Page 18 of Just a Bit Guarded

“You are,” Will said. “My priority.”

The words made something warm and vicious curl in his stomach.

“That’s right,” Gadiel said, turning back to the screen. “Don’t you forget that.”

He didn’t let go of Will’s arm.

Over the next hour, Gadiel found himself squirming closer and closer to Will until his entire torso was pressed against Will’s side and arm. It was probably embarrassing that he was behaving like a big baby, but screw it, he didn’t care. He felt so much better this way. His heart was still beating fast, but he’d stopped jumping at every sudden noise.

“Kid, you’re nearly in my lap,” Will said.

“Am not,” Gadiel said, hugging Will’s bicep tightly. It was marvelously firm without being ridiculously thick. Will was so fit. Obviously Gadiel noticed that because it was important for a bodyguard to be fit and firm everywhere. After all, his purpose was to protect Gadiel and keep him safe.

Gadiel smiled absently, rubbing his cheek against Will’s shoulder. He really smelled so good. Someone in the movie was being eaten alive, but Gadiel didn’t even flinch, just cuddled closer to his bodyguard. He felt like purring from how comfortable he felt, his chest warm and his mind wonderfully empty of any worries.Safe-warm-protected.So good. He could stay like this forever. “And don’t call me kid,” he said belatedly. “It’s baby.”

He could feel rather than hear Will’s chuckle. It was nice.

“Gadiel?” came a voice from his other side.

His eyes widened. Right—Scott!

Gadiel straightened up a little and turned to him.

Even in the semi-darkness, he could see something like bemusement on Scott’s face as he eyed him and Will. “Why are you cuddled up to him?”

“He’s my bodyguard,” Gadiel said, refusing to be embarrassed. “I was scared. It’s his job to make me feel safe.”

“Right,” Scott said, throwing an indecipherable look over Gadiel’s shoulder at Will. “You can sit closer to me if you’re scared.” He smiled, his white teeth flashing in the darkness. “I’m scared shitless too, to be honest. We can be scared shitless together.”

Gadiel didn’t move. He was aware that he was wasting a golden opportunity to cuddle with Scott, but he didn’t feel like moving.

“Nah, I’m good,” he whispered. “The movie is ending soon anyway. We can’t risk getting caught snuggling when the lights turn on.”

“Right. That... makes sense.”

None of them said anything else for the rest of the movie. When the credits rolled, Gadiel relinquished his grip on Will’s arm and got to his feet.

“That was fun, wasn’t it?” he said, turning to Scott with a grin.

Scott returned it after a moment. “If by fun you mean nightmare inducing, sure.”

Gadiel laughed, though it wasn’t all that funny. Weird. He’d remembered Scott being much funnier during their previous meeting.

Will laid his hand on his nape, steering him gently toward the exit. Gadiel relaxed into the touch and, pulling his phone out, checked his messages, trusting Will to get him to their destination.

There was a message from his eldest brother’s wife reminding him about the family dinner in two days’ time. Fuck, he’d forgotten about it.

“What’s wrong?” Will said, guiding him through the door.

“I’m supposed to attend a family dinner the day after tomorrow,” Gadiel said with a sigh. Looking at Will, he pulled a face. “At my father’s.”

Will’s gaze was sympathetic. “You can’t skip it?”

Gadiel laughed a little. “No way. Unless you’re on your deathbed, you don’t miss family dinners.”

“Personally, I love family dinners,” came from his other side.

Gadiel flinched and looked at Scott. “It must be nice,” he said, unable to imagine enjoying family dinners.

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