The Line: The Complete Series

by Nikki Rose

  “I know that and of course I'm not okay with that but arguing with my dad would be like arguing with a brick wall.”

  “So, you're just giving in?”

  “Have you ever known me to give in that easily?”

  “Hell no. You are always a pain in my ass about everything.”

  “I'll pretend I didn't hear that last part.” I smirked at him and rolled my eyes. “As you've seen, my dad works a lot. We will have plenty of time to train when he's not home.”

  “Sneak behind your dad's back?”

  “What he doesn't know won't hurt us.”

  “I thought the saying was he doesn't know won’t hurt him?”

  “That too.” I shrugged and smirked before walking toward the door. “how about some breakfast? I'm starved.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Caroline

  I walked into my English class early as usual. Chris made sure we were always there before the majority of the class had arrived so he could get a good vantage point and scope out everyone as they came in. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get used to having a bodyguard following me around all the time. But, getting to know Chris better helped.

  I settled into my new seat, away from Tracy’s constant distractions and prayed she didn’t follow me. I pulled out my notebook and pencil from my bag and situated them on the desk before taking a sip from my water bottle.

  “You took my seat.” A male voice came from just above me.

  I lowered the bottle from my lips and wiped the droplets of water from my lip before looking up at the extremely handsome, clean cut frat-boy who lingered over me.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You took my seat.” He nodded his head toward the desk I was sitting in, amusement and not irritation laced his words and a small smile tugged at the corner of his full lips.

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I needed to move to get away from...curtain distractions.” I glanced over to where Tracy was sitting, chatting with one of the other girls nearby.

  He let out a warm chuckle and plopped down into the seat beside me. “No worries. I was just giving you a hard time. I’ve actually been looking for an excuse to talk to you.”

  “You have?”

  “Yeah. I’m Adam by the way.” He offered me his hand and I took it.

  “Caroline.”

  “Nice to finally meet you.”

  “You too.”

  “So, Caroline. What’s your story?”

  Before I had time to answer, the teacher came in and began class. I smiled, shrugged at Adam, and turned my attention to the teacher. Throughout the class, Adam would lean over and whisper funny little comments to me and I had to struggle to hold in giggles.

  Once the teacher dismissed us, I began packing my things as I usually did.

  “Well, that was a fun class.” Adam teased as he zipped up his bag.

  I glanced over my shoulder at him. “Yeah. You know, the reason I moved was so that I wouldn’t be distracted, right?”

  “I was just trying to make the class more interesting for you.”

  “You certainly did that,” I chuckled as I stood up and slung my bag over one shoulder. “I’ll see you next week.”

  “See ya,” He called out as I headed toward the door where Chris was waiting with crossed arms.

  “Hey, ready to go?” I smiled at Chris but his scowl seemed permanently fixed. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing and yes. I’m ready to go.” Chris ushered me out of class and into the packed hall where he took the lead to push through the sea of students.

  I tugged on his arm to get his attention but he pulled me on through the crowd toward the exit. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Just ready to get you back home.”

  There was a tension in his voice I hadn’t heard before but I brushed away the thought. Everyone had off days sometime, maybe it was just one of those for him. We exited the building and I took a deep breath of the fresh spring air. The warm sun felt good on my face and I longed for the end of school and the Memorial Day party that would signal the coming months of freedom.

  Just before following Chris down the steps that led to the lawn, a hand gently grasped my arm and pulled me back. I tensed, ready to fight like Chris had taught me but when I turned around, it was Adam. His smile dropped at whatever look was on my face.

  “Hey. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was calling you but it was too loud—”

  Before Adam could finish, he was yanked away. And, before I could say a word, Chris had him pinned to the brick wall with his forearm pressing against Adam’s throat.

  “Chris! Stop it. What are you doing? Are you crazy?” I ran over to them and could only hear part of Chris’s warning.

  “If you ever touch her again...”

  “Chris!”

  I yanked on his arm, trying to free Adam but it was like steel against his throat. I pounded my fists on his shoulder and he finally released his grip.

  “Dude, you are crazy.” Adam sidestepped away from Chris. “I was just going to ask for her number. Didn’t know she had a boyfriend but damn, just give a guy a warning next time. You don’t gotta choke me out.”

  “You don’t put your hands on her again.” Chris barked.

  I tried to step toward Adam to check on him but Chris blocked me with his arm.

  “I’m out of here.” Adam turned his attention to me, “let me know if you ever lose this douche. I thought we could hang out sometime.”

  Adam turned and walked away.

  “Come on. Let’s get you home.” Chris pressed his hand against the small of my back, guiding me down the steps and toward the car.

  “Have you completely lost your mind? Adam is a guy in my class. He’s not some assassin sent to get me.”

  “It’s my job to protect you. He put his hands on you. I stopped it.”

  “He was just trying to ask for my number. You can’t just go around throwing people into walls because they touch my arm. That’s just insane.”

  We stopped at the car and Chris opened the door for me. “Get in.”

