The Bodyguard's Fake Marriage

by Bree Livingston

  Lexi chewed her bottom lip, and his mouth went dry. He’d struggled to put her lips out of his thoughts since she kissed him, but every time she did that, it was like a neon sign that said, “Kiss me.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She paused. “You’ve worked with them?”

  “From time to time. When they’ve asked. I try not to overstep my bounds with local law enforcement.”

  “I think I owe you an apology.”

  He tilted his head. Why would she think that? “Why?”

  “I had you pegged as this big, mindless robot.”

  A bark of laughter gushed out of him. “No, you had it right.”

  She laughed with him. “No, I didn’t. You’re funny, charming, and kind. Quick-witted and soft-spoken. Nothing like I thought.”

  “Lexi, I mean Ms. Maheras, I’m your bodyguard. All I’ve been doing is my job.”

  “You called me Lexi.”

  “A momentary slip. It won’t happen again.”

  The waitress came back with their food and drinks. The burger he ordered made his mouth water. There was a chance that the food could actually be good, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to tell because he was starving.

  “Wow, this looks and smells amazing,” Lexi said. She shot him a glance. “I’m declaring this husband time. You have to call me Lexi until we leave.”

  “Why is that so important to you?”

  “Because it’s my name.”

  It was a battle he didn’t have the energy to fight. “All right. Until we leave, I’ll call you Lexi.”

  “Nope. Anytime we stop and eat, you have to use my first name.”

  He held her gaze, and the desire to give her anything she wanted flooded him. With a nod, he smiled and said, “All right. I’ll call you Lexi anytime we stop for a meal.”

  She popped a fry into her mouth and grinned. “Thank you.”

  “You’re easily amused.”

  Her cheeks turned a shade of red that would make a sunset look pale. “Maybe I just like hearing you say my name.”

  He swallowed hard. Was she flirting with him? No, he had just told her this was his job. One of the things he hated about his line of work was how easy it was to get close to someone and hurt them. He couldn’t fall for her. Once this job was over, he’d be moving on. Another town, another client with another threat.

  Eyeing her, he smiled. “Or you like thinking you’ve won.”

  “Maybe a little of that too.”

  While they ate, he’d steal glances at her. There was something about her that pulled at him. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. It went beyond her intellect and attractiveness. It was a connection he felt with her, and that wasn’t something he’d felt with anyone before. She had a glow and a love for life that made him want to be near her.

  Once they finished their meal, they returned to the motel room and took turns showering, with Lexi going first. As she walked out, a floral scent surrounded him, and his breath caught. She was gorgeous any day of the week, but freshly showered and damp hair, wearing a loose-fitting off-the-shoulder shirt and a pair of cotton shorts, was downright heart-stopping gorgeous.

  “Your turn,” she said as she toweled her hair.

  “Thanks.” He snatched his toiletry bag and clothing and dashed into the bathroom. What was going on with him? He’d protected plenty of women and had never experienced anything like that. Was he losing his edge? He hadn’t taken a break since he’d left the army. Maybe Noah was right, and he needed to step back a little and get some perspective.

  He pulled his hair free of the tie and studied himself in the mirror. As much as he didn’t want to, he was going to have to cut his nearly elbow-length locks. He was too noticeable with it this long. Maybe he could snip the length and let Lexi fix it from there. While he didn’t care, he also didn’t want to look too crazy.

  At least it’d be easier and faster to wash, and given their circumstances, maybe that was a good thing. He tied it back again at the base of his neck, dug out his scissors, and before he could change his mind, he worked the scissors through the mass until he was holding it in his hand. Weirdly enough, the haircut felt good. He tossed it in the trash can and peeked around the door.

  Lexi looked up and her jaw dropped. “You cut your hair.”

  “My hair isn’t nearly as important as your safety, and people know what I look like. It’s not every day that you see a guy my size with hair that long.” He held up the scissors. “I was hoping you could fix it.”

  She smiled as she slid off the bed and stood. “Uh, sure. You trust me to do it?”

  “Can’t make it any worse.”

  A laugh popped out of her. “Okay,”

  As he sat sideways on the toilet, she took the scissors and stood behind him. “You’ve got hair that would make women cry.”

  “It’s just hair.” He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through it.

  “If you say so.” She paused and snipped a piece of his hair off. “I noticed you were pretty tired earlier. How long have you been awake?” she asked.

  He took a deep breath and tried to remember. “I don’t sleep well most of the time, but I think it’s been more than a day. I just need a couple of hours, and I’ll be good to go again.” Even as he said it, he felt himself drifting.

  “Why don’t you sleep well?”

  “I have nightmares. Night terrors is what my therapist called it.”

  “Therapist?”

  He nodded. “When I first got out of the army, I struggled. A friend of mine suggested I get help, and he was right. I benefited from it, but I still have nightmares. Not sure how I’ll ever get rid of those.”

  For a moment, she was quiet, and pieces of his hair dropped onto his shoulders as she clipped it. “I can’t imagine how hard it was. Do you still have friends in the army?”

