Page 33 of Guarding Grace (Hawk Security #2)

Grace had hit the sack long ago. Was I pervert enough to stop outside the guest room and listen? You bet. But I wasn’t perverted enough to open the door and join her when she was, as Lucas had put it, vulnerable. She needed her sleep. Knowing she was safe would have to be enough for me.

I will be strong and leave her alone. I repeated the words in my head several times.

Unfortunately, the devil in me thought of her behind that door in just my T-shirt. That image made me go hard. When I touched my lips, I could feel her and taste her again. Just thinking of her had my brain misfiring.

I am totally fucked. I could tell I was going to have to jerk off if I wanted to get to sleep.

Giving in isn’t being weak , I told myself.

No, it’s being expedient . I needed sleep to face Tony Russo tomorrow and to protect her.

It was going to be impossible with my mind constantly picturing our time together earlier.

I found a washcloth before getting into bed, then grabbed my cock and started stroking. I pictured her pussy and stroked harder. Memories of the sounds she made filled my ears. The taste of her felt real. The feel of her soft tits in my hands came back to me.

I increased the pace. My balls pulled up. I tensed at the surprising ache at the base of my spine. Holy, holy, holy shit. With one more rough pull, I blew in record time, almost hitting my chin.

Panting rapidly, I wiped up. My God, I hadn’t come that hard in a long, long time, and never that quickly. Memories of Grace packed one hell of a punch. Score one for expediency.

I dropped the washcloth on the floor, too spent to walk it to the hamper, and waited for sleep to come as my breathing slowed.

It didn’t come quickly.

The scream jolted me awake.

Grace is in danger.

My training kicked in, and with a finger to the biometric scanner, my gun safe unlocked. In the dark I grabbed my SIG, racked one into the chamber, and moved stealthily to the door.

Another scream followed .

Pulling my night-vision goggles off their hook, I slowly opened the door, ducking low in case they were in the hallway. It was clear.

Gun up, I advanced quickly and silently to Grace’s door. How many were there? Victor wasn’t stupid enough to send one man alone.

Tortured moans came from inside the room. “No. No.”

Taking a deep breath, I flung the door open and buttonhooked in.

There were no attackers.

Grace thrashed under the covers. “No. No.”

Making my weapon safe, I left it and my NVG headset on the dresser. I leaned over and gently jostled Grace’s shoulder. “Wake up. You’re having a?—”

Her arm flung out and hit me in the face before I could react. “Get off me.”

“It’s a nightmare,” I said, grabbing the arm she’d flailed. “You’re having a nightmare.” I grasped her other shoulder. “You’re safe, Kitten. I’m here.”

“Terry?” One second, she was a banshee in the grips of a nightmare. The next, she clung to me.

Man, she packed a punch. My lip stung from the hit. “Yes, Grace. It’s me. You’re safe. Nobody’s going to get you.”

“They were going to shoot…” She sobbed.

“Nobody’s shooting anyone.” I pulled her up and rubbed her back. “It’s okay. You’re okay. It was just a nightmare.”

The more I talked, the tighter she clung to me. Slowly, her sobs faded.

“I’ll let you get back to sleep now,” I said, trying to untangle myself from her. I slept naked, and her hands on my skin gave my cock all the wrong ideas.

“Don’t go.” She tightened her grip.

“I have to.” Remembering Lucas’s caution, I’d pledged to be the gentleman.

“No, you don’t. I won’t be able to sleep if you leave.”

“I’ve got to.” She was making this fucking difficult.

“I won’t be safe alone. I just know it. Don’t leave me.”

That was a problem, because I couldn’t guarantee she’d be safe from me if I stayed.

“Please. I need you to hold me.”

With a deep breath, I gave in. “I’ll be right back. Let me get something to wear.”

“Okay.” She let me loose from her octopus-like grasp.

I stood, suddenly conscious of my hard-on, and aware that I didn’t own anything strong enough to contain my straining dick, so going to my room and staying there would be the safest thing to do.

“But if you don’t come back, I’m coming to your room,” she added, as if reading my thoughts.

That eliminated my plan B. “I’ll be right back.”

After forcing my hard-on into boxer briefs, I knew self-control was going to be a problem. But I kept my word and returned to her room.

I found her chugging from a bottle of wine. “You’re going to regret that.”

She set it on the nightstand. “I need it to help me get back to sleep.”

After moving the bottle out of her reach, I climbed under the covers to join her. So much for keeping my distance.

She lay on her side and backed up against me, all soft skin and irresistible warmth.

How the hell was I supposed to get to sleep like this? It didn’t matter. This was only about allowing her to get some sleep.

“Will you hold me?” A second later, she added, “Please.”

When she put it that way, she gave me no alternative.

I turned in her direction, which unfortunately put her sweet ass against my hard dick.

Tentatively, I laid my arm over her waist. Discomfort gave way to acceptance and then comfort.

She felt so right under my arm, like this was the way we were meant to be.

“Thank you.” She shifted against me.

I willed my cock to not notice. It didn’t work.

Then I had a terrible thought. I’d told Lucas I’d go slow, and if he found out about this, he might take the assignment away from me and give it to Zane. That would be unfuckingacceptable.

She turned her head. “Do you think?—”

I didn’t let her finish. “Thinking can wait until tomorrow. Get some sleep. I’m here. You’re safe, and you need your sleep for work tomorrow.” Being successful with her company had always been her biggest motivator.

“You’re right.” She shifted against me.

I scooted back a tad. It wasn’t enough, as the tip of my cock still rested against her. The movement was not helping. Maybe if I stayed absolutely still, just maybe, I could get my cock to deflate.

Baseball—few things were as boring as baseball. I tried reciting the starting lineup of the Dodgers over and over in my head.

Before long, Grace’s breathing fell into the slow rhythm of sleep.

So close and yet so far… This was going to be a long night.