One Night with her Bodyguard Read Free Page B

have
been in it.
    “Just
so it’s clear, I can refuse protection any time I want. But I don’t want to
upset you, so I’ll try not to do it again.” She dropped her eyes as she spoke,
pulling inward.
    “Please
don’t, pumpkin. I don’t have another daughter to replace you.” He reached over
to pat her hand and waited for almost a minute until she raised her eyes again.
Then he continued, “As interesting as this revelation has been, it wasn’t why I
wanted to talk to you today.”
    “What
is it?” she asked, having actually forgotten there must have been another purpose
for her summons.
    “I
have a favor to ask you,” her father admitted. “But since you came out with
this confession, maybe we can call it a fair trade rather than a favor.”
    “What
do you need?” The favor must be something she wouldn’t want to do. He knew she
was happy to help him however she could otherwise, so he would have just called
to ask.
    “I’m
in a bit of a PR pickle.”
    “You’re
getting bad press about something?” Claire never read the papers or watched any
sort of Hollywood news. She got the national headlines from NPR and simply
didn’t care about politics in this town.
    “I’m
afraid so. My people say it would help if I could remind folks that I’m a
family man.”
    Claire’s
fist tightened in her lap. “Oh, no, Dad.”
    “I’m
really sorry. You know I only ask when it’s important.”
    It
was true. He knew how she felt about mingling in his social circles, and so he
almost never asked her to do so.
    She
cleared her throat. “What is it?”
    “A
cocktail party. Tonight. You’d only have to stay an hour or so. And it’s here,
so it will be familiar territory.”
    She
was swallowed in cold dread at the idea of mingling and making superficial
conversation with a houseful of rich, gorgeous, intimidating strangers.
    Her
father needed her help, though—he wouldn’t have asked otherwise. And she’d betrayed
him every Thursday night for six weeks by sneaking away from her bodyguard.
    “Okay,”
she said in a choked voice. “What time?”
    “You
won’t need to go down until after nine, but come over early so you won’t have
to get through the mob of people.”
    She
nodded, a little stiffly. “Okay.”
    “Be
brave.”
    He’d
always told her that—since she was five years old and paralyzed with terror
about going to the first day of kindergarten.
    It
might not take courage for most people to face something as innocuous as a big
party, but Claire had to be brave every time.
    “I
will.” She pushed the fear to the back corner of her mind for the time being,
the only way to make it through the day before a dreaded event. “I’ve got to
get to work.”
    “I
know. Thank you for helping me out. I’ll see you tonight.”
    She
nodded again and accepted the hug her father gave her as she started to leave.
    As
she was walking out through the large airy living area that connected to the
formal dining room and the marble-floored main hall, she stopped short,
imagining the huge spaces full of people.
    People
she didn’t know and to whom she would have to make charming small talk tonight.
    For
just a moment, she froze.
    Before
she could work herself into a state of paralysis, she felt a pressure on her
back.
    Michael
was pushing her, his hand planted just below her shoulder blades.
    He
wasn’t rough or even particularly rude, but his hand was a force that couldn’t
be resisted.
    So
she kept walking until she made it to the car, where Roger was waiting to open
the door for her.
    Michael
got into the backseat with her. Usually the bodyguard escorting her sat in the
front with Roger or whomever was driving the car. Sometimes Michael sat in the
front too, but at other times he joined her in the back. She never knew what
decided the difference.
    He
was on the phone when the car started off, talking to someone about
arrangements for her protection at the party tonight.
    His
low voice drifted over her