“He’s what?”
“What if he followed us and shows up here and—”
“If he followed you.” He took her hand and tugged itgently from her face. “Then it will make my fucking day, and that of about thirty hard-ass bikers just a mile from here who will take it in turns to beat the living shit out of him.” He stopped himself from getting any more graphic.
She stared up at him. The fear in her eyes touched something in the very core of him. Yet he knew she was strong. She had to be to have survived what she’d gone through and gotten away.
“So,” he said, lowering his face to hers. “Get used to having the best goddamn bodyguards money can’t buy. That asshole is never getting near you again.”
“I wish I could believe you, Jayden.”
He paused and remembered what Brooklyn had said about her only knowing bad guys. “You will. Soon you’ll know that despite the tats and the muscles, I’m a good guy, and I’ve got very strong opinions on how women should be treated.”
“Which is?” She held his eye contact.
Another thing that told him she was strong inside.
“Women,” he said, “should be respected, treasured, and pleasured. In that order.”
She took a step backward, retreating into the house. “I … I have to … check on Zak.”
Chapter Four
Tammy tore her gaze from Jayden’s, then turned and walked quickly to the bathroom.
Zak was splashing and chattering to himself. Bilbo lay on the fluffy mat beside the tub.
“Women should be respected, treasured, and pleasured. In that order.”
She had faith that the good Lord knew what he was doing by sending her into Jayden’s protection, but seriously, her new unofficial bodyguard looked like a lawless hooligan yet spoke like a guy who seriously knew his way around a woman’s body.
“Mommy, watch.” Zak clapped and sent a flurry of bubbles into the air.
“Very good.” She smiled at him.
Pleasured.
The way Jayden had said that one word had rekindled a long forgotten memory—a time when pleasure had been part of her world. A time before Gary had discovered beating her black and blue was more fun than making love to her.
Did he ever really make love to me?
Did he ever really love me?
She put the lid down on the toilet and sat to watch Zak play. Gary had been her first boyfriend and her only lover, so there were no comparisons, no one to judge him by. Perhaps that was why she’d tolerated what she had for so long.
Maybe if she’d had a guy like Jayden first, a tough, testosterone-pumped man who respected, treasured, and pleasured her, then she would’ve set her bar higher.
She crossed her legs, a little fission of heat spreading between them just at the thought of Jayden naked and hard and slipping into her body. He was so damn big, she’d bet his cock was too. Would it hurt her? The way Gary had … that last timewhen he’d…
She closed her eyes and her jaw clenched.
“What’s the matter, Mommy?”
“Nothing, sweetie.” She smiled and thanked the heavens that Zak hadn’t witnessed that particular incident. “Shall we get you out now? Pizza will be here soon.”
“Oh, yes, pizza.” He shot up and hopped out, spreading water and bubbles all over the mat and Bilbo.
“Come here.” She quickly wrapped him in a towel and sat him on her lap, rubbing his arms over the material.