5. Stone
STONE
A few weeks later . . .
Terrence and I walk along the block in Santa Monica, heading to my favorite Japanese restaurant for lunch.
“Thank you, as always, my man,” I say when I reach the door. “I’ll see you when I’m done. You want your usual?”
He strokes his chin like he’s deep in thought. “You know I never turn down a yellowtail roll.”
“I know that about you. I’m on yellowtail detail,” I say as I head inside.
A grin stretches across my face when I spot my childhood friend sitting near the back.
Callum and I go way back, as in third grade way back.
We took English together in middle school, suffered through algebra in tandem, and navigated the horrors of kickball for PE.
Growing up together in one of the less affluent neighborhoods in San Francisco, we relied on each other.
Now, he lives and works in Las Vegas, running a bodyguard company. He hooked me up in the first place with Terrence and Cruz, so he’s been instrumental for me on the career side of things too. A friend and a business partner.
He’s in town with his hotel heiress client and had a break in his schedule to meet me for lunch. He rises, his dark eyes glinting, then extends a hand as if to clap me on the back.
“Bring it in,” I say.
Laughing, he hugs harder. It’s our style—has been since we were kids. “Such a hugger,” he mutters.
When I let go, I hold my arms out wide. “Touch. It’s my love language.”
“Aww. You love me, Stone?”
“Down deep in my soul. The soul of my friendship .” Emphasis on friend . “Dickhead,” I mutter playfully.
“Aww, I love you like a dickhead friend too, asshole,” he says as we sit.
I shoot him a smile, since I’m happy to see him. “How the hell are you? Tell me everything. All the details. How is your hotel heiress? Are you madly in love with her like I predicted?”
He narrows his eyes, growling.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” I say, stretching out in the chair.
“Take that as it’s complicated ,” he says.
I park my chin in my hand. “Tell me more. I love complicated ,” I say, and I also love hearing about someone else’s complications because my newest one—lusting after my bodyguard—is bedeviling me.
After we place our order, we catch up quickly about work and life and business, till the waiter brings our rolls. We thank the server, then I pick up my chopsticks and snag an avocado roll, chewing as Callum waves a hand at me. “Enough about me. How’s everything going with Terrence and Cruz?”
“They are the cat’s pajamas, the dog’s sweater, the chipmunk’s knees,” I say.
“Does a chipmunk have knees?”
“Excellent question. I’ll get back to you. But,” I say, dragging out the word, “here’s the thing.” I set down the chopsticks, heaving a sigh. “Terrence recommended someone for the vacancy I had, so I interviewed him and hired him.”
“And why does that sound bad when it should sound good?”
I drag a hand roughly through my hair, glance around, then lower my voice. “Because I have the world’s hottest bodyguard,” I say in a whisper, like it’s a state secret.
Callum rolls his eyes, laughing, leaning back in his chair. “Sounds like you. Putting temptation right in your own path.”
Yeah, every single day. “Tell me about it. He’s been with me for a couple weeks now. It’s killing me. The dude is too hot for words.”
“So, what are you going to do about that?” The question comes out serious. Understandably. An attraction this bone-deep, and this unrequited, is fucking serious.
“What am I going to do? Fire him because he’s good-looking? That’s not fair.”
He cracks up. “I didn’t mean you should fire him. How about just don’t be attracted to him?”
I scratch my head. “Gee. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“You’re not going to do anything about it though?”
“No. Besides, I’m sure he bats for your team,” I say, and then take a sip of my green tea.
Callum hums.
“What’s that for?” I ask, curious.
“You sure about that? You’re not usually attracted to straight guys.”
“You only say that to justify why I’ve never been attracted to you. But face it, you’re just ugly.”
He rolls his eyes, flipping me the bird.
I smack his arm. “Listen, I appreciate what you said. But don’t get my hopes up. I shouldn’t care about his orientation, because I shouldn’t be attracted to him. And look, even if he does like dick, it’d be foolish to do anything about it.”
Callum’s quiet at first, his dark eyes a little thoughtful.
When he says nothing, I stare harder. “Right? It would be, don’t you think?”
He clears his throat. “Sure. Of course,” he says, but sounds noncommittal.
“So I’ll keep resisting him?” I ask, since I need the reminder for myself.
“Exactly,” my friend says. “Resist. Don’t get involved with your client.”
I arch a brow. “Um, I’m the client.”
Callum shakes his head as if clearing it. “And the corollary applies to you. Don’t get involved with your bodyguard, no matter how tempting.”
Damn straight.
Even though the temptation is, admittedly, stronger than I’d thought.
More powerful than I’d expected.
And so damn in my face, since the man I’m attracted to is by my side every night.