I snap my gaze to his. Maybe a little test of the waters. “From what I understand, you have a fairly regimented workout schedule. That’s challenging in my line of work. Can’t always keep a routine.”
“Yes, but sometimes regiments can feel too controlling, so I prefer to shake things up.” He runs his forefinger and thumb around his mouth as if drawing an imaginary goatee, which isn’t hard to imagine with the hefty five o’clock shadow already there. His eyes dart back and forth like a wild animal searching for an escape.
The glass doors whoosh open. A wall of humidity envelopes us as we step outside. Payton slips his phone out of his jeans pocket. “Shoot. I meant to arrange an Uber when we deplaned, but a certain someone distracted me.”
Now I’m a distraction? Somehow, I have to figure out how to get him to take this seriously. Otherwise, it will be a constant battleto keep him safe.
Recognizing Del behind the wheel, I point to the dark gray SUV pulling up to the curb. “Already taken care of.”
Making sure to reach the vehicle before him, I open the rear door for Payton. “You first.”
His gaze drifts from me to my suitcase, and I can almost hear his thoughts.
“I can handle my bag, Payton. Please get in.”
He turns to face me after getting in to say something, but I shut the door. Once my bag is stowed, I climb into the back seat on the other side. Del adjusts the rearview mirror so we can make eye contact.
I give the subtlest lift of my brow to let her know this assignment is far from the norm, then glance at Payton to make our communication less obvious. He’s staring at me again and hasn’t bothered with his seat belt.
“Buckle your seat belt.”
Observation #2: When flustered, the principal loses track of details.
And judging by how his knee is bouncing up and down, he’s nervous, too. He must have really thought he’d convince me to stay behind in London. Now I understand why his sister dangled a carrot for this assignment to make sure her brother didn’t finagle his way out of their agreement.
I never expected such an offer, but when Payton’s sister interviewed me, we clicked. She said if I could manage her brother, she’d put me on her permanent security detail. It’s an ideal position that would secure my future. As much as I love my work, I’m not a fan of the constant change of assignments and locations. I’d rather have a long-term position…something stable and familiar.
The closer we get to Payton’s apartment, the faster his knee is bouncing. Once I catch Del’s eye in the rearview mirror, I touch my left brow to signal the principal is in meltdown mode. When we stop at a traffic light, Del taps her nose to let me know to check my phone, then leans forward slightly.
Seconds later, I hear the ping of a text.
Del: He has a roommate.
“What?!” Ignoring Del’s warning glare, I swivel my head to look at Payton. “You have a roommate?”
His eyes widen slightly. “Yes, I do.”
“That wasn’t in the brief. And your sister didn’t mention it.”
He lets out a noisy breath, sounding almost relieved. “It’s temporary. Luke’s getting married in a couple of months.”
Which means I’ll have to stay in Payton’s room. “This could be a problem.”
His brows furrow. “How did you find out?”
Del glances at him over her shoulder with a cheeky grin. “That’s our job, luv. We make it a point to know everything.”
Payton wags his finger between us. “Wait. You two work together?”
I shove his hand down on the seat, registering the callouses on his fingers. “Yes. Why didn’t you say something earlier?”
He lifts his shoulders. “I didn’t think it would matter.”
“You were that sure you could get rid of me?”
One side of his mouth tilts up with his sheepish expression. “Yes.”
I realize I’m still holding his hand at the same time he glances down at the tangled knot between us. With a grunt, I yank my hand back. “This complicates everything.”
