As the neighbors sighed over the cake, Bethany placed it in front of Troy. He had a slightly panicked expression on his face, as if he’d been asked to make a speech in front of a large crowd. It was time to drive this torture home. To remind him that life with her would be one long, uncomfortable nightmare. With a flourish, she pulled a linen napkin off the table and sat squarely on his lap.
“Here, let me, sweetheart. Don’t want to make a mess on your new shirt.” Her finger brushed against his smooth jawline and down his neck as she tucked the napkin into the collar of his shirt. His eyes widened with surprise and his jaw muscles twitched. He sat frozen underneath her like a statue. She patted the napkin on his chest and chuckled softly, leaning in closer to whisper in his ear. “Just imagine, if this protection detail drags on, we could have dinner parties like this practically every day. Home cooked meals. Friends around our table. A wife who lives to serve you.”
He narrowed his eyes at her, but didn’t move or say a word.
“I’m embracing my role as the perfect cover wife.” She bit back a grin. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the effort. His hands found hers still holding the napkin and he held them tight. With a steady intake of breath through clenched teeth, he pinned her with an expression that seemed to be a mixture of frustration and something else that made her heart flutter.
“You have no idea what I want.” His gaze flicked to her mouth, where it stayed there for a long moment.
Bethany’s pulse raced. A part of her wished all of this was real. That she could lean in and discover just exactly how it felt to be within her bodyguard’s arms.
“I know you want to keep me here against my will while my life crumbles around me.” Her voice came out shaky and she wanted to slap herself for letting him get to her. She needed to get off of his lap and back to her side of the dining room, where it was safe. “And that you’ve given me no say in the matter.”
He blinked, clutching her hands tighter and his voice lowering. “You can try all you want, Bethany, but you’re not getting rid of me. Believe it or not, I’m actually saving you from yourself.”
Her breath hitched in her lungs as the seriousness of his tone hit her. She felt confused and indignant all at the same time. He was so sure that he knew best. That she couldn’t survive without him. It was like an insult. Like he was insinuating that she wasn’t smart enough to take care of herself. And yet, the sincerity in his eyes seemed to say that he truly believed he was the only one who could protect her and that she was crazy for trying to drive him away.
She wasn’t sure what to believe.
“What are you two lovebirds chattering about?” George Mertens crowed from the other side of the table, causing Troy and Bethany to both look up from their intimate conversation. There was a smattering of laughter as George smacked the table with the palm of his hand and jiggled his big belly. “Care to share it with the rest of the class?”
“I’m just thanking my wife for the beautiful birthday dinner,” Troy replied, letting go of Bethany’s hands. She bit her bottom lip, disappointed to be free from his warm touch. “It really was a wonderful surprise. Thank you all for coming.”
Their guests cheered and raised their glasses in a toast. After taking a gulp, George clunked his glass back on the table and barked out a laugh again.
“I think that deserves a kiss,” he said, smacking his lips.
“George, I don’t think Troy wants a birthday kiss from you,” Angelica said with a giggle from across the table.
Olivia giggled along with her, until George slapped the table again and cut them off. “No, no, no. Not from me. From his wife.” He turned his gaze toward Bethany and Troy, still frozen under the scrutiny of their neighbors. “Go on, kiss the girl. She put this all together for you. Show her the love.”
Bethany turned her wide eyes toward Troy. He had a similar look of panic on his face. His fists were clasped tightly at his sides. She could feel the muscles of his thighs tense beneath hers.
“Well, go on.” Steven enthusiastically bobbed his blond head. “Don’t be shy.”
“We know you honeymooners like to show off,” Angelica added with a smile. “It does my heart good to see how much you love each other.”
Bethany wasn’t sure what to do. She hadn’t expected their marriage cover to be more intimate than some innocent hand holding. But here they were, in front of a roomful of people demanding that they prove their love. And it was all her fault. She’d bragged about her fake marriage. Told fibs about their honeymoon. Built their relationship up to be this impossible love story. She couldn’t turn them down without looking suspicious.
