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Chapter Fourteen

PAYTON

Everyone has left, leaving Lily and me alone. She’s collecting the remaining glasses and dessert plates from the coffee table, appearing rather domestic at the moment. Not that I care about details like that. My family may be more traditional, but I wouldn’t describe my mother as a homemaker.

But watching Lily isn’t so much about what she’s doing as how she does things.

She’s gorgeous, athletic in her movements, yet graceful and complex.

The more time I spend with her, the more I want to explore those complicated depths she keeps so carefully protected.

I’m curious to know everything about her—the good, the bad, and even the ugly.

And I suspect she’s seen more of the last two than the first.

And that makes my chest ache. I want to show her there’s beauty and goodness in this life. But if I’m really being honest? I want to be that for her. I want to be the one who takes care of her instead of always being the one she protects.

I understand she has a job to do, which could end at any time.

Especially once the authorities realize they’re chasing after nothing.

However, I’m convinced Lily and I could have something amazing together, but the ticking clock in this scenario is getting louder and louder.

And I feel like I’m in the third period of a tied game with less than five minutes to shoot the winning goal.

She continues to wipe down the counter while I stand on the other side of the island.

Despite the late hour and the ache in my side demanding that I lie down, I’m not ready to go to bed.

She probably thinks I haven’t noticed how she’s avoided me since we kissed.

With a house full of guests, it’s easy to stay busy, but I noticed.

And I don’t like it because that kiss was epic. I didn’t expect it to turn into a massive PDA show. She did that, and I’d be an idiot—let alone flat-out lying—to say I didn’t enjoy it. More than enjoy it.

I read once that fireflies adapt their flashing patterns to attract a mate.

Consider me sucked into the glow that is Lily because she figured me out on day one.

For the first time in my life, I can picture myself in that kind of relationship—something serious that could lead to, well, more. Maybe even a lifetime.

Perhaps it’s because she has to be here twenty-four-seven as part of her job or because she wound up taking care of me and my cracked ribs.

I probably could have showered on my own and survived subpar cleanliness for a few more days.

If I were alone, I’m positive the rest of the blokes would have stopped by to help with what I needed.

Outside of the shower, of course. But Lily’s been a champ through it all.

Somehow, I have to get her to engage with me. “You play dirty.”

She stops mid-sweep across the counter and blinks at me. “Black.”

Why is she naming a color? “What?”

“Just calling the pot what it is.” A sly grin tilts her pouty lips while she resumes her cleaning.

Now that I know what those lips feel like, I want them even more. “Touché, Kettle.” I hold up a finger with my thought. “You know, I’ve been trying to think of a good nickname for you. You have one for me, so it only seems fair.”

She continues to move around the kitchen, appearing half-distracted. “And?”

“I thought that was obvious.”

With a definitive yet controlled breath, she brings her full attention to me. “Enlighten me.”

How the tables turn. And it’s my turn, indeed. “Kettle. That will be my endearment for you from now on.”

She tosses the dishrag into the sink. “Think again, big guy.”

You’d expect the snark in her voice would deter me, but it has quite the opposite effect. “I will if you will.”

“Will what?” She strides to the front door and checks the lock, then does the same with all the windows as she’s done every evening.

“Think of a different nickname?” I do love sparring with her like this.

“I never meant it as a nickname.” She’s sounding more and more irritated. Or is she flustered?

“Then what is it?”

She gestures her hand at me, waving it up and down. “A fact. You’re a big guy.”

That adorable blush seeps up her neck and into her cheeks as if she hadn’t intended to vocalize that thought. “How nice of you to notice.”

She lets out something between a growl and a grunt and storms toward her bedroom.

“Where are you going?” I let out a soft hiss through my teeth as my side reminds me I can’t twist like that right now.

“To bed.” She tosses over her shoulder, then stops in front of her door. Her shoulders slump just before she spins around. “Do you need any help before I go to my room?”

She says this like a robot as if it’s a required duty. That’s the last thing I want her to think of me as— a requirement.

“I’m fine, but thank you for asking.”

“No more going outside unattended.” She glares at me.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I reassure her.

“Good. Glad we have that clarified.”

“Sleep well, Lily.” My gentle tone seems to disarm her for a moment, which was my intention.

She nods and then retreats to her room, closing me out yet again.

I stare at her door for a long while, waiting—hoping—willing—it to open.

That she’ll walk back out because she forgot something, giving me another chance to engage her in conversation because I’m not looking forward to sleeping alone.

While the minutes and hours pass and sleep evades me, I hatch a plan. I may have tried to lose Lily at the airport, but now I’m determined to get past those walls of hers and see what really makes her tick.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Lily tries to grab my suitcase, but I beat her to the punch. I toss hers into the trunk as well, just to prove to her I’m fine.

“I can play without pain, so I’m cleared.

” I won’t mention to Lily that I still feel some tenderness in my ribs.

