make a commitment and he hadn’t. It wasn’t his fault she’d discovered she wanted something more. The thought of her life without him in it sucked. When she’d thought he was only spending time with her because he had to the ground dropped out from under her feet.
It had hurt. So. Much.
She hauled in a ragged breath and blinked when her vision blurred. As she did long fingers closed around the hand in her lap and she lowered her chin, watching as she turned her palm into his. She loved holding his hand but if she had one wish it would be to hear him laugh again so she could take the time to appreciate the sound. She’d waited so long to hear it. What if it never happened again?
If they just had a little more time...
‘Will you tell me the rest of the sentence?’ she asked in the same small voice as before.
Tyler didn’t need an explanation, the deep rumble of his voice washing over her in a soothing caress. ‘He said to do whatever I had to do to keep you safe because you don’t know how vulnerable you are in the spotlight.’
‘That’s not true.’ She attempted to smile through her tears. ‘I’ve always been vulnerable in the spotlight. I used to get stage fright. Threw up every time I had to appear in public—got reminded of it when we went to lunch today. I was scared people would find me lacking in any one of a dozen different ways. Not smart enough, funny enough, pretty enough or dressed well enough. It’s why I took the part in the play during senior year in high school. I figured if I tackled my confidence issues head on...’
When her voice trailed off he squeezed her hand. ‘People love you within minutes of meeting you. I’ve watched it happen.’
‘They don’t have to spend much time with me.’
‘Well, there is that.’
Miranda chuckled, hiccupped and then sniffled before leaning back against the headrest. She didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she was being carried up the stairs of the mansion in a much more romantic position. Snuggling closer to his neck, she took a long breath of Tyler-scented air and sighed contentedly. This she could definitely learn to live with. Being protected from the world wasn’t so bad the way he did it. He even took her shoes off and tucked her into bed.
When he disappeared without saying anything she tried to lift her heavy head to see where he’d gone. Then the mattress dipped beside her, a fingertip brushed her hair off her forehead and he was leaning over her.
Looking deep into his eyes, she tried to remember what her life was like before he walked into it. Considering it hadn’t been that long ago, it shouldn’t have been difficult, but all she knew was how alone she’d felt without him, how overly defensive she’d been when she discovered he was her bodyguard, how much she’d loved their little adventures and that she owed him an apology for knocking him on his ass. She couldn’t believe she’d been angry enough to hit him.
What must he think of her?
‘Why do you put up with me?’ she asked.
‘You’re cute when you’re drunk.’
‘I’m more trouble than I’m worth.’
‘We’ll debate that one another time.’ He trailed his fingers along her cheek and watched the movement with one of his more intense gazes. ‘Go back to sleep.’
‘Stay with me?’ she whispered. It was a loaded request but she couldn’t stop herself making it.
‘I can’t. Even if we weren’t in the mayor’s house, I had to leave a stake-out to come rescue you.’ He drew in a long, measured breath and slowly exhaled. ‘I gotta go back. There’s something I have to do. If it doesn’t turn out so great...’ He frowned before looking into her eyes. ‘Just remember if I had a choice, things would be different.’
Miranda smiled sadly. It felt like a goodbye.
She didn’t want him to go.
‘Don’t forget that,’ he insisted.
‘I won’t,’ she promised.
His gaze roamed over her face before he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. ‘Go back to sleep.’
Miranda ran her palm up over his chest. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, won’t I?’
He smiled the crooked smile she loved so much. ‘You fired me, remember?’
‘You’re rehired.’
‘Go to sleep.’
Stretching upwards, she wound her arm around his neck and lifted her chin. ‘I’m not sleepy any more.’
Tyler sighed heavily, his voice laced with regret. ‘I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.’
Something cold and