Protective Shadows (The Protective Series, Book 2)

Chapter Forty

Janne drew back gently from me, tucking a strip of dark blonde hair behind my ear. I kept my eyes on his, as he slowly leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine.

I closed my eyes, breathing in his familiar scent of almonds and vanilla. I held his face gently between my hands, and returned the kiss.

The next thing I knew, Janne disappeared from the driver's seat into the back, and a pair of arms were being laced through mine. I craned my neck back to glance at Janne as he pulled me into the back with him, straddling my hips.

I glanced up into his eyes. The afternoon sun flittered through the car windows, illuminating his dark brown hair to a lighter shade and enhancing his features. I could see the relaxed angle of his eyebrows, and the serious shape of his eyes, which always made him look unamused.

Janne traced the shape of my thin lips with his thumb, before I was turned over onto my stomach and he was lowering my leather pants.

I tried to keep my breathing steady as I felt his hands on my hips, slowly lowering my briefs. I'll admit I was a little nervous, but excited at the same time. This was my first time with a guy, and I was glad it was with Janne of all people.

I slowly peeled my weary eyes open, blinking hard against the luminous sunlight filling the room. A silver velvet cushioned chair was positioned in front of me, across the unfamiliar white carpeted floor, and on it, laying neatly folded and ironed, was my uniform.

The bedroom I was in similarly resembled the other hotel rooms that we had all been staying during the tour - expensive-looking, luxurious furniture, an exquisite view of the city through the polished windows, and at the foot of the king sized bed, a blanket chest with soft white padding across its surface and the ebony arms.

It was like being in heaven.

"So you finally wake up," a deep, old acquainted voice spoke from the other side of the room. "I must say, you don't seem to party as hard as you once used to."

I moaned groggily, slumping my forearm across my eyes to block out the unwanted light. All I wanted to do was to sleep in, but I knew that was far from possible. We had a packed schedule to make up for, since earlier appearances and gigs we had planned in the earlier months were postponed or cancelled, due to Janne's death.

"Come on," Izzy clapped his hands together twice, his voice sounding closer than it had been seconds ago. "Chop chop, Jed. Without you, the star of Protective Services, the other guys can't function. You're the wheel that keeps the car moving."

"Leave me alone," I mumbled, rolling onto my opposite side, facing my back to him. "I was having a nice dream about Janne. It was of our first time together."

"Oh," Izzy remarked, his tone changing to one of genuine concern. "I'm sorry, Jed. Do you want to sit out from the album launch?"

I shook my head slowly from side-to-side, struggling immensely to keep my eyes open against the temptation of sleep. "As you said, I'm the wheel that keeps the group moving forward. What's a car with only three wheels?"

"A scrap heap," a lighter Finnish voice pitched in dryly. I already knew who it was without having to see them for myself. "Come on lazy butt, get up. We have a busy day ahead of us."

I instantly rolled off the edge of the mattress, half-stumbling into a walk towards the lean figure filling the doorway.

"Smooth," Jarmo attempted to stifle his snicker, but failed. "You've been asleep for over ten hours, man. You passed out against Asko's chest, so we brought you back here."