“I won’t let anyone harm you, little one.” Renegade—I mean, Riker brushes his large thumb across my cheek. It’s another small touch, but it’s enough to snap me out of the feeling of passing out. I don’t know what it is about this man that makes me feel so safe and secure—I guess it’s his job to do that.
“Thank you, Riker.” I turn my head, pressing my cheek into his thumb, and smile up at him. His eyes darken with something I can’t name, but only for a second before returning to the steely look I’ve already come to know from him.
"Anyway," Carrie continues. “We thought it would be best to hire an undercover bodyguard. Riker will be with you twenty-four seven. We’ll issue a press release saying that the two of you met and fell in love during the photo shoot for the special-edition cover of your book. That will explain why he’s living with you.”
“Living with me?” I’m already flustered with him being this close to me—I can’t imagine how much worse I’ll be if he actually lives with me.
“It will be fine, Ash.” He rubs his thumb across my cheek one more time before lowering his hand. His use of a nickname no one has ever used on me makes my heart flutter. I’ve always been Ashton—never Ash. “We won’t actually be sharing a bed.I’ll be there as your bodyguard and nothing more.” The way he says “and nothing more” has me wanting to tell him, for the first time in my life, that I want more. But instead, I nod my head. “Good girl.” He says only loud enough for my ears, turning my insides into a pile of mush, and causing my panties to dampen at the praise.
How am I ever going to survive being around this man every day and night? It’s only been a few hours, and my panties didn’t make it.
four
Riker
“Why don’t you takea bubble bath? It’s been a long day, and I’m sure the warm water will help relax you.” Don’t think about her naked, wet body covered in tiny bubbles. It’s bad enough my hands are itching to strip her bare and kiss every inch of her curvy body—something I’ve never wanted to do with anyone until I met her. “It will give me a chance to make sure the perimeter of your house is secure.”
With a nod, she turns toward what I assume is her bedroom. I’ll check out the interior layout later. Right now, I need to put some distance between me and her sweet, tempting body. A quick walk around the outside of her house in the evening chill should help cool my body.
After Dani and Carrie finished explaining the plan to Ashton, we decided it was best to call it a night before tomorrow’s book signing. The thought of wearing this outfit again tomorrow makes my skin crawl. The sooner I secure Ashton’s house and grab my duffle bag from my truck, the sooner I can get out of these tight leather pants and slip into something more comfortable. An image of me slipping into the warm bubble bath with Ashton flashes into my mind, causing my cock to press tightly against the already snug leather of the pants.
In all my thirty-five years, I’ve never felt this kind of attraction to anyone. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to; I just figured that if it didn’t happen when I was younger, it never would. I was convinced I was broken, just as all the foster families told me I was when I stayed with them. Too broken to love, too broken to be loved. My SEAL family is the closest I’ve ever come to feeling loved.
I keep walking around Ashton’s house, looking for anything unusual. Nothing catches my eye, but I see she doesn’t have any security cameras—something I’ll take care of tomorrow in the daylight.
After I’m convinced we’ll be safe enough for tonight, I jog over to my truck and grab my duffle bag. Making sure to lock the door behind me, I find a second bathroom with a shower. Making quick work of removing my clothes and hanging my leather jacket and pants on the counter, I hop into the shower to rinse off.
My hard cock stands at attention, demanding that I do something to ease the pressure building in there and in my balls. Knowing I don’t have much time, I give in to my wayward thoughts, lathering my hand with the bath wash I found in the shower, I glide my hand over my hard length, squeezing hard enough to make my eyes roll back in my head as I imagine it’s Ashton’s hands caressing my shaft.
Her soft moans fill my fantasy as she glides her hands up and down, faster and faster until I’m painting the walls of the shower with my seed—my cock twitching in my hand. After finding a tiny bit of relief, I finish washing, watching my cum mix with the body wash, and washing it down the drain.
Digging through my duffle bag, I find an old SEAL t-shirt and gray sweatpants to wear. The next thing on my list for taking care of Ashton is feeding her. It’s not something I’ve ever worried about with my other assignments, but there’s something about Ashton that makes me want to take care of her in every way I can.
Her fridge is stocked with everything you could want for a cold meat sandwich, which makes me wonder if she ever eats a hot meal—something that will change now that she’s under my protection, but for tonight I’m going to make her the best cold meat sandwich she’s ever had.
Gathering all the ingredients I need, I shut the refrigerator door and reach for the loaf of bread on top of the refrigerator, only to come up short with Ashton standing in front of me wearing nothing but a thin white robe, tied tightly at her waist, accentuating her tiny waist, large breasts, and wide hips. The thin fabric does nothing to hide her hard nipples poking through the material of her robe.
“Can I help with anything?” Her innocent question shouldn’t have me imagining what she can really help me with, but it does.
Instead of answering her honestly, I nod to signal her to take a seat on the stool at the island counter. “Take a seat. I’ll make us something to eat.” My words come out clipped, almost like I’m a caveman learning how to talk, unlike the smooth words I imagine saying in my head.
“Are you always this bossy with all your clients?” The light tone in her voice lets me know that she’s teasing me.
“Only those who are my fake girlfriend,” I tease, expecting her to laugh at my obvious joke, but instead she lowers her head, picking at the bread of the sandwich I sat in front of her.
“Have you had a lot of fake girlfriends?” She glances up at me, her sad eyes saying more than her words.
“You’re the first.” I shake my head, bringing a smile to her face, before slipping back to concern.
“How about a real girlfriend or even a wife?” She holds her breath waiting for my answer.
“No wife or girlfriend. Breathe, little one.” I repeat the words I’ve said to her twice before.
“You keep telling me to breathe, little one. Are you aware that’s a line from my book?”
“I’m aware.” I hesitate before deciding whether to tell her I’ve read her book. The first time was as part of my assignment. The second time was for myself. Each look, each touch Renegade gave Emma, the female lead, had me imagining the scene with Ashton and me as the main characters. Being able to call her little one is a dream come true. “I read your book,” I say, leaving the rest hanging in the air between us.
“Oh.” Her lips make a perfect circle, and I try not to picture those same lips wrapped around my cock, like in the book when Emma was on her knees pleasuring Renegade. “I don’t have a boyfriend or a husband either.” Her words come out on a sigh.
