The Protective Billionaire

by Christine Kersey

  “Right. That does make it less exciting.”

  Thinking about Tyler and his craziness smothered any happiness Aubree was feeling.

  “So,” Janie asked, “how are things going in your…” she cleared her throat, “marriage?”

  “So far so good.”

  “Going by that kiss I saw, I should hope so. You guys looked totally into each other.”

  Two people had said that now. Her mom and Janie. With any luck that meant Tyler had bought it as well.

  Wait. Two people who knew her well had said that kiss had made them think she and Cameron were actually in love. Did that mean anything? Cameron had told her he was falling for her. Was she fooling herself by believing she hadn’t already fallen right over that cliff?

  “I just hope Tyler’s convinced,” Aubree said.

  “Me too.” Janie paused. “What’s going to happen once Tyler moves on? I mean, with you and your husband.” She snickered as she finished speaking.

  “Haha. But to be honest, I have no idea.”

  “I know you’ll get it figured out.”

  Aubree hoped so, because the thought of telling Cameron good-bye made her sad.

  She and Janie chatted for a while longer, and after they disconnected, Aubree studied the script.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The next morning Aubree woke early. She’d stayed up late the night before studying her lines and rehearsing, so she was surprised she hadn’t slept later. But she knew why she’d woken so early. In a short while Cameron was going to teach her some self-defense moves.

  Smiling in anticipation, she stretched, then she picked up her phone and pulled up her email account. When she saw an email from Tyler, her smile vanished. What was he going to say? Did he believe she was married? Would he tell her he was moving on?

  Dearly hoping that was the case, she tapped the email icon. Then, heart thudding painfully against her ribs, she read his message.

  I can’t believe this. How could you do this to me? How could you go behind my back and marry someone else? You told me you loved me and that you wanted to be with me forever.

  Aubree rolled her eyes. She’d never said or implied any such thing.

  You didn’t even have the courtesy to tell me you were seeing someone else. I had to find out on the news. Do you know how that makes me feel? Do you even care?

  Aubree could almost feel the rage radiating off of the screen. In all her plans, it had never occurred to her that Tyler would become livid. With trepidation, she read on.

  I’m hurt and heartbroken, but I’m sure you’re too busy with your new husband to think about me and how I’m feeling. Well, don’t you worry, you complete and utter witch. You’ll get yours. One way or another.

  Aubree’s hands shook as she set her phone on the bedside table and pushed herself up until she was leaning against her pillow. Knots twisted in her stomach.

  What did Tyler mean? Was he planning something? He hadn’t said good-bye at the end of his email or given any hint what his next move would be.

  She imagined him pressing a knife to her throat, wild-eyed and filled with rage. Had this whole fake marriage plan been a terrible miscalculation? Had it actually put her in more danger?

  Terrified now, Aubree climbed out of bed and changed into shorts and a t-shirt. The self-defense lesson Cameron was about to give her would be more critical than ever. Yes, she had his security team to watch over her, but they couldn’t be with her every second. What if Tyler got to her somehow?

  Struggling to calm her frantically beating heart, Aubree made her way downstairs.

  It was a few minutes before seven when Cameron finished making protein shakes for himself and Aubree. Eager to see her, when she walked into the kitchen, he smiled. This was the woman he was falling for—and he’d told her so. What was she thinking? How did she feel?

  “Good morning,” he said as he handed her a shake.

  “What’s this?”

  “Protein smoothie. It’ll give you the energy you need for our workout.”

  She nodded as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip. “It’s good.”

  “How’d you sleep?”

  Her eyebrows bunched like something was bothering her, but they smoothed out so quickly that Cameron thought he might have misread her.

  “I slept great,” she said with a smile.

  “Good.” He glanced at the glass in her hand. “Drink up and then we’ll get started.”

  Aubree was debating whether or not to tell Cameron about Tyler’s email. On the one hand, the only reason she was staying at Cameron’s house was to keep her safe from Tyler, so of course he needed to know about the email. On the other hand, she didn’t want him to overreact. What if he insisted that she not go pick up her mother at the airport that afternoon? Or worse, what if he insisted that she drop out of the movie? Of course, he had no power to make her do either thing, but he could withdraw his security if she refused to do what he thought was best. Then where would she be?

  “Something’s on your mind,” Cameron said, and Aubree realized she’d been standing there holding her smoothie and staring into space.

  With him standing right in front of her, asking her point blank what she was thinking about, she found it hard to hold back. Besides, would he really insist she do anything she didn’t want to do? She didn’t think so.

  “I heard from Tyler,” she said with a grimace.

  Cameron’s eyebrows shot up. “What did he say? Does he believe we’re married?”

  “I think so. And he’s not happy about it.” Aubree lifted her drink to her lips and took a sip.

  “What makes you say that?”

  Setting her glass on the counter, Aubree pulled her phone out of her pocket, pulled up the email, then handed her phone to Cameron. “See for yourself.”

