Page 5 of Bodyguard Crush
“What do you call that?” he asks, motioning toward my plate.
“Breakfast.”
He shakes his head. “That’s not breakfast. That’s a snack. This is breakfast.” He points at his plate with a fork.
“No, that’s a heart attack waiting to happen,” I joke, causing him to roll his eyes as a smile spreads across his face.
The two of us talk casually over breakfast, and when we finish, I pull on my mucking boots to head out to the barn.
“Where’re you going?” Kaden asks.
“To the barn. I have horses to take care of.” I grab the basket full of fruits and veggies for them.
“You don’t need to go by yourself, Abby.” He shakes his head as concern laces his voice.
“Then come with me.” What’s the problem here? Isn’t that why I hired him?
“I’m not set up yet. I have to install these cameras and clear the perimeter.”
“What am I supposed to do? I have to take care of the horses.”
“Don’t you pay someone to do that?”
“Well, Jeff is there. He’s the barn hand,” I point out.
He nods. “Keep him with you at all times. I don’t want you going anywhere alone. I’ll find you the moment I’m finished.”
I nod, turn on my heel, and head out the door. I put the basket in the back of the side-by-side and climb behind the wheel. Within seconds, I’m racing across the property, heading for my favorite spot in the world.
The barn doors are already open because Jeff is here for the day. Moments after I pull up, he’s walking Pepper out to me.
“Thank you,” I say, taking her off his hands.
He nods. “How are you doing today? Nothing else crazy happening around here, I hope.”
“No, not yet. The bodyguard started yesterday, so if you see a strange man following me around, don’t be alarmed.”
He laughs. “Where is he then? Isn’t that the biggest part of being a bodyguard?”
I smile. “He’s getting set up. He’s installing cameras along the property line and cleaning out the perimeter. Whoever has been getting in has been climbing a tree to help him over the wall. Any tree too close to the wall will be getting cut down soon.”
“Well, it sounds like he knows how to secure the property. Now we just need someone to secure you.”
I laugh. “Are you flirting with me, Jeff?”
He shrugs while offering up a smirk. “I’m just saying that I’ll keep a much-needed eye on you.”
I laugh harder. It’s nice being able to just relax and mess around with someone, especially since I know that he doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s just a little harmless flirting.
After helping Jeff with the horses, we put them out to pasture to get some exercise, graze, and stretch their legs, and I head into the house. The summer heat is scorching, and I’m more than ready to take a dip in the pool instead of wearing jeans and rubber boots.
Walking back into the house, I find Kaden in the dining room. He’s sitting at the table with Gordon, the cook. I was about to breeze on by, but seeing them makes me stop abruptly. “What’s going on here?”
They both look up at me, and Gordon looks a little nervous.
“I was just interviewing the staff,” Kaden says.
My brows pull together. “You’re what now?”
