The Badass Protector

Iris

What was that all about?

I COULDN’T look at him without thinking of that kiss. I could still feel the firmness and softness of his lips. I could still taste him and feel his touch which stirred something inside me.

How could I stop when all I could think was how good that kiss was? The synchronizing of our lips, the heat radiating between us, and the hardness of his bulge poking in his jeans constantly reminded me that we were on the same page. Suddenly, he seemed to regret it.

I ate silently while my mind was elsewhere-Colt clouded my brain, and I couldn’t even think straight.

Everyone shared stories and laughed like on an ordinary family weekend. The dinner was pleasant, and we seemed to forget what was outside for a while.

“You should join us for hunting, Darick. Your hook might catch a gazelle,” Frost started to joke.

“I know because I feel like a useless piece of shit just waiting for a supply run.”

“Language, Darick,” Gael chided him.

“Sorry, Ayesha.”

“No need to apologize. We do saykhara, the same meaning as what you said,” Hamid said, making his wife smile. “And I disagree with you. We all help each other. That’s why we’re still like one big family. Am I right, Gael?”

“You’re right. We may all have different religious beliefs, but we all have one common ground-to stay alive.” He raised his soda.

“Shukran, everyone.” Hamid stood. “I have a camp to watch tonight.”

“It’s my turn,” Gael said, rising from his seat.

“Let me cover you tonight,” I suggested.

“It’s all right, Iris. It’s been a while since I watched the post, and I need some fresh air.” Gael smiled, but that didn’t reach his eyes. Something was wrong. “Colt, Templeton, you two need to rest. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.” Frost gave him a half nod.

“We should do this every weekend,” Fischer suggested. “May I join you for hunting this weekend?”

Everyone snorted and laughed, even his wife, Anna. I gave them a dazed look.

“You know you suck at it, right?” Frost laughed.

“I only need a little practice.” He shrugged, half-smiling.

“Just stick to your chore, Fischer. Put your math degree to good use.” Colt gulped his drink. “The last time I checked, hunting a boar didn’t require arithmetic.”

“You’re mean,” I murmured.

He looked at me, making me frown when something was missing from his eyes. A spark?

I asked myself and thought through the reasons why he seemed down. Did something happen during their hunt? Or was it about the kiss?

“Here’s a little advice, my friend. When you hunt, you stay quiet and sharp, have patience, use your killer instinct, and do not yell the moment you see an animal. Then the boar is gone in a blink.” Frost laughed out loud. Fischer joined him instead of getting offended.

I liked this moment. Despite the hardship, we still found a way to laugh and enjoy something challenging to do these days.

“That was my first time, man,” Fischer admitted. “I deserve a second chance, though.”

“You’ll gonna have it, Fischer.” Frost patted his back.

Everyone started clearing the table except for Frost and Colt, who remained seated in somewhat a discreet conversation.

Lois brought the leftover back to the kitchen.

“Get your ass up, asshole, and help Lois,” Colt berated Frost but just raised a brow in return.

“I’ll clean the dishes now, don’t look at me like I am a lazy pig.”

“That’s actually my task, Colton. I didn’t help in the kitchen earlier.”

“Let me help you then.”

“No, you won’t. Gael was pretty clear with his order.”

“I could get some sleep once we’re done,” he insisted, checking Frost. When he was gone, Colt turned to me. “You said we’ll talk later. Now it’s about time to talk about it.”

“I still have loads of dishes to clean.” My heart raced. I couldn’t get away with it, could I?

“And that’s where I come. We can talk while I’m helping you.” He held my hand. “You’re not trying to ignore me again, are you?”

I met his gaze, studying him. “No, and besides, it was my fault. I was the one who rushed to see you. I was worried when Frost came alone, and I thought you were in trouble.”

“That’s good to hear that you’re worried about me.” A small smile curved up his amazing lips.

“I was just overwhelmed, I guess.”

“Overwhelmed, that’s it? What about our kiss?”

I rolled my eyes. “It was just a kiss, and I initiated it.”

“Did you kiss Frost when he arrived?”

My eyes grew big. I didn’t know if I should be insulted or not, but he had a point. “No. Why would I?”

“So you just don’t like the kiss? Didn’t you feel anything? That moan was just-” I covered his mouth with my hand when his voice started to rise. I knew he did it on purpose.

“Can you keep it low?” I gritted and removed my hand when he nodded.

“What’s wrong with moaning?” He seemed amused now-a wild glint in his gray eyes sparkled under the moonlight. “You don’t get punished if you admit you enjoy a kiss, Iris. Just say you do.”

“Don’t make fun of me.” I stood up, carrying the dishes left.

“We’re not done talking, twig.” As crazy as it sounded, the word twig made my heart skip a bit. I had to admit it was the cutest endearment someone had called me.

“We’re done if you can’t be serious with me.”

“I’m serious. I’m just trying to lighten up the mood.” He followed me to the kitchen.

I wasn’t aware he had that in him when all I saw was he was so damn serious and scary most of the time. I filled the basin with water and poured the dishwashing liquid into the sponge.

“I’m a little rusty when it comes to dating.”

“Who said we’re dating?”

His head snapped at my side. Pain crossed his handsome face.

“Just kidding.” I rolled my eyes. “And this is my version of trying to lighten up the mood. So?”

“So, I didn’t have the luxury for that when I joined the academy and became an officer. All I wanted was to prove something. My old man was in the army and died in a war when Colton and I were still in high school. I always idolized him, and I could say that he was our hero.” He slid a plate into my basin and took another one.

“I can do this, and you’re just making me slow.” We did it in an old-fashioned way of cleaning. “You should start with glasses or cups, then plates and pots will be the last.”

“Got it.”

“You wanna be like your dad?”

“Yes, but I became an LAPD rookie instead. I had a dream of going to Quantico, but things happened.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“You’ll gonna be a good agent, Officer snow.”

We worked in silence until we were done. I ignored the fact that his presence made my senses hyperaware-my skin buzzed every time our skin touched. But I must admit that it was good to have a light conversation with him regardless of what happened weeks ago.

“I’ll walk you to your cabin,” he said after washing his hands.

Protesting was not an option because I knew he would still insist, and our cabins were just on opposite sides.

The camp was pretty quiet other than our footsteps and the crickets creating the sound, and it was a little colder than the previous nights.

We sat on the muddy stair for a while, allowing the silence to stretch out between us. I could feel the hum of our closeness as he unexpectedly placed his large hand on my thigh and the searing gaze alone made me immobilized.

The tension was building up-I felt the flare of desire skitter inside me-I could smell him, feel the heat of his hand sipping through my jeans.

I didn’t mind it, though. In fact, I liked it. I couldn’t even remember the feeling of a sensual man’s touch until I met Colt.

I already missed the sweet embrace, kiss, skin, taste, and everything that made me feel good. I wanted everything in him.

Tried not to get too overwhelmed by our closeness, I looked up at the velvety black night sky with glinting stars, and the moon was hanging low. The gust of wind didn’t feel and smell like death for the first time in months.

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I wrapped my hand over his huge one, intertwined them, and let the warmth engulf us. “I like it.”

“Me too. I just freaked out a little. It happened so fast, but don’t get me wrong, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now.”

“The kiss?” I looked at him.

His gaze met my eyes and stopped at my lips. With a smile, he nodded. “Yeah. And everything about you.”

“I think about you, too.” I squeezed his hand in assurance. Then he brought it to his lips.

“I want more, though,” he asked, almost ashamed to admit it.

“You want to… sleep… with me?”