Prologue
PROLOGUE
Jackson
Nobody would ever accuse me of being laid-back.
The word “chill” has never been applied to yours truly.
But that’s okay. There’s not really a thriving job market for an easygoing, laid-back, relaxed . . . bodyguard.
“Easygoing” is the opposite of the job qualification.
Words that people use to describe me would be more like “intense,” “focused,” and “dedicated.”
That’s what clients want.
They don’t want someone who’s all “water off a duck’s back,” and “no big deal.”
Everything in my line of work has the potential to be a big deal, and my job is to be vigilant.
That’s why I’ve learned not to sweat the small stuff.
Shit that would irk me years ago doesn’t even register as a blip on my radar anymore.
I don’t get worked up about everyday annoyances like slow Wi-Fi, stalled traffic, people canceling on you, or people not canceling when you want them to.
Life’s little irritations aren’t worth obsessing over.
But . . . there’s one thing that’s driving me crazy.
One thing I desperately want to let go of.
It’s like a fever.
Give me the pill, the antidote, the IV solution stat.
Hell, give me the goddamn vaccine, and I’ll inject it myself right now.
Because there’s one inconvenience I simply can’t shake, and it’s this—being unfairly, ridiculously, insanely attracted to the guy who signs my paychecks.
That’s the problem I want to solve. That’s the riddle I must unravel. Because, dammit, I need to find a way to extinguish this irresistible pull toward my boss. The tall, tatted, tempting man who pays my bills. The guy with the sexy-as-sin stubble, the athletic build, and the magnetic smile.
I would like to find any way out of this desire that doesn’t involve pinning him up against the wall, kissing the breath out of him, and having my way with him.
Anything.
The golden rule of my profession is this— never ever fall for your client .
I never have. And I never plan to.
Because any kind of physical connection between us, any foray into this unexplored terrain of dangerous lust, could push me to my breaking point.
And then, it happens.
One night in a hotel when he fans the flames of my jealousy. Then push comes to shove.
And I have to decide if I’m going to let go of the attraction.
Or if the attraction is going to take hold of me.