by Paige Tyler
They hadn’t been this close to each other since the party last night and her nearness was making it hard to think of anything except kissing her again. “Um, yeah.”
Way to sound articulate, dude.
“What about this guy on the end?” she asked, smiling as if she knew he was a little befuddled. “I’m pretty sure I didn’t see him at the party, either.”
Noah didn’t say anything for a second, not sure how he was supposed to answer the question, since Peyton wasn’t going to like hearing the truth. “That’s Dan,” he said softly, reaching out to run a finger over the frame. “He died on a mission about a year ago. We were good friends.”
Seeing Peyton’s eyes fill with sadness made him sorry he’d told her. Maybe a lie would have been better. But then he realized that would have been stupid. He’d spent a good portion of the past few days wondering if he and Peyton might be right for each other. If she couldn’t handle the simple reality of life in the SEALs, then getting together with her was nothing but a pipe dream.
“Oh. I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “How did it happen? Did they get the people who did it? I mean, they didn’t get away with it, did they?”
They were typical questions people asked when they heard that anyone in the military had died in combat, so he didn’t blame her for wondering.
“There’s not much I can tell you,” he said. “It was a classified operation, so the location and details were never released.”
Peyton didn’t say anything for a long time, turning to look at the photos on the mantle and wall again, only to settle on Dan’s picture. Noah was about to apologize for saying something so disturbing when she spoke.
“I guess that’s what Laurissa meant when she asked me if I’d really thought about what it would be like to get involved with a SEAL.”
Noah opened his mouth, wanting to know exactly what his sister had said, but Peyton turned back then, her expression serious.
“It’s not like she was trying to warn me off,” she said. “I want you to know that. But she told me in the strongest terms possible that you travel all the time, that you can’t tell anyone where you’re going or when you’ll get back, and that sometimes bad things happen. I told myself I understood all that, but after telling me about Dan, I’m not so sure I was being honest with myself.”
Part of him was pissed Laurissa had inserted herself into the middle of this, but another part realized he couldn’t hold it against his sister for looking out for him…and for Peyton.
“When did you two talk about this?” he asked.
“The party,” Peyton said. “She picked up on the vibe between us during dinner and asked me when things changed between us. I told her about the kiss and that we were going to take it slow. She was thrilled for us, but also concerned I was going into this with my eyes not quite wide open.”
Noah took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. Putting his hands on her waist, he gently tugged her closer and gazed deep into her eyes. He had this conversation with other women before. Not usually this soon, but it happened every time and it never got easier. But for some reason, it seemed even harder this time. Because he didn’t want to watch Peyton walk away.
“I wish I could say my sister was wrong, but she isn’t,” he said slowly, bring her in until his chin was resting on the top of her head and her face was buried against his chest. “I’m a SEAL. That means the phone will sometimes ring in the middle of the night and I’ll have to go. I might be gone for a week or six months, and I won’t be able to tell you anything one way or the other. I’m always careful, but what I do is dangerous. There’s no way to hide from that.”
She didn’t say anything. Knowing that wasn’t a good sign, he kept going, hoping this time things might turn out differently.
“The last thing I want to do is scare you off, but at the same time, I also don’t want you getting hurt when you realize being with me is more than you signed up for. I don’t ever want to hurt you.”
Peyton nodded against his chest. A moment later, she took a step back and reached a hand up to quickly wipe a tear from her cheek.
“We should probably get going if we’re going to make it to the release party on time,” she said softly. “We have to get back home in time for me to change, and should probably get something to eat, too. Once the signing starts, I’m not going to be able to take a break for anything more than a sip of water.”
Her voice was casual, but there was a sadness in her eyes that made Noah think he’d destroyed any shot he ever had with this amazing woman. All because he’d decided to be honest and upfront about everything.
Sometimes, he could be such a dumbass.
CHAPTER NINE
THEY STOPPED AT P.F. Chang’s for takeout on the way back to Peyton’s house. Neither of them said a word throughout the drive or the stop at the restaurant. Was this what it would be like for the rest of the time he was guarding her?
But the mood changed drastically once they got home and spread the containers of spicy chicken and brown rice around the kitchen table. It was almost like Peyton had let go of whatever emotion had taken hold of her after the discussion at his place. By the time they sat down to eat, that sense of intimacy they’d shared before returned, and Noah almost convinced himself the distance he’d felt between them during the drive home had been his imagination.
While she got dressed for the party, Noah sent a quick group text to Wes, Sam, and Lane, asking if any of them were available for backup at the release party. All three of his buddies replied right away, saying they’d be there.
He took a quick shower in the downstairs bathroom then put on his suit. He was tying his tie in front of the mirror above the vanity when he heard Peyton’s high heels echo on the wood floor in the living room. He walked out to meet her and almost fell over his own feet at the sight of her standing there.
The blue gown she wore didn’t show any cleavage or have a slit that showed a flash of leg, or anything remotely like that. Yet Noah had never seen a woman look sexier in his life. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“You look gorgeous,” he said.
