by Elle James
“Well, you’re deployed now, and look at us, already engaged.” She laughed. “It’s kind of like an arranged marriage, isn’t it?”
“Well, it definitely wasn’t a love match,” he said. “Get some sleep, Layla. You’ll have a busy day tomorrow.”
She lay for a moment, letting the silence grow between them. “Bull?”
“Yes, Layla.”
“Thank you for helping me tonight.”
“You’re welcome.”
Layla lay for another thirty minutes staring up at the ceiling, going over everything that had happened that evening. Nothing had gone quite right. But they had accomplished their mission and gotten Yara away from her father who was willing to sell her into the sex trade.
The sound of Bull’s deep breathing made Layla feel safe and calm. At the same time, it made her body tense and disturbed. How could one man inspire both feelings that were diametrically opposed? He was irritating, yet he was sexy. And he’d more or less blackmailed her into letting him sleep in her room. For the right reason.
He had been tasked with protecting her. And the only way he could do that was be with her around the clock.
Layla finally closed her eyes and slept, dreaming of a man in boxer shorts, leaning over to kiss her as she lay naked in her bed.
All too soon, morning sunlight filtered through her window around the blinds. She opened her eyes to find the couch empty and Bull gone. She sat up straight and looked around the empty room. So much for Bull keeping an eye on her. Then the bathroom door opened, and Bull stepped out, carrying his toiletries kit, his chin cleanly shaved.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” he said. “We have a full day ahead of us.”
She groaned and pulled the comforter over her head to block out the sunlight and his cheerful disposition. She’d hated that he’d had the chance to sneak into the bathroom before her. She must be a mess with her ponytail hanging sideways, sleep in her eyes and morning breath.
“How are you for making coffee?” she asked from beneath the blanket.
“I’ve been known to make a pot or two,” he said.
“There’s a coffeemaker in the corner. Could you get some coffee started while I make use of the bathroom?”
“I can do that,” he said, and strode to the other end of the room where the coffeemaker stood on the counter. Layla flung back the covers. She riffled through her dresser for a bra, went to her closet and pulled out a dress and hurried into the bathroom. One glance in the mirror confirmed her suspicion. She was a wreck.
Ten minutes later, with her hair neatly brushed, a light dusting of makeup on her face, and wearing a light blue dress with short, capped sleeves, she emerged from the bathroom, feeling more confident and well put together. “I just have to put on shoes, and I’ll be ready to go down for breakfast,” she said.
He nodded and went to stand by the window, while she slipped a pair of strappy shoes on her feet.
A knock sounded on her door. Bull tensed and went to answer it. He pulled it open to find a woman standing there with a clipboard in her hand.
“Oh,” she said, “I must have the wrong room.” When she looked past him and saw Layla standing there buckling her shoes, she frowned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had company. I can come back later.”
“That won’t be necessary, Pinar,” Layla said. “Pinar, you remember Greg Smith from last night? My fiancé.” Layla nodded toward the man. “He’ll be staying with me.”
Pinar’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded. “Very well, Ms. Grey. How long will he be with you?”
“I’m not certain.” And she wasn’t. How long did one borrow Delta Force soldiers for bodyguard duty?
Surely, it wouldn’t be for long. They had better things to do, battles to fight, bad guys to ferret out. Babysitting an ambassador’s daughter had to be the last thing he’d expected to do.
Layla hadn’t wanted him in her life when her father had given her the edict that he was to be with her all the time. But now that she’d seen what he was capable of—and felt his kiss—she wasn’t as anxious to be rid of him.
In fact, she was beginning to like the guy. Not that she’d ever tell him. Still, she wasn’t ready for him to cut out. Life had begun to be a lot more interesting with Bull around.
Chapter 6
Bull hadn’t slept much the night before. The hard lumpy sofa wasn’t nearly as unsettling as the thought of Layla lying in the bed a few short steps away.
If he could keep an eye on her without being in the same room, he might have slept better.
Hearing the whispery soft sound of her breathing and the occasional moan from her direction had his senses tied in knots and his groin so tight he could barely move.
Sleep finally claimed him around two in the morning. The sun, finding its way around the edges of the blinds in the window, woke him well before six o’clock, ending a restless night. He’d opted for a shower to wake him and a chance to shave.
When he stepped out of the bathroom, he felt more together, until he spotted Layla stretching in her bed, her hair messy and her face flushed pink with sleep.
His heart stuttered, and his pulse blasted through his veins.
When she’d asked for coffee, he would have given her the moon if that was what she’d requested.
What was wrong with him? He was Delta Force. Layla was an ambassador’s daughter. If something grew out of their time together, how often would he be in Turkey to see her?
Never.
The woman standing at the door of Layla’s quarters cocked an eyebrow as she stared at Bull. “Will you need your assigned quarters?” she asked. “Should I free it for others to use?”
“No,” Layla said.
“Yes,” Bull spoke at the same time. He overrode her with, “I’ll room with my fiancée for the remainder of my stay in Turkey, however long that might be.” He stared down at the woman, giving her a level, yet firm look that didn’t invite further comment or query.
