by BJ Harvey
“I’m sorry,” he says before taking the call. He walks away from the table, turning his back to me.
I can’t help but check out his profile. He’s wearing long dirty denim jeans that fit him way too well, sitting low on his waist, tighter around the hips and butt then loosening up down the leg and finished off with what look like a pair of chunky army boots. He almost looks too casual for campus, but on him it works. Looking back up I realize I definitely can’t complain about his ass—that thing looks firm enough to break glass!
I may be emotionally damaged, but I’m not completely immune.
Of all the times to get a phone call, it has to be when I finally have Elise talking.
All innocent banter and basic information sharing, but I’m starting to build a rapport. So far she’s told me about her old high school and how she is living in a one bedroom apartment off campus in a secure building which definitely makes my job of keeping her safe a little bit easier. Of course I know the facts of her life from her file, but I find myself genuinely interested in what she’s saying. I want to know what makes this girl tick, how being made an orphan at fifteen has affected her, but at the same time I also need to find out if she has any idea of the danger she may be facing.
The phone call is from my boss, wanting to know if I’ve made contact with the target. After a short replay of the morning’s events, we end the call quickly. I turn back towards the table and catch her quickly darting her eyes up to my face. I can’t hold in my grin at the fact that I totally just caught her looking at my ass. It seems she might not be as closed off as I thought.
“Sorry about that,” I say, taking my seat.
“That’s okay, but I really need to get going now.” I watch as she grabs her bag from the floor.
“So, can I get your number?” I ask.
Elise hesitates and I can tell she isn’t exactly comfortable giving it to me.
“You know, for the project and all,” I quickly reply, trying not to make it obvious that I want to see her again. This level of attraction is all new to me.
“Sure. I suppose we’re going to need to catch up at some point, maybe to actually talk about the assignment this time,” she says with a small smile.
“Great.” I hand her my phone so she can enter her number, then she hands hers over to me so I can reciprocate.
“Well it was nice meeting you, Braxton,” she says, turning towards the door.
“Wait, can I walk you to your next class?” I ask, sounding like an overeager puppy.
“I’m actually heading home until after lunch, but you can walk me there if you’d like?” she adds with a smile.
“Sounds great.”
I walk towards the front and open the door for her.
The call from Gibbons has left me concerned. He rang for an update, but also confirmed that Elise is definitely on the radar now and is in danger. I remind myself to ring my partner Shay and organize to have Elise’s apartment swept while she has classes this afternoon. We need to check whether they have made any moves against her.
Shay and I met in the Army when we were both nineteen and we quickly became best friends. We both joined to escape the direction our lives were going in; mine was heading into a life of crime and his was inching towards drugs. The army gave us a chance to start fresh and make something of our lives while defending our country.
I watch for someone tailing us as we walk back to her building. My mind is obviously elsewhere because I soon realize that Elise has asked me a question and is looking over at me expectantly.
“Sorry, I totally missed what you just said,” I say, embarrassed.
“So, how are you finding school?” she asks again.
“Uh, yeah. It’s great. It’s a bit weird being older than the rest of the freshmen, though. How about you?” I say, returning my full attention back to her. She deserves nothing less.
“It’s okay. Economics was my very first class, so I’ll let you know by the end of the week,” she says laughing.
I can’t help but smile at her. “You do that.”
She slows down outside a two-story apartment building just a few blocks from the coffee shop.
There is an awkward silence as we stand on the sidewalk. I can tell she is wondering what to do or say next just as much as I am so I decide to take the initiative. “Well, thank you for coffee. I really enjoyed myself,” I say honestly.
“Me too,” she says with a blush as she looks down at her feet.
“Do you want to meet up later in the week to work on the assignment?” I ask, hoping like hell she says yes.
“That would be great, Braxton. Do you want to text me with a time and place when you know your schedule?”
“Yeah, I’ll organize it all and let you know when and where. See you later, Elise,” I answer with a smile.
“Bye, Braxton.”
She turns to enter her building.
As I walk down the street, I think about our morning. So far she hasn’t given me any indication that she knows about the threats made against her, which is a good thing. I’d hate for her to draw back into her shell just as she has given me a chance to find a crack.
I’m also glad she has agreed to do the assignment with me. To be honest, I don’t have a clue about Economics and am going to need to study up this week. I may not be a bona fide student, but I need to make sure I at least stay on top of my classes and don’t raise suspicions. I’m enrolled purely as a cover so that I can get close to Elise. I need to be close for the job so that I can keep her safe, but there is a voice inside telling me she may just become very important to me.
That honestly scares the shit out of me.
Due to the work I do and the inconvenient hours I keep, I have not had much time for women in the past, but Elise Halliwell has my full attention now. She had it the moment I opened that file.
She is like a spark that is missing an ignition and I feel an overwhelming need to be there when she fires.
Chapter Three
It has been a week since I met the mysterious Braxton James.
