Protect Me - A Steamy Bodyguard Romance (You Can't Resist a Bad Boy Book 5)

by Layla Valentine

  Chapter 14

  On Monday morning, Graham slithers up to my cubicle.

  “Did you have a good weekend, Noelle?” He peers at me over the rim of his coffee mug, taking sip after endless sip.

  “Yeah,” I smile. “It was really nice. Thanks.”

  It was beyond nice, but I’m not going to tell Graham—or anyone other than Claire—that. After waking up Sunday morning, Zach and I spent several more hours rolling around in bed. Then we had breakfast together out on the patio. A walk around the lake completed the perfect day. When it was time to leave, I had to drag myself to the car.

  But now that I’m back to work, it’s time to focus on the task at hand. The most important piece I’ve ever written.

  The plan I have is a risky one, but it’s worth taking. If I’m going to crash and burn, I might as well do it pursuing something worthwhile.

  “Really nice?” Graham repeats, eyebrows rising. “You’re smiling awfully big there, missy.”

  “Yes, Graham. Really nice. How was your weekend?”

  He waves his hand. “Same old, same old. Hey, I heard you’re working on something really special for stick-up-his-ass Ford.”

  I shake my head. “It’s nothing glamorous, really. Just a piece on a tech billionaire.”

  “Hm.” He studies me, and I hate that I’m wondering if he thinks I only got this assignment because I’m a young, decent-looking female.

  But that was only part of the reason. Ethan told me himself that my writing is good. I’m going to choose to really believe him.

  “See you later.” Graham pats the flimsy partition and leaves.

  I watch him go, my eyes trailing to the doorway that opens to the main hallway. Ethan’s office is down there to the left. I don’t know if he’s here today. The Franciscan Tribune is one of many papers that he owns. It was just luck that I caught him here when I stormed into his office last week.

  I would love to see him, though. Not even to do anything. Just to say hello, to ask him a little bit about his weekend.

  As if on cue, my cellphone buzzes. A message from Ethan.

  Come to my office, he instructs.

  I have to bite back a smile as I text back a quick ‘on my way’.

  Standing up, I straighten my pleated skirt and grab a notebook. This summoning is either about work or something else… But I need to be prepared.

  I do my best to keep my face smooth as I walk down the hall and announce myself to Ethan’s assistant. I’m sent in right away, and the door swings closed behind me.

  “Noelle.” Ethan rises from behind his desk.

  I swallow the ball of nerves that worked its way into my throat during my walk down the hall. Ethan is so handsome I can’t help but come undone in front of him. As he reaches for me, hands going to my waist, I count my reactions.

  There’s lust. Giddiness. Guilt. I don’t know which one to believe in, so I let them all wash over me. No fighting what’s happening. As I’m learning lately, just going with the flow is often the best choice.

  “You look delicious today,” Ethan rumbles, his eyes drinking me up.

  My lips twist up. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  “How is the article going?” He juts his chin up in interest.

  So this is about the article.

  “Good,” I slowly answer. “That second interview went really well. Zach gave me his backstory. You know, about growing up and school and all…”

  I trail off, studying his face to see if any of this is enticing. Ethan’s face is expressionless, though.

  Taking in a deep breath, I steel myself. Here goes nothing. “Don’t you ever wonder about how he’s doing now?”

  Ethan stiffens. “Why would I?”

  “Because he used to be your friend.”

  Ethan disparagingly shakes his head. “That doesn’t mean anything, Noelle,” he barks.

  I flinch at the tone of his voice, and he sighs.

  “I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m not mad at you. I’m the one who assigned you this article, so if it’s causing me any problems…”

  A sad look flashes across his face, but it’s only there for a second. No sooner has it arrived than it’s gone, replaced by a mischievous grin.

  “Did I tell you yet how fucking sexy you are today?”

  “You might have mentioned it,” I coyly answer.