  He hung his head. “Just a few. My discharge was classified, and there were rumors. Things that weren’t true. I…” He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m fine.”

  Fine. He wasn’t sure what that word meant anymore. He was tired and alone most of the time. The small apartment her father rented for him only served to highlight how boxed in and lonely he felt.

  The silence continued while Lexi worked on his hair. He suspected she had no idea how to respond and that he’d made her feel awkward.

  A few snips later, she leaned over him and cupped his cheek. “I don’t care what kind of discharge you had, how many friends still talk to you, or what you think you’ve done to have nightmares, but if my opinion means anything, I think you’re a good man. And I suspect there’s more to that discharge than you let on.”

  His pulse picked up speed. “Your opinion means more than you know.”

  Her lips curved up, and she dropped her hand. “Good. I’m finished cutting your hair. It probably needs a real barber to go over it again, but I think it’ll be okay in the meantime. I’ll step out so you can shower.”

  “Thanks,” he said as he stood and shut the door after she left. While he showered, he worked to corral his thoughts. Lexi was his client. He’d set it on repeat, but it was almost as though it was becoming an annoying hum. Once he was finished, he dressed, strolled to his bed, and dropped onto it.

  A second later, Lexi sat on the edge of the bed next to him and ran her fingers through his hair again. “That haircut looks good on you.”

  “Thank you for fixing it,” he said as his eyes slid shut.

  “Do you mind if I watch a little TV?”

  “No.” He let out a heavy sigh as she continued to comb her fingers through his hair. Why did that feel so good? Was it because he was so tired? He was supposed to be taking care of her, not the other way around. He needed to get up. He needed…

  He tried to force himself up, and she stopped him.

  “As your doctor, I’m telling you to get some sleep.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t you have to finish your residency to be my doctor?”

  “A technic
ality.”

  Her fingers found his hair again, and he couldn’t keep himself from leaning into them. Instead of fighting it, he let himself drift away. Just before he slipped into darkness, he dreamed that she pressed her lips to his temple and said, “Sweet dreams.”

  Chapter 9

  Lexi glanced at Jake again. Holy Krakatoa, was he hot. He’d walked out of that bathroom with his hair cut off, and she’d about melted into a puddle on the floor. She always loved guys with hair like that. The length had made it look stringy and unkempt. With it cut, it curled around his ears and right at his collar. He looked like a completely different man—and then he’d let her trim it. Gah.

  It took all of her self-control to stop herself from running her hands across his broad shoulders to feel the muscle underneath his shirt. Then his little moan as she combed her fingers through his hair? Oh, that had been incredible. He’d leaned his head into her hand and sighed like it’d been forever since someone had treated him with any amount of tenderness. Without even thinking, she’d kissed his temple. It had seemed like the most natural thing to do.

  Since he’d fallen asleep, she’d spent most of the evening checking on him. He’d been so tired, and he tried to fight it. She wasn’t sure if he’d remember telling her he’d gone to a therapist or that he had nightmares.

  The man she thought was a stone statue was turning out to be anything but. He was warm and kind and, with his hair chopped off, totally her type, even if he was a little too tall. For the first time, she was falling for a man. But she was his client…

  He had flirted with her, or so she thought. The little twinkle in his eye as he called her Lexi. The hint of a smile on his lips as he stole glances her way while they ate. She had no idea what he was thinking, but if his thoughts were anything like hers, the trip to Houston had become a lot more complicated.

  Groaning, she scooted down in the bed and began flipping channels again. What was she going to do? She was acting like a high school girl with a crush instead of a grown woman on the way to becoming a doctor. He was her bodyguard, for crying out loud. He wasn’t interested in her like that, and the feeling was mutual. Right? Right. The second they made it to safety, they’d annul their marriage and go their separate ways.

  She just needed to push all those thoughts out of her head and get some rest. For most people, leaving the TV on would keep them awake, but the noise helped her. Gradually, her eyelids grew heavy, and the remote slipped from her hand as she fell asleep.

  A few hours later, she was jolted awake by a whimper. She sat up and tried to orient herself. Another whimper drew her focus to Jake. His bedding was twisted around him, and he was breathing hard.

  She hurried out of bed and flipped the bedside lamp on as she sat beside him. Sweat dripped from his face, and her heart broke for him. “Jake.” She said his name as she gently shook him. “Jake.”

  He jerked upright and panted. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. You can’t help it.”

  Palming his forehead, his shoulders rounded like he’d been beaten. “I should be able to. I’m supposed to be able to take control of them, but I can’t.”

  “You know you can talk to me, right? Since I’ve declared myself your doctor, I’m bound by an oath to keep all your secrets from here until forever.”

  Jake choked out a laugh. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yep, the oath is sacred and everything.” She smiled.

  “Maybe later, okay?” When he lifted his head, their eyes locked.

  Lexi had never felt so compelled to touch someone in her life. She circled her arms around his neck and whispered, “Anytime.” She held onto him until he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

  “I shouldn’t be doing this. I’m supposed to be protecting you.”

  “It’s a hug, Jake. Relax.”

  She felt the rumble of his laughter against her chest. “Thank you.”

