Page 33 of The Negotiator

“We’ll get started in the bedroom,” Kayla said as she reached out for Lauren’s hand. The two of them disappeared into the other room a second later.

Garrett headed for the front windows then crouched down to check the sensors. He expected Matthias to head for another part of the cottage but he loomed right there. It was enough to make Garrett stand up again. He knew something was coming.

“Having a good night?” Matthias asked from right behind Garrett.

He knew Matthias well enough to know the question he asked was not really his question, and he braced for more. “Up until a half hour ago.”

“Still just being a bodyguard? Doing bodyguard stuff?”

That didn’t take long.Garrett had been expecting it but Matthias still landed the shot pretty well. “We can look without talking. I’m fine with that.”

“Be careful.”

The change in Matthias’s tone had Garrett paying attention. “A warning? Really?”

For a guy who excelled at negotiating and strategizing, he seemed to be doing a pretty shitty job of maneuvering through his relationship with Lauren. He’d dated before. He had no idea why this was so different. So much bigger. Whatever it was, it made him careful with what he said.

“This time I’m worried about you, not her.”

“I’m trying to believe we’re having this conversation.” Garrett would be happy to have it end anytime now. Really.

Matthias scoffed. “That makes two of us.”

He took off for the kitchen at twice his normal speed. Garrett had to smile at that. Matthias was not a man known for running from anything. But Garrett still needed to make a point. “We’re seeing if there’s anything between us. Just... you know, seeing.”

Matthias stilled. “Do you hear yourself?”

His stammering was tough to miss. Even Garrett had to admit that. “Unfortunately.”

“You swoop into town—”

“Swoop?” Not a word Garrett ever remembered saying before.

“You might have just started sleeping together, which is the only explanation for that stupid look on your face, but you guys have been circling each other for months. Dating without dating.”

Garrett was pretty sure that was more words than Matthias had said all last month. But he did say something worth noting. “I tried to tell Lauren about that dating part but she was in denial.”

“Women.” Matthias shrugged. “Look, I’ve never seen you like this before. With anyone. She might not be ready even if you are. Maybe go slow.”

Garrett heard the tone. Not Matthias’s usual grumbling bark. No, this was something different. “Is this warning from Kayla or from you?”

“I don’t care about any of this.” Matthias opened the refrigerator and took out something in a plastic container. He studied it but didn’t open it. “You’re consenting adults.”

That was more like the Matthias he knew. But Garrett didn’t buy it. Matthias wasn’t the type to meddle. The uncomfortable talk was his way of saying he cared. That mattered to Garrett and he was close enough to Matthias to accept the advice without mentioning the emotion behind it.

He dropped the container back on the shelf and closed the door. “But, Garrett? Don’t fuck this up. You likely don’t see it yet, but you guys make sense together.”

That sounded like decent advice, so Garrett decided to take it. “Okay.”

“And if you mess it up, Kayla will make me kill you.”

Lauren and Kayla walked around the office area in the bedroom. Stacks of unfiled paperwork teetered on the edge of her desk. This was her personal information, which she hadn’t looked at or thought about but was pretty sure she was supposed to save. At work, everything was catalogued with bookkeeper perfection. Here she let things slide.

“You okay?” Kayla asked from the opposite side of the desk chair.

“I love that you keep asking that and expecting a different answer each time.”

Kayla shrugged. “I guess I’m an optimist.”

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