Necessary Risk (Bodyguard) (20 page)

Jack poked a finger into Sean’s chest. “You fucked with the wrong guy. Do you have any idea the kind of power I have? The people I know? I could ruin your life with a phone call.”

“Great. I’m real scared. Go home.” He tipped his head toward the town car.

“No. I’m not done yet.”

“Yes, you are.”

Jack hesitated and then tried to step around Sean, who blocked him.

“Sierra, baby. I’m sorry I called you a bitch. I didn’t mean it. You know I didn’t mean it, right? I miss you, sweetheart. We were so good together.”

Sierra didn’t say anything, just stared at Jack, anger tightening her features. Jack took a step toward her, and Sean laid a hand on his chest, pushing him back against the car. No fucking way was he getting close to Sierra.

Sierra sighed heavily. “Just go, Jack.”

Jack shook with anger, and once again tried to get around Sean. “You’re nothing without me. You’re pathetic. Weak. A used-up whore.”

Sean’s vision narrowed as heat flushed his body, feeding his already tense muscles.

“Screw you, Jack. I want you to leave. Now.”

Jack’s face contorted, and he let out an enraged snarl. “Listen, you stupid cu—”

Sean’s fist connected with his jaw with a loud, wet crunch, cutting off the rest of his ugly words. Jack’s hands flew up to his face, and his bodyguard lunged for Sean, but Carter intercepted him, holding him back. Grabbing fistfuls of Jack’s shirt, Sean slammed him into the body of the town car.

“Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna turn around, get in your car, and
fuck off
.
Now.
” He let Jack go with a hard shove against the town car.

“I’m going to have you charged with assault.”

“Like I fucking care. You came here to be a bully and make threats. Don’t show your face here again. You even so much as call Sierra, you’ll have to answer to me.”

“Poke your fucking nose into my business again, and you’ll regret it.” Rubbing a hand over his jaw, Jack wrenched the door open and dropped clumsily into the back of the car. Eyes flicking back and forth between Sean and Carter, Jack’s bodyguard followed suit, slipping back into the front passenger seat of the car. It pulled smoothly away from the curb, and the three of them stood in silence, watching as the taillights shrank. As the adrenaline ebbed slightly, the reality of the situation washed over Sean.

He’d punched a senator. In the face. Shit.

Shit shit shit.

But then Sierra’s small hand was on his arm, and just for the way she was looking at him, with heat and gratitude and something else shining in her eyes, it had been worth it.

“You weren’t kidding about his drinking,” he said, shaking out his right hand.

“That was pretty typical. He gets drunk, and suddenly the whole world is against him. He’s unpredictable and mean.” She rubbed a hand over his forearm. “I wouldn’t worry about him pressing charges. If he even remembers, he’ll be so upset and remorseful that he won’t follow through. He never follows through with drunk threats.”

Sean blew out a long, slow breath, trying to dispel the adrenaline still charging through him. He shoved a hand through his hair, closing his eyes briefly. “I probably shouldn’t have hit him.”

She looked up at him, an incredulous smile on her face. “He got exactly what he deserved.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting the tips of his fingers linger on her jaw. “You’re OK?”

“
I’m
fine. But I think you might need some ice for your hand.”

He looked down and could see that his knuckles were red and already starting to swell. “Carter, can you do a perimeter check? I’m going to go in the house with Sierra.”

“Sure thing, boss.” He nodded, his Glock still in his hands.

“And let’s wait and see what shakes out, if Jack decides to press charges or not. If he does, I’ll deal with it, but in the meantime, let’s keep this between us.”

“No problem. For what it’s worth, that was a hell of a right cross.” Carter headed toward the side of the house, making sure there were no other surprises waiting for them.

Sierra threaded her fingers through Sean’s left hand and led him into the house. Adrenaline still coursed through him, and he could feel each pump of his heart, a steady rhythm pounding inside him.

The adrenaline was from punching Jack in his arrogant, smug face. Not from Sierra’s tiny hand nestled in his. Not from the almost overwhelming sense of protectiveness he felt toward her. He felt a warm tug low in his gut at the way she smiled at him as she unlocked the front door.

“I shouldn’t have punched him,” he murmured, following her into the house. She tapped her code into the alarm and flicked on the lights. Sean’s eyes scanned the hallway and the living room, looking for anything out of place.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, and it was as if someone were tightening a vise around his ribs, his lungs. Around his heart. “I don’t know what this says about me, but…it was kinda hot. No one’s ever stood up for me like that before.”

A plummeting feeling bottomed out in his stomach, as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff, trying desperately not to fall off the edge. He trailed behind her into the house, watching her small figure as she led him into the kitchen, her fingers still twined with his. The pulsing throb in his knuckles kept tempo with his thudding heart, and his blood hummed through his veins.

“I don’t have an ice pack, but…” Her small, round ass stuck up in the air as she rummaged through the bottom freezer. Clutching a bag of frozen peas, she sprang back up. “Green Giant to the rescue.” She hopped up on the island. “Come here.”

He arched an eyebrow as he walked slowly toward her. “I can do it myself.”

“Would you come here? I’m trying to say thank you.”

The pressing need to wrap his arms around her vibrated through him. The vibrations turned into a warm tingle as she took his bruised hand in hers, holding the bag of peas over his tender knuckles. She turned her face up to his, her green eyes sparkling.

God, she smelled good. Like sunshine, warm and bright and life-giving.

He inched his body closer to the island, his hips bumping the edge. The insides of her bare legs grazed his legs as the skirt of her dress rode up.

“Thank you for sticking up for me. And for keeping me safe.” She bit her lip and looked up at him through her lashes. His heart squeezed as he looked down at her, their faces only inches apart. Goddamn, she was beautiful.

