Page 107 of Guarding Bristol

“I feel like I’m in a postcard or a movie or something.”She was trying her best to focus on that and stay in the moment, rather than give in to her growing anxiety about what was coming up next.

“It’s not bad,” TJ agreed, helping himself to a warm pain au chocolate from the napkin-covered basket between them at the wrought-iron table on the hotel terrace.He had gone all out booking the trip for them.This hotel overlooking the lake was breathtaking, and easily ten times more luxurious than anywhere she’d stayed before.

“Not bad?”She shot him an incredulous look.“It’s breathtaking.”

In the distance, the mountain peaks were dusted with snow.Below to her right, Lake Zurich glittered in the golden late-September sunshine.Their hotel was right in the historic heart of the old city center, nestled just inland from the lake’s northern tip.

They’d arrived yesterday afternoon after a few days in London and had explored a bit.Zurich was a vibrant mix of old and new, a center of heritage, a financial and industrial powerhouse.Especially the banking, tech, and medical sectors.

Which was why they were here.

TJ’s phone beeped, face down on the table.He picked it up, read it, and texted someone.“It’s your dad.He says hi.”

She shook her head in disbelief, tried not to feel offended.“Say hi back.”

“Already did.”He put the phone away, carried on eating as though nothing had happened.

It was surreal that TJ and her dad were texting buddies.They had met the morning after that horrible day she’d been taken hostage.Their initial meeting had been chilly and stiff, but over the past few weeks her dad had thawed toward him considerably.They both loved the NFL, which helped, and her dad was always watching those NatGeo documentaries about drug smuggling or law enforcement operations against dealers and cartel members.Now he called or texted TJ about them, asking him questions for “expert insider info.”It seemed to amuse TJ.

As for him and Cassie, their relationship was still very much a work in progress.Cassie had grudgingly accepted him into the family circle, but still gave him the hairy eyeball occasionally.Though to be honest, Cassie had trust issues with men.And Bristol secretly loved how loyal and protective Cass was with her.

But it would be nice if her dad would text her as often as he did TJ now.She glanced at her phone to check that she’d turned off silent mode.No messages from her dad or Cassie.Jeez.“What time are we leaving for the hike?”She was wound up, could try to blame her jitteriness and fatigue on jetlag, but that wasn’t the real problem.

She was nervous.

“Around ten should give us plenty of time to get to the pickup spot.”

A shuttle bus was taking them from the center of Old Town up to the base of a mountain to meet the rest of the group for the three-hour hike.“Okay.”

It was just before nine now.Only a few minutes until...

She busied herself with spreading butter and jam on bits of a flaky croissant and tried her best not to give away how anxious she was.

“You okay?”he asked, somehow picking up on it anyway.

“Yeah, fine.”

Life had felt like a whirlwind since the day she’d blown his cover, and they were just now coming to the other side of it.TJ had officially given his notice to the DEA last week before leaving on their trip.He was taking these few weeks with her as a break from everything before deciding what to do after this.Once they got back and he officially moved into her place, he was thinking about applying at CPS.

Turned out the memory stick he had gotten from Leandro’s right-hand guy had contained all kinds of juicy and incriminating evidence on it.Those documents, videos, and files had allowed the DEA to dismantle the cartel’s operations in the Pacific Northwest.

Their trip so far had been wonderful.After the chaos of their early relationship and the whirlwind of the official investigation that followed, this time together was a gift.She’d learned so much about him over the past few weeks.

He loved rock music and Thai food.He had a dry wit that came out when she least expected it.He was tidy and brooding, although he brooded less and less since leaving the DEA.He was sexually intense in a way that got her body humming with a single heated look.And he snored a bit if he slept on his back.

Maybe later on she’d want to smother him with a pillow, but right now during the honeymoon stage, she found it sort of endearing.Mostly.

“Hey.”TJ reached over and grasped her hand.Tugged her toward him.

She blew out a breath, got up and allowed him to pull her into his lap.He engulfed her in a firm embrace, his chin resting on the top of her head.“It’s gonna be fine,” he murmured.

She sure as hell hoped so.

“I wouldn’t have asked you to be here for this otherwise.”

She nodded, her cheek rubbing against his chest.He would never do anything to hurt her.And this was important to him.“I’m trying.”

“I know you are.Trust me about this.”

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