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“Don’t worry about deciding right now. We’ve got some time on this one. I’ll send over the information so you can wrap your head around the whole thing. But Caz? You’ve been waiting a long time for a contract like this. You’ve earned it. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” I replied in a daze.
22
Cazzie
Luke’s family stayed in town through Christmas until the game on Sunday against the Jaguars, who the Stallions beat, 42 - 27. Then we were saying goodbye to them at the airport and returning home to a much quieter apartment.
But the job offer was the only thing on my mind. How could I think about anything else?
The only time Iwasn’tthinking about Berlin was when Luke and I slept together. He had a knack for turning my brain off with back-arching, toe-curling orgasms. But even then, he noticed something was up.
“Where are you?” he whispered in bed after we’d had sex for the second time that evening.
I frowned at him. “What do you mean?”
“You’re not here with me right now. You’re somewhere else. Which is weird, since there’s no other place any sane woman would want to be.” He gestured at his nude body, still glistening with sweat.
I laughed and stroked his chin. “Arrogance is the one thing that’snotattractive on you.”
His smile lasted only a second. “Seriously, though. You okay, Caz?”
“I’m just worried about your family,” I replied. “One of the bodyguards assigned to them wasn’t paying much attention during the Jaguars game. I just want to make sure they stay on their toes at all times, even when the Stallions cheerleaders are shaking their asses right in front of us.”
Luke tilted my head up so he could kiss me. “I’m glad you’re worried about my family. It’s comforting to me knowing you care.”
“I’d be a bad bodyguard if I didn’t care.” I stretched out on the sheets. “I’m going to get ready for bed. Goodnight.”
“Hey,” he said. “Do you want to sleep with me?”
“We just did that. Twice. And at this point, you don’t need to formally ask me. My consent is definitely implied.”
“No,” he replied, strangely coy. “I meanactualsleep. With me. In this bed. Together.”
I gave a start. “Really? You’re not afraid I’m going to screw up your sleep cycle?”
“I want to try,” he insisted. “If you snore, I can always kick you out.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured…”
“Shut up and brush your teeth, then get your sexy ass back here,” he commanded.
I went through my evening routine, then exited my bathroom and returned to his room. After plugging my phone in on the bedside table, he pulled me under the covers with him and began spooning me.
My body, and my mind, relaxed in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I sighed and savored the way he felt. “This is really nice.”
“You just ruined it by talking,” he whispered into my hair. “Now I can’t sleep.”
I elbowed him in the ribs, and heard a satisfying grunt. Then he wrapped his arm over me and held me a little bit tighter. I felt safe here with him. Nothing could harm me, or him, so long as we were together like this.
Yet as I closed my eyes, my mind returned to the topic that had been tormenting me. The Berlin job. They had asked for me specifically, which was surprising. I had been slowly building my reputation at the agency, but I didn’t realize it had grown that much. Stopping multiple attacks against Luke, information that would be in my private file available to potential clients, must have put me over the top. Most bodyguards never got a chance to actually prove their worth like that.
It was validating, in a way. And the job offer was exciting. A German government official? That was infinitely better than following around Kaylyn or some other wannabe influencer. I was moving up in the world.
I listened to Luke’s breathing as he slowly fell asleep.What about us?
Before the Berlin job had been dangled in front of me, I had no idea what would happen between me and Luke. Maybe I would get hired to stay with him in the off-season, especially if his attacker remained uncaptured. And if this contract did eventually end and I returned to Los Angeles, we could try to make a long-distance relationship work. The flight would be less than two hours, definitely doable. Those possibilities meant continuing to see Luke, or at least extending whatever it was we currently had.