Surely, she was the last woman in the world Troy wanted to kiss. She was the person putting his teeth on edge. The girl trying to annoy him to death. If anyone could find a way out of this public display of affection, he would.
As she bit her bottom lip and turned to make eye contact with him, the heat in his eyes made all of those doubts momentarily wash away. He reached out his hand and softly cupped her cheek in a gesture too intimate to be confused for anything but a loving moment between a wife and husband. Hot sparks flared to life in Bethany’s stomach. There was no escape. No excuses that would save her now.
He was going to kiss her.
Troy’s other hand came to rest on the small of her back, where he pulled her in closer. She sat rigid, unsure of what to do with her hands, until his lips brushed gently over hers. A delicious thrill went down her spine, causing her to shiver. His touch seemed to thaw the last bit of reserve she had left. Placing a hand on the side of his face, she leaned into his chest and pressed her lips firmly against his.
The scent of his tangy aftershave overtook her senses. It was manly in all the right ways and perfectly fit this muscular, mountain of a man. His lips were surprisingly soft for someone so tightly packed. They moved against hers, lightly nipping at her bottom lip and causing another thrill to run down her back. The world around her melted away. The worries, the stress, the angst. For one singular moment, Bethany felt safe. Safe in the arms of a man who made her shiver with need.
She wanted more. To taste him thoroughly and feel his hands roam across her back. But now wasn’t the time. She had become acutely aware of the cheers coming from their audience. Pulling back, she sat on his lap with a dizzy smile, her head spinning from the brief contact.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” George exclaimed, nudging his wife. “Why don’t you kiss me like that anymore?”
They laughed and joked at their expense as Bethany tried to catch her bearings. She didn’t dare look at Troy. She didn’t want to see the expression on his face, for fear that what she saw there would kill this sudden high. Surely, that had all been for show. The only reason he cared about her was because it was his job to keep her alive.
Still, that had been an amazing kiss. She’d never felt anything like it. They definitely had a spark. That kiss had been like combining gunpowder and fire. Her lips still tingled from the sensation. She wondered if Troy had felt the same.
With a shake of her head, Bethany silently scolded herself. She couldn’t be thinking like that. She was a prisoner and Troy her prison guard. She had goals—one of which was to get out of here before she lost her dream job at the foundation and to spend what little time her mother and her had left together. The show was over. She needed to put space between her and Troy to clear her head.
Before she could extricate herself from Troy’s embrace, a phone dinged. Troy mumbled something under his breath and went to dig it out of his pocket. Bethany was about to move away when she heard him sharply inhale.
“What? What happened?” Bethany whispered, turning to see him staring down at the screen of his phone.
“It’s a message from Agent O’Brien.” Troy slowly moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue, before looking up at her. “He thinks they know where Freddy Mack is. They’re going after him tonight. He
wants us to come into the headquarters tomorrow morning for a briefing.”
Bethany’s heart skipped a beat. If they found Freddy, that could only mean one thing. Her witness protection problem was nearly at an end. And that meant no more of Agent Troy looking over her shoulder. She could return to her normal life.
The news didn’t make her as happy as she thought it would.
Chapter Ten
Troy
Troy knew the end was coming. His boss had located a source who could lead them to Freddy Mack. Dead or alive, he wasn’t sure yet. But this new information meant the end of his bodyguard duty for the ever-infuriating Bethany Reed. He should be rejoicing and on top of the world. Instead, he felt oddly deflated.
Bethany sat in the passenger seat of the FBI-issued black sedan with its dark tinted windows. She had her hands folded in her lap as she stared out the window at the passing cars. Just the sight of her this morning had made his heart pump wildly in his chest. And sitting next to her on this little road trip was no easy feat. The scent of her floral perfume was driving him mad.
