Her back arched, her hand pressing against the back of his head, urging him to suck the nipple deeper into his mouth.
He complied, licking the areola, nibbling the bud with the edges of his teeth while his hands roved over her waist and down to the elastic on her panties. Sliding his fingers beneath the fabric, he cupped her bottom, tracing the line between her cheeks.
Her hands grew restless, shoving his trousers down his legs.
He stopped her long enough to unearth his wallet from his back pocket and toss it on the bed. Then Daniel toed off his shoes and stepped out of the pants, kicking them to the side. He yanked his shirt up over his head and threw it across the end of the bed. Impatient to reveal all of her, he grabbed the hem of her nightgown and tugged it up over her head.
The gown flew across the room and he stepped back, his hungry gaze raking over her naked body, the panties the only thing in the way of him feasting on her.
The longer he stared, the brighter the pink in her cheeks became. She raised her hands to cover herself.
He caught her wrists. “Don’t.”
“Then quit staring and do something.”
He laughed, dragged her into his arms and reveled in the feel of her breasts pressing against his chest. “Bossy much?”
“Don’t make me wait. I’m on fire.” She slipped out of his embrace and scooted up onto the bed.
Staring down at her delectable body, Daniel knew he was doomed. “This goes against all the rules.”
“I’m betting you follow all the rules.”
“I do.” This woman had him so tied in knots, he couldn’t back away.
Rules be damned.
The fire in his eyes had Shelby’s body burning. She caught the elastic of her panties, slipping them down her legs in a long, sensuous move designed to leave Daniel panting. “In this case, I think you can break them.” She let her knees fall to the sides.
Her entrance was slick and drenched with her juices. All she needed was him inside her, filling her.
He crawled up between her legs and kissed a path along the inside of her thigh to the center, the feathery-soft touches of his lips sending tingling electric shocks throughout her body.
Shelby ran her fingers down through the curls covering her mons, sliding a finger between her folds. She wanted him there.
Daniel tongued the tips of her fingers, pushing them aside to access the tiny strip of flesh packed with a plethora of nerves.
On the first flick, she moaned, her back arching off the mattress.
The second one had her grabbing his hair, her fingers digging into his scalp. “Oh, my,” she whispered, her voice choked with desire.
Daniel slid two fingers into her and tongued her nubbin at the same time, catapulting her to the edge. “Yes! Oh, my, yes!”
He focused on that spot, flicking and tonguing until she hurtled over the edge, her body growing rigid, her insides a cascade of sensations, rippling over and over one another. Just when she thought she could die like this and be happy, Daniel moved away. “No!” she moaned.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He reached for his wallet, extracted a foil packet and tore it open. In seconds he’d rolled the condom down over himself and slid up between her legs, his shaft poised at her opening. “Here’s to breaking all the rules.” He thrust deep, her channel stretching to accommodate his girth.
Shelby pushed up, meeting his thrust and urging him deeper, the sensations exploding throughout her. She gripped his hips, guiding him out, then back in. Soon he settled into a smooth, steady rhythm, pumping in and out, increasing in speed with the tension in his body.
One final thrust and he held still, his member throbbing inside her.
Shelby wrapped her legs around him, her heels digging into his buttocks, holding him as close as he could possibly get. At that moment, they were one, connected in the most beautiful way.
After a while, he rolled her onto her side and fell to the mattress beside her, maintaining their intimate bond.
Lying in the crook of his arms, she couldn’t think of a place she’d rather be. The lack of sleep and the strain of being kidnapped and targeted again, not to mention the two weeks in captivity, pulled at her eyelids and she gave in, feeling safe and protected in her bodyguard’s arms. If only real life didn’t intrude, she’d be happy to stay like this forever.
Daniel held Shelby, her body pressed against his side. She fit perfectly in his arms, her soft brown hair brushing against his skin, her breath warming him.
For a long time, he refused to think, to let the logical side of his brain spoil the moment. But as Shelby’s breathing grew steady and deep, he had to face the facts—he’d screwed up. He’d had sex with the woman he was assigned to protect. It went against every rule in the books. He’d lost perspective, lost his self-control and, if he didn’t get back on track, he’d lose his focus.
And if he lost focus, Shelby’s life would be at risk.
Daniel extricated himself from the bed, sliding his arm out from under Shelby’s head. Bending over her, he brushed his mouth across her swollen lips, tasting her one last time before he steeled his resolve and got his head back on straight.
At twenty-three, she was tough, independent and completely irresistible.
And she was the former vice president’s granddaughter. Out of his social league.
And the most important detail was that she was Daniel’s job.
He lifted her in his arms, careful not to wake her, and carried her into her room, laying her on her bed.
She snuggled into the sheets without opening her eyes.
Daniel wanted to crawl in bed with her. Instead he stepped away, ensured her door was locked and checked that the latch on her window was secure and then left.
When he reached the connecting door to his room, he heard a soft knock. He tensed, his body on full alert.
“Shelby?” Patrick O’Hara’s voice called out.
Shelby stirred, her eyelids flickering open. “Granddad?”
“Are you all right in there?”
She sat up, the sheet falling down around her waist. Her eyes widened as she came fully awake. Her glance shot to the pillow beside her and then around the room, landing on Daniel where he stood in the doorway.
“Shelby?” her grandfather called out again. “I was just heading to bed and I thought I heard a noise or something. Are you all right?”
“I’m all right, Granddad, just tired.”
“Oh, okay. Goodnight, sweetheart. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Her gaze never strayed from Daniel, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
He felt pinned to the wall, but he couldn’t reassure her when he needed to put distance between them. Without a word of explanation, and using every ounce of resistance he could muster, he pulled the door closed between them. He couldn’t lock it since the frame had been destroyed.
Walking away was the right thing to do, but it didn’t make it any easier. Shelby would be mad, and she had a right to be. He’d been a jerk to take advantage of her. But he’d be more of a jerk if he continued down that same path. Ultimately, the job would end and he’d move on to his next assignment. Leaving Shelby behind.
As