the shrugging? You got a tic or something? Cut it out.” And of course Chip would love running on the beach. It wasn’t exactly a new experience for him. Why did Jack make it sound so weird?
“Hi, Jack.” Gio appeared, and Joker almost swallowed his tongue. He must have made some kind of noise, because his asshole best friend laughed while Gio looked at Joker with concern. “You okay?”
“Yep. Just, uh, feeling a bit parched. Need some water.”
“Parched?” Jack mouthed, and Joker flipped him off when Gio had turned away.
“There are bottles of cold water in the fridge,” Gio informed him, his smile huge as Chip barked, howled, and danced excitedly around his feet.
Joker headed for the kitchen, ignoring the thin white pajama bottoms hanging low on Gio’s hips, the fabric of which left nothing to the imagination. His hair was wet from the shower, his feet bare, and the white V-neck tee he wore accentuated every muscle of his strong arms, chest, and flat stomach.
“I better get going,” Jack said, his lips quirked in a smile. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you.” Gio walked him out, Chip on his heels like he was afraid Gio was going somewhere. Gio locked up after Jack, then headed back into the living room. He dropped down onto the end of the gray L-shaped sectional. Chip didn’t waste any time jumping up to sit next to Gio, making him laugh.
“Just tell him to get down if you don’t want him on your furniture.” Joker shook his head at Chip as he came around the counter of the open-plan kitchen. “He knows better.”
“Furniture is meant to be used,” Gio replied cheerfully as he scratched Chip behind his ears.
“He sheds,” Joker warned him. “A lot.”
Gio shrugged. “That’s what lint rollers are for.”
“Mind if I use your shower?” Joker asked. He wasn’t about to ask where he’d be sleeping, but he assumed it was one of Gio’s many guest rooms. “Where’s Saint?”
“Of course you can use my shower. And Saint’s in his room. I told him I’d be heading off to bed soon and would let him know if I needed him.” Gio sighed. “It’s strange, having a bodyguard around all the time.”
At some point, Gio would have a whole team around him. The time for him to decide on live-in protection was coming up fast. He was simply too much of a target not to have a small team watching his six at all times, and he knew it. Someone out there wanted to get their hands on Gio, and whether it was the same men who’d kidnapped him in Sri Lanka or someone entirely different, Gio was in danger. He couldn’t afford to act like a regular guy anymore.
“Let me show you to the bathroom.” Gio stood, and Chip jumped off the couch to trail after Gio like his furry shadow.
Joker followed Gio up two flights of stairs to the third story with the master suite. Good God, his entire apartment could fit in here. The room was terrific, with the far wall made up of three floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the ocean. The room was painted a soft blue with white accents and looked incredibly inviting, from its lush white-and-blue bedding to the plush couch and footrest in front of the windows.
“This is my bedroom.” Gio shifted awkwardly, his gaze on the vast king-sized bed. “I haven’t slept a full night in my bed since I bought it.”
Joker knew the feeling well, and it squeezed his heart. “How about we sleep in it tonight?” He waited with bated breath as Gio turned to him, his eyes searching Joker’s.
“What if I wake you up with one of my nightmares?”
“Then you wake me up.”
Gio looked uncertain, and Joker gently placed a hand on his arm.
“Nothing is going to happen to you while I’m here, Gio.”
“You’ll protect me?” Gio’s smile reached his dark eyes as he brought Joker into his embrace.
“Pft. What do you think?”
“I think you’d do almost anything for me.”
Joker barked out a laugh. “Whoa, hey now. Someone’s feeling bold.” He wasn’t about to tell Gio how stupidly happy his words made him, because, yeah, he would. As terrifying as the thought was, Joker realized he was okay with it. Gio was nothing like Joker had first imagined.
“Tell me you wouldn’t do almost anything for me.”
Joker pretended to think about it. “I’m not eating okra for you. That’s a dealbreaker. Or eggplant. I might consider beets if the incentive is