  Cameron looked at her a moment, then he took the phone from her and read the email. When he handed her phone back to her, storm clouds had formed in his eyes. “I’ll double your security.”

  Relieved beyond words that not only had he not insisted that she drop out of the film or change her life in any way, but that he’d offered to beef up her security, she smiled. He was the best. Overcome with gratitude and a sense of safety, she threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Cameron.”

  His arms went around her waist as he held her tight and the feeling of safety only grew. She knew he was there for her and he would do everything within his power to protect her. Relishing the feeling of being in the circle of his strong arms, Aubree savored the moment a bit longer before stepping back.

  She met his eyes and saw sincere caring—and something more—within their depths. He’d told her he was falling for her and she had no doubt that he meant it. Maybe it was time to listen to her heart and loosen the chokehold she had on her attraction.

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he said. His voice was deep, like he was trying to control his emotions.

  “Thank you.” In all reality, she knew there was only so much he could do. The rest was up to her. She had to be aware of her surroundings at all times—something she’d been doing for a while now.

  They finished their smoothies and then Aubree smiled at Cameron. “I’m ready for my lesson.”

  With a grim expression that tried to be a smile, he nodded. “Let’s do it.”

  Cameron grabbed two bottles of water and led the way outside. Once they were in the backyard and facing each other, he said, “The first and best option is always to run away from your attacker.”

  Her attacker? She imagined Tyler coming up behind her, slapping his hand over her mouth and dragging her away. It wasn’t hard to imagine when she remembered that that was exactly what Cameron had done when she’d been sneaking around on his property thinking he was following her when in reality she’d been the one trespassing.

  Wanting to lighten the dark mood that was beginning to settle over her, she said, “Kind of hard to run away when someone grabs you from behind. Y
ou know, like in a forest.” She smiled to show she was teasing, but a muscle tightened in Cameron’s jaw anyway.

  “I’m just kidding,” she said, but that didn’t change the intense look on Cameron’s face. A look that said he would kill anyone who did that to her. As comforting as his protective streak was, he wouldn’t be with her all the time to enforce that inclination.

  Still embarrassed about the way he’d overreacted on his property at the cabin, when Cameron thought about Aubree’s stalker sneaking up on her, adrenaline shot through him. He had to show her how to get away from someone in that type of situation.

  “First off,” he said, “you need to memorize the vulnerable places on a person’s body.”

  “Okay.”

  He pointed to each place on his own body as he listed them off. “Eyes, ears, nose, throat, groin, knees, and ankles.”

  Aubree nodded. “I’ve heard that before, actually.”

  “Good.” Then, confident that he’d be able to teach her what she needed to know, he said, “Turn around.”

  She tilted her head, but said, “Okay,” before turning her back on him.

  He stepped up right behind her. The floral scent that he’d come to associate with her floated into his nostrils and he had to gather himself before proceeding. Regardless, this demonstration involved him wrapping his arms around her. He would have to come at it from a purely academic point of view so that he could keep his focus. Otherwise he’d want to just hold her.

  He slid his left arm around her waist while at the same time he put his right hand over her mouth. The moment she became immobilized, he could feel her tense up.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Aubree’s entire body went rigid. Partly due to imagining this really happening with Tyler and partly because of the way it felt to have Cameron’s washboard abs, sculpted chest and powerful biceps pressed against her.

  “If this happens,” he murmured in her ear, sending her pulse racing, “grab your attacker’s thumb and bend it back as hard as you can.”

  So focused on Cameron and the feel of him, she didn’t move.

  “Come on, Aubree. Don’t be like you were in the forest.” He softly chuckled. “You were kind of pitiful in your attempt to get away.”

  She had no doubt that was true, which was why she wanted these lessons. He’d loosened his hand over her mouth, so she said, “You let me go that day, so I must’ve done something right.”

  He laughed next to her ear. “I let you go because I could tell you weren’t going to stop fighting. Which was good, but if I’d been a real attacker, it wouldn’t have been enough.”

  Sobered by the thought, Aubree said, “Okay. Then let’s do this.”

  He tightened his grip around her waist. “Grab my thumb.”

  She didn’t want to hurt him. Still, she had to practice. His hand pressed harder against her mouth, which made her want to get free. She reached up and pried her fingers around his thumb before pulling on it. He was strong and it didn’t budge.

  “Come on,” he said. “Twist it, yank on it. Anything to break my hold.”

  Determined to show him—and herself—that she could do this, she pulled on his thumb as hard as she could. Finally, she was able to pry his hand off of her mouth.

  “Good. Now lean forward a bit before slamming your head into my face. Except don’t actually slam your head into my face.” He chuckled.

  She smiled at that last bit, but then she went through the motions and his arm dropped away from her.

  “Good,” he said.

  She turned to face him, pumped up by his praise.

  “Let’s try it a few more times.”

  “Okay.”

  She turned her back on him and they went through the exercise several more times until it felt automatic.

  “Let’s try some other moves,” he said.

  Confidence growing, she smiled. “Sounds good. I want to know as many moves as I can.”

