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SAM JACKSON STRODE down the street beside the woman he’d just met, his lips quirking. Ava was animatedly telling him about the sightseeing she’d done in London with her best friend. Her long hair swished as she moved, and he got a whiff of her sexy, floral scent. She was beautiful. Long, strawberry-blonde hair, fair skin, and pretty blue eyes. Ava wore fitted jeans with a tight tank top, and he’d have to be blind to miss her killer curves. The tank hugged her breasts perfectly, her delicate necklaces dangling against her cleavage. She was petite, only coming up to his shoulder, but he had no doubt her body would fit against his perfectly.
Not that he had plans to test out that theory. It wasn’t even noon, and they’d agreed to visit some art galleries together, not rip each other’s clothes off. Although he planned to hit up some nightclubs later with his buddies, if the day went well, he wouldn’t mind ditching them for Ava. He’d be leaving tomorrow, but that wouldn’t necessarily stop Ava and him from enjoying an evening together. Or the entire night.
He easily carried her backpack on one shoulder, wondering how she’d lugged it around by herself. He didn’t mind holding it and had been amused watching her heft it back onto the park bench. She was so much smaller than him, he couldn’t help but feel slightly protective toward her. In his line of work, he was used to keeping people safe. Going after the bad guys, so to speak. Watching out for a beautiful woman as they walked down the city street and carrying her heavy bag wasn’t a hardship.
They sure as shit weren’t dodging gunfire and taking out a tango.
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. Ava had assumed he was military, and there wasn’t much of a reason to correct her. He’d be on his way to the Middle East tomorrow, meeting up with a contact before bringing in an HVT, or high value target, wanted by the U.S. government. Sam and his friends were part of the Shadow Ops Team. Former Delta Force soldiers, they’d been recruited by their boss when they got out of the military. A mission that went bad with a teammate being held hostage was all that they needed to say goodbye to Uncle Sam. Now they took jobs the government couldn’t or wouldn’t handle—a covert black ops team that deployed around the world, all under the guise of working for Shadow Security.
“I’m staying right over there,” Ava said, gesturing to a boutique hotel, and drawing Sam’s attention back to the present.
His gaze flicked to the building on the corner of the Parisian street. The quaint hotel wasn’t necessarily one he’d pick, yet it suited her. A little café was across the street, along with several shops on the ground floor of an apartment building. It was the same down the entire block. Charming even. It seemed a safe area for a woman traveling alone, although as they approached her hotel, he didn’t like how anyone on the street could simply walk in.
“I didn’t think I’d be bringing a man back to my hotel this morning,” Ava said, flashing him a saucy grin. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, and his eyes briefly dipped to her cleavage as her necklaces gleamed in the sunlight.
Sam made a sound at the back of his throat. Ava was a flirt, but he’d promised himself he’d be good. “To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever walked a woman I just met back to her hotel in broad daylight.”
“Midnight more your style?” she quipped.
“I’m no saint, but I don’t go hooking up with random women all the time, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Of course not. Because we’re not hooking up. I still need to take a French lover, remember?” Her cheeks were flushed as she looked up at him, and Sam didn’t miss the way her eyes tracked over his chest. He kept in good shape, and while his shirt wasn’t overly snug, no one would miss his muscular stature. He sure as hell didn’t mind Ava’s eyes on him.
“How could I forget? I’ve been cursing my bad luck of not being French ever since you first mentioned it,” he said with a wink.
She laughed, clearly enjoying the way he flirted with her, and his gaze dropped briefly to her pink lips. Ava had on some type of lip gloss but otherwise wore minimal makeup. Her cheeks were a pretty shade of pink, but she had fair skin. Any hint of a blush would easily show. He wondered how her strawberry-blonde hair would look against her bare breasts, the long strands teasing her creamy skin. Fuck. He felt his cock twitch and tried to think of something else. She was too damn pretty for him not to have carnal thoughts running through his mind, but he couldn’t exactly walk around the city rock hard either.
