Mercifully, Brent didn’t say anything which was a relief. Raj didn’t want there to be any awkwardness between them.
Brent crossed the room, handed Raj a cup and took a sip from his own before asking, “What is it you hate about the shows?”
“Not knowing what questions they’ll ask is the worst thing. Invariably, the topic gets around to my personal life. They just love to ask me about who I’m currently dating.”
Brent sat down on the bench seat next to Raj and stretched his legs out in front of him. Once again Raj’s gaze zoned in on the action. Brent had long, powerful-looking legs, and Raj would bet his last rupee they were corded with lean, hard muscles. He could imagine his own legs wrapped around them as Brent lay on top of him and…
“What’s your usual response?”
“Huh?” Raj tore his eyes away from Brent’s thighs and met the man’s speculative gaze.
“To the question about your love life.”
“Oh.” Raj grinned and gave himself a mental slap. “That I haven’t managed to find that special someone yet, but that I’m still looking.”
“Has there ever been suspicion about your sexuality?”
“No. I’ve always been discreet, and, of course, Rahul makes sure I’m always seen about town with a hot date on my arm. Premieres, dinner parties, openings…you name it, I have a beautiful woman with me so that the picture appears in the papers the next day.
“It’s exhausting. I’m tired of the whole charade.”
Brent shook his head. “I can’t imagine having to do that—all the hiding and sneaking around, I mean. And what do the women you take out think? I mean, you don’t…”
Raj waited for the rest of the words but they never came.
After a brief moment he realized what Brent had been about to ask and chuckled. “No. I’ve never slept with any of them, if that’s what you’re referring to. I know how important it is to my career to keep up the straight persona, but there are only so many things I’m willing to do, and that isn’t one of them.”
“And the women?”
Raj shrugged. “Assume I’m the perfect gentleman, I suppose. I see them to their door, give them a kiss on the cheek, and, when I don’t call them again, I imagine they assume I wasn’t interested in them.”
“Is that the reason you want to quit the profession, so that you don’t have to lead a double life anymore?”
“In part, yes—I’m tired of living my life for other people. I’m getting older—and before you say anything, I know thirty-three isn’t exactly ancient—but I keep asking myself when I’m going to be able to do the things I want. I need to start living my life on my terms and I feel that if I don’t do it now, I never will. But, if I’m honest, there are many reasons for my decision to quit.
“When I was younger and just starting out in the business, everything excited me. Being on set, meeting and working with other actors…and, of course, the lifestyle that came with being famous was a huge draw.”
“Wouldn’t you miss those things if you had to give them up?”
“Some of those things, maybe. I always craved the big house and the fast cars and the money, but, now that I have those things, they are not as important to me as they once were.”
“What is important to you now?”
“For some time now I’ve wanted to do something good, something worthwhile. I want to help people in some way. I’ve always given money to charity, of course, but that doesn’t feel like enough anymore. In fact, it feels like a cop-out.
“I want to get my hands dirty, to get involved in something important—a cause that I’m passionate about.”
Raj smiled and lowered his gaze. “I know it sounds like a cliché, but I want to make a difference in the world, or at the very least, in my own small part of the world.”
“No.” Brent shook his head fiercely. “There’s nothing cliché about wanting to do something good and worthwhile. God knows there are enough people that are only out for themselves.
“I think it’s commendable that you want to give back and help other people.”
Raj’s smile broadened and he lifted his eyes to meet Brent’s, relieved more than he could begin to comprehend that Brent didn’t think of him as some sort of flake. Other people looked at him as though he were crazy for wanting to give up his career and fame and all the trappings that went with it, but Brent seemed genuinely happy for him and that made him warm to his new bodyguard even more.
It felt good to be understood rather than ridiculed.
Chapter Six
Brent watched Raj leave the set and walk in his direction.
The chat show had been conducted in Hindi, so he hadn’t been able to understand the questions the host had asked, but Raj’s body language had spoken volumes. There hadn’t appeared to be anything Raj had been uncomfortable answering and the luminescent smile that had lit up his face, making his eyes sparkle under the bright studio lights, had gone a long way towards confirming that.
That smile made Brent’s breath hitch.
“How did it go?” he asked when Raj joined him.
Raj was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Really well—much better than I’d hoped, actually. There wasn’t a single question about who I’m dating, which was refreshing. I don’t like to lie, even if it’s a lie by omission.”
Brent nodded. The more time he spent with Raj, the more the man surprised him. He was unlike any actor he’d met before.
“I can understand that. It’s not a good position to be put in. So, that was the last interview for the day. Are you ready to go home now?”
Raj shook his head. “Actually, I’m rather hungry. Do you mind if we stop off at a restaurant on the way home so I can get takeout?”
“Of course not,” Brent couldn’t say it, but he didn’t want his time with Raj today to come to an end.
He was enjoying his company too much. He knew nothing could ever happen between them while he was under Raj’s employ but there was no reason they couldn’t be friends, even though he might wish for something more.
