Page 16 of The Bodyguard's Fall

“For all intents and purposes, your cover will be that you two are dating, and Liv came back home to visit Tate for a few weeks. Liv is concerned about Tate’s injury and can’t stand being away. You two can figure out the details, but be prepared to get cozy.”

Then, shooting a warning look directly at Tate, he added, “But not too cozy, Walker.”

And then he got in his car and drove away.

Plot Twist:

Nope. I’ve done enough romance research to know what this is called. I won’t say it. It’s a police-ordered undercover sham relationship. I won’t call it anything else.

The dust Will’s car kicked up on the driveway settled long before I did.

Tate recovered first.

With his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he said, “Well, let’s hope that being your better half will be an improvement from all the sweaty drug dealers I’m usually going undercover for, but only time will tell.”

I was still floundering. Confused. Addled. Trying to compute what my immediate future was about to look like and coming up empty. I could give him nothing but my best scowl, which seemed to do the trick. He only smiled before motioning me inside the house.

“I’ll show you to your room real quick if you want to change first,” Tate said as he led me past the family room and toward the stairs, as if my brother hadn’t just dropped a massive bomb on this little excursion. “We’ve got to be outside working in ten minutes.”

I stopped. “Wait. We?”

“Yeah. My dad needs me on the tractor.”

“But I have a screenplay to write.”

He paused at the stairs and thought for a second. “Can you bring your laptop? The swather has two seats. We could figure it out.”

I tilted my head to the side. “Isn’t the bodyguard supposed to go wherever I go?”

“I thought I was just a babysitter.” At my look, a smile hid in the corner of his mouth. “Your brother just ordered you to do whatever I say. So maybe you should take it up with him.”

At my hesitation, he added, “Look, I’m here so I can help my dad with the rest of the hay season. We won’t always be in a tractor, but today, I have to be.”

I nodded, already feeling too much like an imposition. “That’s fine. I’ll just take my notebook today.”

At this point, we were crowded in the landing at the bottom of the stairs, his imposing presence taking up more space than should be allowed. He motioned me ahead of him.

“Second door on the right,” he mumbled from behind me as we made our way up the stairs.

The door opened to a large bedroom. A queen bed sat along the center of the left wall, with a green and gray comforter. My duffel bags and laptop had been placed on top. A dresser sat against the opposite wall and a closet with two sliding doors in front. The walls were bare, except for a few enlarged photographs of Vermont’s Green Mountain chain. The whole vibe was simple and also…masculine.

“Whose room is this?” I asked, mortified at the thought of kicking someone out.

“Mine and Ben’s old room.”

“Where are you staying?”

He flicked his head backward, toward the wall at the head of the bed. “In the guest room next to you.”

“I can stay in that room, if you want to stay here.”

He shook his head, his arms crossed and looking extremely no-nonsense all of a sudden. “No. This room has only one window. Mine has two. I want you here.”

My heart skidded to a stop as chills shot straight up my spine at his words.

I want you here.

What a line.