Page 31 of Take Hold of Me

Val garners everyone’s attention by raising her fists into the air. “Let’s get out of these bathing suits and hit the clubs. We’re in Rio, baby!” A round of cheers rise in response.

My whole body cramps. Twenty-four more hours, give or take, and this will be over. I peg finding my replacement on the top of my to-do list.

Emilie enters a changing room and emerges wearing a sexy dress. Hot pink, nearly backless and ending a few inches below indecent on her legs. All ready for the club. Fuck. Me.

She flips her hair when she sees me, her jaw set at a higher angle than normal. I better confirm what I already know, no matter how much I don’t want to hear it.

As per proper protocol, I approach and whisper in her ear. No need to advertise where she’s going to be. “Are you headed out to the clubs with Val and the group?”

“Oui.”

“Okay. I’ll be with you.”

Placing her fists on her hips, she blurts in a hushed whisper, “Like you were this afternoon when Wade kissed me? You promised to protect me.”

If only she knew. Glancing around to make sure no one is paying us any attention—only Val’s barking dogs seem to be doing so—I give her a half-truth. “You handled him. You didn’t need me.” I need her to start taking ownership of her own strength and capabilities since I’m not going to be around forever. Hell, I won’t even be around the day after tomorrow.

“Hmph.”

Even such a petulant sound is melodious coming out of her mouth. I clamp my mouth shut.

Her face transforms. “I did put him in his place.”

“Of course you did.” I need to tread carefully. I don’t need to worry her over this afternoon’s intruder. Or how I dealt with Wade Block. That’s my job. “But now, you should just worry about having a good time with your friends. I’ll make sure you’re safe tonight.”

Val yells her name, and Emilie floats off toward her friend.

Problem is—who’s going to keepmesafe?

Seated in first class, I lower the brim of my baseball hat to protect my pounding head. Even though I didn’t have a drop of alcohol last night, returning to the hotel at five a.m. is taking its toll on me. At least the nightmares were kept away, which is a miracle since I was on high alert all night. Perhaps my exhaustion did the trick. Or maybe Emilie’s the reason they didn’t haunt me. No. I shut down that thought. I just didn’t get enough shut eye to invite them in.

Next to me, Emilie settles into her plush chair. Despite not having any real sleep last night, she looks fantastic.

“You looked like you had fun last night on the dancefloor.” Not that I was the one dancing with her. No. I was working, watching her with her big group of friends party all night long.

She shifts forward in her seat. In a listless voice, she says, “I am surprised you noticed. You did not dance with me.”

“As your bodyguard, I’m paid to notice everything around you. Keep you safe.”

She leans back into her seat. “Oh. Right. Like you kept Wade from me during lunch. Do not think I forgot.”

Sighing, I decide to give her the full truth. “I’m sorry about that. I was honest with you yesterday that you didn’t need my help to stop him. What I didn’t tell you is there was an intruder on the set that I was dealing with when Wade Block went after you. By the time I was able to reach you, your hand had connected with his cheek.” No need to fill her in about my words with the asshole photographer, though. He seemed to have gotten the message and didn’t join the group at the club.

Her lips flatten. “Why did you not tell me this before?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

She winces. “I appreciate that you were protecting me. But, you should have told me about the intruder. I can handle it.”

I bow my head in assent.

Emilie’s tongue darts out and runs over her lips. I tamp down visions of it licking various parts of my body. “I know how you can make it up to me. McKenna asked that I pick up some beach sand for Rose’s bridal shower, remember? Do you think you could help me drive there when we get back?”

Boundaries. She needs boundaries. We both need them. “Emilie, I agreed to do this one-off trip with you to Rio but when we get back to LA, I can’t keep doing you favors. I have to set up my new gym.”

“I know. It is just I promised McKenna and I do not yet have my driving license. Besides, I think you owe me for being such a—what is the term?—jerk to me in Rio.”

“I wasn’t being a jerk.” Maybe a little.

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