Blaze: A Small Town, Nerdy Girl, Opposites Attract, Protector Romance (Ghost Ops Book 1)

Chapter 20

“I’m so, so sorry,”Emma blurted when they were outside and walking back to the Sutton building. “I didn’t mean to do that! I got carried away with making Rory think I had a good reason to leave so early.”

Blaze was still holding her hand. She hadn’t pulled away when they’d gone outside. He told himself he really needed to put some distance between them. But he didn’t let go.

The second she’d put her hand on his cheek at the bar, he’d felt a lightning bolt of electricity race straight down to his balls. When she’d pressed her mouth to his, his brain shut down and his dick took over.

Slipping his tongue into her mouth had been a mistake, but he’d been on autopilot by then. Kissing her set off a chain reaction that had him harder than stone within seconds. Thank God for the flannel shirt he’d tugged on over his T-shirt earlier. Putting his hand in his pocket and shifting the shirt a bit to the front had managed to hide the bulge in his jeans when he’d gone over to tell the guys he was taking Emma home. That and the dimmed lights in the Dawg. He’d gotten it under control, but for how long was anybody’s guess.

Holding her hand now did things to his insides. Made them jump and roll in ways he hadn’t felt before. Something about Emma Sutton made him want to lay claim to every inch of her sweet body. He didn’t understand it, but it didn’t change the fact.

“It’s okay. I think I had a hand in letting it get out of control,” he told her.

Understatement of the night. He’d been the one who’d pushed it over the line. But the second her mouth touched his, he’d lost all sense of control. Not usually an issue for him, but damn.

“I just wanted to be able to leave with you and not have Rory question me about it. I messed that up because now she’s going to ask all kinds of questions, starting with were you good in bed and ending with am I going to do it again.”

She sounded miserable. He squeezed her hand. “Tell her it was amazing and yes, you are.”

“I shouldn’t have kissed you without permission. I’m really sorry I did that.”

They reached the front door of the building, and he tugged her inside and turned her until she was against the wall between the door and the window. Then he stepped into her space, nudging her legs open with one of his. He didn’t miss the gasp she gave or the way the heat of her burned into his thigh as he leaned closer in.

“Stop apologizing, Emma. I don’t mind you kissing me. I’d let you do a lot more than that, though I really shouldn’t while I’m protecting you. But I have a feeling you’re going to make that really fucking difficult for me.”

“I’m sorry?—”

He kissed her to shut up her apology. This time he was ready for her, and he had more control. Barely. Instead of thrusting his tongue in her mouth, he nipped her lips and sucked on the bottom one before releasing her. His hands wanted to roam, but they stayed on her hips, pushing her to the wall and holding her there the way he wanted to hold her as he thrust inside her.

Her arms went around his neck rather than pushing him away. Her back arched, bringing her body flush to his. His control hung by a thread. It would be so good. So fucking good.

He’d worship her body, make her scream and sob and beg in the best of ways. He wouldn’t let her up until she’d come a dozen times.

Blaze dragged in a breath and stepped back, putting a little distance between them without letting her go. Her blue eyes searched his. She wanted him, and it confused her. He ached to erase her doubt, her fear, and replace it with joy and pleasure.

Still didn’t make it a good idea, though. Getting involved with someone you were protecting clouded your judgment, made you susceptible to errors. Errors could get you killed. Worse, they could get the person you were supposed to be protecting killed.

He’d die before he hurt her.

“Babe,” he said hoarsely. “Don’t apologize for being as desirable and sexy as you are. It’s my problem that I want you, not yours. Don’t make it yours. I’ll deal with it.”

He could see the pulse thrumming in her neck and he lifted a hand to stroke it. She didn’t pull away. Her eyes drifted closed and she sighed. “I feel safe with you,” she whispered.

He allowed himself a touch of his lips to hers before pulling away again. “I know. I’m glad.”

Her gaze lifted to his. “Thank you. For everything.”

“You’re welcome.” He stood back and tugged her away from the wall. “Let’s get upstairs and watch something on TV together.”

She didn’t pull her hand from his as he walked backward to the stairs, taking her with him. “What if I don’t watch a lot of TV?”

“Then we’ll listen to music.”

“What kind of music?”

He stopped and picked her up, set her in front of him so she could go up the stairs with him immediately behind her. She’d squeaked when he did it, but she didn’t squirm. She really did trust him, and that was remarkable when he thought about what she’d been through with Simon Marsh.

A man like that didn’t deserve to call himself a man.

Blaze got that women were equals and wouldn’t ever treat one like she wasn’t, but he also took his role as protector seriously. A man was supposed to protect and cherish his woman, not hurt her.

“Whatever you want, Sunshine. You pick.”

She turned and smiled at him when they reached the top of the stairs. “Sunshine?”

God, what was wrong with him? He shouldn’t have said it, but now he had to explain. He opted for the simple truth.

“After the robbery, when I asked if you were hungry, you were staring at the horizon. Watching the sunset. The light made you look like you were standing in a shower of gold. I guess I think of sunshine when I see you.”

Her smile was bigger than before. Not that fake smile she sometimes gave him. She gave it to others, too. She probably thought nobody could tell. He could. Especially when he saw what she looked like right now.

