HER BODYGUARD

“Pack some clothes.” he said

“Everything?” Kimberly asked.

“No not everything. Just enough for a few days.” he replied. “I can send someone here if you need more stuff or we can just get you new ones”

“And what about my job?” she asked. “I just got back. Am I just going to abandon it again?”

“Yes.” he replied. “You life is more important right now. We can call your dad and Phoebe tomorrow and tell them everything. I’m sure your dad can handle your office for now”

“Where are we going?” Kimberly asked.

“Back to the safe house” he said. “But for tonight, we will stay at a hotel”

He looked at his watch. Kimberly stared at him. She didn’t want to be locked in a hotel room with Asher Adams. The idea seemed much too intimate. But what he was saying made sense. They couldn’t stay here. Asher left the room to give her some privacy.

She pulled on a pair of sweatpants and athletic shoes, then hurriedly packed some clothing. She put laptop back into its case, and then she returned to the living room.

“Ready?” Asher asked.

“As ready as I will be,” she answered.

Following him out of the house, she locked the door, then wondered what good that would do. A feeling of unreality gripped her as she climbed into his car.

“I guess the hotel is pretty close,” she said.

“Yes, but we’re not going straight there. I’ve got to make sure nobody is following us.” he replied.

She answered with a tight nod, thinking that she was in his hands. She tried to relax as he headed for the highway, then took another exit back into town-his attention divided between the road ahead and the rearview mirror.

It was after one in the morning now, and there was little traffic on the road. As far as she could tell, there was no one following them.

Finally, he pulled into the parking lot of a small hotel on Route 50.

Their room was at one end. After he’d turned on the light and helped her carry her stuff inside, she looked around at the space.

The first words she heard herself saying were, “We can’t both sleep in that bed.”

“I can sleep in a chair,” he shot back, crossing the room and pulling one of the chairs around so that it faced the other.

His back was to her, and she watched the tight set of his shoulders, wondering what to say.

Still with his back to her, he cleared his throat. “I won’t deny the fact that I’m attracted to you” he said. “And like you requested the other day, I know my place. I know you are nervous about what I might do. That’s my fault -because I kissed you tonight… And the other night, which I know I shouldn’t have done. But I was worried about you when that guy broke in, and when I saw that you were okay, I hugged you. And that turned into a kiss… I didn’t plan for it to go that way. But you should know that I’m not going to step out of line.” He paused for several heartbeats, then said, “It’s been a long night… Get some sleep.”

She stood there, watching his tense stance. He had just revealed a lot to her. Things he’d most likely found hard to say. And now she had to answer him.

She licked her dry lips, then she said. “I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. I know it’s difficult to say personal things. But you did it. I’m really sorry I said something so insensitive. You have done a lot for me and I’m not scared of you or anything like that. I mean, we have been in a situation like this before… And I trust you.. I trust you to protect me… Because you are a good man.”

She heard him heave a deep sigh, but he didn’t turn back to face her. So she walked to the bed, straightened the covers and took off her shoes. Keeping her sweatpants and T-shirt on, she lay down.

When he started toward the chairs, she said, “You need to sleep. You’re not going to be very comfortable over there.”

He turned to face her, his gaze questioning.Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

“This bed is pretty wide. I think we can manage.” she said.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

She watched him turn off the light, then kick off his shoes. The mattress shifted. When her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness, she slid him a look. He was lying on the far edge of the bed, still wearing his clothes.

He looked stiff and uncomfortable. But she wasn’t going to invite him to get undressed. Instead, she focused on trying to get some sleep-which she was sure she would never be able to do because she was too aware of the man lying next to her.

Damn, she thought. Is it possible for a man and a woman who are attracted to each other to share the same bed and not end up making love? Last time they had been together like this, it had ended with them having hot, steamy sex in his car. And the thought of it made her hot all over.

Of course it’s possible for a man and a woman who are attracted to each other to be in close proximity and agree not to engage in hanky-panky. All they had to do was have some self control.

Hanky-panky. That was a nice old-fashioned term. Still it got her thinking that all she’d have to do was move her arm a little and her hand would brush Asher’s.

That brought a wave of heat sweeping over her body, and she knew she was in trouble.

She’d told him to get into bed with her. Now she had to keep her cool. On the other side of the mattress, he shifted uncomfortably, and she wondered if he was having the same problem.

When she found herself staring at the front of his chinos to try and see if he had an erection, she clamped her teeth together. What had she been thinking when she’d invited him to bed?