Read Protect Me for Free Online Page B

on her own.
    Rick
shook his face, getting strands of dark hair in his face. He grinned at her
through the choppy curtain and Hope felt a sudden surge of fondness for his
endless good humor and enthusiasm.
    She looked down at her omelet.
Bad idea, she reminded herself. She’d only known the client for a few days and
already she was getting attached? This was all different shades of not good. It
was normal, even vaguely encouraged, for bodyguards to take a personal interest
in their clients. The idea was that it would push them to work harder.But there
was no executive protection agency in the world that would encourage Hope to be
drawn in by the sharp curve of Rick’s jaw, or to wonder if his cupid’s bow lips
were as soft and talented as they looked.
    “Hey.”
A round hip nudged against Hope’s shoulder and she looked at Trinity, who was
staring down in concern. “You okay? That’s a good omelet. I would know, I made
it.”
    “Something’s
wrong?” Hope swung her head around to see Rick staring at her with his forehead
creased in worry. “What happened? Did I do something? Is it someone’s birthday
again?”
    “Yes,
and happy birthday to me, but she didn’t know that either,” Trinity said. Both
of them continued to stare at Hope.
    If her
reactions hadn’t been trained so that her instinct was to hold her ground
rather than pull away, Hope would have shrunk back to huddle in her chair. She
stared at the two of them in confusion. They were so… concerned. About her. She
didn’t know what to think of it.
    “Happy
birthday, Trinity,” she said quickly. She turned to Rick and frowned severely
at him. “Don’t you have something to say?”
    Rick
blinked and finally glanced away from Hope, giving her a break from the
unrelenting concern. He gave Trinity a half-hearted grin. “Uh, right, have a
bonus.”
    Hope
kicked him under the table. He yelped.
    “Ow,
Jesus, what did I do?” he grumbled, reaching down to rub his shin.
    Trinity
looked like she was trying not to laugh and failing. “Oh honey, if you’re
trying to house-train him, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Making this
one human will be more than your job’s worth, let me tell you.”
    “Will
it now?” Hope said. She wondered just how much Trinity actually knew about her
job.
    “What?
What’d I do?” Rick demanded, for all the world like a puppy that didn’t want to
be disciplined, but didn’t want to be ignored either.
    He got
what he wanted though, since both of them turned back to him.
    “You’re
supposed to wish her happy birthday,” Hope sighed.
    “Oh.”
Rick looked surprised. Then he brightened. “I can do that. Happy birthday!” He
smiled hugely at Trinity, looking genuinely pleased with himself. Hope didn’t
know whether to laugh or cry.
    Trinity
did though; she laughed and shook a spoon at him.
    “I’ll
take that bonus,” she informed him. “Now, both of you find something to busy
yourselves with - out of my kitchen.”
     
     
     
     
    They
wandered out of the kitchen together in amiable silence. Hope slipped her hands
into her pockets and Rick tucked one of those manila folders of notes under his
arm.
    She
started to wander down toward the East Wing and was surprised when Rick
followed her.
    “Are
you going to play video games again?” she asked, remembering his excuse (lie)
from the day before.
    Rick
shook his head and caught her gaze with a grin.
    “I have
some free time. I was thinking I’d show you around a bit more, if you’d like.”
    Hope
couldn’t very well turn that down. “Sure,” she said, not bothering to mask the
surprise in her voice. “If you don’t have anything better to do.”
    “Never,”
Rick said with another of those easy smiles. His dark eyes seemed to only see
her, and Hope wondered why he bothered with being kind. Wondered how many other
women he’d look at this way.
    For
several minutes they strolled down the hall in companionable silence.
    “Taking
me anywhere in