Nothing Left to Lose (Guarded Hearts 1)

I knew I couldn’t push it at all because it would probably frighten her and make her retreat back inside herself and shut me out again. I tried desperately not to react as I forced myself to carry on reading the article.

The body language expert wasn’t done with us yet apparently. He analysed another photo and came to the conclusion that I was fiercely protective over her and that she trusted me completely. A small smile crept onto my lips at that last part. Then the part that made an excited shiver tickle down my spine. He stated that ours was a serious long term relationship that would continue to blossom. He predicted wedding bells within the next three years. I gulped and blinked a couple of times. Wedding bells. If I had my way, I would marry her tomorrow if I had the chance.

Apparently, we were the hottest couple that attended the party – outshining even the A list celebs that had attended. The paper had already come up with a trashy couple name too.

I laughed incredulously, shaking my head. I hated couple names. “Annaton? That is lame,” I muttered. Nate was going to ridicule me about this forever; I could already see it happening.

Anna groaned and leant forward putting her head in her hands. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe they’ve printed all of that. Everything is going to be so much harder for you now.”

I smiled weakly and scooted closer to her, slipping my arm around her shoulder. “Everything will be fine. It’ll settle down in a couple of days. It’s not like they’re going to be following us around college or anything.” At least, I prayed that wouldn’t happen. Clearly I’d already underestimated the reaction to us. I figured it would just be a photo of her with her father, they would name her, and that would be it. I hadn’t expected her to be highlighted this much at all. “Of course, it’ll be a little harder at school now that people know who you are. But it’s not that bad. The boyfriend cover still held so no one will know I’m an agent,” I squeezed her shoulder gently and she looked up at me with apologetic eyes. “Everything is fine. Don’t stress.”

She sighed and nodded, chewing on her bottom lip. “You’re not going to request a reassignment now then?”

I raised one eyebrow. Was there something I was missing? “Why would I?”

She shrugged, still gnawing on her bottom lip.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “I’m not leaving you. I promised, didn’t I?”

She blew out a big breath and nodded as the corner of her mouth twitched with an unwanted smile. “I know you did. I just wondered if your player instincts were going to make you run away screaming like a little girl now that the papers are insinuating that I’m in love with you.”

I laughed as realisation washed over me. She thought I was a commitment-phobe and would leave because of what they’d printed. She had no idea. “I don’t scream,” I replied, winking at her playfully. “Besides, I kinda like our apartment.”

She chuckled; her eyes sparkled as her tense posture seemed to relax. “Glad to hear it.”

I smiled, knowing I needed to change the subject quickly. There was only so much teasing she could take before she started to freak out or panic and overthink things like she usually did. I didn’t want her getting upset because, in some dark recesses of her mind, she thought that Jack would disapprove of a tabloid rumour.

“Some of these photos are great. We should try to get some of these and put them up in our apartment,” I mused and held the paper out to Dean because he was trying to read it over my shoulder.

Anna nodded. “I love the one on the first page, the one of us on the red carpet.”

“I like the dancing ones too. And the one with your dad in it,” I replied, grinning proudly.

She giggled and slapped my stomach gently with the back of her hand. “Don’t start getting all high and mighty just because the future President likes you.”

I grinned. I couldn’t care less if the President liked me or not, I cared that the father of the love of my life liked me. There was a vast difference in those two things in my eyes. “I’m allowed to brag a little, surely?” I joked.

She laughed and stood, looking down at me. “I’m starving. I’m assuming you haven’t eaten yet?” I shook my head in response, now feeling my stomach grumble because she’d mentioned food. “Breakfast then?”

I stood and nodded eagerly. “Hell yeah. Coming, Dean?” I offered, turning to see him still scanning the paper.

He nodded absentmindedly. “Sure, breakfast with celebrity couple Annaton, every guy’s dream,” he joked, closing the paper and tossing it onto the bed. “Can I get your autograph?” he joked, grinning widely as he walked towards the door and pulled it open.

Anna winced, scrunching up her nose. “Don’t joke about it, I already signed one.”

I looked at her, shocked. “You already signed one? When?”

“When I was in the bar this morning,” she shrugged and turned for the door to follow Dean out of the room.

I grabbed her hand and made her stop as I scowled at her. “When you were in the bar? You went to the bar without guards? Damn it, Anna!” Why did she have no regard for her safety? Did she not know that it would kill me if something happened to her?

She frowned and shook her head. “I took a guard.”

“When were you in the bar?” I asked, frowning and hating the fact that no one had called me.

She shrugged casually. “This morning. I couldn’t sleep, so we went for a tour of the hotel and then had a coffee, or four, in the bar.”