Hunter unlocked the door to their room, quietly shutting it behind him. He pulled his phone out from a pocket of his cargo pants and called Mason. His eyes fell on Emma’s backpack, sitting beside his on the bed. Hell. The woman had been through the wringer in the past twelve hours—the past week. And the text he’d just gotten from Mason made his blood run cold.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice low. “I was in the middle of breakfast and didn’t want to scare Emma.”

“They went to her parents’ house. Late last night. Busted down the door and demanded to know where she was.”

“Damn it,” Hunter said, pounding his fist against the door frame. “What happened? Are they okay?”

“Shaken up but unharmed, fortunately. The men after them were either affiliated with or part of the terror cell we were after ourselves. It seems that Emma’s parents weren’t even certain if she was back in the U.K. She’d called and left a brief message, but they had no idea she was back in London or that her apartment had been ransacked. As far as they understood, she was supposed to be on a six-month trip to Kabul. Seems that they have an alarm system on their house, so the men that broke in were gone fairly quickly.”

“God damn it,” Hunter said. “What if Emma had gone there? If they go anywhere near her, I swear—”

“Did she tell you she has family just outside of London?”

“Yeah, she mentioned it yesterday,” he said, pacing the room. “She didn’t want to go to her family or friends and get them involved in any of this though. And thank God for that. If she’d been there, they’d have taken her.”

He briefly closed his eyes.

“How’d you find out about it?” he asked.

“The police contacted me this morning. They couldn’t get a hold of Emma—guessing you had something to do with why her phone is off.”

“Destroyed the SIM card,” Hunter said. “She wasn’t too happy about it either. She’d turned her phone off earlier in the day, but I saw her text a friend last night. I pulled it out right then and there. I’m taking her with me when I leave. They’re going to be searching everywhere for her.”

“I take it you passed on whatever info she’d found?”

“Yep, but it doesn’t matter. She’s seen it, so they want her.”

“Now that the U.S. and British governments have hold of it, they’ll probably change their targets anyway,” Mason pointed out. “The shouldn’t still be chasing after her.”

“Unless they don’t realize she’s turned over the information,” Hunter said. “I can’t imagine they’d keep tracking her like this if they knew she’d already shared it with the authorities. It doesn’t add up.”

“I suppose not. They don’t know who you are or why you’re together.”

Hunter ground his teeth. “Maybe not. But it doesn’t feel right leaving her behind. The CO wants me to stay with her for the next two days, but that’s not going to be long enough for this to blow over.”

“You just met her yesterday. You can’t expect her to just agree to fly across an ocean with you.”

“I dunno. Can’t exactly leave her here either, can I?”

“Nope. I’m at Heathrow now—catching the flight you were originally supposed to be on. I have to board in a few minutes.”

“Roger that. Have a safe trip back. I should be there in a few days.”

“You’ll protect her. And if you bring her here, the entire team will, Hook,” he said, calling Hunter by his nickname.

“I know. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

He disconnected the call, quickly following up with one to his CO. A few minutes later, he heard a soft knock at the door.

“It’s me,” Emma said quietly.

Hunter opened the door, and she turned white as she saw his stricken face. “What happened?” she demanded. “Did they find out we were here?”

“No, we’re safe. But you know the men after you?” he asked as he closed the door. “Some of them went to your parents’ house last night. They were looking for you.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered, her hands rising to her face. Tears coming to her eyes. “Oh my God. What happened? Were they hurt?”

Hunter’s gut clenched as he pulled her to him, watching as a stray tear rolled down her cheek. His chest tightened, and he didn’t want to examine that reaction too closely. He reached out and cupped her face gently, brushing her hair back with one hand and then wiping away the tear with his thumb. Hell. He didn’t stand around wiping away women’s tears. He wasn’t usually around long enough to see any.

Wham, bam, thank you ma’am always had suited him just fine.

But Emma?

They hadn’t even slept together. Had barely even touched. And his gut churned at the idea of any harm coming to her.

“They’re fine,” he said. “The men who broke in got spooked by an alarm system. I’m sure your parents were frightened, but it seems that the police got there almost immediately.”

“I should call them, see how they are. Let them know that I’m okay.”

“They’ll be time for that later,” he assured her. “We can’t risk it now. You could use my phone, but there’s no telling if anyone is listening in on theirs. The line could be tapped.”

“Right. I understand,” she said, nodding as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

He cupped her chin, tilting her face up toward him. “I’m not leaving you here.”

