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“Oh, he’s so cute!”
“He is! You should put him on!”
“I like his voice.It’s very low.” Blue Streaks made a deep wannabe-baritone. “Manly.”
“He doesn’t like to be on the videos,” Ella volunteered, giving Bishop a wink. “I tried.”
“Sidekicks do the videos.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not a sidekick.”
Ella laughed. “He’s my muscle. Aren’t you, Muscles?”
That made his blush deepen! She loved it. Who knew Mister Tough Guy could get a little rosy-cheeked?
Bishop backed away to give them space. “I’ll let you guys do your thing.”
“He’s got a really cute ass too.” Bag Girl gave Ella a you-go-girl approving look.
“Super,” Blue Streaks slurred. “Tight. I bet he works out.”
Ella couldn’t stop her laughter. “The tux shows it off nicely, huh?”
Bishop paced. “I can hear you three.”
Blue Streaks and Bag Girl erupted into a fit of giggles.
Ella couldn’t help but join them. “All right. I’ll see what I can do about getting him on a video sometime.”
Two minutes later, after the girls had listed their favorite videos, posts, and places she’d gone that they had loved and treasured, Ella’s heart was full. The two girls had adequately turned their attention from a very good-looking Bishop O’Kane, which Ella admitted was hard to do, to talk about Eco-Ella posts. She had a heart-to-heart with the girls, who confirmed that they wanted to be warriors for the world.
They weren’t discussing just the blog or the videos. Eco-Ella was only the catalyst and the vehicle for getting their message out. For all the headaches,the stalker, and everything that came with moving Eco-Ella to the next level, it was worth it.
The two girls staggered away, drunk dialing their sober friend, giggling into the phone about who they’d just met. Bishop hadn’t batted an eye when asked to take pictures with both their phones despite what he’d explained was his complete disdain for cell phones in general.
Ella and Bishop walked to his truck in silence. He opened her door and helped her in, lifting the train of her skirt and tucking it on the floorboard. He started to shut the door but caught it before it closed and leaned against the frame.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
He glanced through the quiet garage. The lights were low, the spaces sporadically taken. “I called that one wrong. Sorry.”
She shrugged. “In the military, you were a…?”
“Army Ranger.”
“An Army Ranger.” Wow, how their lives had gone separate ways once they’d parted. “And you mentioned Titan is a new gig?”
“That’s affirmative, babe. One I’d like to keep.”
“My dad explained, and Jared also, that this isn’t normally what Titan Group does.”
“No, it’s not. But you’re important, and your father did something for my boss when he was in a pinch. Now we’re returning the favor. Truth is, our protective detail runs the lot of heads of nations, not celebrities. Everything is a threat until deemed otherwise.”
“I’d rather you be too protective of me than not at all.” She would rather he be anything with her at this point than not at all.
“I promise you, El. You’re safe.”
“I didn’t doubt that. I never doubt you.”