Page 32 of Protect Me
I cross to where she stands in the center of the room. She doesn’t move away, but I can feel the tension in her, and in this moment, I want nothing more than to ease it for her. I am willing to do whatever it takes, be whoever she needs. It should terrify me, but it doesn’t. “I would never hurt you, Sway. I’m not like whoever did this to you.”
She looks up at me, her soft gaze threatening to swallow me whole. “I know that.”
“Not yet, you don’t. But you will.” I nod at the chair. “Let me see your ankle,” I repeat, gently this time.
Surprise registers in her and she crosses to a chair.
She takes a seat then offers up the ankle in question. “I can put on a robe first--”
I kneel at her feet then grin up at her. “Come on now, love, I’ve seen you in less.”
Sway’s cheeks turn red, and I chuckle before turning my attention back to her ankle. When I press my fingers to the already swollen limb, she hisses. “Ugh. This is the last damned thing I need.”
I touch her other leg then slide both of my hands up to grip her calves. I squeeze gently, massaging the muscles there as I look up to meet her gaze. Sway’s eyes are on me, her lips parted, cheeks pink. Fuck, I want to drown in her.
“It’s just a light sprain from the look and feel of it,” I say. “No swelling even. What are you worried about?”
“I still need to audition for the Ringmaster. Adaya warned me not to take things too quickly, and I didn’t listen.”
“You already auditioned,” I tell her.
“Excuse me? No, I didn’t.”
“The Ringmaster was watching your performance earlier. You’re in.”
She gapes at me. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
Sway squeals in excitement and throws herself onto me. We topple backward, my upper body hitting the floor with a thud—her on top of me. “Shit! I’m sorry, I—” She starts to move, but I band my arms around her body, pinning her to me.
“Don’t apologize, love. I’ve been dreaming about having you on top of me for days now.”
The color in her cheeks deepens. “I—we—ugh. You assholes fluster me.”
I chuckle. “Glad to hear it.”
She props herself up with both hands on either side of my head so her dark hair hangs in a curtain around us. My cock tightens at the sight and feel of her against me. “It’s not a good thing.”
“Why not?” I ask as I reach up and brush some of her hair behind her ear.
“Because. You all keep moving in on me. Well, except for Duncan. So really, it’s just you and Bracken.”
“Give Duncan some time. He’s always been more cautious.”
Sway snorts and shakes her head. “Give him more time? So, you’re saying that he’s going to move in on me, too? What the hell is this? Some kind of game to toy with the new girl?”
I flip her over, pinning her to the ground beneath my body but careful not to hurt her with my sudden movement. Gripping her wrist, I pin one above her head, my thumb caressing her hammering pulse. I’m delighted that I don’t sense fear from her. Just desire. Leaning down, I brush my lips to her jaw. “We don’t play games, love.”
“No?” she asks, breathless. “Because it sure as hell seems like a game from where I’m standing.”
“You’re not standing at all right now,” I remind as I look down at her.
Her gaze drops to my lips, so I lean in a little closer, my own pulse hammering like a damned drum. I want her—more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. And that want—that desire—calls to me, not just as a man but to my beast.
He wants to possess her.
I want to bury myself inside her.