Tempted By The Bodyguard. Elle James

       Chapter 7

      Shelby sat on the other side of the SUV, her mind on the man driving instead of the assignments and classes she’d missed. When she should have been planning ahead on the catch-up work she’d have to hustle to complete, she was thinking about how thick Daniel’s thighs were and wondering what they looked like beneath the denim of his jeans.

      Hell, he’d seen her naked. She ought to have the same privilege. Not that she should be thinking about him that way at all, but she couldn’t help it.

      Her core heated and she squirmed in her seat, inches away from his big hands gripping the steering wheel. The same hands that had carried her from the bath to her bed, naked.

      “So how did you become a bodyguard?”

      “I work for the Secret Service. I was detailed out to provide protection to former vice president Kate Winston.”

      “Secret Service. Sounds impressive.” She tapped her fingers on the armrest. “And interesting. Are all Secret Service agents glorified bodyguards?”

      His jaw tightened and his fingers curled around the steering wheel turned white around the knuckles.

      She must have bruised his ego. She smiled inwardly, glad she’d gotten beneath his skin.

      “Some of us work on investigations into threats against the president and vice president.”

      “Why aren’t you working on the investigation? Did you make someone mad?”

      His fingers loosened and he sighed. “I was injured when someone shot at Mrs. Winston. I’ve been sidelined from the investigation.”

      “You were injured? Is that why you limp?” Now she felt bad for poking fun at the man.

      He nodded. “I took the bullets meant to kill your grandmother.”

      Shelby sat for a moment in silence, the full extent of what he was saying hitting hard. “Who would have it in for her and why?”

      “If we had the answers, wouldn’t we have caught him by now?”

      “I suppose.” She glanced out the window as they passed houses and businesses. “I don’t understand why people have to be so callous and angry all the time.”

      “Being a part of the Winston family, with all their wealth and property, has its perks.”

      “And apparently its price.” Shelby pushed a hand through her hair and stared forward. “I didn’t ask for it.”

      “No, you didn’t. But you can’t deny it. You look just like a younger version of Kate. Anyone with a pair of eyes could see it.”

      As they drove onto the university campus, Shelby stared at her reflection in the side mirror. She did look a little like her grandmother and a lot like the pictures of the younger Kate Winston.

      Campus looked the same as it did the day she’d entered the library to research information for her paper. The sun was just as bright, the trees weren’t much different and the buildings were all still there.

      The only thing that had changed was her. Two weeks ago, the most important thing in her life was getting a good education.

      Her grandfather had done everything in his power to give her all the opportunities to improve her life. Despite his argument earlier that day about not needing an education to be a bartender, he’d been the first one to kick her butt and remind her of how important it was to get a degree that would provide a livable income. He’d drilled it into her head that she had to be able to support herself and anyone else who might come along. That anyone else being any children she might bring into the world.

      Her grandfather worried that she wouldn’t be able to support herself when he was gone. He’d admitted he’d spoiled her mother and she’d been less than responsible when she’d been growing up, as evidenced by her pregnancy at age eighteen.

      He’d raised Shelby to be more responsible. She’d helped out at the grill from a young age, earning her own spending money. Nothing was free in life, he’d told her. And she alone was responsible for her own actions.

      She didn’t mind working, and she loved her grandfather more than anyone in the world because deep inside she knew he loved her, too. And she’d almost lost him. Or rather, they’d almost lost each other. With her life back in her own hands, she vowed never to be so vulnerable again.

      She pointed to a brick structure, “Pull up beside that building. I’ll just run in and see if my professor is there.”

      When she reached for the door handle, his hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. “We will go inside the building together.”

      His unrelenting grip on her arm left her no choice.

      “Seriously? Look around you. There are students everywhere, and faculty and staff. I can make it to my professor’s office and back with no problem.”

      “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather go with you.”

      “It’s not all the same to me. I don’t need a bodyguard to lead me around on a leash.” Shelby yanked her arm free and pushed the door open, jumping out. She set off at a good pace, hoping to reach the building and duck inside before he could catch up.

      She hadn’t gone five steps before Daniel was out of the car and at her side, matching her pace. Students passed on each side of her.

      Each time one walked by, Daniel glared and moved closer to Shelby.

      Finally Shelby stopped and faced him. “You can’t do this. You’re scaring the other students.”

      “Do you realize how close they are getting? Anyone that close could jam a knife into you and you wouldn’t see it coming.”

      “They’re students, damn it, not terrorists.” Shelby stomped away from him and pushed through the door into the building.

      Once inside, she mounted the stairs in the stairwell to the third floor and hurried toward her professor’s office.

      Daniel dogged her footsteps, never more than a few steps behind, his limp more pronounced after climbing the stairs.

      When they reached the office, Shelby faced Daniel. “I’m going inside. Alone.”

      He frowned. “I’d rather check it out before you go in.”

      “Too bad. I’ll take my chances. You’re staying out here.”

      “But—”

      She poked a finger into his chest. “Stay.”

      His frown deepened. “I’m not a dog.”

      “I know. A dog would have a much more obedient disposition.” Shelby slipped through the wood-paneled door into the professor’s office and closed it behind her. She waited on the other side, fully expecting Daniel to jerk the door open and follow her inside. When he didn’t, she was almost disappointed, then she shook her head and turned.

      The professor wasn’t in, but his teaching assistant was.

      Shelby wrote down all the assignments and promised the assistant she’d email the professor with her excuse.

      She was sure most professors had heard every excuse in the books, but being kidnapped and held for two weeks had to be new, ranking right up there with being taken by aliens. And they might not believe her, since Kate’s