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wielded guns for a living.
    Snob .
    Grace sniffed. She wasn’t a snob, dammit. She just knew what kind of man she liked. Not that men had been thick on the ground in her life lately, but there was always hope.
    Not for the first time, she wished she was little and cute like Brooke. If she looked like Brooke, she might get more attention. Instead, she was tall and plain, and that just didn’t excite many men.  
    She thought of Tim and his newfound interest in her and grimaced. Maybe she should have accepted his invitation after all. Who cared if it was because of her father’s announcement?
    “So, Grace didn’t tell me she was getting a bodyguard.” Brooke threw her a look over her cute little shoulder. Grace resisted the urge to stick out her tongue, but only barely.
    “Daddy sprung him on me. I couldn’t say no.”
    “And why would you want to?” Brooke practically purred.
    Grace folded her arms. “Trust me, I wanted to. He’s mean, for one thing. And he has a dirty mouth.”
    “Dirty mouths are the best.” Brooke’s voice had dropped an octave.  
    Grace rolled her eyes. “Oh for heaven’s sake, stop that.”
    Brooke laughed. Garrett was looking at her with interest now, a mischievous smile still on his face.  
    “ Both of you,” Grace added with a twinge of something very like jealousy.
    Garrett’s eyes snapped to hers, cooling marginally as they did so. His expression settled into something much less friendly when he looked at her.
    “Whatever you say, ma’am,” he drawled in that Southern voice of his. But then he turned back to Brooke, and his expression softened. “I’m sorry I scared you. I only hope I wasn’t too rough.”
    The way he said the word rough sent liquid heat sliding through Grace’s bones.  
    “Not at all,” Brooke said. “You weren’t rough at all.”
    “Brooke,” Grace snapped, and her friend jerked toward her. “Help me pick out something for tonight, okay?”
    The sunny smile was back on Brooke’s perky face. “Of course.”
    She sauntered toward Grace, her attention off of Mr. Dirty Mouth for now.  
    “I’m thinking the LBD with pearls. Classic!” Brooke sailed right past Grace and continued toward the stairs.  
    Grace turned to follow—but not before she gave Garrett her best “stay away from my friend” glare. And not before he put his hand to his lips and blew her a kiss. She was certain it was a kiss off —but it still made her heart pound in ways she wished it wouldn’t. She ran up the stairs after Brooke, determined to shut Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy out of her head for a while.
    When she got upstairs, however, Brooke was standing in front of her closet, bouncing up and down.  
    “Oh my God, Grace, where did your father find him ? Wow, that man is smoking hot! Lucky girl.”
    Grace frowned. “I don’t feel so lucky. I feel caged.”
    “Aw, honey, I’m sorry.” Brooke came over and tugged her down on the edge of the bed. “I know you hate crowds and strangers, but really, this one is so fine. Oh, those tattoos—that chest! Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little fun for a change?”
    Grace blinked at her. “Fun? I thought you wanted him! Are you really suggesting that I should…”
    She couldn’t finish the sentence. Brooke’s eyes were twinkling. “I can’t remember the last time you had a date, and now you’ve got a man in your house for what I can only assume is around-the-clock protection.” She frowned. “There won’t be another one coming to take his place, will there? Shift work?”
    Grace shook her head. “He’s staying here, in the house with me.”
    “Hot damn!”
    “Brooke, for heaven’s sake, he had a gun to your temple! Shouldn’t you be a little less understanding about all this?”
    “Oh, that wasn’t pleasant, I’ll grant you that—but it’s over now, and he’s here to protect you.” Brooke’s expression turned stern. “Which I am glad for, Grace. You don’t have any idea who tried to grab you—or