Breaking Her Rules (6 page)

near him. The thought of seeing him in action when he was negotiating was a little hot.

“There’s a boat idling in the bay maybe half a mile out. Lights are off,” Vincent said in her

earpiece. Like Wyatt’s guard, Jay, Vincent had been a SEAL too, but he’d been with a different team and had gone through BUDs years after Jay had gotten out so the two men didn’t know one another.

The house was situated on the water so boat traffic was to be expected—but a moving vessel with

no lights at this time of night was odd. She started to respond when Vincent’s words stopped her.

“Never mind, they’re leaving.”

That didn’t mean anything. “Keep an eye on the waterfront.” Someone could try to infiltrate the

premises that way. It would be difficult, but Iris wanted to be prepared for all scenarios.

After he signed off Iris opened the stainless steel refrigerator she could easily fit in. She was

headed to Wyatt’s room before she went to bed, but she was starving and didn’t want to face him on

an empty stomach. There was a lot of food, but everything would have to be cooked.
Ugh, no thanks.

When she tried the pantry she grinned. She found graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows and a

box of unopened Hershey’s chocolate bars. Oh yeah, Wyatt had been prepared for her. Her favorite

late night snack was placing the trio together into a s’more and melting them in the microwave. Not exactly healthy but she didn’t care. Food in hand, she turned and yelped to find Wyatt standing in the entryway—looking a lot more delicious than what was in her hands.

She’d forgotten how quiet he could be when he wanted and she hated that he could sneak up on her.

“Everything okay?” Vincent asked in her ear.

Eyes fixed on Wyatt, she said, “Yeah, I’m in the kitchen and Wyatt’s with me. I’m going radio

silent.” Without waiting for a response, she turned off her earpiece and put it in her pocket. For a live-in job she was technically never off-duty except when she was sleeping. Not even then really.

But she wasn’t sleeping with her earpiece in and right now the ‘client’ was in front of her so she

didn’t need to worry about keeping tabs on him.

Wyatt shoved his hands in his pants pockets and leaned against the doorframe. His plain T-shirt

molded to the cut lines and striations of his upper arms. “Late night snack?” he murmured, seduction in his voice.

Iris wasn’t sure how he could make such a simple question sound dirty, but the man pulled it off.

Throat tight, she nodded. “Yeah.” He’d been quiet for most of the drive to his house, then when

they’d arrived he’d had to take a phone call. Since she’d been busy securing his home they’d barely said two words to each other.

His dark hair was damp and slicked back—which meant he’d probably just had a shower. He

wouldn’t have taken one in the master bathroom because she hadn’t found something to cover those

windows yet. Right now her thoughts were more on what he’d looked like naked probably ten minutes

ago as hot water pulsed over his muscular body. She could actually picture the steam rising up around his ripped, perfect body. They’d made love in the shower so many times that even the thought of him in one made her nipples tighten.

“What are you thinking?” he murmured, stepping into the big pantry. When he pulled the door shut

behind him, alarm jumped inside her.

Not that he’d hurt her, but close quarters with him spelled trouble. She set the foodstuff down on

one of the shelves. “I’m thinking you better open that door.” Instead of trying to move past him, she crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to comply.

His sinful lips just curved up in an almost mocking expression. “You owe me a conversation.”

“And you want to have it in here?” She didn’t want to have it anywhere. Not while she was

working, but that was one concession she would have to give him.

He shrugged those broad shoulders, drawing her gaze to them. She couldn’t help but undress him

with her eyes, remembering every hot inch of his naked body. Unfortunately he knew what she was

doing.

“All you have to do is ask and I’ll take my clothes off.”

Iris gritted her teeth, hating that she was so transparent to him. She ignored the statement. “You

want to talk, I’m here.”

