Page 9 of Her Delta Force Protector

“It’s dirty.” The Kade she knew wouldn’t allow anything of his to look like that. He was one of the neatest people she knew, almost obsessive about it. Sometimes, when she was at his house to watch a movie, she’d purposely move something around or drop a jacket or sweater on the floor just to mess with him. It was funny how he’d try to subtly move the object back in its place or pick up whatever she’d dropped and fold it or hang it up. No way would he tolerate a mud-covered bike.

“The less attention we get, the better.” He set her duffel on the seat, then opened one of the saddlebags. “Put what you can in here, then the rest in the other one.”

She put her laptop, chargers, mouse, toiletry case, and purse in the first saddlebag. All that was left was two changes of clothes, running shoes, flip-flops, and the duffel bag with her gun in it, all of which fit in the second saddlebag.

“I was expecting to tell you that you’d have to leave some stuff behind.”

“Well, I’ve learned to travel light lately.” She noticed that he constantly scanned their surroundings while she got her things put away, and the relief that other eyes besides hers were watching for danger was profound, especially when they belonged to a highly trained warrior.

He handed her a helmet. “Put this on so we can beat feet.” As soon as they had their helmets on, he swung a leg over the bike. “You ever ride on a motorcycle before?”

“Yeah, a boyfriend had one.”

“Good. Hop on.”

There wasn’t a backrest, so she put her hands on the sides of his waist. He shook his head, then pulled her hands around his stomach, which resulted in her pressed against his back. All righty then.

As they rode through the night, her arms wrapped around a man with a rock-hard stomach, she wondered what it would be like to have a boyfriend like Kade Church.

Chapter Four

Kade had never let himself think of Harper as anything other than a friend, but damn, he liked having her pressed against him. She’d let her hair grow longer since the last time he’d seen her. He’d have to see it in the daytime, but when she’d removed the ball cap to put on the helmet, the brown looked lighter than he remembered. Hazel eyes that lit up when she laughed, full lips that he’d never let himself think about kissing, and a body that rocked all made for a very fine woman.

Yeah, he was noticing now, but he shut that kind of thinking down. It had been too long since he’d had a woman’s soft body wrapped around him, the reason for these stray thoughts. His best friend was hands-off.

They’d been riding for three hours now, and her helmet was bopping against his, and her hands had dropped to his lap. She was falling asleep, not a good thing to do on a motorcycle. He’d hoped to ride straight home. Stopping for a few hours of sleep would mean he’d never make it to Charlotte in time for his interview. Not the way to make a good impression, but he couldn’t risk her falling off.

A motel was listed on the sign for the next exit, and he headed for it. When he shut down the engine, Harper mumbled something. He held on to her arm to keep her from falling off and twisted in his seat to see her. Her face fell to his shoulder. She was military, used to drills, sometimes long into the night. Normally she wouldn’t have a problem staying awake. When had she last slept? He removed his helmet and set it over the mirror.

“Hey.” He shook her. She mumbled something unintelligible again. “Ten-hut, Lieutenant!”

She jerked straight up.

“At ease.” He chuckled when she sagged against him again.

“Where are we?”

He glanced at the sign. “The Blue Bird Motel, where sweet dreams are promised.”

“You’re making that up.”

“Nope. Says so right there on the sign. Stay here while I get us a room.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re exhausted, and the last thing I want to see is your sweet ass hitting the pavement when you fall off.” He tapped her helmet. “You can take that off if you want.”

There were only a few cars in the lot, and the place looked pretty run-down, but it would do. They had a room with twin beds on the back side available, which was great. He doubted whoever was after her had tracked them here, but his motorcycle wouldn’t be visible from the street.

After paying for the room with cash, and with an actual key in hand, he returned to the bike. He came to a dead stop at the view in front of him. The woman he’d never let himself think about sexually was bent over, her palms flat on the pavement, her butt in the air.

Killing me, LT.

“Ah...” He cleared his throat. “Looking for something?”

She slowly rose, lifted her arms over her head, and twisted her torso one way, and then the other. “Just getting the kinks out.”

And now she had to go and put the wordkinkin his head. Eff him. Kink and Harper was a vision he didn’t need. He cleared his throat. Again. “I have to ride to the room. You want back on or walk around?”

---