The dinner and the show are amazing. I am amazed by all the cookware and utensils and ecstatic when they announce that everyone has a package waiting in our rooms.

  We barely get up from dinner and say bye to Cindy and Mark when I’m racing back to the room. I’m bouncing from foot to foot waiting for Zach to open the door, but as soon as we’re inside, he halts me. “Wait here. I’m going to check the package.”

  My eyes almost bug out of my head. “Check the package? What does that even mean? Check the package?”

  He pulls a tool from his bag, and I point at it. “What is that?”

  He shrugs. “Bomb detector.”

  My eyes widen. “Bomb detector? I know this guy is a little crazy, but not like that. He’s not going to blow me up.”

  For just a second, Zach looks regretful. “He’s escalating. Since that first night when I was on camera, asking you to be my girlfriend, he’s escalated.”

  I hold a hand up. “Wait. How did I not know that? I haven’t seen any messages from him. No emails, nothing.”

  He juts his chin at me. “I’ve intercepted them.”

  I take a step back. “You intercepted them?”

  He nods. “Yeah, I don’t want you to worry.”

  I blurt out a laugh. “You don’t want me to worry? You’re holding a bomb detector in your hand and think that’s perfectly reasonable. Yeah, I’m going to worry.”

  He curses. “Fuck, I’m doing this all wrong. Nothing is going to happen to you, Sky. I promise, I’m going to take care of you.”

  He turns to walk to the huge box in the middle of the room. I rush to his side. “Wait.”

  He patiently turns to me.

  I put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want anything to happen to you either.” His face softens, and I know I’m giving away too much. “Look, let’s just put the box out in the hallway and give it away.”

  He points at the box. “This box? You want to give it away? The one that we practically raced back to the room to open?”

  I shrug. “Well, it’s not worth dying over.”

  He moves the detector to his left hand and then puts his right hand on my shoulder. “I’m sure it’s fine. I’m just being cautious.”

  I nod, and he gestures to the corner of the room. “Go on. Go stand over there.”

  I firmly shake my head. “Nope. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it together.”

  He wants to argue but decides against it. He rubs the detector along the box, and the room is silent as I wait for something to alert me. This whole situation is a little overwhelming. It doesn’t take long before Zach is putting away the machine. “Go ahead. Open it.”

  I suck in a deep breath and let it out. The joy and excitement from earlier is now gone. I get the first flap open, and Zach apologizes. “I’m sorry. I ruined it for you, and that wasn’t my intention.”

  I shake my head, forcing a smile to my face. “You didn’t ruin it. The asshole stalker did.”

  Zach smirks at me, and I ask him, “What are you smiling about?”

  He crosses his arms over his big chest and shakes his head, still smiling. “You must be really mad because you just cursed.”

  I blush. It’s a bad habit of mine, but he’s right. I only curse when I’m mad.

  I open the box, and Zach helps me take everything out. He’s really trying to get my mind off things, and he asks me to tell him about every appliance and utensil and what I’d like to make with them.

  I’m trying. I really am. I answer all his questions, and I am excited about the PR package from Whisked Away, but it seems like the week is just taking its toll on me. Emotions are hitting me hard, and I know I’m not going to be able to keep it together much longer.

  “I’m going to go shower and get ready for bed.”

  He tenses but doesn’t say anything. I grab my pajamas and toiletry bag and then make my way to the bathroom. I can feel Zach’s eyes on me the whole way, and it’s only when I get to the bathroom, shut the door, and turn on the water that I finally let the tears start to fall.

  I’m a mess. I know I am.

  My stalker is going crazy. I’m spending twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with a man that I’ve crushed on for what feels like forever. I know I need to stay strong and keep my guard up, but right now, I’m so damn tired, and I just can’t.

  CHAPTER 9

  ZACH

  She’s crying. I knew it was coming. I could tell in the last hour that she was overwhelmed, and I’m kicking myself for not being more discreet when checking the box. Maybe I’m going too far, but Sky’s stalker is unhinged. I found trackers on my truck and her car and removed them both before we left this morning.

  There’s no doubt that he knows where she is and is probably following her everywhere she goes. I made sure we weren’t being followed when we drove here, but because of the nature of her business, the world knows she’s here. Every post and image Sky is tagged in from Whisked Away shows the enemy her exact location.

  I stand outside the bathroom, listening to her sob softly. There’s steam coming from under the door, and I can smell the scent of her lavender soap. My chest feels so tight that all I can do is stand here and try to breathe.

  It guts me, and I’m fighting with myself because more than anything, I want to walk in there and hold her.

  As soon as the water shuts off, I move away from the door. I check the deadbolt again, making sure it’s locked. I pull the edge of the curtains tighter, making sure that no one can see in. It’s habit now, double and triple-checking things, but it’s a necessary one.

  I hear her shuffling around in there, lids snapping open, more water running, and when the door finally opens, I can’t stop myself.

  I slowly walk toward her. I take the contents of her hands and drop them on the dresser before pulling her into my arms.

  She’s stiff at first, but I don’t let her go. I slide my hand up and down her back, soothing her the only way I know how.

