Page 18 of The Bodyguard

I glance around the restaurant. It’s a packed-out lunchtime service by the looks of it, mostly business people, but that’s par for the course at this time of day.

“Alright. I’ll stop pushing you.” My eyes fall back on his. “For now.”

“Your brother said you were hard work.”

“At least he gave you a heads-up. Should mean you’re prepared.”

He smiles again, so do I, he’s actually okay, sometimes. But if I start getting too relaxed in his company that might look like I’m almost consenting to this charade, and I don’t consent, to any of it.

“You know, if we’re going to be spending all this time in each other’s company, maybe we need to learn how to tolerate each other that little bit more. After all, we’re supposed to make people think we really are a couple. And a new couple at that, on the verge of a blossoming romance.” He leans forward on his elbows, his hands clasped together under his chin. “And even though we might not like the situation we’re in, I’m sure we can make it way more enjoyable than it is right now.”

I doubt that.

I hold his gaze for a second before signalling to a passing waiter to bring us the check. “We should get back to the office.”

He reaches behind him for his jacket and slips it back on, and there’s no denying he can carry a suit. “I’ll wait for you outside,” he says, pushing his chair back and standing up, and I watch as he makes his way through the crowded restaurant, not missing the way more than a handful of heads turn as he passes. Understandable.

“The check, Ms. Nielsen.” The waiter smiles and drops the small silver tray carrying the check and a couple of mint chocolates down on the table. They know me well. We use quite a few of the restaurants down on the Quayside for business meetings, I’m a familiar face around here.

“Thank you.” I take out one of the company credit cards, this is obviously going on expenses, and wait for the receipt to print off, popping one of the chocolates into my mouth as I watch Bodie outside. He’s pacing up and down, his phone to his ear, casting the odd glance back inside to make sure I’m still there, that I haven’t absconded out the back door, and don’t think I wasn’t tempted. For a second, anyway.

Taking the receipt and leaving a hefty tip on the tray, I get up and head outside, and the second I step out into the late spring sunshine, Bodie quickly ends his conversation and puts his phone away.

“You ready?” he asks, sliding his hands into his pockets.

“I’m ready.”

I fall into step beside him as we walk back towards the office.

“How long have you been doing this… I don’t know what you’d call it. Bodyguarding?”

He looks at me, and smiles. He has a nice smile. It makes him look less – severe. “A while.”

He’s really big on the vague answers.

“Have you worked for anyone famous? You know, movie stars, musicians, Z-list celebrities?”

He shakes his head, his eyes now back out front. “Mainly politicians, heads of state, that kind of thing.”

“Must be a bit of a comedown this, then?”

He looks at me again, and that all-too-familiar smirk’s back now. “I’m still calling it a challenge.”

“Okay.”

He laughs quietly, and we walk in silence for a little while longer before I stop and look across the water to Gateshead on the opposite bank, music venue The Sage and the Baltic Art Gallery looming large on that side of the river.

“Doesn’t it scare you? Working for someone like my father?”

He rests his forearms on the railings, his gaze still facing forward. “Why would it scare me?”

I shrug. “I don’t know.”

I feel his eyes on me and I turn my head slightly. “It takes a lot to scare me, Lena. Believe me.”

I believe him. I really do. And now his eyes are staring ahead of him again, and it almost feels like a moment was lost there. I can’t explain it, it’s just what it feels like, to me, anyway.

“Come on. We should be getting back.” I start to walk away, but his voice stops me before I can go more than a couple of steps.

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