There is something about him that makes my mind twist, my stomach turn, and my cheeks blush—all at the same time. I hope I figure it out soon because he has become very distracting and I don’t need distractions. I need to focus on finishing college and starting my predestined life.
I’m meeting him today to work on our joint economics assignment. I grab my books and do a last minute check in the mirror. For someone who doesn’t care what other people think, I seem to be making an extra effort to look good today. My hair is half pinned up with the other half left down, curling down my back. I even put some tinted moisturizer on, a quick swipe of mascara and a little lip gloss to finish off the look. I haven’t felt like making an effort in recent years. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own little bubble that I really didn’t see the point, but today I want to make the effort. I want to see if I can affect Brax as much as he affects me.
I’m nervous. I haven’t felt like this since I was fifteen. Before the day my family…
I can’t think of them, not today. I need to be on my game. I don’t want to come across as a flustered little girl when I’m around him.
We’ve arranged to meet in the library where he’s booked a private study room for us. At first I was a bit hesitant when he sent me a text suggesting the place to meet, but I had to remind myself that I’ve been alone with Brax before and he didn’t try anything. He seems trustworthy, and the more I get to know him the more I feel that he is. It has been a long time since I’ve been able to trust anyone, especially a man.
Closing my door and locking it behind me, I look out the hallway window before heading towards the stairs and spot a black car parked opposite my building. I’ve never noticed it before. It’s not a busy street, so you get to know most of the neighbors and their cars, Seems weird that the guy is just sitting there not going anywhere. Shrugging it off, I head down the stairs and out the door towards the library to meet Brax.
I get a text from Shay telling me he thinks Elise may have spotted his car. Dammit, he knows not to park in the same place twice. Our Ford is inconspicuous enough, but I really didn’t think she’d notice it. I don’t want her to get suspicious, especially when she has just started opening up to me. I sense that she isn’t the paranoid type, but she is still guarded and shy. However, keeping her in the dark about what is going on is the best thing right now.
Elise and I have been texting each other during the week. Nothing too intense or probing, just general getting to know you stuff about my family, her old home town, and our favorite things. She likes drama and comedy movies, I like thrillers and horror. We both like rock music and both have dreams of traveling to Europe one day.
I told her that I used to be in the Army. I didn’t see the harm in her knowing that and it will help explain how I know Shay if they ever meet. I don’t want to lie to her any more than I have to. I don’t think I’ve raised any flags yet, and I hope it stays that way.
I find myself checking my phone when I’m waiting for her replies. I feel like a teenager. The feelings I have when I’m around her are telling me that I’m already too involved. My job is to get close to her so I can keep her safe, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop this from becoming personal.
When we left the army, Shay and I headed back to Atlanta where my adoptive father lived. He was fighting prostate cancer and I was the only family he had left. He died six months later and I needed a full time job to keep my childhood home. Soon we found ourselves working in the security business.
The past three years I’ve been so focused on working I haven’t had time for dating. Don’t get me wrong, there have been women, but they were only there for physical fulfillment. No one has piqued my interest enough to take it any further than sex.
Until Elise.
Her eyes feel like windows into my soul, instead of her own. I desperately want to get to know her. I already have an overwhelming desire to protect her, way beyond my professional responsibility.
This job is definitely not going the way I thought it would. I expected a quick intel check where we would advise Gibbons that she was safe and blissfully unaware of the unwanted attention, and then extract ourselves at a later date by dropping out and returning to Atlanta, but there is no way in hell I see myself being able to pull out anytime soon, especially after the updated information Gibbons gave me the other day. She’s in their sights now and I have to stop them. I have to make sure she remains untouched.
I open the library door and see her straight away, standing by the front desk with a leather satchel over her shoulder. She’s twirling her hair around her finger, looking nervous, and it makes me smile. I can’t wait to see the effect I can have on her today, to see what it takes to make her blush again. I walk over to her with a smile on my face and tap her shoulder. She turns with a start and a slow grin spreads over her face. “Hey, Braxton. I just got here too.”
Damn, something about the way she says my name just does things to me. “You can call me Brax if you want. It’s shorter and just rolls off your tongue,” I say with a smirk. I see her blush at my flirting. Damn, she’s cute when she blushes.
“Okay, Brax. You can call me Elle if you want. My dad used to…oh, shit.” She suddenly appears uncomfortable and stares at the ground.
Before I can stop myself, I lean in and quietly tell her, “It’s okay. You can talk about them, you know.”
She has alluded to her parents being gone in our text conversations, but she hasn’t told me outright what happened to them. Elise has said that they are no longer around and I haven’t let on that I know about the murders because that would blow my cover. I put my index finger under her chin and lift it upwards, bringing her eyes to mine. I take a moment to stare into her eyes; they amaze me more and more every time I see them. But looking at them now, full of unshed tears, breaks me.
“Seriously, it’s okay. I think I might just take you up on that offer and call you Elle. I like it. It suits you,” I say quietly so only she can hear.
