Guarding Her Heart: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 1)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  Thankfully, it was just about five hours from Tokyo to Manila, and they were soon making their descent into the city.

  “There are a ton of lights,” Lindsay said as she pressed her face to the window.

  “Yep. Manila and its surroundings are pretty big. Lots of people live there.” Than wondered if she was prepared for just how many people there were.

  Personal space wasn’t an idea embraced by the Filipinos for the most part. There was always room for one more no matter how crowded the bus, jeepney or car was. A seat that would have room for two or three in the States would hold five or six Filipinos. Not just because they were smaller than most Americans, but because they had no problem squeezing together in order to fit more.

  Something told Than that Lindsay very much liked her personal space. It would be just one more thing she’d need to adjust to in the weeks ahead.

  ~*~*~

  Lindsay could have sworn that someone had just thrown a hot, wet blanket over her when they exited the terminal. The heat and humidity were like a slap in the face, and she began to sweat right away. She tried to take in everything, but there was just…so much…and the darkness of the night, even with lights present, pulsed with the unknown.

  People milled around. Vehicles stopped and started, horns blaring. Voices shouted things in a language she didn’t understand. And the smells. The good mingled with the not-so-great, and her stomach churned. It was sensory overload.

  She’d gotten her first glimpse of how different it would be when they’d disembarked and began the process of getting their luggage and going through customs. It had seemed so chaotic and yet, the customs agents had gotten the job done.

  And even though she’d never thought she’d ever feel grateful for Than, Lindsay was very, very thankful he was there. He, Mark and Mel had made sure that they were all together and that their documents were in order. She hadn’t realized it until they were dealing with the officials, but both Mark and Mel also spoke the language. Between the three of them, they’d managed to get the team through all the red tape and out of the terminal.

  And into a world of chaos.

  Lindsay gripped the handle of her bag and tried to hold her ground against the swell of people around her. They touched her—whether on purpose or not, she didn’t know. But skin pressed to her skin. Bodies bumped against her back. She felt as if she were going to be swept along with the wave of humanity around her. Swept away from the group. From Than. Her breath came in short gasps as she tried to see where the group was. Panic began to build inside of her.

  What was she doing here? Why had she thought she could do this? How was she going to survive when the first few minutes in a new country she was having a panic attack?

  She couldn’t do this. She needed to get back into the terminal and get a return ticket to Minneapolis. Or better yet, have Lucas send the plane. She’d just wait in the terminal for it to arrive and whisk her back to the world she knew.

  Yes, that’s what she would do.

  “I’ve got you.”

  She heard the words as a strong arm slipped around her back and pulled her against a firm chest. Than. She inhaled the scent that she recognized and listened as he spoke to people around them. Sometimes in English. Sometimes in Filipino. She closed her eyes for a moment and just focused on what was familiar and, at that moment, that meant focusing on Than. The panic began to ease away, but she still lifted a hand to grip the front of his shirt in case he lost his hold on her.

  “Lindsay.”

  She opened her eyes and looked up into Than’s gaze.

  “I’m going to leave you with the ladies of the group while I help the men with the luggage. The bus we’re taking to the mission house should be here soon.” He paused. “Are you okay?”

  Now that she had calmed down, Lindsay felt a little foolish for having panicked like that. She loosened her grip on his shirt, patted out the wrinkles and nodded. “I’m fine.”

  He lifted an eyebrow at that but didn’t comment on it. “Things will settle down once the bus gets here. Just stick with the ladies for now.”

  Lindsay allowed him to guide her to where the other women from the team stood. She was grateful to see that a couple of them also had rather stunned looks on their faces. At least she wasn’t alone in her culture shock.

  Mel reached out and drew her into the group. “You okay, sweetie?”

  “I think so. A bit overwhelmed, I guess.”

  She smiled. “That’s to be expected. There are a lot of people in Manila. It will be less overwhelming when we get to the mission house and then to the place we’ll be for the next couple of weeks. You’ll always draw attention, but it will be less of a crowd.”

