"Hey hey!" I hear Alex greet as he walks into the room.
"Hi." Releasing Leo’s hand, I throw my arms around Alex's neck. I grew up with him, but when I moved to Chicago for college, we lost touch. He’s a quiet guy, but once you get to know him, he is chatty as all get-out. Now that Emma lives here too, Alex and Hunter come to visit quite a bit. I make it a point to see him every time he comes.
"How are you, hon?" he asks warmly.
"Good. Really good," I answer honestly. "Alex, this is my boyfriend, Leo. Leo, this is my old friend, Alex."
"You need a job?" Leo asks randomly, and I can’t help but give him a crazy glance. "You’re a big dude. Seriously. You need work?" He digs in his back pocket and pulls out a card.
"I live in Savannah. That’d be one hell of a commute." Alex grins but tucks the card in his wallet.
"Well, if you change your mind, you give me a call. But yeah, nice to meet you."
I laugh and Leo looks down at me.
"Hey, I need more men. Size is half the requirement in my business."
"Of course." I smile patronizingly.
"Oh. My. God." I hear a woman’s voice I don’t recognize and my stomach drops. Kara. Judging by the tone of her voice, I fully expected to look up and find a disgusted look on her face. However, when my eyes meet hers, she’s not looking at me at all. She’s staring at Leo.
"All right. Girl time!" she announces, walking forward and grabbing my arm.
"Um…I’m good." I tug my arm away and lean into Leo.
He steps between us and very obviously pulls me into his side farthest away from her. "Hi. I’m Leo."
"That was hot," she whispers. "Hi. I’m Kara Reed. Can I borrow your girlfriend for a minute?"
"Kara! Leave her alone!" Emma yells from the kitchen.
"I can’t do that and you know it! I need some answers!" she calls back to Emma.
My pulse begins to race as I nervously slide impossibly closer to Leo.
"Jesus Christ, Kara. They just got here." Emma walks over and hands me cup of punch. "You’re freaking her out."
Kara clears her throat and pointedly tilts her head to Leo.
"Seriously?" Emma laughs.
Kara shrugs unapologetically.
"It’s not what you think," Emma tells me. "She’s not mad or anything."
"Oh God no!" Kara exclaims from behind her. "Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think…" Her face heats to pink and I begin to feel bad about my reaction.
"It’s okay." I smile weakly while trying to get my heart to slow.
"Come on. We can chat in my room. I need to change anyway. I’m covered in shrimp dip. The mixer just went haywire."
I glance down to Emma's shirt to find it covered in an orange mess. "You made shrimp dip?" I ask in shock and immediate excitement. It’s my favorite, but you can’t find the mix in Chicago. It’s only sold at one of the touristy shops in Savannah.
"Yep. Alex brought some up just for you."
"You still love that stuff, right?" Alex asks, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Um, abso-fucking-lutely," I quickly respond before Emma scolds me for cussing.
"All right, gentlemen. Food’s in the kitchen. Go eat. Come on, Sarah." Emma turns and walks away with Kara giggling hot on her heels.
"You going to be okay?" Leo whispers in my ear.
"I think so." I stand on my tiptoes to give him a kiss. "However, while I’m gone, I need you to put on a professional face. Go in there, find that bowl of shrimp dip, and guard it with your life. No one touches it until I get back. You got it?" I pat his chest, causing him to grin.
"Yes, ma’am," he answers before whispering into my ear, "Since this is a professional job, I will expect payment in the form of your mouth on my cock later."
"Leo," I chastise.
"Sorry, ángel. That’s the price you pay for professional bodyguard services these days."
"I’m going to check your bills on Monday. I better not find you charging anyone else like that."
He laughs and gives me another kiss before walking away unfazed. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same.
When I walk into the bedroom room, I find Kara rummaging through Emma’s closet.
"Wear this one. It gives you great cleavage."
"Um, I’m not wearing a backless cocktail dress to my child’s second birthday party," Emma responds, pulling an orange T-shirt from her drawer.
"Can I wear it then?" Kara asks.
"Sure, but it would be a floor-length, ass-less dress on you. Hunter would lose his crazy shit."
"Damn it. Why do I have to be so short?" she complains, flopping down on the bed.
"You’re not short. We’re just giants," I say, walking up to her. "Hi. I’m Sarah."
"I’m really happy to meet you again."
"We’ve met before?" I ask, confused.
"Well, kinda. You waved a gun in my face," she says bluntly.
My eyes go wide as I stumble back a step.
"Kara!" Emma scolds.
"Oh my God. I totally did that," I breathe, beginning to feel sick when I catch a flash of her coming home early that day I broke into her apartment.
"No. It’s okay. I swear. Don’t get upset. I was just really worried about you for a while."