As he showered and dressed, he kept reminding himself this was not a date. He was still the bodyguard hired to protect Madison. Nothing more. But could he hide his true feelings from her and the rest of the world?
It would take all of his self-control.
“Knock, knock.” Madison stood in the doorway, her eyes skimming over him from head to toe. “Wow.”
“Wow back at you.” Her dress hugged her fuller figure in just the right places, emphasizing her waist, and her voluptuous breasts without revealing too much flesh. Very different from some of the pop stars and movie stars he’d been hired to protect in the past.
“Thanks.” She breathed deeply and let her breath out slowly. “These things always make me nervous.”
“Why? You are beautiful.” His compliment was met with a flush of color across her cheeks.
“There are always people at these functions who are critical of my body when I tell them I’m a model. If you’re not as thin as a stick, then you are fat. There is no in between, no allowance for a person to be an individual.” She ran her hands down her sides and over her hips.
“You are perfect just the way you are.” Rob watched the color creep across her cheeks.
“You’re pretty perfect yourself.” She beckoned to him. “We should go.”
He followed her out of the room. “We really can pull this off, can’t we?”
“Pull what off?” she asked as she grabbed her purse and her keys.
“Pretending to be dating.” Although there would be no pretense on his part.
“Oh, yes. Pretending. Of course.” She looked disappointed, she sounded disappointed.
“Just for one night.” He was teasing her, pushing to find out if she truly did want more than a fake date after only just meeting him.
“One night.” She sighed. “I can do this.”
“You sure can.” He opened the door leading from her apartment and checked the hallway. “The question is whether one night will be enough.”
“Are you flirting with me?” Madison asked.
“I might be.” He frowned and tilted his head to one side as he beckoned her into the empty corridor. “But that would be unprofessional of me.”
“I suppose, since I’m no longer in danger, that I can let it pass.” She took his arm and he led her along the corridor to the elevator. Being with Madison was the most natural thing in the world.
They reached the lobby and he once again checked that it was safe before Madison left the elevator. She seemed more relaxed as they slipped into the routine of Rob checking for danger before Madison entered an area.
“I’ll grab a cab.” He had driven his rental into the city earlier, but traffic across town would be bad this time of night and parking would be a nightmare. He preferred a cab so they could pull up in front of the building and get inside without being exposed for too long.
He kept reminding himself the threat to Madison was neutralized, but he could not afford to let his guard down. His professional reputation along with his personal happiness was at stake.
“Do you like the city?” Madison asked as they drove through the traffic. They sat side by side in the back of the cab, if he moved his thigh an inch closer, he’d brush against her.
“I prefer the mountains.” He half turned toward her, while keeping his focus on their surroundings as the cab crawled through the traffic. If anyone wanted to make a grab for Madison, all they had to do was yank open the cab door. “Where I live, in Bear Creek, the mountains look down on the town as if protecting them from the elements.”
“Have you always lived in Bear Creek?” Madison asked.
“I have. I was born and raised there. It’s my home.” Rob’s gaze flickered across her face. “And you? Is the city where you see yourself living all of your life?”
A lot hinged on her answer. If she loved the city, where she’d made her home, and hated the mountains, where he’d made his home, then one of them would have to compromise. Of course, he’d give up his home for his mate.
But we’d rather not, his bear said firmly.
But we would, Rob insisted.
“I’ve never thought about it. Honestly. It’s been tough carving out a career here.” She glanced at him sideways. “All I know is that I don’t want to ever live at home again. And I don’t want to live off my mother’s money.”
“Then I promise not to buy you anything from the money your mom is paying me to protect you.” Rob watched a smile spread across her face. “It’s good that you want to make your own way in the world.”
“It means I can make my own choices, my own decisions, and that means everything to me.” She looked out of the window as the cab slowed outside the city museum, where a large banner proclaimed they were raising funds for the city’s homeless charity. “Don’t worry, I’m not about to ditch you, even though you were not my choice, and having a bodyguard was not my decision.”
Rob chuckled as he got out of the cab and checked the immediate area before he held out his hand for her to take. As she placed her hand in his, he felt the connection between them, it filled him with warmth.
As she stood by his side on the sidewalk, he lowered his head and whispered in her ear. “But if you had to choose, if you had to make a decision…would it be me?”
Her face clouded with confusion, but then they locked eyes and slowly she nodded. “Yes. I think it might be.”
Chapter Nine – Madison
What was wrong with her? She was flirting with her bodyguard, a man hired by her mom to protect her and watch over her. Yes, Madison was in no doubt that Rob would be reporting, if not directly, then indirectly, to her mom.
After the years Madison had spent disentangling her life from her mother’s, this felt like a step backward.
“Can I get you a drink?” Rob asked as they entered the lobby area of the museum, which had been transformed from a prehistoric scene, complete with a T-rex, into a glittering extravaganza for the rich and famous of the city.
In place of skeleton bones were tables laid with silver cutlery and fine cut glass goblets. All for a good cause, she reminded herself, although half the people here were probably looking to be seen as doing good rather than because they cared about the homeless.
