Page 11 of Protected By West (San Antonio S.W.A.T. #1)

Her head snapped up and he saw her tongue sweep out over her lower lip.

He kissed her again, his tongue rubbing against hers as together, they opened his shirt and belt.

Then it was his turn to fumble, something his old High School coach would have laughed about. He'd reached for the buttons down the fly of his jeans, but her hands were on his chest and his fingers couldn't seem to do what they were supposed to.

With his luck he might break a finger just trying to get his fly down, but he managed with luck.

Then he switched tactical approaches and reached for her clothes, grasping a hold of her t-shirt. With a simple flex of his forearm he tugged the hem of her shirt free.

His hands moved under her T-shirt, and he felt her gasp against his mouth.

He flattened his palms against her belly and smoothed his hands up higher, only stopping when he felt her fingertips brushing against his chest. He knew she kept her nails trim and painted, but feeling the brush of her nails against his skin, tickling the hair he had on his chest, sent electricity through every nerve in his body and it made him glad that he hadn't managed to open the buttons on his fly or there'd be no mistaking just how turned on he was.

Tracy broke their kiss and looked down, her gaze fixed on her hands, watching as her fingertips traced random paths across his chest.

He moved his hands around her sides and flattened them against her lower back, his fingertips slipping beneath her waistband. "Careful."

"Careful?" She trailed her fingertips down his chest, down over his abs and-

He hissed in a breath when the backs of her fingers brushed over the edge of the waistband of his boxers. He was going to have to get those buttons open or he might really do some lasting damage to himself.

“I think I can help with this problem."

"Go ahead." He spoke through gritted teeth.

Heaven help him. It wasn't more than a breath of time before he saw her face turn up to his and the light in her eyes burned so much brighter. A flash of fire, wild abandon.

The kind of passion he'd always wanted but never seen in another's eyes.

His hands drew her closer, his fingers brushing against the back strap of her bra.

She tensed for a second, her back arching, and her eyes narrowing just a little bit.

"Tracy, I-"

Her hands grasped at the waist of his jeans and tried to push them down. "Turns out that fitted jeans can be a pain," there was a husky laughter in her voice.

Weston sucked in a breath as his fingers found the clasp at the back of her bra.

“You can say no at any time."

She nodded tugged the buttons free before she worked his jeans down toward his thighs. "I know."

"Y-you can change your mind." The sound that pulled from his throat sounded pained, but it was the best kind of pain.

"Are you trying to get all noble on me, Weston?"

He heard the sound of denim rasping as she got his jeans to mid-thigh.

Weston's hands moved away from the clasp of her bra, and he reached for the hem of her t-shirt again.

She caught the front while he grasped the back and with the two of them working together, it was off a moment later.

With a grin she gave him a little push, and he ended up sitting on the edge of her bed.

He reached down and pushed his jeans past his knees, letting them fall down. That's when he remembered that he had his boots on.

Weston mumbled about it, and she laughed even more. "I'll get my jeans and you... you can deal with those boots."

Together he untied his boots and kicked free of them, his jeans dropping off his feet.

He grabbed the foiled packet he'd put in his pocket earlier and dropped it down on the bedspread.

Then he reached for her.

Pale pink. Bra and panties. Hints of lace and smooth like silk everywhere else.

He reached for her, and she came willingly into his arms.

Weston held her closer as he pressed a kiss between her breasts, his hands roaming over her back, up and then down, over the sweet curve just above the rise of her ass.

She smelled amazing.

Soft scents of powder along with some kind of spice.

He worked his way up, kissing along her skin, working toward her shoulder, but she leaned in to cut him off with a kiss and the sudden movement tipped him back.

He grabbed onto her hips, drawing her down with him.

Even as awkward as it was, feeling her skin against his skin was incredible.

Weston rolled her under his body, bracing his arm to make sure she wasn't in any danger of falling.

"This," he slipped an arm under her back, lifting her so that he felt the heat of her body against his, "this is only the beginning, Tracy. You and me, this is just the start."

She hesitated, but she reached for him, smoothing her hands over his chest and then up over his shoulders to grasp the back of his neck.

She wet her lips with her tongue, but she looked up at him with a smile.

"You're leaving in the morning, and I guess you'll need to get some sleep. So, don't keep me waiting, cowboy."

He leaned down pressing a kiss on her lips and then along her cheek toward her neck. He stopped just shy of her ear. "This cowboy thing," he rubbed his cheek against her ear, and she gasped a little at the contact, "it's going to be a thing, isn't it?"

