Page 51 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

“Oh, fuck. That’s amazing.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “Dude, it’s just coffee. You’ve been in here for too long. How’s it coming.”

Sighing, Easton sets the cup down and leans back in his chair. His eyes find the screen of his computer, and I can see the wheels spinning in his head as he considers the work he’s done.

“Well, I know basically everything about the guy Karla’s testifying against. I think I’ll be prepared when the time comes to escort her to the trial. I’m not sure how many days she’ll be needed, though. The one, of course, but she could be called back, which makes things a little tricky, seeing as Billings is a little over an hour away.”

“An hour isn’t bad. You could pull off a last-minute trip as long as you have a little bit of notice, right?”

“Yeah. Just thinking about Jade.” Easton turns from his computer to me, the corner of his mouth lifting up. “At least I have you to help make sure she’s looked after. I just…I don’tlovethe idea of leaving you alone either.”

“I’ll be fine, Easton. We’d stay here, and I’d turn on all the fancy security stuff.”

He offers a tiny laugh before reaching for his coffee again and swallowing down several gulps of the liquid caffeine.

“I still can’t believe that you wound up in private security after the military. I mean, I guess it makes sense and all, but I’m surprised you didn’t want to do something completely different. Cut yourself a break.”

Easton shrugs, staring into the middle distance. “Protecting people is what I’m good at. Why fight it?”

My chest pinches at the thought that Easton only sees himself as a means of protection. He has value outside of that.

“How’d you end up in the military again? I remember something about your parents, but?—”

“I was trying to make them proud. To show them that I was worth paying attention to, especially since the field I was going into was so dangerous.” His stare is cold when he looks back up at me again. “It didn’t work.”

Grief washes over me, and from out of nowhere, I remember the numerous times I tried to get my parents’ attention as a child.

It didn’t work for me either. Standing out from the drugged haze of euphoria they were always in was an insurmountable task.

“Unfortunately, parents are people. So they can be just as fucked up as anyone else. Having a kid doesn’t change that.”

Easton looks from his coffee cup to me, his brows knitting together. “I can’t imagine what it was like for you. To be dealing with parents in addiction.”

“Can’t say it was fun,” I offer sarcastically. “I wonder a lot what it would have been like to have parents that cared. But you know the old saying, wish in one hand…”

A snort leaves Easton as he finishes the adage, “…shit in the other. See which one fills up faster.”

We both laugh because if we don’t make a joke, if we don’t find the humor in the situation, we’ll cry. And neither of us wants that.

“I have to admit it’s nice to know that someone can relate.” Easton raises his mug in a pretend cheers, and I smile back, holding up my empty hand. “You know…when I’m with you…”

My heart throbs against my ribs, and I’m hanging on Easton’s words. Just like that, the air is so thick with tension and desperation that I almost feel dizzy.

“…I’ve never felt more like myself. You…see me.”

I'm surprised by Easton's admission, and for whatever reason, it strikes me to try to make him feel better.

I get up from my chair and walk over to where he sits behind his desk.

As I stand before him, I lay a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, “You're a good guy, Easton. I see how hard you're trying with Jade, with running your business. I want to do whateverI can to help because I know that you're workingsohard, you know? So I brought you a coffee.”

Easton laughs, looking at the cup before polishing off the last drop and setting it back down.

“And it's a damn good coffee. I'll hand it to you.”

I realize that my hand is still on his shoulder. I haven't stopped standing next to him, and somehow, I've even managed to wiggle myself between his knees.

When the hell did I get this close to him?