  I let Ethan pull me to him, and when he kisses me, all the passion of that day in my apartment comes right back. I drop my notebook to the floor as he pulls me in tighter, his tongue probing my mouth.

  Want thrums through me, tight and needy. We kiss heartily, Ethan walking me backward as we do so.

  My rear hits the edge of his desk, and his hands go down on either side of the wood. With his palms planted on the desk, his mouth jumps south. Hungry sucks on my neck make me sigh. He knows just where to kiss, how hard to bite…

  A sudden knock on the door makes us both stand up straight. My heart pounding, I smooth down my hair as we exchange a quick look.

  Ethan clears his throat. “What?”

  “Your nine o’clock is here, sir,” says someone—his secretary, I think.

  “I guess I should get back to work,” I whisper, scurrying to pick up my dropped notebook.

  Ethan lightly grabs my wrist. “Soon.”

  My pulse doubles. “Soon,” I repeat.

  His gaze dances down my body. “It took everything in me not to come find you this weekend.”

  I swallow hard. What is he suggesting?

  “I’m pretty easy to track,” I smile. “Just look me up on any social media site.”

  “I’m not on those,” he smirks, coming closer.

  I lift my face to his, breath hitching. “I know,” I whisper.

  There’s a second knock. Somehow, we forgot ourselves yet again.

  “One second,” Ethan harshly says as he releases me.

  He opens the door for me, and I hurry out, making a point to not look at the secretary or the man waiting in a nearby chair. I’m almost certain that what Ethan and I were just doing is written all over my face.

  The open-working space is quiet, only soft murmuring and the clicking of keys filling the air. Everything that just happened in Ethan’s office runs through my mind again, his touches, his words…

  His words.

  It hits me like a freight train. I’ve spent a ridiculous number of hours scouring the internet for clues as to what really went down between Ethan and Zach. I figured from the get-go that social media was a bust, as neither one of them have profiles on any social or networking sites.

  But that doesn’t mean the answers I need aren’t on one of those sites, right under my nose.

  Opening up my computer’s browser, I go straight to Facebook. Since I know Ethan and Zach went to Stanford, and I know the year they graduated, I have a running start. There are groups for each graduating year, but they are all closed, unfortunately.

  But at least I can click through any photos that were used as profile pictures. I lean close to the screen as I browse, inspecting every pixel of color.

  Smiling students on green, grassy lawns. Tailgating pics. A million graduation photos. Some mild party shots. And then…in the background of a picture at a house party, there it is.

  My answer.

  Chapter 15

  After all this time searching, the luck that I’ve stumbled upon is ironic. All it took was a little bit more digging on Facebook. Who would have known?

  When I leave the office an hour before everyone else, no one asks where I’m going. Whereas I used to hate that I felt so invisible at this paper, now it’s working in my favor. The last thing I want right now is anyone in my business.

  I’m so excited and anxious as I walk down the street that I might throw up. At the coffee shop down the corner, I pause outside and give myself a moment of deep breathing. I’m fifteen minutes early anyway, so it’s unlikely that she’s here yet.

  I did it. I found Ethan’s ex-girlfriend
. What’s even more awesome is that she still lives in the area—and works in the same part of San Francisco as I do. When I sent her a message asking if she’d be willing to talk, I had a response back within thirty minutes.

  So here I am. About to get the scoop. And, boy, it’s going to be a good one—with a cherry on top and everything.

  “Noelle?”

  I spin around so fast my high heel nearly snaps.

  “Ethan?”

  He’s looking at me with a mix of confusion and pleasure. “I thought that was you.”

  “I was just getting some coffee.” I gesture to the shop behind me.

  “I’m glad I ran into you.” He glances over his shoulder before taking a step closer to me. “I wish I could see you tonight, but I have to fly to LA last minute.”

  “That sucks,” I genuinely answer with a smile.

  “Text me. Tell me how you’re doing.”

  “I will.”

  He gets even closer, touches my waist. “I’ll be back tomorrow. You should see if your boss will let you skip out early.”