“That’s… incredibly sweet.”

“Great,” he grumbled. “First I’m nice, now I’m sweet. What will the guys say?”

She giggled. “Probably ask you to leave the range, give up teaching self-defense classes, and suggest you get a cat while looking for a customer service job of some sort.”

They reached his door, and he slid the key in the lock. “I like cats,” he said as he pushed the door open, clocked that the interior looked the way it should, and let her inside before locking the door behind them. He dropped his keys in his pocket and turned to find her watching him with a sweet smile on her face.

“Dogs or cats?” she asked.

“Cats. Except I like dogs, too. But cats are easier. No morning walks, no rushing home to let them out.”

Emma shook her head as she laughed. “Not what I expected, big guy. Not at all. I thought you’d be the sort of man who had a Labrador retriever and went hunting every weekend with his trusty canine companion.”

“Nah.” He didn’t tell her the only kind of hunting he did was for bad people. He hadn’t felt like hunting animals, too. Animals at least were decent. Couldn’t say that about a lot of humans. “What about you? Cats or dogs?”

“I had both growing up. If I had to have one now, I’d probably lean toward cats for the reasons you stated. My job can be unpredictable sometimes. A cat can handle it if you work a double.” She frowned. “Though I guess I should say it used to be unpredictable. Not so much here.”

“Is that a bad thing or a good thing?”

Her expression clouded for a second. “It’s a good thing. Definitely good.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. I’m still getting used to the change, that’s all. Working in the ER was like riding a rollercoaster that never quit. Coming here is a bit of a full stop. It’s not bad, though. Just different.”

He felt like there were things she hadn’t said. “Sometimes different is good.”

“I know. I’m working on appreciating the good parts of being home. I’m not as tired as I used to be. I get to see my parents and my friends every day. And I can have Clarence’s pulled pork anytime I want. Those are definitely good things.”

He grinned. “That pulled pork is worth moving across the country for. Definitely one of the good parts.”

She smiled. “Now that we’ve established Clarence makes the best pulled pork, I have to ask another question. Ocean or mountains?”

“Oooh, tough one. I’d have to say mountains, though. Nothing like waking up early and sitting outside watching the sun come up over the woods and peaks. Though I love a good beach, too. How about you?”

“Beach all the way. My family went to the beach every year. Mama and Daddy bought a house on Dauphin Island, and we always went every summer when I was growing up. Rory went most of the time too.”

“Not Theo?” he asked.

“No. He was invited, but he never did.” She nibbled her lip. “Rory and Theo’s parents died when we were in elementary school. Their grandparents took them in. They were the ones who owned the Dawg. I think Theo was afraid to leave them in case they got in an accident, too.”

Damn. He’d been prepared to dislike Theo if he and Emma had ever been a thing, but hard to feel that way about a kid who’d lost his parents and been afraid to leave his grandparents in case they died too.

“They’re still alive?”

Emma shook her head. “Mr. Harper died about five years ago and Mrs. Harper went to join him a little over a year ago. That’s when Rory and Theo inherited the Dawg, though they’d been running it for a while before that.”

“Must have been hard for them both.”

“It was. Their grandparents were their parents, really.” She dragged in a breath. “You ready to watch a show of my choosing?”

“I am.”

He could see the mischief sparkling in her eyes. “How do you feel about costume dramas?”

He didn’t get a chance to answer before someone banged on the door. Emma jumped. Blaze went to answer it as Chance called out, “It’s me.”

He dragged the door open to find his teammate frowning. Chance had volunteered to stay in Emma’s apartment for the time being. He held a piece of paper in one hand. He turned it so Blaze could see what was written in all caps.

You’ve been a very bad girl

“Found it when I opened the door. Somebody shoved it under there.”

Blaze’s blood ran cold. Fucking hell, the asshole had been inside without them knowing. They typically got motion alerts, but those had been off because of the contractors working late on the third floor. Marsh was either lucky or he’d known the best time.

Because he’d been watching.

“We need to check the video feed.”

“I called Seth. He’s having a look now.”

“It’s him,” Emma said, coming over to stand behind Blaze. She’d wrapped her arms around herself. The light that had been in her eyes a few moments ago was gone now. In its place was fear. “I don’t have to see him on a video to know. I thought I saw him in the Dawg tonight, but it was crowded and I decided I was wrong. But I don’t think I was.”

Blaze put an arm around her and tugged her close. She shivered against him, but she didn’t push him away. “We need to get this motherfucker,” he growled. “Soon.”

He knew, even as he said it, that simply confronting Simon Marsh wouldn’t be enough. Neither would a restraining order because abusive assholes like him didn’t obey them. The man was a menace and he needed to be locked up.

“Agreed,” Chance said.

“He saw us, Blaze.” She turned to him, clutching his shirt in her fists. “He saw you. He probably saw me kiss you. He’ll come after you to punish me.”

Blaze would have laughed if she wasn’t so serious. Instead, he put his hands on her cheeks and cradled her like she was the most precious thing on earth. He couldn’t explain the need and he didn’t even care that Chance was watching.

“Good. Let him come. If he focuses his anger on me instead of you, even better. Because I won’t play games, Sunshine. If he tries to get a piece of me, all the better. I’ll be waiting for him.”