Tangled Vows(6)

He moved stiffly to the closet and pulled a blanket and pillow off the top shelf.

"No," she argued. "I work for you, and I need to be on alert anyway. The floor will be just fine."

He turned back to her, and Bay was surprised by the fury on his face.  "That's right, you work for me." He poked a finger against her chest,  and she stepped back unconsciously. Her legs bumped against the bed. "I  set the rules here. I'll respect your wish not to sleep in the same bed,  but I am gentleman, and I will not let a woman sleep on the floor in my  own home." He poked her chest once more with his finger, and Bailey  automatically sat down under his intimidating glare.

"I thought it was your parents' house," she squeaked, her throat practically closed in terror.

Everett ran a hand through his hair and growled. Bay scooted back  further on the bed. He glared at her before bursting out in laughter.  "Yeah, it is." He sank onto the mattress beside her, and her weight  shifted, moving her closer to him than she was comfortable with. She  could feel his masculine presence surrounding her, and she breathed  deep, taking it all in, in spite of herself.

Before he could say anything else, Bay argued again. "Look, I'm used to  it. I slept on the hard ground a lot of nights in the military. It's  nothing new to me."

"All the more reason for you to take the bed. I know you've suffered too  much already. I bet that leg still hurts sometimes." She opened her  mouth to protest more, but he waved her off before she could speak.  "Besides, if for some reason we're caught sleeping separately, it will  be much easier to play off me sleeping on the floor than you."

Bay considered what he said. "All right," she conceded. "I'll take the bed." After a silent moment, she whispered, "Thank you."

Everett placed a hand on her leg, and Bay inhaled a sharp breath at his  touch. "Maybe you'll change your opinion of me," he said quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"I know you don't have a very high opinion of me. I hope you'll change your mind after this trip."

Bailey scooted forward off the bed and stood quickly. "Why does it matter to you what I think? I'm only a bodyguard."

Everett too stood and grabbed her shoulders. His thumbs rubbed small  circles against her skin, causing goosebumps to pimple her arms.  "Because I like you. I've never met a woman quite like you before."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

He stepped even closer, crowding her space. "What do you think?" He leaned down as if to kiss her.

Bailey didn't wait to see what his intention was. As much as she would  like to experience those legendary lips on hers, she couldn't afford to  let her guard down. She leaned in, as if anticipating his kiss, but when  his hands loosened on her shoulders, she ducked under them instead and  stood with her back against the door. She breathed heavily, chest  heaving, as he turned to face her.

"You're scared of me," he said quietly.

She shook her head violently. "No. I just refuse to get distracted from my job."

Everett nodded, but it was clear from his pinched expression that he  didn't believe her. He ran both hands through his hair again and blew  out a breath. "Fine. In private, I'll keep my distance." He waved a hand  toward the door at her back. "You're welcome to the bathroom fist." He  turned and began making a makeshift bed on the floor.

Bailey walked past him warily and rummaged through her bag, gathering  her toilettes. As she opened the door to leave, she whispered, "Thank  you," before fleeing to the relative safety of the bathroom. She didn't  know if he had heard her, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him to have  heard.                       
       
           



       





Chapter 6




‡


Bailey woke slowly from a deep dreamless sleep. The soft warmth of the  comforter was a willing distraction from reality. For a moment, she  didn't remember where she was. As the events of the previous day swam to  her conscious, she opened her eyes to see bright daylight creeping in  between the curtains on the room's lone window.

She sat up and picked up her phone from the bedside table to check for  any messages. "Oh shit!" she cried when she saw it was almost noon.  Looking around the room, she could tell Everett was already gone. "Shit,  shit, shit," she repeated. It was her job to protect him and yet he had  let her sleep. Was he still in the house or had he gone out without her  too? Anger rose in her. He was doing everything he could to make this  job hard for her, it seemed.

Throwing the covers back, she jumped out of bed and threw on some  clothes. She pulled her hair back in a messy ponytail and hoped it  looked fashionable instead of just sloppy. She had planned to style her  hair and put on makeup while here, like she thought a real girlfriend of  Everett's would, but all her planning went out the window at the  thought of the danger he might have put himself in by going somewhere  without her.

Bay rushed down the stairs. Hearing voices coming from her left, she  passed down the hall and into the kitchen, out of breath. "Have you  seen-" Both her voice and her steps stopped abruptly at the sight of  Everett and Sarah, heads bent over the island counter, coffee mugs in  hand, laughing. "Oh, Everett. I thought you left," she said, at a loss  for what to say. She had been sure he ditched her. "Why didn't you wake  me?"

Everett sauntered over to her and placed a light kiss at her temple.  "Morning, sleepyhead. You looked so peaceful, I thought you could use  the sleep." He took her stiff hand and led her back to Sarah. "Coffee?"  he asked her.

She nodded. "Please. If we have time, that is. I don't know what your plans are for the day."

"We were waiting for you, but we've got plenty of time." He handed her a  mug full of steaming java. As she reached for it, she noticed the  questioning look in his eyes, but she couldn't decipher what it meant  with her head still reeling from her abrupt wake up.

"Thank you," Bay said softly. As she took the mug from his hand, Everett  leaned in and brushed another kiss against her temple. His mouth  stopped at her ear, and he whispered, "I'm sorry. I have no idea how you  take your coffee."

As he pulled away, she smiled and took a sip of the black brew, hoping he could read her gesture for the answer it was.

He smiled too, and in response, brushed a stray lock of hair behind her  ear. Bay blushed at his touch. Both of the kisses had served a purpose,  but to her that last touch of his hand seemed much more than just a part  of the roles they were playing.

She attempted to get her mind back on the matter at hand, but it was  hard with the buzzing in her head. "So, ah, what are your plans today?"

"We're going shopping!" Sarah exclaimed. "I have to pick up my dress,  mom still needs a dress, and I need to buy my bridesmaids' presents."

Bay smiled at Sarah's enthusiasm. She hoped she would be that excited  because of one man someday. She may have become cynical over the years  and after all the things she'd seen, but that didn't mean she didn't  still have a small bit of hope for a future love. "And you, Everett?"  she asked him.

"Oh, he's coming with us," Sarah declared.

"I'm paying for everything, remember?" Everett explained.

Bay nodded and took the opening that had been presented to her. "Sarah,  do you mind if I tag along? You know men-Everett wasn't very clear on  the wedding formality. I could really use a dress too." This would allow  her to still do her job and keep an eye on Everett and find something  fitting to wear for the girlfriend of a movie star. Sarah seemed like a  down to earth woman; Bay prayed she'd kept the wedding simple enough to  let her buy a dress that didn't cost a fortune.

"Of course you're coming." Sarah grabbed her hand. "I want to get to  know you better. You have to tell me all about how you two met. It's got  to be something spectacular for Everett to be bringing you home with  him."

Bay couldn't stop herself from laughing. "I guess you could say that."  She glanced at Everett and saw the grin spread across his face.

"Bug, do we have a story to tell you."

"Well, let's go! I want you to see the dress I picked. And I definitely want to hear that story."                       
       
           



       

*

"What do you think?" Sarah asked as she modeled her wedding gown.

Bailey didn't know anything about wedding gowns or fashion, but she knew  Sarah would look stunning in almost anything with that look of  excitement on her face.