“Yes, please.” She smiled, trying to rein in her desire for Rob. This could not go anywhere. He was simply being nice to her. What was it he said about pretending to be her date?
She needed to remind herself this was all pretend. It wasn’t real. But a part of her wished it was. A part of her would fall in love with Rob in a heartbeat.
A part of her already had. She might insist she didn’t believe in love at first sight, but she was certain that’s what she’d experienced today as he strode down the corridor to save her.
That was it. Savior syndrome, or whatever it was called. She was simply grateful to him for saving her from Evan.
Even though she had technically saved herself. Twice.
“Madison. It’s good to see you.” Miranda Kelly slid through the jostling crowd to air-kiss Madison, an expression on her face that was altogether predatory. As one of the most infamous models in the room, Miranda liked to eat men alive, and stab women in the back. Particularly if they were her rivals.
Which Madison was not. Miranda was waif-like in looks, her body carrying no excess weight. They were in different leagues where modeling was concerned and different planets where personalities were concerned.
“Miranda. You look wonderful, as always.” Madison smiled. It was genuine, she held no grudge against Miranda. In many ways, Madison admired her razor-sharp wit and reputation for getting things done. If the tabloid press were to be believed, Miranda had dragged herself out of the gutter, literally. Although the supermodel denied that ferociously and instead cultivated an air of aristocracy.
“Thank you.” Miranda looked Madison up and down from head to toe. “That’s a beautiful dress.”
Madison hid a smile. “Thanks.”
�
��So who is the hottie on you came in with?” Miranda asked.
“Rob?” She scanned the room for her bodyguard. “He’s getting us drinks.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Miranda’s voice was sharp, not unfriendly, but it was clear she was after one thing. Madison’s date.
“He’s a friend.” She took a deep breath, struggling with the lie she was about to say and hoping that even in the mesmerizing presence of Miranda, Rob would stick to their story. “My boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend? Really?” Miranda nearly choked on her words. “I thought he was some childhood friend you’d asked to accompany you as a pity date.”
“I’m sure you did.” Madison breathed deeply, forcing herself not to blush.
“So where did you meet?” Miranda asked.
Damn, they hadn’t discussed their back story. But then she hadn’t expected to be grilled by Miranda. Or anyone. “We met in my apartment building.” Madison searched the crowd for Rob and was relieved to see him coming back toward her with two glasses of champagne in his hands.
“He just happened to be there.” Miranda had spotted him, too. “Details.”
“He was visiting a friend in one of the other apartments, and we bumped into each other. And hit it off. One thing led to another…” Madison was keeping it simple and as close to the truth as possible without admitting he was hired to come to the building. “And so I invited him here.”
Miranda’s eyes narrowed as if sensing a lie. “One thing led to another, huh?”
“Here we are, Madison.” Rob arrived by her side. Close by her side, he invaded her space and she let her guard down, relaxing her body language.
“Thank you.” She took the glass from him and their fingers brushed together, creating heat in her body she could not hide.
“So you are Madison’s boyfriend.” Miranda purred. “She was telling me how you met.”
Rob glanced down at Madison, who couldn’t meet his eyes. If she did, she would be pleading with him to read her mind and not prove her a liar to Miranda. “We met in her apartment building. We just kind of hit it off.” He locked eyes with Miranda. “You know how when you meet someone and have an instant attraction.”
Miranda shuffled on the spot, her eyes darting from Madison to Rob. “An instant attraction.”
“Yes.” Rob lifted his free arm and slipped it around Madison’s shoulders. If any other man she’d just met did that, even if it was on a photo shoot, she’d have tensed. But the warmth of Rob’s body cocooned her, and she leaned into him, nestling against his chest. “Instant. Like love at first sight.”
Miranda’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Oh, there’s Thierry. I must go and say hello. He’s the new face of Cossington.”
And then she was gone.
“Thank goodness, she’s moved on.” Madison let out a long, pent-up breath. “Thank you. I was worried our stories wouldn’t match.”
“I heard what you said to her.” His eyes sparkled with humor as he drank his champagne.
“How did you hear me above all the noise?” she asked. Rob’s arm was still around her shoulder, he didn’t seem to have any intention of moving it and she had no intention of asking him to. This felt so right and her belief in love at first sight grew. Which was ridiculous, she knew that, but tonight had the air of a fairy tale to it and she had no intention of breaking the spell they were under.
“Yes, my hearing is very acute. And I can zone in on your voice and block out peripheral noise.” He spoke as if it were an everyday occurrence.
“What are you, some genetically enhanced bodyguard?” she asked lightly.
He smiled a secret smile. “Something like that.” He drained his glass. “Shall we dance?”
Madison took a deep breath; no longer sure she could tell when he was serious or joking. “I suppose it’s a good idea to keep moving so I’m not an easy target for an attack.”
“No one is going to attack you or kidnap you while I’m here,” he reassured her.
