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“You’re welcome to sit, turn on the TV, whatever you’d like. Make yourself comfortable.”
“I’m good.” He had the no-emotion thing down. Sheesh.
She and William would have a talk later about loosening up the bodyguard. Being followed by Robbie was creepy, but having her life examined by the guy in her living room wasn’t great either.
But he clearly wasn’t going away anytime soon. Perhaps it was time for her to take back her control. Do the things that were within her power and forget about the rest. William would need space for his things on the bathroom counter. She would even give him his own drawer in the dresser. Yes, taking charge of her life.
Speaking of…
“Neilson, I have a security question,” she said. “What if I used myself as bait for Robbie? What if I took back my power and did what I want to do. Go back to being on television?”
Neilson frowned. “It’d make my job harder.”
“But, uh, not impossible?” she asked.
He frowned some more. “Nothing’s impossible.”
Mulling that little nugget, she dangled a tea bag with a tag proclaiming its calming properties into the mug of hot water.
So, what, she didn’t have control over everything? This is me, letting that go. Moving forward. She stomped purposefully to the hall closet. Barely past the living room, the world did that slow-motion but super-quick thing. The front door opened, her bodyguard pinned her against the dark wood paneling of the wall, and hot, not-so-calming tea water sloshed over the rim to scorch her wrist. “Sonofa?—”
“Hey, Luce. What?—”
“Hey, Will.” She waved a hand feebly. “I think your bodyguard is saving me.”
William growled. “You think maybe you could stop saving my girlfriend now?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The last thing William expected was to find Lucy’s bodyguard pressed against her. And he definitely didn’t expect it to piss him off this badly. He set his hands on his hips and stood firm. “Next time, I guess I’ll knock.”
What did he expect? The guy was doing his job, but damn he hated another man touching her.
“That’s William.” Lucy extricated herself from the bodyguard. “If you shoot him, you probably won’t get paid. Next time you rescue me, let’s discuss removing hot beverages from my hand first.” She flinched when she shook away the water dripping from her hand.
“You okay?” the security officer asked her.
She nodded and blew at her wrist.
“James Neilson, All-Pro Security.” He flicked the safety back on his gun and reached to shake William’s hand. “Wasn’t expecting company. Door opened. I acted under perimeter breach protocol.”
William clenched his teeth. Since when did “perimeter breach protocol” involve rubbing up against Lucy? “I’ll be home the rest of the evening. You can go for the night.”
“Tomorrow, three a.m.?” Neilson asked.
William glanced to Lucy. Her eyes were big, and she still blew at her burned wrist, but otherwise she was in one piece.
“Sounds good.” William stepped aside so Neilson could pass.
The man stopped at the door, turned, and simply said, “Lucy.”
Then he shut the door behind him.
William followed Lucy to the kitchen. “I can request someone else if you want. Someone older with lots of wrinkles who doesn’t grope you when I open the door.”
“Pssh. You’ve got nothing to worry about. He’s married.” She opened the door to the freezer and placed a bag of frozen peas to her arm. “And I prefer men who actually talk.”
“Tell me about these men you prefer.” He reached for her hand and lifted the bag to check the damage. Not much of a welt, but the small bit of scalded skin looked angry.
