Page 8 of Bodyguard Crush
I laugh as I push myself up and follow her. She rushes out of the kitchen and nearly runs me over. I have to grab onto her to steady her.
“I’ll be ready in an hour. I just gotta shower and get ready.”
“An hour it is,” I reply, releasing her and watching as she runs upstairs like it’s the best day of her life.
I chuckle to myself as I shake my head once before following her up and going into my own room to get ready. I strip out of my shirt and toss it into the laundry basket on my way to the shower. Reaching in, I turn it on so the water can warm. It doesn’t take me long to shower. When I get out, I shave the five o’clock shadow growing thick on my jaw, and then I move to the bedroom, where I dress in a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a fitted T-shirt. I put my gun belt on under my shirt, secure my gun, and pull the shirt over the top so it isn’t exposed.
I have some time left, so I have a seat at the desk in my room and open the computer where I search online to find a tree trimming company. I come across several before finally deciding on Cole Cook Lumber and Sawmill. Giving them a call, I set up a time for them to look at the work we need to have done. Then I head downstairs and pace back and forth in the foyer, waiting for her to come down those stairs.
5
ABBY
Itake my time showering and getting ready. I’m excited in ways I don’t exactly understand. Yes, I’m excited about going into town and getting to explore it, but I’m also excited that Kaden asked me if I’d like to go…with him. I’ve been watched closely my whole life, and I’ve resisted hiring a bodyguard for the simple reason that I don’t want to be watched anymore. But when he watches me, it’s not the same.
Like today while I was at the pool, he couldn’t keep his eyes off me, which caused my heart to race and my blood to boil. He’s handsome and sexy, and he seems interested in me…or he’s just simply doing his job by watching me. Ugh, this is confusing. How am I supposed to know?
I can’t figure out why I enjoy having Kaden’s attention so much compared to all the other men in my life. Maybe it’s because Kaden doesn’t seem desperate for my attention like most men are. I just wish I could tell the difference. Does he like me, or is he just simply trying to do his job and be friendly?
I shake the thoughts from my head and focus on getting ready instead of driving myself crazy with questions I don’t have the answers to. I want to look nice for dinner, so I step into a nice summer dress that ends inches above my knee. It’s a light pink color with baby doll sleeves and a tiny flower print. I pair the dress with my wedged sandals, and then I curl my hair to perfection, leaving it hanging down my back in soft waves. I run over the hour time I gave him by a little. I hope he doesn’t mind as I exit my room and start down the stairs. I’m only halfway down when I look over the banister and find him waiting. He’s gazing out the window that overlooks the front yard. The step creaks, and he turns his head, eyes moving up the stairs until they find me. My heart quickens when I see a small smile stretch across his face when he looks up at me.
“Ready to go?” he asks the moment I’m standing in front of him.
I nod. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He leans forward and opens the front door, and I step out onto the porch. “Are we taking your car?” I ask, looking from the car parked in the driveway to him and back.
He nods. “Yeah, I figured why not?” he says, rushing down the steps ahead of me and opening the passenger side door for me.
“Thank you,” I say with a smile as I slide into the blacked-out Mustang.
He closes the door behind me, and I watch as he jogs around the car and climbs into the driver’s seat. Within moments, we’re off, heading through the gates and making our way down the mountain.
“So you really haven’t been anywhere in town?”
I shake my head. “No, not really. I went to the market when I first got here, but the staff has done the shopping for me since then. Usually, if I need something, I just order it.”
“Don’t you want to meet people? That’s the best part about living in a small town.”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I mean, things are different for me. I’m not a normal person. I never know if someone likes me for me or if they just want to be famous or want money. It’s hard to trust people sometimes.”
“You seem to be trusting me just fine.”
I laugh. “That’s because you work for me and have signed all the forms.”
He rolls his eyes. “Oh, is that it?” He laughs.
I don’t reply. Instead, I just turn my head and look out the passenger side window as we drive down the long gravel road. I’m embarrassed to admit that the princess joke about locking myself away in my palace isn’t far from the truth. I haven’t left my cabin since I moved in months ago. None of this even looks familiar.
We get into town, and I’m surprised by how full of life this small town is. People walk down the main street, talking, holding shopping bags, and having a great time. The local coffee shop seems to be bustling with life. Some little boutiques and shops are cute and dripping with charm. We pass a market, a hardware store, and a bar and grill. He pulls the car into the parking lot and kills the engine.
“This is where we’re going for dinner?”
He nods. “They have great food, and it’s always full of life. We can play pool, throw darts, and dance. Come on. It’ll be fun.”
Without waiting for my response, he opens his door and climbs out. Seconds later, he’s pulling my door open and holding out his hand. He doesn’t allow me to back out or change my mind as he leads me toward the door. Nervousness floods my body. I’m not used to being able to just walk into a public place like this. I fall back, and he notices when my feet stop moving. He looks over his shoulder at me.
“What’s wrong?”
