Page 33 of The Bodyguard

“Maybe so, but not in this case.”

She ducked her head between her knees, trying to parse out what she wanted to say. “Have you always had a spark in a relationship?”

“You mean, have I ever kissed a girl that didn’t get my blood rushing?” He shrugged sheepishly. “Yeah, probably. But not that I can remember.”

He’d probably kissed more than his fair share. A spark for everyone seemed too much. “What about that you’ve slept with?”

His eyebrows arched, and Sawyer laughed. “I don’t know.” A blush colored his cheeks. “There may’ve been times I thought there was a spark, but really, there was booze.”

She laughed in return. “You’re adorable when you blush, you know that?”

He gave her a funny look. “I don’t know that anyone’s ever called me that.”

She couldn’t decipher his expression. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“Didn’t say you had, sweetheart.”

Still unable to get a read on him, she moved on. “Fine. I still have questions.”

He laughed again, shaking his head. “I don’t know if I have answers for you.”

Angela ignored him. “There have got to be levels. Like, no spark would be a zero. Maybe a smidge of a spark is a one. Lots of sparks, a six?”

He stared blankly.

“Or maybe a five-point scale would be better.”

“Give me a break, Ange. I’ve never ranked anyone. I haven’t quantified how they made me feel.”

“Never?”

He shook his head.

“Maybe not with a scale,” she said. “But I bet you have. If you were to marry someone, she would probably set off your sparks alarm meter. You just don’t know it yet.”

He put up his hand and waved the idea away. “I can’t—that’s so—” He shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that.”

“It might. Maybe sparks are on an innate spectrum of interest. I’m sure there have been some women who made you smile, but they are different than women who you couldn’t wait to get in bed.”

“Angela. You make me sound like the kind of guy with a new woman on my arm constantly.”

“No, sorry, that’s not what I meant.” Angela squeezed her legs and stared out the big window. The lights glittered. She loved this city. If Pham hadn’t taken her, she wouldn’t be able to sit on her cute yellow couch and let the lights dazzle her. “Earlier tonight, I was thinking about my parents. Their relationship is very much like mine with Paul. Business. Small talk. Maybe I’m a product of my environment.” She refocused on Sawyer, who was posted against the window, surrounded by the lights. “Then I thought about Liam and Chelsea, Chance and Jane, Hagan and Amanda.”

“If you want to look at winning couples, you can’t go wrong with them.”

“They have deep connections and sparks.” They weren’t just couples. They were families.

He rolled his bottom lip into his mouth and nodded. “That sounds like the winning formula.”

“Have you ever had both?” she asked.

He faltered and then crossed his arms over his chest. “I came by to check on you. Not talk about me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She walked to the window and stood by his side. “It’s been a weird day.”

They watched the Abu Dhabi skyline side by side. His arm brushed hers. Angela leaned against him and rested her head on his bicep. The night sparkled. She shivered again.

“I think…” he whispered in a low rumble. The bright lights glittered. It was as though time paused and an eternity passed. He inched back. “That you should get a good night’s sleep.”

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