  I haven’t hugged anyone in a long time, but this feels good. Almost too good. The hitch of her breath hits me hard.

  Finally, she melts into me, and before I know it, she’s crying again.

  I pick her up, and she gasps. “Zach, I’m too big.”

  I’m holding her bride-style, and I look into her eyes. “Don’t say that. You’re perfect.”

  She wants to argue, but she bites her lip and lets her head fall against my shoulder. I move to the chair in the corner. I sit down, holding her tight against me. Her sobs continue, and with each one, my heart hurts a little more. I wish I could save her from this.

  I whisper low, “I’ve got you, sweets. You’re safe right here. I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry you’re going through this. I promise I’m going to keep you safe.”

  She pulls back and looks up at me with wet, glistening eyes. “What about you? Do you promise you’re going to be safe too?”

  Gutted.

  That’s the only way I know how to describe it.

  My sister and our parents worry about me and want me to be okay, but this feels different. “Yeah, I’ll be safe too.”

  I’ve made the promise before to family, but this is the first time that it feels like more than just words. And I know it’s impossible to promise someone that you will protect them, but I know more than anything, I will die trying.

  As we sit here, looking into each other’s eyes, the moment explodes between us. I’m not sure which of us leans in first, but our lips touch, and I feel the kiss go through my entire body. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and I know I don’t ever want this feeling to end.

  I tilt her head, deepening the kiss. Her tongue slides against mine, and I tremble. My cock is hard under her hip, and she shifts her weight on me. A groan erupts from within, and I force myself to break off the kiss.

  We stare at each other wide-eyed, neither of us saying anything.

  I’m the first to speak, and I know it’s the wrong thing as soon as it comes out of my mouth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  She tenses in my arms, puts her hands on my chest, and tries to lift herself off me. My arms go around her. “Don’t. Don’t move.”

  She shakes her head. “Zach, this is confusing, and to be honest, I’m not equipped to handle it.”

  I try to understand her. “Handle what?”

  She blinks. “You ask me to be your girlfriend but tell me it’s for the job. You kiss me and then apologize. I just… I can’t do this.”

  “I want you,” I tell her with complete honesty.

  She opens her mouth and then closes it.

  I know I owe her an explanation. “But no matter how much I want you, now is not the time. I’m here to protect you.”

  She takes a deep breath and lets it out. “And what? After this… when you catch the guy… what happens then?”

  I search her face. “Well, first I’m going to have a talk with Logan and let him know my intentions.”

  Her voice is a whisper. “Your intentions?”

  I nod, cupping her cheek in my hand. “Yeah. I intend to date you and make you mine for real.”

  If she asks me what that means, I’ll tell her. It might scare her off, but she needs to know that this is the real thing. Her hands slide from my chest to my shoulders. “So you’re for real about this? You really do like me?”

  I hate that she seems like it’s so hard to believe. How can she not know how beautiful, smart, and amazing she is? “Yes, I really do like you.”

  She leans in, and it takes everything in me to stop her. “But we should wait, sweets. We shouldn’t do this until you’re safe.”

  She blinks up at me, and I hate seeing the vulnerability on her face. She doesn’t have to say anything for me to know that she’s wondering if I’m being real. I’ll have to prove it to her, and I’ll be happy every day to do just that.

  This time when she raises up, I release my hold on her.

  She walks slowly across the room, and I give myself a few minutes. My body is hard just from having her on my lap, and even though there’s no doubt she felt it on her hip, I don’t want to draw even more attention to it.

  When I’ve gained a little bit of control, I stand up. “I’m going to shower.”

  She nods without looking at me.

  I grab some things from my suitcase, and before I go into the bathroom, I remind her, “Don’t answer the door for anyone, Sky.”

  She finally looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

  I disappear into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror. I look like a man on the edge. Keeping my hands off Sky is going to take every ounce of control I can muster. Her scent is already on me, clinging to my shirt.

  I remind myself that she’s my best friend and business partner’s little sister. I remind myself that I’m supposed to be protecting her, and to do that, I need to keep this professional. I don’t like it. I want it all with Sky, and I don’t want to wait. But what kind of soldier would I be if I didn’t have discipline?

  I turn on the shower, spinning the nob to its coldest setting. I quickly get undressed and stand under the spray. On contact, it takes my breath away, but I let it flow over me until I can normalize my breathing.

  I make quick work of getting cleaned up, resisting the urge to wrap my hand around my girth and pleasure myself.

  I step out of the shower, dry off, and put on underwear and shorts.

  I pull my shoulders back, trying to collect myself for what I’m about to walk into. The woman that makes me feel things I’ve never felt before is on the other side of the door, and somehow, I have to keep her safe… and keep my hands off her.

  The toughest mission of my life isn’t in some foreign country, in a desert or some jungle. It’s in a motel room, trying not to touch the only woman I want.

  CHAPTER 10

  SKYLER

  I stare at the ceiling, unable to go to sleep. The only sound in the room is the hum of the air conditioner, and the sound should be soothing, but it’s not.

