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I give three swift knocks to the hotel room door, then take two steps back so I don’t crowd the door when she opens it. Over the years, you learn small techniques that help a client feel more comfortable with you being around.
I’m a rather large male stranger, and I’m here under unusual circumstances. Dangerous circumstances at that, so I expect her to be apprehensive and out of sorts. It’s my job to put her at ease. To make her feel safe again.
The door swings open, and a gorgeous woman stands in front of me. She’s petite at no more than five-feet-four-inches, with curves despite the norm of her profession to be a bit too slender. It appears she’s all sass as she places her hand on her popped-out hip.
I smile before I can stop myself.
She’s dressed in a comfortable looking pink lounge set. Her raven hair is in a messy bun on top of her head, and she has the most beautiful and flawless light brown skin color. My eyes dart up to her eyes that are an even lovelier, darker brown color with gold specks.
How the hell is that even possible? The picture in the brief doesn’t do this woman any justice.
She’s breathtaking, and one hundred percent off fucking limits. My eyes stay on hers as I extend my hand. I already know she’s Nora from the picture provided in the brief, but I underestimated how gorgeous she would be in person.
“Hi, Nora, I’m Samuel Johnson. You can call me SJ.”
The look of utter confusion on her face has me pulling my hand back slowly.
“Oh, good. You’re here,” a man says from behind her.
Nora steps to the side and turns toward him. “Who the hell is Samuel Johnson, Alex?”
Oh, shit.
It wasn’t in the brief that she wasn’t aware I was coming. Liam briefly mentioned that the client wasn’t on board with hiring Dunn yet, but I didn’t take that to mean she didn’t know about me at all.
I clear my throat after a very awkward pause and stare down at Nora and the man named Alex. Her parents ultimately hired us, but I remember Alex being mentioned as her coach/manager.
“He’s your new bodyguard, Nora,” Alex answers simply before turning and walking back into her room like nothing is out of the ordinary.
She follows him, anger clearly vibrating throughout her petite frame. I quickly step forward to catch the door before it shuts and locks me out in the hallway.
“Who the hell hired him?” she snaps as she turns to look back at me entering the hotel room behind them. Her brows furrow in confusion, then right back to anger before she turns again to face Alex.
I don’t make a move to step further into the room. I’m here for questions only and to do the job they hired me to do. Her parents and Alex not telling her they hired me is between them. I quickly survey the room. It’s small but tidy, with only one window on the outside wall.
“Your parents hired him. I agreed it was necessary.” His tone is matter of fact, curt.
She huffs in response as she turns back to me. I try to make my demeanor open and friendly. Sometimes my size intimidates people, but it’s also something that helps me do my job.
“You’re here to protect me, then?” She quirks an eyebrow up at me, a challenge of sorts.
I’m unsure what she expects from me, so I go with honesty. “Yes, ma’am. It sounds like you found yourself in quite the predicament, and I’m here to help keep you safe and catch this bastard.”
Her boiling blood instantly cools to a simmer at my words. She paces in front of the bed for a few seconds before turning and plopping down on the edge.
“Are you the biggest, most intimidating bodyguard they have?” She looks me straight in the eyes. Not an ounce of fear shows on her pretty face.
I smirk when I answer. “Yes ma’am.”
She only sighs when she drops eye contact. Her focus turns back to Alex. “Why didn’t you tell me? I knew the need to hire someone was coming, and I would have liked the heads up.”
“Your parents were worried you would fight them on it.” His answer is a direct verbal hit, and she visibly flinches. The room plunges into uncomfortable silence as she waits for one of us to say something.
I look at Alex, waiting for him to explain further. When he doesn’t, I take a few steps into the room and closer to her. There’s a chair tucked under a small desk across from the bed. I pull it out and turn it to face her.
I don’t want to intimidate her or for her to feel like I’m talking down to her, so sitting is a much better idea. It’s important to make her feel safe around me and hulking over her isn’t the way to do it.
“From what I’ve read so far from your file, your situation is escalating. In my experience, it’s better to get in front of it instead of reacting to it. I’m not here to get in your way or stop you from doing your job. I’m here to protect you in your day-to-day activities, to watch when you can’t, and to help catch this guy before you or anyone you care about gets hurt.”
