But I did see Beth gesture behind him to me and squeak out, “And he’s coming right over.”
What the fuck?
The guy whirled around, eyes narrowed as I slowed to a stop beside them. They were blocking the entrance.
“Captain!” Beth’s eyes were wide with pleading as she leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth. My skin tingled at the touch, and the smell of her perfume lingered even as she pulled back. “How was training?”
I stared at her confused and incredulous.
The pleading in her eyes turned desperate.
Even after everything, I couldn’t leave her hanging. Plus, this guy could be harassing her for all I knew.
Sliding my arm around her waist, I pulled her into my side and tried to ignore how good her soft curves felt pressed against me. “It was shite,” I answered honestly. “Still stinging from Dalmarnock practically violating us yesterday.”
Beth smoothed a hand over my chest, drawing my gaze down to her. She looked up at me, expression genuinely sympathetic as she said, “I’m sorry.”
The bloke, Samuel was it, cleared his throat.
I reluctantly dragged my gaze from Beth’s gorgeous face to him. He was clean cut, preppy, and I supposed good-looking. He also wore a pissed-off expression as he took in my arm around Beth. A strange possessiveness filled me and my fingers flexed on her curvy hip.
“Who’s this?” I asked, somewhat belligerently.
No one else might recognize the nervousness that tremored ever so slightly in Beth’s words, but I did as she gestured to the guy. “Callan, this is Samuel Green. He’s the son of a hopefully soon-to-be client. Samuel, this is my boyfriend Callan Keen.”
Samuel eyed me in displeasure. “I was unaware Beth had a boyfriend. She never mentioned you.”
“I’m sure I did.”
“She’s got a lot on her plate,” I covered for her, beginning to understand the situation.
“Interesting.” Samuel shrugged. “I don’t know if I’d be so amenable to my girlfriend going to dinner with another man.”
I smirked at the fucker. “I’m a pretty secure bloke.”
“And it was supposed to be dinner with your mother,” Beth pointed out. “She couldn’t make it.”
At the look in her eyes, I narrowed mine. Had this guy manipulated Beth into a date?
“Been dating long?”
“Years,” Beth answered before I could. “We’re practically engaged, aren’t we, Captain?” She poked my chest jokingly. “This one can’t get rid of me now. Glued to him for life.”
Wow. She really did not want to date this guy. Trying not to laugh, I squeezed her closer.
“I see.” Samuel straightened his shoulders. “Thank you for dinner, Beth. I’ll let my mother know howaccommodatingyou were.” He cut me a sly look as he emphasized the wordaccommodating,the insinuation being something had happened between them. What a wanker.
“Thank you. Thanks for dinner. Good night.” Beth grabbed my hand, and I took advantage of the moment, threading my fingers through hers as she led me over to the entrance. She let us in and Samuel didn’t walk away until the building door closed behind us.
“Did something happen between you two?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Beth tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears. It suddenly hit me that the prick I’d helped chase off might have touched her in ways I’d never gotten to. I’d never get to. And I remembered she thought there was something so wrong with me she’d rejected me (someone who would never dream of hurting her) for these absolute wankers she seemed to end up with.
“Of course not,” she snapped. “He’s a client’s son. I was being polite when she asked me to help him find places to take clients while he was in the city … but he lied and said his mother wanted to have dinner tonight. I got there, and it was him there instead of her. And the guy is a mind-numbingly pretentious arsehole. I want this client, but I don’t want to shag her son just to land her. I thought pretending I had a boyfriend would be the most diplomatic way out of it. Thanks, by the way, for just going with it.”
“I thought maybe he was harassing you.” I started climbing the stairs. “Not that you were being nice to the poor bloke to get to his mother.”
“That’s not how it was.” She followed me up. “So, that’s why you went along with it?”
