Passing His Guard

“It’s nice to officially meet you,” she said with saccharine sweetness, holding out her hand.

He took hers in his firm grip. “Likewise.”

“So, you’re going to corner Aiden, huh?”

Nikko’s gaze flickered to Aiden before landing back on her. “Yep.”

“Have you ever coached before?”

His indulging smile rankled her nerves. “Didn’t realize this was a job interview.”

Did he think this was a joke? Aiden was stepping into an underground fight club tonight. What he was doing was dangerous, and these guys didn’t mess around. She felt responsible enough as it was. If he got hurt because of her . . .

“Nikko and I are sparring partners,” Aiden interjected. “He’s more than qualified, Rya

“Don’t worry, Gingersnap. I’ll keep our boy in one piece.”

She bristled at the nickname, but kept the impeccable smile on her wooden face. She wouldn’t let him see how much he rattled her or how much she hated that name. “See that you do,” she grumbled. Maybe it wasn’t fair for her to take her fears and frustration out on Aiden’s friend, but she hated the idea of him fighting for Moralli, and it twisted the knife to know she was the reason he was doing it. She felt powerless to help him and that loss of control made her downright waspish.

“Retract your claws, kitten,” Aiden teased, snagging her wrist and pulling her onto his lap. “Everything is going to be just fine.”

Aiden was right, this wasn’t Nikko’s fault. He was here to help. She could cut him a little slack. “I appreciate you coming here to help him.”

Nikko nodded his acknowledgment, and she turned her attention back to Aiden and slipped her arm around his neck, not caring if she put wrinkles in his fancy suit. All she wanted right now was to be close to him, to feel his reassuring strength enveloping her. She wiggled in a little tighter, and he tensed, another part of him growing hard beneath her. The low growl rumbling deep in his throat warned her she was playing with fire. She smiled i

“You look very handsome in your suit,” she commented, smoothing out his collar. “You took out all your metal.”

“Not all of it.” He flashed her his tongue and the metal bar sticking through it. “I left your favorite one.”

Rogue! Her cheeks heated at his teasing. Trying her best to ignore the wicked imagery his tongue presented, she took another drink of his coffee and asked, “Where are you going?”

“The firm.”

His voice was strained, whether from his raging erection pressed against her bottom or the unpleasantness of the day ahead, she couldn’t know. But the thought of Aiden walking out that door worried her more than she wanted to admit. What if Moralli discovered what he was pla

“How long will you be gone?” she asked, all carefree pretenses gone.

He reached up and smoothed his thumb between her wrinkled brows. “It’s hard to say. I’m not sure what kind of a reception to expect at the firm after being away for so long. Getting security clearance and access to my old files might take a while. I have a lunch meeting with the DA at noon, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She nodded. “I’m almost finished with that dossier on Joe Paskel. I’ll have it ready for you when you get back.”

He gave her a teasing grin she was sure was purely for the benefit of belaying her fears. “Wow, I’m impressed. You work fast, Ms. Andrews. I might just have to hire you.”

She set his coffee cup on the table and leaned close, whispering, “You’d be surprised how fast I can work.” She nipped the lobe of his ear and slipped off his lap, letting the invitation hang in the air as she sauntered toward the bedroom, bending down to swipe her bra and T-shirt off the floor along the way.

A throaty chuckle echoed behind her and she heard Nikko taunt, “Man, you’ve got your hands full with that one.”

“Fuck me,” Aiden groaned. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

No sooner did Rya

His unyielding body fit tightly against her back, setting her off balance. Rya

“You’re killing me, you know that?” He gripped her tighter, pulling her against him roughly. A thrill of excitement shot through her, the shiver centering between her legs. You might dress a man in expensive, sophisticated suits, but that didn’t make him a gentleman. He was still her Aiden, still the same man who’d made passionate love to her last night. It didn’t matter how refined he might appear on the outside, on the inside he was still her wild, reckless fighter.

“You’re going to wrinkle your suit,” she teased, her statement ending with a moan when his hand slid down her belly to dip between her thighs.

His mouth halted on her neck and he glanced up, locking his gaze with hers in the dresser mirror. Holy shit, the erotic scene they made nearly made her come right then and there. Here she stood braced against the dresser, sleep-disheveled in an old, worn-out T-shirt hiked up her front, exposing a wealth of smooth pale flesh. One of Aiden’s hands cupped her breast, while his other played between her parted legs. He towered over her, wearing his GQ suit, looking all prim and proper, except the sleeves of his jacket had worked up just enough to reveal a glimpse of his tattoos. Mercy, he was stu

“Aiden . . .” she breathed the plea as he bit out a sharp curse that was exactly what she wanted him to do to her right now.

In seconds his suit jacket was gone, buttons were pinging off the hardwood floor as he ripped his gray shirt off his shoulders and shucked it like the thing was on fire. His hands were at his waist, unfastening his belt. The riiiiip of metal friction as his zipper gave way sent Rya

His mouth was back on her throat, kissing, sucking, nipping the flesh just above her shoulder when he thrust into her, bringing her to her tiptoes. Rya

His fast, unyielding pace quickly chased her to the pi