Protecting Her Heart (Seals Security Book 3) (22 page)

“Damn and I fell for it. Now who’s in charge because you just worked me like a hooker on a Saturday night,” Evie said, blushing a little when he raised a brow at her analogy. He pushed the door to her room open and stepped inside, shoving aside boxes that still hadn’t been unpacked as he went.

“You, sweetheart. You will always be in charge,” Luke whispered as he lowered her to the bed and followed her down. “But right now I need to touch you all over because I’m starving for you.”

“It only been four days, Luke, I think you’ll survive.” Evie rolled her eyes as he hovered over her.

“Maybe, but it’s gonna be a close call,” Luke said and Evie couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her as she watched him. His head lowered and he kissed her chin and then her lips before moving down her neck, slowly kissing inch by inch toward her breasts.

Evie moaned and finally said what she’d wanted to say for weeks. “I love you even if you are being overly dramatic.” Luke’s head lifted and his face contorted into a handsome smile that took her breath away.

“I thought you’d never say it. I mean shit, I’ve been waiting since I walked in the door,” Luke muttered, his smile still broad, and that made him twice as hot. Evie couldn’t seem to form words because she was too busy burying her hands in his hair to pull him towards her. Luke allowed her to tug him down for a long kiss that left them both panting as Luke pulled back, looking at her with so much love in his eyes that she almost couldn’t bear it.

“You’re so beautiful, Evie,” he muttered before he took her nipple into his mouth, licking around the tip before nipping it lightly.

Moaning, Evie found her body arching into his and she couldn’t help the slight shiver that raced over her, leaving goose bumps in its wake. Her nails dug into his shoulder as she tugged at his suit coat. Luke pulled away and shucked his jacket and his shirt in seconds before taking her other nipple into his mouth. Evie rubbed her hands over his warm skin, her nails scraping along his back. He growled and his hands gripped her hips as he settled between them. She wrapped her legs around him rubbing herself against the hard ridge of his cock.

Luke thrust his hips against hers and moved from one breast to the other torturing her with the pleasure his touch evoked. Evie’s breathing was heavy and her mind was focused on the bliss he provided her. Her insides tingled and she wanted more. Gripping his shoulders with her nails digging in, she felt his hand move over her skin, rubbing along her belly headed toward her hot center. Her mind was splintering as she allowed him to slip two of his fingers into her.

Luke felt her body grip his fingers and let out a loud groan. He was already almost beyond his limit just kissing her. She was so perfect and he couldn’t contain his need for her. Realizing he was in love with her hadn’t lessened his craving in the slightest. It had in fact increased his desperation to have her in his arms. Growling against the tight flesh of her nipple, he moved his finger through her slick passage seeking to bring her to orgasm. He wanted to feel her ripple around his invading digits before he took her long and hard.

His need was a living breathing thing in the room with them and he wanted to crow in triumph when she moaned and her body tensed in preparation for her impending explosion. His cock pressing against her leg felt confined by his pants, which he still wore. He’d been too desperate to feel her skin against his to bother ripping them off when he’d taken off his shirt. Luke felt an almost feral need racing through him. Ever since he’d seen her standing in her doorway wearing only a robe he’d been inflamed with want for her. Luke felt the shaking of her body against his and knew she was close. Evie let out a little cry of pleasure as she arched, her legs loosening around his waist as her body came apart. Luke groaned and pulled his fingers from her spuming core reluctantly. He unbuttoned his pants and pulled his aching cock free from its confinement.

She was still moaning and her head was tossing on the pillow in abandonment and he let out a harsh grunt as he lined his cock up with her opening. Cupping her hips, he pressed into her blissfully tight passage feeling the ripples of her body around his. His teeth sank into his lip biting it hard. Evie’s eyes opened wide and met his, still glittering with the passion her release had invoked. Luke was still for a long moment as he watched her silently while she stared up at him, her mouth slightly parted and her breathing uneven as he moved inside her. He pulled back and paused before shoving back inside, watching her eyes roll back as she let out a breathy gasp of pleasure.