There was no denying Brent was attracted to Raj… Who wouldn’t be? He was handsome, yes—sexy, too—but it was his personality that really shone brightly and Brent was more than happy to bask in the glow of it.
They met up with Jaideep, the other bodyguard on shift, in the large studio reception then made their way to the car. Raj told the driver the address of the restaurant he wanted to stop at and, despite the heavy traffic, they made it there in under twenty minutes.
“Do you need me inside the restaurant, too?” Jaideep asked when they got out of the car.
Brent checked the street.
It was as busy as any in Mumbai but it also happened to be in the most exclusive area of the city, close to Raj’s home in the Malabar Hills. Brent knew for a fact that houses here were among the most expensive in the world.
“No, I think one of us inside will be enough. You can wait for us at the door and keep an eye on the area. Make sure no one is hanging around, looking suspicious.”
Jaideep nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Brent led the way into the restaurant and did a quick scan of the area. The room was elegant and immaculately kept. It certainly didn’t look like the type of place that did takeout. There were a few people dining, but it wasn’t overly busy. The maître d’ greeted Raj warmly then turned to welcome Brent.
“Table for two?” he asked Raj.
“Actually, Aajay, I was hoping I would be able to take my food to go today.”
“Of course, sir, I’ll tell the chef. Do you want your usual dishes?”
“Please.”
The maître d’ nodded. “Can I offer you something to drink?”
“No, thank you.” Raj looked at Brent and cocked his brow. “Brent?”
“Not for me.”
“Sir.” Aajay bowed slightly and motioned to a table. “Please take a seat while you wait.”
Brent waited until they were alone an
d seated at a table near the window before turning to Raj, his eyebrows raised in query. “Your usual dishes?”
Raj chuckled. “This is my favorite restaurant in the city. I come here often.”
Brent grinned back. “Why do I get the feeling that if I came here and asked for takeout I’d be politely shown the door?”
Raj smiled, almost shyly, and peeked up at Brent through lowered lashes. “I guess you could call it a perk of the job. Do you think badly of me for using my celebrity status in this way?”
“Hell, no, I’d do it myself if I could.”
Brent’s response seemed to relax Raj.
He leant back in his seat and chewed on his bottom lip. The action drew Brent’s attention to the man’s mouth. It was full and sensual and Brent knew he should definitely not be thinking about what it would be like to kiss said mouth…
Raj pursed his lips. “At the studio earlier we talked a lot about my desires but you never told me yours.”
Finally dragging his eyes away from Raj’s mouth, Brent looked up and met his gaze. Jesus, was he being that obvious? He was afraid to ask but he forced out the question. “My desires?”
“Yes. Are you where you want to be right now? You seem to like what you do, but did you always want to be a bodyguard?”
Right.
Those desires.
As Brent lost himself in the sexy actor’s eyes, he couldn’t think of another place on earth he’d rather be.
“I joined the Metropolitan Police Force after graduating university, but the job was tough, harder than I expected, and, after witnessing one too many casualties of domestic violence, I decided it was time for a change.
“I had some friends that had already quit and one of them was working as a bodyguard. He put me in touch with a training school and, well, the rest is history.
“You’re right, of course. I do like what I do, I love it, in fact, but I think it’s a younger person’s game. That was one of the reasons I jumped at the chance of moving here and setting up my own agency with my friend Jack.
“I figured when the company was established I could concentrate on training staff, maybe move into more of a managerial position.” Brent chuckled. “But don’t tell Jack. He likes to think he’s the brains of the operation.”
Raj leant forward over the table and held Brent’s gaze. “I seriously doubt that. From what I’ve seen you have brains as well as good looks.”
Was Raj flirting with him?
Brent didn’t know how to respond, even though his dick sat up and took notice. It seemingly knew exactly which direction it wanted the conversation to go. But Brent was working, goddamn it, and he should not have been having these thoughts about the man who was essentially his boss.
Why did Raj have to be so freaking sexy?
Brent smiled politely then turned to look out of the window, hoping to spot something that would put out the fire in his belly and make his erection go away.
No such luck.
Chapter Seven
Raj checked his reflection in the mirror for the fifth time that evening.
He wasn’t usually so concerned about the way he looked, even though it was essentially his looks as well as his acting talent that had made him a very rich man. He knew he was handsome, by Indian standards, if not by worldwide standards, but he’d never considered himself overly vain. As he looked down at his attire and wondered yet again if he’d chosen the right outfit, he decided he might need to rethink that estimation.
Hell.
Who was he trying to kid?
He knew unequivocally the reason for his sudden narcissism—a six-foot tall, English bodyguard called Brent. Raj had been sporting a boner all day just thinking about the man, and jacking off hadn’t helped matters. It had only made him more determined to get Brent into bed. Something had to get him out of this dry spell and Brent Hawthorne would have been the perfect man for the job.
