The Bodyguard Affair

“He’s doing great. Except for when he’s angry that I’m not giving him attention.”

“He’s done a complete 180 since you took him in. I still remember the days when no one at the shelter could pick him up without protective gloves on. Which reminds me, are you coming to the shelter’s charity gala? I don’t think we got your RSVP.”

“I’m definitely coming. I wouldn’t miss it.” Bianca usually dreaded the stuffy charity functions her family threw. But given that Julia and Parker were organizing this one, it was likely to be a little more exciting than the usual high society events. And it would at least have a more colorful guest list.

“Great!” Julia turned around as her girlfriend emerged from the back bedroom. “Parker, your sister’s here to see you. I’ll give you two some space to chat. I’ve got some calls to return, anyway.”

Parker lingered in the middle of her living room, linen lounge pants loose around her legs and T-shirt clinging to her torso. “To what do I owe this trifle pleasure?”

Parker may have been imitating their mother, but she still came across as effortlessly cool. It was why Bianca had chosen to visit her, not Scarlett. Aside from the fact that Scarlett was probably still at work, Bianca much preferred Parker’s company.She didn’t take things so seriously. Not like Scarlett, who could be just as bad as their mother when it came to her overprotective predilections toward the youngest child in the family. At almost 40 years old, Scarlett was like a second mother.

Parker, on the other hand, was a genuine big sister. While the life she led was chaotic, in good ways and bad, she always found a way to be there for Bianca when she needed her. When Bianca was in high school, lamenting that her insulin pump got in the way of wearing stylish clothes, it was future lingerie brand founder Parker who came up with the solution. She’d made Bianca a cute lace garter-like strap with a little pocket for her insulin pump so she could wear it under dresses and skirts. Bianca still used it often.

She grabbed one of the pillows off the couch and plopped it against her chest. “Just thought I’d drop by and catch up with you. It’s been a while.”

Parker settled at the other end of the couch and drew a hand through her short blonde hair.“It’s always been a while. Last I heard from you, you were waiting to hear back about grad school. Anything new?”

She always cuts right to the chase. “Yes, actually. I got into UCLA, my top choice.”

“That’s great!” Parker always had two smiles on standby, and Bianca was pleased to see the genuine one. “Congratulations. Are you going to go?”

Bianca sank deeper into the couch. “I want to go. God knows I need to get out of here for a year or two. But Mom threw a shit-fit when I told her about it. She won’t let me go anywhere.”

“Yes, mother is quite the b… I mean, stubborn.”

“That’s putting it mildly. She’s been more insufferable than usual this past month. Do you know anything about this supposed ‘security threat’ she keeps going on about? She’s completely overhauling the building security over it. And now she’s saddled me with a bodyguard.”

Parker shook her head. “I don’t know anything. You probably know as much as I do. Scarlett might know more since Dad tells her everything.”

Hm.Perhaps a trip to go see Scarlett was in order, after all.

“Do you want me to talk to Mom about letting you go to California for school?”

“No. I’ll figure it out.” I can’t have my sisters fighting all my battles for me. Bianca was old enough to sort out her own problems. “Thanks, though. Sounds like you’ve got enough on your plate as it is. Which reminds me…” Bianca glanced at the front door, as if Sam would come barging in at any moment. “Have you guys ever been followed in your cars?”

“Do you mean paparazzi? All the time. I thought it would stop now that I’ve settled down with Julia and am living a scandal-free life, but apparently, the media has decided that ‘lesbian power couples’ are the hottest thing right now. It’s all noise. Why? Have you been followed?”

“Well, a week ago Sam—that’s my bodyguard—was convinced that we were being followed, but she’s almost as paranoid as Mom. I have no idea if it was real or not.”

At first, Bianca had thought Sam was overreacting. But she was starting to worry too. What if her mom wasn’t just paranoid? What if someone really had been following her?

“Honestly, I can’t imagine why anyone would follow me,” Bianca said. “My life is so… quiet.”

No small part of her wished that wasn’t the case. Because every time she was left alone with her thoughts for more than a few seconds, she either panicked about her future or imagined what Sam looked like naked.

But at this point, seeing Sam naked was about as likely as her mom letting her go to grad school in California.

“Something on your mind?” Parker asked.

Bianca hesitated. “Well, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about. Something… personal.”

“Oh?”

Bianca shifted where she sat, drawing up her knees and securing the pillow between her thighs and her stomach. The bigger the defense she built against her sister’s probing gaze, the better. “I’m sort of having… relationship problems. I’d love some advice.”

That certainly piqued Parker’s interest. As she leaned in closer, Bianca could practically smell the intrigue on her sister’s lips. “Do tell.”

“Well… there’s someone who is really into me, you know? And we’ve known each other for a little while. And we’ve spent some serious time together. Fooled around a bit…”