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“Wait a minute, I’ve been threatened. Round-the-clock protection, by who? How? What the hell is going on?” She was starting to get mad and a little scared.
“The General didn’t say much, but what he did say threatened your safety. Also members of his staff confirmed that you were a target. Did you know that he requested the interview and specifically asked for you by name? Somehow you got on his radar and he has decided that he wants you. I am here to prevent that. If you don’t want me, I can assign other members of the team, but I would really, really like to be the one to protect you. Would it be a hardship to have me in your life for a few weeks?”
Weeks, she thought, danger, the General had specifically targeted her. Her head was reeling, and she couldn’t think. Was she really in danger or was this something Derek was making up to be close to her? She didn’t think he would make something like this up and she vaguely remember the General saying something as Derek carried her out of the room, but it was all a blur.
Leaning back on the couch, she closed her eyes to think and try to decide what to do. If Derek was going to be her bodyguard around the clock, she was going to have to make some major changes to her life. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to do that.
As if he had read her mind, Derek turned her toward him and said, “I know this is upsetting, but I don’t want you to change your routine or your life. If it is too difficult for you having me this close this soon, I can assign other members of the team and we will watch you remotely. You won’t even know we are there. I don’t want to upset you or this to be any more of an upset to your life than it has to be. I will go to your office, but will observe from outside at all times. I would like to be in your home with you, but if that is too uncomfortable, I can watch from the street, I don’t have to be in your bed, although that’s where I’d like to be. Dottie, you tell me what you want.”
Still reeling, Dottie stood and said, “I’m going to take a hot bath and think. Don’t come in there,” and she walked away.
Turning the game back on, Derek relaxed back onto the couch. Well, at least she hasn’t thrown me out yet, he thought. Deciding he was thirsty, he went to the kitchen to look for a beer. Finding nothing but mineral water and juice, he called one of the guys and had him run for a case. If he was staying here, he needed provisions.
What he hadn’t told Dottie was that along with himself, the team was also going to be observing her. The threat was bigger than he had told her. Whether she was aware of it or not, she was in possession of information the General wanted and wanted badly. Their sources had indicated that he would stop at nothing to get this information. Part of Derek’s assignment was to see if he could find out what she knew and determine what kind of threat it posed. There was more to Ms. Dorothy Chapman than what showed on the surface, and he was going to discover it if it took the rest of his life.
Chapter Eight
Dottie sat for a long time in the tub, thinking. This was what she wanted. She had wanted Derek to come home with her. Why was she so upset? She knew Derek would take care of her and she didn’t need to worry about the General or his men. Derek would keep her safe. He told her that he would interfere in her life as little as possible. Would she really be able to go about her normal routine knowing he was watching her every move? How could he not intrude? All she could do was try and go about her normal routine and see what happened. She really did like the idea of him being with her.
Her mind made up, Dottie finished in the bathroom and found one of her sexier nightgowns to put on. Might as well take advantage of the situation while she could.
Walking seductively, she hoped, she sauntered out to the living room to find Derek where she had left him, only with a can of beer in his hand.
“Where did you get that? I know I don’t have any,” she asked as she walked up to him. Looks like he’s already making himself at home.
“Delivery.” He answered, patting the spot next to him.
She sat and he pulled her closer, wrapping one arm around her. “I didn’t know they delivered here.”
“I know a guy,” he answered, apparently engrossed in the game.
Taking the beer, she took a deep drag, and shaking her head, said, “I’m going to bed. I go to the gym at five and need to sleep. Are you coming?” she said, hoping he would and she would, too.
“I’m gonna watch the end of this, then I’ll be in.” He took his attention away from the game long enough to kiss her thoroughly, then smacked her on the ass as she walked away.
A little disappointed, Dottie took herself to bed and crawled to the far side, leaving room for Derek. Her bed wasn’t as big as his, but she did have a king size and it was roomy.
She must have fallen asleep. Next thing she knew, Derek was crawling in bed and pulled her to him. She thought he might try to make love to her, but he just slipped one hand over a breast and laid the other between her legs and snuggled up to her. Soon he was snoring and she lay awake.
Dottie lay there for what seemed like hours before she fell asleep. Soon the alarm went off and it was time to start her day. Derek had told her not to change her routine and her routine was to work out in the building gym every day at five a.m. She got herself untangled from Derek and headed for her workout clothes. She really didn’t feel like working out, but knew that missing one day led to two and before you knew it, the routine was gone.
Derek rolled over and watched her dress. It looked like she was putting on workout clothes so he asked, “Working out, baby?” as he sat up and grabbed his go bag which he had placed beside the bed.
He had thought about waking her last night, but held himself back. Just sleeping next to her was torture, but he didn’t know how she would have responded and didn’t want to push the issue.
“Yeah, I do every morning,” she answered, yawning.
“Great, I’ll go with you.”
Dottie didn’t answer him, just headed for the kitchen to make coffee. She really needed it this morning.
Derek had told her he didn’t want to interrupt her routine, so she kept to it as much as possible. It was a little distracting having him follow her everywhere, but true to his word, he didn’t interfere.
After the workout, she got ready for work and Derek followed her, letting her make the drive herself.
Her day went normally and Derek observed from outside. After the awkwardness of the first day, the week fell into a routine and other than Derek being with her in the evening, nothing was out of place. Her week was quiet with no activities scheduled and she enjoyed spending her evenings and nights with Derek. By Friday, it felt normal for him to be with her.
On Friday, Derek changed it up a little by offering to drive her to work instead of following her. They had decided to spend the weekend at his house and he wanted to go straight there from her work. Dottie agreed.
