Page 17 of Cipher

She paused on the last step when she caught me staring, and the awareness that moved across her face had nothing to do with fear. Her nipples tightened beneath the thin cotton, visible enough to make my fingers clench against the laptop while she crossed toward the kitchen. I watched her fill a glass at the sink, then return to the dining room doorway instead of heading upstairs.

“You’re still at the table.”

“Yeah.”

Bex glanced toward the living room, where a long couch and two oversized chairs sat empty beneath the dark windows. “You know there are several perfectly comfortable places to sit in there.”

“None of them is between you and the front door.”

Her gaze returned to mine, and the glass stopped halfway to her mouth. The teasing warmth in her expression softened into something deeper while she looked from me to the entrance beyond my shoulder, understanding that I hadn’t chosen the hard dining chair by accident. The entire property was connected to my security network, but I had still put my body on the line anyone would have to cross before reaching her.

“You think someone could get through all the men outside?” The slight breathlessness in her voice told me the practical answer mattered less than the reason behind it.

“No.” I closed the laptop far enough to give her all of my attention. “But if someone does, he has to go through me before he reaches you.”

Bex stared at me, her lips parting while a flush moved slowly across her cheeks and down the throat my mouth wanted to explore. She stepped closer, stopping beside my chair. “That sounds a lot like you’ve changed your mind.”

“About leaving you unprotected?” I asked, although we both knew she meant more.

“About us.”

I reached for her hip and drew her one step closer, letting my palm span the warm skin beneath the loose edge of her shirt. Her breath caught as her body softened toward me, and my cock throbbed hard enough to make staying in the chair feel like punishment. “Go back to bed, Bex.”

“That still isn’t an answer.”

“Only one you’re gonna get while your father sleeps upstairs and I’m deciding how many bad ideas I can survive in one night.” My thumb moved over the curve of her waist, and the small shiver that followed nearly ended the restraint behind the words. “Tomorrow, you move into my house. You’ll get your answer there.”

Her eyes widened, heat replacing the last trace of sleepiness before a pleased little smile curved her mouth.

“Sleep, baby.”

She looked back over her shoulder from the stairs, her smile soft and openly hopeful before she climbed toward her bedroom.

The threat to Bex had stripped away any illusion that I could stay away from her. The reality was that I didn’t want distance, and I no longer gave a fuck whether wanting her was sensible. She belonged under my protection, inside my home, and beneath my body. The only remaining question was how long I intended to wait before making sure she understood that every part of my claim was permanent.

6

BEX

Iwoke up tired, which wasn’t a surprise since I’d barely slept. Between worrying about the situation I’d stumbled into and anticipation of not just seeing Cipher’s home but actually staying there, I’d tossed and turned all night. By the time sunshine started to filter through the curtains, I finally gave up and dragged myself out of bed.

A quick shower helped wake me up more, but I knew I was still going to need some of the coffee I smelled as soon as I opened my bedroom door.

When I got downstairs, Cipher was at the dining table again, fully dressed in dark jeans and a black T-shirt under his cut. Other than the change of clothes, he looked like he’d remained in that spot all night, which had butterflies swarming in my belly again. Same as when I found him down here last night.

A half-empty mug sat near his hand, and he spoke quietly into his phone while scrolling through something on a tablet. He glanced up when my foot hit the bottom step, and his dark gaze tracked me the rest of the way into the room.

“You’re up early.”

“So are you.” He ended the call without explanation and set the phone down. “Coffee’s fresh.”

“Thanks.” I padded into the kitchen and headed straight to the cabinet for a mug. Before I could reach it, he was already there, snagging one from the shelf and pouring a cup for me. Then he added cream and sugar, and I wondered how the heck he knew how I took my coffee.

But I forgot what I’d been about to ask when his hand settled at my waist to steer me a step farther from the window. The heat from his palm sent a jolt of awareness straight through me.

I sipped the coffee to buy myself a moment to clear my head.

“Ghost and two others are on the perimeter.” He dropped his arm to his side but stayed close enough that I could feel the heat from his big, muscular body. “Your father is finishing a call with the department. Once you’re packed, we move.”