  He quizzed her on the most vulnerable body parts for her to strike, and then he showed her how to defend against several more points of attack.

  “How do you know all this?” she asked when they stopped to take a break.

  “I’ve taken a class here and there. Guess most of it stuck with me.” He laughed. “Who knew I’d end up using it to teach a movie star how to defend herself?”

  Aubree set down the bottle of water she’d taken a drink from. “I’m not a star yet.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Yet.” Then she laughed. “Just kidding. This movie could totally flop and end my career completely.” She didn’t really think that would happen—the script was great. But she knew that was always a possibility in her line of work.

  “Either way,” Cameron said as he looked directly at her, “I think you’re amazing.”

  The comment was so unexpected that Aubree’s breath hitched in her throat. Then, without thinking, she said, “I think you’re pretty amazing too.” The words were spoken in a quiet voice, one that conveyed her growing attraction.

  Cameron smiled, his blue eyes sparkling. “Do you now?”

  She hadn’t exactly meant to say those words out loud, but now that they were out there, she was glad. Still, she wanted to cool things down. The way Cameron was looking at her, like he wanted to kiss her, sent her pulse skyrocketing. And when he took a step toward her, nearly closing the space between them, she instinctively reached for the water bottle and lifted it to her lips.

  Cameron seemed to take the hint and he took a step back. “Shall we continue? Or have you had enough?”

  The message from Tyler telling her she’d ‘get hers’ filled her mind. She was nowhere near ready. “Let’s continue.”

  Why was Aubree so reluctant to let him kiss her? He had no doubt she had feelings for him. He could read it in her eyes as clearly as one of the thought bubbles he created for the characters in his gaming app. Besides, she’d just flat-out told him she thought he was amazing. And the one kiss they’d shared had been spectacular.

  Pushing aside his frustration, he turned his focus to the job at hand—teaching her to defend herself.

  He reached out and grabbed her wrist. She yanked her arm but his grip held. The way she looked at him, like he’d taken her by surprise, led him to say, “How would you get away if someone grabbed your wrist like this?”

  For some absurd reason, when Cameron had grabbed her wrist, Aubree had thought he was going to force her to kiss him. She’d basically forgotten that they were practicing self-defense. Clearly, he was all business and now she felt kind of silly. He would never force her to do anything. That much she’d figured out about him. It was one of the things that drew her to him. One of many things.

  “Uh,” she said as she continued yanking her arm in an attempt to break free. “How do I get away?” Cameron was strong, but she knew there had to be a way to get out of his grip.

  His eyebrows went up. “You have to kind of unscrew your arm. You know, twist it out of my grip.”

  “Okay.” Then she did it, fast and sudden, and she was free. Pleased with herself, she grabbed his wrist with both of her hands, holding on to it with all her strength.

  He laughed, but it didn’t take him long to break lose. “Let’s review some of the moves we’ve gone over.”

  “Okay.”

  He turned her around, and then his arms went around her, tight.

  Aubree couldn’t seem to stop herself—the feel of being in his powerful embrace, the sound of his deep voice in her ear, her overwhelming attraction to him. It was all too much and she kind of melted back against him.

  He must have sensed something was different, because he relaxed his hold and said, “Are you okay?”

  That moment gave her an idea, and as his grip slackened, she leaned forward and slowly moved her head backwards as if she was going to head-butt him. “Gotcha,” she said with a tone of triumph.

  Cameron was silent for a second, like he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to react, but then he released her and laughed.
“Clever.”

  She faced him as a smile of victory curved her lips. All these moves he’d taught her had built her confidence.

  “You’ve done awesome,” he said, building her confidence even more. “In fact, I think you’ve earned a gold star.”

  She laughed. “Do you have some of those stickers teachers give their students?”

  He smiled, then he looked thoughtful. “Nope. I have something better.”

  Intrigued, Aubree tilted her head. “Oh yeah? What?”

  His smile grew. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

  “Hmm. Okay.”

  “I think we’ve done enough for today, but if you want, we can practice whenever you want.”

  The thought of having Cameron’s complete and total attention on her, plus getting physical with him? Yeah, it held a lot of appeal. “That would be awesome. Thank you.” She paused. “I should probably shower and get ready to pick up my mom.”

  “All right. The security team will take you to the airport whenever you’re ready.”

  Having a security team at her beck and call was nice. But she didn’t want to get too used to it. She had to keep reminding herself that this was all pretend—and temporary. Still, she would enjoy it while it lasted. “Thanks, Cameron.”

  “No problem.” He glanced toward the house. “I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”

  “Okay.”

  With that, he turned and walked into the house. Aubree watched him go, and the moment he was out of sight, she found she was eager to be with him again.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  “Nice ride,” Aubree’s mom said as they settled into the black SUV driven by a muscular man. The man in the passenger seat was nearly as large, and with the two of them watching over her, Aubree couldn’t have felt any safer. As crazy as Tyler was, she didn’t think he was stupid enough to go up against the security that Cameron had provided for her.