Page 39 of Unguarded

The hot water washes over my tight muscles. We landed in Melbourne last night, and I feel like my internal clock is broken with all the time zones we’ve traveled through. It’s somewhere around three in the afternoon local time, but I’m exhausted. I turn the shower off, towel-drying my hair before walking out into the living area of the penthouse suite in a fluffy hotel robe.

Ember is typing away on her laptop. Her eyes rise to meet mine. “How are you feeling, babe?”

I exhale, reaching for a forkful of the pavlova from the extravagant tray of local food that was laid out for me and the team to snack on. “I am feeling … confused.”

It’s been just over a month since we left Seoul. We’ve been traveling through the Eastern Hemisphere relatively quickly. This is our last stop before we hit Europe, where we’ll move slower and hit more countries, but not travel as far to each venue. I’m looking forward to pastries and English accents, but especially the slower feel it will havewith so many compact cities clustered together with sold-out stadiums.

Ember nods slowly, still typing. “Confused about the stalker?”

We haven’t heard from him, not since the dead bird in Seoul. The silence is almost more concerning than his activity and vile gift-giving. I’m fearful that once we aren’t hopping around the globe as much, he’ll reappear.

I shrug. “No. I’ve been trying not to think about that.” I pop the sweet dessert into my mouth and collapse on the chair across from hers.

She pauses her typing, pushing the computer back a few inches. The suite has a whole dining room, complete with a crystal chandelier and tufted pink velvet chairs around a glass-top round table. She pulls her legs up onto the chair and sits cross-legged, studying my face carefully.

“Then, what is it? You’ve been withdrawn ever since Korea.”

I finish chewing the bite, savoring all the flavors of fresh fruit and marshmallow before scooping another one up.

“I’ve been having … strange dreams about someone.” I shove the food into my mouth before I dare to elaborate more. My eyes jump up to meet hers.

Ember’s brows rise with interest. “Oh? What kind of dreams?” She reaches for a piece of lamington, the coconut and chocolate dusting her fingertips and lips as she bites into it. She’s wearing a pale blue track suit that compliments her cool-toned skin.

“I … I guess you could say they’re … well, they’re not the kindof dreams that I would want to think about in a church, if you know what I mean.”

Ember purses her lips, trying to hold in a smirk. She nods, like she understands exactly what I mean. “I’ve had dreams like that before too. They were about my track coach in high school.”

My jaw drops open. “What?”

She nods, laughing. “All the girls had a crush on him. He was young, like twenty-four. So hot—like, stupid hot. One day, my boyfriend broke up with me. It just so happened to be the same day my mom caught my dad sleeping with our neighbor. I was crying near the lockers in the field house. He walked in and asked me what was wrong. I pretended I had gotten my period and was cramping.” Her eyes grow distant, like she’s picturing the scene in her mind. “He gave me the keys to his office and told me I could go lie down if I wanted to skip practice. It was the first time in my life I remember feeling like a guy saw me as a human being with emotions that mattered, you know? Not just a girl with inconvenient, irritating emotions that he didn’t have time or patience to deal with.”

My insides feel tingly at her words.

That’s exactly how I feel.

“Like your well-being and emotional state are what matter … and he doesn’t benefit from treating you that way,” I murmur.

She nods knowingly. “Exactly. Exactly that. He wasn’t a predator. He had no interest in a high school–aged girl. He didn’t stand to gain anything. He could’ve turned aroundand left me to cry or told me to suck it up and get to practice.”

I lean forward. “So, you fell for him after that?”

She laughs, nodding. “Yeah, big time. It was such a turn-on. I had wet dreams for months. I wasn’t really alone or anything. All the girls had the hots for him. But like I said, he was a good man and didn’t do anything except respect us. After my dad’s continual cheating, it was nice to see a man who treated women as equals.” She sighs. “I wonder where Coach D is now.”

“Coach D?!” I cackle at the suggestive name.

She laughs, shaking her head. “His last name did start with aD, but, yeah, we definitely called him that because we were horny teenagers.”

“Damn. Well, I guess the way I’m feeling makes a little more sense now. Glad to know I’m not alone.”

Cash hasn’t brought up leaving the tour and returning to his ranch in Texas, and neither have I. His one-month agreement expired three weeks ago. With no word from the stalker, his services become less necessary every day. I’m terrified one day he’ll just walk out with his bags packed, nod his farewell, and ride off into the sunset, never to be heard from again.

We’ve kept our distance from each other, aside from when we’re in public and he stands within two feet of me or closer in a crowd. I’ve started to hope the crowds get pushy, just so I can feel him standing over me and guarding me until we safely reach our destination. He still works double shifts, guarding me, only taking time away when he needs sleep andBrooks is on duty. Otherwise, he’s my silent protector, lurking in the corners and shadows everywhere we go. I’m painfully aware of his presence. He hasn’t missed a single show, meet and greet, or let me leave the hotels without him. It would feel suffocating if I didn’t have a visceral need to have him near, especially after the “gifts” that were left for me.

Ember finishes off her dessert and wipes her hands on a napkin. “Do you want to go over the itinerary now, or do you need to nap first? Katherine wants to join us on Zoom.”

I sigh, pouring myself a glass of water. “Let’s get it over with. I can’t sleep until it gets a little darker outside.”

Ember nods sympathetically. “This is our last time in another country so far away with so little time to adjust. Europe is going to feel much better.”

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