Page 164 of Bodyguard By Night

She brushed my hair off my forehead. “Guess we have to add a haircut to the list of our chores this week.”

“Who cares about my hair? We’re going to be sitting here for the next week.”

“Nope. We have things we have to do to make things easier on Clay and Rachel.”

“Not when I don’t know where that asshole will be.”

“He already found us. I don’t know how. Maybe I don’t want to know. But we aren’t going to let him get the upper hand again.”

My fingers clenched around the first-aid wash.

She peeled them off the bottle and drew me between her legs. “You’re the big bad soldier, not him.”

“I wasn’t enough today. He almost got to you.” Fucking hacker had probably managed to hack my damn truck. Anything could have happened to her. Even if I was with her, what if he’d immobilized me?

“Ransom.”

My gaze snapped to hers.

“I see all those what if scenarios whipping through your mind.”

“I usually have a better poker face,” I grumbled.

She set the first-aid spray on the island, then she cupped my face in her hands. “Don’t worry. I just have made it a habit to study you more than most.” She lightly stroked my beard. “I was stupid. This is the first and last time you’ll probably ever hear that out of my mouth, but I was stupid. And I won’t make that kind of mistake again.”

“You’re damn right you won’t.”

Her lips curved as she leaned down to kiss me. “We’re better together. Don’t leave me in the dark again.”

I gripped her hips, my fingers tangling in the belt loops of her jeans. “It was never pretend. I need you to know that. The minute you were in my care, I knew that I was fucked.”

“Because you feel responsible?”

“No. I mean some, of course. I have very few people I care about in this world. My family sucks, save for my sisters. And even then, I’m only close to one of them. But it’s Clay and Rachel and now you. That’s it.”

“I know you have a crush on Aunt Laverne.”

“Well, she might give you a run for your money.”

She laughed before her expression turned serious again. “Don’t put everything on your shoulders. We’re a team.”

I nodded because I knew it would appease her. But there was no way this didn’t weigh on me. Now that I’d found her, there was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

“Let’s get you cleaned up before Aidan shows up.”

“Okay, Dr. Douglas.”

I arched a brow at her. “Cameras and now roleplaying. What have I gotten myself into?”

She lifted her knees to wrap around my waist. “So much trouble.”

I let myself take this moment with her. I had a feeling there wouldn’t be much time for any for the next few days.

And they were too precious for me to miss any of them with her. I wouldn’t lose sight of that again.

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