Page 78 of Her Faithful Protector

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I am also sick of this apartment. I’m going stir crazy.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“If you call me ma’am one more time I’m going to hit you!”

Nic seriously considered calling her ma’am again to see what would happen, but he refrained. He also didn’t point out that they had just been to her apartment three days ago to pick up a suitcase worth of clothes and toiletries, and spent the night there. He at least had the good sense not to try to use logic at this point, not when she was so riled up.

“Is it okay if I tell you you’re beautiful when you’re angry?”

Camilla marched to the sofa, picked up one of the decorative pillows, and threw it at him. He let it hit him, figuring that would give her a little bit of satisfaction. Anyway, he had been telling the truth; she was wearing an orange sundress that looked fantastic with her pale skin and chestnut hair.

“Stop smiling.” Her eyes narrowed and she picked up another pillow.

Oh no, he wasn’t having that.

He strode toward her.

“Don’t you dare come near me, Nicholas Hale. I’m armed and dangerous.” She lifted the pillow high over her head. Nic easily took it out of her hand and tossed it back onto the sofa. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

“It seems to me that you have a lot of excess energy today. Maybe we need to find a way for you to channel it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she huffed.

Things had been coming to a head since her breakthrough four days ago. “How is your shoulder?” he asked. “Are you in pain?”

“No,” she whispered. She looked up at him, her eyes dark with desire. Oh yeah, it was time. Nic’s breathing stopped as he contemplated her full lips and flushed face. Years, it had been years since he had kissed her. Her left arm snaked around his neck and she tried to pull his head down, breaking him out of his trance.

Go easy. You need to take it easy, man.

Nic tilted his head and slanted his lips over hers. Memories burst into his brain, immediately overpowered by the sublime beauty of this moment. Camilla’s mouth flowered open, welcoming a deeper kiss as she pulled him even tighter. His eyes started to drift shut but he slammed them open, wanting to watch the woman in his arms, not wanting to miss anything about their new first kiss.

He slid his tongue into her mouth and she moaned. He was lost in the pleasure of her heat and taste. Over and over again, he kissed and nipped at her mouth. She melted against him and he gladly took her weight, as both hands caressed her ass through the thin cotton of her dress. She ground her front against his arousal, rocketing his desire higher and higher.

He had to stop. One more instant and he would be carrying her into his bedroom, and it was too soon. They still had things to work out.

He slowly pulled away from their kiss and looked down at her dazed expression.

“Why did you stop?”

“It’s too soon to take this step,” he whispered. “Please know that I want to make love to you, but I want to make sure we do this at the right time.”

Her brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

He moved one hand and stroked her back in long sweeps. “Our relationship talk. You said you wanted to wait until you got your feet back on the ground, remember?”

Camilla stepped back and Nic loosened his hold. “Honey, despite what I said back then, we’ve been moving forward all along. At least that’s how it’s seemed to me. Am I wrong?” Camilla asked.

“Oh hell no. I’ve been getting to know you for the last four weeks. The new and improved Cami, and I’ve been impressed as hell.”

He watched her blush. How could she be blushing?

“Well don’t be too impressed, I’m pretty boring. I’ve been at the same University for six years,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, and how many papers have you written? What about the time you were asked to teach a semester in Ireland? I would say that was pretty impressive.”

“That’s boring math stuff,” she protested. “You’re out saving lives.”