Page 8 of Her New Bodyguard: Colton

JULIA

Ihad been fairly certain that Colton's kiss would be the most amazing thing of the day.

But after almost two thrilling hours with my arms and legs wrapped around him on the back of a motorcycle, I wasn't so sure.

There was something in the way our bodies vibrated together that felt ridiculously intimate. My legs spread wide to grip his hips. My hands tucked under his jacket to press against his stomach.

I had loved how carefully he bundled me up in a borrowed leather jacket and helmet. But it was our bodies being so close for such a long time that really pushed me over the edge.

I wanted him.

I'd never wanted a man before. Sure, I'd noticed good looking men now and then, and I might have had a slight crush on a movie star or two. But those were abstract fantasies.

Now I was experiencing gigantic feelings of desire for the man who kept dropping his hand to pat my thigh reassuringly.

I couldn't see much with my helmet pressed against his back, but we went straight through two large-ish cities before heading up into the mountains. Colton finally turned off the highway. "Just a few more minutes," he called back to me.

We stopped at a tiny grocery store, where we kept our helmets on so that we wouldn't be identifiable on the security camera. Then after three more minutes on the bike, we arrived at a small cabin straight out of a story book.

Colton helped me off the bike, then slipped off my helmet to reveal my smile. "It's beautiful. Who lives here?" I asked.

His boyish grin made him look much younger.

"It's my Uncle Simon's. He's my mother's older brother, so a different last name, and given that its existence is not in any computer system, I figure it's the safest place."

Once we were inside and putting the groceries away, I had to mention something that had been bugging me the entire drive. "Colton, the other two bank vice presidents have daughters my age. What happened to Ashley and Bethan when the families were taken into protection?"

He closed the cupboard, then took me by the hand to sit down on the couch and slipped his fingers through mine. "Christine, the receptionist at the Barrow Agency, has always been a close friend," he said. "I've helped her and her husband out of a couple of jams, so I think she feels that she owes me, and tells me far more information than she should."

His wink was playful, yet the look at his eyes was serious.

"'Your father refused even to consider protection until Ashley was taken and interrogated," he said. "Then when there was an attempt on Bethan, he relented and allowed us to move in and get you and your mother out of Oakton."

My limbs felt numb. "Why would they be after us girls? We don't know anything about the bank's business."

He frowned. "I hate to say it, but young ladies are often…information sponges. You hear names, fragments of conversations. You pick up on things. It's in your nature."

"Are you saying we're gossips?" I asked, squinting at him teasingly.

He shook his head, trying to keep from smiling. "Information gatherers. If you're going to question a family member, daughters are always the best bet. Plus, of course, a father will do anything to save his daughter."

Colton took my other hand as well. I was surprised to see they were both shaking. "Relax," he said. "You're far away, they have absolutely no way of finding us."

I looked around, as sudden paranoia crept into my mind like a dark cloud. "But there's always something," I said. "A phone line, or highway camera…?"

Colton smiled warmly. "Up here there is barely enough electricity to run the fridge, stove, and lights. There's no phone line, no computers, no cameras. We left our cell phones at the station, and my laptop and other gear is in the trunk of my car with Heath."

Nodding, I tried to quiet my racing mind.

"Plus," he continued, "there are no indoor security cameras where we stopped at Marty's Groceries, because his grandfather is convinced every camera is a direct line to the government. And we were wearing helmets for the entire ride, so no highway cameras could get a look at our faces."

My hands stopped trembling. He really had thought of everything.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked.

I hadn't meant for that to sound as suggestive as it did. Colton leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead.

"First, I'll build a fire. Then I'll make dinner. After dinner, you'll get cozy in the bedroom and have a wonderful night's sleep."

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