Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 257(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 257(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
The cold water lapped against Greer’s knees and he was glad it wasn’t high enough to reach his balls. Despite the jungle heat around them, the water was icy.
Sunny slipped off her skirt and shoes and followed him in, her movements hesitant, the flush still on her cheeks. The chill hit her softer skin and she gave a little gasp, her arms crossing over her breasts instinctively. It was much higher on her—almost up to the tender V between her legs.
Greer told himself to look away. To keep his eyes on her face. To remember what he was—her Protector, nothing more. They had already gone too far tonight—much further than was allowed by protocol.
But the melted gold paint streaking her generous curves made her impossible to ignore. He couldn’t help running his eyes over her naked body.
“Remove it,” the Chief ordered from his lounging seat, his voice smug.
Greer reached for a clean cloth hung on the side of the tub, but one of the attendants snatched it away, shaking his head.
“With your hands. Always with the hands,” he murmured.
Sunny’s eyes widened, and she swallowed hard as she looked up at Greer.
“I…I guess we should get it over with,” she whispered.
Greer nodded.
“Guess so, little one.”
He dragged a wet palm slowly over the spiral he’d painted across her breast, then he cupped the heavy globe in one hand, palming it as he rubbed his thumb over her tight nipple.
Sunny gasped and gave a little moan, her eyes going half-lidded. The cold water beaded on her skin, mingling with the streaks of gold until they swirled together and bled away beneath his fingers. She shivered—not entirely from the chill.
“Oh, Greer…”
“Sorry,” he murmured, even though he didn’t feel sorry. Not one fucking bit. Not when she felt this warm and soft beneath his hands and he could see by her eyes and smell in her scent that he was pleasing her…pleasuring her.
“You’re just… doing your job,” she whispered back, though her voice trembled.
He cupped her other breast, rubbing to clear the last of the pigment as his thumb grazed the tight peak. Her breath caught as he teased both nipples at once, watching the color rise in her cheeks and smelling the scent of her feminine arousal rising to meet him.
Suddenly, guilt knifed through him. This wasn’t right. A Protector didn’t touch his Ward like this. Sunny wasn’t his—she could never be his. And yet… she wasn’t pulling away. Her gaze met his, pupils wide, and something flickered there. Lust…desire…a need so deep it seemed to reach inside him and twist his heart.
Greer looked away, breaking the moment. They couldn’t be looking at each other like this—not when their relationship was supposed to be strictly professional.
He moved on, running his palms over the generous curves of her body, taking his time to rinse the paint from every inch of her skin. She shifted closer, her wet body brushing his, and the muscles in his jaw locked.
Greer had fought in a hundred battles, faced enemies twice his size without blinking—but right now, he was hanging by a thread. One wrong move and the control he prided himself on would shatter. He wanted to take her—Goddess help him! He wanted her so fucking much.
And still, he kept washing her. Because the Chief was watching. Because stopping would be an insult.
Because his hands didn’t want to let her go.
11
SUNNY
The water was cold, but not nearly cold enough to douse the heat building inside her. Her nipples were tingling from where he’d touched them and between her legs, her pussy was liquid heat.
Greer’s hands were everywhere—broad, sure, possessive without meaning to be. At least, she told herself he didn’t mean to be. It was just that the Chief had demanded they “use their hands” to wash off the pigment, and Greer was nothing if not thorough.
Still… it had been so long since a man had touched her. Since anyone but she had given her pleasure…
Her breath caught when he cupped her breasts again, fingers sliding over the spirals he’d painted there earlier, the gold pigment smearing into the water in ribbons. The way his thumbs brushed over her nipples—whether intentional or not—sent a hot shiver down her spine. She tried to look unaffected, but her skin was on fire.
He moved to her hips, big hands spanning her waist as though he could wrap her up and keep her there. His touch was firm but gentle, and every time his fingers skimmed the side of her breasts or the curve of her bottom, she felt her pulse speed up.
She shouldn’t be reacting like this. He was her Protector. This was business. The Chief was watching.
But her body didn’t care—it only wanted more.
“Greer,” she whispered, looking up at him. “Aren’t you forgetting a place?” As she spoke, she spread her thighs and nodded down to where the water lapped against the V between her legs.