“What’s so funny?”
“You.” He pulled me towards him and I struggled free from him as he kissed me on the lips. “You’re so feisty, Worzel.”
I glared at him, which caused him to laugh again before he continued talking. “Leo is one of my best friends, but he is also a bodyguard. I’ve asked him to be your bodyguard.”
“What?” For a second, I was speechless. Bodyguard? What was he talking about? “Bodyguard for what?”
“For you, silly.” He sighed. “I want to make sure you’re safe, I don’t know what Braydon is capable of doing. I thought it was for the best. It’s the only way I could think of to ensure your safety.”
“And you weren’t going to tell me?”
“No.” He averted his gaze sheepishly. “I thought you would say no if you knew.”
“This is what you were arguing about with Leo, isn’t it?” I tried to contain my anger. “This is what you didn’t want to tell me.”
“Don’t be mad, Lucky.” He stared at me with puppy-dog eyes. “I just wanted to make sure that you were protected when I wasn’t with you.”
“How were you planning on getting away with that, Zane?” I shook my head. “Didn’t you think I would notice Leo by my side every time I went out? Or was he going to follow me?”
“I just wanted you guys to become friends and hang out.”
“Really?” I scoffed.
“He’s going to call you tomorrow to go to dinner.” He laughed. “I have a, uh, business meeting I have to go to tomorrow, so I figured you and him could go eat and get to know each other better.”
“Oh, Zane,” I sighed. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Please, Lucky. It will make me feel better to know that he is with you when I can’t be.”
“This is crazy.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to go everywhere with either you or him.”
“Just until we get Braydon,” he pleaded with me. “Please, Lucky. I need to make sure you’re safe. I need to make sure I’m not worrying about you when I’m not with you. I’ve already lost two people I love in my life. I can’t afford to lose another one. I don’t even want to think about it.”
“I …” I paused and stared into his eyes. The pain and worry that shone out of them made my heart stop. I was vehemently against having a bodyguard, but maybe I would acquiesce for now. “I’ll see how it goes.” I smiled at him weakly, Sidney’s words ringing in my ears. Love means following your heart. Well, okay, Sidney, I hope you’re right.
“So, you’ll go to dinner with him tomorrow then?” He looked at me hopefully. “And you’ll let him accompany you on days that I can’t be with you?”
“Yes,” I sighed. “There’s nothing else I should know, right?” I looked at him carefully. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
“There’s nothing else.” He leaned forward and kissed me hard. “I love you, Lucky. Thank you for trusting me and loving me.”
“Zane,” I squealed as I felt his hands on my ass. “We’re in public.”
“So?” His eyes twinkled back at me. “That’s part of the fun.”
“People are going to stare.” I pushed him away, giggling as his hand crept up my shirt and cupped my breast. “Zane.” I hit his hand away. “Stop.”
“I want to make sweet love to you, Lucky,” he whispered in my ear. “I want to throw you down on the sand and kiss you all over, and then take you from behind. I want to hear you crying out my name to the wind so that the birds can hear.”
I listened to him and swallowed hard. He was turning me on and I was loath to admit it.
“Oh, Lucky. Can you feel what you do to me?” I felt him press into me and his erection was hard against my belly. I giggled as I stared up at him.
“Zane, you’re so bad.”
“Bad enough for you to throw caution to the wind?”
“Zane!” I rolled my eyes. “There is no way in hell I’m gonna to have sex with you for everyone to see. And I don’t want sand in unspeakable places either.”
“We can go in the ocean.” His eyes bored into mine. “No sand there.”
“Whatever.” I shook my head, exasperated.
“Look.” He pointed to a stretch of sand about 300 yards away. “There’s no one on the sand there really, and no one in the ocean.”
“Zane,” I giggled, though I was slightly intrigued. I’d never really had crazy sex or outdoor sex, and I had to admit that it was slightly thrilling to me.
“What do you say?”
“We have all our clothes on.”
“I can strip down to my boxers and you have on a skirt.” He raised an eyebrow. “You could go into a restroom and take off your panties.”
“I can’t do that.” I shook my head hesitantly and Zane grinned at me before taking my hand and pulling me.
“There’s a restroom up there.”
“Zane.” My voice was soft and my heart was beating. “Oh, my gosh, are we really going to do this?”
“Yes.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Please say yes.”
“As long as you promise that you don’t intend for me to have a bodyguard forever.” I grinned at him.
“I promise.” He laughed. “I promise.”
“Fine. But if we get caught I will hate you forever.”
“Hey, it’s a great story for the grandkids.”
“You’ve got to be joking.” I laughed.
“I’m excited for our doctor’s appointment.” He smiled into my eyes. “I can’t wait to see if we’re pregnant.”
“Zane, way to ruin the mood,” I groaned. “Isn’t it me who’s supposed to do that?”
“I’m excited.” He laughed.
“You really want to have a kid, huh?” I looked at him in surprise.
“I shouldn’t be so excited. I know!” He stroked my hair. “But when I think of having a family with you, I feel like I can finally have the happy family life that I’ve always wanted. I know you still have school and all that stuff, but I promise you, we can make it work.”
“I know.” And in my heart, I did. I knew that Zane and I were in this for the long haul. There was nothing that could tear us apart. We were made for each other.