  “This is a little nuts,” the mother of the teens said then she looked at Lindsay. “Is Than your boyfriend?”

  “Uh…no.” Lindsay glanced over to see Than standing with the men and their huge pile of luggage. “He’s here as my…bodyguard.”

  “Your bodyguard?” the woman asked, her eyes wide.

  Lindsay sighed. It probably would have been a good idea for Than to have attended a couple of the team meetings ahead of time to explain why he was coming. Instead, he’d only met with Mark and Mel and then just showed up at the airport on the morning of departure.

  “It was the only way I could come without creating a huge issue with my family. After a close call with one of my brothers last year, my mom was reluctant to let me out of her sight. The only way she’d agree to let me come was if my brother hired someone to keep an eye on me.” Lindsay sighed, trying to ignore the bead of sweat she felt slip down her back. “Yeah, I know I’m an adult, but when it comes to my mom…”

  “I know how that is,” another of the women said. “My mom is kinda the same way. Thankfully, my dad usually talks sense into her so she doesn’t give me too much grief when I want to do stuff like this. But I have a feeling that if it weren’t for him…well, I’d be stuck at home with only my dog for company.”

  “Alright, ladies, we can get on the bus,” Mark said as he approached them.

  Lindsay looked to where he gestured and saw a small bus idling at the curb. Than was helping the men begin to load the luggage in the back. She followed the other women as they walked toward the open door of the bus.

  The wash of cool air, as she stepped up into the vehicle behind the other women, was so very welcome. The bus had what looked to be about eight rows of four seats per row with an aisle down the middle. A few of the women sat together, but Lindsay slid into an empty row. As soon as she settled into the seat by the window she knew this was going to be even more uncomfortable for Than than the plane had been. Her knees pressed up against the row in front of her and her butt just barely fit in the curved base of the seat. Didn’t people here have hips?

  She heard the rumble of male voices and looked up to see that the guys were now climbing onto the bus. She watched as Than’s gaze swept over the seats before settling on her. Though he didn’t smile or wink at her or anything like that, she felt a flush of warmth that totally negated the air conditioning she’d been enjoying.

  He stepped into the row and turned to face the front of the bus but didn’t sit down until the other men had all found seats. Once they had, he sat down and stretched his legs into the aisle. Clearly this wasn’t his first time riding on a bus like this.

  When he leaned back into the seat, his shoulder bumped hers. Lindsay immediately moved closer to the window.

  He looked over at her, an eyebrow arched. “I don’t have cooties, ya know.”

  “Sorry. Was just trying to give you a bit more space. It’s a little…cramped.”

  “I’m fine.”

  She allowed herself to settle back into the seat so that their shoulders were once again pressed against each other. The bus lurched forward amid a chorus of honking horns—some of which were actually musical notes. Very strange.

  As the bus pulled away from the airport, Lindsay stared out the large glass window next to h
er. She was surprised by the amount of people and traffic considering what time it was. By her calculations, it was probably close to midnight and yet the crowds of people and vehicles suggested it was much earlier.

  She glanced over at Than whose head was also turned so he could see out the window. His gaze moved to hers.

  “What’s the time?”

  He glanced down at his watch and stared at it for a second. “Eleven fifty.”

  “So many people.”

  “This is a city that doesn’t really ever sleep. Always lots going on. Plus there are just a lot of people living here.”

  As the bus picked up speed, Lindsay tried to watch the world slipping past the window but had a hard time seeing much since it was dark. The one thing the darkness didn’t hide was the craziness of the traffic. It quickly became apparent that the rules of the road were more like suggestions.

  She looked over at Than again. “Is the traffic always like this?”

  He grinned. “During the day it’s worse.”

  Lindsay couldn’t even imagine. And she was ever so grateful that she wouldn’t have to drive at any point during this trip.

