One Night with her Bodyguard Read Free Page A

can’t…I can’t function.”
    “I
know it’s hard, but bodyguards aren’t expecting you to talk to them or even
acknowledge their presence. They’re in the background, like the furniture.”
    Claire’s
lips twisted in annoyance as she glanced back at Michael, but he looked as
impervious as ever.
    “I’ve
tried to think of them that way, but I can’t. They’re people, Dad. And one or
the other is always, always there. I just have to get away a little.
It’s just been once a week and—”
    “What?”
her father interrupted, in a half-roar she was very familiar with. “You’ve been
sneaking away from your security?”
    Claire
stared, stunned and speechless. Then she suddenly realized what happened.
    Her
father hadn’t known. This wasn’t what he’d wanted to talk about this morning.
    And
she’d just spilled it all like an absolute idiot.
    “Dad,”
she began.
    “I’ll
talk to you in just a minute.” He stood up from his chair, his eyes pinning
Michael’s. “Explain to me, right now, how my daughter has managed to get away
once a week without your team knowing about it.”
    There
was a reason her father was respected and feared in this town by people who
didn’t respect or fear anyone else. But Michael met the other man’s eyes
evenly, and he didn’t look cowed.
    Claire
wasn’t cowed either. She jumped up and grabbed her father’s arm. “Dad, it’s not
Michael’s fault. He wasn’t even on duty when I snuck out.”
    “It is his fault. He’s in charge of the team, so he’s responsible for
everything that happens on his watch, whether he’s present or not.”
    Claire
gulped. She was going to feel horribly guilty if Michael was fired because of
her.
    Her
father had previously used a large security firm, and several years ago they’d
sent over Michael as a temporary bodyguard.  Michael had just gotten out of the
military—he’d been an Army Ranger—but he was obviously naturally inclined
toward close security work. Her father, recognizing his skill and talent, had
immediately taken him on full-time staff and soon stopped working with the large
firm completely, giving Michael the responsibility of overseeing a private
security team. A couple of years ago, her father had offered Michael a position
with the studio. It was a much more lucrative position with much better work
hours, but Michael had refused to take it for reasons he wouldn’t explain.
    Michael
might be frustrating and obnoxious a lot of the time, but he was a decent man
who didn’t deserve to lose his job because of her.
    “But
you can’t blame Michael—” she tried again.
    “I do blame Michael.” He turned back to face the other man. “This is my daughter’s
safety, and there is nothing I take more seriously. Who was on duty when she
snuck out?”
    “Rick
Jonas. He’s already been let go.”
    Her
father blinked, his mind working quickly. Then his expression relaxed. “You
knew?”
    “Yes,”
Michael said. “I knew. Your daughter was never unprotected.”
    Claire
sucked in an outraged breath at this barefaced lie. Michael was always long
gone for the night when she snuck out—she would never be fool enough to try to
sneak out while he was on duty—and Rick had been completely unaware of
her night trips. He’d been in the exact same position when she left and came
back. There was no way he could have followed her.
    At
least the lie would save Michael’s position. She would berate him for hiding
the truth after they’d left her father, when it wouldn’t threaten his job.
    Michael
continued, “I knew it was important for her to feel alone, so I didn’t let her
know she was followed. She was never in danger.”
    Her
father let out a long exhalation. “Good man. Thank you.”
    Claire
sat down, squirming uncomfortably. She didn’t want Michael to get in trouble,
but she didn’t like how grateful and relieved her father looked.
    She
hadn’t had protection. If there had been danger on those nights, she would