Page 6

S hiloh cracked her eyes, adjusting to the low glow of dawn streaming through the translucent blinds. Shadows played peekaboo in the unfamiliar space. She stirred, cocooned in warmth. A strange but comforting weight pinned her in place.

All at once, everything came rushing back. Her eyes snapped open, and her gaze fell across the man next to her.

Oaks lay on his back with one arm around her and the other crooked under his head. In the dim light, his face appeared more rugged thanks to the dark hair sprouting on his jaw and across his upper lip.

She sucked in a breath through her own nose, pulling in the cedar scent and male musk mixed with leather.

She darted her gaze down his body. He was fully clothed in the same worn jeans and black T-shirt. The cloth stretched over his broad chest, drawing her attention to his sculpted pecs.

Tanned skin snaked out from under the sleeves, tracking down his biceps to his thick forearms. His flesh looked warm. Like it would feel like velvet wrapped around the steel she knew his arms to be.

She turned her focus to herself. A glance down revealed the slope of one bare breast where the robe gapped open. The belt had loosened in her sleep—unsurprising since it was usually fitful—also revealing not only her thigh but the crotch of the cotton panties she’d thrown on in her haste when William showed up in her apartment.

Oh god. William.

He had her devices. How deep could he dig into her files? By now, he must have discovered the level of security she used to lock down the incriminating evidence she had on him.

Oaks’s big chest beside her face rose and fell, and the rhythm of his breathing changed.

His eyes popped open and fastened on her, totally clear. Had he even been asleep or only feigning?

He was military. He probably slept with one proverbial eye open.

She gripped the front of her robe and yanked it over her breast even as she shifted her legs in an effort to make the fabric cover the rest of her. Racking her brain, she tried to piece together everything that happened the previous night.

A kiss. A single kiss.

No tongues involved that time.

She knew exactly how Oaks’s body hummed with lust from their encounter in the bathroom, and though their kiss the previous night lacked that intensity, he still awakened her senses the same way.

She’d felt the desire harnessed in Oaks’s firm body and his stiff cock against her thigh.

Oh god. He had morning wood.

Boy, did he. The front of his jeans were distended by a thick, impressive length extending all the way to his belt.

To say she was in a dry spell was an understatement. She’d describe it as more of a drought.

Quickly, she rolled away from him and jumped out of bed, scuttling to the bathroom.

A minute later, she heard the bedroom door shut with a loud, purposeful click—Oaks letting her know he’d skedaddled.

Shiloh washed her face and rummaged through the vanity drawer. She came up with a brand-new toothbrush meant for guests and a few toiletries. She used these and then contemplated her clothing predicament.

She only had the borrowed sweats from Layne. She could make do with the outfit again, but soon she’d need clothing. Problem was, she had no money at all. No phone to use a digital wallet either. Being in hiding, she had used only cash as a way to stay under William’s radar.

After being with William, Shiloh understood how important it was to have her independence, but in this case—and since she was presently in the country—she could declare that she was up the creek without a paddle. She was completely reliant on her bodyguard and the kindness of his family.

Compressing her lips, she tried to forget the feel of his hard yet soft mouth against hers and made up her mind to ask for help. In this case, she needed clothes.

After dressing in the sweats again, she opened the bedroom door and made her way through the house in search of Oaks. The scent of food made her stomach rumble, and she followed her nose to the source.

The kitchen was a mix of old and new. A retro wall oven somehow worked with the new granite countertops and dark wood cabinets. She looked around and spotted her bodyguard standing at the counter, a coffee mug in one hand. He bowed over a computer tablet, one long finger moving on the screen as he scrolled.

At her entrance, he turned to pierce her in his stare. Suddenly, the memories of how hard and warm and safe he felt surfaced. She also realized his hair was darker, wet from a hasty shower, and he sported clean jeans and a T-shirt with a gray flannel shirt wrapped around his hard body.

The gray matched his eyes.

She blinked as she felt that warm gaze roam over her.

“You don’t have anything to change into.”

She shook her head.

“You need a shopping trip.”

Relief inundated her system. She hated asking him for anything. After the debacle of her last relationship with William, she never wanted to receive another gift from a man. They came with too many strings.

She nodded at Oaks’s statement.

“Well, that’s easy enough.” He swung toward the cabinet and pulled out a clean mug. He set it on the counter and pointed at the full coffeepot.

Blessed caffeine. Her veins were begging for the liquid gold.

“Get yourself some coffee and one of these muffins.” He nudged a platter across the granite counter. “I’ll go talk to Layne about getting you what you need.”

With coffee and blueberry streusel muffins in her system, Shiloh felt a lot more human. When Oaks walked back into the kitchen and announced they were taking a trip to the shopping center in town with Layne as a sidekick, something close to a smile teased the corners of Shiloh’s lips.

