The Bodyguard (Norcross #4) - Anna Hackett Page 0,32
it. It wasn’t protocol to get personally involved with the person he was guarding, but it was too fucking late for that.
He wasn’t backing away from Sofie.
“I’m fine,” he told her. “You’re fine.”
She nodded.
“The attackers?” he asked Vander.
“We gathered them all up. Rhys is with them, waiting for Hunt to arrive. They’ll take them in and get them booked. Hunt will question them. Hopefully, we’ll know who they work for soon.”
Rome noticed that Sofie’s palms were grazed badly. “Oh, beautiful, that must hurt.”
“They’ll be fine. They just sting a little.”
He shifted her. Her knees were grazed, too, and her bare feet were too dirty to tell, but they were probably scratched up as well.
“Vander, she needs someone to clean her scrapes.”
“I’m okay,” she insisted. “I don’t need the media attention of visiting a hospital. I—”
“Ryder,” Rome said. “He’s a paramedic friend. Can you get him, Vander?”
“On it,” Vander replied.
Vander made the call quietly in the front, and finally, they made it to the house.
Two guards appeared, staying close and watchful.
Rome got out and then pulled Sofie into his arms. He carried her inside.
“I’ll help her get showered and clean,” he told Vander. She was clinging to Rome like she would never let go.
Vander nodded. “Take your time. Ryder will take a while to get here. We’ll be down here when she’s ready.”
Rome took the stairs two at a time. Overwhelming, possessive urges clawed at him.
She’d been threatened.
Someone had tried to take her from him.
He wouldn’t let that stand.
Sofie made a noise and he hugged her tighter. The first priority was getting her warm, clean, and calm.
In her room, he strode straight into the bathroom.
He set her on the edge of the deep tub, then turned on the huge shower.
She was shivering, her dress a mess, her wet hair plastered to her head, shades darker than it normally was. His gut twisted. “I’ll wait out—”
“No.” She stood and swayed.
Rome grabbed her.
“No.” Huge brown eyes met his. “Don’t leave me.”
Shit. Steeling himself, he reached out and started unzipping her dress. He pushed it off and it hit the tiles with a wet splat.
Trying to be businesslike, he quickly flicked open her bra, and pushed her panties off.
He didn’t let himself look. She needed to get warm. He had to keep his unruly cock under control and take care of her.
He opened the shower stall.
She grabbed his hand. “Rome—”
“Shh. Get under the water, Sofie.” He shed his wet jacket, then followed her in, uncaring that the spray hit his already-soaked clothes.
He urged her under the warm water, and she made a happy little sigh.
His gaze dropped. Damn, her body was gorgeous—delicate but strong, slender, but with curves at her hips and ass.
He moved up behind her and grabbed some shampoo.
He worked it through her hair. Her head tipped back, and he smoothed the shampoo through the strands, separating the tangles. He massaged her scalp.
That earned him a low moan.
Desire was a scorching fire in his blood, tempered only by the need to look after her. He helped her rinse her hair out. Then he repeated with the conditioner.
Next, he checked her abraded palms, making sure they were clean. He kissed one, then the other.
He heard her voice hitch. Being so much taller than her, he had a clear view over her shoulders. He saw her nipples peeking out through her hair.
Suddenly, she spun and tugged at his sopping shirt. “Off.”
Together, they unbuttoned it. He let it drop into a wet pile on the floor of the shower.
Sofie attacked his belt, but he pushed her hands away. Working quickly, he let his pants and boxers hit the tiles.
“Oh.” Her mouth opened, hunger in her gaze as she looked over his chest. “You’re so big and muscled.”
Shit. That sexy, cultured voice made his desire spike.
Her gaze met his. “Can I touch you, Rome?”
“Anything you want, Sofie.” Hell, he’d never deny her what she wanted.
She smoothed her hands over his chest, fingers tracing over the intricate tattoo on one side of his chest. It curled down his side.
As she explored him, flames licked at his gut.
She dragged her fingers down the ridges of his abdomen. “You’re so strong, Rome. I wanted you the first time I saw you.”
Her hand moved south, but he caught it before she grabbed his cock. If she touched him, he’d go off like a teenager.
Besides, he wanted this to be about her.
He spun her again so her back was pressed to his front, and ignored her sound of protest.
He squeezed some