Run to You: 4

The full bodyguard service

Kara woke up with one thing on her mind – getting out of Austin’s house as fast as she could. He’d moved on and she was determined to do the same. Unfortunately, waking up with his scent wasn’t helping her with that. She could smell him all over her, his deodorant – his smell that was unique to just him. Worse still, she couldn’t stop imagining him holding her and carrying her to his bed. She didn’t know whether she was relieved or devastated she hadn’t been awake to experience it.

And the fact she didn’t know disturbed her to a sitting position.

The alarm clock on the chest of drawers told her she would be late for work today. Not having the hindsight to bring a change of clothes for work today, she’d have to return home first.

Which meant facing what she hadn’t cleaned up last night.

She closed her eyes briefly, concentrating on the smell of coffee and trying not to dwell on the horrific event of last night.

Work would distract her. Even if she didn’t feel like pretending everything was fine this morning, it was somewhere to be other than her house. There was no way she wanted to linger there all day.

Sliding out of bed, she took off the clothes Austin had given her last night and put on what she’d been wearing when she arrived here. Once she was dressed, she followed the scent of the coffee.

Austin stood facing her in the kitchen, turning pages of the newspaper on the bench with one hand, and holding a coffee mug in his other hand. Perhaps she should have been grateful he wasn’t half naked today, but the sight of him in a classically tailored black suit and white shirt still knocked the breath from her lungs.

A tumult of emotions assaulted her, like grief and longing, while regret whipped around inside her head. This scene, this morning – her waking up in his bed and being in his house for breakfast – this wasn’t supposed to be like this. Her life wasn’t supposed to be under threat. He wasn’t supposed to be in a relationship with someone else. He wasn’t supposed to love someone else.

Nausea added itself to the toxic and potent cocktail of emotions she’d consumed.

His eyes lifted from the paper he’d been reading, and he studied her for a moment before talking. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Okay. Thanks for letting me stay.”

“You’re welcome. Do you want coffee?”

“Please.”

God, they were being so polite with each other, which wasn’t normal. Usually they sparred, joked. Then again, last night she’d been so frightened, her guard had slipped.

She watched Austin move to the coffee machine. With quick easy strokes, he inserted a new capsule and a minute later he passed her a mug of hot, fresh coffee.

“Thank you.”

“Do you want milk or sugar?”

“Black is fine.”

“What do you feel like for breakfast?”

Nausea made her stomach revolt at the thought of eating. “I’m not that hungry at the moment. I’ll grab a bite to eat on the way into work.”

“You’re planning on going in today then?”

“Yes. Life doesn’t stop because my cat died.”

He raised an eyebrow and studied her. “Surely you can take a day off.”

“I don’t want to be at home.”

“That’s understandable. I’ve ordered some surveillance equipment from work. I’ll come over and install as soon as soon as it comes in.”

“Surveillance equipment?”

“Cameras and alarms. I need to know you’re safe, Kara.”

“I appreciate the concern, and if you’re quicker than the police at finding out who is responsible, I’ll be forever in your debt.”

“Is that so?”

A smile tugged at his lips and his tone was playful, causing desire and need caused a tremor inside her. What kind of comment would he have come back with if he wasn’t seeing the Hollywood actress?

She would never have the answer to that.

“But you can’t watch the house constantly.”

Yes, she would feel safer if she knew he was watching, but she didn’t want to rely on him – didn’t want to need him. And he would pervade her thoughts if she knew he was watching.

“Since I’ll be working, that’s true. But being able to look whenever I have the chance is better than you being completely alone, unprepared and vulnerable.”

“Listen, Austin-”

“No, Kara. Last night you said you finally get just how dangerous this situation is.”

“I do-”

“Then let me protect you.”

His turquoise eyes were locked with his, and his voice was firm but she could hear the plea in it.

“I didn’t come to you for this.”

His eyes still held hers. “You came to me because you knew I could keep you safe last night.”

“Exactly-”

“And I did. Now I plan on keeping you safe until the threat is dealt with.”

“But…” she was at a loss at how to stop this. “Surely you don’t have this kind of equipment just lying around. You said you had to order it in. How are you going to justify it as a business expense when I’m not a client?”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“I don’t want you getting into trouble.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“But-”

“I’m paying for it, okay?” he snapped. “I’ll pay for the equipment.”

Her mouth dropped open and then she closed. “You can’t do that for me.”

“You don’t have a choice, do you?”

His stare was so hard. Why did he have to affect her so much? Why was he so insistent he help her when there was and never would be anything between them?

“But that must be…” She had no idea how much security equipment cost.

“I can afford it. Just be grateful I’m not giving you the full bodyguard service.” He washed out his now empty mug and put it in the dish drainer. “You’d be stuck with me permanently. I’d follow you everywhere.”

It was probably supposed to sound like a threat and something she shouldn’t want, but the idea of him being around her constantly, well, it would be torture – just not the kind he was implying. The thought of him being around all the time, following her…

“You’re right.” She forced a small smile to her lips. “That would be terrible.”

He stood in front of her, on the opposite side of the bench, his hands splayed on the marble surface, his answering smile closer to the sort he would have given her months ago – before Annabelle. “Be thankful for small mercies then.”

Aware of the sudden tension that seemed to have filled the room, she finished the last of her coffee and walked into kitchen, ready to rinse her mug. Instead, he blocked her way to the sink and held out a hand. “I’ll take care of it.”

“I can do it.”

“I know.” He still took the cup out of her hand. “But you better get going if you don’t want to be later for work than you already are.”

She didn’t want to give in, but not backing away would make her belligerent and stubborn. Two things she’d been called before, but didn’t have the energy for today.

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

“Thank you. I’ll get going then.”

“Do you want me to tail you back to the house?”

She shook her head. “I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure? I know returning will be hard after last night.”

“Thanks, but I’ll manage.”

“If you’re sure.”

Searching the apartment for her handbag, she spotted it near the couch and went to pick it up.

On her way to the door, he stood in front of her again. “If anything, anything happens, call me.”

“I will.”

He put his finger under her chin and lifted her face so she couldn’t look away. His eyes held hers captive. “I mean it, Kara. You should have come to me or gone to the police before last night. Keep your eyes alert and open for anything unusual and call me straight away. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t take risks with your life again.”

If it wasn’t for the genuine concern in the depths of his eyes, she’d be tempted to make a quip. Instead, she stepped back from him and nodded. “I’ll call you if anything doesn’t feel right.”

“Okay then.”

And with that, he let her leave his apartment.

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A/N: Now that you've read the first parts, would you be interested in reading more of Run to You if I publish it here on Substack?