Part of the reason for his recent lack of action was his very hectic work schedule, but there was more to it than that. Being an actor in Bollywood, Raj didn’t meet many men who could be trusted to keep their mouth shut about their encounters. That translated to him hardly hooking up at all. It had been months since his last dalliance and that hadn’t been particularly fulfilling at all.
Raj looked down at his silk pajamas and groaned. He wasn’t overly fond of wearing traditional Indian clothing, but the benefit he was attending was formal and it would be expected of him. Although, how he was going to conceal his hard-on under the delicate material when he was within touching distance of Brent Hawthorne he had no idea.
Although Brent had done nothing to confirm his hypothesis, Raj was certain that the man was gay.
There had been no mistaking the interest in his eyes for anything other than what it was. Despite that fact, Raj knew he was going to have difficulty getting him into bed. His efforts at flirting with Brent at the restaurant yesterday hadn’t gone as planned. Rather than encouraging Raj, Brent had downright ignored his comments…but then, he was a professional, and Raj doubted very much that he mixed business with pleasure.
Still, Raj was up for the challenge. He would get Brent Hawthorne into bed, preferably before the night was over.
The intercom sounded, pulling Raj out of his musings.
He gave himself another once-over in the mirror then ran downstairs to answer the door. Raj had given Aakash, his houseboy, the night off when he’d formulated his plan of seducing Brent. His dick twitched in anticipation and began to fill at the mere thought of seeing the sexy Brit again. He buzzed his new bodyguard into the gate and tried to think of something—anything—that would stave off his erection until the damn benefit was over.
It didn’t work.
Raj threw open the door and greeted Brent as he climbed the steps to the porch. Damn but the man looked good. The black dinner jacket Brent sported for the occasion was cut to perfection. It fit beautifully across his muscular chest but Raj was more interested in what was underneath the elegant suit.
His gaze travelled lower.
Brent cleared his throat. “Are you ready to go?”
Raj tore his eyes away from the man’s crotch and shook his head. “I need to change. Give me five minutes.”
Formal occasion be damned.
His hard-on wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry. If he didn’t get the silk pajamas off, he wouldn’t have to worry about some nameless person outing him. The throbbing erection in his pants would do the job for him.
Five minutes later Raj had changed and once again joined Brent in the hall. His heart pounded and his breath sped up when he stood next to Brent. He could hardly believe the effect the man was having on him.
Was he going to feel like this every time they were alone together?
He certainly hoped so.
“I’m done. Where’s the other guard?” Raj doubted it would be just the two of them but it would definitely aid his plan to seduce Brent if that were the case.
“Jaideep is waiting for us in the car. Don’t you have any staff here tonight?”
“No. They have the night off.”
Brent frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you being here alone. Until this threat has been resolved I think it would be a good idea to have someone here at all times.”
Raj normally would have someone in the house with him but he could hardly tell Brent the reason he’d given Aakash the night off.
“Right, someone here at all times. Got it.”
Brent nodded, seemingly satisfied, and Raj let out a long, relieved breath.
He switched on the alarm, locked up the house then followed Brent to the car. As he walked behind the strapping bodyguard, Raj’s excitement turned up a notch. His gaze shifted once more to Brent’s long, muscular legs and firm ass, and a groan escaped his lips, louder than he’d intended.
Damn but he wanted to get his hands on that ass.
He couldn’t wait for the benefit to be over so that the best part of the night could begin.
“What was that?” Brent asked.
“Huh?”
“I thought you said something.”
Raj shook his head and tore his eyes away from Brent’s ass.
He hoped his voice wouldn’t squeak when he replied. “Nothing.”
Chapter Eight
Brent scanned the room as he escorted Raj into the auditorium where the charity auction was being held. Jaideep was stationed at the entrance to the building, chatting with some of the other security personnel who were working the event.
Brent raised a hand to his chest and felt the comforting weight of his revolver beneath his jacket. Jack had gone through hell and back trying to procure the gun licenses they needed to do their job. Their original request had been turned down then, as if by magic, the paperwork had come through. Brent had no idea what had caused the turnaround of events, but he knew Jack.
The man didn’t always play by the rules.
Brent wouldn’t be surprised if a corrupt politician had been involved in the turnaround. Jack didn’t like to think of it as breaking rules or the law, just bending them slightly to his favor.
The atmosphere in the room was buzzing and filled with excited chatter, not that Brent could understand any of it. He had been to dozens of these shindigs in the past, having guarded sheiks and celebrities in England, but they were usually more sedate affairs. The men always wore a uniform of penguin suits and the women favored elegant if lackluster black. The auction tonight was quite the opposite. The room was a sea of color. The women were adorned in bright and vibrant saris and the men’s pajamas were equally eye-catching.
Raj had been dressed in something similar when Brent had turned up at his house but had changed into Western clothes before they’d left. It was a shame. The actor had looked every bit the sexy Bollywood star in his original attire, but maybe that was for the best.
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