She nodded, and the look in her eyes nearly slayed him. He pulled her into his arms, holding the back of her head as she quietly cried against his chest. Let his arms tighten around her. He felt her breasts pressing against him, her small body trembling against his, and could smell the rose-scented shampoo in her hair. But this very second, all that mattered was her safety.

“Are you okay?” he asked a moment later as she looked up at him.

“I’ll come with you,” she said, wiping away a stray tear.

“Yeah?”

“Not just for me, but for my family and friends, too. If these guys are willing to go to these lengths to find me, then it’s best I just leave for a while. Stay out of sight. If I’m not in London, then they can’t very well find me, can they?”

“I’ll have Mason get word to your family that you’re all right. The police have been in contact with him anyway after the incidents at the pub and hotel. Hell, they’d be all over me right now too wanting a statement if they didn’t know I was here protecting you.”

“Right. Your job is to protect me.”

“It’s not a job—I was collecting info on those men. That was my job—not typically what a Navy SEAL would do, granted, but I happened to be in the right place at the right time. You quite literally walked right into my life—bumped right into me. But I care about you. I’m not leaving you here alone and scared while I just go back to my everyday life. Pretend this is over because I’m back on the other side of the ocean. That’s why I want you to come back with me, not because it’s some job or my duty.”

“Oh.”

He searched her gaze, then ducked to softly brush his lips against hers.

Her lips were soft, full. She tasted sweet, like strawberries or the ripest fruit. He felt her intake of breath as his hand slid to her waist, and then she was kissing him back. Yielding to him. Pulling him closer. Clinging to him like she needed him more than her next breath.

 

***

 

Emma whimpered as Hunter moved his mouth over hers. He tasted delicious—all man and spice and the hint of the coffee he’d had earlier. His body towered above hers, dominating the room, shielding her from anything but his overwhelming presence.

She didn’t—couldn’t—make herself want him to stop. Not when she’d been scared and frightened and he’d protected her. Not when there had been chemistry sparking between them since the moment they’d bumped into one another at the pub last night. It was fast—it was quick.

But she was powerless to stop her feelings.

To stop him.

His hands slid to her waist, gripping her tightly, anchoring her to him. Her nails dug into the back of his shortly cropped hair as she pulled him closer still, and then he was lifting her. Holding her in his muscular arms as if she weighed nothing. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and she felt his thick erection beneath his cargo pants.

Felt him rubbing against her aching core.

“Bed,” he murmured. “I’m taking you to bed.”

In the next instant, he was lying her down. Following as his body hovered above hers. Pulling up her cashmere sweater as she frantically clawed at his tee-shirt, trying to strip him bare as well. She gave in and let him undress her first, lifting her arms as he pulled her sweater up and off. Tossed it back behind him.

His gaze fell to her lace-covered breasts, and he made a sound akin only to a growl.

Like a predator stalking his prey, he had her at his utter mercy.

And oh how there was no place she’d rather be.

“So fucking sexy,” he said appreciatively.

His body hovered over hers, and a moment later he was kissing her. Sending waves of heat coursing through her entire body. His delicious mouth moved over hers like a man starved—like he’d waited forever to kiss her. And his unhurried pace was making her desperate for more of his touch.

He kissed his way down her neck, lightly grazing her with his teeth, and then he was ducking lower still. Palming one of her breasts in one large hand. He caressed and kneaded her as he gazed down in appreciation, running a thumb across her nipple as she gasped.

“I like that you’re coming with me, because I don’t like to share.”

“Share?”

“I’m not leaving you here in London for other men to hit on. ‘Chat up’ as you say. I want this to be mine,” he said, ducking lower and kissing her breast. Tugging the lace cups of her bra down so that she was bare to him.

His hot lips kissed her again and again, leaving her breasts swollen and aching. Her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. Arousal dampened her folds, her clit throbbing, and she wanted his touch everywhere.

His warm mouth moved over her nipple, and she arched up, desperate to be closer. Suddenly her lace bra was gone, and he kissed her again, slowly. Sucked one nipple into his mouth and flicked his tongue over the aching bud, leaving her crying out at the sensation. At the shockwaves of pleasure rippling through her.

“And this is mine, too,” he growled, laving attention on her other breast. He slowly licked her nipple, sending shivers racing down her spine as she needed more. More kisses, more touches—more everything. Her clit throbbed as he tongued her nipple again, and she moaned aloud. Needed him touching her intimately—filling the ache she had deep inside.

