Page 20 of Under Kid’s Protection

Her expression softened, and she smiled at his reiteration. Dipping her chin, she patted the space beside me. “Will you join me?”

She didn’t have to ask him twice. Eagerly, he hopped into the bed a bit too enthusiastically, causing her to bounce a bit when he landed.

Giggling, she covered her mouth.

For the first time in his adult life, heat crept into his cheeks. Was he blushing? Jesus Christ. What was wrong with him?

Rolling to his side, Kid bent his elbow and rested his face in his hand. His gaze ran over her bare body again. He took note of every freckle and mole. Her chest rose and fell as he breathed a bit harder than normal. As his eyes skimmed down, he noted ink peeking from behind the waistband of her low-rise panties.

What was that? A triangle? A point? To what? His curiosity piqued. Carrie didn’t seem the type of woman who would get ink so close to her pussy. Sure, she might be someone who had a cute little butterfly on her ankle. Maybe even a small flower on her wrist but definitely not something as bold as whatever her underwear hid.

“Okay.” She broke into his thoughts. “This is officially weird.”

He raised his gaze to her face and refocused on the purpose of the two of them lying in bed topless together.

She closed her eyes and covered her face with her arm. “This was a bad idea.”

“I don’t think so,” he said. “We’re just starting.”

Slowly, she revealed her features to him again and turned her head toward him.

“And we don’t have to do anything else,” he assured her. “If sharing a bed is all you want, I’m happy to do it.”

“Are you sure?”

He knit his brows together. “About what?”

“That this isn’t strange?” She bit her bottom lip.

He offered her an encouraging smile while fighting the urge to touch her. She hadn’t given him permission yet. She hadn’t said how or where. For once in his life, he wanted to follow the rules.

“It’s different,” he replied honestly. “But what we’re doing makes sense. I’m more than willing to help. All you have to do is give me directions.”

Biting her lips into a thin line, she inhaled audibly and nodded. She shifted her attention to the ceiling and released her heavy breath. Subtle as it was, he noted she started to tremble. If he were a better man, he’d probably take that as a sign that she wasn’t ready. Were he someone who possessed a conscience, he would tell her they’d try again another time.

Kid wasn’t a good person.

Carrie was a beautiful woman, someone he’d had a crush on since he was a kid hanging out playing baseball in his best friend’s backyard while she sat in the sun attempting to get a tan. That tiny bikini she wore back then was criminal.

If possible, he wanted this just as much as she did.

“We’ll go slow,” he whispered. “I’ll stay north of the border.”

“What?” She peered at him.

He lifted his free hand and brought it to her face. His fingers hovered near her cheek, but he didn’t touch her. Not yet. Not until she told him to. “We could start here,” he suggested.

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed.

The fear in her eyes broke his heart. While he understood it, he hated that she was afraid in his presence. He’d done everything he could think of to be the most nonthreatening person. Which was hard to do, considering he was a criminal biker known to be an asshole.

Somehow, he managed. For her, he’d do whatever it took.

“Okay,” she murmured. “You can start with my head.”

13

Carrie