Page 26 of Guarding the Singer

Sadie gestured to the luxurious chairs in the seating area. "Have a seat, please."

William moved over to one of the chairs, standing in front of it, but he didn't sit until Sadie sat down on the couch.

A knock at the door of the suite had William leaning forward to stand up, but Hank passed behind him, setting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I've got this, man."

William snuck a look at Sadie and wondered if he'd ever be in a room with her and not feel a little star struck.

He didn't have a crush on her or anything of the sort. It was something entirely different for him. She was a singular talent, just like Selene. Being in a room with her made him feel like Selene was close.

Denial?

Maybe.

But he couldn't help wishing that he could get this close to Selene again.

They'd talked a few times on the phone, but mostly texts.

And while he knew they'd had a connection on the night of the inauguration, he was under no misconception that they were involved at all.

They were... there wasn't a definition for what they were.

Guard and protectee?

Work acquaintances?

Wishful thinking? Yeah.

That.

The door opened and a hotel employee stepped into the room with a cart, followed by Alex, Badger, and Flash.

Flash gave him a nod.

Badger was his normal stiff upper lip Brit.

And Alex?

There was something in the look that he cast in William's direction that had William rubbing his palms against his slacks.

It was as if he could feel an underlying current in the room.

And the focus of that energy was himself.

Flash and Badger greeted Sadie with smiles and soft comments while Alex leaned in for a hug from the world-famous actor.

She sat back in her chair and looked across the seating area.

At him.

William Winchester.

The hotel employee set up a coffee station at the side wall of the room, but made a coffee for each of them before leaving and when the door opened up for the hotel employee to leave, another man walked in.

William could tell that Sadie, Hank, and Alex were all expecting the latest person to enter the room, just as easily as he could tell that Badger and Flash weren't.

It was good to know that he was in good company.

The man had an air of elegance about him. He made eye contact with everyone in the room easily and he waved off the offer of coffee before he leaned in to give Sadie a kiss on her cheek.

---