The Bodyguard: A BWWM Bad Body Romance(12)

He supposed it was better than twiddling his thumbs.

Thankfully, Juliet didn’t have much time to struggle. Within minutes, Hank was dropping her in the passenger’s seat of the car Simmons had provided, ignoring her baleful glare as he shut the door on her.

Goddamn. You’d think that for all that protesting, his cock wouldn’t be interested - but the fact of the matter was that Juliet Brown made a man stand up and take notice, no pun intended. All that squirming created a result that took some adjusting to hide. He snuck a glance at her through the back window of the car as she shifted, trying to get comfortable.

He had to be out of his mind.

It wasn’t as if Hank was starved for action. When he wanted a woman, he usually got her, and he certainly didn’t want Juliet. At least, he didn’t want to want her. Hank had long learned that he had problems getting involved with any women, let alone the pretty ones that had their heads on the right way. One night stands and affairs were more his thing. Less complicated, more carnal.

In theory, Juliet Brown wasn’t his type. Atop that, the very real notion of having Solomon Aguiler’s sloppy seconds turned his stomach. That said, there was something about her. Sitting in the passenger’s seat of the car as if he needed her instead of the other way around...Hank hesitated a moment before he got into the car, staring at the caramel expanse of skin at the base of her neck. Juliet had a riotous head of dark curls that were pulled into a haphazard bun atop her head and just looking at them was enough to make his fingers itch to run through the waves.

But Hank wasn’t that stupid.

Two seconds later, he was sliding into the driver’s seat, pointedly ignoring the woman in the passenger’s seat just as devotedly as she did him. “Do you need clothes, or something?” He doubted any woman would leave a hospital in scrubs if she didn’t have to - which meant that Juliet probably didn’t have a wardrobe on standby.

“Or something.” Her dry reply made him scowl at her.

“There’s internet where we’re going. You can order online.”

In response, the young woman shrugged, and Hank took that as a sign that their conversation was over. He pulled out of the hospital parking lot, resigning himself to the next few months of sullen interaction with a princess who probably wished she was back with her drug-prince, despite anything she might say.

He expected that Juliet might have questions - might want to know where they were going and how they were going to keep her safe. But the girl didn’t utter a single word on the hour drive up to the safehouse. The only thing that broke the terse silence inside the car was Simmons’ call to ensure that he had picked up their cargo.

In the past decade that he’d worked with the FBI, Hank had run the gauntlet of assignments. When he first started, Simmons put him on the hardest infiltration missions - not because he trusted him but because he considered him largely expendable. As their relationship had improved, he began to put confidence in Hank’s actual ability - and in his propensity to avoid the bullshit.

Hank was good with his hands. Good at hitting people, good at shooting people without killing them and good at fitting into scenarios that ivy leaguers would fuck themselves over in. He wasn’t good with women and he wasn’t a team player. Which meant that it was very likely that in the next few weeks he was going to go stir-crazy or kill one of the other two agents that were helping him “protect” Juliet.

They were already there when Hank pulled into the long drive of the mountain retreat, and he immediately sized them up as lunkheads. “Miss Brown.” The shorter, blonde one helped Juliet out of the car, and did his best not to stare at the vee of her breasts. “I’m Crowley and this is Bosh.” He gestured to his tall, thin companion, who immediately reddened. “We’re here to help Compton on your protection detail.” Hank didn’t miss the way he glanced in his direction with obvious disdain. Like he cared. No one from the department liked him and he preferred it that way. It meant he didn’t have to play nice. “Anything you need, just let us know.”

“Sure.” Like them or not, Hank couldn’t ignore the pang of jealousy that shot through him when Juliet smiled at Crowley and Bosh. The gesture made her just as radiant as he’d imagined - which made him sullen that she hadn’t offered him a smile. “You guys will be inside with us?”

“Outside, mostly.” Bosh’s voice sounded like his balls had never dropped, but Juliet didn’t seem to mind. “Making sure no one sneaks up on you.”

“Not that you have to worry about that,” Crowley rushed to reassure her. “No one knows you’re here, and we’ll spot any intruders from a mile off.”

Hank might have pointed out that someone might have snuck up behind Juliet and shot her in the back while they were sucking up to her if it weren’t for him, but thought better of it. These two would prove quick enough whether or not they were qualified, and while they fucked around, he might as well pretend that he was the only one on duty.

“Well, you guys might like to get back to watching for intruders while I get the package inside.” What he would do was his job. Someone needed to. “Wouldn’t do to have her stolen away on the first day, would it?”

At Juliet’s alarmed expression, Crowley and Bosh glared at him and Hank hid a smirk. He took Juliet’s crutch from the smaller man before hoisting her unceremoniously over his shoulder. “You guys let me know if you see anyone.”