“So . . .” Dave squinted. “Do I know the guy?”
“No. Now move this way a little so I can get out of here without anyone seeing.”
He didn’t cooperate. “If I don’t know the guy, then that’s a problem. How can we provide security for you?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Dave wouldn’t budge. “That’s ridiculous. I get paid to worry about it. Who is he?”
“He’s a wildlife ranger at the park, okay?”
“Not okay.”
I gritted my teeth. If we loitered in front of my trailer much longer, Tom or one of the production crew might corner me. Then I’d never get out of here.
“Fine. You can come meet him. But don’t say my name and let me do all the talking.”
“I’ll need to run a background check.”
I ignored Dave’s last statement because he shifted his body, covering for me and allowing me to slip past my trailer without being seen. A minute later he was next to me, escorting me to where Jethro would pick me up.
“How did you meet this guy? Are you sure he’s safe? How do you know he’s not a crazy fan?”
“He’s not a crazy fan,” I grumbled.
“You can’t know that.” I frowned at Dave then at the grass under my feet. This was why I didn’t want to tell Jethro who I was. This was why being with him while he was unaware of my identity was so wonderful.
“Yes, I can, Doris.” I was irritated that I couldn’t be trusted to make my own decisions, which was a gross simplification and exaggeration of the situation, but that’s how I felt.
“We’ll see . . .” Dave tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck.
We maneuvered around the last of the tents and strolled into the open field. I saw Jethro at once, this time Cletus was nowhere in sight. Alone and standing beside the smaller green truck he’d used the first two times we’d met, Jethro smiled and waved. As usual, I couldn’t resist smiling back.
He was dressed in dark blue jeans, a black sweater, and black boots. He looked . . . incredible. You know when some men dress up for an occasion, shaving and grooming and whatnot, they look like they smell marvelous? Well, Jethro looked as though he smelled like heaven. His beard was trimmed shorter, neat and tidy at his neck, lips, and cheeks. My skin prickled just thinking about the texture of it sliding against my neck, lips, and cheeks.
“Oh no,” Dave muttered, drawing my attention back to him.
“What? What is it?”
“You like this guy.”
I gave my bodyguard the evil eye. “Say nothing.”
Dave glanced between Jethro’s achingly handsome form in the distance and me. “He doesn’t know who you are, does he?”
“Just let me do the talking,” I whispered, even though we were still fifty feet away.
“Boy, is he in for a surprise.”
“Shut up, Doris.”
“Poor guy.”
Jethro was looking between my guard and me; his smile curious, but just as friendly and open as usual.
Focusing on me first, he stepped forward and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, sending ripples of lovely warmth through my body.
“Hey, gorgeous.” I felt his whisper beneath my skin, and it made my chest tight and achy.
A dazed “Hi,” was all I could manage, because he did smell like heaven. The texture of his beard against my cheek was everything I hoped it would be and more.
Jethro placed one hand possessively on my back and reached his other out to Dave, which Dave took for a shake.
“Hi, I’m Jethro.”
My guard said nothing, but I saw he returned Jethro’s smile. Though Dave’s looked sympathetic . . . the turncoat.
“This is Dave.” I indicated to my security team lead with a quick wave of my hand. “We work together. He wanted to meet you to make sure you’re not a crazy fan.”
Truth. All of it. I wasn’t going to lie, but I wasn’t going to make a big deal of having a security team either.
Jethro’s smile widened. “Glad to see Sarah has people looking out for her.”
Dave grew very still when Jethro said, “Sarah.” I was relieved he still had his sunglasses on so Jethro couldn’t see his eyes.
“Yes, well, that’s done. So we’ll be going.” I directed this last statement to Dave, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Nice to meet you,” Jethro said, stepping closer to me, his hand on my spine a reassuring weight. He was polite and gentlemanly and everything wonderful.
Dave nodded, shooting Jethro another tight, compassionate smile, but addressed his comment to me. “Be good.”
“We will,” I said between clenched teeth.