Page 5 of Guarding the Singer

That was enough for him.

Cali's phone rang and she dove for it on the tabletop. "Oh, it's Maya Lin. She's waiting to go through security with your gowns. I'll go get her and bring her in."

She dashed for the door and William followed behind her to take up a post at the door.

"William?"

He turned around to look at Selene. She was still standing in the same place, her hand pressed high on her chest, over her heart.

He should have said her name in reply, but his heart was pounding against his ribs.

She stole his breath just standing there.

"Would you stay?"

Stay?

What could he say to that?

PART II

She worried for a moment. Silence fell between them, and she worried that she'd said something stupid.

So, she spoke again, hoping to do better this time.

"I don't think it would be anything but... boring to stand outside in the hall. And as you said, you're early. So you're not even on the clock."

He looked downright confused.

"I'm a marine, ma- Selene."

She smiled at him. He sounded so sure of his answers. Conviction. That's what it sounded like.

"It's not about a clock. It's an assignment. I am honored to serve my country here at the Inauguration."

Glad to have a common middle ground betweenthem, she nodded and gestured to the couch between them. "I feel the same way. When I got the call, I thought someone was pranking me. I mean, where did the Inauguration Committee get my number?"

He thought about it for a moment, his gaze seemed far away, but before she could get too lost in the strong line of his jaw, he replied.

"Well, I'm guessing the FBI or the CIA?"

Wow.

The straightforward answer would have knocked her off her feet if she wasn't already sitting down on the couch.

He sat down beside her with a bit of a lop-sided smile. "That was a rhetorical question on your side, right?"

Now it was her turn to think. "Actually, I was curious about how they got my number. My manager thought I was joking when I asked him about it."

"Why would your manager think that? He knows you're talented and a star. Why wouldn't they ask you?"

"You..." She was a little confused but also flattered. "You think I'm talented?"

"Well, you're all over the Grammy awards, right?"

"Ahhh... I have a few of those."

Oh god. She tried not to visibly cringe. She didn't want to sound like she was full of herself.

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