Page 81 of Protected By My Grumpy Hero

After we'd showered, we went out for lunch and to enjoy the sights and sounds of Austin. Blake wasn't a tourist, so I didn't feel the need to show him around the way I would someone unfamiliar with the city. We hit some local hotspots and found a second restaurant for dinner when the evening rolled around.

After a couple of drinks and some live music at a favorite club, we headed back to my apartment. And honestly, it was a relief to have Blake all to myself again. As much as I loved my city, I just wanted to be with him. We decided to curl up on the couch to watch a movie together.

Not long after the opening credits rolled on the original Jurassic Park, my phone vibrated on the coffee table. It was Andrew.

I felt on high alert all of a sudden. Andrew texted and called occasionally, we'd grabbed coffee once during the week, but I still thought of him as security. A call from him could spell trouble.

"Andrew, what's up?"

"I just wanted to see if you had plans for tomorrow. Thought we could grab brunch or coffee or something."

I could feel Blake stiffen beside me. Andrew didn't have a loud voice, but we sat close enough he could surely hear what he said.

"Blake's visiting this weekend. Maybe some other time?"

"Oh sure, sure. Tell him I said hello, and I'll catch you later."

When I hung up, Blake stared at me until I said, "What? We're friends."

"He said he wanted to date you."

"And I made it perfectly clear we were only going to stay friends. Besides, he knows you and I are together now. He's just being friendly."

Blake shook his head. "How often does he invite you out?"

I shrugged. "We went for coffee in the middle of the week. But it's something we've always done, so it's nothing out of the ordinary. Occasionally, we'll grab a meal together." I squeezed his hand. "I promise, there's nothing going on."

"Babe, I believe that you think that's true. I'm not so sure about him." Then he took a deep breath. "That man's jacket in the corner. That his?" He gestured toward the jacket Andrew had left after he came to see me the day I returned.

"Damn it, I forgot to mention it to him. He dropped by the day I came home, brought some bagels. He was just relieved I was safe and the whole ordeal was over."

Blake didn't look convinced. I snuggled close and put my head on his chest. "You don't have any reason to be jealous. I'm not interested in anyone but you."

He kissed my hair. "I'm not jealous. Just…concerned."

I was glad he couldn't see my smile. He was jealous, and even though it didn't make any sense at all to be jealous of Andrew, I kind of liked it.

"You know that's the oldest trick in the book, right?"

"What?"

"Leaving something behind that you have to come back for later. A hat or umbrella or jacket. It's another excuse to show up again and take another crack at it."

I chuckled. "Or Andrew can be forgetful and would lose his head if it wasn't screwed on. I know he's good security, but when it comes to his personal life, the guy's a bit of a mess."

I knew Blake couldn't really argue with that one. It was more likely that Andrew had ADHD and trouble keeping track of things than that he'd left his jacket as an excuse to show up again. Especially since he seemed to have forgotten it existed.

"He did lose three walkie-talkies in two months," Blake grumbled. "If he wasn't so damn good at everything else, I'd probably have canned him." He stroked my hair, his hand gliding down over my shoulder to my hips. "But it could be that you fluster him too much, and that's why he forgot it."

"How do I become less flusterable?"

"Maybe don't brush your teeth or comb your hair when he's around. Burp sometimes."

"Blake Donovan," I said, digging my fingers into his stomach. "Making jokes." He wasn't ticklish, so he merely stared.

"Nah," he finally said, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It wouldn't work. There's nothing that can make you not the most beautiful fucking person on the planet."

He kissed me and pulled me down against him on the couch. We forgot about the movie and Andrew and everything else but each other until it was time for bed.

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