He traced around her areola with the tip of his tongue, then nipped at her. Tugged her nipple between his teeth. Blew gently to ease the sting of his touch.

His hand slid beneath her jeans and lace thong, and suddenly he was touching her intimately. Parting her swollen lips. Fingering her drenched pussy.

“And this is definitely mine,” he growled. “Hell, you are so hot and wet.”

“Hunter,” she whimpered. “Please.”

He removed her jeans and lacy thong, stuffing the latter into his pocket, and then he was parting her thighs as she trembled.  He kissed her as his thick fingers trailed though her arousal-dampened folds, the scruff of his whiskers rubbing against her cheek.

The spicy scent of his cologne filled the heated air between them, and she was lost to him. Drowning in her desire for this man.

She ran her hands up his rippled abdomen, feeling the broad pectoral muscles on his chest. Grabbing on to his broad shoulders.

His fingers trailed through her sensitive folds, then circled her swollen clit as she cried out in pleasure. Hunter slid two thick fingers inside her tight channel, murmuring in approval as her inner walls clamped down tightly around him. He slowly thrust his fingers in and out, stretching her. Readying her for his intimate invasion. She moaned loudly as he scissored his fingers, stretching her even more.

He kissed her again, capturing her cries with his mouth, and then his tongue was parting her lips, thrusting into her mouth. Rubbing alongside her own tongue as he swallowed her mewls of pleasure.

He took one of her legs in his muscular arm, bending it at the knee as he pushed it up toward her shoulder, spreading her wider. His muscular arm pinned her leg in place as he held her open to him, and he fingered her pussy. Growled as she writhed and bucked beneath him.

Hunter’s thumb slid over her clit as his fingers thrust in and out, and she clutched the quilt beneath her with both hands, closing her eyes as she began to see stars.

“Come for me,” he commanded, working his fingers faster as he thrust in and out. Circling over her clit with his thumb with no intent on stopping.

The heat began to build within her, pushing her higher and higher. She felt like she was about to explode from pure pleasure, unable to stop the orgasm building within.

Her inner walls clamped down around him as his mouth claimed hers, and then she was screaming. Crying out his name. Surrendering to Hunter as she detonated.

He held here there, bringing her down from her explosive orgasm with a slowing of touches and softer kisses. Gazing into her eyes as she slowly returned back to Earth.

He made quick work of stripping off his own clothing, and as she raked her gaze down his muscled abdomen, she saw his cock jutting out proudly before him. Pre-cum dripped from the swollen head, a bulging vein running down one side of his thick shaft.

He sheathed himself with a condom, and then he was gripping her behind the knees. Pushing her legs back as he spread her wide open.

Putting her aching, swollen sex on display to his gaze.

“Next time I’m going to taste you. But I need to be inside you right now. I want you too damn much.”

He lined his erection up, and then he was filling her slowly. Completely. Penetrating her inch by painstaking inch, until the base of his cock rubbed against her still swollen clit. She gasped as he filled her, held her there. As she gave herself completely to him.

She couldn’t move if she wanted to, and she loved this demanding, controlling side of him. Of the feeling she was spinning completely out of control.

She didn’t have time to worry about the rest of her life—her entire existence hinged on this moment. This man.

He pulled out slightly, and then he began thrusting. Holding her legs in place as claimed her, his eyes dark with arousal. His thick shaft filling her completely.

Her breasts bounced as he began thrusting harder, and he ducked down, taking one nipple into his mouth.

Emma was completely at Hunter’s utter mercy—her legs spread wide, pinned in place as he held her open, her body surrendering to the exquisite pressure of his throbbing erection filling her again and again. His tongue flicked mercilessly over her nipple, and as the base of his erection rubbed against her swollen clit, she screamed.

Cried out his name as her orgasm went on and on. As she again was pushed over the precipice, helpless to her body’s response to his touch. Hunter growled in approval, then stiffened slightly above her, thrusting twice more as he found his own release.

She lay panting and sated beneath him as he released her legs and slowly pulled free. He took off the condom and pulled her to him in bed. Held her close as she gasped for breath. His body was solid and warm, and she clung to him, letting him hold her as her head fell against his chest. Her leg draped over his, the springy hair on his legs tickling her skin, and then he kissed the top of her head.

Told her to sleep.

“Oh my God, Hunter,” she murmured.

His hand trailed down her back, lightly caressing her skin as relaxed against him. She sighed as she listened to the sound of his heartbeat and finally shut her eyes.