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“Paroookeet.”
“Girl, what in the hell are you doing?” Emily damn near makes me jump out of my skin.
“Geez! You scared the crap out of me! Where did you come from?” I look down the deserted hallway where all the dancers usually gather after the show, and it’s empty aside from the two of us.
She raises an eyebrow in amusement. “You mean walking like a normal person down the hallway to find my best friend standing here all alone and saying parakeet over and over like a looney toon?”
“She’s not alone. I’m right here. She’s testing out code words to use, and apparently, parakeet is the newest one,” SJ answers with a chuckle.
It’s her turn to jump at his voice, and I silently smirk, enjoying her reaction a little too much. However, fair is fair, I say.
“Where are you, SJ?” Emily asks as she looks up and down the empty but brightly lit hallway.
SJ stands out of sight just around the corner. I only stand here because Alex said to wait for him here. I wish he’d hurry. Practice was brutal, and my toes ache. Scratch that, everything is achy.
I can’t wait for a nice long soak in the tub when I get back to my room. I sigh just thinking about the hot water and grabbing my favorite book to read.
“I’m right here, just out of sight. You know the drill by now, Em,” SJ answers simply, with no malice in his tone. As usual, this guy is calm, cool, and collected.
On day one, SJ gave me the drill on how things would go. He’ll always be near and able to see me, but I may not always be able to see him. Inconspicuous was the word he used. Out of sight, but not out of range.
It’s a strategy used to draw the stalker out. If SJ is visible, the odds of the stalker making a move decreases significantly. SJ said the stalker making a move is the quickest way to end this, even though it’s the riskiest.
He seems confident nothing will happen to me with him around, and since I want this over, like yesterday, I quickly agreed to his plan. He said how we handle this was ultimately up to me, but that was his recommendation. He’s the professional, so of course, I went with his idea.
It’s been a week since SJ started, and I have to say I don’t hate it. He fits seamlessly into my life. My friends like him, the other dancers don’t pay him any mind, and my parents have relaxed somewhat. Now, that doesn’t mean they don’t still call me every chance they get, but the panic and stress in their voice has subsided some.
“Do you have to scare people like that, though? Like, is that part of the job description?” Emily asks in a huff, and SJ only chuckles lightheartedly in response.
I smile when I think back to just under a week ago when I introduced the two of them. The surprise at SJ’s size and his presence wore off and pivoted Em into protective mode.
“Who is this guy, Nora?”
“Emily, meet SJ, my new bodyguard.” I waved my hands between the two of them like Vanna White would do.
“Your bodyguard?” Her eyes widened. “Since when?”
“Since this morning.”
She turned toward SJ and said the last thing I would’ve expected to come from her mouth. My usually sweet, semi-reserved, always polite best friend landed a verbal punch that had me laughing my ass off for the rest of the day.
She stepped right up to his six-four frame, not intimidated in the least, and poked her finger right in his chest. “You know… his chest and legs are the only things you can reach on this man’s body.”
I pulled both my lips in to bite them both to keep from laughing. She talked about him like he was a mannequin. A giant mannequin.
“If you let anything happen to my best friend, I’ll make sure you live to regret the day you were born. Capeesh? You may not know me, but this girl right here means the world to me, and you better be the best damn bodyguard this side of the Mississippi!” She continuously poked him in the chest during her heartfelt, but unnecessary speech.
Poor, sweet SJ just took it in stride like it was a normal Tuesday, only nodding. Then he managed to get out a “Yes, ma’am” between little chuckles he tried to keep to himself.
“I think parakeet might be it,” I say, bringing myself back to the present.
“I don’t know. I kind of like swan,” SJ answers.
I push off the wall and walk around the corner to stand in front of him. He’s leaning against the wall, with his foot propped up and a playful smirk on his face. It’s sexy as hell, and the way his strong, bulky thighs strain against his pants from the position he’s standing in has my mouth watering.
I swallow at the warm sensation gathering in my belly as I fight to keep my thoughts straight and not to ogle my bodyguard.
“I already told you that we can’t use swan. It might come up with Swan Lake being a performance the managers are thinking about doing. Parakeets are obscure. I can’t remember the last time I said the word before today.”
