Page 18 of Guarding the Shadows
“I did and it was … perfect for how I was feeling at the time. Honestly, Beth, I was in a hellish place for a while—drunk most of that time. Let’s just say my mood wasn’t pretty and leave it like that.”
Bodhi knocked on the door, interrupting us, and I stood. “We’ll continue this chat later,” I promised.
“I’m going to head back to Jacksonville. Levi’s flying up, and he’s going walkabout. I think you and Benny will be good without me. What do you think?”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t come back. I’ll bring her home when her gigs are finished.”
15
Beth
Seeing Raff’s reaction to Benny confirmed two things to me. First, that Bernadette had been right when she said she’d thought my attraction to Raff wasn’t one-sided. The second, despite what he’d been through with Gwen, he wouldn’t have behaved like a protective caveman with Benny if he didn’t still feel something for me.
My heart raced at a mile a minute the moment Bodhi’s eyes narrowed toward me, then he shifted them back to Raff. It was that moment I sensed Bodhi had suspected there was a certain tension between me and his colleague.
“Raff, would you mind stepping out into the corridor? I need a word in private,” Bodhi muttered, his tone serious.
Raff’s brow creased like he’d said all he’d needed to, then he stood and did as Bodhi asked. “Back in a minute,” Raff said, addressing me.
The second the door closed behind them, I shot out of my chair, feeling giddy, and did a happy dance. With Raff out of the room, I ran over to the mirror to check myself out. My heart sank at my bare face and lank, wet hair. “Damn, girl, you sat there batting your eyes at your knight in shining armor, yet you shouldhave checked yourself out first. God, you look like a pasty, drowned rat,” I muttered. Grabbing my hairbrush, I quickly whipped it through my long, dark hair, blew it out with the hotel room hairdryer, until another knock on the door warned me that Raff wanted to come back inside.
After checking the peep hole, I opened the door. “Jesus, Beth. Don’t open the fucking door. Ask who it is first,” Raff grumbled, in nowhere near the good mood he’d been in before his conversation with Bodhi.
“I looked and saw it was you.” Raff nodded when he eyed the peephole, sighed in relief, then he stepped fully inside, and closed the room door behind him.
“You have one more night at that venue, right?” I nodded. “Okay, we’re moving. I just cleared it with Levi to move you to another hotel. One with better security for your protection.”
“I’m fine here. The staff know what they’re looking for if he comes back, besides you’re here now.”
“Glad you have so much faith in me, Beth, but I’m not taking any chances. We’re moving hotels and that’s final. Stepping past me, he lifted my suitcase and opened it on the bed. “Pack your shit we’re leaving as soon as the rental car Bodhi arranged for me turns up.”
I ghosted my hands over his frame. “Look, this dominant male thing you’re displaying is all very hot and everything, but I don’t think it’s necc?—”
I was interrupted when he grabbed me firmly by my upper arms, dipped his knees and brought his face down to my level. My breath hitched at the gravity in his gaze. “This thing won’t work if you insist on arguing or defying me, Beth. I’ve been sent here to do a job, and I’m the expert here. Just because that guy backed off last night doesn’t mean he’s gone away. I would stake my life that he’ll show his face again, since you’re performing in the same place.”
“Sorry,” I quietly mumbled, glancing down at my feet, then up to his face. My eyes fleetingly took in his sensual mouth, with his plump lips and his sexy, stubbled jawline, and when I realized I’d become transfixed, I immediately lifted my gaze.
For a few beats the sexual tension between us made me breathless, and right when I thought he would kiss me, he didn’t. Instead, he swallowed audibly, let me go, and swiped my cell phone off the dressing table. Waving it in front of me, he ordered, “Unlock this so that I can talk to your roadie.”
Taking the cell phone from his hand, I could barely search for Benny’s number because I was still mostly distracted by the imprint his fingertips had left where he’d been holding my arms. The second I bought up Benny’s number Raff took the phone from my hand.
“Billy, we’re leaving. Pack up, you’ve got about twenty minutes, then you can meet us downstairs. I want you to take a quick look around and make sure that guy isn’t in the lobby or anywhere out front. If I don’t hear back from you on Beth’s phone, I’ll know it’s clear to bring her down.” Raff listened for a moment then shook his head.
“No. From now on you’ll be traveling solo, I’ll be riding with Beth.”
“Benny … his name is Benny.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” Raff muttered as he tapped his temple. “Attention to detail is part of my job, Beth. I’m just making sure your roadie knows where my focus lies,” he informed me with a determined look to protect me in his eyes.
“Of course you do,” I reflected, smiling. The moment I agreed with him he flashed me a heart-stopping smile. That made my heart flutter wildly until he tapped my suitcase again.
“Come on, I’ll help you pack,” he coaxed. With each of us set on the task. I became filled with excited anticipation aboutthe coming days as I moved around the room, while we silently packed my belongings, and quietly exited the room.
16
Beth
I hated the fact that Levi had sprung for a new hotel room, as well as the expense of hiring Raff. And although I had to admit the new two-bedroom suite I’d been given was much more luxurious than the room at the three-star hotel I was in, knowing that Raff would be sharing the suite made me nervous.