Oaks stared at her for a beat. “Got some breakfast in you?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Let’s go then.” He twitched his head for her to follow, and she did. The borrowed sneakers were a bit too snug on her toes, but she would endure. She was still too relieved to be rid of the feather wedding gown and high heels to really mind.

Outside, a black SUV was pulled up next to the porch, its engine running. A blonde head in the back seat told her that Layne was ready to go.

As Shiloh slipped into the passenger seat, Layne breezed out, “Good morning, Shiloh.”

“Good morning.”

“I hope you’re ready for shopping with a Malone man.”

Oaks only grunted in response and drove. Luckily, nobody expected her to make small talk during the ride, and she relaxed a little more with each mile. When they pulled into a strip mall, she took note of how each store had a different front, each as quaint as the last.

Even so, this was no ordinary shopping trip. She was a hunted woman, and her bodyguard wasn’t going to let her out of his sight.

As Oaks came around to her door, she caught the weapon he wore in a holster along his torso, concealed by his flannel shirt.

Her chest welled with gratitude and a small warmth that she couldn’t explain.

Shopping with a Malone man proved to be easier than she anticipated. Oaks was just a guy buying clothes for his new “wife.” He whipped out his credit card without batting a steely gray eye. And Layne was a pleasant companion on her own mission to restock the bulk of her shoes that were lost in the move.

As Shiloh flipped through a rack of jeans, Layne pulled out her phone and texted someone.

Seeing that she was watching, Layne smiled at her. “Carson asked how everything is going.”

She slid her gaze to Oaks standing two feet away at all times. He was as impressively stoic as one of those celebrity bodyguards while looking like he could handle a rowdy bar fight.

“Why didn’t Carson come with us?” she asked, selecting a pair of jeans in her size.

“Somebody’s gotta hold down the ranch.” Oaks’s deep voice sent a ripple through Shiloh.

“He knows I’ll make it up to him later.” Layne looked at Oaks when she spoke.

He groaned.

As if she got the rise out of him she wanted, she whirled off to browse the shoe section, leaving Shiloh alone with Oaks.

Out of the corner of her eye, she shot him a glance. Each step she took, he matched with his own.

She wasn’t going to ditch him and get any privacy. Which meant she had no choice but to shop for undergarments with him in tow.

His presence consumed her thoughts. The cedar scent that seemed to surround him in a faint, rugged, sexy way was far too prominent in her nostrils.

She reached the intimates section of the store and stepped up to a rack. He stood a foot behind her as she selected two pairs of the style of silky panties she preferred, both in black. When she moved to the red ones in the same style, a choked noise came from Oaks’s vicinity.

So this was why Layne had teased Oaks by making that comment about his brother. He did seem fun to annoy.

Aware he was watching Shiloh’s every move, she purposely grabbed the red pair of panties and a matching bra with lace.

When she strolled up to the counter and set the undergarments and other items she carried on the counter, Oaks slapped down his card without looking at her.

On their way to the exit, she sent him a glance. His long, rough fingers were wrapped tightly around the rope handles of the shopping bag, making her wonder if it bothered him that he was carrying her panties.

She let her gaze linger on his face. She’d woken up in his arms.

And he’d been sporting morning wood.

That thick length teased and tormented her body even though she’d never touched him that way. But she’d been in hiding for the past six months. Was there something worse than a drought? Because she was living it.

He caught Layne’s eye and twitched his head toward the door. She lifted the boot box, indicating she was headed to the checkout.

“C’mon,” he said gruffly to Shiloh and led the way to the space in front of the exit. As they waited around for Layne, she found herself alone with him for a moment.

She met his gaze. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Oaks.”

He dipped his head in a nod. The cowboy hat he wore made him look even more rugged and dangerous, and it did little things to her body that had never happened before.

“Did you get everything you need?”

His serious question had her mind switching gears from her personal needs to something else.

She nibbled her lip. “Can I ask for one more thing?”

She needed her own computer. She couldn’t keep asking to use the security agency’s device.

The protection she’d placed on her files required a renewal of credentials every day or else they’d automatically send to all the news channels, journalists and the heads of the FBI and CIA. She’d spent months compiling the list of people who would receive the dirt on William, but she wasn’t ready for the world to know what she’d found.

First and foremost, she had to make sure she was completely safe from her ex. If she sent the intel now, he’d only come after her harder. And there was no doubt in her mind that he would kill her.

“Of course. Whatever you need.”

She chewed at her bottom lip again. When she noticed Oaks staring at her mouth, she released her jaw. “I don’t have a phone. And I need a computer.”

He looked at her sharply. The glint of steel vanished as quick as it appeared. Her insides twisted a little.

He was on to her. He knew she was up to something, and that glint in his eyes said as much. She may not know Oaks well, but she knew enough to know that he was sharp. Little got past him.

They had that much in common.

She could scoff off her request but she needed access to tech to do what she needed to do.

He eyed her for another beat and then gave her a single nod. “We’ll hit the electronics store after this.”