“Luke, I love you,” she cried out, making him lose his head for a moment. Those words ripped his intention of making slow passionate love to her right out of his hands. He moved inside her roughly, unable to stop as if her saying those words had taken over his entire being. His heart pumped quickly and his hands were gripping her hips hard. His fingers dug into the flesh and he leaned forward taking her sweet lips in a passionate kiss that mimicked the passionate embrace they already shared.

Evie whimpered as he kissed his way from her lips to her neck, finding that spot just above her collarbone that made her crazy as he allowed his hips to rock against hers, feeling her warmth encase his cock in heavenly pleasure. He couldn’t hold back the hard thrusts into her or the possessive grip he had on her. He was going out of his mind trying to hold out until she came again. He almost felt like he was going to die if she didn’t come soon. He thrust two more times feeling her body finally bow toward his and she screeched out a broken cry as she flew into her second orgasm.  Feeling the tight grip of her rippling around his cock, he grunted and released his own orgasm with a rough roar. He felt like he was never going to stop coming as his body actually shook with the hardness of the release that escaped him.

When he’d finally stopped shaking, he collapsed onto the bed, barely managing to fall next to her instead of on top of her. Groaning in blissful happiness, he lay there trying to catch his breath when Evie moved her body, rolling toward him. He twisted so that he could hold her along his side with her head resting on his shoulder, needing the closeness almost as much as he’d needed to fuck her.

“You know you didn’t use a condom, right?” Evie asked, her head lifting and she rested on his chest, a pained look on her face.

“Yeah, I didn’t have one with me because I left my wallet at the office and I wasn’t stopping. If something happens, we will deal with it. I love you and I know you love me so it’s not really an issue. Unless you don’t want kids?” he asked, watching her carefully.

A bright smile creased her face as she shook her head. “No, I’ve always wanted three or four little ones but never thought I would ever have them after…” her voice trailed off and a frown came over her face, making his chest ache a little over what she’d been through in the past six years. Cupping her head in his hand, he tilted her eyes back to his. When they’d focused on his, he spoke.

“Evie, how many times do I have to tell you that wasn’t your fault. He was a bastard who destroyed hundreds of lives, including yours. His crimes are his, not yours.” Luke let out a little growl of displeasure.

“I know that. It’s just for a very long time I felt guilty over it. I just felt I should have seen what he was doing. Not that he was around much.” She let out a snort after that statement before continuing. “Mom always tried to make it up to me but it hurt when he ignored me and I felt worthless. It was hard accepting my worth after the way he’d treated me for most of my life. It didn’t help that everyone I knew abandoned me after it happened either. I can’t blame them though. It was awful at first the way the media hounded me. I would be out at lunch with friends from college and they would ask them questions and shove cameras in their faces. It was terrible.”

“I can blame them. That shouldn’t have mattered and they should have stuck by you despite the stupid sharks who just wanted a story. I wouldn’t have allowed anyone to drag your name through the mud. I can’t believe they all abandoned you when you needed them. Especially after your mom passed. Didn’t any of them try to reach out then?” Luke asked, anger evident in his hard tone.

“I don’t really know. By then I’d changed my cell number and the house phone had been shut off and I just wanted to escape so I moved less than a week after she passed. I couldn’t stay there with her gone. She was all I had.” Evie felt a sad little ache in her chest as she remembered the way she’d felt so long ago.

She’d been so lost when she’d first arrived here in San Francisco. She hadn’t had anything other than her car and the stuff she’d packed inside. She’d moved into the little apartment with the money her mother’s life insurance policy had given her and found the job with Mr. Grady less than two months later. It took her over a year to even recover from the grief she’d felt. She could remember the loneliness and the pain but it all seemed so long ago lying here with him holding her.

