Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

GARNER

As soon as he'd challenged me about my level of trust in him, I'd known I was going to do it. There was no arguing with him when he truly was the person I trusted most in the world. He'd proven himself time and time again. He was also so blessedly beautiful, so bossy and calm, that I ached with the need to please him.

My hands shook as I lifted them to his belt.

His finger lifted my chin again before his hand moved down to wrap lightly around my throat. "Tell me you don't feel pressured into doing something you don't want to do."

I suddenly realized the situation was just as dangerous for him as it was for me. If anyone found out about this, he would be outed on a global stage. His military reputation, his conservative family back home, and his image of the all-American golden boy would mean nothing if he became known as the president's fuck boy.

"I want to protect you," I said, not actually answering his question.

His expression turned tender for a split second. "You let me do the protecting. Do you want this?"

I let go of his belt buckle and held my hands out flat between us. They shook like I was several days past my last meal. "More than you could possibly know. This isn't nerves, Commander. It's excitement and desire. Disbelief that you could want this too."

The dimple appeared again, and I almost rolled my eyes. He was only six years younger than I was, but with that grin, he looked much younger.

"Then what are you waiting for?" he asked, sliding his grip off my throat and moving my hands back to his belt.

I couldn't hold back an answering smile, partly because the stress had begun to fall away, replaced by giddy joy at the prospect of getting this man naked and allowing myself to touch him. But also because it had been a long time since someone had presumed to boss me around.

Having almost everyone in my sphere defer to me politely was incredibly isolating. Having Kenan Harper disagree with me, disallow my excuses, and dismiss my fears was invigorating. It made me feel human again.

It made me feel normal.

I slid the thick leather strap through the metal loop before glancing up at him to see if he was watching. His eyes weren't on my hands or his belt.

They were on me.

His head tilted as he studied me. I was fully dressed but felt completely bared to him.

I leaned forward and pressed my face into the front of his pants, feeling the smooth metal of the buckle against my forehead as I inhaled.

Kenan made a surprised sound deep in his throat, then palmed the back of my head to hold me in place.

"That's it. Take all you need," he murmured as I simply drank in the moment, the heat of his body, the scent of his groin, the feel of his thick thigh muscles under my palms.

I pulled back and opened his pants. It had been so long since I'd done this, but it felt natural.

Normal.

Except for the fact it was Kenan Harper I was doing it to. There was nothing normal about that.

The first thing I noticed when his pants opened, revealing the light-gray cotton of his boxer briefs, was a dark, wet spot over the bulge of his erection.

Commander Kenan Harper was leaking for me.