Page 38 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
Preston wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders and looked at Alex. “Don’t do it. Keep the chocolate for yourself.”
Alex pulled the entire cake plate in front of him.
“But chocolate! I crave chocolate.” Abbie reached for the cake. Preston held her back. He got an elbow in the ribs for his efforts—a playful jab, but even a pregnant Abbie could take down most men.
He spun his wife around and planted a huge kiss on her lips. “You wound me, lady.”
Abbie looked into her husband’s eyes. “If you are trying to get me to forget about chocolate, that didn’t work.” She turned back to Alex. “Please?”
Adam swiped the cake and cut a piece for Abbie.
September stifled a giggle. She forgot how much fun being around the Hastings could be. Harmony stirred, and September looked over to see her face redden. “Excuse me. Duty calls.”
With so many men in the room, September took Harmony upstairs.
“Well, sweetheart, you missed all the fun. You slept right through it.” September gathered a new diaper. “What are we going to do? I don’t want her finding you. Charging Adam with kidnapping is crazy, but Sven is crazy. It will cause all sorts of problems. Don’t worry, little one. Sven will never touch you. Adam will protect you if I can’t.”
Someone tapped on the door. September picked up Harmony and turned to see who it was. “Come in, Adam. The dirty deed is done.”
“I only have a few minutes. We assume Sven followed Shyla. Once everyone starts leaving, I have to go too.”
September nodded, not trusting herself to answer. Adam stepped closer and traced her cheek. “I don’t want to leave you.”
September leaned into his hand and nodded, knowing if she spoke she would cry.
Adam wrapped his arms around both of them and kissed the top of September’s head. “Both of you keep safe.” He kissed Harmony’s cheek, then September softly on the lips. She pressed for more, but he slipped out of the embrace and out of the room.
September sat in the rocker and hoped no one else would come in while she cried.
20
As he neared the on-ramp,Adam debated between Wisconsin, Indiana, and rural Illinois. His father’s plan was simple: send Sven on a goose chase as long as possible, giving September time to talk with her manager. He didn’t like the plan, but then, he had never been much of a fan of Shyla. The woman could prove to be more dangerous than Sven as she knew how to manipulate September a hundred ways.
Deciding on rural Illinois, Adam headed west, out of town. After a half mile, he looked in the rearview mirror to see Sven tailing him. Knowing the bodyguard would expect evasive moves, Adam took detour after detour, careful not to lose Sven completely.
A light snow fell, though not enough to make road conditions hazardous, yet. Not wanting to travel farther from home and September, Adam pulled off the highway and into an all-night diner.
He requested a corner booth and ordered a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream, then waited for Sven.
The California bodyguard didn’t disappoint. He tromped across the diner and slid into the seat opposite Adam. “Having fun yet?”
Adam stirred his hot chocolate. “Depends on what you think of as fun. If you mean leading a bodyguard who is more brawn than brain halfway across the state for no reason other than my amusement, then I’m having fun. And you?”
“Why, you, I’ll—” Sven started to rise from his seat.
Adam shook his head. “You’re drawing attention. I don’t know if you really want to spend time in jail in whatever town we happen to be in. Then again, maybe you enjoy comparing jails. You have been in a few, haven’t you?”
Sven slid his menu to the end of the table. Behind him, a pair of Illinois Highway Patrol officers entered. Adam looked at his hot chocolate so as to not give anything away. When he’d chosen the diner, he hoped it was the type of establishment police would stop by in stormy weather.
In his anger, Sven had forgotten one of the cardinal rules of being a bodyguard—always use the lookout advantage. With his back to the door, he didn’t see the interest the officers took in their escalating conversation.
“Tell me where she is!” Sven leaned across the table as far as he could without standing.
“In your dreams.” Adam leaned back and took a sip of his hot chocolate, forcing himself to appear relaxed.
Slap!
Sven sent the cup flying, hot chocolate splattering across the bench and table.
