Page 146 of Bookworm

Bo's hands went to my waist, and I bit back a gasp as he pulled me inexorably closer. My hands went to his shoulders. We swayed to the music, and a second later, I recognized the song. It was the same one that account had paired with our kiss—which only reminded me of what I had to ask Bo. Before that though, I had another question.

"Why be a bodyguard?" I asked.

"I want to protect people, and I'm good at noticing things," he said.

"Like what?"

"Like the guy who's been watching you sinceyou and Meech went to the bar. Redand white t-shirt, glasses, kind of looks like Where's Waldo. Ten o'clock."

I shook my head. "You're crazy. No one's been watching me."

"He's been waiting to shoot his shot. Wasn't going to give him the chance."

"I don't understand you," I said.

"Don’t you?"

Before I could answer, he said, "What's your first memory of me?"

I smiled. "You were fighting off these guys who'd cornered a dog on the sidewalk in front of our houses. I remember because you were so much smaller than them. You couldn’t have been more than eight or nine? And they were teens, but they all ran away—and that was before your dad came out to yell at them." I looked up into his shocked expression. "That's when I knew you weren't as unfeeling and gruff as you pretend to be, Bo Stryker."

He exhaled, pulling me closer. "I…wasn't expecting that."

"I have a good memory," I said.

"Apparently."

"I'm going to ask my final question now."

Bo lifted a brow. "Go ahead."

It's no big deal, I assured myself. Just ask him.

"Well, we're trying to make one last push for donations for the library charity event," I said."And Casey and Natalia had this idea—it's kind of crazy, but I think it could help."

Bo waited.

"Remember that video of us?"

"How could I forget?" he said.

"It's okay if you say no. I want to make that clear."

"Just say it, Kent."

I took a deep breath and decided to let the chips fall where they may.

"Will you kiss me again?"

CHAPTER 22

Ten seconds.

It took Bo ten whole seconds to answer.

I felt like I died a little more with each passing moment. But then he said…

"Yes."

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