Page 62 of The Bombshell and the Bodyguard
The fact was, she lived hers in the spotlight—and liked it that way.
Not only would it make me supremely uncomfortable to be followed and photographed and written about and speculated about on social media, but my past and my stained reputation would dragherdown eventually.
She was just too caught up in her childhood crush on me to consider that right now. And I’d gotten too caught up in the incredible physical chemistry we shared.
Damn.What an idiot. I was supposed to be theresponsibleone. I was supposed to protect her, not romance her.
It had been weak and foolish of me to give into temptation and kiss her and touch her like I had tonight. I had to put a stop to this thing before it got any further out of hand.
“Look, you think you understand me, but you don’t, okay? You don’t know me at all,” I said.
She flinched as if I’d taken a swing at her. “That’s not true. Why are you pushing me away?”
“It is true. Before we came here, we hadn’t talked in, what? Twelve, thirteen years? We’re not a couple of happy little honeymooners off on some tropical getaway. This isn’t Hollywood, a ‘very special episode ofJust Jade.’ This is my job. And you’re my best friend’s little sister. You’re a client. That’s it.”
Jessica looked unimpressed by my declaration. “Oh really? Do you give oral sex to all your clients? No wonder your security firm is so successful.”
My brows lowered. “That was a mistake. It won’t be repeated.”
“Well at leastthatmuch is true,” she said and spun on her heel, walking away toward the bedroom. A few seconds later, I heard the door slam and the shower turn on.
I went to the outdoor shower to cool off and to put as much distance between myself and the personification of temptation as possible.
But it was a small island.
Several oceans’ distance wouldn’t keep me from wanting her, not now that I’d gotten a taste of the forbidden fruit.
Chapter Twenty-One
You’re the Boss
Wilder
I woke just before dawn to powerful waves rocking my bed side to side.
I’d elected to spend the night on the yacht. Just like the house, it was equipped with radar equipment that would alert me if any watercraft approached the island or if the airspace overhead was violated.
Though I was farther away from Jessica in case of emergency, it was clearIwas the biggest danger to her on the island.
It was better for both of us if I kept my distance.
Sitting up, I looked out the porthole. The water around the yacht was white-capping. Not good.
I’d been so caught up in Jessica yesterday, I hadn’t checked the weather reports and doppler—another fail.
Checking it now, I saw the reason for the choppy waters. An enormous storm was approaching the island. It looked to be about an hour away.
Time to batten down the hatches—literally.I threw on some clothes and secured the yacht to the dock as well as possible then ran for the house.
By the time I reached it, the rain had started.
I wasn’t worried about our safety. The house had weathered quite a few tropical storms since I’d built it.
Of course, none had been as large as this one looked. It wasn’t a hurricane—yet—but it was on its way to becoming one, and it was certainly capable of producing damaging winds. In order to maximize the view, I’d used alotof glass in constructing the waterfront home.
That was why I’d also had a storm shelter built. With the windspeeds that were heading our way, it would be the safest place for us during the storm.
Nothing like a palm tree sailing through your window to ruin your morning.