* * * * *

The rope handles of the bag Oaks held burned like a brand in his palm. It couldn’t possibly be due to the fact that he was hyperaware of all those sexy undergarments wrapped in tissue paper.

Suddenly, his brain swirled with images of that red bra and panties set Shiloh had picked up. Her toned legs would be sleek and smooth, running right up to the lace around the high-cut underwear.

Fuck. He had to get moving. If he stood here long enough, he’d drown in images of her wearing them—in every position.

During the night, he’d slept light—and that meant he’d caught glimpses of her on the bed beside him. Her bathrobe was open more than closed. He already knew the size and shape of her breast and the length of thigh leading to the crotch of her white cotton panties.

He’d damn near shot his load from a single look, like some damn teenage boy. He brought his focus in tighter to Shiloh right now. She stood a foot away from him, checking out the stock of laptops. The store didn’t seem to have one she liked, and she was trying to decide between two.

He would catch hell for this from Carson. Giving his ward a device the previous night was enough of a security risk, but he and Carson agreed that covering up information about their flight from New York to Wyoming was a good idea.

But he knew she was hiding something more from them. That something involved using technology. Giving her a device she felt they couldn’t look at would get Black Heart the information on her they needed even faster. She was sure to hang herself.

He just hoped Carson saw it the same way Oaks did.

She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and leaned in to read the specs, noting the amount of RAM on the computer.

God, she really was beautiful. Not in the girl-next-door way like Layne was, but Shiloh had more of an exotic appeal. With those long legs, she could be a model. Her face had a femininity and softness that made him think of old-fashioned military pinup girls on playing cards or even on the side of B-52 airplanes.

As if feeling his gaze on her, she glanced up. A pink flush in her cheeks made his gut squeeze. Then his cock started to stiffen as he pictured her just like this—flushed—and wearing that skimpy bra and panties set.

“I’ll take this one.” She pointed at the device.

Needing to leave as quick as possible, he raised a hand in the air and caught the attention of the salesperson hovering in an aisle nearby. He twitched his hand, indicating they were ready to make the purchase.

As soon as he had paid for the laptop, he handed the bag to Shiloh. She took off toward the door.

By the time he caught up to her, she’d pushed her way outside.

She was standing in the open.

Alone.

He latched on to her arm and yanked her back against his side. “You need to stay with me.”

She gaped at him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“If you take a step, you take it with me.”

“That’s a little over the top, don’t you think? I only walked to the door. Oaks, let go of my arm. No man is going to control me again! I went through this once. No more.”

He leaned in close and lowered his voice so the other shoppers strolling on the sidewalks outside the stores in the plaza didn’t overhear. “You think this is about control? It’s not a control thing. It’s a safety thing. You have no damn idea how much control I’ve had to exercise when it comes to those red—”

He bit off the words, cutting them short. But he’d already said too much. His current state of arousal was his own damn fault. He was the one letting his daydreams about the woman run rampant.

“Come on.” He took her arm whether she liked it or not. “There are too many eyes here. Too many people. Besides, Layne is waiting in the car for us. We’ll talk at the ranch.”

“What’s there to say?” Her voice was also lowered to a furious whisper, but he ignored it—and the way it stroked his libido. The short drive to the ranch didn’t ease the tension throbbing between them.

Her refusal to speak to him ticked him off, but he wasn’t speaking to her either. What was there to say when his body wanted to do all the talking?

When they reached the ranch, he gathered all the bags. “Go to the bedroom.”

Her eyes widened so he saw the whites around the livid gray-blue. “Go to your room? Stop treating me like a child, Oaks.”

He took a step toward her so fast that she jumped. “I just want a conversation with you alone . Away from prying eyes.”

She whipped around, practically huffing with fury. He was fuming too, and seeing her rounded hips twitch as she stormed off was not helping matters.

Only a few steps behind her, he followed with the bags in hand. As soon as they reached the guest room, he dropped the bags on the floor and closed the door to trap her inside.

“I’m trying to keep you safe, Shiloh.”

“And I want you to keep me safe. I don’t want to end up in the hands of the Russian mobster setting up attacks around the country.”

Agitated, she snatched a bag off the floor and a pair of black panties flew out. They both stared at the scrap of silk.

That was not how he envisioned getting her panties on the floor.

He had to get control of the situation before things took a turn for the worse. “If you and I want the same thing, why are we arguing?”

“Because you were ordering me around like I’m some kind of ranch dog!” Her chest heaved, pushing against the black borrowed top.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “God, you’re beautiful when you’re mad.”

She opened her mouth and shut it around a gulp.

He didn’t realize he’d taken a step toward her until his boot landed on the floor.

She balled her fists. “Yeah? Well, you’re not so bad yourself!”

“You about done yelling at me?”

“Maybe! Why?”

“Because this.” He hooked his hand around her nape and yanked her mouth to his. He crushed his lips over hers with absolutely no regard for the bite she’d given him on their wedding day—and might again.