Page 4 of Protecting His Queen

“My home. Do you remember what happened?”

Memories flashed through her mind as she thought back. Memories of the two men cornering her, grabbing her, then him appearing out of nowhere and … that was the last thing she remembered. Raising a palm to rub her eyes, she realised she was wearing a jacket. She focused on her arms, then her chest. Was she wearing his clothes? She pressed her nose to the collar and inhaled. It smelled like him, so yep, this was definitely her Russian’s suit coat. That crisp, fresh, slightly spicy scent she’d not been able to get out of her head for days after he’d bought that photo from her.

“I remember the men grabbing me, and you arriving. But nothing after that.”

He made a noise in the back of his throat that had her gaze flicking up to his. He looked happy with the fact she couldn’t remember. She sure as hell wasn’t impressed with her memory blank spot.

“Tell me what happened, and why am I wearing your jacket? Please.”

He frowned and reached his hand over to tuck some loose strands of her hair behind her ear. She’d put it up in her usual twin braids this morning, but by the end of the day there were always sections that came loose and hung around her face. A shiver ran over her body when his callused fingers stroked her cheek as he pulled back. Yep, this guy was seriously dangerous to a woman’s sanity.

“All you need to know is that I took care of them in a way that assures they won’t bother you again. And you’re wearing my jacket because those bastards cut your top.”

His fist clenched on the bed between them. Instinctively wanting to soothe him, she reached over and covered his hand with her palm. A moment later, he unclenched his fist before he moved to slide his fingers between hers, curling them to keep their hands joined.

“Thank you. You don’t even know me, had no reason to get involved, but you did, and I’m extremely grateful. How did you find me?”

She remembered the men herding her into a little laneway, out of sight from the road.

“I was having a drink in the same bar as them. I recognised your hair as you walked past. So, when I saw those two arseholes take off to follow you after they’d been talking about you, I followed them. You’ve been on my mind since you sold me that photo, and I didn’t want to see you come to harm.”

He was frowning as though he wasn’t entirely happy about the fact that he’d saved her. She didn’t like the idea he regretted his actions. Juli certainly didn’t. She gave him a soft smile.

“Well, I’m really grateful you did whatever you did. And I hadn’t forgotten about you either.”

His blue gaze snapped up to hers.

“Truth?”

She chuckled. “Which part? That I’m thankful you saved my arse, or that I’ve thought of you since the markets?”

He growled low before he released her hand and moved in. Like the panther she’d labelled him earlier, he prowled with sleek, powerful movements until he had her pinned beneath him. She gasped out a shocked breath at how fast he’d moved. Then a shiver ran through her at how good it felt to be caged beneath his muscular frame, surrounded by his scent. He held his weight mostly on his arms, his bicep muscles bulging with the strain.

Unable to resist the temptation, she ran her palms over the smooth, inked skin of his arms, following the lines of his muscles. With another growl, he lowered his face in close to her neck, inhaling against her skin before he lightly nipped at her throat, making her shiver.

“You are not wearing your ring, krasivaya. Does that mean you’re now single?”

She stiffened at the reminder of her ex. Of the violent backhand he’d given her the day she’d left him. On reflex, she cringed away from him, pushing herself into the soft mattress. He lifted up on his arms, giving her a little space.

“Are you not single? Tell me.”

She winced. Bugger. He must think she was pulling away out of guilt. “I’m single. I left my ex over a month ago.”

“Why did you flinch when I asked about him? What did he do to you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to think about him. Please.” She lifted her palms to cup his face, his neatly trimmed steel grey beard soft against her skin. She was well aware she was being reckless as hell, allowing her body to make decisions it shouldn’t. But she didn’t care. He was being nice to her, acting like he gave a damn about her. She’d had so little of that throughout her life, and she wanted to bask in it while she could. “Kiss me?”

His gaze stayed hard for a moment before it began to melt into something softer, sexier.

“You will tell me later what happened that made you flinch at the thought of him.”

Before she could respond, he lowered his mouth to hers. His lips were soft yet commanding, and he stole her breath as he proceeded to kiss her passionately. The arousal that raced through her blood cleared her mind of all other thoughts.

Tilting his head, Daniil kissed his Julietta deeper. She was like his very own personal brand of cocaine. While he’d never seen the point of taking drugs that would remove his control over himself, he couldn’t resist her. One taste and he was hooked. So much so, that it wiped his mind of all other thoughts except for one. The fact he’d noticed some bruising on her face around the time she said she left her ex. He’d assumed it had been a surfing accident, and from a distance, he hadn’t even been certain it was a bruise and not just shadows over her face. It was something he planned on getting to the bottom of later. If her ex had laid a hand on his Julietta, the man would pay for it. But not right now. Right now, he was busy enjoying the woman who’d occupied his thoughts far too fully for far too long. He shifted so his weight was on one arm, freeing up the other to cup her face with his palm. Her cheek was like silk against his skin, and he needed to feel more of her.

It hadn’t been the time or place earlier for him to check out her breasts. His need to cover her before Viktor arrived had been more important than checking out her assets. But now was a different story. She was squirming and moaning beneath him as he continued to kiss her.

He slid his hand under her back before he rolled them over, so she was now on top of him. Pressing her palms on his pecs, she broke the kiss to sit up. Her legs had fallen on either side of his hips, which left his rock-hard cock up against her pussy. Even through their clothes, the heat of her scorched him as though they were naked.