The Bodyguard: A BWWM Bad Body Romance(47)

But even he could only keep lying to himself for so long.

Scrubbing his hands over a few days’ worth of stubble, he groaned. Maybe this was some cruel fucking twist of fate - falling in with the one woman on earth who understood exactly how it felt to be used and abused by the Aguilers. Hank had once been convinced that not a single living person could even begin to understand how he felt…

And then he met Juliet, and his shit was officially fucked.

She wasn’t his. She didn’t belong to him and she never could. After all this had blown over she’d have to go out in the world to make her own way. She’d realize that there were other men besides him - nicer men who could talk to her the way she deserved to be talked to and give her nice things.

Men who weren’t haunted by their pasts.

Juliet deserved that much. All he could do was protect her, and when the time came, let her go.

He could do that much, couldn’t he?



“You’re aiming too low.”

They had about fifteen minutes before Crowley came back from the store, and Bosh was MIA on some family business. As a result, Hank had to step up his game - but there was nothing that would make Juliet forsake her lessons. Though he assured her there was no way in hell she’d ever have to defend herself without him there, Juliet was determined as hell to hold her own.

It was hot as fuck.

Not to mention it was a treat to see what she was wearing every fucking day. She had gone from wearing the shapeless clothing the bureau provided for her to stepping into her own sense of style, and Hank found that he very much liked the low slung jeans and t-shirts that hugged her figure.

And the panties. Oh God, the panties.

At that particular moment, he was doing his best to concentrate on Juliet’s aim and not the sneaky little hint of lace peeking out above the waistband of the jeans she wore. Or the ass in the jeans themselves.

“Hank?”

“Hm?” He forced his gaze upward to see her arching a brow in his direction, the revolver held at the resting position by her side, just as he’d taught her.

“Are you paying attention?” That mischievous smile of hers was going to be his damned undoing. When she smiled like that, he could almost forget that he was headed out in another few days - or that things with Solomon were more heated than ever.

But that was nothing she needed to know.

“I just told you to aim lower.” He repeated, hoping that was what she’d been referring to. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d gotten caught staring at her ass, but Hank had learned that Juliet always fought him having his way with her if it meant time off her lessons.

Sometimes that just made things more fun.

“I’m not even aiming anymore.” She smirked. “Someone’s distracted.”

In the past two months she’d gone from a woman who shied away from him, even in the dark, to someone dangerous in the knowledge of her own allure. Was it any wonder he couldn’t concentrate on something as mundane as target practice?

“You’re wearing those fucking lacy panties. Of course I’m distracted,” he growled, his eyes darting down to the offending underwear in question. Juliet only laughed, shaking her head as she turned away from him once more. When she raised the gun, her hand was steady, her aim impressive.

Especially considering she’d only been shooting for a few weeks. “What about this?”

Hank couldn’t help an indulgent smile of pride. “That’s dead fucking on. Pull the trigger, Julie.”

A split second before she did, the young woman’s dark eyes went hard. “You know, I imagine putting one right between his eyes. Every single time.” When she fired, the shot struck a hair left of dead center.

In that moment, Hank couldn’t help but think Solomon better count his lucky stars that it was him after his sorry ass, and not Juliet. They’d both suffered at the fucker’s hands, but Juliet’s fear had morphed into a desire for vengeance that shone best when she held a weapon in her hand.

Hence why Hank never let her have one outside of their practices. If he wanted her safe, he sure as hell didn’t need her doing anything stupid on a whim.

That was his job.

“I think that’s enough for today.” His hand covered hers a moment before he took the gun from her. “Crowley will be back any minute.”

“I assume that means you want me on my best behavior?” Juliet handed over the weapon with extreme reluctance.

“Considering I won’t be doing anything he could hear you mouthing off about, I’m not too worried about it.”

Immediately, she scowled, her cheeks flushing. He loved that it was so easy to make her blush. The woman was shameless in bed, but the moment he started teasing her she got flustered.

“I do not mouth off.”

“Oh, forgive me,” Hank removed the gun’s remaining ammo in a smooth motion before dismantling it. “I meant screaming your fucking head off. Better?”

Juliet merely smacked his arm hard enough to sting before fleeing to the safety of the cabin. Hank supposed he didn’t mind, considering he got to watch the intoxicating sway of her ass as she left.

Sure enough, Crowley’s car pulled up the drive less than five minutes later. When the man himself stood from the vehicle, Hank could immediately tell he was pissed. And why not? Hank sent him all the way back to the city on supposed orders from Simmons knowing that there weren’t any.