Page 37 of My Bodyguard’s The Boss

Well, he wasn’t about to say he needed Austin. But it sure as hell felt like it. He’d come so close to walking out of the front door, and every step felt miserable. He didn’t feel right until he was holding Austin’s jaw, watching his face go lax as Dominic told him what to do.

Austin looked so calm in sleep. His hair was too short to get in his eyes, so Dominic had to excuse himself when he brushed a finger down Austin’s face.

Austin stirred. Dominic reluctantly pulled back, looking away before it became obvious what he was doing.

“Hey,” Austin said sleepily. He rubbed his eyes, an unfairly sweet smile spreading across his face as he woke up. “You’re still here.”

“Looks like,” Dominic said as casually as he could muster.

Austin’s face fell. Just the tiniest bit, and Austin was quick to hide it. But Dominic noticed.

“Couldn’t let you get away with your usual breakfast,” Dominic continued, letting some dangerous warmth creep into his tone.

Austin snorted, some of the disappointment draining out of his expression. “A smoothie is a good breakfast.”

“It’s a good snack,” Dominic corrected, sliding out of bed and picking up his boxers off the floor. “I’ll make you a real breakfast. Something with carbs.”

Austin laughed. He looked so happy and relaxed that Dominic couldn’t come up with any reason why he shouldn’t go all-in with this. Then he saw his earpiece on the nightstand and reality came crashing back.

Austin was still his boss. However much Dominic liked him, he needed to remember that.

He pulled on his boxers and paused. “I’m not particularly looking forward to cooking in yesterday’s clothes.”

“I bet not. They have blood on them.” Austin peered over the side of the bed, his nose scrunching up as he saw Dominic’s bloody shirt. “You can borrow one of mine. Clothes are in that drawer over there.”

Dominic followed Austin’s pointing finger over to a chest of drawers. He pulled out the biggest thing he saw—a black band hoodie Austin received after a sponsorship and name-dropping them in a few interviews—and pulled it on, along with a pair of sweatpants from the next drawer down.

They were tight. If the fabric wasn’t so stretchy, it would be uncomfortable. He rubbed his chest, feeling the bandage through the fabric. He should really shower and change the bandage. But if he was that worried about wound care, he wouldn’t have worked up such a sweat last night.

“Hope you like your clothes stretched out,” Dominic said.

Austin said nothing. Dominic turned to find him with one leg off the bed, leaning forward like he was about to get up but something had distracted him. His lips were parted, his eyes half-lidded as he stared at his clothes bulging over Dominic’s muscles.

Dominic fought down a smirk. “My eyes are up here, Austin.”

Austin’s gaze snapped up. “What? Yeah. Hey, do you want me to buy you a new wardrobe? I’ve decided you should wear everything two sizes too small. You have to, I’m your boss.”

He said the last part fast, like he was worried Dominic would take it the wrong way.

Dominic chuckled, coming closer until Austin had to crane his head to look up at him from the bed. “Oh? Are you writing up a new contract?”

“Uh-huh,” said Austin distractedly.

Dominic leaned over him tantalizingly, watching Austin’s pupils swell. “If you’re good, maybe I’ll let you see my ass in these tiny sweatpants again.”

Then he leaned back, running a hand through his floppy hair to tidy it back into place.

“Get dressed,” he said, heading for the stairs as Austin gaped after him.

Austin’s kitchen wasn’t exactly well-stocked. But he did have eggs and bread, even if it was a healthy bread stuffed with so many nuts and seeds it almost stopped being bread. Plus, it had been in the freezer for a while, judging by the freezer burn.

“Huh,” Austin said, sitting on a stool next to the counter to watch Dominic work. “I forgot I had that.”

“I can tell,” Dominic said dryly. He slid four frozen slices into the toaster and turned back to the pan, where the eggs were sizzling. “We’re having these scrambled. Do you do anything with sauces?”

Austin narrowed his eyes. “Sauces?”

“Hot sauce,” Dominic suggested. “Some people do ketchup.”