He suspected she’d gotten as little sleep as he had last night. It was well past midnight when he’d heard her still shuffling around in her room. He’d desperately wanted to go and knock on her door. Ask her how she was doing. But instead he’d stayed in bed, the blankets tangling around his legs as he tossed and turned. They’d gone to sleep that night without speaking and taken off this morning for the Bureau in a similar fashion.
Part of him wondered if her restlessness had something to do with that earth-shattering kiss. He hadn’t been able to help himself. After that torture-fest of a birthday dinner with people who didn’t seem to care about anything outside of their cul-de-sac, he hadn’t been thinking clearly.
George Mertens had put him on the spot. They had to protect their cover. What was he supposed to do except get a taste of Bethany’s sweet lips? She’d lit a fire inside him when she’d made herself at home on his knee and tucked the napkin into his shirt, running a finger down his jaw. And the way she’d kissed him back had left his head spinning.
But this was just a cover and a fake marriage. He had to keep reminding himself of that. Nothing was real. Not even that kiss, as amazing as it was.
Something hissed and spat viciously in the backseat of the vehicle, pulling Troy from his thoughts. He glanced in his rear view mirror to see Samson attack the gate of his kennel.
“Did you really have to bring him along?” he asked. Any topic was better than sitting there in awkward silence.
Bethany finally managed to look at him. She’d swept her straight blonde hair into a sleek high ponytail that emphasized the angles of her cheekbones. Delicate feather earrings dangled from her ears. She wore a simple outfit of a tank top, jeans, and a thin scarf wrapped around her neck. Troy hated to admit it, but she looked good. Too good.
Bethany grimaced and shrugged. “If my protection sentence is really over, I wasn’t going to leave him behind. He misses home.”
She’d packed everything back into her suitcase and thrown it in the trunk before they left. Troy warned her it might be a bit too soon, but she wouldn’t listen to him and he didn’t have the heart to tell her no. Besides, Agent O’Brien wouldn’t have summoned them if he didn’t have a solid lead.
“I’m sure you’ll be glad to be back home, too,” Troy said, searching his brain for something to say. Anything except for the questions currently rolling around in his mind, begging to be asked.
Was that kiss more than fake? Was it as good for you as it was for me?
“Yeah, it’ll be nice to sleep in my own bed again.” Bethany’s gaze trailed toward the window again, her voice distant. They’d only been together for a couple days now, but Troy could tell something was off with her. She always had something to say. This silent treatment was unnerving.
“Listen, I’m sorry for what happened last night.” Troy’s stomach clenched with nerves. “Things got a little too...”
He couldn’t think of the right words. Intimate? Out of hand? Or, perfectly amazing?
“I’m sorry, too.” Bethany sighed and bit her bottom lip. “I shouldn’t have sprung that party on you. I thought if I drove you crazy enough, you’d agree to let me go into hiding on my own. I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”
Troy shifted in his seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter. “That’s not exactly what I was thinking about.”
Bethany turned toward him, her eyes searching his face. “Then, what?”
He couldn’t believe she was going to make him say it aloud. Surely, she knew what he was talking about. “The kiss. I’m sorry for kissing you.”
Deep in his heart, he hoped she would shoot him that sweet smile and laugh. Tell him that she didn’t mind it. Maybe even give him that look that said she wouldn’t mind doing it again. Instead, she turned away again and coughed.
“It’s okay. It was just for the cover. I get it.”
Disappointment deflated his chest like a balloon. He slumped forward over the steering wheel, scolding himself for getting his hopes up. She was his witness. Nothing more. Just a warm body to protect. Letting his feelings into the matter would only be asking for trouble.
“Yes, for the cover.” His foot pressed down harder on the gas pedal. The faster they got to the Bureau, the sooner this weird silence between them would be over. “We had to protect the cover. We had no alternative options.”
“Right.” She bobbed her head and ran a hand through her ponytail, continuing to stare out the window until they arrived at the FBI.
