Page 32

Chapter Nine
Lincoln
“Lincoln!” Harper waved to me from across the set as I stood near the front entrance.
I’d been manning the entrance and exit for the past couple of hours since Jaxson rushed off with the sheriff.
I’d done my best to avoid Harper while she filmed the movie shoot.
Busted.
She jogged over. A huge grin lit up her face. “I thought I was supposed to text you when I got off work. Couldn’t wait to see me?” Harper asked.
She looked lighter, carefree.
Work actually seemed to put her in a chipper mood which I didn’t mind. It meant she’d be easy to handle tonight, at least in the bodyguard respect. While I may have wanted to handle her in a different manner, that was off the table.
“You look great,” I said, trying my best to change the subject.
If she hadn’t realized I was with Eagle Tactical, I didn’t want her to figure it out right now. After all, I wasn’t allowed to tell her I was assigned as her personal bodyguard.
What if she figured it out on her own? I was pretty sure the contract was spelled out. I couldn’t divulge it, even then, but I hadn’t signed the contract. Jaxson Monroe had done that for the team.
“Thanks,” Harper said. Her cheeks slightly rosy as she blushed and chewed her bottom lip, glancing away. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We’re actually done shooting for today.”
“Good.” I knew they were done, our shift technically was supposed to end fifteen minutes ago, but I wasn’t leaving until I knew without a doubt that she was safe. “How about we head to dinner, and on the way back, we can swing by and get your car?”
Harper slipped her arm into mine. “That sounds fun. What do you have planned for us? I’m hoping it’s somewhere low key. I’m not into the tabloids blowing up my phone or social media with the headline ‘Harper lands another hottie.’”
I chuckled. “I don’t know. That doesn’t sound so bad.” I leaned in close, my lips just beside her ear as we walked together toward my truck. “So, you think I’m hot?”
She swallowed and glanced away, quiet for a moment, lost in thought.
Was she thinking about the kidnapping?
She’d seen it earlier, been not only a witness to it but almost his next victim.
Harper hadn’t said a word to me about it and while I wanted to ask her directly, I couldn’t. Not without her knowing that I was hired by the studio.
I had to tread carefully. I liked her and didn’t want to hurt her either.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“It’s just…” she started and then stalled. Her mouth shut, and her stomach grumbled. Harper pointed at the door to my truck. “How about we grab dinner?”
She avoided talking about what happened.
I wanted to hear it from her, what she felt, how she was coping with it.
My guess was not very well.
Although she had done well on set, maybe I was wrong, and her way of dealing with the attack had been to throw herself into her job.
I knew all about that trick.
I unlocked the door and walked around to open it for her, offering her my hand to help her climb into the passenger seat. Once she was seated and her legs swung over in front of her, I shut the door and hurried around to the driver’s side.
“How was your day?” Harper asked.