Singe (Guardian Protection #1)

“I hope so, Rhion. For his sake and yours.”

I giggled at the idea of fifty-seven-year-old Peter Higgins going after Jude. Sure, Pete was tall-ish and liked to keep in shape, but come on… It was Jude.

“You think that’s funny?” he teased. “I could have taken him the first time. He caught me off guard with that punch.”

I laughed louder. “Of course. Of course.”

“All right. Now, if you’re done laughing at me, I seriously have a meeting.”

“Okay. I’ll let you go. Love you, Pete.”

“Love you too, kiddo.” And then he was gone.

Mentally making a note to ask Jude about a trip to New York to visit Pete and Sandy, I went back to doing my makeup and got ready for the rest of my day.





Three days later…



Finger-combing my damp hair, I meandered down the hall in search of Jude.

Since assuming the position as my bodyguard, Jude had done a lot to up my security. Things like having all the keys to my apartment recoded. Now, Johnson, Leo, and Jude were the only ones who had a copy. Though he’d had a guy come in and rewire my door so that, in case of emergency, the security room could manually open it for any of the guys. It seemed a little extreme even to me, but Jude was no joke when it came to work.

The first night we had gone out to dinner with Johnson, Jude had spent hours preparing: pouring over maps, plotting routes, and doing research on the restaurant. And I’d quickly learned that, during his “on-duty hours,” which he had magnanimously declared were eight to five, Jude was all business. Much to my dismay, not once had I been able to convince him to guard my naked body during that time. And that is not to say I hadn’t tried. I’d strutted around the apartment in a thong and a mesh corset just the day before. Jude hadn’t even looked up from his computer.

I’d assumed having your boyfriend as a member of your security team would have its perks, but all I’d gotten was Mr. Serious and Professional. It should be noted that, while that guy was sexy as hell sporting tailored suits and a stoic glare, he was no competition for my Jude with that secret smile he reserved just for me.

Luckily, the minute five p.m. rolled around, he’d give me my man back. And that usually consisted of me ending up on my back, but occasionally, he’d let me be on top.

As I reached the end of the hall, I found him at my dining room table, leaning over a map of the city, his dark-blond, chin-length hair tucked behind his ears, a single strand dangling free in his face. He was looking downright edible in a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing his toned forearms off.

It was then that I decided that it was time to press my luck.

Maybe I just hadn’t been trying hard enough.

I quickly peeled my robe off, which left me in nothing but a pair of panties, and prowled toward him.

“Hey,” he said without ever lifting his head.

“Hey,” I replied, dragging a finger over his shoulders. “Whatcha doing?”

“Plotting our route for tonight.”

“Uh, we’re meeting Johnson for dinner at the Copper Wire. It’s at the end of the block. I’m pretty sure there’s only one route to get there.” I lifted myself to sit on the edge of the table, careful not to wrinkle his papers, and waited for him to look up.

“And that is why you’re the client, not the bodyguard,” he replied absently, continuing to draw little markers around what I assumed was our building.

I smiled and plucked the pen from between his fingers. “Any chance I can be the filthy client who ravages my hot bodyguard?”

He looked up at me, impassive as ever. “It five yet?”

I rolled my shoulders back to press my breasts into his face. “No. But that’s what makes it so exciting.” Using my foot, I grazed the zipper on his slacks. “It’s forbidden, Jude. You could get fired if anyone found out.”

His lips twitched as he pointedly glanced down at my foot. “Leo knows we’re together. I’m not getting fired.”

I whispered seductively, “You don’t know that for sure.”

“Yeah. I do,” he chuckled.

I spread my legs wide and walked my fingers up the front of his shirt. “You can’t be positive though.”

His gaze flashed down to my panties, but his eyes never lost the humor dancing within. “Yeah, babe. I’m pretty fucking positive, considering he hired me with a hickey you left on my neck.”

My shoulders fell as I glared at him. “You’re seriously ruining this for me right now.”

Grinning, he snagged the pen back. “Don’t you have a book to write?”

“I do. But it’s a sex scene day. I could use a little…inspiration.”

He went back to marking his map, muttering, “There’s porn on your computer, and I know all about the shit in your nightstand.”

My mouth fell open. “You did not just tell me to go watch porn and pleasure myself.”

He kept his head down, but I saw his mouth break into an epic grin.

“And you think this is funny! I’m wasting away from sexual neglect and you’re laughing.”

His head shot up, a mixture of humor and disbelief mingling in his features. “Sexual neglect? You’re kidding, right?”

I was. Absolutely. But his eyes turned dark and, for the first time since I’d sat down, flashed to my breasts, so I went with it.

“Not even close.”

He cocked an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his strong chest. “Rhion, I fucked you in the shower before I started working.”

“Yeah, but that was forever ago.”

“Your hair isn’t even dry yet,” he countered.

Damn it! He had a point.

“That’s not the point!” I bit my lip to stifle a laugh.

That laugh turned into a gasp as he plucked my nipple.

“Yesss,” I hissed, my lids falling shut.

His long finger trailed a path up my thigh to my core. “You want to come again, baby?”

Moaning, I nodded eagerly.

I felt him stand from his chair. At the same time, he hooked his thumb into my panties, pulling them aside. Lazily, he dragged a finger through my wetness and up to my clit, where he circled with gentle pressure.

“Oh God,” I cried, gripping his biceps for balance.

“Open your eyes, Rhion.”

When they fluttered open, he brought his fingers to his mouth and seductively licked them clean. My core clenched at the sight. Jeez, why was that so hot?

My tongue darted out to dampen my lips as I became entranced with his tongue laving over his fingers.

“I want to come again, too,” he whispered, his breath ghosting across my skin.

“Yes,” I moaned.

And then I nearly fell off the table when he suddenly backed out of my reach.

“But I’m on the clock. So it’s going to have to wait until five.”

“Jude!” I scolded.

“Put some fucking clothes on, Rhion.”

“Are you kidding me? That was mean.”