“I’m notjustworried about Lyra. I’m worried about you too.”
“If this is about this morning, Jake….” I begin, but he is quick to cut me off.
“It’s not about this morning. Or, at least, not in the way you’re thinking.”
“Look, Jake, I know you feel some kind of obligation to Dane or something to watch out for me, but I really am fine.”
“It’s not about that either.” Frustration lines his face and fills his tone ashe roughly scrapes a hand down his face then through his hair.
I give him a curt smile and nod, then begin to movearound him when he grabs my elbow.The electric tingles start again.“Cara,” he starts.
It’s obvious he wants to say something. But it’s the way he’s looking at me that makes my stomach flip. He reachesup, brushing the hair from my face. I can’t stop my gasp when his fingers brush my cheek. Iftouching me through my clothes gives me tingles, the touch of his skin touching mine feels like an electrical storm, just like this morning.
I am utterly frozen to the spot, unable to breathe.
“I have wanted to tell you something for a while now.” He is watching me closely. Too closely. Close enough, I feel like he can see inside my soul.When I still don’t say anything because I can’t even form a complete thought with his hand still lingering on my cheek. “Cara, I….”He gets cut off by a knock on the suite door. “Of fucking course,” he mumbles.
The conversation seemingly ends when he goes to answer the door, and I can finally breathe again.I’m not sure what that was. It felt likea panic attack but different. And the different part scares me more than if it had actually been a panic attack.
I return to the living areawith Lyra again. I need to get my mind off of whatever just happened between Jake andme,so I start talking to her. “Lyra, how would you like to go to a fairytale house?”
I remember reading about the Skazkin House when I researched things to do in the different countries on the guys’ schedule. It is perfect for a little girl in love with fairytales.I also make a mental note to check out the ballets while we are traveling.
“Faiwytale house?” she looks at me with wonder.
“What’s the fairytale house?” Jake asks as he walks in with Liam and a huge, intimidating blond guy. I feel a bout of nerves flutter at the sight of him.
I turn my attention to Jake instead so I can answer his question.“I told you about it earlier.”
“You said a puppet show.” His head tilts as he tries to figure out the connection.
Inod with a sigh. “It’s called Skazkin House. It’s also referred to as the Fairytale House.”
“Oh,” is his only response. He’s still not comfortable with us going out.
“Looks like I’ll be starting to work right now,”the blond guy chuckles. It’s a warm, friendly sound that is at odds with his physique and stature.
I finally allow myself to make eye contact with him. His green eyes shine withawarmth that matches his laugh. Tiny lines crinkle around the corners of those green eyes. He seems nice.
But I’ve been wrong about that before. Which is whyI keep my distance from strangers. Why I don’t let people get too close anymore. Why I can’t trust my own judgment.
“Cara, this is my friend Henry. He agreed to be your security detail. He’s well-traveled, knows many of the areas we will be traveling and will act as a translator too,” Liam explains to me.
I breathe out a sigh of relief. He’s Liam’s friend. Liam is Dane’s friend. All the guys’ friend. If they trust him, then I know I can too.
“Translator for where exactly?” I ask curiouslybecause we’ll be traveling to lots of places. How many languages can one person possibly speak?
“Nearly everywhere we go. He speaks most European languages,” Liam tells me bluntly.
“I speak fourteen languages, ma’am. Spent a lot of years working as a translator while I served,” he explains. I finally take a good look at him.From the way he holds himself to his hair, I’m surprised I didn’trealize before that he is military. More proof that my judgment sucks.
The nervous bubble in my stomach begins to dissipate at the revelation. “When did you retire?”
“A few years ago. Medical discharge. I’m good as new, now, though,” he grins. I notice thatsevere expression softens when he does.“I’ll make a pretty good tour guide.”
I smile shyly at his teasing.Jake scowlsfor some strange reason. I would think he’d feel better with someone like Henry watching after Lyra and me.
“So we good here?” Liam’s eyes fall to Jake and me.
