Guarding Gwen, page 7
But his eyes became angry—and maybe lustful—green slits as if he’d read her mind. “Don’t. Do not do it.”
He should have remembered one thing about her. Even after all of this time, he should have remembered one very important thing.
“I’ll get a t-shirt for you,” he offered quickly. “Just do not—”
She hated being told what to do. Gwen let the towel fall. Her life was out of control? Yes, absolutely. So maybe everything should just go beyond control.
The towel slithered to the floor.
“Sweet fuck.” His gaze immediately dropped to her body. She had to work out four to five freaking times a week, so he’d better be enjoying the view.
And he was…because her gaze dropped down his body, and Gwen saw the unmistakable arousal shoving at the front of his pants.
“Forget the shirt,” Gwen announced as she straightened her spine. “I’ll sleep in the nude.”
Then she turned and walked away. She didn’t run—though she kind of wanted to run. She just took her time, walking like she was on a runway. He’d been the one to walk away before, now it was her turn.
And he got to see exactly what he’d been missing.
***
Holy fuck.
Simon stood, absolutely rooted to the spot as the most perfect, heart-shaped ass he’d ever seen disappeared into his bedroom.
Do not rush after her. Do not fucking beg. But he was already drooling.
His dick was rock hard and shoving at the front of his pants, and he couldn’t believe that Gwen had just stripped in front of him.
His heart felt like a jackhammer in his chest. The soft click of the bedroom door closing seemed to echo around him.
Gwen. His Gwen. Naked.
He sucked in a breath and then marched for the bathroom. He yanked on the shower. Only the cold water. He was going to need one extremely cold shower in order to get through the night. His hands were jerky as he began to yank off his clothes.
And with every move that he made, Simon still saw her.
Always, her.
Chapter Six
The couch was hard as hell, and so, unfortunately, was he. Simon glowered at the big, round clock on his wall. One a.m. He’d been on the couch for over an hour, and he hadn’t been able to sleep a wink. Every time that he closed his eyes, he saw Gwen.
Gwen’s breasts.
Gwen’s curving body.
Her shaved sex.
Sonofabitch!
He lunged up on the couch. He was wearing an old, faded pair of jeans and a paper-thin t-shirt because he hadn’t wanted to be naked if she came out of the bedroom. He’d found the jeans and ancient shirt stuffed in a storage closet. Going into the bedroom and getting other clothes hadn’t been an option for him. If he’d gone in there, seen her naked in his bed…that would have been both hell and heaven.
He still wanted Gwen. Not a big surprise. He’d pretty much always wanted her. The first time he’d had sex, it had been with Gwen. He’d been nervous as fuck, but he’d wanted her more than breath. And the more he’d been with her, the more he’d wanted.
Until he’d realized…
He had absolutely jack shit to offer her. His way out had been with the strength he’d always had—join the Navy. Become a SEAL. Change the world.
Be good enough for Gwen.
So he’d enlisted, and she’d been devastated.
“Don’t go.” Her plea, but it had already been too late. You didn’t get to back out on Uncle Sam, and he’d had these stupid plans. Plans to come home to her. To show her how mature and tough he was. To provide for her. Gwen had gotten a scholarship to Florida State University, and he’d wanted her to take that scholarship. A theater scholarship because the woman had always been incredible on a stage. So, yeah, he’d planned to go in the Navy, his eye on becoming a SEAL, and he’d thought he could come back and get a second chance. Live the dream.
Instead, I screwed everything to hell. Because a nineteen-year-old kid didn’t understand just how lucky he was to be with a girl like Gwen in the first place. And there was no way she was just going to wait around on his dumbass to come back.
When he’d come back, she’d been gone. Not to FSU. But to Hollywood. And if he’d thought she was too good for him before…
When her face was on billboards, when she was in every movie theater around town, the woman was even more out of his reach. A million miles away.
The bedroom door creaked open.
Instantly, his body went on high alert.
Faint light spilled out from the bedroom. He kept sitting on the couch, but every muscle in his body was rock hard with tension.
Gwen tip-toed out of the bedroom.
He’d always had good night vision, and since he’d been awake on the couch, his eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness. With the extra light from the bedroom, he could see her perfectly.
Not naked this time, but wearing one of his shirts. A white button-up that fell to mid-thigh. She’d rolled it up at the sleeves. She advanced a bit, then stilled.
Was she going to the bathroom?
She crept forward, past the bathroom.
He knew she hadn’t been able to get a look at him. He was cloaked in darkness. She was still in the light.
Huh. Story of their freaking lives.
Perhaps she was going to the kitchen…
No, she turned her body—toward him.
She inched closer. The floor gave a groan beneath her feet. And then… “Simon?”
“Yes?” His voice came out low and rough and fully awake.
Gwen gave a quick jump. “I, um, can’t sleep.”
Join the club, baby.
“I don’t strip for random men.”
Very good to know. “I’m not random.”
“No, you’re not.” A pause. “I wanted you to know that’s not a habit for me. I don’t think I’m quite myself tonight.” She pushed her hair behind her shoulder. “You really helped me today—or yesterday, I have no idea what time it is—and I just…I wanted to say I’m grateful.”