  They were soon driving on what appeared to be a highway through the city. She could see that there were high rises at certain points because of the height of the lights in the distance. It would have been nice to get a better glimpse of the city, but that would likely have to wait until the next day when they drove out of it in daylight.

  It was about forty-five minutes before the bus exited the highway and began to make its way through what looked to be a more residential neighborhood. Soon they pulled up to the gate of a walled compound. The bus honked, and the gates began to swing inside. Lindsay looked down as they passed through them and saw a uniformed man with a rifle of some sort in his hand.

  The compound was well-lit, and she could see a large building on the left that looked to be two or three stories high. The bus came to a stop, but before anyone could move, Mark stood up and asked them to stay in their seats for a moment.

  “We’re going to unload the luggage and ask that you each find your bags. There is someone from the mission house waiting to give us keys to the rooms we’ll be staying in tonight. The couples will each have a room. The singles will share rooms according to gender, of course.” Mark grinned. “Do try to keep it quiet. Most the other residents here are asleep.”

  Though there was definitely a drop in the number of people around when they exited the bus, the heat hadn’t changed. She sure hoped that the rooms they were going to sleep in had air conditioning or, at the very least, fans.

  It took a little bit to sort through the bags, but soon she had hers set to the side along with Than’s. Next, the person from the mission house handed out room assignments and keys. She led them into a building and then up a flight of stairs. There was some struggle to get all their bags up to the second floor, but eventually they were shown to their rooms and given the time for breakfast the next morning.

  Lindsay had known that she’d be sharing accommodations during the trip, but it was kind of an adjustment to walk into a room and see four single beds. Although, right then, any type of bed would be welcome. She was exhausted.

  She let the other two women choose their beds and then took one of the two that were left. Before leaving Minneapolis, she’d tried to pack so she would only have to open one bag for this single overnight. Wearily, she opened the suitcase and found her toiletries.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” Lindsay said once the other women had made use of the bathroom. “If that’s okay. I’ll leave the door unlocked if you need in.”

  “Sure thing, hun,” Barb said. “I think I’m going to crank the air conditioner if you ladies don’t mind.”

  “I don’t mind at all,” Lindsay assured her. “The colder, the better.”

  Amanda, their other roommate, emphatically nodded her agreement.

  Once in the bathroom, Lindsay stripped off her travel clothes and stepped into the shower. The initial blast of cold water shocked Lindsay, and she stepped back. It gradually moved to the lukewarm range as she fiddled with the taps. She took her time washing her hair and then shaved her legs and underarms, well aware that during this trip both those body parts would be exposed more than usual.

  The adrenalin she’d been operating on since exiting the terminal began to wane, taking with it her energy level. Though normally she would have blow‑dried her hair, Lindsay settled for gathering it on top of her head in a bun. She pulled on a tank top and cotton shorts that would only be used for sleeping during this trip. After brushing her teeth, she gathered up her dirty clothes and left the bathroom.

  “Oh, there she is,” Barb said.

  Lindsay glanced over to see her standing at the door. The open door. She pressed the bundle of clothes she held in her arms closer to her chest.

  “Than wanted to talk with you,” Barb explained as she moved away from the doorway.

  Nodding, Lindsay walked over, knowing she probably looked ridiculous clutching her dirty clothes like that, but for some reason she felt exposed even though she was covered. As far as she knew, Than didn’t operate under the same principles as guys like Lucas and Eric. She was pretty sure a woman’s body wasn’t off limits to him the way it had been to Lucas and Eric before they married.

  Because of that, Lindsay appreciated the fact that his gaze didn’t drop below her eyes as he said, “Just wanted to check in with you and make sure you’re doing okay.”

  “Yep. Sorry about earlier. It all kind of took me off guard.”

  He stared at her for a moment then his expression softened. “No need to apologize. I would have warned you, but really, nothing prepares you for dealing with it all at once. You did just fine.” He jerked his head to his right. “I’m in room ten. If you need anything just knock. I’m going to send an email to your brother to let him know we’ve arrived safe and sound.”

