Free On Jason's Watch [Paladin Protection Agency 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Susan Hayes Page A

me.”
    She felt her breath catch in her chest. “I’m important to you?”
    “Hell yes,” he whispered and kissed her again. “I don’t know what this is, but I do know it’s not a fling. So if you’re looking to use me and throw me over in the morning, I’ll be completely distraught.” He made his lower lip wobble and gave her an utterly woebegone look. “I may never recover.”
    “You’re incorrigible.” She nipped his still-protruding lower lip. “I don’t know what this is either, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the love ’em and leave ’em type. Until tonight, I haven’t been the love ’em type at all.”
    “I know, sweetheart. I’m going to take good care of you.”
    “I know you will,” she confessed softly. “I just hope I don’t hurt you.”
    “That’s not going to happen.” He sat up just enough to regain the use of his hands, closing them around her wrists as he drew both of her arms over her head. He held them there as he leaned in and kissed her again, his tongue and lips distracting her from what he was doing. It wasn’t until she registered the cool slide of silk snugging up around her wrists that she realized what he was planning, and by then he was already securing her arms to the headboard.
    “Jase, no.” She yanked at her binding, but it didn’t give way.
    “Trust me. You’re afraid you’re going to hurt me. Well, you can’t if you’re tied up, right? No claws this way. And I tied it so that if you change, the knots will loosen off enough you won’t get hurt.”
    “This is your idea of making me feel safe?” She thrashed on the bed, yanking harder this time.
    “Lie still and trust me. If you really don’t want to do this, then I’ll untie you. But I think this is a good idea.” His gaze slid over her body and she couldn’t help but see the hunger in his eyes. “I take that back. This is an amazing idea. You’re gorgeous, a private feast laid out just for me.”
    She managed a derisive and very unladylike snort and glowered up at him. “I feel more like a trussed turkey.”
    “You’re one very sexy-looking turkey. Thanksgiving never looked this good at my house.”
    She burst out laughing, and when she was done, nearly all her anxiety had faded away. “So, now you have me trussed up, what exactly was your plan?”
    He settled his body beside hers and dropped a line of kisses into the valley between her breasts. “My plan was to make love to you until we’re both too tired to move.”
    “And what if I—you know—change?”
    “You’re not going to. But since you seem intent on worrying about this, here’s the deal. You use the safe word, and I’ll stop. No guilt, no questions.”
    “Safe word, huh. And just what is this magical word I’m supposed to say?”
    He lifted his head and grinned at her. “Turkey.”
    She was still trying to form a good retort when his mouth closed over her lace-covered breast and she lost the ability to think. There was nothing but the heat of his touch and the gentle pinch of his teeth as he teased the fast-hardening bud of her nipple. She felt herself arching her back, pressing herself against his lips. His fingers stroked along her flank before moving beneath her, and she felt him release the clasp of her bra just as his teeth raked over her again. She cried out at the exquisite torment and arched higher this time, using the leverage of her bonds to lift herself. The silk ties were too soft and the fabric too wide to bite into her skin with any discomfort, so she wrapped her fingers around each silken length and hung on.
    Jase bared her breasts and then cursed as he realized he’d tied her hands, making it impossible to remove her bra completely.
    “Rookie mistake,” she heard him mutter as he slid the straps up her arms and over her head, leaving it to dangle over her forearms.
    “Technical difficulties?” she asked, amazed she had found the wit to tease him.
    “You just hush.” He sealed her mouth with a kiss