Page 86 of Hideaway Heart

I sighed. “I guess I’ll have to hire someone new. Oh—I forgot to tell you this. I spoke with Wags, my manager, this morning, and he said one of the bodyguards from the tour who was fired is trying to get money out of me.”

His hand tightened around my ankle. “What?”

“He claims he was wrongfully terminated and in exchange for ten grand will provide the names of the guys who were really at fault.”

“Fuck that guy. He knew what was happening and didn’t say anything?”

“I guess. Want to hear the funny part? The guy’s name is James Bond.”

Xander didn’t laugh. “He lives in Nashville?”

“I assume so.”

He placed one wide hand over the tops of both my feet. “I hate that you’re going back there without protection in place. Tell me you have cameras at your house.”

“I do.” I hesitated. “I think they work.”

Xander groaned. “You don’t know for sure?”

“Well, I never looked! I had people for that. Plus, I bought a house in this ritzy gated community, so I assumed it was safe.”

His mouth assumed that stubborn shape again. “I’m going back with you.”

“What?”

“When it’s time, I’ll go back with you. I’m going to do a security assessment, make sure those cameras are functioning, check out this gated community, and hire a new bodyguard for you.”

“Xander, you don’t have to do that.” My heart was beating wildly in my chest.

“I want to.”

“But how long will that take?”

“Depends. A few days, at least. Maybe a week.”

“What about the bar?”

“I’ll figure it out. But I need to make sure you’re safe.”

Moved that he cared so much, he’d follow me back to Nashville and do all those things when he had his own business to worry about, I felt my throat tighten. Pulling my feet from his lap, I got to my knees and swung one leg over him, straddling his lap. I placed my hands on his bronzed, sun-warmed shoulders and pressed my lips to his. “Thank you.”

“It’s not a big deal. Your brother would want it that way.”

“So it’s for him? Not for me?” I kissed him again, pressing my breasts against his chest. He grew hard beneath me, and I rocked my hips over his.

“I guess it’s for you,” he murmured against my lips. His hands wandered over my skin, slipping beneath the edges of my bathing suit.

“Did you bring a condom?” I asked in a hushed, breathless tone.

“No.” His mouth moved down the side of my neck. “Guess I’ll have to get you off another way.”

“Xander?” I tilted my head, and he reached for the ties on my bikini top.

“Yeah?”

“I have a birth control implant.”

His hands and his mouth stopped. “You do?”