  “Tell him I said hi.”

  “I will. Sleep well.”

  “You, too.”

  He gave her a quick smile before turning and heading down the hallway. Lindsay resisted the urge to watch him until he disappeared into his room. Instead, she shut the door and moved to her bed. The room was quiet, and she glanced over to see Barb and Amanda both watching her.

  “He’s a handsome one,” Barb commented. “And very gentlemanly, too. I noticed that when we were at the airport in Japan.”

  Lindsay nodded. “I think it’s because of his job. He has to hobnob with all kinds of people. He seems to adapt to situations quickly.”

  “So you know him outside of this bodyguard gig?” Barb asked as she settled down on her bed.

  Picking up the bag she’d brought to put her dirty clothes in, Lindsay nodded. “He and my brothers are friends. I think that’s why Lucas—my brother—felt confident asking him to take this job.”

  When Lindsay slipped between the sheets of her twin bed, Amanda asked, “Ready for me to turn out the light?”

  “I’m ready,” Lindsay said as she curled onto her side, already feeling sleep tugging at her. “Does anyone have an alarm set?”

  Barb picked up a small travel clock from beside her bed. “I set it for nine. Is that too late, do you think?”

  “I think breakfast is at seven,” Amanda said. “But frankly, at this point, I’d take sleep over food.”

  “Me, too,” Lindsay said. “Plus, I have some food in my suitcase that could tide us over until we can get something for lunch.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Amanda said as she switched off the light.

  “Mind if I pray before we sleep?” Barb asked once the room had settled into darkness. When neither Lindsay nor Amanda objected, she said, “Heavenly Father, we thank you for the safe journey You granted us as we made the long trip from Minneapolis here. Please give us the rest we need to face what lies ahead tomorrow. I ask that you keep us all from sickness, and I pray that we’ll be a blessing to each and every person we come in contact with. T
hank you for this opportunity to show Your love to others through our service. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

  As she settled under the sheet on the bed, Lindsay felt a momentary longing for her comfy queen-size bed with a multitude of pillows and super soft sheets. But as exhaustion pulled her eyelids down, she realized that not even an uncomfortable bed was going to keep her from sleep on this night

  ~*~*~

  Than woke as soon as his alarm went off. He laid in the bed for a bit, glad for the air conditioner that had kept the room at a good temperature for sleeping through the night. He was also glad that Mark had arranged for a room for him by himself. He’d needed to do a little work when they’d first arrived since it had been mid-afternoon in Minneapolis. There had been a few emails he’d needed to answer. And now he had to drag himself out of bed and go meet his aunt and whomever else she brought along.

  He’d checked with the people in charge of the mission house via email before leaving Minneapolis to make sure it would be okay for his family to come there for a little visit. While he could have gone to their place, he didn’t want to chance getting stuck in traffic or run into something that might keep him from getting back on time. Plus, he needed to still be in Lindsay’s vicinity, and he hadn’t been sure about taking her to his family’s place.

  With a grunt, Than pushed up from the mattress and got to his feet. He stretched a bit trying to work out the kinks that had resulted from sleeping on a hard mattress with a flat pillow. Still, it could have been worse. He could have been sleeping on the floor.

  Than took a quick shower and then pulled on a pair of black cargo shorts and a black T-shirt. He wasn’t out to impress the woman his aunt was bringing to meet him. In fact, if he could have avoided this meeting altogether, he would have. But his uncle was also supposed to be coming and bringing a weapon and some cash for him. He doubted he’d have to use it, but he wasn’t about to take a chance.

  His aunt had agreed to text him when they were close, so Than sat down at his computer to check his email while he waited. They’d agreed to show up around nine, but with Filipino time that meant it could be anywhere from nine to noon. He hoped it was sooner rather than later because noon would mean a very short visit. Which—when he thought about it—might not be such a bad idea.