She whimpered and began to shift in my lap. There was no chance she could miss how hard I was. I wanted her. Literally ached with the need to be inside her, but it wasn’t the right f*****g time. When I claimed her, I wanted her mind solely on me. Hell, I wanted her mind completely blank.
I pulled back but held her head still, took in how her long, dark lashes were fanned over her pale skin. Her eyes opened slowly, met mine.
“Hey,” I murmured.
She offered me a small smile—this time genuine. I loved the way her cheeks flushed, and her eyes had lost the fear.
“This… thing between us?” I slid my thumb over her cheek. “It’s my job to protect you. That’s how this works. You give me your problems, and I take care of them.”
She licked her lips, and I stifled a groan. “Just like that?”
“Just