  My heart rate increases. It’s not just because of Ethan’s touch, though. His ex-girlfriend from college, the very one Zach ‘stole’ from him, could show up any minute. If he catches sight of her, my cover is blown. I’ll have lost all chances of digging up the truth.

  “When does your flight leave?” I quickly ask.

  “In an hour.”

  “Oh, wow! You should go. You’re going to miss it.”

  “It’s fine. I have time to get coffee.”

  “Are you sure?” I think fast. “There’s a really long line in there. I just saw it and came back out.”

  Ethan frowns. “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Hm. I guess I’ll make do with the espresso on the jet.”

  Poor Ethan Ford Jr., having to ‘make do’ with the conditions on what is surely a private jet. I try not to laugh.

  I press my hands against his chest and inhale his deep, musky scent. Even out on this crowded street, it’s distinct.

  “Go,” I tell him. “Don’t miss your flight. I’ll see you soon.”

  A growl rolls from deep in his throat and he pushes his lips against mine. “Get ready. I’m going to be desperate for you by the time I get back.”

  My lady parts jump with an electric jolt. I watch Ethan walk away. He waves as he gets to the corner and climbs into the back of a waiting car.

  Once more, I have to take a moment to compose myself. I’m no longer nervous for this meeting, but running into Ethan was a close call. With one quick look in the wrong direction, everything could have been ruined.

  But it wasn’t. I’m still on track.

  Checking my watch, I note that Harmony should be arriving about now.

  Going into the (not at all crowded) coffee shop, I order a black coffee and take a seat near a window. My leg shakes with excitement. This is it. If Harmony has the answers I’m looking for, this mystery will be as good as over.

  I recognize her the second she comes into view on the other side of the glass. Although the picture I initially found her in was taken years ago, I also took a peek at the most recent photos on her profile. Though her face has become rounder and her hair longer, she’s still a gorgeous blonde. I see why both Ethan and Zach fell for her.

  “Harmony.” I wave and stand. She nods at me in acknowledgment and makes her way over.

  “Noelle Edwards.” I offer my hand. As Harmony shakes it, she eyes me with a hint of suspicion.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Can I get you anything?”

  “No, I’m fine, thanks. I really can’t stay long. I have to be at daycare in an hour.”

  “I won’t keep you then,” I answer, sitting down. “Thanks for coming.”

  Harmony nods and places her oversized bag on the floor next to her seat. She has a comfortable but professional style, wearing a form-fitting pantsuit and a silk handkerchief as a headband. I note the wedding ring on her hand, its diamond glinting in the late afternoon light.

  “How did you find me?” she asks.

  “Facebook tags.”

  “Ah. I see.” She smiles slightly. “You’re actually the first journalist who has ever contacted me about Ethan or Zach. I mean, other people ask me all the time. They want to know what it was like to go to school with people who ended up that successful.”

  I nod and place my clasped hands on the table. “They’re both very impressive men.”

  “I haven’t seen them in years.” Her eyes narrow slightly. “What did you say your article was about?”

  I pause on an inhale. Do I give her a vague, shielded spiel? Or just go for full-throttle honesty?

  I make a split-second decision to go with the second choice.

  “Originally, it was about Zach’s journey to success. I still have that article, written and ready to go… But there’s something else I’d like to write about as well. I’d like to do a more personal story.”

  “On those two?” she slowly repeats.

  “That’s right. Are you aware that they’re not friends anymore?”

  A sad look crosses her face. “That’s too bad. They were inseparable during college. Do you know what happened?”

  I shift my weight forward, coming to sit at the very edge of my seat. “I was hoping you could fill me in on that.”

  Harmony’s lips twist, and she looks away. “I’m not really sure, honestly.”

  The answer is disappointing, to say the least. I’m not giving up yet, though. I get the sense that there’s something she doesn’t want to say.

  “Zach and Ethan both told me they had some kind of falling out the night of graduation,” I explain.

