Page 31 of My One and Only

“Thanks, Jo,” he said, his voice low. “I appreciate the ride home. A lot. I’ll give you a call tomorrow to let you know how I’m doing. Okay?”

She nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his. “You don’t want me to be your bodyguard, then?”

He frowned at her. “I already said I did. But I don’t need one right now. I’ll be in my house. In bed. Asleep.”

She studied him for a long moment. Finally said, “I never thought you were a stupid guy, Cam. But you’re sure acting like one. You think the guy who rammed into your truck is going to be polite and considerate and wait until you’re on your feet again before he makes another run at you?”

Cam frowned at her. “What the hell are you talking about? My head hurts and I just want to get into bed and fall asleep.”

“And you think the guy who put you in the hospital doesn’t know that? What better time to get to you than when you’re recovering from a concussion.”

If he let Jo in, she’d see the shelf of children’s books in the living room. The toys his daughter had probably left on the floor. He thought about Fiona’s open bedroom door, just waiting for Jo to peer inside and see the girly quilt on the single bed.

Swallowing, he shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ve got this. And if I fall down, I can crawl to my bed.”

The flash of hurt in her eyes was momentary, but he noticed it. “Jo, listen. I…”

She interrupted him. “It’s okay, Cam. Go to bed. Stay there all day. I’ll be gone in a few days, anyway. But you need to hire a bodyguard.” She pulled a business card out of her wallet. “This is the company I work for. All their bodyguards are very good. Hire one of them.”

“I don’t want anyone but you, Jo.”

She shoved her hands into her pockets. Yeah, it was cold out here, and with him standing here, with the door open, it’d be cold in the house, too.

“Let me get this straight. Youdowant to hire me?”

“Yes,” he said, pressing his left hand to the side of his head. “I already said that.”

“Okay, then.” She put her hand on his chest and pushed him backward. Surprised, he stumbled a couple of steps, struggling for balance. By the time he’d recovered, Jo was in the house and she’d closed the door behind her.

“What the hell are you doing?”he asked, his voice rising.

“Being your bodyguard,” she said, holding his gaze with a ‘don’t mess with me’ glare that he was sure intimidated most people.

“Not in my house,” he said.

“Of course in your house. That’s where an attack is most likely.”

She glanced around the room, and he saw her cataloging everything. But her gaze didn’t touch on the bookshelf, or the toys on the floor. It was focused on the windows. The placement of the furniture. The angles of the room.

Finally she turned to him. “Go to bed, Cam. I’ll be out here. You’ll be safe.”

Safe?Not with Jo in his house. Once she spotted the toys on the floor, she’d realize he had a child. She’d find out about Fiona. If Jo was here all the time, Fiona would get attached to her. Just like he was atta…

He scowled. “Why can’t you sit in your car?”

She recoiled as if he’d slapped her. Finally said, “If you’re in my car, that’s where I’ll be. But since you’re in your house, I’m in your house. You’re gonna have to choose, Cam. Me as your bodyguard? In your house? Or someone else as your bodyguard. As long as you’re using Blackhawk Security, those are your only options.”

“Fine,” he said, feeling as if he were a tree, swaying in the wind. Ready to topple over at the next gust. “I’m going to bed.”

“I’ll be here when you wake up.”

That’s exactly what he was afraid of.

He glanced at her one last time, realized there was no getting rid of her, then turned away and shuffled into his bedroom, dread coiling in his chest.

Chapter 10

Jo sat on the couch in Cam’s living room. No one glancing in from the sidewalk would see her, but she could see the sidewalk clearly, as well as Cam’s back yard. Her gaze swept the street in front of his house and the yard behind it. No signs of anyone. Every ten minutes or so, she walked to one window, stood where the drape hid her, and scanned the surrounding area. Then repeated it at the other window. Nothing was ever different. No cars parked in front of his house. No one lingering on the street. No one crouched behind the bushes in the back yard. Cam would probably have been fine by himself, but she wasn’t willing to take that chance.

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