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had no control whatsoever.
    It took everything within him not to stalk
over to Blake’s cabin and pull her into his arms. Kiss her until
they were both breathless. Strip her of that silky, sexy nightgown
and lick every inch of her gorgeous body.
    Shit. He let his hand drop and rest
over his erect cock. A hand job would bring him no real
satisfaction, though he planned on it anyway. He had to. His cock
was so stiff, he needed some sort of relief, no matter how
temporary it might be.
    What she offered, he couldn’t take. No
matter how much he wanted to. This was his job. She was his
job. Allowing Blake to distract him was getting him nowhere. His
behavior put her at risk. He had a duty to fulfill above all
else.
    Protecting the vice president’s
daughter.

Chapter Four

    “Where do you think you’re going?”
    Blake slung her purse over her shoulder and
counted to three before she turned and faced Mason. She schooled
her expression, completely neutral as she watched him approach.
“I’m walking into town.”
    A single dark brow lifted. “And you weren’t
going to tell me?”
    She shrugged. How she wished she could blink
three times and make last night’s mortifying events disappear. The
aborted strip tease had been a catastrophe from start to finish.
The only positive part being that she knew, even for a fleeting
moment, she’d affected him.
    Not enough to push him into action
though.
    “It’s not that far to town. And it’s a
gorgeous morning.”
    It was. And for once, she just wanted to be
normal. Do something simple. Like take a walk and bask in the sun.
It shone warm and bright, though the air was brisk, accompanied by
a slight breeze. A perfect mid-October morning and her protector,
as usual, was trying to put a damper on it.
    Not that she could blame him. Her pretending
everything was all right and nothing bad happened last evening was
just another coping mechanism. Blake didn’t need a psychologist.
She self-analyzed on a daily basis.
    If she thought about it too hard, she was a
complete and utter mess.
    Was it really so wrong, these feeling she
had for him? Maybe it was. She made him out as some sort of hero
but really, he was just a man. With faults and bad habits, needs
and wants, just like anyone else.
    She needed that daily reminder almost as
much as she needed a cup of coffee to wake up.
    “You really need to tell me when you’re
going somewhere.” His mouth was grim, his eyes dark. She’d
irritated him—what else was new?—and he wasn’t afraid to let her
know it. “That’s why I’m here, you know.
    “I’m sorry.” She tried her best to sound
contrite, tried even harder not to stare at him but he made it so
damn hard.
    Like looking absolutely delicious in a pair
of worn jeans that clung to his muscular thighs, a flannel shirt
hanging loose and open over his white T-shirt and a pair of very
expensive-looking hiking boots on his feet. He was the ultimate
gorgeous and very slick mountain man.
    “I’m coming with you.” It wasn’t a question.
And she knew she would get nowhere arguing with him. Besides, she
really didn’t want to.
    Why she thought it was a good idea to try
and sneak out for a cup of coffee in the early morning hours, she
didn’t know. Having Mason at her side made her feel safer
anyway.
    They started down the driveway, the gravel
crunching beneath their feet. Blake shoved her hands into the
pockets of her thick black cardigan, kept her head bent. She didn’t
know what to say. Last night’s events hung heavy between them.
Should she mention it? Apologize for her stupid behavior?
    In the harsh light of day, it didn’t feel
right bringing it up.
    So she kept quiet, utilizing one of his
tricks and letting the silence stretch. It didn’t seem to bother
him whatsoever. He’d slipped his sunglasses on, the epitome of
casual cool.
    As they turned onto the road toward town,
she noticed the slight tilt of his head, how he scanned their
surroundings beneath the shield of his