He reached out to open the door of her hotel, his bare arm brushing against hers. Ava shivered slightly at his touch, and he smiled. She was playful and sexy, but he loved that she wasn’t unaffected by him. There was clearly a mutual attraction between the two of them. Sam’s hand landed on the small of her back as he guided her through the doors, and he stared at it splayed across her delicate frame for a beat. He could feel the heat of her body beneath the thin tank top, and he noticed the slight hitch of her breath at his touch. She was so damn small and delicate compared to him. Sam felt like he should watch out for her, keeping her safe, but he also wanted to strip her bare and explore every square inch of her.
It was quite the conundrum.
He continued guiding her into the small lobby, towering above her frame. His gaze swept the area out of habit, taking in the other guests and hotel staff. There was a front desk staffed by a lone woman, and no one seemed to be paying attention to who was coming in or out of the building. He lifted his gaze, looking for any security cameras. There was one pointed at the doors at least. No telling how good it was though. An elevator dinged, and as he finished scanning the area, he saw a set of double doors across the lobby leading to a small conference room.
Ava turned toward him, and Sam handed over her backpack, helping to ease it onto her shoulders. “You got it?” he questioned, knowing firsthand how heavy it was. He didn’t want to follow her up to her room like some sort of creep, but he also didn’t like the idea of Ava carrying it alone.
“Of course,” she assured him. “I’m traveling all over Europe. I can make it upstairs with my backpack.”
“I’ll wait in the lobby. We can head out whenever you’re ready.”
“Such a gentleman,” she teased.
“I can be,” he replied, a playful smirk teasing about his lips. Ava’s eyes tracked over him again, and Sam nodded toward the elevator. “Go on before I change my mind. We’ve got the entire day to explore the city together.”
“And tonight?” she asked, her pretty blue eyes gazing at him as she wet those pink lips with her tongue.
“I guess we’ll find out,” he murmured huskily.
“Indeed, soldier,” she said before turning and moving smoothly across the lobby, pressing the button for the elevator. Sam’s gaze inadvertently dropped to her round ass, and he resisted the urge to groan. He was in so much trouble today.
***
“MONSIEUR! MADEMOISELLE! A photo to remember your vacation.”
Ava’s gaze slid to the man taking pictures near the Eiffel tower, her small purse clutched in one hand. Sam’s arm was casually draped over her shoulders, keeping her warm, his thumb rubbing tiny circles on her skin. It was no wonder the guy thought they were a couple; she was snuggled up against him like they’d always been together.
“Let’s have him take our picture,” Ava said. “Look how pretty the Eiffel tower is lit up like that. And when will I ever be in Paris again with a hunky man? I’ll show these pictures to my grandkids someday.”
Sam chuckled but agreed, and Ava handed over her phone. “I’ll tip him,” Sam said in a low voice, pulling out his wallet. He handed the guy some cash and then shocked Ava by scooping her up into his arms for the picture. She squealed in surprise and was still laughing as they both grinned for the photo.
“Magnifique!” the Frenchman called out. “Ze perfect couple!” he said in his accented voice. “A couple more shots, oui?”
Ava’s arm had snaked around Sam’s neck, and she could feel his broad shoulders and the muscles in his arms bunching as he held her. He was solid everywhere. Sam had one arm under her legs, the other wrapped around her torso. His big hand was possessively gripping her thigh, and despite the jeans she had on, Ava swore she could feel the heat from his touch burning into her skin. She inhaled his clean scent, combined with a hint of something musky and male. She wanted to bury her face in his neck, basking in his strength and warmth.
She could drown in this man if she wanted to. Sam was attuned to her in a way she couldn’t express, and the entire day had felt like something out of a dream. Ava shivered as he held her for another picture, his body heat seeping into her.
“You’re freezing,” he murmured.
“You’ll keep me warm.”
Their eyes locked for a beat, and she could see the question in his. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, those full lips she’d been dying to taste all day tempting her. Sam was hot as hell but still a gentleman, clearly content on letting her set the pace of their flirtations. They held hands, and she’d snuggled up to him without hesitation, but this was something more.