"What?" She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. "Afraid you can only go for eight seconds?"

He laughed.

He honest to God laughed at her teasing words. "Oh, I can go for more than that." He shook his head. "You're baiting me, but it won't work. I've got plans for tonight."

She pulled him in for a kiss and then pulled back. "Show me what you got."

Weston gave her a wink. "Hold on, baby. I've got you."

TRACY

She’d already felt his lips against her skin, a light kiss between her breasts.

That was enough to make her ache in places that had been lonely for a long, long time.

The feeling of his beard against her breasts?

Yeah, she might be a convert to guys with beards.

He leaned in, kissing her along the side of her neck and there was that beard again.

She hissed as he nipped at her neck and the combined sensations of his sweet lips, the scrape of his teeth and the soft sweep of his beard against her skin made her realize that it was all Weston.

There couldn’t be anyone else who could make her feel like she was ready to be devoured like he made her feel.

“I want,” he placed another kiss on her neck, “I want to taste you all over.”

“Are you…” she swallowed as he fixed his mouth over her pulse and sucked hard enough that she knew she'd have an unmistakable mark on her skin, “are you asking?”

He pulled his mouth free and sat up enough to look her in the eyes. “Tell me if something doesn’t feel good, or if you want me to stop. Otherwise, I want to make love to you.”

Hearing his voice made her tingle all over.

She made up her mind to ignore that he'd called it making love, but in her heart she knew this was going to be more than sex.

Would she admit it at that moment?

Nope.

But she didn't think it mattered to either of them.

They were headed wherever this train was going and she was crazy enough to say 'screw it' and go for the ride.

All of the red flags that had come with her childhood were flaying away and she found herself reaching for him with both hands.

"Just promise me that it's more than eight-"

He turned her silly joke into a gasp when his mouth kissed the rise of her breast.

"Oh god."

He smiled.

She felt it.

And she was beyond desperate for more.

Maybe it was just the anticipation. Or maybe it was that they were both leaving for San Antonio the next day, it felt like there was a ticking time clock in the background.

He lifted his head and met her wide eyes.

"You're thinking too much up there." He narrowed his eyes and for some reason the little crinkles at the corner had her hotter and wetter than she'd been moments before.

The man was just... everything.

"I can't help it." She reached her hands up and slid her fingers through his hair. It as soft as silk against her skin. "What is it with guys?"

He frowned and shook his head. "What?"

She repeated the gesture again and then fisted her hands in his hair, dragging him back up her body. When he was face to face with her, she brought his head down for a kiss before pulling him back. "I bet you use regular soap and it still comes out this silky soft. Men suck."

As the words left her lips she saw the look in his eyes change from confused to something between playful and hot.

"I guess you'll have to see if you're right or wrong."

He moved so fast, he turned and sat on the edge of the bed.

Tracy knew he was strong, but hadn't expected him to be able to lift her like he did and sat her down on his lap.

She didn't feel the bed against her knees as much as he felt his thighs under hers and his... and his...

She grabbed at his shoulders and sank down against him.

"There should be a law..." She groaned as she ground against him. Even with her panties and his boxer briefs between them, it felt like heaven.

He put his hands on her hips, gripping them like he didn't want to let go. Leaning in, he kissed the side of her neck and then again about an inch lower. "Hmm?"

Her nipples that had already pebbled felt the pull of her cotton bra as her back arched and her hands pressed against his chest.

Everything felt more sensitive with her skin against his.

He lifted his lips from her skin when he reached the start of her shoulder. "What kind of law are you talking about?"

She groaned and then sucked in a breath as he opened his mouth and lightly bit into her shoulder. "Keep doing that and thoughts..."

He swept his tongue along her skin and only made the sting a little more sweet. "Thoughts?"

"Why are you torturing me?"

"Torture?" She heard his laugh and felt it through her palms. "I thought we were going to have sex."

She frowned for a moment.

'Don't overthink it,' she ordered herself. That wasn't the point of this.

When did sex ever have a point?

As his hands skimmed her skin to find the hooks of her bra against her spine, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him touching her.

When the hooks came apart and the straps of her bra loosened against her shoulders, the cups fell away from breasts and the cool air in the room had only a moment to touch her skin before his hands slipped under her thighs and lifted her up so he could put his mouth on her.

From there, thoughts... weren't necessary.

Feeling was.