“I was thinking more of a personal attack by Miranda and people like her.” As they walked toward the dance floor, where couples were swaying to the music before they sat down to eat, she was aware of all the people watching her being escorted to the dance floor by one of the most handsome men in the room.
Yes, even in a room filled with men whose job it was to look good, Rob stood out. His broad shoulders and toned body were enhanced by his face, with his ice-blue eyes and chiseled jaw.
Rob took her empty glass from her hand and placed it on a table, before taking her in his arms and holding her close. With perfect timing, he waited for the change in the beat of the music and launched them onto the dance floor.
Madison knew how to dance, she might not be good at it, but she was grateful for all the lessons her mother had made her endure. It meant with Rob leading, she flowed across the floor, looking graceful and composed.
She was enjoying herself. Normally at parties, she tended to be a wallflower, keeping to the side of the room, only drawing attention to herself when absolutely necessary. But the safety and security of Rob’s arms changed all that.
“Where did you learn to dance?” Madison asked as he whirled her around the room faster.
“I’m not sure I’m supposed to tell you all my professional secrets.” There was the sparkle in his eyes that made her insides turn to liquid fire.
“So you didn’t learn as a child?” Madison asked.
He shook his head. “No, I would not have been caught dead on a dance floor as a child.”
“Then someone you worked for taught you?” Madison frowned and tensed. “Is that what you do?”
His gaze, which roamed the room in between staring into her eyes, was laser sharp, pinpointed on her. “What’s wrong?”
“This.” She slowed, her feet suddenly not her own, but he held her close and propelled them around the room until the music stopped.
“This?” His brows knitted together and then his expression cleared. “If you mean, do I tell all my clients I believe in love at first sight, and pretend to be their boyfriend, then no. That is not what I do.”
“Sorry,” she mumbled and looked down at her feet.
Rob slid his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his. “I had to protect a young movie star. She was rehearsing for a movie that required her to dance. I was her dance partner while she learned.”
“Oh.” She ran her hands down the skirt of her dress. “Now I just feel foolish. I have no right to be jealous.”
“Jealous,” he mused.
“It’s ridiculous. I think I’m caught up in the fantasy we’ve created.”
“Fantasy? This is reality.” He looked up. “Come on, they are seating everyone for dinner. And I don’t know about you, but I am starving.”
She followed him across the dance floor, the magic of the evening still intact, but she kept reminding herself this was not real, that he was hired to protect her. And by her own admission, she no longer needed protecting, so the best thing after this evening would be if he went back to his life and she continued with hers. Alone.
Yet as they talked and ate, she could no longer separate truth from lies. She was falling for Rob in a big way. And unless she’d gotten it completely wrong, he was falling for her.
Or maybe he had already fallen.
Chapter Ten – Rob
Madison was quiet on the cab ride home. It was as if she’d pulled down the shutters and put up a barrier between them.
She is shielding her heart, his bear said wisely.
Because this is make-believe. Rob glanced sideways at her, studying her profile as she stared out of the window. To Madison this isn’t real.
You will have to convince her it’s not make-believe, that she belongs to us and we belong to her, his bear stated the obvious.
That is not going to be easy, Rob replied. Not when she doesn’t know about shifters.
Then make her believe. As a man. You can do that, can’t you? H
is bear looked hopeful, but Rob realized just how out of touch he was with dating. It had been a long time since he’d dated a woman for more than a couple of weeks. Between his career in the Army and the knowledge that a relationship with anyone other than his mate was doomed, he’d never had the heart to lead a woman on to thinking their relationship was anything but casual.
“The evening went well.” He winced at his own words, not sure what to say to break through her barricade.
“It did.” She stifled a yawn. “I’m so tired I could sleep for a week.”
“You’ve had an eventful day, that’s for sure.” Rob wanted to wrap his arm around her protectively, but he didn’t want her to distance herself from him anymore. “Is there anything wrong?”
Her eyes fluttered as she fought to stay awake. “I’m just thinking of the lie I’ve told. About us.”
“What lie?” he asked as he shifted his weight. He didn’t resist his urge to hold her any longer. Lifting his arm, he wrapped it around her shoulders, and she snuggled into him, her eyes half closed.
“About us dating. I’m going to have to tell them we broke up. Miranda will gloat…like a goat.” She laughed, although he suspected she was slipping deeper and deeper under the veil of sleep and didn’t really know what she was saying.
“Then I guess I’d better stick around and pretend to be your boyfriend for the rest of our lives.” He dropped a kiss on her head, sure she was asleep.
“Hmm, that would be wonderful.” She snuggled up to him and sighed in contentment.
He rubbed her arm, drawing her closer, wanting to hold her and never let her go. Her breathing deepened, he was certain she was asleep, and he watched the city lights pass by as he thought about his next move.
This isn’t a game, his bear reminded him.
I know. Rob stroked Madison’s cheek. But I need to get this right. Madison thinks this was make-believe. She thinks we put on some kind of show. Although I’m certain she feels the connection between us.
Savior Bear (Bear Creek Protectors Book 5) Page 6
