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Yet despite that, I didn’t know how to get out of the car and walk in there.
Sweat broke out on my brow.
In my hand, my phone rang. I answered it.
Ben spoke over the sound of his engine. “My meeting finished early, so I’m coming out to join this phone call. I texted Daisy to tell her to wait.”
I peered back at the door. The women had gone inside, presumably not wanting to stand in the cold while I wasn’t budging.
“No problem. Just arrived myself,” I replied.
Ben grunted, “I’ll be there in a few,” and hung up.
Perhaps it should’ve made things more awkward for me, but my boss showing up was having the opposite effect. I waited for him to park alongside me, and we approached the house together.
Strength in numbers with my unaware wingman.
“Ready for tomorrow?” Ben asked.
He opened the cottage door and gestured for me to go inside. Tomorrow was Leo’s TV show appearance. We’d carried out the risk assessment and were going to get our first taste of crowd work, including escorting the rock star past fans outside the studio and monitoring him inside the building.
“Can’t wait to get out there,” I said honestly.
“Good man.”
The hard, focused work was exactly what I needed.
At least on the job, I wouldn’t have the idle time to dream of how many ways I wanted to fuck Ariel Gordonson.
Daisy leapt from the sofa and danced into Ben’s arms. He bent to press a kiss to her forehead then unashamedly walked her backwards into the kitchen for a more private greeting, murmuring something that made her giggle.
Still seated, Ariel cocked her head at me. “Hey, stranger.”
I rolled my shoulders. “Thought I was the babysitter.”
Delaying coming in had given me a chance to install the cool veneer I liked to wear. It kept me safe. Made me seem less approachable to others. Usually.
For a long minute, Ariel didn’t reply. Instead, she just stared at me.
My veneer cracked. “What?”
She shrugged. “You’re nice to stare at. I’m having a moment.”
I spluttered, unable to answer.
Ben reappeared. “Don’t tease my bodyguards,” he ordered Ariel.
She smiled prettily and swapped a look with Daisy who took her seat once more.
“Game plan,” Daisy said. “We need one. Justin, my old housemate, is probably asleep but hopefully not yet too wasted to give information. What am I asking?”
“Larson was sleeping on the sofa in your Los Angeles house-share while taking small and probably illegal jobs for your family,” Ben summarised. “We know he came after ye but what we need is a better understanding of the man. Is he motivated, capable, or just a stoner like Justin? It’s unlikely he’ll share details of the jobs he’s given with his friends, but Justin might be able to paint a picture to help us assess him better.”
“As I see it,” I added, staring directly at Ariel. “The most important thing we need is to establish a motive. This man wants ye. Any insight will help us establish why.”
I wanted her. That was beside the point.
“Got it,” Daisy said. “Calling now. Everyone ready? Gotta hope he’s in a gossip-boy mood.” She set the recording function on her phone and dialled a number.
