Ex-Con: Bad Boy Romance by Shiloh Walker, M. S. Parker Page B

world did. Somehow, they just kept believing in things. In people.
    And, for some crazy reason, Carly had decided she was going to believe in me.
    “Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice gruff.
    “Because.” She shrugged and turned away.
    “That’s not an answer,” I said to her back.
    She swung around, walking backward with a grace that belied the four-inch spikes she called shoes. With a wide, easy smile, she said, “That’s the best you’re going to get for now. Ask me again in a few days.”
    ***
     
    That night sucked even worse than the morning had, and it was far worse than the past night. It was so bad I was ready to gouge out my eye with the dessert spoon before we’d been there thirty minutes. I knew it was the fucking dessert spoon because Jake had hammered that fact, and several others, into my head over the span of two hours. We were attending a dinner banquet, and while Jake, Ryan and the ever-silent Ridley would get to stand in the shadows, I would, apparently, be dining with Carly.
    “If I’m supposed to be a bodyguard, why am I sitting at the table and eating?” I asked during a break in the conversation. I kept my voice low. I was getting the hang of the subtle thing, I thought.
    Carly didn’t seem to agree. She kept a smile on her face even as she leaned in closer and murmured, “Not here.”
    I pinned a glare on her, but I didn’t ask again.
    She picked up her wine glass and took a sip. Then she held it to her lips and sighed. “It’s complicated. You’re doing more than being a bodyguard at the moment. I’ll explain later.”
    Before I had a chance to press her to explain now , some guy who had to be twice her age said her name. He was standing on my other side with the sort of look that said he fully intended to take the seat at her side as soon as I moved.
    Carly clutched at my arm and gave him her signature smile. “Oh, it’s so good to see you, Hank. I hope you understand if I keep Bobby with me, though. It’s his first time to one of these and he’s nervous.”
    “Of course.” The smile Hank gave back didn’t fit his words.
    He walked around the table and took the seat across from her as I pulled out her chair, pushing it back in the way I’d practiced.
    I sat next to her, stiff and uncomfortable, but ready to do what needed to be done for my job. When I felt her tense ever so slightly when Hank leaned forward, I realized that I no longer needed her to explain why she wanted me to sit next to her. Although the width of the table separated them, something about her body language was subtly broadcasting it was nowhere near enough space.
    I shifted my attention to the guy, my jaw clenching.
    Hank was staring at Carly the same way I would have stared at her if we’d been alone back up at the hotel. He didn’t let the fact that he wasn’t alone with her bother him. Nor did he let the fact that she was clearly not interested bother him. This guy didn’t know how to take a hint. My hands curled into fists. Maybe I needed to make the hint a little less polite.
    “I’ve been hoping we might have a chance to have a drink together while you’re in town. It’s been a long time since we’ve talked, Carly.” His voice was so oily, I could’ve run a car on it.
    I didn’t look directly at her, but I could see how her nails were digging into her palms. Going on instinct, I curled my arm around her shoulder. She leaned into me and I felt the tension drain out of her body. Carly smiled at Hank.
    “My schedule is pretty full this trip, Hank. With the foundation meetings and the opening of the school, I’m slammed.”
    Then to my surprise, she reached up and touched my cheek. Electricity shot through me and I tried to keep it from showing.
    “I had a little bit of time, I thought, but...” Her thumb brushed against my bottom lip. “Fate sort of intervened.”
    When I tipped my head down to look at her, she was staring up at me. The look on her face was enough to remind