She leans back. “Listen, Hotshot. This is top-secret information.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Are you going to have an alias and do all kinds of undercover stuff?”
She tugs me to her. “It’s kind of an off-the-record arrangement. I’m thinking about it. I’m not great at taking orders.”
I grin. “You don’t say.”
She flattens her palm against the center of my chest. “Yeah. See, I had this assignment, and there are rules about not getting personally involved.”
“Oh, really?” I grip her hips.
“Uh-huh, but then I broke the biggest rule of all.”
I lower my head, brushing my lips against her neck. “What rule is that?”
“It’s a personal rule. To never let anyone get too close.” Her nose pushes into my cheek, inhaling as her lips run along my jaw.
I love it when she smells me. I kiss her neck.
“But then, you and all your smiley, self-assured ways had to go and stir things inside me that I didn’t know existed.” She stops at the corner of my mouth. “You woke everything I thought was dead and gone. Everything I thought I’d never feel or want to feel.” Her words are so soft.
I wrap my arms around her. “You know, Jones. You told me once that rules are made to be broken. So, what other rules do you have that we need to break?”
She pulls away, her eyes meeting mine, that feistiness appearing. “Careful, Matthews, you’re a rule follower.”
I tug her back to me. “I think your rebel ways are rubbing off on me.”
Her arm slides around my back. “Oh, really.”
“You lay them out, and we’ll tackle them one at a time.”
Her lips press against mine, soft but sure. “It’s not gonna be easy.”
I kiss her back. “Good. It’ll give me plenty of opportunity to practice my fight stance.”
She laughs, and I wait only long enough for the beautiful sound to fade before I kiss her perfect smile.
Chapter 49
RYDER
“You all right?” Cole’s arm slides around me, pulling me to the side, and I force myself to stay put rather than shift in front of him.
The crowd is loud, trying to get his attention as they angle their cameras and phones toward us.
“Yeah, I just. . . It’s hard for me to turn my brain off.”
He smiles. “Ten minutes, and then it’ll be you and me in the box.” He kisses my temple.
This will take some getting used to. It was one thing when I was guarding Cole. It was my job to be on high alert, but now, it’s difficult for me to turn that all down and just be here with him.
It all started when we walked into the airport to catch our flight to London. People followed us, hoping to get an autograph. Until the plane took off, fans watched and whispered and stared, but Cole kept a firm hold on my hand and did his best to deter them.
More than any of that, it’s Cole’s warm, protective affection. His sure hands and gentle touches. The feel of his body against mine when he holds me close. Him kissing me and kissing him back. It’s all completely new.
I’m learning about another person outside of myself, which is a process. It’s trusting and allowing him access when I’ve never done that before. I’ve never wanted to, and sometimes I just stare at him, wondering how this is even happening.
He glances at the raging crowd. “I didn’t think anyone would know who I am.”
