The Mogul and the Muscle: A Bluewater Billionaires Romantic Comedy(19)

“What’s in the backpack?” I asked. “Your secret bodyguard arsenal?”

“No. Laptop.”

“That’s very mundane,” I said. “I suppose you keep a gun tucked in your belt or somewhere no one can see it.”

“I don’t carry a gun,” he said. “Not unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“How would you know if it’s going to be necessary?”

He was quiet for a beat before answering. “I always know.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that answer.

Once in my office, I got to work, putting Jude out of my mind. Thankfully, he didn’t linger in my doorway or try to stand guard behind my desk. I didn’t know where he went, but somehow I could sense him nearby. Maybe he’d taken up a position at Brandy’s desk or parked himself in the small conference room next door.

A report from my research and development team captured my attention. We were testing elements of a new guidance system that was going to be crucial to managing aircraft reentry into the atmosphere. Initial results were promising, although I could see from a quick sweep of the data that we had more work to do.

I blinked in surprise when Brandy poked her head into my office.

“Hey boss lady. Ready for me?”

“Sure.” I minimized the report on my screen and took out my phone to open my calendar.

Jude came in behind Brandy and silently took the seat next to her, as if he’d been invited to our morning meeting.

My eyes flicked to him briefly, but I decided to allow it. I needed to figure out what to do with him while I was just sitting here working anyway.

Brandy went over my schedule and her list of reminders for me. She didn’t seem bothered by Jude. In fact, when she noted I had a lunch meeting at a nearby restaurant, she glanced at him, as if acknowledging that he’d be joining me. Which was interesting, considering I hadn’t had a conversation with her about his role yet.

“One more thing,” Brandy said when she’d finished our usual rundown. “Do you need me to get paperwork for Jude from HR?”

“No, Mr. Ellis and I have a private contract,” I said. “It’s a personal expense.”

“Sounds good. Also, Bobby was here about ten minutes ago, but he took one look at Colossus here and left.”

Jude’s brow furrowed and he glanced sideways at her.

“Colossus?” she asked. “He’s a superhero. Big guy. Sorry, my husband’s a comic book nerd.”

“Wow, effortlessly saving me from a Bobby Spencer encounter,” I said. “You’ve already earned your keep today.”

“I aim to please,” Jude said.

“Since we’re on the subject, what am I supposed to do with you during the day when I’m working?” I asked. “Are you really going to hang around the office in case my would-be mugger gets through security in the lobby and rushes in here to try to grab my purse again?”

“Here’s how this works,” Jude said, clearly ignoring my snark. He shifted slightly in the chair, making his shirtsleeves tighten around his bulging arms.

Not that I was looking at his bulging arms. Or his thighs straining against the fabric of his slacks. That would have been totally unprofessional.

“I am going to be here while you’re working,” he continued. “Ideally, you’ll set me up at a desk outside your office or nearby so I have easy access to you, and you to me. I’ll accompany you to meetings, both on and offsite. I’ll be very unobtrusive. You’ll hardly know I’m there.”

I raised an eyebrow. It was difficult to imagine a man his size being unobtrusive, but I decided not to comment.

“I can take care of the desk situation,” Brandy said.

I nodded to her. “Please do.”

“I’ll escort you from your car into the building in the morning and back again at night. If you leave the office, I go with you. That includes evenings and weekends. If you’re going anywhere other than home, I’m going too. For the time being, at least.”

Once again, the instinct to challenge him flared hot. But challenge him on what? I could insist he let me go to meetings without him. Did he really need to stand in the conference room while I listened to R&D’s latest report or met with the accounting or finance departments? Probably not, but quibbling with him over small details would just make me look bratty. So I kept my lips pressed together.

“I also highly recommend filling your social calendar for the next couple of weeks. Find reasons to be seen. If someone is targeting you, we want them to know you’re not unprotected. It might be enough to get them to back off.”

“Wait, Cameron’s being targeted?” Brandy asked.

“No,” I said at the same time Jude said, “Possibly.”

We locked eyes but he gave me an almost imperceptible nod.

“There’s a small chance the attempted-mugging wasn’t random,” I said. “But I’m positive there’s no reason to worry.”

“She’s right, there’s no reason to worry,” Jude said. “She has me now.”

I met his eyes again. There was no cockiness in his comment. Just a statement of fact. And for some reason, I believed him.

A layer of tension I’d been denying melted from my shoulders. I still had a million things on my to-do list and the future of this company—and its thousands of employees—in my hands. But for the first time since some jackass in a hoodie had tried to grab my purse—or me—in the parking garage, I felt safe.