“I don’t want a divorce,” he said quietly. At the familiar words, she opened her mouth but he cut

her off with a shake of his head, his expression determined. “It’s my turn to talk. Do I like that your job puts you in danger almost every day? No. Do I want you to have to work? No. But does that mean

we can’t make this work? Hell no.” Wyatt took a step closer, his large body crowding her in the small enclosure. When he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close, she fought to breathe.

His familiar scent intoxicated her, making her light-headed. “I love my job, Wyatt. And I’ll never

be what you need. We’ve been friends for a long time.” Longer than she wanted to think about. He

was the only person she still kept in touch with from their rural Georgia hometown. After her mom

had died, she’d had no ties left to it.

Except Wyatt.

And up until last month when they’d got freaking married, they’d talked on the phone pretty much

every week. Both their schedules kept them busy and on the road, but they’d always made time for

each other. Her feelings for him ran so deep it scared her. “But you made it pretty damn clear that you expected me to quit my job and live with you wherever that might be.” She had nothing against stay-at-home wives and moms, some of her best friends were, but she couldn’t do that. Still, there was

more to her running away from him—even if she wouldn’t admit it aloud.

His fingers flexed possessively on her hips and she tried to ignore the fluttering in her belly. Damn him for his effect on her. “I said that in the heat of the moment. We both struggled growing up and I just…I made a stupid assumption that was obviously wrong.”

“But it’s what you want.” She placed her hands on his chest, intending to get him to back up a step, but her fingers curled against his soft T-shirt. Lord, she was weak where he was concerned.

His jaw tightened before he answered. “I want you safe.”

Okay, not exactly an answer. And he knew better than most that no one was truly safe. She was

highly capable and trained, just like him. “I’m not going to change who I am or what I do to fit some mold.”

“I’m not asking you to. I just want you to give us a chance. If we end up not being able to live with each other, we part ways.” The determined glint in his eyes told her he’d never be satisfied until he’d completely claimed every single part of her heart.

She’d managed to keep some control where he was concerned but the truth was, she was terrified

that he would discover she wasn’t what he wanted, and then he’d walk away from
her
. Leaving her heart in shattered pieces. And there would never be anyone else for her. She realized that on a

fundamental level. He knew everything about where she came from. They’d both grown up in the

poverty bracket, though at least her mother had always put food on the table and kept a clean house.

He’d tried to be her defender from the time they were ten years old—though occasionally she’d

punched a few kids for giving him a hard time. He just made her feel safe, like she’d come home. So if he rejected her once he realized she wasn’t going to turn into someone better suited for his

lifestyle…she couldn’t even think about what that would do to her. Running from him had been total

cowardice, but she’d been the one in the driver’s seat—in control. Now there was no escaping him.

Not when he was standing right in front of her. “What exactly do you want?”

“A trial period. We live together and act like we’re fucking married.” His expression dark, his

grip tightened again and that possessive look on his face turned her resolve to mush.

Iris swallowed hard and even though she worried she’d live to regret her decision, she nodded

slowly. “Okay…but only after this job.” She had no clue how long it would end up being.

He got this triumphant look on his face, but before he could speak she pressed a finger to his lips.

“I’m serious. I’ve still got a job to do. That doesn’t change. You’re in danger and I know I should step down as team leader because I’m emotionally invested, but I’m not going to. No one will protect you more than I can and I’m not leaving your side until this threat is eliminated. Whether I’m team leader or not, I’m glued to you.” Wyatt was just as trained as she was and was more than capable of

protecting himself, but in a situation like this he needed to be focused on his job. Not worrying about people out to kill him.

She knew Wyatt wanted to argue, could see it in his eyes, but he held back. Okay, that said

something all by itself. Internally, she let out a sigh of relief that this wouldn’t turn into an argument.

“Then you’re definitely sleeping in my—our—bed.” The triumphant look was back, all smug and

masculine. Pure Wyatt.

Iris didn’t bother fighting her smile. “Is that all you ever think about?”

“Since we were fifteen.”

