Under His Protection by Karen Erickson Page A

to California but he’d gotten so wrapped up in his
own problems, he forgot. “I doubt it. The election is just around
the corner. I’m surprised they let you off the hook.” Mason
couldn’t help the jealousy that tinged his voice.
    “I asked for the time off months ago. They
asked me to compromise, so we settled on part-time duty through the
duration of the campaign.” Jerry paused. “It’s a normal stint,
pretty low-key. You can cover that by yourself, no problem. Right
boss?” Jerry sometimes liked to call him boss, had done so since
they were first paired up.
    He gritted his teeth, determined not to
sound like a whiny ass. “I’ll be fine. It’s just…I don’t know.”
    He’d never discussed his feelings for Blake,
not with anyone.
    “She flashed you her tits or something?”
Jerry laughed, the jackass, and Mason knew he couldn’t admit how
close Jerry was to what Blake had done last night.
    “No, she’s just a—handful.”
    “I’ll say. A pretty little handful who
enjoys nothing more than trying to get your attention. You haven’t
noticed that, boss?”
    “Yeah, I’ve noticed,” he said grimly. “But
there’s nothing I can do about it.” Frustration made him want to
choke but he swallowed past it.
    “Right, right. Well, she certainly is a
passionate little thing. You better keep her under control while
you’re out there on the west coast, missing all the action.”
    “You’re missing the action too, my
friend.”
    “I’m creating my own action here at home.”
Jerry chuckled. “Chasing and corralling my kids. Fat lot of good
it’s doing me, though. They’ve overtaken the house.”
    He sounded pissed, but Mason knew Jerry
loved his children more than anything. “You’re loving every minute
of it.”
    “Yeah, you’re right.” Jerry chuckled. “Just
stay strong, boss. Do your time, do your job and everything’s going
to be fine.”
    Mason wished he could believe what Jerry
said.
    Everything’s going to be fine.
    It was all a crock of shit. Given the chance
again, he’d probably pounce on Blake and tear her clothes off with
his freaking teeth, he was so hot for her. Maul her body with his
hands, mouth and cock. Make sure she loved every minute of it too.
Hell, he’d have her begging for more. She wanted him. He knew
it.
    Jesus. He sounded like an out of
control asshole even in his thoughts.
    “You’re right, Jer. I’ll be fine. Don’t you
worry about me.” His reassurance sounded weak even to his own
ears.
    “Oh, I’m not worried about you. I’m worried
about that poor little Blake Hewitt. She’s a lonely one, boss. You
can’t tinker with her heart, you know. She’ll fall apart.”
    Just the reminder he needed to hear. She
acted like she was made of steel but her vulnerability hovered
right there on the edge. She desperately tried to keep it under
control, always trying her best to appear strong, prove to the
world she was a fighter. But she wasn’t. She was scared, so very
lost, though no one seemed to notice.
    He did.
    “I’m not going to tinker with her
heart.”
    “Well, don’t fool around with that sweet
body of hers, either, my man.” Jerry blew out a harsh breath. “If
Lacy heard me talk like this, she’d have my hide.”
    Mason didn’t like hearing him say those
things about Blake, either. “And with good reason too. Neither of
us should be talking about her this way.”
    “Hell no, we shouldn’t.”
    Yet another reminder Mason needed. The wrath
of James Hewitt would be deadly. Something Mason never wanted to
deal with.
    “I gotta go,” Mason finally said, sinking
further into the plush chair. “Sorry to bug you.”
    “Hey boss, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you
out. Blake doesn’t act the same way with me as she does you. Of
course, she’s not trying to tempt a chubby old fart like me,
either.”
    They laughed, Mason hanging up soon after
but Blake still haunted his thoughts.
    As usual.
    He’d wondered more than once if her behavior
toward