Page 24 of Broken Bodyguard

The longer we whiled away our days at the cabin, the harder it was to remember why getting a taste of Troy was a bad idea.

CHAPTER NINE

TROY

ThefirstthingIbecame aware of the next morning was the soft chiming of my alarm. Seven a.m. wakeup call, every day, without fail. Even in the middle of nowhere Kentucky while in this weird transition between gigs.

I launched an arm to the nightstand to silence it, staring up at the wooden peak of the cabin above the loft. And that’s when I became aware of the next thing about my day: the fact that Maddie still hadn’t graced this bed once.

And that was a damn shame.

I heaved a sigh, rolling onto my side like this might somehow shake the thoughts loose so they could spill out of my head. But no. There was no losing these thoughts about Maddie. Just one look at her soft, curvy body, her long brunette ponytail and the way she filled out her leggings and tops could get me hard.

And now I was hard just thinking about her.You’re like a goddamn teenager around this woman.

I couldn’t remember the last time I met a woman who could turn me on with every glance or sigh. But that was Maddie – a perfect ten. An amazing mother, a sweet schoolteacher, and a woman who just clicked with me. At almost thirty-five years old, I knew how rare that was.

In my life, I usually tried to avoid any chance for the click with women. It was easier that way. Better to just have a night or two of fun, and then go our separate ways.

But the problem with Maddie was that I didn’twantto separate from her.

And that was…a little uncomfortable for me.

I tossed back the covers, sitting up with a deep sigh. Time to start the day.

I chugged the glass of water I left on the nightstand, hurried into the bathroom to take a piss and brush my teeth, then I pulled on some workout shorts to get started on the routine. Pushups, sit-ups, squats, and crunches—until I sweat my ass off. That was the nonnegotiable way to start the day, and the only way to keep my head straight. By the time I was done, sunlight streamed in through the floor to ceiling windows on the north end of the house, showcasing the frosty branches and sparkling snowfall outside. As I wiped my face with a towel, I heard rustling from downstairs.

Followed by the soft pitter-patter of feet.

Soft thumps up the stairs.

And then finally, two big eyes peering around the banister of the loft staircase.

“Gracie.” Maddie’s urgent hiss ricocheted through the cabin. “Get back here.”

Grace didn’t make a move, just continued spying on me as though I couldn’t see her. I sank onto the edge of the bed and waved.

“Hey there, cutie. Should you be up here?”

Footsteps sounded on the staircase again—this time Maddie’s. She appeared behind Grace a moment later, her eyes turning into saucers as she spotted me.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry Troy.”

“It’s no problem.” I had to fight a smile as I watched Maddie’s cheeks flush. Sure, I was shirtless and sweating, but it wasn’t like they’d caught me doing something bad. Maybe she liked what she saw.

“There was no keeping her in the bedroom,” Maddie went on, smoothing Grace’s hair, “she just had to come say good morning.”

“Good morning,” I told the little blondie pipsqueak. She smiled shyly.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Maddie waved her fingers in my direction, “whatever you were doing here.”

While she spoke, I drank in her just-woke-up perfection. The messy topknot, the olive green cotton pajama shorts and loose t-shirt that allowed me a tantalizing glimpse of the peaks of her breasts. I closed my fists, dying to pull her into the bed and see what happened.

“Just trying to tone up a little,” I said, wiping at the side of my face with the sweat towel. “I hear schoolteachers like it when guys are fit so I’m just doing whatever I can.”

She pursed her lips, something mischievous coming over her face. “They certainly don’t mind it. We should get back downstairs though. Come on, Grace. Let’s go find your coloring books.”

Grace pouted as she started down the stairs.

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