With his shoulder burning and his head spinning, Tyler looked around but didn’t recognize his surroundings. Where was the sand and his fellow soldiers? It looked like he was in an old horse barn, and what was he wearing? Normally, he wore his fatigues and his Kevlar vest when he was on a mission. Right now, he was wearing jeans, a flannel shirt, and cowboy boots. He lifted a hand to feel his head, and instead of his normal military cover, he noted his head was bare. In front of him stood a beautiful woman who looked familiar with her long dirty-blonde hair and slim figure. Her hands were up as if she were being threatened. He looked to his right hand and saw he held a 9mm aimed at her.

Realization finally settled in, and Tyler knew instantly that she was Jeanie, and that he’d been sent by the Brotherhood Protectors to be her bodyguard. He felt as though he’d been It was punched in the gut, and his legs gave out. He collapsed to the ground, kneeling, and gently placed the gun out of his reach.

Jeanie slid her rifle to the ground and came running into his arms. Her gaze roamed his face. “Tyler are you ok?”

Despite the burning pain in his shoulder, he gathered her to him and rested his head on her shoulder. Finally, he let all the air he’d been holding in his lungs. The pounding in his chest slowed to a more normal speed. “Yes, I’m okay now,” he said, his voice gruff. “Did I hurt you?”

Jeanie wrapped her arms around him then placed a tender kiss on his lips. When she started to move back, he brought her body back to his in a crushing embrace, and his lips came down on hers as if he needed air and she was his life line. With strong fluid movements, his hands moved over her body, making sure no injury had befallen her. When they finally came up for air, he pushed back the hair that had fallen into her face.

“We should go in now,” she whispered. He stood shakily then pulled Jeanie to her feet.

Realizing his episode had endangered them both, he bit back a bitter disappointment that he’d failed her.

She glanced toward the doorway. “Do you think it’s safe out there now?”

“Whoever was shooting at us is long gone, and we’ll be safer in the cabin tonight, anyway.”

“Let me get the rest of our stuff.” She moved toward the ATVs.

“Jeanie, let me get it.”

“You’re injured,” she said frowning.

He flexed his arm and hid a wince. “Someone did a good job bandaging me up. I can manage.” When her chin lifted, he sighed. “I’ll take the bags if you can gather our weapons.” At last, she nodded and trudged back to the rifle she’d dropped. Then she bent to snag the 9mm from the ground.

He gathered the packs and, together, they walked to the large barn door. Tyler preceded her out of the barn and glanced around before they walked the short distance to the cabin. Inside, the cabin smelled of cedar and dust. He placed the bags he’d brought on the floor near the door, and Jeanie put down the weapons and moved toward the back of the cabin and the back door. Just outside the back door was the generator, it was checked multiple times throughout the year and would be ready to go. She turned it on and it started up with a loud hum. Closing the back door and securing it she turned back to the kitchenette to begin putting away food items. Tyler had locked the front door behind them when they came in. She watched as he moved around the cabin inspecting the windows and making sure the weapons were easy for them to get to quickly if needed.

“You need to sit down and conserve your strength,” she said, eyeing a chair beside the table. “Hank and his guys can’t get to us before the morning, so you need to conserve your strength. I brought some sandwiches. Would you like to go ahead and eat, and then we can set up for the night?”

Tyler was amazed at how calm she was as she went on about her business after the shooting, and then what he’d done to her as well. “Jeanie, we need to talk about what happened.” Again, tension gripped his body as he walked toward her.

Her expression softened. “I know you had a PTSD episode, and that for a moment, you didn’t know who I was. But even then, you weren’t completely out of control. You were still you, Tyler. You weren’t going to hurt me.”

She glanced away, but not before he saw her lower lip tremble. He moved closer. “Look at me,” he said and put his hands on her shoulders to gently turn her to face him.

Her eyes were pools of unshed tears. Pulling her into his arms and holding her seemed to be the only thing he could do. He was going on instinct. Providing comfort.

Their bodies weren’t close enough, so he tightened his embrace and tipped up her chin. When his lips touched hers, a quiver shook her body. Tyler felt his walls coming down. He’d never needed anyone. Never opened himself to another person for fear of hurting them or being hurt, but he needed Jeanie.

The kiss deepened, and her tongue touched his lips. They both drew back a space then he delved in to her mouth to explore. When he pushed his leg between hers, she seemed to climb his body. Their mouths drew apart, and both gasped for air.

“Wow,” Jeanie said between gasps.

“That’s one way to put it.”

Not able to let go, Tyler brought Jeanie’s face back to his and devoured her lips again—this time with more fervor then reaching under her shirt to get to her warm skin.

She put her arms between them and pulled his shirt out of his jeans. Her fingers worked their way upward, freeing buttons.