  Her eyebrows rise, her mouth dropping. “Oh my God, I didn’t realize…” She shakes her head. “I mean, when you said they weren’t friends anymore, I thought that maybe…” She looks down at her hands. “But I didn’t want to believe it.”

  “Didn’t want to believe what?”

  “That I had something to do with their friendship ending. Ethan broke up with me that night. He wouldn’t say what it was about, though.”

  “He didn’t mention Zach at all?”

  “No. And I asked him several times. He was just so vague.” She frowns. “I think he said that it was just time for him to move on, since it was graduation and we would all be starting new soon. But I always wondered if he had seen me and Zach together that night.”

  My stomach sinks. So the story Ethan told me is true. Zach did steal his best friend’s girlfriend. I swallow down the bile rising in my throat, try to tell myself that it was a long time ago. He’s a different man now. He wouldn’t do that today.

  But then I remember what Ethan told me about Zach having a weakness for pretty faces. Could it be the captivating man really is the womanizer I feared he was?

  Disappointment courses through me, but I have to keep it together.

  “So you and Zach got together the night of graduation,” I clarify, “and it sounds like Ethan came in and saw you guys after all.”

  Harmony shakes her head. “No. Zach and I didn’t get together.”

  “But Ethan said…”

  She sighs. “My sorority sisters dared me to kiss Zach that night. I was a little drunk, so I took the dare. Like I said, I didn’t even know Ethan was there. I thought he’d never find out. It was a stupid thing to do. I mean, looking back, I know now that Ethan and I weren’t right for each other. But if I had known that it would destroy their relationship…something so good…I would have never done it.”

  I absorb this news. “The picture that I found you in, it’s one of you and Zach at a party graduation night.”

  Harmony warily studies my face. “What are we doing?”

  “You’re just sitting on this couch. In the background of a photo. I took a chance and hoped it was you.”

  Harmony groans. “That must have been right before I kissed him.”

  “Did he…?” I clear my throat
and do my best to find my professional voice. “What happened after you kissed him?”

  “He pushed me away and asked what I was doing. I just laughed and ran off. Again, I was wasted.” She rolls her eyes. “Zach would never steal another man’s girlfriend. He’s a great guy.”

  “Wow.” I sit back against my chair and look at my untouched, now cold, coffee. “And that was it?”

  She shrugs. “Basically. Ethan broke up with me later that night. I was sober by then, so understood what was going on. Really, though, at the time I didn’t think he had seen what had happened. I already felt so bad about it…”

  “And did you talk to Zach after that?”

  “No. I left a couple days later to start an internship in LA. I was gone for the next two years, until I moved back here. I always assumed they had stayed friends. This is… I’m really sorry to hear they haven’t. I feel really responsible.”

  The look on Harmony’s face convinces me she’s telling the truth.

  “I want to fix things between them,” I announce.

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “I’m hoping that the truth will fix things. It sounds like the end of their relationship was based solely on a misunderstanding.”

  “Hm.” She looks doubtful. “I don’t know. They’re both pretty stubborn.”

  I bark out a laugh. “Don’t I know it.”

  Harmony looks at me with new interest. “You know them pretty well?”

  “I, um, I work for Ethan… And, yes, I know Zach as well.”

  “That’s nice.” She smiles faintly. “If I can be blunt, Noelle, you seem like a really nice girl. They’re lucky to have someone who’s so invested in them.”

  I nod. “Thanks.”

  Unfortunately, I don’t think someone messing around in their business is something either Ethan or Zach want. But I’m doing this regardless. It’s for them. And it’s for me as well. I needed to know who the men I’m dealing with really are.

  And now I do.

  Ethan Ford and Zach Garner might both have tough, no-nonsense exteriors, but underneath those facades are two loyal, caring men. From the details I’ve gleaned, Ethan truly loved Harmony. And Zach never would have done anything to hurt his best friend. He pushed Harmony away, not willing to cross the line and hurt Ethan.