Page 68 of Fighting For You
I glanced at him, his chiseled, handsome face bleeding a vulnerability I wouldn’t have imagined possible for someone like him before I met him this week. “Maybe it’s time for a change?”
He gave me a half smile I’d seen in more than one of his films and we plodded along until I swiped a card to enter the back door, then held it for him.
There was already a buzzing sound coming from the lobby.
“We could take the service elevator and avoid it,” I suggested, knowing the crowd was likely waiting for him or any number of other celebs in residence right now.
“Nah. I don’t mind today.” He gave me a little nod that looked exactly like a Bruce Camden gesture, and then we moved.
The instant we entered the lobby, the crush of voices and furor rose. People yelled his name, questions, proposals, everything, and fortunately the hotel had roped off the elevator access. It hadn’t been this wild last year, so most of these folks were likely out of towners. Certainly, the people with giant camera lenses pointed at Jack were.
He waved and smiled, chatting amicably with a few people who had actual questions.When will you make the next movie inLitmus Chronicles? Why have you been so reclusive lately? Is that your girlfriend?
Jack took them all in stride, answering that he’d be filming in the coming year, he’d been busy working and preparing for the movie being shown at the film fest and he hoped they all loved it, and no, she was his badass bodyguard.
Love a man who wasn’t scared to admit a woman was guarding him. Some people really did have a problem with it—and even if not in practice, they might struggle to admit it in a setting like this. Not Jack.
Good guy.
I ushered him into the elevator and got it moving, eying him as subtly as I could to make sure he wasn’t rattled. He seemed solid.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
“Good.”
His phone buzzed. “Oh, it’s Jenna. Do you know if Cookie’s guarding her?”
My senses piqued. “Jenna Halter? I think he’s assigned to her on and off. They have a history.”
His smile flashed. “Oh, I know. He’s goodpeople. I’d hoped maybe they’d do the whole ‘fall in love with your bodyguard’ thing, but apparently, they’re just good friends now.”
His level of disappointment at this was unmissable.
“Wow, that’s quite romantic of you,” I said, then stopped short. “Does that mean you’ve fallen in love with a past bodyguard? A future one? Bruceisincredibly charming.”
He tsked. “You know Bruce only has eyes for Nikki. And no, no luck falling for any of my bodyguards. You up for it?”
His ice-blue eyes hooked into mine, and for a heartbeat, it almost felt like he was really asking. Not because ofme, but because he wanted it—love, maybe?—that badly.
“Uh, thank you for the offer, but…”
He laughed. “I’m not hitting on you, I swear.”
“I would be worried for you if you had been. And I’d also be honored, of course.” What else does one say to something like this?
“It’s the big guy… Brute, or something?”
I cackled. “Oh, man, I wish it was Brute! That’s amazing. But it’s actuallyBeast,so not far off.” I glanced up at him and his pleasant smile waited for me to continue. “And yeah. It’s… uh…” I scratched at my cheek for something to do. “It’s him.”
Whatitwas remained to be seen. Did I love him? Obviously not. I’d only just realized I didn’t hate him. ButcouldI?
Astoundingly, there was only one clear answer here, and it wasyes.I could. I’d always thought so. I’d always wondered… well, before everything detonated.
Jack nodded, accepting my awkwardness as proof.
The doors lurched open on the top floor and I exited first, expecting to find an empty hallway, but Kurt emerged from the left—the stairs?
“There you are,” he said, and came straight toward me.