  I plopped down in the seat, put on my seat belt and watched Chris walk around the car. I glared at him still unable to believe he’d actually acted so irrationally. It was unlike him then it hit me.

  “Were you jealous?”

  “What?” He finally looked at me as he started the car.

  “He talked to me in class. He was stopping me to ask for my number. You were jealous. That’s why you overreacted.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” He turned his gaze from me and pulled out of the parking lot.

  “You’re the one being ridiculous.” I snapped. “That was so embarrassing...”

  “I was doing my job.”

  “You were being a bull headed, jealous, jack—”

  “Watch it.” He cast me a warning glance and I thought it best to drop it for the moment. No matter how upset and embarrassed I was at how he had acted, there was a small part of me that warmed at his protectiveness. I turned my gaze out the window and watched the buildings fly by as we drove toward home.

  We didn’t speak another word until after Chris pulled through the security gate and parked the car.

  I unbuckled my seatbelt and went to get out of the car.

  “I’m sorry. I overreacted.” Chris’s solemn words made me pause.

  “It’s okay and thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For always protecting me.” I flashed him a quick smile before getting out of the car and heading into the house.

  CHAPTER 10

  Caroline

  I woke before my alarm on Memorial Day like it was Christmas morning. This year felt extra special because it almost didn’t happen. There was nothing like almost losing something to make you appreciate it more.

  For once, I was sure I’d woke up before Chris. I hurried to his room to wake him up only to find his bedroom door ajar. I pushed the door open slowly and looked inside. It was empty. Does this man eve
r sleep?

  “Looking for me?” The deep rumble of Chris’s voice came from behind me and made me jump. Guilt struck me like a shock of electricity through my body and I whirled around, trying to play it cool but that plan went out the window when I laid eyes on him—shirtless, sweaty, in just a pair of gym shorts.

  From the way his clothes fit, it was obvious from the first time I saw him that Chris was built but to see him without the shirt to hide his rippling muscles glistening with the light sheen of sweat that covered his chest and torso was more than my poor heart could handle.

  Chris cleared his voice, pulling me from my blatant gawking and I blushed.

  “Were you looking for me?”

  “I thought you’d still be asleep so early. I was just coming to wake you up.”

  “I was in the home gym for my morning workout.”

  I snuck a glance up at him. The bastard was giving me that cocky grin that told me he was quite aware that his appearance was leaving me flustered.

  “Do you ever sleep? You are working when I go to bed then get up to work out before I’m even awake.”

  “You didn’t think I got this body by sitting around behind a desk all day, did you?” He motioned toward his chiseled six pack and my face flushed.

  I swallowed hard and tried to force down the heat rising in my neck and into my cheeks. “I haven’t really given your body much thought.” Lies.

  “Uh huh. Sure.” He was still looking at me with that annoying, sexy grin that made me want to smack him and jump on him all at once.

  I rolled my eyes. This subject needed to be changed—now.

  “You told all the volunteers to be here at least a half an hour early, right? I know they only had three weeks’ notice for the party but my dad said we had to have—”

  “I’ve got it all under control, princess. You’ll have your Memorial Day celebration today.”

  I couldn’t help but flash a giant grin at the mention of the celebration which made Chris trade in his cocky smirk for a genuine smile.

  “Thank you for making this possible. I know my dad would have canceled if it wasn’t for you.”

  “You’ve been locked up most of the time since the threats started—hell, even before that from what you’ve told me. You deserve to have a fun day with your dad.”

  My grin threatened to split my face in half but I couldn’t control it. I was so happy. Lost in my happiness, I lunged at Chris, wrapping my arms around his waist and squeezed him in a giant bear hug. “Thank you.”

  His arms wrapped around me and pulled me into him so naturally it was like we’d embraced like that a hundred times but then he stepped back. “I’m getting you all sweaty.”

  “Oh, it's okay. I have to take a shower before today anyway.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. I’m about to hit the shower too.”

  If the sight of sweaty post-workout Chris got my heart racing, the idea of seeing him in the shower with little rivets of water snaking their way down the valleys between his rippling muscles made my whole body overheat in the best ways possible. I pulled myself quickly from those thoughts before I embarrassed myself farther.

  “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you downstairs for breakfast.”

  It was finally time. After a shower and breakfast, I got ready for the party and before I knew it, the guests started arriving. I rushed downstairs in my red, white, and blue fitted tee and jean shorts I knew my dad would complain were too short.

  I rushed out on the patio where the extra grills were being lined up and other summer treats were being arranged by the caterers on a long picnic table. I snuck over to the food table and snagged a slice of watermelon from a large tray and bit into it sending juice dripping down my chin.

  “Caught ya.” Chris snuck up behind me and grabbed my sides. I squealed and jumped around to face him.

  “Gah, you scared me half to death. Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

  “Now what’s the fun in that?”

  “How about not killing the girl you’re supposed to be protecting?”