Ms. Erim’s brow dipped. “I see.”
“What is it you needed, Pinar?” Layla stepped up beside Bull.
“I wanted to go over your schedule for the day. It can wait until after breakfast. However, you have an early morning visit at the orphanage. They expect you at 9:00 am.”
“We’ll be there,” Layla said. “Be sure to notify them that I’ll be bringing my fiancé with me to meet the children. Did the boxes of toys arrive?”
Ms. Erim nodded. “They came in yesterday. We’ve loaded them into the van that will deliver them and you to the orphanage. It will be waiting out front when you’re ready to leave.”
“Thank you,” Layla said.
At that point, the woman didn’t seem inclined to leave.
“Is there anything else?” Layla asked.
“Yes, Ms. Grey.” Ms. Erim glanced down at the organizer in her hands. “Don’t forget you are expected at the international reception at the Grand Ankara Hotel.”
“See that Mr. Smith is on the guest list. For that matter, now that he’s here, I won’t attend functions alone. Be sure that invitations extended to the ambassador and his daughter include an invitation to my fiancé.”
Ms. Erim’s brow remained furrowed as she scribbled a note into the notebook organizer.
“Is there anything else?” Layla asked.
Ms. Erim snapped her notebook shut. “No, Ms. Grey. I’ll take care of the invitation and notify the orphanage of the change of plans.”
“Thank you.” Layla walked Ms. Erim through the door. “We’ll be down for breakfast momentarily.” She backed into her room and closed the door.
“I get the feeling Ms. Erim wasn’t happy to see me in your suite.”
“Frankly, it’s none of her business who stays in my quarters with me.”
“Do I detect friction between the two of you?” Bull slipped a belt through the loops on his trousers and buckled it in front.
“Ms. Erim has been at the embassy since before my father and I arrived. We kind of
inherited her. The previous ambassador’s wife spoke highly of her. She’s good at keeping my schedule and does what I ask of her.” Layla’s brow dipped. “She’s just never warmed up to me. I think she likes working with older women.”
“Do you think she feels somewhat threatened by you?”
Layla shrugged. “I don’t know why. I’ve never done anything to anger her, that I know of.”
“Are you ready?” Bull asked.
Layla nodded.
Her pale blue dress fit her to perfection, accentuating the narrowness of her waist and the curves of her breasts and hips. The silvery high-heeled sandals showed off her trim ankles and the tightness of her calves. She was stunning.
“Do I look all right to visit the orphans?”
“You’re gorgeous. Are you sure you’re not going out to meet with the royals?”
She laughed. “Sometimes, I like to dress for the orphans. They love to see pretty things. And in the box of toys, I’ve included balls, dolls and dress-up clothes for both boys and girls. We have tea parties, and I teach them how to be ladies and gentlemen.”
Bull could imagine the children flocking around the pretty ambassador’s daughter, in awe of her beauty.
“Other times, I go in my jeans and a baseball jersey. We have game day where I teach them about soccer, baseball, football, cricket and other sports.”
“Which days do they prefer? Sport day or dress-up day?”
She laughed. “They love both equally. When we have sports day, they beg for dress-up day next. And vice versa.”
He opened the door, stepped out into the hallway and offered her his arm.
She slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow and smiled up at him. “You’re going to love the children.”
“I already do.”
They made it to dining room for breakfast with other members of the embassy staff where the ambassador discussed the business of the day and his plans.
As soon as breakfast was over, Bull and Layla returned to their room. While Layla was in the bathroom refreshing her makeup and brushing her teeth, Bull sent a text to Rucker informing him of where they were headed that morning.
Rucker: Will send a couple of the guys for backup
Bull: Could have used that backup last night
Rucker: ?
Bull: Will fill you in later
Layla chose that moment to emerge from the bathroom. “Your turn,” she said.
He tucked his cellphone into his pocket and entered the bathroom, leaving the door open while he brushed his teeth.
“Have you ever considered working full time for an embassy?” she asked him, as he brushed and rinsed.
He shook his head, stowed his toothbrush and dried his hands. “No. I never considered it. I like the brotherhood and camaraderie of the Delta Force. And I enjoy the challenge of our assignments.”
She smiled. “Like this one?”
“I have to admit, this is the first one of this type that I’ve been involved with. But that’s what I mean. Our missions are varied, which keeps it interesting.”
“And dangerous,” she said.
“Not all embassies have had it easy,” Bull said. “This one’s in a country right now full of strife. You don’t know what’s going to happen with the president, or the people who are rebelling against him.”
She nodded. “True.”
“Unfortunately, the embassy staff isn’t combat trained to defend yourselves.”
“We have military personnel stationed here to provide our protection,” she said.
His jaw tightened. “Not enough to repel a full-on attack.”
“That’s true,” she said. “That’s why we rely on our intel to stay ahead of such things.”
He captured her gaze. “Intel didn’t save the lives of the embassy staff in Libya.”
Layla nodded. “You make a good point.” She glanced at her watch. “And I’d love to debate the subject with you, but right now we have an orphanage to visit, and we need to get a move on if we’re going to get there on time.”