She’d worry more, which I’m finding quite adorable.

And I’m convinced her concerns fall beyond her being my bodyguard.

Over the last two weeks, she’s constantly reminded me of my ‘compromised condition,’ making me more vulnerable.

Honestly, my ribs aren’t the vulnerable spot I’m concerned about.

As much as I’d love to start something with Lily, I can’t seem to find a way of making something work between us.

Not unless she moved to the States, but I don’t see that happening.

If the tables were turned, I wouldn’t want to give up playing hockey.

And I’d never ask her to sacrifice her career for me.

Sarabella’s a small town, so I’m fairly certain there’s minimal demand for a bodyguard.

That brought me to the idea of a long-distance relationship, but even that didn’t make sense.

Not when we’d have an entire ocean separating us.

Sure, it might work in the beginning, but with my schedule, there’s little room for transatlantic flights.

We’re allowed time off when necessary, but more than that would mean letting my team down, and that I can’t do.

She shields the sun with her hand, throwing a shadow over her face. “But what if you get hit again?”

I can feel her eyes on me these days without seeing them. It’s as if every cell in my body is in tune to her now, which makes the dealing with my growing feelings for her an even bigger challenge than I anticipated.

“I’ll be fine.” I hop into the driver’s seat, but she blocks the door before I can shut it.

Her gaze drills into me like an opponent on the ice. “What are you doing?”

I rest my hands on the steering wheel. “Isn’t that obvious?”

One side of her mouth ticks up before she suppresses it. “That’s my job.”

“Then consider this a break.”

“I’m the bodyguard, Payton. Remember?”

“It’s just to the arena. Hop in.” I nod my head toward the passenger seat, unrelenting in my stare.

“That won’t mean squat if we get into a situation.”

“What kind of situation?”

She tosses her hands out to her sides. “I don’t know, and that’s the whole point.”

I shut the door before she can grab it again, and I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve seen Lily turn that shade of red before. When she reaches for the handle, I lock the doors and start the engine.

Her eyes are rounder than the globe light perched above the walkway to my apartment. “You wouldn’t dare.”

I can’t hear her, but I can read those full lips of hers well enough.

I’m almost afraid to see how she’ll react when we get to the arena and she finds out I may have tampered a bit with her plan to indiscreetly follow our team bus to Savannah.

We’re playing the Ghost Pirates tomorrow and the Gladiators in Atlanta two days later.

When I found out she’d never seen the amazing architecture in Savannah, I hatched a plan of my own.

Just because we can’t be together—although I’m still trying to find a solution—it doesn’t mean I can’t do special things for her.

After shifting into reverse, I back up a foot, then rev the engine and grin, which seems to aggravate her even more.

And judging by the way her hands are fisted at her sides as she marches around the vehicle to the passenger side, she’s as fired up as my car engine at the moment.

The excitement pulsing through me reminds me of that first skate onto the ice during a game, filled with anticipation over what the next few hours could hold.

I unlock the doors.

She slides in and slams hers.

“Take it easy there. My car has done nothing to you.” I shouldn’t enjoy this as much as I am, but getting under her skin is fast becoming my favorite pastime.

“No, but its owner is a pain in the butt.” She jams her seatbelt into place.

I chuckle and pull out as her phone pings. “Del?”

She knifes me with a glance. “Probably. She’s already heading up to assess the situation in Savannah…thankfully.”

Her hesitation and then additional comment sends a pang of doubt through me. “Will my driving get you in trouble?”

After glancing at her phone, her expression turns curious. “What would you do if I said yes?”

I blurt out a laugh before I can stop it. “Absolutely nothing.”

Her mouth drops open just enough to satisfy my ego and draw my attention to her full lips. “Then I guess it’s a good thing Del doesn’t have eyes on us at the moment.”

“Would she really take issue with me driving? Surely, you’ve had other principals who insisted on driving themselves.”

Her expression tightens into a frown. She taps out a message.

“Am I right?”

No answer.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

She flips her phone face down on her lap and stares out the passenger window. “You can take it however you want, but if I get even a hint of trouble, I’m taking over. Understand?”

I glance her way to see if she’s serious, which she is. Dead serious. “As in, pull over and swap places? Seems like that would make us more vulnerable.”

“It would. There are other ways to do that.”

“You don’t mean…?”

Her frown turns into a smug smile. “I’ve done it before.”

“You’re kidding, right? I thought they only did that in the movies.”

The slight arch of one brow answers me.

I rip my focus back to the road. Just when I didn’t think this woman could impress me anymore, she surprises me again.

Not by the implication of her doing something dangerous, like taking control of a moving vehicle, but by the sheer fact that it’s one of many skills in her secret bodyguard tool belt, which I’m finding more and more attractive on a daily basis.

Lily Evans is definitely unlike any woman I have ever met in my life.