Read Close Quarters (Her SEAL Protector #1) for Free Online Page B

of trouble can't be that hard."
    With a mischievous quirk to her mouth, Jamie brought his hand to her waist. She clasped his other hand and moved it to the round, firm curve of her bottom. Leaning forward with a teasing smile, she asked, "You could always practice on me."
    Heat streaked through his belly and into his groin. Squeezing her lush backside, he grinned. "Girl, the way trouble seems to find you, I'll have to ask for hazard pay."
    "If you kiss me again, I'll make sure you get a benefits package that rivals any other."
    Her remark elicited a low chuckle. Moving one hand to the back of her head, he gently pressed her face toward his. With that stupid misunderstanding behind them, anything was possible now. He wanted to know if a second kiss could come anywhere near as perfect as that first one.
    When their lips finally met—five long years later—it was even better.

Chapter Four
    Finally! Trembling inside, she clutched at Leland's shoulders. His lips pressed against hers, gently at first but then with more intensity. After fighting their attraction to each other for so long, desire flared as brightly as wildfire between them now. It burned her right up and left her craving his taste and heat.
    This is new. His beard tickled her mouth. She had been kissed quite a few times since the last time her lips had locked with Leland's, but there had never been a bearded man among them. She had assumed it would be unpleasant or strange, but this was nice. Tingling and hot, her skin grew so sensitive she felt all sorts of interesting things like the whisper of his breath on her cheek and the graze of his fingertips along her neck.
    He captured her mouth, gripping a fistful of her hair and holding her right where he wanted her. He didn't do it with force or to cause her pain. It was a subtle reminder of his power and the roughness about him that had always drawn her in and that now made her feel safe. She melted into him, winding her arms around his neck and tilting her head to the side. His tongue stabbed against hers before he bit down on her bottom lip, leaving her tender flesh swollen and throbbing. He licked his tongue over that spot and pulled her in closer.
    Leland's leg might not be in tip-top shape at the moment, but his brawny arms were more than up to the task. He slid them around her waist and hauled her right on top of him. She giggled against his mouth, and then moaned when his tongue flicked against hers.
    Wiggling her bottom, she straddled his hips and ran her hands over his bare skin. Her fingertips trailed over the scars dotting his skin. She ached for all the pain and hardship he had known while serving their country with such honor. Working her way across his chest to his shoulders and then to his arms and hands, she kissed every old injury she discovered.
    Leland watched her with heavily lidded eyes, his expression a mixture of amusement and reverence. He traced the shell of her ear and ran his fingertips down her neck. Grasping some of the fabric of her top, he murmured, "Take this off. Let me see you, Jamie."
    Sitting up, she teasingly smiled at him. "You only want to see me?"
    "To start with," he said, sliding his hands under her shirt to caress her bare belly.
    Shivering under his skilled hands, she peeled out of her top and shimmied out of her yoga pants and undies. Kneeling between his splayed legs, she gave him a saucy grin. "Well? What do you think?"
    Leland visibly gulped, his hands going still on her body as he simply enjoyed the sight of her naked curves. Groaning with desire, he gathered her close and flipped her onto her back. Careful not to put any weight on his sore knee, he rested on his side and smothered her with passionate kisses that left her reeling and breathless. "You're so damned beautiful, Jamie. I'm staring at you right now, and I have to keep telling myself that you're real."
    Quivering beneath his heated gaze, she felt incredibly shy. Leland was the poster boy for the SEALS, all