Page 6 of Protecting His Girl

Duke cuts in with his deep voice. “One room is fine."

I raise an eyebrow at him. “But where are you going to sleep? There’s only one.”

His face is all seriousness, but there's a twinkle in his eye that I can't quite decipher.

"Trust me, sweetheart," he says. “We'll manage."

Chapter Three

DUKE

The soundof water cascading in the shower fills my ears as I open the door to the hotel room with the last of Grace’s luggage in my arms.

I set Grace's luggage down with a grunt, I take a moment to survey our surroundings. The suite is actually pretty nice as far as hotel rooms go.

It's spacious and well-lit, with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the mountain view. It also has a private bedroom where Grace will sleep, along with It has a separate living room and kitchenette.

As I close the curtains, I notice Mimi is curled up on the floor by the couch in a semi-circle. Her eyelids are droopy, and she looks about two seconds away from passing out.

I still hear the shower running, so I decide to get Mimi's crate set up so Grace won't have to do it later. Mimi pads over to it, her tail wagging slowly, and two seconds later she's asleep on her bed.

Then I sit down on the couch.

This night is nothing like I imagined it would be.

Once we settled into our room, Grace said she felt a bit off. So I suggested she take a hot shower while I got the rest of ourluggage. I didn't want to risk a bellhop coming into the room and seeing her.

The steamy air from the shower seeps out from beneath the bathroom door. I try my best to focus on anything other than the fact that my girl is right behind that door.

But despite my best efforts, the image of Grace's stunning figure wrapped in nothing but a towel keeps creeping into my mind.

The bathroom door swings open, and I can't help but let my eyes wander to Grace as she steps out. She's wearing a sleep outfit that leaves little to the imagination. The soft fabric clings to her skin, hugging her curvy figure and emphasizing her ample chest.

Her long blonde hair is damp and tousled, framing her face perfectly.

She pads over to me as she blots her hair with a towel. “Where’s Mimi?”

“I put her in her crate. She seemed tired, so I thought it was best to tuck her in for the night.”

Grace blinks at me in surprise. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“It was no trouble. Are you feeling better?”

Grace gives me a grateful smile. “Much. Airplanes are gross. But now I finally feel human again.”

I chuckle. "Yeah, showers tend to have that effect on me too."

Grace bites her lip, the delicate pink flesh trapped between her pearly white teeth. Her gaze flicks to the couch and then back at me.

I quick an eyebrow at her. “Something wrong?”

"I just feel bad that you have to sleep on the couch. It looks so…uncomfortable.”

She isn’t wrong. The couch is a lumpy mess, and we both know that neither of us is going to get a good night's sleep if I stay there.

My instinct tells me she wants me in that bed with her, and my body responds eagerly to the idea. But I fight the urge.

I need to give her space. Not just for her sake, but for mine too. Tonight, I have work to do. I need to track down whoever’s been sending her those messages. And I have a feeling it might take a while.

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