Page 23 of Saving Stella

Cliff had been tailing her since she arrived at JFK, and as per Charley and Devon’s request, he’d kept his distance. There was nothing out of the ordinary about her, at least not from what he’d seen. He was surprised at her choice of hotel and the fact that she used the subway, seeing as Devon could have easily sprung for a room at The Plaza and a limo, but that wasn’t his business. He did as he was told—watch over her and make sure no one bothers her.

But when she had foolishly rushed to save that kid, he had no choice but to reveal himself to her. While he admired her courage, her actions nearly blew his cover. When she fell and he saw the oncoming vehicle, he hadn’t given it a second thought. Using his Lycan speed, he swiftly scooped her up off the ground and brought her back to the sidewalk.

That was when he made his biggest mistake. The second he smelled her luscious lavender and sage scent it had burned into his mind. He couldn’t bring himself to let go of her, not when her soft curves had pressed deliciously against his body. His cock had instantly hardened.

Then he had looked into those beautiful sky-blue eyes, and it was as if he’d taken a blow to the head during a fight. In that moment, he’d learned the true meaning of stunned.

Thankfully, he had managed to walk away from her before she asked any questions. But even now, his dick throbbed at the memory of having her in his arms.

Yanking the door handle, he quickly exited the car and took in a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. He glanced up at the hotel, counting four floors up and two windows to the right. Her curtains were closed so he couldn’t tell if she was awake or asleep.

His wolf let out a whimper, then lay down.

Folding his arms across his chest, he continued watching the window, wondering if she was already in bed. He could imagine her on top of the mattress, the sheets tangled between her legs and?—

Gritting his teeth, he went back inside the SUV. He’d been awake for more than twenty-four hours now, since she arrived last night. Lycans didn’t really need much sleep, and the longest he’d gone without it was five days during a quick job in Croatia a couple years back. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he connected it the entertainment system and put on the next episode of the podcast he had started last night. Podcasts were a good way to pass the time, especially on these overnight shifts, though tonight he was only half listening because he kept one eye up at Stella’s window.

Not like anything was going to happen.

Last night had been uneventful, and he guessed tonight would be no different. A strange protectiveness kept him on edge, though, which had not been present last night. Usually, he trusted his gut, but he couldn’t quite tell where these vibes were coming from—he only knew that he had to keep Stella safe and away from any danger.

Hours passed, and there was no movement from the window, not even a fluttering of the curtains. Dawn came, and then early morning, but he kept his vigil. The only time Cliff left was to grab a cup of coffee and a cheese and egg sandwich from the deli across the street.

By ten forty-five there was still no sign of her. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach, wondering what was going on with her.

Was she still sleeping?

Did she have breakfast or anything to eat?

What if something happened to her while she was asleep?

Panic rose in him, and he bolted out of the car. He was about to enter the lobby when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

“Cliff, you’re still here?” Charley asked as she bounded toward him.

“Charley?”

“Uh, yeah?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you okay? Did you get any sleep at all?”

“Can’t sleep, I’m on the clock,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m taking Stella out today to go sightseeing.” She frowned. “What are you doing here?”

“My job,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Didn’t anyone from the office contact you?”

“No?” At least he hadn’t checked his phone yet. “Sorry, my phone died. Plugged it in but I haven’t looked at it yet.”

“I remember when you used to be glued to your phone and obsessed with your follower count.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, last night, Devon told me that Stella wasn’t happy with having a security detail, and he felt terrible about having her tailed without her consent. So, he doesn’t want her followed anymore, at least not unless she really needs it. You can go home and get some shut-eye. You’ve certainly earned it.”

“I see.” Every muscle in his body tensed, as he fought the urge to argue with her. Stella had never been to New York before, and as evidenced by yesterday’s debacle on Fifth Avenue, she shouldn’t be out here on her own. He didn’t care if she wasn’t happy about it, because she certainly needed it.

But, he wasn’t the boss, and this was just a job.

“Hey, Charley! You’re here.”

Every nerve ending in Cliff’s body lit up at the sound of the sweet, melodic voice. When he turned to her, that same stunned sensation nearly knocked him on his ass. Stella looked utterly gorgeous this morning, with a blue beret on top of her head and her long blonde hair in a thick braid down one shoulder. He didn’t know anything about fashion but the simple blue dress she wore covered her from neck to ankle, and she still managed to look sexy. He wanted to wrap that braid around his hand and pull her?—