Hot Protector(37)

And, oh my, how would it feel to have him inside her?

Sophie shivered as they entered the store and he dropped her hand. His fingers settled against her spine, right in the small of her back, as he let her lead the way through the store. She walked over to the romance novels and stared at the covers.

Chase stood behind her, his presence solid and reassuring—and nerve-racking at the same time.

“That one looks good,” he murmured in her ear, reaching past her to point to a book with a cover that featured a fully clothed man who had a woman up against a wall, her legs wrapped around him.

Her pulse skipped a couple of beats, both at the cover and at the gold ring on his finger. “You can’t base your decision solely on the cover,” she said, trying desperately not to step backward and into the solid heat of his body.

“Then pick it up and skip around for the dirty parts. I’ll read them to you on the plane.”

Sophie laughed, but it was nervous laughter. Because holy cow, Chase reading the dirty parts to her? That thought made her nipples tighten and her pussy throb with heat.

“Maybe not,” she said, reaching for a nice, tame book with a woman in a flowing dress on the cover. Something about becoming a duchess. She turned it over and tried to read the back, but Chase bent over her until his cheek was beside hers.

“Maybe there are some dirty parts in that one,” he murmured.

She couldn’t focus on the cover copy. She put the book back and picked up another one. Chase reached out and picked up the first one he’d mentioned.

“I’m getting this one,” he said when she put back the one she’d just picked up and snatched another one.

She turned and took a step backward, putting distance between them. He confused her and intrigued her—and his nearness was driving her insane.

“You can’t be serious.”

He shrugged. “Why not? I might learn something.”

Then he gave her that grin she was beginning to learn was filled with wicked intent.

“Fine.” She flipped over the book in her hand and read it. Something about a billionaire and a virgin. “I’m getting this one.”

She strode over to the magazines and picked up InStyle and People StyleWatch. Chase grabbed a Popular Science and a guitar magazine.

“Done?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He took the magazines and book from her and went to the register. It bothered her that she couldn’t pay for her own stuff, but she had no cash. No credit cards. Everything had burned up in the fire, and she’d had no time to try to replace it just yet.

When she’d gone into Walmart, he’d had to go with her and pay for everything there too. At least he hadn’t asked why she’d needed or wanted something. He’d just stood at the register and peeled off the bills when the purchases were totaled.

The cashier was eyeing Chase from beneath her lashes as she rang up the books and magazines. Sophie felt a hard, hot feeling twist into her heart. She stepped up to Chase’s side and put her right arm around his waist and her left on his chest before she could think better of it.

“I can’t wait to get to Paris and start our honeymoon, sweetheart,” she said on a sigh.

Chase, bless him, played right along. “You’d better use the flight to rest, honey,” he said, “because I’m taking advantage of you the minute we get there.”

The cashier stopped smiling and finished the transaction. Chase took the change, handed her the bag, and they walked out of the bookstore together, his arm around her shoulders. She felt warm and happy, even if they’d been pretending. That cashier hadn’t considered that she could be with a man like Chase until she’d pressed the point.

A fake point, but so what. He’d played it perfectly.

But all her happiness drained and she stumbled to a stop as her gaze landed on the man sitting in one of the chairs they’d vacated earlier. Chase kept his arm firmly around her, but his body tensed in readiness.

“What is it?”

“That man,” she whispered, her heart thundering. “I recognize him.”





17


“Who is he?” Chase asked, as Sophie stiffened beside him.

Sophie clutched the bag of books to her chest as if they were a shield. “I’ve seen him with Grigori. I don’t know his name.”

The man was sitting in the chair and scrolling through something on his phone. He glanced up from time to time, but gave no indication of recognizing Sophie.

Which was a good thing, but who knew how long it might last?

“Come on.” Chase started to push Sophie toward the guy and she pushed back, resisting his efforts to make her move. He was much stronger than she was and could do it forcibly, but that would be too obvious.