“Jane!” Dahlia yells from downstairs.
“Yeah?” I call back at the same time it sounds like a herd of elephants is racing up the wooden steps from the first floor. What the hell?
I put the lid back on the nail polish and stand carefully so I don’t smudge the wet color.
A frantic-looking Hendrick bursts into the open doorway. He scans me from head to toe, then searches the room. I would be less surprised if an actual elephant stood in front of me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as Dahlia and Felix join us to see what’s going on.
“You texted and then didn’t answer when I called. What happened? Are you okay?” He steps closer. Those intense hazel eyes are filled with so much worry it takes my breath away.
“Jane?” He asks again. “Did something happen?”
“I thought you were still at the game. My phone is in do not disturb mode.”
“You’re fine?”
“Y-yes,” I say slowly. I’m still confused why he is here. “Just painting my toes.”
His gaze sweeps down to my lime green toenails, and he nods. “You’re fine. Good.”
A frenzied, anxious energy still radiates off him.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I realize he’s thoroughly freaked out. He thought something happened to me. That should make me more apologetic, but seeing him in action like this is so hot that I’m glad I’m getting to witness it when there isn’t a real problem. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. You didn’t reply right away so I figured it’d be a while before I heard back from you.”
He visibly relaxes in front of me. Running a hand over his hair, he messes up the perfect brown locks as he lets out a breath.
“We’re gonna go back downstairs,” Dahlia says, pulling Felix with her.
I give her a thankful smile.
“Good to see you again, man,” Felix calls out as he leaves.
The air is heavy with tension once we’re alone. I sit on the edge of the bed and grab my phone off the nightstand. Hendrick is still sort of gazing about like he can’t believe he’s in my room or he’s considering murdering me for being such a terrible client.
I read his texts and clear the missed calls—all six of them, then I tap out a reply.
ME
I’m so sorry.
He glances down at the screen to read my text, then looks up at me. “It’s all right. Guess I overreacted. I’ll get out of your way.”
“Wait.” I jump up and reach for his arm. “Don’t go. I’m sorry I made you worry, but I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to talk to you.”
He looks down at where my fingers still rest on his forearm. I let my hand fall away.
“Okay. About what?” His rough voice makes goosebumps dot my arms.
“Sit,” I say as I do just that. I bring my feet up in front of me to inspect my polish.
He lowers himself to the top of the mattress like he’s ready to bolt at any second.
“I messed up my nails.” I press a thumb to the smudge to fix it, but only manage to make it worse.
When I look up, his stare is on my bare legs instead of my feet.
“How was Flynn’s game? Did they win?” I ask as I inch closer to him.
“Yeah.” The mention of his brother finally seems to soften his expression. “He scored thirty-three points, and they won by a landslide.”
“Wow. That’s a lot of points for high school, right?”
“It’s a lot for any level,” he says.
“Violet’s boyfriend, Gavin, plays basketball at Valley, so I’ve seen a few college games. What grade is Flynn?”
“He’s a sophomore this year.” Hendrick’s body relaxes further.
“Is he going to play basketball or baseball in college?”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t said much about it since I’ve been home. He hasn’t said much of anything, really. He’s the quiet one.”
“There’s always one,” I say and cross my legs so I can move even closer.
Hendrick’s body tenses slightly as my knees brush against his thigh. “What’d you want to talk about?”
I lay my hands in my lap. “I was really pissed when I found out you were my bodyguard. Not just because you’d lied, but because I thought we had a connection and then it felt like it’d all been in my head.”
“It wasn’t in your head,” he says hoarsely.
“I know.”
His head lifts like he’s surprised by my answer.
“I felt it again this week. The texting and then talking today. Every time you touch me or look at me like you’re doing now. I’ve had other security details and it’s never been like this. There’s something about you. Something about us.”
“Jane,” he starts. The apologetic and tortured swirl of emotion in his eyes pushes me to interrupt before he can let me down easy again. Being rejected, even when it’s polite, still hurts like a bitch.
“I know. I know. You can’t protect me if you’re distracted, and sleeping with me would be distracting. You were absolutely right about that.” I give him a flirty smile. “I didn’t ask you here for that.”
He studies me intently as he waits for me to continue.
“I don’t know that much about you. All the conversations we had before were clouded with this big secret you were keeping from me.”
“I never lied to you.”
“Maybe not, but you weren’t completely honest either.” I shake my head. “If we’re going to spend so much time together, if I’m going to trust you, then I want to get to know you. The real you. And I figure it’ll be a slow process if I ask you while on campus because you’re doing your job and all that.”
“That’s it? You wanted to talk tonight to get to know me?” One corner of his mouth lifts lightly and he stares at me in disbelief. “I’m not that interesting.”
“You are to me.” I push back until I can lean back against the headboard. I also need to tell him about the email I got today, which is the other reason I texted, but right now I just want to have a conversation with him that isn’t all about me. I’m so sick of my drama.