  Leaning back, she grinned. “Was that so hard?”

  He cast his gaze down and shook his head. Even with the dim light, she could see a faint pink on his cheeks. For some reason, that little detail thrilled her.

  He took a deep breath and lifted his gaze to hers, a worn look in his eyes. “We should get on the road. I don’t want Faustus to catch up to us, if he hasn’t already.”

  A huge part of her wanted to bend forward and touch her lips to his. Maybe that kiss they shared had been a fluke. Wasn’t kissing him again the only way to know for sure? The other more logical part of her knew that if she pushed him, he’d stack a wall so high she’d need climbing gear to make it over.

  Besides, did she really need a relationship when she knew her next few years were going to be devoted to a hospital somewhere? Was it even fair to consider it? And with Jake? He struck her as the type of man who, once he decided to, gave his heart away for keeps, and she didn’t want to be responsible for breaking it. Nor did she want her heart broken. Where would his next assignment take him? Across the county? Across the world? How would they even make that work?

  “I can be ready to go in just a few minutes.” She rolled her lips in and chuckled. “Would you like to use some of my hair gel?”

  The smile that spread on his lips made her heart race. “No, I don’t want gel or anything else in my hair.”

  She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “You sure?”

  “Get out of here.”

  Lexi threw her head back and laughed. “I couldn’t resist.”

  “Yes, you could have. You chose not to.” She could see he was trying not to laugh, so she poked him in the stomach, and he jumped.

  Her jaw dropped. “Best. Easter egg hunt. Ever!”

  Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her around the waist and tickled her until she thought she’d pee her pajamas.

  “Stop,” she said, sucking in a gulp of air.

  “You deserved that.” He hovered above her, smiling.

  “All I did was poke you. You launched an all-out assault.”

  He shrugged. “Hey, a guy has to do what a guy has to do.”

  She couldn’t stop herself. It was as though her lips grew a will of their own. She lifted up and kissed him. It was beyond fantastic. Her body was on fire. She brushed her lips across his again, and he closed his eyes.

  “Lexi, I can’t,” he murmured and caught her lip in his teeth.

  In the next minute, their lips were moving together in a dance that she was sure angels would be whispering about in jealous gossip.

  And just as quickly as it started, he pulled away and scrambled off the bed. “No. I can’t. I can’t get distracted. Not again. I can’t let you get hurt. Not because of me.”

  He raked his hand through his hair, grabbed some clothes from his bag, and dashed into the bathroom, leaving her dazed and desperate to kiss him again.

  Slowly, she moved to the edge of the bed and hugged herself. She’d never seen pain like that in a person’s eyes before. He’d looked haunted and ashamed, like he thought of himself as scum.

  While he showered, she pulled herself together, and by the time he walked out, she’d regained her composure. She couldn’t help but notice that he kept his distance. On her way into the bathroom, she stopped in the doorway and turned to him.

  “Jake.”

  He caught her gaze and held it. “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry for kissing you. It won’t happen again.”

  His eyebrows knitted together, and it looked like he was at war with himself. He walked to her and leaned in. “You are a lovely, intelligent, and incredible woman. Save your affection for someone worthy of it. Someone worthy of you and what you have to offer. I am not that man.” He stepped back. “You should get ready so we can go.”

  Not worthy? What did that mean, and why would he think that? She nodded and quickly showered and dressed so they could get on the road. When they stepped out of the room, the last bit of color in the sky was fading. Jake loaded their luggage in the backseat of the car and pulled out of the parking lo
t.

  “We’re going to take some backroads for a while. Would you like to stop and get anything before we leave? I don’t know what will be between here and our next stop.”

  Lexi nodded, feeling the wall he’d slammed between them. “I’d like that.”

  He stopped at the next gas station, but just as Lexi was about to get out of the car, Jake yanked her back in. “We need to go.”

  She looked over her shoulder as five black vehicles pulled in. “How did they find us?”

  “I don’t know,” he said as he gunned the SUV and took a sharp left turn. “Faustus has studied me. He must have known where this vehicle was and put a tracer on it.” He pounded the steering wheel and cursed under his breath. “I’m so sorry. I should have thought of that when he called me captain.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  He looked at her. “If anything happens to you, it’ll be my fault. You’re my responsibility. I gave my word I’d keep you safe.”

  She touched his arm. “Jake—”

  “I need to think, okay? Just let me think.” He pulled a phone out of his pocket. “I purchased this phone at the last gas station. It’s a burner, so it isn’t traceable, in case you’re wondering. I’ve already called Noah to let him know we’re coming.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  He made a call as he continued to drive, taking turn after turn, backtracking until he turned into Red Rock Canyon State Park. He parked next to an older-model blue-and-white pickup truck. They got out of the SUV just as a man exited the pickup.

  Grey streaked his black hair, beard, and mustache. He was short and stocky, and based on the paunch he carried, it had been a while since he’d seen a treadmill. “Jake.” His voice wasn’t nearly as deep as Jake’s.

  “Gibson,” Jake said as he scanned the area. “Thanks for meeting me so late.”

  The man sighed. “It’s clear.”