Once Upon a Marriage

Because he hadn’t.

She kissed him back the same way.

A trap?

“How was your evening?” she asked as they took the elevator down to their floor.

He shrugged. Told the truth. “Uneventful. Which makes it good.”

A quick twinge showed on her upper lip. In the right corner. Once.

“Mostly you wait out in the car when you’re on the job. Unless someone needs extra security, or there’s no security where they’re going to be.”

Swearing silently again, he knew exactly where this was going.

“Mostly.”

The elevator door opened. Key ready, Elliott let them in.

And waited.

What did he do now? Heading off to the bedroom, which was all he really wanted to do, probably wasn’t good.

Her arms slid around his middle. “I love you.”

Elliott held on tight. He was not a stupid man. “I love you.”

Chin at his chest, she looked up at him. “You ready for bed, or you need to unwind first?”

Was there a right answer here? He’d give her whatever she needed. He just really needed to know what that was.

“I’d like to go to bed,” he said. “But not until you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.”

She took his hand. Started to lead him down the hall. Elliott pulled her back.

Held her to him and pinned her with a look he hoped reached her soul. “I was working tonight.”

Her gaze didn’t falter and he had a feeling she was struggling. She didn’t believe him. He could tell by the way she was looking at him. She was trying. And she was failing.

“I know,” she said. Lying to him. Tears filled her eyes.

He had to be honest with her. “Liam called me. About the photo on the news.” There would always be things he couldn’t tell her. Things she’d find out only if his clients happened to make the news. People who needed bodyguards were often newsworthy. And bodyguards were often in the background when they were photographed out in public.

The news could report. He couldn’t. And so he had to have complete honesty when he could. Even if it wasn’t easy.

Even if he could get away with less.

“I didn’t know he’d called, but I’m not surprised. He’s been slaying dragons that he thought might hurt my heart since I was eighteen.”

They were talking. Just as they’d said they would.

“I work for her father. For the whole family. Anytime any one of them is in town.” He could tell her that much. Harcourt didn’t hide the fact that he had a bodyguard. Only Sailor had done that. The last time she was in town.

“The caption said you were her escort.” Her doubts were there. Loud and clear.

“It was part of tonight’s job.”