“So, why are you here?”
“I don’t know. It didn’t make sense. Giving up on something because you’re afraid to lose it. That’s kind of forcing yourself to get what you feared in the first place.”
“Figured that out, did ya?” He smirked, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.
“Yeah, with a little help from my father.”
“So, how’s New York life treating you?”
“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t stay. I was only there a week.” She took a deep breath then winced at the pain in her ribs caused by the movement.
“God, Henry, I forgot to ask. Are the ribs healing up okay?”
“I wasn’t sure if you knew or not. Two broken, lots of bruising.” She patted the air outside the tender spot.
“Nate told me. He called regularly with updates.”
“Yeah, he stopped in once in a while when I was in the hospital.” She watched his face.
“So you’re not staying in New York?”
“No, why would I do that? Everything I want is here.”
“Not your family.”
“New York is cold all the time and dreary. I couldn’t live there if I wanted to.” She shrugged. “Dad gave me an ultimatum though.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he told me if I intended to live here I had to get a bodyguard or he would do it for me. So, these past few days I’ve been interviewing all sorts of candidates. Most of them huge, muscle-bound dudes that could probably lift a truck.” She watched as his eyes flashed and his jaw tightened but he said nothing, just watched her face and listened. “They weren’t real big on the hours or the pay.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Well, it’s mostly nights and weekends. Sometimes it would require accompanying me to social outings if I go anywhere.” She paused for a minute, aware that he edged a little closer to her. “Or just hanging around if I don’t.”
“So, what didn’t they like? Where’s the bad part?”
“There’s travel, too. To New York once in a while on family visits.” Sophie stared at her feet, pausing to take another rib ticking breath. “It’s been difficult to find a good candidate. Know anyone that might be interested?” She stepped toward him.
“I can think of one guy.” He shoved his hand deeper in his pocket as he closed the gap between them. “But there’s one problem. Sort of a big one.”
Sophie’s hand brushed softly up his chest, her fingers stroking against his collarbone. “What would that be?”
“He doesn’t live in Houston. He lives here.” He tossed his head in a gesture toward the ranch house. “And the commute would be too long.” He looked down at her through veiled lashes, enjoying the movement of her hand.
Sophie stepped back and reluctantly withdrew her fingers. “I see.”
“But I hear there are jobs available in Austin in your field,” he said. “And it’s close enough.”
“Austin, hmmm.” She hadn’t thought about moving to Austin.
“You could make the drive easily,” he suggested.
“From here?” She raised an eyebrow. Was he asking her to move here? With him?
“Yeah.” He looked away as if tensing for the answer.
“Okay, well, in that case, there’s more.” She smiled slyly.
“Let’s hear it.”
“He’d need to sleep in the same room that I do. Since the break-in at my apartment, I don’t sleep well by myself. Maybe even cook breakfast once or twice a week?”
Trevan snaked his good arm out and slid it around her hip, pulling her tight. “Yes, you’re pretty demanding, but I think it could work. Where do I sign up?”
“Right here.” She caressed the side of his face, sending a shudder down his length. “You want to help me find my keys so I can move my car?”
“No. We’ll worry about that in a couple of days when the tendency to run wears off.” He grinned, half serious.
“I brought a swimsuit with me this time, just in case.” She smiled back.
“Really? That’s good.” Trevan took her hand and started to pull her toward the house. “Where is it?”
“In my bag in the seat of the car.” She motioned toward the vehicle behind them.
“Great. Hang on just a minute while I take care of that.” He jogged back to the car, opened the door and punched the lock button then slammed it shut before returning to her side. “Oops. I guess it’ll have to wait a couple of days, too. You’ll just have to do without.”
Sophie laughed. “Sneaky. What about your sister?” She glanced sideways at him, eyebrow crooked.
“She’s leaving with her family in a few minutes.” He walked toward the house with her hand in his, squeezing her fingers. She loved him. He knew she did. She was afraid to say so but she did.
“You know, you can say it, Soph.”
“What?”
“I pretty much told you everything before I got shot. There was nothing more to say. The rest was up to you. That’s why I didn’t try calling again after you went to New York. I figured if it wasn’t enough, then you didn’t want it — me. It wasn’t going to work.” He focused his eyes forward, holding her hand, but not looking at her.
She tugged lightly on his hand. “You would give up that easy?”
“You really think that was easy for me? You’re not the only one that’s afraid to be left.” He pulled the keys to the Jeep out of his pocket and put them in her hand. “So, here’s the deal. I’m not going anywhere. When you’re ready for me to leave, you can give these back. Or you can go dig your keys out of those trees and leave yourself.”
Sophie looked at the keys. A lump formed in the back of her throat and she blinked her eyes a couple of times. She tossed the keys in the general direction that he’d sent hers earlier and tightened her fingers around his.
“I love you too, Trev.”
They walked a few paces and he turned and took both of her hands in his as he faced Sophie. He glanced warmly back at the two vehicles sitting haphazardly across the drive. “I have a question for you … ”
“I’m listening.” She traced her fingers up his arms and clasped them behind his neck before pressing her lips against his in a slow, wet, kiss.
Not wanting to pull away, Trevan spoke softly against her lips as she continued to kiss him. “It’s about this bodyguard gig. What happens when I travel for work? Should I find someone to stay with you?”
“Not necessary.” She smiled slyly as she pulled back enough to see his eyes. “I’m fine by myself.”
“But you said your dad — ”
“My dad told me to get a bodyguard,” she said. “And I told him to mind his own business. I can take care of myself.”
Trevan smiled. For the most part that was true. Letting out a small groan, he leaned in to taste her mouth again. “I think I have just been conned.”
“Feel free to grab your keys if you want to,” Sophie gestured toward the trees.
“I think I’ll take my chances.” He murmured into her ear and turned her back toward the house.
“Yeah, me too.”
About the Author
Shelley K. Wall grew up on a farm outside of Kansas City, Missouri. She’s a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a bit of post-graduate work at University of Wyoming-Casper. She worked for many years in information technologies, as a network engineer, a project manager, operations director, and IT department head. She holds several technology certifications in various security, server, and network related avenues. After writing numerous project plans, IT directives, budgets, personnel evaluations, and strategic plans, she decided fiction sounded more interesting.
Shelley started writing in junior high as a member of the school journalism club. She wrote her first romance in high school English and subsequently pitched it in the trash once she had her “A.” She went on to take additional courses in college, but later veered in the direction of technology instead (not many women technology engineers in the wor
ld at that time and it sounded fun and a path to great fortune).
She now lives in Houston, Texas with her family.
In the mood for more Crimson Romance?
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by D’Ann Lindun
at CrimsonRomance.com.
Numbers Never Lie (Crimson Romance) Page 22