Luke’s arms tightened and he frowned. “You’re not alone anymore. You have me and Laney and—well everyone at Seals really,” Luke snorted.

“I know,” Evie whispered and she realized she really did know. It was a bit of a shock to know that she’d known without him having to tell her. It was the reason she’d had the confidence to change her hair back to its natural color and start taking charge of her life rather than worrying about someone who might remember her father and his crimes. 

“Good, because I won’t allow you to get away now. You’re mine,” he growled and kissed her long and hard, his lips devouring hers.

When he finally lifted his head, she asked impertinently, “Are you sure about that because I don’t remember agreeing to that.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Luke growled, his hand sliding down to gently tap her on the ass. “You are without a doubt mine.”

“Hmm, we’ll see,” Evie said, a little laugh escaping her when he growled and rolled her beneath him to make love to her again.

Luke Stewart, playboy millionaire and co-owner of Seals Security, may not be a bachelor for much longer. As we previously reported Stewart, who is seldom seen with the same woman twice, has been seeing Evie Dalton for the past ten months. Miss Dalton is the daughter of known embezzler Carson Dalton who is still allegedly in Morocco fleeing from prosecution.

She couldn’t read any more of the article and dropped the styles section of the paper onto the floor letting out a moan. Placing her face into her hands, her lips were numb and her eyes stung as her brain protested the fact that someone had written that article.
No, no, no, it couldn’t be happening again, it just couldn’t be. Why were they dragging that out and printing it, damn it?
She was happy and they were trying to ruin it. Not that she thought it would make Luke feel any differently about her.

She let a little smile curl her lips. The past ten months had been amazing. She was back at Seals Security in the accounting department. Luke had protested but she’d refused to work as his assistant again and when she’d threatened to take the job she’d been offered at Harrington’s, he’d backed down and allowed her to work for Tina. Luke wasn’t going to abandon her over the article and she knew it but would her being Carson’s daughter end up costing him business? Because if it did she would never forgive herself.

She was still sitting in her chair frowning when Luke walked into the breakfast nook. He was moving towards her but stopped, seeing the look on her face. He frowned and a dark glower came over his face as he moved toward her quickly.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded and she waved at the paper still on the floor, watching as he scooped it up, waiting for his reaction. She was a little surprised when his face creased into a little smile and he looked back at her sheepishly.

“Well, I guess that cat’s out of the bag then, huh?” he asked and she narrowed her eyes, a confused look on her face.
What cat?

“What are you talking about? They’ve been talking about the two of us for months because Laney’s been telling me about the articles. I don’t normally read them and only read this one because I saw the picture of you and Craig and I was curious what it was about. Are you saying they hadn’t written about my father before?” she asked, watching him and wondering what he was talking about.

He grinned and shook his head. “Did you read the whole article, Evie?”

“Not really. I got to the part about my dad and just stopped because I didn’t want to read any more. Why? Is there something bad in the rest of it? Is it going to hurt your business terribly? Damn, let me see, I want to know.” Evie tried to snatch the paper back from him but he held it up higher than she could reach preventing her from getting it. “Let me have it, Luke, I want to read whatever they said.”

“Nope, you aren’t getting this paper from me. I won’t let them ruin my big plan so you’re not getting this article back,” Luke said chuckling. Evie narrowed her eyes and tried to jump up and snatch the paper from him. He wouldn’t allow it and tossed it into the trash before scooping her up and carrying her towards their room.

“It’s time to get ready for work, snookum,” Luke crowed as he dragged her struggling form from the room.

“You know that I will just buy a paper later and read it then, right?” she asked grumpily when he set her down in front of the shower stall.

“Not with Wyatt watching you all day you won’t,” Luke informed her with a grin as she was crowded back into the shower. Damn, he was right, Wyatt wouldn’t let her go anywhere without him if Luke put him on keeping her from getting a newspaper. She let out a little growl and allowed him to relieve her frustration with a little morning nookie.