She looked him up and down, her lips curving into a smile. “You clean up pretty nice yourself.”
If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was mentally undressing him right now. That was an image he didn’t need. Not if he had any hope of keeping his mind focused on keeping her safe tonight.
Noah tore his gaze away from her and slipped into his suit jacket, then grabbed his keys, phone, and wallet off the coffee table, shoving the latter into his back pocket.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded. “I am if you are.”
As they walked out to his SUV, Noah couldn’t help thinking this felt a lot like a date. No doubt that would change when they got to the release party and there were hundreds of fans screaming Peyton’s name.
“So, what are one of these release parties like?” he asked as he turned onto the street outside her home and headed for the bay.
“Fun, crazy, and exhausting all at the same time.”
“That doesn’t tell me much,” he said drily. “I was more interested in the tactical details. Things that are critical to your safety.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t know a tactical detail if I fell over it. What exactly do you want to know?”
“For starters, how many people will probably be there?”
She thought a moment, starting to count on her fingers. “Well, counting my publisher, editor, assistant editors, publicity people, Laurissa, and Tabitha…maybe five or six hundred.”
He did a double take so fast the SUV swerved a little. “Are you serious?”
“Uh-huh.” Peyton flashed him a smile. “Don’t look so alarmed. Since most of my readers tend to be under twenty-one, there won’t be any alcohol served, so things won’t get too wild. Unless we run out of books.”
Noah had visions of readers trampling each other to get the last few books, like a crazy Bla
ck Friday sale, punches being thrown when they realized there weren’t enough to go around.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Of course, I’m kidding. We won’t run out of books. Even if we did, no one is going to get into a fight over it,” she said. “My readers aren’t like that. They’re there to hang out and have a good time. Some of them even come dressed up as the characters from my books.”
He gave her a sidelong glance. “Now you really are pulling my leg.”
“I’m not,” she insisted. “You can’t spell fanatic without fan, you know?”
“That’s crazy.”
Peyton shrugged. “I think it’s fun.”
Noah turned onto the road leading to the hotel. “How close do fans usually get to you?”
“Close enough to take selfies, along with copious amounts of hugs, jumping up and down, and squealing.”
He frowned. After seeing how Tabitha reacted to Peyton, he should have figured that. In his mind, that was a little too close for comfort.
Peyton put her hand on his arm. It felt nice. Especially after their earlier conversation and the way things had been left. “Stop worrying so much. I’ve done lots of these parties and nothing ever happened.”
“Someone wasn’t trying to steal your book then,” he pointed out. “And where is your book? Still in your purse?”
She nodded, but her happy mood dimmed a bit at his reminder, and he cursed himself for being so damn practical all the time.
Noah saw the crowds before he even pulled into the hotel driveway, and that familiar tension he felt before going into combat began to fill his stomach.
“There’s been no other attempt to steal the book since that first break-in, so you probably think that means you’re no longer in danger.” He weaved through the other cars toward the valet stand. “But the opposite is true. It means they know the book isn’t in your house and that you keep it on you. This release party would be the easiest place to get to you. The fact that there are hundreds of people around to use as cover will only make it easier for whoever this person is.”
He came to a stop in front of the valet stand, then put the SUV in park and turned to look at her. “If someone or something at the party looks suspicious, they probably are, so don’t do anything foolish tonight. And don’t put yourself in a situation where we get separated, okay?”
She gazed at him for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”
CHAPTER TEN
PEYTON’S RED-HAIRED, freckled publicist, Claire Newton, met her and Noah at the front door and escorted them through the lobby toward the main ballroom. Noah was a reassuring presence behind them, but Peyton would have preferred him at her side so they could hold hands and enjoy the party with him as a boyfriend instead of a bodyguard. But they couldn’t do that, especially after the conversation they had earlier at his apartment.
Moving through the crowd, waving hello to the fans who were still maintaining their distance at this point, Peyton found herself thinking about what he’d said…and how it had nearly crushed her heart.
She knew Noah hadn’t meant to be hurtful. And he hadn’t said anything she didn’t already know. But there was a drastic difference between understanding that being a SEAL was dangerous and looking at photos of a real person who’d paid the price for doing the job. The calm way Noah talked about friends who’d been injured and those who’d been killed had rattled her so badly she hadn’t been able to think much less talk until they got back to her place.
She was sure Noah had taken her stunned silence as confirmation that she wasn’t ready to live in his world and while that wasn’t necessarily true, she didn’t know how to tell him how she really felt. Mostly because she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was better to stop seeing him altogether after this bodyguard thing was over since it seemed like that’s where this was all headed anyway.
Peyton was so wrapped up in that depressing thought she didn’t realize they’d reached the green room until Laurissa and Tabitha were in front of her, smiling like crazy and going on and on about the number of fans waiting for her in the main ballroom. That was when she noticed other people in the small space, looking at her expectantly.
Crap. She needed to get it together.
