Page 6 of Daddy's Bodyguard

“Hey! You don’t get to touch me like that. This is all business, okay?”

I drop her onto her feet, and she stumbles. I catch her wrist as I grab the key from its space and put it in the door. “And business can’t be fun?”

“Business and pleasure are separate.”

“That sounds boring.” I open the door and push her inside.

She glances at the door behind me and crosses her arms. “If not, the business is compromised, and the pleasure is … muted.”

“I’m starting to think you haven’t enjoyed a proper workplace romance, princess.” I kick the door shut. “You should get cleaned up and unpacked.”

“I’m not staying here. Get it? I can check into a hotel-”

“Under your name, right? Because they didn’t find you before?” I ask.

“I can pay cash and check in under another name,” she argues.

“Rather than stay here? Where can you still live your life but with a surprise new bestie?”

She shakes her head. “You’re not following me. I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Take a breath. We both have jobs to do, and I want it to be easy.” I wait for her to halfheartedly blow out a breath before I continue. “Let’s try this beautiful thing called compromise.”

“I’m going to both jobs tomorrow. Alone. You have to stay inconspicuous, so you will. By staying here.” She gives me a hard face. No negotiation written there.

“Wow, not even trying for charm.”

She smiles at me, a slow, dry smile that has me shaking my head. “You’ll temporarily live here. And you can do all your normal things … with me,” I say.

Sofia huffs and gets up, grabs her bags from the floor and goes down a hallway. I hear her grumbling to herself, but I’ll pay her no mind. I could make her stay here all day, every day, but I’ll try to be nice and go easy on her. Just a little.

“What the hell! Jasper!” Sofia yells.

I fly up from the couch, one hand on my gun as I rush towards the sound of her voice. Then I see what she’s gawking at. One bedroom, one queen-sized bed. I smirk slightly, deciding between getting under her skin or calming her down. Sofia ’s definitely not loving any part of this, but the idea of sharing a bed isn’t horrible.

Not horrible at all.

Get your mind out of the gutter, Jasper. This is business, nothing else. Remember, you should never get involved with your clients.

Still, I lean against the door frame and take her in for the first time, her thick dark hair, deep, warm brown eyes, tan skin and full lips. With those curves, her long legs and those thick thighs, she’s made to be the little spoon. If she were any other woman, I would definitely take advantage of that.

“I’m not sleeping in this with you,” she says furiously as if reading my mind. “No way.”

“I’m a pretty good space heater.”

She glowers at me, and I grin. Physically, she’s definitely my type, but I prefer sweet women who like to laugh. She’s the kind of woman who would want to challenge my ass in combat or try to out-bench-press me at the gym. I’m not averse to being with a tough woman, but I’d prefer someone who’s warm and loving under the muscle. Sofia isn’t warm or loving. The brick wall around her is clear as day.

“This is so far beyond okay.” She crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head at the bed.

“Well, I’m sure you prize feminism, so I’ll take the bed, and you can have the couch. Just like I’d deal with any of my male friends,” I say.

“Really, you’d just decideforthem?”

“Fine. Rock, paper scissors.”

She looks at me for a long moment, then rolls her eyes. “Just take the fucking bed.”

“Later,” I reply. “We still have a compromise to make. I’ll go to your jobs with you, and I’ll give you some privacy, but you can’t run.”

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