Now he stood up. Slowly unwound his body from the couch as he rose and stared at Gwen. His bare feet pressed into the slightly cold floor. She was still the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She always would be the most beautiful to him. “I don’t want your gratitude.”
She came a touch closer. Brought her sweet vanilla scent with her. Had his cock aching even more. “Then what do you want?”
The same thing he’d always wanted. Her. The same thing he’d never been able to keep. Her. He cleared his throat. “You should go back to bed.”
“Why? I’ll just stay in there and stare up at the ceiling.” Her breath sighed out. “I think I’m still riding that adrenaline high.” Her voice was low. Husky. Sexy. “Every time I close my eyes, I see my car burning.”
Tension tightened his muscles even more. He hated her fear. If he had his way, Gwen would never fear anyone or anything. “We’re going to find him.”
“I believe you. Wilde Securities is supposed to be the best in the business.”
“That why you came to the office? Because you had friends who told you we were good?”
“I do know people who’ve used the company before, but, no I came to Wilde just because of you.”
Baby, be careful saying things like that.
She was almost right in front of him. Their bodies were bare inches apart.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Her voice had dropped.
“You can tell me anything.”
“Once I could. Once, I felt like I could tell you every secret, every sin, and you’d never judge me.”
I still won’t.
“You always made me feel safe.” Gwen’s words came out in a rush. “I know we were both kids back then, but, God, if anyone so much as looked at me sideways, you were there. I often felt like you were standing between me and the whole world. Until…you weren’t. You weren’t there at all.”
He reached for her hand. She gave a little start when his fingers curled around hers, but she didn’t pull away. “Consider it my new job to stand between you and any threat. Until this guy is caught, I’m going to be with you. I’ll keep you safe.”
“You’re the VP of Wilde Securities. Eric was trying to explain to me that you don’t take field work—”
“I take anything that involves you.” Flat. True. “You think I’d trust you with someone else?” Did he want some other Wilde agent spending his nights with Gwen? Hell, poor Dennis had been fawning all over her. “They’re too star struck by you. They won’t see the threats coming.” His fingers slid up her wrist. Traced lightly over her racing pulse point. “They’ll only see you.”
Her breath whispered out. “What do you see?”
“I see the star power, too. Hard to miss Gwen Soloman, celebrity.”
“Oh.”
Did she seem disappointed? “But I also see the girl I remember. Not the woman who wears those sexy-as-hell high heels, though I like her, too. I see the girl who used to run barefoot on a beach. The same girl who tempted me into skinny dipping even though I knew it was a bad idea. I’m pretty sure that when I came out of the water, I mooned a whole dolphin cruise full of people.”
A small laugh came from her. “You’re the one who tempted me.”
He found himself pulling her against him. “You sure about that? I think I remember things differently.”
She stared up at him. Her scent surrounded him. “I used to think…” Her voice had dropped more. “That you’d come looking for me. You know, one day. I had this crazy idea. You’d rush to my door. Tell me what a horrible, terrible mistake you’d made. That you never should have left me.”
Baby, I never should have left you. You think I don’t know that shit?
Now she pulled her hand away from him and stepped back.
Instantly, he missed her. Wasn’t that the way it was for him, though? He fucking missed her. He had every single one of her movies in his place. He’d watch them sometimes, just to torture himself with what he’d lost. Yeah, he knew he had a problem.
“You didn’t come to my door,” Gwen whispered.
Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. But by the time he’d gotten there, she’d moved on.
Gwen turned away. “It’s for the best, I’m sure. We’re different people now. Way different. I’m certain all of those feelings are dead and buried for us both. It’s just, you know, I guess your first is always supposed to be special or something.” Her hand raked through her hair.
His head tilted as he studied her. “Things didn’t feel dead and buried when you kissed me.” Not even close.
She stilled. Glanced back at him. Stared a moment in silence. Gwen cleared her throat. “To be clear, you kissed me.”
“Did I?”
“Simon…”
His overeager cock jerked. “God, I always loved it when you said my name.”
She tensed.
And he’d said the wrong thing. Dammit. It was late, his control was shot, and his personal fantasy was right in front of him. “Your voice would go all breathy and sexy, and you’d turn me on…just by saying my name.” Never happened with another woman.
“I should go to bed.” But she didn’t move toward the bedroom.
“You just said you couldn’t sleep.” He rolled back his shoulders. “I still want you.”
She crept a little closer to him. Him, not the bedroom.
“Let’s just get all of that out in the open, okay?” Why hold back? “Like I said, I still want you. Half the planet probably does, so I expect this is nothing new to you. But I want you. When we kissed, the desire was just as strong as it’s always been. You want that part to be dead and buried, though? Fine, it can be. I assure you, I can keep this professional. Your safety will come first to me.” She needed to hear this. He wanted her to trust him. He’d keep his dick zipped up and his hands off her. “I will do the job. I’ll take down the bastard out there, and I won’t touch you. Okay?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s not okay. Very much not.”
