Page 6 of Protector Next Door
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Xander
I shouldn’t have been soharsh with her, but there was no other way to convey how serious I was. She’s always been stubborn. So haveI.
I didn’t expect my harsh words to suck the air out of herlungs.
“You’re going to have your own wing,” I say, punching in the passcode for my house. The security here is thorough and tight. There are cameras trained on every means of egress, including the garage, the front and back doors of the guest house, and the glass on every window is shatter-proof. Overkill or not, it’s a level of protection that makes me comfortable in my home and lets me sleep at night. When I was fourteen my mom was home alone and an invader held her at knife-point while his partner stole her engagement ring and other jewelry, including my father’s wedding band and a crucifix necklace my mom had bought at The Vatican on their honeymoon. These things weren’t just jewelry to her. My father had passed away six months earlier so she especially cherished his wedding band, and the cross was one of her most valuedbelongings.
“What about the guest house?” Samantha asks, stepping into my home and taking it all in. I watch her eyes as her gaze travels from the tall windows on the right side of the home and the row of tall palm trees just beyond them, to the tall, oak wood wall on the left that spans both stories of my home. She walks to the base of the stairs, puts her hand on the smooth burnished metal banister and peers up. I smile as she turns around and crooks an eyebrow at me, her lips pulled into a smirk that saysalright, I see you.She returns to the foyer and walks with cautious ease as she nods, walking to the back of the house where the kitchen is. The living room is wide and houses black leather couches. The kitchen is all-new and cuttingedge.
I’ve always loved design and architecture. Add in my penchant for all things secure and high-tech (not to mention my love of cooking, even if it’s just cooking for one), and I’ve never more appreciated than right now what a winning combination itis.
I cross my arms over my chest and smile when her gaze finds mine and a smile spreads on herlips.
She likes the fortress I’ve built. It pleases her. A wave of satisfaction rolls throughme.
“Still want to stay in the guest house?” Itease.
“No way,” she says in a cute little breathless whisper. She likes the house and she’ll be happy to stay here with me. It’s big enough that we won’t be in each other’s hair, but open enough that I’ll be able to keep tabs on her. It’s perfect. The one-way privacy screens on all the windows ensure that there won’t be any more drone cameras to take disgusting photos ofSamantha.
Not that the photosthemselveswere disgusting. In fact, I had to tamp down my pure masculine side when I saw them. They showed her in a series of compromising positions and I wanted to destroy whoever took them. But…at the same time, I had to force myself to not look at the curves of her body in various stages of undress - and even though I’ll have to send them out for forensics, I don’t like the idea of my tech seeing her in that state, even though it’s all in the pursuit of confirming the identity of the asshole who was stupid enough to pull thisshit.
“You’ll find your bathroom at the end of the hall,” I say as I guide Samantha to her room, “and there are fresh towels in the closet out here. You’ll also find an exit to outside down the hall, but I only want you using the front door to leave the property. And if you’re going to leave, I have to know where you’re going and when you’ll beback.”
“You really aren’t kidding around, areyou?”
“No, Samantha. I’m not. I don’t play. Not when it comes to shit likethis.”
“This is really bad timing,” she says, putting her duffel bag on the corner of the bed. “I have a conference coming up that I really can’t afford tomiss.”
“We’ll sort everything out,” I say. “First thing is making sure we figure out who is responsible for the photos and why they weretaken.”
“Thanks.” She looks at her palms. Her sullenness seems to have shifted. Not toward the inconvenience of having been nearly forced to leave her home. Not toward the asshole who took the pictures. Not toward the poor timing of all this, even though no time would be the best time. No, the sullenness is directed at me. I can feel it in her gaze as she lifts her eyes to look atme.
“I’m sorry for speaking to you so harshly, Samantha.” Iam.
“You don’t have to apologize. I just don’t like it when people tell me what to do,” she offers. Her gaze flashes to my eyes and softens. “I’m sorrytoo.”
“There’s no food in the house so I’m going to order a pizza,okay?”
“Okay,” she says, a smile playing on herlips.
“I knew that would make you happy,” I say. “You still like peppers and onions,right?”
“Greenpeppers.”
“I gotyou.”
I close the door behind me and let out a big breath, plowing a hand through my hair as I peek behind my shoulder. I liked Samantha two years ago. Our friendship grew as we became reacquainted in the process of closing on her new home. I was even looking forward to taking her out once I returned from mytrip.
But now, having her in myhouse?
I close my eyes as my hand falls to the erection growing in my pants. Aside from the obvious landmine of wanting to fuck one of my oldest friend’s young, sexy, and incredibly sweet daughter, is the precarious, vulnerable state she’s in. Making a move would be wrong forsomany reasons. It’s wrong that all I can think of, with my eyes closed outside her room and her fresh lemon scent lingering in the hallway, is an image of lacing one hand through her hair to pull her lips to mine. Of knowing that I could do things to her with my tongue that would take her breath away and make her instantly addicted to me. I know what I could do for her, what I want to do forher.
“Fuck,” I groan, sucking in a sharp breath. The stress of the situation must be throwing off the rational, decision-making part of my brain, because right now the only thing I want to do is march back in there, tell her how incredibly sexy she is, and throw her down on the bed so I can rip her clothesoff.
Get it the fuck together, man. It doesn’t matter how good you could make her feel and how much you want her. The best thing you can do for her right now is to stay the hellaway.