“T-Thank you for n-not asking about it.” She’s stuttering a bit now, trying to get past her revelation that she obviously isn’t ready to share. “Shall we head on up and get started?” she asks, pointing to the stairs leading up to the private study rooms.
“Sounds good,” I reply as I place my hand on the small of her back to direct her up the stairs. I know I shouldn’t be touching her, but I can’t help it. My resolve to only concentrate on the job continues to falter the more time I spend with her and I don’t think I can stop now. I want to follow through with whatever this thing is that’s happening between us.
I just hope she is feeling it, too.
I can’t believe I brought up my dad in front of Brax. I’m horrified!
I haven’t told him about my past. As much as I try to block it out, it seems to be in the forefront of my mind lately.
I swear I stop breathing the moment that Brax puts his hand under my chin and lifts my face upwards; I have to swallow down the lump rising in my throat. He is being so sweet and hasn’t asked any awkward questions that I’m not ready to answer yet.
My heart melts when he says I don’t have to hide myself from him. I wish I could believe him, but I’m so used to shutting myself off from everyone and I don’t think I can change that habit just for him. I don’t want the sad looks from him. It would be far worse than anybody else.
If only I knew why.
After suggesting we head upstairs, I feel Brax place his hand on the small of my back. My whole body trembles when he touches me and I’m so embarrassed, I can feel my cheeks warming up. He must think I’m skittish, or that I didn’t like him touching me—but I definitely did. When he takes his hand away to open the door to the study room, I can still feel him there, like his touch has branded me.
This whole situation is unnerving. I’ve been strong for so long, keeping everyone out, then suddenly I meet a gorgeous guy and I turn into a timid little girl when he’s around. I think it is more than that, though. His touch feels warm, like my whole body is being heated. I’ve never felt that way with anyone before. He opens the door to the study room and ushers me through. I’m sure he is looking at my ass, but I don’t want to look back and check.
This is going to be a long couple of hours.
We spend most of the afternoon discussing the assignment and working on our presentation. She seems to have a genuine interest in Economics. I’m guessing it is her father’s influence.
“Did you see those fraternity pledges running naked through the middle of the quad this morning? That is hazing gone bad,” I say, trying to get Elle talking about anything non-economic.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. Who would put themselves through that?” she replies shaking her head. “I can’t imagine joining a sorority.”
“Aww c’mon, Elle. I’m sure you’d love to be publicly humiliated while you strive to belong,” I say sarcastically.
“Hell no! Never going to happen,” she retorts with a sly smile.
Damn. The look on her face makes me think of bad things, things I shouldn’t be thinking about right now. I’m enjoying just talking to her and little by little she is showing me a different side. It may be small steps, but I know it is a big thing for her.
I look up and watch her as she works every chance I get. She is so beautiful. Her skin is flawless and her features are so fine and feminine. Her mouth is perfectly curved, making me wonder what it would be like to kiss her. What makes her even more alluring is that I don’t think she has any idea of the effect she has on the people around her, in particular the males around campus, and especially me.
I start noticing her little mannerisms. Like how she breathes deeply and slowly when she’s thinking, but then starts fidgeting when her mind wanders. When she is frustrated or stumped, she bites the pad of her thumb between her front teeth. And she blushes...a lot. She almost catches me watching her, but I quickly look down at my work and
grin when I see her sneaking glances my way. She is still a total enigma to me. Considering what I know about her family, her past and the fact that she’s being targeted by some dangerous people, you’d think I wouldn’t be attracted to her, but I find myself wanting to be near her all the time.
A knock on the door breaks our concentration and we both look up as one of our classmates comes in. “Hey, guys. Sorry to bother you, but your time is up.”
I glance down at my watch. “Oh, man. I can’t believe we’ve been in here for over three hours.”
Elle nods her head. “I guess we just lost track of time.”
I stare into her eyes and I know exactly why it is easy to lose track of time when I’m with her. She mesmerizes me, and she is a lot easier to talk to now that she is slowly letting her guard down.
Even if it is a little bit at a time.
I watch as she stands up and starts collecting her things. I don’t want to end my time with her yet, so thinking on my feet I come up with a plan. “Do you want to grab something to eat with me? Think of it as a reward for all the work we’ve done today.”
She seems a little taken aback by my invitation. “Um…sure, sounds good. But can we swing by my place and drop my stuff off?”
“Sure, that’s a great idea. Let’s go,” I reply, clearing my books away.
I stand and head for the door, waiting for Elle to join me. I wasn’t planning on sharing a meal with her tonight, but I want to get her talking again without the distraction of school work. I’m hoping she’ll open up to me and be completely honest. I want to know everything I can about the elusive Elle Halliwell.
I’m standing in my bathroom, trying to pull myself together.
When Brax asks me out for something to eat, I’m surprised. I’ll admit that I’m starving, but I’m surprised by his invitation. Maybe he heard my stomach rumbling and felt the need to feed me to shut it up.
