Page 105 of The Bodyguard

I want her little fingers sliding over my skin and asking me all her inquisitive questions. I want her caring eyes gazing into mine and to feel vulnerable enough to show her my pain.

And to be the man who tells her she doesn’t need to hurt anymore. That I will celebrate her every win. I will fly her anywhere and everywhere and throw stupid rose petals into my hot tub filter, so it blows the fuck up...then buy a new one.

Because who cares?

She is way more important.

Why the hell doesn’t anyone else see that?

Fucks me off. It fucks me off that I see it and I can’t have her. And that we are both skirting around the subject and just accepting it.

Because we can’t do anything else.

What I can do is protect her. That’s why I’m in her life. Not to damn well fall in love with her. Or lose my mind, which...it feels like I’m doing.

I let out a breath and shake my head in answer to Josh’s question.

“No more. Just the three so far,” I reply as Aidan drops down onto one of the boardroom chairs with a coffee and slides mine over to me.

“’Sup?” Marshall walks in. “Jesus, you’re tanned.”

“No tan lines either.” Josh smirks.

“Except from where your wife was lying over you,” Marshall stupidly says, thinking he’s clever.

Aidan and I lift our eyes to Josh.

Yup, he’s going to lose it.

“Think of my wife naked on top of me again and I’ll rip your balls off.” Josh glares back.

Marshall stills and glances back and forth between us, looking a little ill.

I smirk at him, because watching him get fucked up is one of my favorite past times.

I like Marshall. I do.

But he’s a Green Beret and confident as fuck.

So yeah, any time he gets taken down a peg or two is a good day.

“If it helps, she was wearing a bikini in my head.”

Aidan groans and I chuckle.

“How did you survive this long, man?” Josh shakes his head.

“Charm?” Marshall asks.

“Nope,” we all say simultaneously.

“Jesus. Drag the whiteboard over,” Aidan tells him, trying to save his life. “We need to map out who was with her, where she was, and when the notes arrived.”

I’ve done it in my head and mulled it over, but I’m not sure I can find a consistent pattern.

There will be one.

Unless it's random, which it could be.

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