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"Hello, Kenna." Gideon's gaze drifts back to me, settling over me like a warm blanket.
I like the way it feels a little too much.
"Hi."
We stare at each other in silence for another moment.
"Kane said you had to record today?"
"Yes."
Gideon lifts his chin. "Why don't you head on in and do what you need to do? I'll talk to your brother about what's been going on while you handle business."
I narrow my eyes, desire rapidly cooling. Of course a man who looks like him wants to send the little woman away to speak to the man in charge. Ugh. Well, I have news for him. I'm the woman in charge here. "He's here as a favor to me, Gideon."
A frown pulls his full lips down. "I'm not sure I understand."
"You won't be working for him. You'll be working for me."
"I'm aware."
"Are you? If you should be talking to anyone, it's me. But you've been here for two minutes, and you're already trying to get rid of me so you can talk to the man in the room about things that impact me, not him."
His expression clears, understanding dawning. "I didn't mean it that way, Kenna."
"No?"
"Of course not. I fully intend to have a conversation with you about everything, but I figured since he's here now and you have to record, he can fill me in on what's been going on while you're recording, and then we can pick up when you get a break." Gideon frowns at me. "I'm trying to make life easier for you. I know this meeting was last minute for you."
Kane places a hand on my arm, cautioning me to ease off. "She works in a man's world," he says. "She's had to fight for her place every step of the way. She doesn't mince words or put up with any bullshit. If she feels like she's being treated differently because she's a woman, she'll speak up."
"Don't apologize for her," Gideon growls at Kane. "She did nothing wrong."
"Apologize?" Kane laughs abruptly. "I'm simply warning you that my baby sister can be a badass when she needs to be. She knows exactly who she is and what she's worth, and she doesn't tolerate bullshit, especially when it comes to her career. I won't ever apologize for that, and neither will she."
"Good," Gideon grunts, his eyes still locked on me. Appreciation glints in their depths…and something curiously like pride. "She shouldn't."
Well, he's growing more interesting by the moment.
This is bad. Really bad. The last thing I need is to fall for my bodyguard. But somehow, I can already see it happening. This man is going to be a problem for me. A very big problem if I let him.
I can't let him. I won't let him.
Love is supposed to be patient and kind and all of that stuff. And maybe it is. Maybe it's the most wonderful thing in the world. But then it ends, and it's painful and awful and something you never recover from. Just ask my mom. She's been grieving for two years. She'll never stop.
"Go lay down your first track, Kenna," Kane urges me. "I'll fill him in on the details, and then you guys can talk."
I reluctantly agree, trying to figure out how the heck I'm going to wiggle out of hiring this man. The worst thing I can do for me is hire him. But I can't deny that I need him.
Being stalked sucks.
An hour later, the first track is laid, and Gideon's still waiting in the lobby. I reluctantly step out to meet him.
"You sing like a fucking angel," he mutters.
"Thanks." I stand awkwardly near the door to the sound room, eyeing him. Kane likes him, which is saying a lot because Kane never likes anyone. But I'm still not worried that hiring him would be the worst possible thing for me.
He makes my stomach flutter with nerves. I haven't felt those for a man in…ever, actually. My whole life, I've been too focused on music to worry about dating. I always figured I'd make time for it later. And then my dad died, and I decided that I didn't want to make time for it.