Simon had meant to reassure her, not to screw things up more. “Gwen—”
She rushed toward him. A fast tumble of steps. Her hands flew up and curled around his shoulders. “I lied.”
“Gwen?”
“I still want you, too. The kiss mattered. It shouldn’t, you know? It’s been too long. We’re different, but when I kissed you, I wanted you. I wanted you then, and I still want you right now.”
Fucking hell. No, heaven. “What are we going to do about that?” No, that wasn’t the right question. “What do you want to do about that?” He knew exactly what he wanted to do—her.
So much darkness clung around them. He wished that he could see her eyes better.
“I want to kiss you again.”
Like she had to say that line twice. His head lowered, and, being careful because this was Gwen and if he was getting a second chance, he sure didn’t want to ruin it, Simon brushed his lips against hers. Soft. Light.
Her lips parted beneath his. Her sexy little tongue slipped out.
A groan built in his throat.
His hands slid around her waist. He pulled her closer. The kiss went deeper. Became harder. He’d wanted her before she’d even stepped out of the bedroom. Having her pressed against his body, his hands on her, his mouth taking hers…
Desire deepened, gutted. The kiss changed. Stopped being so easy and light as the ravenous need that he’d fought to hold in check slipped through the cracks of his control. This was Gwen. His Gwen. Back in his arms. Wanting him. Kissing him.
In that moment, he could have devoured her. Simon wanted to taste every single inch of her. He felt like a starving man.
But her hands pushed between them.
His head lifted. He stared down at her even as his heart raced.
“It’s still there,” Gwen whispered.
Yes, it was. The need. For them, he thought it would always be there.
“You said…dirty, rough sex got rid of adrenaline.”
He said a lot of real stupid sh—
“Just how dirty are you thinking?”
For a moment, he absolutely couldn’t move. Maybe he was afraid to move because if he moved, this whole illusion before him might shatter. Gwen might vanish. She might pull away. She might—
She licked her lower lip. “Because I want you, Simon.” Now she rose onto her toes. Her hands lifted and curled around his neck. “I want you very badly, and I’m done pretending. The need is there, for both of us. I’m not involved with anyone.” A startled pause. “Are…are you?”
If he was involved with someone, he wouldn’t have his hands on Gwen. That wasn’t how he worked. “Only you.”
She didn’t get how true those words were for him.
He felt the tension slide from Gwen as her body softened. Her mouth slid over his collarbone in a light, sensual caress.
And that was just it. She wanted him? She was offering her delectable body to him? Did he look stupid? Hell, no.
Simon lifted her up, raising her easily into the air.
She gave a light, startled laugh. Her hands fell onto his shoulders. He’d lifted her straight up, and she stared down at him.
He hated the darkness around them. He wanted to see every single inch of her. He wanted to taste every single inch of her.
And he would.
He carried her toward the bedroom. Lowered her and kissed her and got her inside that room. The covers were pulled back on the bed. He put her down, just long enough to undo the buttons on her shirt, but his hands were too rough, the need too strong, and he sent those buttons flying.
Whatever.
Gwen laughed. The lamp was on near the bed and he could see her features and she laughed. She was smiling at him, staring at him with her deep, gorgeous eyes.
He kissed her and tumbled her back onto the bed. His mouth feasted on hers even as he pulled open her shirt. Then his mouth blazed a path down her neck. Gwen had always liked it when he licked her there, when he nipped right there.
She gave a gasp and arched up against him.
He kept licking and kissing. He made his way to her breasts. Her breasts were even fuller now. Curving and lush with tight, dusky nipples. He had to suck. Had to kiss. Had to lick. And she moaned when his mouth took her. Her hips arched up against him. His legs were between hers, and when she arched up, her sex pressed over the thick bulge of his arousal. He wanted his jeans gone. Wanted to be skin to skin with her. Wanted in her.
No, do this shit right. Slow down. A second chance only comes around once…
If it came around at all.
His fingers slid along her body. Over the silken curve of her stomach, down to her sex. Soft, bare. His fingers pushed between her legs. She was wet for him. Already. Hell, yes. He stroked two fingers inside of her, and she rocked against his hand. Her body was tight with tension, and he knew she was approaching her first orgasm.
He had to make this good for Gwen. So good…
Because he didn’t want a one-and-done deal with her. Oh, no, he had much bigger plans.
He moved down the bed. Pushed her legs farther apart. For a moment, he just stared at her sex. So pretty.
“Simon?”
His head lowered. He had to taste. His tongue licked over her.
“Simon!” Her hands flew down. Her nails bit into his shoulders.
He licked again. Kissed. Stroked. Even as his mouth worked her, his fingers were sliding inside. She was moaning and arching against him, and he didn’t let up. He wanted to taste her when she came. Wanted the pleasure to sweep over her and make Gwen forget everything else. He needed to give her that. Had to give—
“Oh, God, Simon!” She came against his mouth. He kept licking her, wanting the pleasure to last and last as she rode out her release.
She shivered against him. Moaned.
He licked her again. Her taste was incredible. Addictive. He lifted his head and stared at her. Her hair was spread out over his pillow, her lips parted, her breath coming in quick pants.