“All right. What do you want to know?” he asks, still looking like he thinks the whole concept of me wanting to get to know him better is ludicrous.
“For starters, how’d you get into private security?” I ask, giddy that he seems to be going along with it, and pick up the abandoned nail polish.
“A teammate felt bad for me when I got cut from the team. He knew someone who hired security for concerts at The Hollywood Bowl.”
“Who was performing at your first job?”
“Paramore.”
“Are you a fan?”
“I know a couple songs.”
“Did you get to meet them?” I can’t fire the questions out fast enough.
“No.” He chuckles as he leans and props himself up with one arm. “I never even saw them. I was parked out front the entire time, checking people as they came in and then keeping an eye on the parking lot.”
“Too bad. I love them.” I start singing “Misery Business.” I forgot how much I loved that song.
Hendrick watches me with a smile that suddenly makes me feel self-conscious.
I stop and twist off the cap of the nail polish to fix my smudged pedicure. “So, you worked a few concerts . . .”
“Yeah, concerts and other events. I wasn’t picky about the jobs I took. I was trying to make as much as I could to send money back to my brothers . . .” He hesitates. “Working security paid pretty well and I enjoyed it. Especially after I met Logan.”
“Logan?” I bend my leg so I can paint my toes.
“He owns the private security company I work for now.”
“The one my parents hired.”
Hendrick nods. “Yeah. Logan took me on, made sure I got all the training I’d need for higher profile jobs, and the bonus was it was flexible enough I could continue working out and rehabbing my knee to get back to football.”
“Does Logan find you jobs or do you get a say?”
His smile widens. “Are you trying to ask if I took the job knowing who you were?”
Had I been? “Well, did you?”
“I knew about you only in the broadest sense—that you were a famous actress who was attending college in Valley.”
“And you took the job because your brothers are here?”
“Yeah. It was perfect timing with the season and my contract ending. When I was practicing with the team, I only had availability on nights and weekends. Logan was good about working around my schedule. I got a few clients that I’d help out regularly, but I mostly took jobs that were for a single day or maybe a weekend. Until you.”
“Until me,” I repeat softly.
He shifts closer and regards me seriously. Those hazel eyes meet mine with such sincerity that it makes my pulse race. “If you’re waiting for me to say I’m sorry that I took the job or that I deceived you, then you should know right now that I’m not. I’m sorry that you were hurt in the process, but the more time I’ve spent with you, the happier I am I took the job. And yeah, we have a connection. I’m not denying that. You’re beautiful and kind. You’re fun and charismatic. Following you around doesn’t feel like a job at all. But it is my job, Jane.” He reaches forward and lets his knuckles graze my cheek, then his thumb drags along my bottom lip.
I think I stop breathing until his hand falls away.
I reach for it and bring it onto my knee. His fingers splay out over my skin with those rough edges. I explore, running the pads of my fingers over the veins in his hands and then turn it over to check out the coarse palm I’m so fascinated with. His hands are strong and worn, and I love how they feel against my skin.
He lets me take my time like this is a perfectly normal encounter between two people who have already agreed that nothing can happen between them. Though to be fair, nothing about my life or any of my interactions with Hendrick feels normal anymore.
I set his hand back on my knee and bring the nail polish brush down over his middle finger, painting it lime green to match my toes.
“So now what?” I ask as I blow on it lightly. When I look up, his expression makes me shiver.
“Well, for tonight, I should go home and let you go to sleep,” he says gruffly.
“You just got here.”
“We have lots of time to get to know each other. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Okay.” My heart climbs up into my throat as his hand slips off my knee and he stands. It’s on the tip of my tongue to beg him to stay, ask him to reconsider our whole situation. I could get Grady back here to keep me safe, and then Hendrick wouldn’t have any reason not to act on this thing between us.
But without this job, would he even stay in Valley or would it be on to the next job? Suddenly keeping him here feels more important than kissing him. Even though I really, really want to kiss him.
“Text me if you need anything.” He smiles. “And answer your phone when I call.”
“Yes, sir.” I salute him with a playful smirk, then get up to walk him out.
I follow him down the stairs. He waves to Dahlia and Felix, who are still in the living room watching a movie, then crosses to the front door. He opens it and steps out before looking back at me. “Night, Jane.”
I watch him walk to his truck before shutting the door, then I press my back against it, let my head fall back with a thump, close my eyes, and groan.
“Everything okay?” Dahlia asks.
When I open my eyes, they’re both smiling at me, and the TV is paused. “Why does he have to be so damn hot?”
They laugh and I go over to the couch and take a seat next to Dahlia. She scoots away from Felix to wrap her arms around me.
“What am I gonna do?” I never did tell him about the email, but I feel like we came to an understanding tonight and it was nice to talk and get to know each other a little better.
“I don’t know, babe.”
“I’m so glad I have you.” I tilt my head and rest it on her shoulder.
“Always. You always have me.”