A van filled with boxes and driven by a member of the Turkish guard awaited them in front of the embassy. They traveled through the busy streets of Ankara to the orphanage where the staff of the orphanage met them with smiles and hugs.
Layla spoke to them in Turkish. They laughed and smiled and looked toward Bull. Layla showed them the ring on her finger, and she was greeted with more smiles and hugs. The orphanage staff and some of the older children carried boxes into the orphanage. Inside, the children were allowed to help empty the boxes and distribute the toys and dress up clothes. One of the staff members pulled Layla aside and spoke with her for a few minutes. Layla came back and smiled at Bull.
“The staff and the children have requested a special lesson in dancing. I don’t suppose you know how to waltz. Did your cotillion preparation teach you that?”
Bull groaned. “As a matter of fact, yes, it did.”
“Good, then we’ll teach them how to waltz.”
“On one condition,” he said.
“And what’s that?”
“We also teach them how to do a line dance. Though I was trained in ballroom dancing, I prefer country and western music two-stepping, and I can also do a little bit of line dancing.”
Layla smiled. “That would be perfect. The children will love it.”
As the staff cleared the dining room floor of tables and chairs and brought in a radio and speaker and tuned it to a local classical channel, Layla helped the children dress. The girls put on the princess dresses, and the boys scrambled to find jackets and trousers. When they were all dressed, Layla and the staff members paired them off—boy, girl, boy, girl. The orphanage director found a waltz on the radio and turned up the volume.
Layla stood in front of the girls and held her arms up in the position to dance.
Bull stood in front of the boys with one arm held low, the other arm held high, and then he stepped toward Layla, and put his hand around her, resting it at the middle of her back.
She placed her hand on his shoulder, and he held her other hand lightly in his palm. They waited for the children to assume the same position with their partners. Then using very deliberate steps, Bull led Layla in the 1-2-3 step of the waltz, counting out loud.
“1-2-3, 1-2-3.” He danced her around the room and came to a stop back where he had started. She had followed him perfectly, her body moving in time to his. He wanted to keep going, but the children were anxious to try their hand at it. Layla took one young couple—the children were perhaps ten, maybe twelve years old—and she helped them to move to the 1-2-3 step, until they had it down and sailed across the floor on their own.
Bull chose another couple, a little younger, probably eight or nine, and showed them how to perform the steps. The boy and girl moved in jerky motions but had the steps down, if not in time to the music. Soon, all the little couples were moving about the floor. Some concentrated on their steps, counting out loud. Others laughed and rocked back and forth, clueless about the proper way to waltz, but having fun anyway.
When the music stopped, the children dropped their holds and clapped, begging for more.
Bull crossed to the radio, spun the dial and found a country and western station. He hurried back to the front of the room and turned his back to the others. Moving slowly, making his footwork overly obvious, he showed them one step after the other. It was a simple line dance with only a few different movements. Soon, the children had it mastered.
When the song came to an end, the children all shouted for more. They danced to several songs with the same line dance. By then it was time for the children to eat their lunch and for Bull and Layla to leave. Everyone pitched in to help the staff move the tables and chairs back to their positions.
The children gathered around Bull and Layla, all talking at once and reaching out for hugs, which Layla gladly gave them. Bull got down on his knees to hug some of the littler ones. He hadn’t realized how much he missed
children.
He glanced over a Layla. One little girl did not want to let go of her leg. Others touched her dress, loving the feel of it. The children loved her, and Layla was so good with them. But it was time for them to go.
When they stepped outside of the orphanage, Layla leaned into the van and spoke to the driver. He nodded.
She looked out at Bull. “Do you mind if we walk a little of the way? We can catch a cab back to the embassy.”
He wasn’t sure he liked that idea. It left her too exposed. But hell, they’d gone all through the city at night, and this was daytime, what could happen?
In his experience, a lot, but it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and he liked the idea of walking with her.
She had her two bodyguards lurking nearby, and Rucker had promised a couple of the guys as Bull’s backup.
He looked around searching for them. It took him a moment to find them. As promised, they were there.
Mac leaned against a lamp post with a newspaper in his hand, pretending to read the pages. Dawg sat on a low wall bouncing a tennis ball between his knees.
Bull had the backup he needed, and they’d follow. He smiled at Layla. “Okay, let’s walk.”
She waved the van driver off, and he left the building in the empty van and drove away.
“Do you know where we’re walking?” Bull asked.
Layla nodded as she strolled along at an easy pace. “If we stay on this road, we’ll eventually come to the downtown area with all the shops. We can do a little window shopping before we have to head back to the embassy.”
After they had gone several blocks, Bull glanced back. Mac and Dawg followed at a staggered distance. The closer they go to the town center, the more people who were on the street.
Bull felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he pulled it out. It was Mac texting him.
Mac: You’ve got a tail
Bull moved closer to Layla and rested his hand at the small of her back. He leaned close as if he wanted to kiss her ear. Instead, he whispered, “Somebody’s following us.”
She looked up at him sharply. “How do you know?”