  It’s late, and I should be tired, but I’m not. I feel like there’s a live wire inside me, and my body is practically vibrating with it. Zach told me he wants me. He told me that he wanted a relationship with me when this is all over.

  I told myself not to get my hopes up, but I can’t help it. I know it sounds crazy, but it is like all my dreams are coming true. I huff out a breath.

  “Go to sleep, Sky,” Zach murmurs.

  I roll and look over the side of the bed. The room is mostly dark, but I’m able to make out Zach’s figure on the floor. “This is ridiculous. You know that, right?”

  He raises his arms, putting his hands under his head. There’s a sheet on the floor, and I had to insist that he take a pillow. “Sleep. We have another busy day tomorrow.”

  “Zach. We’re both adults here. You can sleep in the bed.”

  His voice is strained. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

  I sit up. “Fine. I’ll sleep on the floor too. This isn’t right. You’re here because of me. You shouldn’t be sleeping on the hard floor.”

  He chuckles. “Sweets, this is luxurious compared to some of the places I’ve slept.”

  That thought makes me sad. “I’m coming down there, Zach, if you don’t come up here.”

  He sits up, grabbing his pillow. He walks around the bed and gets in on the far side, putting a huge gap between us. I roll to my back and stare up at the ceiling. Even though we’re nowhere near touching, I swear I can feel the shift in the air and the current between us.

  “I bet this is boring compared to most of your missions.”

  I think back on everything I know about Zach. He joined the Army when he graduated high school. For the last ten years or so, he worked with my brother for Walker and his Ghost Team. No one ever really talks about what the Ghost Team does, but just the small things I’ve gotten from Logan, I know they did a lot of dangerous missions and saved a lot of people.

  Zach is quiet for so long I wonder if he’s going to say anything when he grumbles, “It hasn’t been boring at all.”

  I roll to my side to face him. “Do you miss it? Going on missions?”

  He blows out a breath. “Sometimes. I miss the thrill of it, but my therapist helped me see that it was time for me to move on.”

  I struggle to ask the question. I don’t want to ask anything I shouldn’t, but I also want to learn everything I can about Zach. “Your therapist?”

  He grunts. “Yeah, he helped me see a few things.” He pauses, and I see his chest rise and fall with his breath. “I was dealing with survivors guilt. Hell, I still am.”

  I search my mind, thinking back to what I know about his past. I remember Logan telling me about the bombing a few years ago, but I don’t know a lot more than that. All I knew was that Zach was okay. “What happened?” I ask.

  I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to answer me. I’m about to tell him to forget it when he starts to talk.

  I lie silently, listening to him, trying to hold back the horror as he tells me the story of his past.

  “We were on a mission in Afghanistan. It was supposed to be a simple mission. In and out. There was an IED that went off… Fuck, it was horrible. There were seven of us on that mission. Randall died. The other five are permanently injured and scarred. I’m the only one that walked away without a scratch.”

  I reach across the middle of the bed and put a hand on his shoulder. “Oh, Zach. I’m so sorry.”

  His muscles flex under my palm, but he doesn’t pull away. “I’ve lived with the guilt for years now and didn’t handle it the best way. I took every mission I could. I didn’t take any time off—the more dangerous, the better. It’s like I wished that something would happen to me… as if that would relieve some of what I was feeling.”

  When he stops talking, I’m barely holding it together. I lean my head on my hand, hovering over him. “Zach, we may not have seen each other in a very long time, but I know you… I know the man you are. I’m sure you’ve tortured yourself since the incident, but we don’t know why these things happen. There’s a reason you were uninjured. We may never know why… but it wasn’t for nothing.”

  He sighs softly, and I continue. “Think about the people you’ve saved since then. Heck, Zach, there were seven of you, and the men that were injured made it back home. That was you. If you had been hurt too, who’s to know if any of you would have made it home.”

  He rolls toward me. Somehow he finds me in the darkness, landing a kiss on my forehead. “Thank you,” he whispers.

  “You don’t have to thank me. It’s the truth.” I put a hand to his chest, over his heart. The steady thud under my palm calms me. “I hate you’ve had to carry this guilt, Zach, and I’m sorry about your friends. I really am. How are they now?”

  He puts his hand over mine as if he’s holding me to him, wanting my touch. “Well, Davis married my sister. I gave him shit about it for a while, but man, he loves her. He’s a good dad to my niece and nephew.” He pauses. “Jason is blind, but half the time you wouldn’t know it. He gets around and ‘sees’ more than a seeing person does, if that makes sense. He’s married too. As a matter of fact, all of them are. Kanan, Elias, and Colter. They’re all happy.”

  My heart breaks a little because I can hear the wistfulness in his voice. He wants that. It’s like I can hear the yearning. “You deserve to be happy, too.”

  He shudders and answers thickly, “I’m working on it.”

  I want to slide over and wrap my arms around him. It’s like I can feel the sadness coming off of him in waves, and I can’t just lie here without doing something.

  I scoot toward him and stop.

  My breathing picks up, my heart starts to race, but I don’t let myself stop.

  I scoot closer, and Zach almost sounds panicked. “Skyler… what are you doing?”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13