Page 80 of Thirsty Bodyguard Summer

“Good.”

I lifted her.

Cassidy’s legs wrapped around my waist, careful of her injured arm but not careful about anything else. Her laugh warmed my mouth as I carried her toward the bedroom.

“The detail ended five minutes ago,” she said.

“I noticed.”

“There’s an agent outside.”

“He appears focused on maritime conditions.”

“That line wasn’t funny the first time.”

“You kissed me after I used it.”

“The two events were unrelated.”

I reached the bed and lowered her onto the mattress.

Cassidy caught my chain before I could straighten and pulled me down over her.

“After the recording block,” she said.

“I come back here.”

“Then I come to you.”

“What happens after that?”

She kissed me, slow and certain.

“We make the next plan after you get back.”

I covered her body with mine and felt her smile against my mouth.

We had two visits on the calendar.

Cassidy wrapped both legs around my hips and kissed me until I forgot to check the clock again.

Epilogue

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS CLIMBEDthe Beacon’s candy-striped tower and reflected across the harbor in red-and-white streaks. Palms moved in the warm December breeze, boats glittered along the marina, and somebody had hung a wreath over the dive-locker door where wet suits usually dripped.

Sunbreak Security had cleaned up well.

Rafi wore a white linen shirt instead of his usual pressed jacket. Isabel had brought Cuban pastries from a bakery near the causeway. Sloane stood beside the operations table with a citrus drink in one hand while three SBS agents emptied the holiday-cookie bowl.

“We skipped dinner,” one of them said.

I stood near the rail with one of the citrus drinks while Shane leaned beside me in an open-collar cream shirt and tailored tan trousers. His gold chain caught the lighthouse glow whenever he moved. He’d spent enough evenings at the Beacon that nobody stared when he reached behind me for a napkin, and he knew which cabinet held the extra glasses.

He’d flown back when his first recording block ended. I’d visited during my three-day break and again between assignments. He knew not to call during a protection handoffunless someone was bleeding. I knew a studio at two in the morning could be quieter than the Atlantic before sunrise.

Tonight, his phone had already buzzed twice with messages about the new single. Mine stayed silent in my evening bag.

Shane brushed his knuckles against mine. “You’ve checked the exits four times.”