Him kicking Gabe out of hisapartment had been the first clue, but this sealed it.
This guy was still followingus.
The last thing Ashley neededwas a big public confrontation—especially if I was wrong—so I needed anotherplan.
I should have known what todo here. An experienced bodyguard would have, and I couldn’t help feelingwoefully under-prepared right now. With Ashley’s safety on the line, I wished Iwas a lot more confident about what I was starting to plan out.
This was dumb, but it wasthe first thing that came to my mind.
“Ash, hold up a second,” Isaid, putting the bags I was carrying down and reaching out to touch his arm.
He turned to look at me,hair swishing like something out of a shampoo commercial and a smile to match.
It took me a second toremember what I was supposed to be doing.
I stepped closer, puttingmyself between him and the approaching stranger. If this asshole wanted to getto Ashley, he’dhave to go through me first.
Then I reached out, my handmoving slowly, cautiously, tucking a strand of hair behind Ashley’s ear as Icupped his jaw, stroking along it with my thumb.
His eyes widened, but hedidn’tflinch.
Good. Any normal person whosaw this would just keep walking right past us. Only someone who was reallyfollowing us would stop.
Steeling myself, I leaned inand just barely brushed my lips against his, heart hammering in my chest.
My brain was screaming atme, but it was torn betweenstop thisandmore.
This was to keep Ashleysafe. It was the best idea I could come up with at short notice.
I wasn’t doing itbecause Iwantedto. Ashley wasmy client. And a man.
Sex dream aside, I didn’t…wanthim.
Even if his lips tingled andhe smelled like vanilla and lemons.
“Logan?” he asked as Ibacked off a few inches, still cupping his cheek.
“Don’t look,” I said. “But Ithink there’s someone following us.”
Ashley’s smile fellaway.
“It’s okay, you’re safe,” Isaid. “I’m here. Look at me, don’t look at him.”
Ashley fixed his pretty blueeyes on me, gold flecks sparkling in the sunlight. He must havedonesomething to his eyes to make them look bigger and prettier, because in thelight I couldn’tstop staring at them.
Either makeup was magic, orAshley was.
“Sorry about that,” Imurmured. “Couldn’t think of another way to make sure he’d walk past us if hewasn’t following.”
“Couldn’t think of anotherway?” Ashley raised an eyebrow. “This hasnevercome up before?”
“Uh.”
The back of my neck itched.
“I’m… I’ve never actually,umm… I’ve only been a bodyguard three and a half months and you’re the firstclient who actually has a security issue. Normally I just stand next tocelebrities looking like someone you don’t wanna mess with.”
Ashley blinked at me.
