Page 6 of Protector

I glance over at Shay, her brows raised, her full pouty lips slightly parted.Dangerous territory.I move my gaze down, noting everything about her seems so deliberate. A perfectly chosen outfit that’s just casual enough to look like she didn’t put much effort into it, makeup that’s flattering yet still noticeable, and long black hair with that salon shine. And this up-and-coming starlet looks completely out of place in my ’84 Chevy.

“The underwear you mentioned…that the stalker took?”

“Oh…um, what about it?”

I shift into fourth gear and move over a lane. “The perp may not have actually been in your home.”

I see her body shift in my periphery.

“Are you saying I just handed my panties over to this sicko?”

“Of course not. What I’m saying is they may have breached security at your property’s entrance and gotten through to the house to drop off the package, but that doesn’t mean they were inside the house.”

“What do you mean? How can you possibly know that?”

“Let’s assume the panties were yours.” Flicking my gaze to her, I note she’s at least taking this seriously. “Based on the itinerary that Catherine gave me, you’ve stayed in four different hotels over the last three months. It’s possible that this guy somehow got access to one of those rooms.” Hearing her laugh, I turn my head and find a half-grin on her wine-colored lips.

“I’ve known you all of two minutes, and you’re already cracking the case.” She executes an adorable fist pump, then her hand lands on my bicep.

I turn my attention back to the road.Great, she’s a toucher.My job just got more fucking challenging. I clear my throat. “I wouldn’t say I cracked the case.”

“Well, I didn’t even think of that. No one did.”

“I’m only bringing it up because it’s something to consider before we jump to leaving the safety of your house.”

“Actually, it’s my mother’s house.”

“But you don’t live with her, right?” I realize too late she might think I’m judging her. At twenty-four, most women don’t live with their mothers, especially a financially stable woman.

“I’ll stay there from time to time, sure. Currently, I am living there but only because my place is having some work done.”

“When will it be ready?”

She huffs. “You know how that goes… Supposed to be in about ten days, but who ever does the job they’re supposed to these days?”

I lift a brow and look at her, attempting to convey my thoughts about my own performance being the exception.

“NowthatI believe,” she says.

“I’m glad you trust me. It’s essential if I’m to keep you safe.”

Her voice is quiet when she says, “I know.”

We drive in silence for a few moments, and when I glance over, I see she’s on her phone. I’m sure someone like her is in constant demand, so I don’t take offense. This is a job, not a social relationship. I’m not anti-technology, either, but I just don’t give two shits about the latest apps or social media posts. Even so, I’ll have to scour all of Shay’s accounts, her posts, and anything out there from or about her. Not something I’m looking forward to. Thankfully, I have the resources of Cole Security Forces behind me, so I won’t have to do it all myself. Though, I’m not one who sees the benefits of delegating everything either. I’m a “if you want something done right…” kind of guy.

Feeling her hand on my arm again, I’m pulled out of my thoughts. This time she’s tugging up the sleeve of my shirt.

“Is this frog your only tattoo? I love it. For the SEALs, right?”

I let out a breathy chuckle; if I don’t, I might have to acknowledge my skin heating at her touch. “Uh, no and yes?”

Pulling her hand away, she says, “Oh, sorry. Yeah, I’m kind of a hands-on girl.”

I don’t trust myself to respond to that, so I counter with a question. “How did you know it was SEALs?”

“I know a lot of things,” she says with a deep, lazy tone.

I don’t know if there’s anything more lethal than a beautiful woman with a brain and a sassy mouth. What the hell was I thinking taking this job? Damn Jackson and Catherine! I only had to be in her presence for five minutes to know I was screwed six ways to Sunday and should’ve told Catherine it was a no-go. Jackson would have understood. But when Shay looked at me with those big crystal-blue eyes, something grabbed hold of my chest, squeezing it tightly and spurring me to act—that’s when ayesshot out of my mouth. I’ve always been a protector. It’s not something I can fight. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, thinking it’s my job as a man to keep a woman safe. Again, I don’t care what people think of that. But something about Shay called to me, and I knew in that instance, I would lay down my life for her. Let’s just hope it doesn’t fucking come to that.

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