Page 30 of Her New Bodyguard: Colton

"We've been untraceable for a while, and the last few phones were burners. I'm going to leave this here so that you have a connection to your mother. Okay?"

He was so thoughtful. "Thank you."

He sat down on the ground beside me. "Now, do you want to tell me why you freaked out?"

My head fell into my hands. "For a few seconds I thought that there was a chance you could be one of Smith's guys. Or that Warren was associated with Smith. Or…anything."

That firm hand ran slowly up and down my back. "I'm so sorry, baby. I was trying to figure things out before I explained them to you."

Tears blurred my vision, so I just stared at the gravel. "All of this is whizzing around me and it's totally unnerving."

"I get it. You're not trained to be dropped into intense scenarios. It's tough."

The heel of his hand pressed lightly back and forth between my shoulder blades, precisely where I needed it. "That feels nice."

"Good. Baby, Warren took a few of us to southern Spain many years ago. He wanted to make sure we had experience driving European cars, and were vaguely familiar with their road systems and signs in kilometers. Dealing with Euros, all sorts of things in case we were assigned to European clients."

"Makes sense."

"We were at the hotel, and took a few group photos. I didn't even notice the people at the next table, but we were off duty and Warren was into the whisky and talking to everyone. That's why you only see the back of his shoulder in that photo."

"And Smith really is his brother?"

I turned to see Colton shrug. "I didn't remember until now, but late that night Warren had been mumbling about how much his brother hated him, and some stupid rivalry. I figured it was drunk talk. I didn't know it was triggered by running into him that night."

Shifting to sit tucked under Colton's arm, I felt a bit better. "So Smith wanted to take down his brother's company, and since he knew Dad, he used the bank as an excuse to hire the agency."

"That's what it sounds like. I'll check with the others tomorrow. But Smith's men might have really been after the bank client list if Tristan wouldn't hand it over."

"I guess the more info criminals have on other criminals, the better."

"At least we know that Smith is after Warren more than the families of the bankers," Colton said, pressing his forehead to mine. "And if Smith is friends with your father on any level, he's not really after you, and won't hurt you. If you were threatened, that would sever all ties instantly."

His thumb grazed my cheek. "You were likely only taken into protection because the other families were, and Tristan didn't want the other two bank presidents to know he was any different."

"Makes sense." It felt like a weight had been lifted. "I'm so sorry, Colton."

"Oh, baby, it's my fault. I should have told you immediately." His thumb ran down my throat, making me shiver. The close proximity was already having an effect on my breathing.

"My top concern is always to keep the client safe and calm. I should have been more upfront."

"I keep forgetting that I'm still your client."

He smiled, brushing his lips against my nose. "The only client I've ever fallen madly in love with. The only client I want to spend the rest of my life with."

My breath stopped for several seconds. "Really?"

"Really." His deep green eyes searched mine. "Can you let a washed-up body guard love you, Julia?"

"Yes. But you're not washed up." My hand ran along the back of his neck. "As long as you let me help you relax those shoulder muscles, you'll never be washed up." I drifted a light kiss along his lips. "I love you too."

"I need you, Julia." I loved the way his hands gripped me so firmly. "Need to show you how much."

He kissed me harder, deeper. As Colton's tongue moved across mine, it felt like he was drinking me in, absorbing my energy so that he had more to give to me.

This time, I listened to my gut. It was telling me loud and clear that Colton was the one, and that our lives together might be strange, but it was all going to work out.

Colton really listened to me. That was all I needed.

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