Page 19 of Escorting the Bodyguard
He looks up from his breakfast, gray eyes assessing. For a second, I think he might brush me off with some comment about it being unnecessary. But then he nods once, setting down his coffee.
“Basic self-defense.” He’s already shifting into what I’m starting to recognize as his professional mode. “Good idea.”
It’s more conversation than we’ve had in four days. I’ll take it.
We move to the living room, and Ford positions himself a few feet away from me. “First rule: pepper spray is only effective if you can deploy it quickly and accurately. Most people panic and either miss completely or spray themselves.”
I try to focus on his words, but mostly I’m watching the way he moves. There’s something mesmerizing about Ford when he slips into command mode. The quiet authority, the way he owns the space around him. Even explaining something as simple as pepper spray, he radiates competence.
“Show me your grip.”
I hold up the canister, probably wrong, and he steps closer to adjust my hand position. “Thumb on top, fingers wrapped around the base. And see this?” He points to a small plastic flip tab. “Safety mechanism. Flick it up with your thumb before you spray. Most people forget that step when they panic.”
His fingers brush mine as he corrects my hold, and I swear the temperature in the room jumps ten degrees.
“Like this?” I’m trying for breezy and probably landing somewhere closer to breathless.
“Better. Now, your stance.” He demonstrates, feet shoulder-width apart, weight balanced. “You want to be stable. If someone rushes you after you spray them, you need to be ready to move.”
I mirror his position, keenly aware of how close we’re standing. Close enough to catch the faint shadow of stubble along his jaw.
“Good.” There’s something in his voice that makes me think he’s as affected by our proximity as I am. “Aim for the face, but if you miss, any contact with exposed skin on the head or neck area can help.”
I nod like I’m absorbing this crucial information, but honestly, all I can think about is the way his voice drops when he’s explaining something. How his entire focus narrows to whatever task is in front of him.
“Want to try a practice run?”
“Sure. Though fair warning, my aim is questionable at best. I once threw a high heel at an ex and hit his roommate instead.”
Ford’s mouth quirks up—barely there, but I catch it. “We won’t actually be spraying anything. Just practicing.”
He takes a step back, his expression shifting into something more serious. “I’m going to approach you like an attacker would. Aggressive, trying to corner you. Your job is to create distance, practice your grip, and be ready to deploy if needed. Safety stays on for this one.”
I know this is just a demonstration, but something about the way he’s looking at me makes my pulse spike.
“Ready?”
I nod, gripping the pepper spray.
He advances toward me, not fast but with clear purpose, and my instincts kick in. I back up, but the living room isn’t exactly spacious. Within seconds, my shoulders hit the wall.
Ford stops inches from me, heat rolling off his body in waves. “In a real situation, this is when you’d deploy. But you’re trapped now. Cornered.”
Neither of us moves to step away. His hand comes up to cover mine on the pepper spray, and we’re close enough that I can see the pulse beating at the base of his throat.
The space between us feels heavy with possibility. His eyes drop to my mouth, then back up, and I watch his jaw tighten.
“I’m clearly not very good at this,” I say with a rueful laugh.
His grip on my wrist tightens almost imperceptibly. “It takes practice. We can work on it.”
“I’m not too worried.” I give him a slight smile, trying to lighten the moment. “If we ever left the house, you’d be with me to make up for my terrible aim and keep me safe, right?”
Something dark flickers across his face, and the warmth between us evaporates in an instant.
“That’s not a guarantee.” His voice is so quiet I almost miss it.
The words hit me like cold water. There’s something raw in his tone, something that speaks to a pain I don’t understand but can feel radiating off him in waves.