Always on the lookout, Troy did a quick visual sweep of the parking garage. He didn’t care if Gerald Void was already in chains and locked behind an iron fence, he could never be too careful. Especially with someone like Bethany.
Satisfied that the area was safe, he opened the door for her. She wouldn’t look him in the eyes. Instead, she grabbed Samson’s carrier and made her way toward the door.
They took the elevator up to the fourth floor and waited in the conference room for Agent O’Brien to show up. Agents dressed in black suits passed by the glass walls of the conference room, too busy to spare them any attention. Troy envied them with a fierceness that made his hands curl into fists. He could only hope that as soon as Bethany was released from his custody, that his boss would give him a doozy of a case. Something to take his mind off of this aching attraction he felt to the crazy woman sitting next to him.
A few days tracking a national security threat should set him right. He’d be too busy to think about Bethany Reed ever again. And she’d be back in her old life, annoying some other poor sap with her talk about luck and signs and demon cats.
“Listen, Troy.” Bethany fidgeted in her seat and turned to face him. She looked confused, as if she were stuck on a riddle. Yet, behind it all, there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “This might sound completely crazy and I totally understand if you think I’m nuts, but the thing is, I was up late last night thinking.”
He watched her with a guarded expression. What insane idea had she come up with now? Their time together was almost over. It wasn’t like she needed to think of another way to get rid of him.
“It’s just that...” She scrunched her face up and sighed with frustration. “I was wondering if, after all this is done, you and I could—”
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’ve been running around all night and haven’t had a chance to catch my breath.” Agent O’Brien strolled through the conference door at that moment, causing Bethany to clamp her mouth shut and sit back in her chair.
Troy felt a fierce desire to make her finish her sentence, but one look at his boss flung the thought from his mind. O’Brien’s tie hung loose around his neck and there was a hint of a coffee stain near his belt buckle.
Troy had never seen him looking so unkempt. The very sight of it caused him to shoot up from his chair and support his weight on the conference table between them.
“What is it? What�
�s wrong?”
Something had to have gone very badly for Agent O’Brien to show up in such a state. He was a man of propriety and strict discipline. Not someone who showed up to meetings with dark rings under his eyes.
“Bad news, I’m afraid.” O’Brien sunk into a chair across the table and gave them both a deadpan expression. “We lost Freddy Mack.”
Troy’s heart sank into his stomach. He slammed his knuckles into the table and puffed out his cheeks in anger. “How is that possible? I thought you said you had him.”
“We did.” O’Brien looked calmly up at him from his seat, his lips pressing into a thin line. “We had a source—a reliable source—who contacted our agents and told us that he could lead us to Freddy Mack. After I contacted you last night, we began to move in on our source. But something unforeseen has happened.”
“Like what?”
Their source had better have fallen off the edge of the planet. There was really no excuse. This was Bethany’s chance to be free. To be safe from Gerald Void. Troy tightened his hands into fists, ready to go after this allusive source. He’d get it done and he’d get it done now.
“There was an explosion.” O’Brien’s frown grew deeper, as if he knew what Troy was thinking. “A gas leak at our source’s home. The whole place blew to smithereens. Took the fire department hours to put out the flames. We were looking all night for our informant, hoping that he made it out alive. But I’m sorry to report that firefighters found what we believe to be his remains early this morning.”
Troy slowly sat back in his chair, his mind whirling. He stared open mouthed at the smooth varnish finish of the conference table with his brow furrowed.
“Was the fire intentional?” He swallowed and then looked back up at O’Brien.
“We’re not sure.” He placed both of his hands on the table, his fingers steepled. “My guys are combing through the wreckage, but there’s no telling yet whether Void’s people caught wind. All I can do is caution you to remain vigilant. If it was Void who started the fire and took out our informant that means there could be a leak in the Bureau. Someone is feeding him information. The last thing we need is him coming after the two of you. ”
Faking Ever After with the Bodyguard: A Sweet Fake Romance Page 7
