Carol J. Post - Bodyguard For Christmas

Gunn didn’t tell her what the assignment was, but something in his tone warned her. She was about to meet another idiot who had his doubts about whether a woman could handle the job. After doing two tours with her in Afghanistan, Gunn didn’t have any of those reservations.

She stopped at the end of the hall. A plaque was affixed next to a closed door— Gunter Burch, Owner in engraved black letters. At her two soft raps, Gunn’s voice boomed a command to enter.

A man sat facing Gunn’s desk, his back to her. He was wearing a suit, sandy-blond hair brushing the jacket’s collar.

“Colton Gale, Jasmine McNeal.” Gunn indicated her with a tilt of his head.

Her jaw slackened when Gunn gave the visitor’s name. “We’ve met.” They spoke the words simultaneously.

“It’s good to see you again.” Colton stood and extended his hand, pinning her with his blue gaze.

Yesterday, his eyes had held panic, desperation, protectiveness. Now a sadness she hadn’t noticed swam in their depths. When he smiled, there was a tightness to it, as if it had been so long since he’d given the gesture a try it no longer came naturally. He and Cade were identical twins, but they wore their personality differences on their faces.

Jasmine accepted the handshake, her grip firm and confident. Colton probably had her five feet two inches beat by a solid foot. The one-inch heel on her boots didn’t make any appreciable difference. He still towered over her.

He wasn’t in bad shape, either, especially for a business type. His jacket hung open. Beneath the dress shirt and narrow tie, the guy was obviously fit. Of course, she’d suspected that yesterday, too.

Colton released her hand. “I take it you work here?”

“For the past three years.” They hadn’t exchanged personal details yesterday. He’d helped her carry in a bucket of paint, then left. At his place, they’d been occupied with more important things.

“What do you do for the company?”

Great. He probably thought she did clerical work. Gunn did that on purpose—referred to her by her nickname when talking to potentially difficult clients and introduced her by her legal name in person.

She straightened the zippered black jacket she wore and lifted her chin. “Bodyguard. Former MP.”

He cocked a brow for a half second before understanding flooded his eyes. “Jaz. Jasmine.” His jaw tightened, and his gaze went to Gunn. “This isn’t what I had in mind.”

Jasmine bristled. “I’m sure he told you my qualifications.”

Those blue eyes turned to her again. But the sadness she’d seen was buried under layers of determination. “He did. But I’d assumed Jaz was a man.”

Heat built in her chest and spread. “You felt those qualifications were impressive until you found out they belonged to a woman.”

“I know this sounds sexist. I don’t mean it that way.” He heaved a sigh. “You know what I came home to yesterday. No offense, but I’m looking for someone a little more...intimidating.”

Yeah, someone like her coworker Dom. But Gunn knew what he was doing. Other than the fact that the former sniper was assigned elsewhere, he was built like a linebacker and unintentionally terrified small children.

She drew in a calming breath. Colton was trying to protect his little boy. The reminder was like water splashed on a fire. Enough to slow it down but a long way from dousing it completely.

He continued before she had a chance to respond. “I’m an assistant district attorney, and I’ve put away some really bad dudes. One has decided to go after my son.” He crossed his arms. “I’m sure you’re good at what you do, but I need somebody big and mean.”

He stared down at her, exuding an unmistakable sense of power. In the courtroom, he was probably a force to be reckoned with.

But when it came to protection, so was she. “A thirty-eight stops a man cold, regardless of the size of the hand holding it.”

“What if someone sneaks up behind you?”

“They’d better hit me with a tranquilizer dart first.”

“That’s exactly what they did to my dog.”

Oh. “You’re assuming they could get close enough. Not gonna happen.”

He dropped his arms to his sides. His gaze swept downward to her feet and back up again. Something changed. His eyes held a momentary flash of indecision, then coldness.

She stepped back with her right foot, weight distributed equally between both legs, knees slightly bent. She didn’t get where she was by not being able to read people. Unless she’d completely lost her touch, Colton Gale was preparing to administer a test.

One she was determined to pass.

He lunged toward her, arms swinging upward to capture her. She didn’t give him the opportunity to complete the maneuver. In one smooth motion, she grasped his arm, twisted, crouched and thrust one hip into his legs. Using his own weight and momentum against him, she jerked him forward as she straightened.

He sailed over her, did a flip and landed hard on his back, the plush carpet muffling the thud. Before he could recover, she rolled him over, dropped to one knee and wrenched his right arm behind his back.

He slapped the floor like a wrestler conceding a match. “Okay.” His voice sounded strained. “Point taken.”

She held him a moment longer before releasing him, then rose and watched him get to his feet. “So, tell me about my assignment.” The words were for Gunn, but she kept her gaze locked on her tall neighbor.

“You’re going to live at their home. While Mr. Gale is there, you’ll be responsible for protecting both of them.”

Colton settled himself in the chair where he’d been when she first entered. “But Liam will be your first responsibility.”

“Understood.”

She tamped down her annoyance and sank into the chair next to him. Dom likely never had potential clients doubt his competence. The other three Burch Security people probably didn’t, either. Though not as large as Dom, they were all men.

Colton continued. “Tomorrow morning, we’re heading to Murphy, North Carolina, two hours north. We moved from there a year ago.” He heaved a tension-filled sigh. “Probably should have never left.”

The last words were soft, like a private thought that spilled out without him realizing it. Life had apparently not gone the way he’d hoped. Of course, that was typical for those who walked through Burch Security’s door. People didn’t need a bodyguard when everything was sunshine and roses.

“Where is Liam now?”

“With Cade.”

Colton’s brother rather than his wife. Maybe he was a single parent.

She frowned. She wasn’t good with kids, particularly ones that young. At least, that was what she assumed. In actuality, she’d managed to avoid them. With the exception of a sixteen-year-old amateur model who’d picked up a stalker, all her assignments had involved adults.

“When do I start?”

“Tonight.” Gunn tapped a pen on his desk. “I’ll fill you in on what you need to know. Then you can get your personal belongings together. Corine will be in touch with you after she checks out the leads Mr. Gale gave us.”

She nodded. Corine had worked for Burch Security since a month after Gunn opened shop, and she was a whiz on the computer. If there was information available, she’d find it.

Colton continued. “By nine tomorrow morning, I want to be on my way to Murphy. The sooner we leave Atlanta, the better I’ll feel. Whoever’s threatening us likely doesn’t know about the Murphy house.”

A good reason to go there. But likely not Colton’s only reason. Whenever he spoke of Murphy, his tone held a solid dose of nostalgia. It wasn’t just a physical haven. It was likely an emotional one, too.