Page 8 of Daddy's Bodyguard
Carissa would already be drooling over him, asking him a million questions. She’d read into those stupid things coming out of his mouth as if it were more than a way to avoid silence.
I don’t want to be here. I certainly don’t want to be around him. He’s not a good guy. Dad doesn’t work with people who aren’t vicious, who aren’t just like him – willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want, no matter who or what it costs. Jasper seems like the kind of man that danger follows, which makes me even more nervous to stay here, even though I said I would.
My eyes flick from Jasper to the door. I need to wait to make a choice. My brain is still on overdrive, and if I show my cards now, he’ll have the advantage.
I bite my thumb nail as I look at the TV. It’s a rom com … and he chose it? Is it for me or him? Didn’t he say he’s a military man?
“Why are we watching this?” I ask, pulling up my leg on the couch.
“We?” Jasper scoffs. “You’ve barely glanced at the TV since we sat here.
“Wait a minute; you chose this for yourself?”
“I like romance movies, okay? I appreciate the idea of everyone having one true soul mate,” Jasper replies. “A lot of them are silly, but they make me feel better.”
“How? They remind you of a woman?” It’s not hard to imagine a beautiful, leggy blonde waiting for him somewhere. Or maybe two. With a body and face like Jasper’s, he could easily be a ladies’ man.
“Nope. They make me realize it’s almost impossible to find real love, so I shouldn’t feel bad that I don’t have it,” he says.
“You don’t have what, a girlfriend?” I ask, puzzled.
He shakes his head.
“Get the heck out of here!”
“Why is that so hard to believe?”
“Because…” I vertically gesture to his body, feeling my face heat as I do so.
Jasper chuckles. “Just say it, Sofia. I promise I won’t jump your bones or anything.”
I roll my eyes at him but acknowledge another heat wave flooding my face. I donotwant to think about him jumping my bones. I scoot over a little on the couch and tuck my legs beneath me. “You look like a man who has the women banging on your door all night.”
Still grinning, he cocks his head towards the front door, listening. “I don’t hear a thing. Do you?”
I give him a whack, and he laughs out loud, and the pleasantness makes me smile. I could listen to him laugh anytime. Oh, gosh. Did that thought really cross my mind?
He leans back and studies my face, making me wonder if he knows what I’m thinking right now.
“Seriously, though. Why don’t you have a girlfriend? Don’t tell me you’re one of those guys who blame the universe for all your fuck-ups that chased a good woman away.”
“If I can blame the universe for me not having a girlfriend, you better believe I will.”
“Oh, please. The universe doesn’t care about us.” I cross my arms again. “If the universe cared, bad people wouldn’t be able to do the evil, devastating things they do.”
“You’re probably right. But then, there would be no need for guys like me, huh?”
My eyes run over his solid frame once more. I can’t help myself. I can’t deny how yummy he is, either. “I’m sure you would find another way to earn a living. Something that doesn’t require killing. Doesn’t it bother you sometimes?”
“As long as the bad guys lose, I sleep quite sound at night,” he casually replies, throwing his arms over the couch. “Can we get back to the movie, please?”
I settle against the couch and tune into the movie for a while. It’s not bad, actually. The clumsy heroine makes me laugh out loud a few times, and I love the chemistry between her and the sexy hero. He reminds me of Jasper, tall, chiseled, lips that make me think dirty things—
Stop, Sofia. Don’t even go there.
“Seems you’re enjoying the movie,” Jasper says.
I shrug. “It’s alright.”