In His Protective Custody, by Brenda Williamson

Assistant District Attorney, Lorelei Blackwell is handed a case that could get her killed. Rafe Salazar is a vain, egotistical ATF Agent trying to prevent a Drug Lord from killing the beautiful woman he is butting heads with. The stubborn twosome fight to keep their independence while falling in love. And all Lorelei has to accomplish is getting the bad guys behind bars while Rafe tries keeping her, forever In His Protective Custody.

Excerpt

The emotions Rafe buried with his break-up from Andrea, surfaced desperately fast and he couldn’t stop them. Everything drew him to Lorelei.

He stared at her. Stubborn, willful and sensuous, he understood her not liking to run from a fight. Nevertheless, she couldn’t keep him from protecting her with his life if need be.

“I believe I can. It’s called protective custody.”

With a mission to keep on track, he backed from her pouting lips. They took on a hint of kiss-puckered and he dreamed of them being ready and willing to attach to his. Women with her looks got dates with men, any day of the week. Yet, she appeared as desperate as he felt.

He went to her dresser and opened the top drawer. Inside, he found the cherry of all undergarments on the top. He took out bras, panties and stockings without a clue as to what she’d want. Yet, he had to start somewhere.

“What are you doing?” She grabbed her clothes from his hands. “Is this some perverted fantasy of yours to go through my underwear?”

“If you won’t pack, I will. Though, I do suggest you might have more of what you want if you do this yourself.” Her bra strap caught on his watch and she tugged for it to come free.

Rafe slapped her hand from pulling on the red lace he had grabbed first from the drawer. “Let me unhook it before you ruin it.”

“Like I should care about your stupid watch.”

“I meant your bra.”

With an impatient groan, she let him carefully free the garment. Pinching it between thumb and forefinger, turning it slightly with an appreciating smile, he held it out to her. Her face almost matched in coloring as a scarlet blush seared her cheeks instantly.

“See, a little less fight and things will work out all around.”

She pretended to ignore him and put the bra back in the drawer. When he stopped watching her, she moved about more willingly assembling clothes.

“I liked the red one,” he commented, realizing the way to chisel away Lorelei’s hard exterior was through embarrassing discussions about her underwear.

“No doubt, but since I don’t intend on modeling it for you, I’ll just leave it here.”

“Too bad, I bet you look real good in red lace.” He looked down. “White’s nice too.”

She followed his stare to a bra on the floor half under a chair. Another blush of scarlet swept up her lovely neck and met the one still tingeing her cheeks.

“Just how many days will I be on this little odyssey?” She got down on her knees and took out a small black canvas satchel from under the bed.

Rafe picked the bag up and sat it on the mattress.

“I’d guess at least four or five... months.” He was quicker than Lorelei as she grabbed to put the suitcase back under the bed.

Her hand landed on his and she tried to pry his fingers away.

“You can’t be serious. I have a job, bills to pay--a life.”

Rafe picked up her hand. His thumb circled over the lines in her palm. She had beautiful skin.

“You won’t have a life if Bennington has you killed.”

He stared at her, waiting for something in her expression to react to his caress. Her hazel eyes were bright and he liked the cinnamon hair that outlined her oval face. His fantasies of Lorelei peaked to a point he let his imagination cross to reality.

“It was only a threat.” Her voice came low, like a whisper she might not want heard.

Rafe tried to keep his concentration on his reason for being there. A hard feat when Lorelei smelled nice. The fragrance had a flowery scent like a bouquet he once bought.

“I’ve had death threats before and no one did anything.”

“Before that call was made to you, another was made to someone else.”

“Did they threaten them too?”

“No. The message was to kill you. There’s a contract out on you and you’re supposed to be dead by tonight.”

She didn’t say anything as she sat on her knees staring up at him. Her lips moved and he lost his hearing as if he went brain dead. Her provocative position continued kindling his desires.

“What?” He forgot the question or maybe he didn’t understand it.

“I can’t pack if you don’t let go of my hand.” She tugged her warm fingers and he tightened his hold of them.

“True.” His palm itched from the tickling brush of her fingertips.

He took in everything else he hadn’t noticed before. He wondered what she looked like with her hair undone from the ponytail. Every time he saw her, she had it pulled back from her face. It gave her a no-nonsense appearance one expected from a schoolteacher or a judge. The more he thought about it, the look even fit an Assistant District Attorney.

