AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Then what were you going to say?”
For a moment, I can’t take my eyes off of her.She’s no longer off-limits. At least as far as her parents are concerned. But she’s still my client. We don’t exactly have regulations against dating our clients—hell, my boss married a client—but I’m not sure how he’d feel about this.
“Jason?”
“Sorry, what?”
“What were you going to say?”
Oh, hell. I don’t even remember what we were talking about. “Um…oh, right. I was going to say that I would do anything to make you happy.”
At my stark admission, her eyes widen. “Really?”
I chuckle. “Yes, really.”
I can tell the moment she gets nervous because she starts biting her bottom lip. “Because you’re such a dedicated bodyguard?” she asks.
“I am a dedicated bodyguard, yes. But no. That’s not why I’d do anything to make you happy. Bodyguards are obligated to keep their clientssafe, not happy.”
“But you want me to be happy?”
I nod. Then I use my thumb to gently tug her bottom lip from between her teeth. “Don’t bite your lip. You’ll hurt yourself.”
Her cheeks deepen in color as she flushes. I suspect she’s even holding her breath. In anticipation maybe?
But she’s no ordinary girl, and so I can’t assume anything. I need to know for sure.
I reach out with my index finger and tuck her hair behind her ear. “I can’t handle the idea of you getting hurt.” That’s the honest truth.
The movie has started, and neither one of us is paying any attention to it. Layla’s eyes search mine, and there’s a small frown turning down the corners of her lips. She looks increasingly worried.
“Hey,” I say softly. “What’s wrong?”
When her eyes fill with tears, my heart contracts painfully.Damn it.This isn’t going how I’d hoped.
A single tear spills from her bottom eyelid and rolls down her cheek. I catch it with the pad of my thumb. “It’s okay. Don’t cry.”
She swallows hard. And then abruptly she looks away, her brow furrowing. “Stop it,” she hisses. Her voice cracks. “For god’s sake, just stop.”
I realize she’s not talking to me. She’s talking back to the voice. I turn her face to mine. “What’s she telling you?”
Layla shakes her head. “I can’t.”
“You can’t tell me?”
“That’s right.”
“I think you should tell me because I’m pretty sure she’s wrong.”
She laughs, the sound watery as she’s holding back tears.
“Tell me, Layla.”
Her eyes are stark with pain. “She says you think I’m pathetic. That you’re laughing at me.”
Pain stabs me in the chest, and I have to fight myself not to reach out and take her in my arms. I lean close, pressing my forehead to hers. “She’s wrong, Layla. She’s dead wrong. I don’t think you’re pathetic. I think you’re extraordinary. I think you’re the smartest, kindest, most beautiful girl I’ve ever known.”
Her breath catches on a sob, and she stares at me in utter confusion.