Hugging Laurissa and Tabitha, she then did the same to her editor, Gwen Williamson, asking how her flight from New York was. Tall and reed thin with blond hair, Gwen hugged her back, murmuring something about turbulence over the Midwest, before stepping back to let Peyton greet her assistant editors, Hannah Anderson and Scott Moore. Hannah was right out of college and still learning the business, while Scott was an old hand who’d been with Peyton from the very beginning. Lately, Scott had been less involved in her series because he was busy taking on new writers. She hated not working with Scott as much, but that was the way it worked in publishing. Besides, it was definitely time for him to take on new authors of his own.
As Claire ducked out to check on something for the party, Peyton introduced Noah to everyone, saying he was a friend. No one except Gwen knew he was her bodyguard and she intended to keep it that way.
“He’s never been to one of these things and I thought he’d enjoy a look behind the scenes,” she added.
She was going over the evening’s schedule with Laurissa and Tabitha when Kiki Rowe, the artist who did the covers for her books, walked in. Instead of running over and hugging Peyton like she usually did, Kiki stopped and stared at Noah. It was difficult not to. He was standing there looking like the best dressed Adonis that ever existed.
“I don’t know who you are, but have you ever considered doing any modeling?” Kiki studied Noah, looking at his face from all angles, like she was imagining what she could do with him on a cover. “You’re incredibly attractive, but still ruggedly masculine. I put you in a military uniform and the cover alone will sell a thousand copies before anyone bothers to see what the book is about.”
Peyton almost burst out laughing at the startled expression that crossed Noah’s face. She wasn’t sure if he was offended at the idea of being looked at like a piece of meat or that he was only guaranteed to sell a thousand copies.
“I’m guessing that’s the bodyguard Em hired to protect you?” Gwen said, gently moving Peyton to the side so they could talk privately while Noah fended off Kiki. “The one who insisted that give whatever we give whatever we pay him to a military charity? Where the heck did you find him, Chippendales?”
Peyton smiled. “Yes, he’s the bodyguard. And no, he’s not a male stripper. He’s an active-duty Navy SEAL who agreed to help because he’s Laurissa’s brother.”
Gwen squinted at Noah over the top of her glasses, nodding her approval as if pleased with Peyton’s choice of bodyguards. Then again, Gwen could simply be mentally undressing Noah. Even the extremely quiet Hannah had gone all dreamy-eyed.
The only one who didn’t look impressed by Noah was Scott, and only because he was a straight guy. Instead, he stood there looking bored, twirling that pen he always carried between his fingers the whole time. She might love working with him, but crap, that was an annoying habit.
“The ballroom is packed and there are still more readers waiting to get in,” Claire said, hurrying into the room with a grin. “I seriously think we might be in danger of actually running out of books this time. Do you need to run to the ladies’ room or anything before going into the ballroom? You might not get another chance after everything starts.”
Peyton smiled. “No, I’m good. Let’s do this.”
She glanced at Noah as they headed inside, almost laughing. He looked like he was walking into enemy territory rather than a room full of what she knew for a fact were the best readers in the world. None of them would ever try to hurt her. She tried to convey that to him with a smile, but he was already surveying the room for potential threats.
Peyton sighed. If Noah had his way, he’d probably whisk her into the ballroom through a service entrance and keep everyone half the length of a football field away, only letting t
hem approach to have a book signed. Even then, he’d likely want to keep them at arm’s length. But she would miss out on interacting with her readers and that wouldn’t be fair. She’d always been accessible to them and wasn’t going to change now. Knowing Noah was concerned for her was endearing—even if it was his job—but she honestly didn’t think there was any danger of the bad guy infiltrating the release party since most of the people attending were teenage girls.
Noah took up a position at the rear of the stage area, probably thinking he was being inconspicuous. That was crazy of course. There were a lot of women in the ballroom who’d caught sight of him and couldn’t keep their eyes off him. She didn’t blame them. If Noah wasn’t standing behind her, she’d be staring at him, too.
She was almost at the end of the little speech Claire had helped her put together when she spotted Noah’s Teammate, Sam, in the back of the ballroom. She almost stumbled over the story she was telling about meeting her very first fan, but recovered just in time to see Wes over by the archway that led to the kitchen. Noah must have asked his friends to provide some extra protection. It was almost certainly overkill, but very sweet nonetheless.
A second later she saw Lane, smiling broadly as he realized she’d noticed him. Either that or he was really psyched at being at the book signing. She’d have to remember to keep a book to the side. He deserved a signed copy for showing up here. Even if he was a closet superfan.
Noah stuck close when the signing started, and readers began jumping in to take group selfies with five or more people at a time. Peyton laughed, wishing he could let himself relax. But no. Instead, he looked poised to attack the entire four hours. She wasn’t sure how he did it. Seriously, it seemed exhausting to her.
As the last few readers hurried over for one more hug—and a few more easter eggs from the next book—Noah moved even closer. He looked ready to shove them out the door, but Peyton waved him off. She absolutely loved this part of her job and could do it all night.