Her breath caught as she met his intense gaze once more, and for the first time all day, she found herself speechless. Without a word, he ducked down slowly, giving her the opportunity to push him away. She didn’t though, just breathed him in as he moved closer, their breaths intermingling before his lips finally met hers.
Sam’s mouth was soft against hers but knowing. Sure. He was gentle but confident, and he kissed her deeper as the people around them whooped and hollered. Ava swore fireworks exploded at his touch, and raw need began to claw at her. Consume her. It was innocent as far as kisses went, Sam holding her close in the middle of a crowd, but her heart pounded in her chest. She was aware of every part of him—the slight stubble of his jaw, the grip of his thick fingers on her thigh, and the hard muscles of his chest and arms.
The Frenchman holding her phone for pictures was clapping, and Sam eventually broke their kiss, shocking her as he gently kissed her forehead before setting her down. Ava’s hand landed on his hard abs as she steadied herself, and the man walked over with her phone. She felt a touch lightheaded and overwhelmed, and she gripped Sam’s arm as they both thanked the guy for the pictures. Ava sure the hell hadn’t expected to have the most romantic kiss of her life in the middle of Paris.
“Merci,” Sam said in his deep voice, taking her hand.
Other couples and families were lining up to pose as well, and he guided her around the group of people. His jaw was set, but he somehow looked as affected as her. That kiss had been... shocking. Intimate and sensual despite the fact they were in public, surrounded by other people. They’d been flirting with each other all day, but the moment Sam had lifted her into his arms, the sparks between them had suddenly ignited. His thumb rubbed over her skin as he held her hand, grounding her. Making her feel safe. They’d shared a moment together that had her feeling all sorts of off-kilter. She wasn’t in France to meet a man. He was leaving. Still, she couldn’t deny that something real was brewing between them.
Sam cleared his throat. “I already texted my buddies and told them I couldn’t meet them tonight.” He turned to look at her as they walked away from the group of people taking photographs, his green eyes intense. “What else would you like to do? We already grabbed dinner but could get a drink someplace if you’d like.”
She clutched onto his hand, trying to wrap her head around their whirlwind of a day. They’d had coffee that morning and visited the galleries. Grabbed lunch and gone sightseeing. Snapped a ton of photos. Shopped. Enjoyed a delicious dinner. The day was coming to an end, but she couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye just yet. Ava didn’t do one-night-stands, but she knew deep in her heart that if she didn’t spend more time with Sam, she’d regret it. Was she really supposed to say goodbye to this incredible man? He was leaving tomorrow, off on whatever military mission he was involved in, and if she didn’t seize the moment, they’d part ways, never seeing each other again.
“Come back to my hotel,” she said spontaneously.
He looked surprised, his eyes tracking over her face as they stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Of course, I’m sure,” she said, moving closer to him and loving how Sam immediately pulled her into his arms.
He tilted her face up, skimming his fingertips across her cheek as goosebumps rose over her skin. “I’d love to come back to your hotel, but I want to make sure you’re comfortable with that. We can find a bar someplace to hang out.”
“I know we could, but I want this,” she insisted. “I want you to stay with me tonight.” Ava let her fingers trail over his forearm, feeling the solid muscle beneath his warm flesh. His jaw ticked. Was he holding himself back from kissing her? Touching her?
“I want this, Sam. Let’s go back to my room.”
He let out the breath he’d been holding. “Then let’s go, princess,” he said, his voice gravel. Both big hands moved to her face, holding it gently. Reverently. “There’s nothing I want more than to spend the night with you. I’m dying to kiss you again—this time without a crowd of onlookers watching. And after that, I plan to explore every inch of your body.”
Her pussy clenched and nipples hardened at his bold words. “Every inch?” she asked, a smile playing about her lips.
He shifted his hand, his thumb skimming over her lower lip. “Um-hmm,” he murmured, ducking lower until his mouth was just beneath her ear. He kissed her softly as she arched into him, her breasts pressing against his chest. His stubble rubbed against her tender skin, and his next words were dirty and full of promise. “Every inch, princess. I’ll kiss every inch of your gorgeous body and then let you feel every damn inch of me.”
