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I nod at Bree and refrain from meeting the daggers Ava’s throwing at me with her eyes. “Ava, why don’t you change? We’ll head out shortly.”
“Fine,” she says. “Nice meeting you, Bree.”
“Pleasure is all mine,” Bree says as Ava makes her way towards the stairs. I stare after her until she disappears around the bend of the stairwell. I know when she reemerges, another argument is on my hands.
I turn my attention back to Bree, and the expression on her face gives me pause. “What is it?”
“Someone has a crush,” she says in a singsong voice.
“That’s ridiculous, Bree. Ava is like a sister,” I say, hoping to convince myself as well as Bree.
Bree, of course, doesn’t buy it and vehemently shakes her head. “Oh, no, boss. You liiiike her, like her.”
I shake my head. “How can you be one of my toughest agents one moment and act like an excited gossiping school girl the next?”
Bree shrugs. “I contain multitudes,” she says in all seriousness. “I can see it in your eyes, Bran. So, are you going to go for it and ask her out?”
I almost want to laugh at the idea of Ava and I on a date. The thought of us at some secluded candlelit dinner just seems odd. I remember pushing her on a swing when her brother would tire of his little sister following us around.
Though I was certainly tempted last night when I saw Ava’s long hair cascading down her back and brushing her soft skin.
Bree raises her eyebrows. “Well, yes or no?”
“I think you need to go,” I say, shuffling her by the shoulders back towards the front door.
“Hey! You’re kicking me out just when things started getting interesting with you.”
I shake my head. Where did I find the nosy people I hired? “Thank you, Bree, but you need to leave now.”
“Fine,” she says as we reach the front door. “Don’t think this is over.”
Turning from the closed door, I see Ava emerging in black leggings and a pink hoodie. Bree and Ava share similar builds and, thankfully, the clothes fit her.
“I’m going to get dressed, and then we can head out,” I say to her as I head up the stairs.
“Can we stop for coffee first? Can’t believe there is no creamer in this house.”
“Fine,” I shout back from the top of the stairs. Then I shower quickly and begin getting ready. Typically, I wear a suit while on protection duty, but today calls for informal attire as I’m only escorting Ava back to New York and doubt there will be anywhere else to escort her to as most businesses give their employee’s New Year’s Day off.
My bedroom is the same as the previous day. Ava had made up the bed with hotel precision, making it appear as if she was never here.
Not that I would ever be able to return to my bed without thinking about her lying in it. She’d even slept on the right side, same as me.
Before exiting the bedroom, I reach for the Glock in the bottom drawer of the nightstand and secure it on the clip at my waist.
As soon as I reach the last step of the stairs, Ava meets me, no doubt ready to argue.
“Did Asher go ahead and hire TSS? Was that what Bree was talking about?”
After Ava fell asleep last night, I returned the call to Asher, explaining that I would personally take on the job of protecting Ava. After last night, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that whoever was behind all this is not slowing down anytime soon.
“No,” I answer honestly and move past her to the coat closet, extracting a thick down jacket.
“So, you just appointed yourself? Why is it everyone thinks they can run my life and not clue me in until after the fact? This is all so ridicul—” she stops abruptly, and I follow her gaze to the gun. “Do you think you’ll have to use that again?”
I shrug. “I hope I never have to, but after last night, can’t be too cautious.” I hand her another of my down jackets. “It’s twenty outside. You’ll need this.”
Ava nods and doesn’t say anymore. The fight seems to leave her, for now, but I can already tell she will be one of my more difficult protectees.
