Jenna’s Protector (Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists: CHARLIE Team #4)

21. Jenna

TWENTY-ONE

Jenna

The rest of the day passes in a blur of coffee orders and pastry sales, but my mind keeps drifting to Carter, to the promise of seeing him again tonight. Closing can’t come soon enough.

As the sun begins to set and the last customers trickle out, I begin my closing routine. I wipe down tables, restock supplies, and count out the register, the familiar tasks soothing in their repetition.

I’m just locking the front door when Carter and Max approach, silhouetted against the fading light. My heart skips a beat, a smile already tugging at my lips.

“Hey, you,” I greet him, stepping out onto the sidewalk.

“Hey, yourself.” He pulls me in for a hug.

I sink into his embrace, breathing in the scent of him, all coffee and spice and something uniquely Carter.

Max whines, nudging at our legs, and we break apart with a laugh.

“Okay, buddy.” Carter ruffles the dog’s fur. “I think he’s jealous.”

“I didn’t forget about you.” I crouch down to pet Max and pull out a treat I grabbed just for him .

With the scent of his treat, Max suffers through my hug, barely restraining himself for his treat.

We set off toward my apartment, Max trotting happily beside us. Carter’s hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“How was the rest of your day?” Carter glances down at me.

“Busy, but good. Better now that you’re here.” I shrug, leaning into his side.

“I know the feeling.” He smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

We walk in comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying each other’s presence. It’s easy being with Carter. Like I can finally breathe after holding my breath for so long.

When we reach my apartment, I unlock the door. Max bounds inside ahead of us, like he owns the place. Carter follows me in, his hand resting on the small of my back.

“Are you hungry?” I turn to face him. “I could make us something.”

“I’m not hungry for food.” He shakes his head, his eyes never leaving mine.

“What are you hungry for?” My breath catches when his heated gaze simmers. As his meaning sinks in, my pulse quickens, and a blush creeps up my neck. “Oh.”

In answer, he cups my face and kisses me, deep and slow and thorough. I melt into him, my hands fisting in his shirt, pulling him closer.

We stumble toward the bedroom, shedding clothes as we go. There’s no hesitation, no uncertainty. Just the two of us, lost in each other, in the fire burning between us.

As we reach the bedroom, he gently pushes me back onto the bed, his body hovering over mine. His weight is grounding, cocooning me in safety and arousal. His hands map my curves reverently, igniting sparks of pleasure beneath my skin. His lips never leave mine, the kiss growing more intense with every passing moment. He’s all virile masculinity, radiating heat, passion, and desire .

I grip his arms, loving his strength as he holds himself above me. But I want more. I arch into his caress.

"Carter," I breathe, his name a benediction on my lips. I need to feel his skin against mine, to be one with him.

His heated gaze rakes over my bare flesh. Admiration and desire burn in his eyes, making me feel cherished and beautiful. He drinks in the sight of me.

"You're exquisite," he murmurs, voice heavy with need and want.

He trails his fingers down my side, sending shivers of pleasure coursing through me. His touch is gentle yet insistent, exploring every curve and contour of my body. I arch into him, craving more, and he answers my silent plea, his lips moving to my neck, then lower, painting a trail of kisses down to my collarbone.

The ache between my legs grows, throbbing with insistence. I reach for him, desperate to feel his bare skin against mine. To taste him, to be claimed by him.

His hands slide up my thighs, his touch igniting a fire within me. I gasp as he teases me, his fingers skimming the edges of my most sensitive areas. The anticipation is almost unbearable, and I squirm beneath him, desperate for more.

Carter smiles against my skin, knowing exactly what he's doing to me. He takes his time, drawing out every sensation, every feeling. His mouth finds its way to my breasts, lavishing them with attention, drawing out a moan from deep within me.

I reach for him, my hands gripping his shoulders, pulling him closer. I want to feel him, all of him. He obliges, positioning himself between my legs, the heat of his body pressing against mine. Our breaths mingle, our hearts beating in sync as we become one.

Then, with a smirk, he kisses a hot trail of kisses from my breasts to my core. He settles between my thighs, hot breath ghosting over my slick folds. He hesitates a moment before making contact, his tongue a searing swipe through my soaked heat.

The sensation is electric, a livewire of pleasure shooting through my veins. I cry out, fingers twisting in his hair, anchoring him to me. Demanding more. He licks me deeply, savoring my taste and my responsiveness. Building me higher with each swirl of his tongue, each nip of his teeth.

"Yes, exactly like that," I gasp, hips undulating, seeking the exquisite pressure of his mouth. Pressure coils low in my belly, coiling tighter and tighter. I'm spiraling ever higher, climbing towards the pinnacle.

He works me expertly, intimately, until I'm shuddering around him, my release crashing over me in intense, white-hot waves. Pleasure courses through me, radiating from my core to the tips of my tingling fingers and toes. I moan his name, a rapturous chant.

With a deep groan, he abandons my throbbing sex, kissing his way back up my quivering body, lingering at my breasts, sucking and biting, stoking the embers once more.

The thick head of his cock nudges my slick entrance. His muscles are coiled, taut with restraint as he braces himself above me, his forearms caging me in his strong embrace.

He enters me slowly, his eyes locked on mine. I gasp at the fullness, the stretching, the perfect fit. He's overwhelming me, completing me. My body was made for his.

"You are mine now,” he growls, voice rough with lust and possessiveness. And then he starts to move, driving into me with deep, powerful strokes.

We move together, our bodies in perfect harmony, each thrust building the fire within us.

I cling to him, nails raking down his back, hips rising to meet his thrusts. The pleasure builds again, cresting higher each time his pelvis grinds against mine.

"Yes, yes, yes," I chant, lost in the exquisite friction, in the moment of abandon, of letting go. "Don't stop! I'm so close…"

He takes me hard and fast, giving me everything I need and more. Angling his hips to hit that magic spot deep inside, pushing me over the precipice.

Ecstasy explodes through me, more intense than before. I convulse around him, crying out my pleasure, consuming me. I'm drowning in sensation, in emotion, in love.

Seconds later, he joins me, his body tensing before he collapses on top of me, his breath ragged. His choked shout of my name is rapture personified. We collapse together, a tangle of writhing limbs. Skin slick with sweat. Hearts pounding. Basking in the afterglow.

Pressing tender kisses to my face, my eyelids, my nose, he whispers in my ear. “Now, that was worth the wait.”

I burst into laughter, the sound bubbling up from my chest. "You have no idea," I murmur against his lips, shaking my head in amused disbelief. “I’ve imagined it so many times, but never thought it would be so—incredible."

“You doubted my skills?” He brushes an errant strand of hair off my face.

“Never.”

“Good, because that's just the beginning, my love.” His eyes twinkle with wicked intent. "We've got a lifetime of nights like this ahead of us."

“You're impossible.” I can't help but laugh, feeling a wave of warmth and happiness wash over me. I smile up at him, my fingers tracing the lines of his face.

In his arms, I find home. Safe, cherished, secure. And loved, wholly and completely. Here, I can escape my nightmares. Here, I can heal.

In his arms…

The world outside fades away, leaving only Carter and me. We’re lost in each other, in the heat and passion of our connection.

We cling to each other, our bodies tangled together, our breaths slowly returning to normal. The room is filled with the lingering scent of passion, and I can't help but smile, feeling a sense of completeness I've never known.

Exhausted but sated, we lie tangled together, Carter’s heartbeat steady beneath my cheek. A profound sense of peace washes over me. I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. With his arm wrapped around me, I drift off to sleep, safe and content in his arms, unaware of the nightmares lurking in my dreams. We’re two halves of a whole, inextricably linked.