Thankful he wasn’t the only one feeling desperate, he cupped her breasts and squeezed gently. Breaking the kiss, he pulled off her shirt off. She lowered her arms and put them around his neck to bring his lips back toward her. The room seemed to heat up and his clothing felt too warm on his skin. Gingerly, he pulled off the flannel shirt and let it drop. Jeanie’s hands roamed over his body. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with a woman, and Jeanie was special. Stumbling back for a moment, he gripped her arms and dragged her gently into the little sitting room .

Jeanie giggled and started working on her own pants. She kicked off her boots. Seeing what she was doing, Tyler reached for the button at his waistband.

“Do you need help with that, cowboy,” she said, her voice sultry. Standing there, she wore only a teal-colored cotton bra and panties that were lined in lace and still had her socks on. She pushed him gently onto the couch, and he fell back as she stood over him. Her hair fell forward as she went for his boots.

Laughing, he said, “I would love some help, darlin’.”

She got the first one off in record time, and then the second one went flying across the room. She straddled his legs, and he could feel the heat of her core against his jeans. With nimble hands, she undid his belt buckle then his jeans. With lightning speed, she stripped him. When she had him nude, she encircled his pulsating cock with her warm hands. His head fell back on the couch as she glided up and down his length.

But he didn’t want her doing all the work. Gunshot wound or not. He leaned forward slightly and reached around her to pop open her bra. Then he pulled the straps down her arms, revealing her soft, round breasts. She let go of his cock and shook the bra off her arms onto the clothes starting to pile up. Before she turned back, Tyler took both of her breasts in his hands and squeezed. Then he leaned forward and took her left breast into his mouth and sucked.

Jeanie moaned. Her back arched. He switched to the other breast, taking it in his mouth while his hands glided toward her panties. He slid his right hand under the fabric and reached for her sex, separating the moist folds and inserting his index finger.

She bucked, and then settled onto his hand as he moved inside her.

He let go of her breast to settle back and watch her riding his hand. “You are so beautiful,” he said, and took her mouth again in a frenzy.

Her hand moved back to his cock and stroked him several times, and then her hips bucked again. Unable to wait another second, he gently removed his hand and slid sideways to lay on the couch.

With her breaths short and harsh, Jeanie pushed down his jeans pants and his briefs with him lifting his ass to help get them out of the way. Again, she stroked his cock again while it pulsed in her hand.

Tyler gripped her shoulders to pull her down for a kiss. He rubbed her lips, glanced down her neck, then nibbled at her breasts. She was breathing deeply now, and her breasts quivered with each ragged inhalation. He slipped to the side and pushed her back to the seat cushions.

Ignoring the throbbing pain, he kissed a path down her body until he reached her hips. Then gently gripping her panties, he pulled them over her hips and down her legs. She kicked them to the floor and spread her legs as he kissed the curls atop her mound. Her body shivered as he blew warm air over her core. Jeanie pushed her hands through his hair and pulled him closer to her opening. He flicked out his tongue and licked the dew as it leaked out of her body. Pushing his tongue in further, he stroked inside as she bucked and tugged his hair. Tyler moved his hands around to her buttocks to hold her still as he continued to feast on her.

“Tyler,” she moaned.

He lifted his head. “Yes?”

“I need more.”

Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyelids half-closed. But it was her soft, swollen mouth that made his cock jump.

With a soft chuckle, he roamed up her body, suckled each breast again, then reached over to grab his wallet from the back pocket of his pants. He always kept a fresh condom, just in case. Almost like good luck charm. He ripped the condom package open and rolled it down his cock. Then he positioned himself over Jeanie’s body, leaning on his good arm. “Jeanie are you sure about this?”

“Oh, yes. Don’t stop, Tyler.” She gave another little moan, and her body bucked again, which caused her to lift her hips. Her wet folds touched the end of his cock.

Tyler almost came just from the slight pressure. Not wanting to hurt her, he slowly entered her body. The tension in his body caused him to shake because he was fighting himself, holding back so he didn’t ram inside her waiting heat.

“Faster, Tyler. I need all of you in me, now.” Her voice held a note of desperation. She put her hands on his hips and tried to pull him deeper into her body.

Tyler gritted his teeth. “Slow down and enjoy this, Jeanie. I don’t want to hurt you.”

She sucked her bottom lips between her teeth then released it. “You’re not hurting me, but if you don’t hurry, I’m going to shatter.”

Her voice, so husky, so freaking sexy, broke his control. Tyler gripped her hips and slammed into her body. Jack-hammering in and out of her.

“Oh. My. God. Yes!”

Her hair shivered over the cushion as her body jerked up and down with his movements. She met each stroke as he brought his cock surging in and out. Finally, he felt the surge building to a crescendo and felt blessed release wash over him. With his orgasm pulsing, Jeanie screamed out his name, and her body spasmed around his cock.