Page 28 of Flirtatious

For the first time, possibly since I arrived at her home, I see her truly laugh, like she thinks my joke is genuinely funny. It’s great to see her happy like this too. It makes her even more beautiful.

“You are too funny, Liam. Summer teeth. I like that. So amaze me and explain why you think this person is young, which by the way, I agree with but only because my fans tend to be under forty.”

Remembering what I learned when I was guarding the senator last year and he had a stalker, I point to the misspelled your that begins this letter. “Older people aren’t used to spellcheck as much as younger people, so they tend to spell better. Even when they’re threatening people, they tend to spell things right.” I stop and see her nodding before I add, “That and the demographics of the people who enjoy your music tend to be younger.”

“So I have a young male stalker. Not really shocking, but I still hate it.”

“This happens almost every time you’re about to go out on tour?” I ask, wondering if Andrea knew more than she was telling me before.

“He didn’t send anything last year, but all the times before that, yeah. And then I wait for another one that never comes and I spend all my time looking around corners assuming a stalker is waiting to grab me. It makes me hate who I am every time.”

“Well, not this time.”

“Really?” she asks in a tone of utter disbelief.

“Yeah. That’s not how we’re playing this game. I’m here this time, so no worrying about someone waiting for you because if he’s around, I’ll find him first.”

Mia gets a sheepish look on her face and hangs her head. “You probably think I’m stupid right now. Just yesterday, I gave you a hard time about hiring more men. You probably feel pretty vindicated.”

“This isn’t a competition between us to see who’s right. I’m here to keep you safe. That’s all I care about.”

Instantly, her entire demeanor changes, and she jumps up from the bed. “I don’t want to talk about this. Go.”

Confused, I stand to leave, not knowing what made her change from that happy and relaxed woman to this one that appears to be coming apart at the seams. As she stands in front of me looking like she’s about to burst into tears, I try to think of something to say to make that happier version of her come back.

“Okay. I’ll call the cops and report this. They’re going to want to talk to you, but I’ll be there with you, if you want.”

Anger explodes out of her. “No! No cops! I told them the first two times he sent me a letter, and they did nothing. They don’t care about stalkers until they hurt someone. I don’t want to have to deal with them. Bring them in when he finally gets to me.”

Before I can say a word to let her know I won’t let anyone get to her, she collapses onto the bed and sobs into her hands. It’s heartbreaking to stand here and watch her fall apart. I don’t know if I should leave and tell one of her crew to come up here for her or if I should stay.

I sit down next to her, not sure if she’ll begin yelling again or something worse, but all she does is cry. When she stops, we sit in silence for a long time. I don’t know what to say. At this moment, I wish I was one of those men who knows how to cheer someone up, but I’m not funny or kind enough. I never have been.

Finally, she softly says, “I bet you’re regretting taking this job, aren’t you?”

As much as I have hated many things about this assignment, at this very moment, I don’t hate it, so I answer truthfully, “No. No regret at all.”

Maybe one. I wish I knew how to show others I care.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Mia

Drying my eyes,I look over at Liam, surprised he isn’t regretting the fact that he said yes to working for me. “Really?”

“This is my job. It’s who I am. It’s what I’m good at. It’s all I’ve ever been good at going back to when I was a kid. Protecting people. Back then, it was smaller kids being picked on by bigger kids who thought they could push others around. Now it’s this. So I’d never regret this or any job where I can do what comes naturally to me.”

“Even after the crew showed up?”

He hesitates for a moment and then shakes his head. “Even then.”

“Your girlfriend or wife is a lucky woman.”

Liam smiles and shakes his head again. “No wife or girlfriend.”

Maybe Mitchell was right when he claimed last night Liam would be his by tour’s end. “Are you gay?”

A slow smile lifts the corners of his very appealing mouth. “No. I just don’t have anyone in my life right now.”

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