HER BODYGUARD

His face remained carved in stone while his eyes burned with dark fury. He glared at her for a slow count of five and she became a little concerned that he would actually touch her, that he would manacle her arm with that big hand of his and drag her bodily from the premises. Sparks chased themselves beneath her skin at the very idea.

But he had iron control obviously, because in the end, he only turned sharply on his heel and went where she’d told him to go.

————————

Asher watched her.

It was all he was allowed to do, all she had permitted him to do.

Watch.

As she danced with another cowboy. And another after that. Frustration built. He wanted to grab her and throw her over his shoulder and carry her out of there bodily. But he could never do any such thing. She was his boss’ daughter and he was there to protect her. And that meant, when it came right down to his will versus hers, she held all the cards.

No matter that a storm was brewing. No matter that all those cowboys she was dancing with were strangers. And she was beautiful and friendly and she gave her smiles to everyone… Except him.

There was going to be trouble with one of those strangers. One of them was bound to go too far as the evening wore on and the liquor kept flowing.

Then he would probably have to hurt someone. He didn’t particularly look forward to that.

But then again, the more cowboys she danced with and the more he was forced to stand there and watch them put their hands on her, the more he felt heat building in his chest and behind his eyes, the more hurting someone began to seem like a good and necessary thing.

——————-

Kimberly danced with yet another cowboy. It wasn’t as much fun as it had been before Asher appeared.

Somehow, with him there, observing her every move in that cold and disapproving way of his, no doubt judging her for not acting properly, it all seemed a bit tawdry. The pleasure had definitely gone out of her little adventure.

When the next cowboy stepped up to claim her, she thanked him, but said she was going to sit down for a while. She walked up to Phoebe who was in the arms of another cowboy. Then she told her that she would be leaving soon with Asher. She returned to the bar, where someone had bought her another tequila and a fresh beer.

Clara stepped up close. “Compliments of Gary David,” she said.

A few stools away, Gary David raised his bottle of beer in a salute, grinning wide to reveal that space between his teeth.

Why not? She thought. She knocked back the shot and chugged the beer in a manner supremely unladylike. Somewhere in the shadows, Asher was bound to be scowling in disgust.

She told herself she didn’t care. Not in the least.

Gary David signaled Clara to pour her another. The bartender had the shot poured before Kimberly could stop her.

“Never mind about the beer,” Kimberly said. Without stopping to consider the wisdom of it, she picked up the shot glass and drained it.

Foolish. She knew that. The tequila made a fiery trail down the back of her throat and spread heat in her belly and she already regretted drinking it-and the one before it, too.

What was getting drunk going to prove? Nothing good. Plus, now she needed to pee.

She went to the ladies room, where she had to wait for a stall. When she’d finished and was washing her hands, she saw that her hair was coming loose from its thick knot at the back of her head, her bangs were mussed and her lip gloss had long ago worn off. She looked way too much like she felt: forlorn and weary, a little bit woozy from those shots and the beer, with faint circles under her eyes.

She straightened her skirt and jacket, smoothed her bangs, repinned her hair, yanked her shoulders back and marched out the door.

And of course, Asher was right there in the hallway, waiting for her.

One look at him, so stern and unwavering, patient as death, and she knew it was no good. The evening was over. It was time to go back home and try to get a few hours of sleep before work tomorrow. She wasn’t even sure she would be able to go to work the next day.

Thanks to those shots and the beer, she shouldn’t be driving. And she wouldn’t. She would do the right thing and ride back with the man she’d tried so hard to get away from. Phoebe would be going with her truck.

She looked directly at Asher. “All right. You win. Let’s go.” she said, rolling her eyes.

Without a word, he fell in behind her as she turned for the door.

“Hey, beautiful. Where are you going in such an all-firing hurry?” Gary David said as he stepped in front of her. “Don’t I at least get one little dance first?”

She felt Asher moving closer behind her. There was no need. She could handle Gary David. She put up a hand, warning Asher back.

“All right, Gary David. One dance. And then I really do have to go.” she said. “As a thank you for that drink you bought for me”

Gary David didn’t look drunk, exactly, but he didn’t look quite sober, either. He bared the space between his teeth and narrowed his pale eyes at the silent man behind her.

“Who’s that? Your boyfriend?” he asked.

“No, he is not my boyfriend. Would you like that dance or not?” Kimberly asked him.

“You bet I would, darling” Gary David replied, smiling at her. He reached for her.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

With some trepidation, she went into his arms.

Right away, she realized it was a mistake. He pulled her too close and whirled her away from the dance floor, into the shadows at the edges of the big barroom.

When she stiffened and tried to put distance between his body and hers, he splayed a hand where he had no right to touch her and yanked her close again.