into this mess, and I need to be the one to get you out of it. They won’t stop coming after you until they’ve got me. We need to work together.”

  Cat’s eyes flashed and she threw her arms around me. She planted a kiss on my lips and squeezed my cheeks between her hands.

  Maribel laughed, but I could see a hint of fear in her eyes. I slipped my hand into Cat’s and gave it a squeeze, and then I glanced at Maribel.

  “You should go to work. Go out the back door and try to make sure no one sees you leave here. Try to act normal. I’ll call Gary and we’ll get the surveillance van around. The other agents are still in D.C., so it’ll be at least a couple hours until they’re here.”

  “That’s enough time.”

  “I want to do this right,” I said. “If that means we wait an extra hour, then we wait an extra hour.”

  “I want to finish this,” Cat said. The determination in her eyes was equal parts impressive, terrifying, and sexy. If it wasn’t for the threat of impending destruction hanging over both of us, I would have thrown her over my shoulder and carried her straight back into bed.

  But that, along with everything else that I wanted to do with her, would have to wait.

  First, we had to find Kowalski. Then, we had to find the Russians.

  And finally, with a bit of luck, I’d be able to get out of this mess and move on with my life… hopefully with Cat by my side.

  31

  Cat

  When Bennett watched me drive away, it looked like it took all his self-control not to run after my car. He clenched and unclenched his fists as his jaw tensed. Standing like a statue in my rear-view mirror, he stood completely still until I turned the corner.

 
My first stop was the hospital. Mickey was awake.

  “Hey, Kitty Cat,” he said as I walked in. My childhood nickname always made my heart squeeze whenever my brother or Gramps said it, and today was no different.

  I smiled. “Hey, Mickey. How are you feeling?”

  “Like I got the shit kicked out of me a week ago.”

  I flopped down onto a chair and took a deep breath. I shook my head. “That should never have happened. I’m sorry, Mickey.”

  “It’s not your fault. Did you figure out what that Agent Bennett guy is all about? Was he lying to you?”

  Yesterday, I left after telling them I thought Bennett was lying. He didn’t know that Bennett had spent the night… and I wasn’t exactly sure how to say it.

  So I didn’t.

  I just nodded. “He was, but I think his intentions are good. He works for the CIA and thinks that he was the target all along. I think I can trust him, though.”

  Mickey frowned. “How come?”

  “I just have a feeling. He’s… he’s going to help us get out of this mess.”

  “I don’t even know what ‘this mess’ is. I got jumped at a staff party and now I’m hearing you’re being investigated by the CIA. Cat…” His eyebrows drew together and he shook his head. “I don’t mind getting beat up for you. Really—I don’t. I got a few days off work and a nice hospital bed.”

  “Mickey…”

  He held up his hand and I fell silent.

  “One thing I can’t condone, though, is you going all vigilante on this. If you get hurt, I’ll never forgive myself—or Bennett the Liar.”

  “Don’t call him that.”

  Mickey’s eyes narrowed. “You like him, don’t you?”

  I blushed and Mickey exhaled, shaking his head.

  “Mickey, come on. Just… keep an eye out. Some agents are on the way and they’ll watch over you until this is over.”