  “Hey, you said I scared you half to death. I still had another half to go before you would have died so I think we’re safe.” His teasing grin didn’t annoy me today. Today it made me smile.

  “Next time we might not be so lucky.”

  “Lucky about what?” Amanda came up and interjected into our conversation.

  “Chris scared me half to death. I was telling him next time it might actually kill me.”

  “You can scare me to death if it means you giving me mouth to mouth.” Amanda was too flirty with Chris and I didn’t like it. She was lucky she was my best friend but her constant flirting and checking him out was getting old.

  “If I scared you to death, I don’t think mouth to mouth would do much good.” Chris teased but it also shut down the flirting at least temporarily.

  Amanda turned her attention to me after realizing she wasn’t getting anywhere with Chris. “So, is Derek coming?”

  I glanced over at Chris and he stepped closer to me, grazing his hand gently across the small of my back. “I’m going to go check in with security and the volunteers. You girls have fun.” He smiled at me as he turned to leave.

  “Okay, see you in a little while.”

  Amanda waited until Chris was out of earshot before she grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. “Oh my gosh. Is there something going on between you and Chris?”

  “What? No. Of course not.”

  “I don’t know. You two seem a lot closer than last time I was here.”

  “We’re getting along better now.”

  “Oh yeah, I bet you are.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively which only made me roll my eyes.

  “Nothing is going on between me and Chris.”

  “Yeah, okay. Sure thing. Whatever you say. So, is he a good kisser?”

  “Amanda. Nothing has happened.”

  “But you want it to.”

  “No, I...” She was right. I did want it too. I couldn’t deny it. I could never lie to her so I settled for the short truth. “It’s complicated.”

  “Because of your dad.” She didn’t even have to ask. Amanda knew better than anyone how my father could be.

  “Among other things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like, I don’t think Chris is even attracted to me like that.”

  “He is.”

  “What do you mean, he is? How could you possibly know that?” My tone was incredulous but inside it was hopeful. Maybe she saw something I didn’t.

  “It’s in the way he looks at you. There’s an unexplainable look in his eyes when he looks at you that is something from an old romance movie.”

  “You’re crazy. I think the heat is melting your brain. Come on. Let’s go get something to drink.”

  I led Amanda to a table covered with plastic cups filled with a choice of lemonade or iced tea. We grabbed one of each, mixing them together before we each drank.

  “It is so hot.”

  It was an unusually hot day. I looked forward to once the sun began to set and the day began to cool off. Just then, one of our guests’ little kids’ squeal caught my attention. A little toddler no more than three years old ran through the sprinklers set up off to the side along with several other older kids.

  “They have the right idea.” I nodded my head toward them and Amanda laughed.

  “Yeah, I miss those days.”

  “Why do we have to miss them? Come on.” I ran toward the sprinklers, pulling her along behind me.

  The cold water struck my upper thigh and took my breath but as I got used to the cool water, it felt so good compared to the blazing sun. I let go of Amanda and she ran out of the water before messing up her hair and makeup but I didn’t care.

  I closed my eyes, spinning around as the droplets danced on my skin. When I finally stopped, I was out of breath, a strand of damp hair clung to my cheek, and Chris was standing on the sidelines staring at me. The heat in his eye
s made me hotter than the blaring heat of the sun ever could.

  I took a deep breath and tried to pull myself together before walking over to him.

  “Enjoying the show?”

  “You looked like you were having fun.”

  “I was, but now I’m all wet. I need to go get changed into some dry clothes.”

  Chris nodded and I went up to my room. A chill ran through me being in the air-conditioned house. I couldn’t wait to get out of my wet clothes. As soon as I walked in my bedroom door, I peeled my shirt over my head and tossed it in the hamper on my way to my dresser. I wiggled out of my wet shorts before digging through the drawers, searching for something else to wear.

  I put on a new t-shirt and was digging through the pile of clean laundry I had yet to put away when I heard someone at my partly opened door.

  The dark hall only offered enough light for me to see the familiar silhouette. “Chris?”

  He stepped out of the dark and into my room. “I was just coming to check on you. They were just about to start serving the food.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right down.”

  There was something different in the way he was looking at me—a hunger in his eyes. Or maybe it was all in my mind.

  He licked his lips, and all I could think about was how that tongue might feel running along my lips, sliding between them in a deep kiss. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me. I knew we shouldn't. But I was curious. I had to know what it would be like to kiss him. Just once. Just enough to satiate my curiosity.

  I stepped closer to him, not giving him much room between me and the door jam. But he didn’t move away. He just stood there, staring down at me with a heated gaze. My heart pounded against my chest and it was hard to breathe. I couldn’t believe I was making a move on him.

  “Kiss me?” My voice was a breathy whisper against his ear and I knew it affected him by the hardness that pressed against my thigh.

  “Nothing can happen between us, Caroline. You know that.” His voice was firm but I sensed his willpower wavering.

  “I know. But I need to know what it's like to kiss you. Just one kiss.”