She blinked at his bold statement, taken completely off guard by the raw honesty of his words. He

didn’t give her a chance to speak, just closed the distance between them in seconds. Before she

realized what he intended his mouth was on hers, but rather than devour her, his kisses were soft and sweet. She could feel the pent up energy thrumming through him, despite the show of gentleness.

Her fingers curled against his chest as need swept through her like a tidal wave. He tensed, his

body going rigid as her fingers tightened, but he kept up those sweet kisses. When they’d fallen into bed the first time over a month ago, things had been intense. Wyatt wasn’t a soft or romantic man.

While he was incredibly giving as a lover, he was so rough around the edges. Of course she wouldn’t want him any other way, but right now his tenderness was freaking her out a little.

Hot, sweaty sex she could deal with. Hell, she craved it from him. This slowness…she didn’t

know what to do with it. One of his hands slowly slid up her body, skating over her waist, arm and

shoulder before he threaded his fingers through her hair. His hold wasn’t tight, but caressing as his tongue danced against hers.

Iris wasn’t sure what was wrong with her, but he had her feeling edgy and impatient. Sliding one

hand down his chest and taut stomach, she didn’t stop until she reached the button of his pants. He’d changed out of his typical suit and now wore a comfortable T-shirt and jeans. She started to work the button free, but he pulled back.

His pale eyes appeared darker in the dim lighting of the pantry and his breathing was rough,

uneven. He swallowed once as he stared at her. “No.”

She blinked, not sure if she understood. Since she didn’t trust her voice, she slid her hand down

until she cupped his erection over his jeans.

He let out a pained sound. “Not…right now. Let me take this slow.”

Still unsure exactly what he meant, she slid her hand back up and linked her fingers together behind his neck. “How slow?” she murmured, loving the feel of her body pressed up against his. No matter

what, her attraction to him was potent. It had always been there, lingering between them, but once

they’d kissed, things had turned flammable in an instant. There had been no going back.

“I’m going to get you off with just my fingers,” he rasped out before dipping his head until his teeth and stubble rasped against her neck.

She arched into him, wanting to tell him to stop simply because they were in a pantry that wasn’t

exactly private, but also wanting him to do exactly what he said. A month of using her hand and

fantasizing about him was nothing compared to how he could pleasure her. She wouldn’t mind him

using his mouth too. Iris’s nipples tingled with anticipation as Wyatt’s hand teased the hem of her button-down black blouse. With impressive speed, he deftly pulled all the buttons free.

Looking down at her chest, he slowly peeled the shirt open. Even though she hadn’t planned on

anything, she’d worn one of the few non-utilitarian bras she owned. Black and purple lace covered

her breasts, but left little to the imagination. It had been a gift from Wyatt, but he hadn’t seen her in it yet. By the look of pure hunger on his face, he certainly liked what he saw.

“You like the gift?” When he met her gaze there was a trace of uncertainty in his eyes, surprising

her.

Maybe it was because he hadn’t seen her wearing it yet. She nodded, wanting to reassure him. Any

sort of vulnerability from him shredded her. “I love it.”

He watched her then for a long moment and she forced herself not to squirm under that intense

scrutiny.

Finally he spoke, taking her off guard with his raw sensuality. “I want to feel you coming around

my fingers, then my tongue.” His words sounded starkly over pronounced in the small enclosure. He

couldn’t even tear his gaze away from her breasts and she couldn’t seem to stop her erratic breathing.

Having his laser-like focus on her always made her weak in the knees. As his words penetrated the

haze in her mind she wanted to shout that she wanted that too. She’d missed the feel of him teasing and stroking her to orgasm with nothing but his mouth and fingers—and she really missed doing the

same to him. In the bedroom they never had any communication problems. He leaned down, his

tongue skimming the top lace of the demi cup. “Wyatt—”

Panic slammed into her sharp and steady as she heard the jingle of the door handle. Iris shoved him to the side as the pantry door swung open. The only reason he moved so easily was because she’d

taken him off guard and put a lot of force behind her push. He tipped off balance, cursing as he