Lorelei Blackwell knew how to dress for her position. It was probably why she was good at her job. He had gotten all the information he could on her to be sure Phillip would be in good hands when it came to her getting a conviction on Bennington. Her competency had no flaws. The shame came in the circumstances changing minute by minute.

“Where will we be going?” She finally jerked hard enough to pull her hand from his.

“You’ll have to trust it’s safe.” He turned from her as she got up from the floor.

He examined the room, the walls, the ceiling. When he glanced back at Lorelei, he found her watching him.

“Do you think my apartment is bugged?” she whispered, following his look at the artificial plants, the light fixtures and picture frames.

Rafe shrugged. “It’s possible.” He put a hand on her arm when she shivered. “It won’t matter.” He gave another one of his caring caresses. “They’ll be listening to silence soon.”

Lorelei went back to gathering things from the bathroom and dumped them in on her clothes. He watched the inventory of toothpaste, hairbrush, deodorant, shampoo, makeup and without any hesitation to his presence she put in her maxi pads and tampons.

“Is this going to take you all day?” He coughed, clearing his throat.

“Well you won’t tell me where we’re going or for how long, and I don’t want to be without anything important.”

Her selection of clothes went with a slow, indecisive perusal of every garment she owned.

“Ms. Blackwell, you’ll be sitting around a house all day, not going to a ball. Simple, comfortable clothing would be the best choice.”

“Why are you really doing this? She finished putting items in the suitcase and zipped it closed. “To punish me for Phillip’s death?”

“I might have said some things I shouldn’t have.” He retrieved the bag.

“Might have? Apologies don’t come easy for you, do they? Or maybe you don’t feel sorry about anything you do?”

“I apologize when I’m wrong and I do feel sorry for things I say or do. I thought I was expressing both just now.” He picked up her purse and took out her cell phone. “You won’t need this.”

“Is nothing of mine sacred? A woman does like to think her purse is private, even if you don’t find it extremely rude to rummage through my undergarments.” She snatched the small leather handbag from his hands. “And you have a poor concept of what an apology should sound like.”

He grabbed her arm as they went out the door into the hallway. “Lorelei, I’m sorry.”

“Agent Salazar?” She looked back at him. “My apartment door? Do you think you could shut it?”

She pushed the elevator button. His thoughts unraveled every second he spent with her. They rode down to the lobby in silence. It seemed a long ride and he considered his options. He didn’t like to stray from how he worked. Lorelei had become a legitimate part of the witness protection program. That meant personally she officially became hands-off. If only his body understood the rules better, he’d not have to walk stiffly and his mind wouldn’t wander.

Before they reached the first floor, Lorelei pushed the emergency button and stopped the elevator.

She said nothing and turned to him. Her hand rubbed the front of his trousers. A teasing voice in his head yelled, stop her. Another shouted, kiss her. He did neither. The only part functioning on him demanded he keep his brain out of it.

She caught the zipper and yanked it down. He wished he didn’t have on underwear, but it didn’t appear to be a problem for her. She dove right into the waistband of his briefs and twisted his cock free from the white cotton encumbrance.

Without delay, her lips stretched over the head and took him in to the moist cavern of her mouth. Her tongue swirled around the shaft as she moved her silky lips back and forth. He read an article once about how to give a man a perfect blow job. It was a bunch of instructional crap he didn’t agree with. All a woman had to do was suck in whatever way made her happy. Because a man, in his position right now, would be beyond ecstatic to notice any of the finer details.

Lorelei pushed him back against the wall of the elevator. He put a hand to the side to hold himself up and for a long time, she twisted and sucked until he felt the explosive juices building pressure.

Rafe put his head back. His fingers flexed and raked the wall. It neared time and he didn’t know if she wanted to be warned. Just as he thought his sperm would shoot out, she grabbed his balls. Her vise-like fingers clamped on him as well as the fabric covering his swollen scrotum.

Her mouth came free and the cool air made his semen retreat.

“Don’t stop.”

“What do you mean, ‘don’t stop’, we’ve reached the ground floor.” Lorelei bent to grab the duffle bag from the floor of the elevator.

Reviews

…a case that will get complicated…good chemistry…entertaining read.

@...Mrs. Giggles Reviews

...This fast-paced story has a perfect balance of romance and suspense… With its many twists and turns, I was at times unsure who to trust…Ms. Williamson delivers on all counts with IN HIS PROTECTIVE CUSTODY…. She weaves a story that had me guessing till the end.

@...Jenn L., Romance Junkies

…a riveting and steamy story… white hot sex… a great suspense…

@...Alisha, Two Lips Reviews