“No way, I am not bringing you the style section of the paper, Evie,” Rory said, making her growl a little in frustration.

“Why the hell not? What kind of friend are you? I need to see what they wrote in that article, Rory,” Evie complained, trying to guilt Rory into doing what she’d asked her to.

“Oh heck no. I am not going to have Luke kill me for bringing that article to you when I know what it says. Nope, not happening.”

“I hate you,” Evie grumbled.

“No, you love me but I am still not bringing it to you. Wait till tonight and he will tell you,” Rory said, a laugh crackling across the phone line. “Now I have to go and get back to painting because the gallery wants to see more of my work and I only have three finished pieces so I have work to do. You should be working too instead of calling me.”

Evie stared at the phone, which buzzed at her because Rory had just hung up on her. She laid it down in the cradle and let out a huffy sigh.

“She said no, huh?” Wyatt asked and she wanted to hit him when she saw the little grin he wore.

“Shut up. Why none of my friends will help me I can’t fathom. I thought you were all here for me but instead you’re all evil.” Evie glared harder when he snickered and turned his back on her. Taking out his phone, he began texting.

Damn it, how was she going to find out why they were all being so secretive? Evie was racking her brain when she suddenly realized how she could look at the article. Didn’t they have an online paper? Shit, why hadn’t she thought of that earlier? She’d just spent three hours asking first Wyatt, and then Tina, and finally Rory to bring her the newspaper so she could figure out whatever it was Luke was trying to hide from her. She’d gotten the same response from them all and it was making her nuts.

Logging onto the internet, she watched Wyatt’s back as she typed in the search for the article. She knew if he caught her he would unplug her computer before she could find the story. She was searching through the different stories until she came to the one about Luke and began reading it.

“Hey, you ready to leave, sweetheart?” Luke asked from the door and she almost shrieked.

“Um, yeah, just a second,” Evie said, trying to find the spot she’d left off in the article this morning quickly before he caught onto what she was doing.

Miss Dalton is the daughter of known embezzler Carson Dalton who is still allegedly in Morocco fleeing from prosecution. Despite her notorious father, it looks as if Stewart has met his match, ladies of San Fran. The bachelor was spotted leaving Timeless Jewelers after purchasing a ten-thousand-dollar engagement ring yesterday morning with Craig, former millionaire bachelor who’s already off the market.

Evie blinked and reread that last line, her mouth falling open. Engagement ring? Holy crap, he was proposing to her? Or were they wrong? The media was often wrong about things so she shouldn’t get too worked up about it, Evie lectured herself, and almost jumped out of her skin when Luke’s hand landed on her shoulder.

“Eek,” she screeched as she turned to look up at him.

“What are you up to, you little minx?” he asked before his eyes went to the computer and he let out a little rueful snort of laughter. “Damn, I guess I really should have thought of that and blocked your internet, shouldn’t I.”

“Umm,” Evie muttered, her heart beating hard and her ears ringing a little as she stared at him, unable to ask the question she was dying to ask.

“I guess there isn’t any point in keeping this from you anymore then,” he muttered as he pulled a jewelry box from his pocket and got down on one knee beside her chair. Evie couldn’t believe this was happening.
Holy shit, he was proposing to her!
  

“Evie, my love. You make me happier than I have ever been in my life. Will you marry me?” Luke asked.

Evie couldn’t speak as her hand flew to cover her mouth and she felt tears running down her cheeks. She’d ruined his proposal and yet she couldn’t say him down on one knee holding a ring out to her wasn’t the most romantic thing she’d ever seen in her life because it was
him
asking
her
to marry him. 

“Oh come now, don’t keep me waiting or I’ll think you’re saying no and that would break my heart, sweetheart,” Luke whispered in an amused voice.

Evie threw herself at him, her arms around his neck, and she was crying and nodding and making a right fool of herself but she didn’t care because she was happier than she’d ever been in her life.