Placing a file folder on the table, he removed his coat and draped it over the back of his chair. I tried—and failed miserably—to stop myself from staring at his tight black T-shirt, practically vacuum-sealed to his muscles. Or the tattoo ink that covered every inch of his arm down to the wrist.
He gestured for me to sit first.
“Mr. Mullinshas always been too formal for my taste. We’ll be spending a lot of time together during the holiday season. Call me Nitro, like everyone else.”
“Nitro,” I echoed. “How did you come by a name like that?”
“Let’s just say, my chemistry phase as a kid had a tendency to be explosive. Once you get a reputation for blowing shit up—pardon my French—it follows you for the rest of your life.”
I laughed softly at his dry wit, and my anxiety began to ease. I guess I had been bracing myself to meet him, expecting a mean bully of a man like my ex. Someone who used his size and his forcefulness to intimidate me into submission.
Nitro seemed to be fully aware of the effect he had on people, but he made an effort to mitigate that impact whenever he could. Even though his voice was gruff, his tone was measured and quiet. His presence matched the mountains outside the coffee shop’s window—steady, powerful, protective, with the potential to weather any storm that came his way.
Then again, I had been horrifically wrong about my ex, too. What if I was misjudging Nitro the same way I’d misjudgedChett for so many years? I didn’t really trust my judgment in men right now.
I cleared my throat and motioned to the file folder in front of Nitro.
“So, how does this work?” I asked.
He nodded, taking my cue to get down to business. He flipped open his file and slid a stack of papers over to me, placing a pen on top.
“We’ll go over payment plans and your contract. I don’t do that fine print shit. All terms are stated clearly, without the legal jargon headache. Bottom line: I’m your shadow. Where you go, I go.”
“Won’t it look strange?” I asked.
“Meaning…?” he prompted.
I gestured to…all of him.
“You’re not exactly the type to disappear in a crowd. Won’t it look strange to have a giant following me around town? I thought—I don’t know—I thought you’d have to be more subtle than that.”
Nitro leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.
“Did you have something in mind?”
I fumbled, suddenly feeling flustered. Nitro was the professional here. Not me. He knew what he was doing. But now that I’d opened my mouth, I had to follow through.
“Like fake dating. Or pretending we just got married. People might get concerned if they saw someone like you—no offense—essentially stalking me. But they won’t look twice if you’re acting like my boyfriend.”
Nitro arched an eyebrow. I could have sworn the corner of his mouth flickered with amusement.
“If that’s the way you want to play it, I’m flexible. But I don’t do subtle in that department. If I’m pretending to be your boyfriend, I will slip you tongue and grab your ass in public.”
I choked on my coffee, wheezing. Nitro was definitely amused now, watching me struggle. My cheeks flamed hot as I imagined the weight of his large hand on my ass, or plunging his tongue between my lips as he kissed me in full view of everyone in town, until I was breathless and weak in the knees.
What on earth was wrong with me? Why was I fantasizing about tongue-kissing a complete stranger? Sure, I could admit that Nitro was hot. And I was…lonely. Scared. Heart broken.
Chett and I had been together for five years. Next year, I’d be staring down the barrel of my thirtieth birthday. I’d fully expected to be married by then, or at least engaged. Not hiring a bodyguard to protect me from my cheating ex.
In my current vulnerable state, everything about Nitro was tempting. A protective gentleman. Polite. Considerate. With a secret filthy side to him that I would have loved to tease out.
“Maybe we should…um…skip that option for now,” I rasped.
“Let me know if you change your mind,” Nitro replied.
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious while he leafed through his file. But I didn’t have the guts to ask. Recovering from my previous blunder was bad enough. The last thing I needed was to stick my foot in my mouth for a second time.
Thankfully, Nitro changed the subject, directing us back to the business at hand.