“I meant it when I said that I’ve got you.” With his free hand, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tracing his thumb over her cheekbone. His eyes drifted down to her lips, and he couldn’t fight it anymore. Clearly he was hell-bent on destruction tonight. He’d punched a state senator, and now, for the first time in his ten years as a bodyguard, he was going to kiss a client.

Cupping her cheek with his uninjured hand, he slowly dipped his head and gently, tenderly closed his mouth over hers. She responded immediately, returning the kiss with a soft sigh.

The peas slid to the floor with a crunchy plop and he slid his right arm around her, pulling her closer, growling quietly. She wrapped her arms around him as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue. Finally he was touching her and tasting her just the way he’d wanted since the day they met. Finally she had her arms around him and was moaning softly into his mouth. Finally, and it was a thousand times better than he ever could’ve imagined. And he’d spent a lot of time imagining it.

He explored her mouth, savoring the sweetness of it as heat curled through his veins. His tongue caressed hers, and she gripped him tighter.

It was the best wrong thing he’d ever done.

Breaking the kiss, he buried his face in her neck, trailing his lips over her warm, soft skin, kissing and tasting, breathing her in. He sank his teeth gently into the curve where neck and shoulder met, nipping at her skin. She tipped her head back.

“Oh, God, Sean.” Her words came out on a loud moan, breathless and hot.

Oh, hell yes.

She wrapped her legs around him, pressing herself against the erection straining against his uniform, and he rocked into her, the friction sending hot pulses through him. He kissed his way back up to her mouth, and as his lips pressed hungrily against hers, he felt as though liquid fire were slowly spreading through him. He rocked his hips against her again as the kiss became rougher, more urgent. His low moans tangled with hers, and their mouths melded together. She fisted her hands in the fabric of his jersey and yanked it free of his pants. Her hands slid up under his jersey, tracing the ridges of his abs as she softly bit his lower lip and then traced her tongue over it. He groaned as he caressed a hand up her thigh, pushing her skirt up as he went, wondering if she could feel his hands trembling with how much he wanted her. With how good she felt. How good she was making him feel.

He’d never had this kind of sexual chemistry with anyone. Ever. Kissing Sierra, he felt as though he were about to explode out of his skin with how badly he needed to be inside her. How badly he wanted to discover all the different ways he could make her come. With his hands, his mouth, his cock buried deep inside her.

She broke the kiss, her lips swollen, her eyes hooded and dark. “Your mouth feels so good.” She brushed her lips across his jaw as she spoke, working her way up to his ear. “I want to feel it everywhere.” She rocked her hips against him and shuddered slightly, her voice raw, coming out as a whispered half sob. “I want you so much.”

He dipped his head, catching her mouth again, his nose brushing hers. “I’ve wanted you since the day I met you.”

“I’m yours.”

He had no words for the wave of possession crashing over him, so he kissed her again, slowly and hungrily, sliding a hand up her rib cage until he covered one small breast with his hand. He caressed in a slow, gentle circle, and she arched into him, her hips twitching as she whimpered against his mouth. Her nipple was a hard little bud against his palm, and he trailed his fingers across the top and down the side of her breast, memorizing the contours.

The front door opened, and they jerked apart.

Jesus Christ, he’d completely forgotten about Carter. She leaped down off the island, straightening her disheveled clothes as he quickly tucked his jersey back in, fighting to get himself together, adjusting the monster erection pressing against his tight baseball pants.

Damn baseball pants. They hid nothing. He circled around behind the island, knowing he’d have to stay hidden from the waist down until things were calmer south of the border.

She pressed a hand to her pink cheek, bending down and scooping up the bag of frozen peas from the floor. She straightened and quickly tossed it to him. Still breathing heavily, he caught it and pressed it to his groin, trying to get control of himself.

A surprised laugh burst from Sierra, her face bright. “For your
hand
,” she whispered, gesturing frantically at his bruised knuckles.

Oh, right. He’d forgotten about that too. With a sheepish grin, he transferred the bag to his knuckles, trying to ignore the trickle of fear at just how easily and quickly he’d gotten distracted. She yanked open the fridge and stuck her head inside for several seconds.

At least he wasn’t the only one who needed cooling off.

She emerged with a bottle of water just as Carter appeared. Sean hoped like hell he hadn’t seen them kissing. Hell, they’d done more than kiss. They’d crossed second base and would’ve been well on their way to third if Carter hadn’t come in. If he was going to violate his professional ethics, he’d rather his team didn’t see him do it.

“Everything OK?” asked Sean, hoping he sounded a lot more relaxed than he felt.

Carter glanced from Sean to Sierra, who was guzzling her water as if she’d just hiked through the desert. “Everything’s fine. How’s the hand?”

“I’ll live.”

Carter’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. He answered and listened intently for a few moments. “I’ll put you on speaker.” He tapped the screen and laid the phone on the island. “It’s Clay.”

“Hey, Sean, I’ve been trying to call you. Everything good?”

“Yeah. My phone’s in the car. What’s up?”

“I think I found something. Can you come to the office?”

“Right now?”

“Yeah. I’m already here.”

Sean pushed a hand through his hair, glancing at Sierra. He’d been so determined not to touch her until he knew she was safe, but with one kiss, that resolve had flown out the window. She was his to protect, and soon she’d be
his
. But not tonight.

Chapter 16

S
ean pushed open the doors to Virtus’s offices, slipping his key card into the back pocket of his jeans. Only one bank of overhead lights was on, leaving the corners in shadow. The row of offices was dark, giving the space an eerily empty feel. Clay sat at one of the computers at the table in the center, paging through what looked like surveillance photos and geotagging them as he went. As Sean approached, Clay stood, looking even scruffier than usual with his shaggy mane of dark-blond hair and at least a week’s worth of stubble on his jaw.