โItโs not safe.โ
Bridget drew herself up to her full five feet, nine inches and leveled an icy glare at the dark-haired man glowering right back at her. Ballsy, considering she was the princess and he was the bodyguard, but Rhys Larsen wasnโt Booth. That much was clear in the week since heโd arrived in Hazelburg to take over Boothโs protection duties.
Weโd thrown a big going away celebration for Booth at The Crypt and sent quick prayers that Bridgetโs new bodyguard would be as cool as Booth.
Prayers not answered.
Rhys was gruff, surly, and arrogant. He drove Bridget mad, which was quite something, since she never lost her temper. In the past seven days, however, Iโd seen her on the verge ofย yelling. Iโd been so shocked I almost dropped my camera.
โFall Fest is an annual tradition,โ she said in a regal voice. โIโve attended every year for the past three years, and I donโt intend to stop now.โ
Rhysโs gray eyes flickered. He was a little younger than Boothโmaybe early thirties, with thick black hair, eyes the color of gunmetal, and a broad, muscled frame that towered over Bridgetโs leggy grace, even when she wore heels. Dark stubble shadowed his chin, and a small, jagged
scar slashed across his left eyebrow. Without the scar, he wouldโve been disconcertingly gorgeous; with it, he was still disconcertingly gorgeous, but also dangerous. More menacing.
Good quality to have in a bodyguard, I supposed.
โItโs a crowd management issue.โ His voice rumbled through the car, deep and authoritative, even though he was technically Bridgetโs employee. โToo many people, too close quarters.โ
Stella, Jules, and I wisely stayed quiet while Bridget matched him glare for glare. โItโs a college event. Thereโs bound to be a crowd, and Iโve never had issues before. Half the people there donโt even know who I am.โ
โIt only takes one person one time,โ Rhys countered, his tone even. โOne look and I know the festival is over max capacity.โ
โThis is ridiculous. Iโm not entering a war zone, and there are fewer people than at a sports game. No one ever said I couldnโt attend one ofย those.โ
โThe security measures and layout at sports games are
โโ
โEnough.โ Bridget held up a hand. โI refuse to stay in my house like a princess locked in a tower my senior year of college. Iโm going, and you can either stay in the car or come with me.โ She opened the car door and exited without a backward glance.
Rhysโs nostrils flared, but he followed her a heartbeat later, those sharp eyes of his constantly roving, searching for danger.
Jules, Stella, and I scrambled after them.
Fall Fest was one of the most anticipated events of the school year. Local businesses set up booths hawking seasonal food and products discounted for studentsโ decadent hot chocolate and apple cider donuts, pumpkin pies and pulled-pork sandwiches. There were classic games and activities like bobbing for apples, tarot readings, andโ
because this was collegeโa tailgate where local alumni and students gathered to drink to their heartโs content.
Rhys was rightโthere were more people than expected at the festival, but it was nothing compared to the spring break parties weโd attended in the past. I understood why he was concerned, but I also agreed with Bridget he was overreacting aย tinyย bit.
Bridget ignored him as we took advantage of all the food and activities on offer. Fall Fest was a necessary stress reliever between midterms and finals, and we had a blastโ for the most part.
โHeโs driving me crazy,โ Bridget said a while later in a low voice. She sipped her hot chocolate with a morose expression. โI miss Booth.โ
I glanced over my shoulder at Rhys, who followed us with an impassive expression. Either he didnโt hear what she said, or he had the worldโs best poker face.
I bet the latter. I had a feeling there wasnโt much, if anything, that Rhys Larsen didnโt see, hear, or notice.
โItโs his first week.โ Stella snapped a picture of her drink before tasting it. โBooth has been with you for years. Itโs only natural that Rhys would be more overprotective. Give him time.โ
โI suppose.โ Bridget sighed. โI donโt know how Nik does it. He has double the security I do because heโs the crown prince, and thereโs so much riding on his shoulders.โ She shook her head. โIโm glad Iโm second in line to the throne.โ
โYou mean you donโt want to rule, Your Majesty?โ I teased. โYou could be a queen and see your face on a postage stamp.โ
Bridget laughed. โNo, thank you. As tempting as a postage stamp with my face is, Iโd rather have a modicum of freedom.โ She shot a dark look in Rhysโs direction. โUnless my bodyguard has other ideas.โ
โHeโs strict, but at least heโs delicious,โ Jules said in a stage whisper. โNo offense to Booth, butย whew.โ She
fanned herself.
โIs that all you think about?โ Bridget asked, clearly torn between laughter and frustration.
A shadow slid across Julesโs face before it disappeared. โMost of the time. I like to think about pleasant things. Speaking of whichโฆโ She turned to me. โWhereโs Lover Boy?โ
I rolled my eyes, a blush spreading over my cheeks. โDonโt call him that, and heโs busy running a company. He doesnโt have time for college events.โ
โYou sure about that?โ Stella tilted her chin at something behind me.
I whipped around, my heart jumping in my throat when I saw Alex standing behind me. In his navy cashmere sweater and jeans, he cut a sophisticated figure amongst the crowds of drunk college students and rumpled professors.
I couldnโt help itโI ran and threw my arms around him. โI thought you had work!โ
โI took off early.โ He pressed a kiss to my lips, and I sighed with pleasure. โI miss Fall Fest.โ
โUh-huh. Iโm sureย thatโsย what you miss,โ Jules teased.
My friends stared at us with fascination, and I realized this was the first time theyโd seen us together as aโฆ couple? I wasnโt sure what to call our relationship. โCoupleโ sounded too mundane, but I guessed that was what we were.
We went on dates, talked through the night, and had wild, explosive sex. Alex Volkov and I were a couple.
The butterflies in my stomach quivered with excitement.
Alex stayed with us through the end of Fall Fest. He declined to play most of the festival games, but we convinced him to take pictures at the pumpkin-themed photo booth.
โDo you realize these are the first photos we have of the two of us?โ I waved the Polaroids in triumph. โIf you donโt
hang them in your living room, Iโll be offended.โ
โI donโt know. You donโt match my decor,โ he said in a bland tone.
I swatted him on the arm, earning myself a rare laugh. Stella nearly choked on her hot cocoa, she was so shocked.
It was the perfect afternoon: great food, great weather, great company. The only hiccup occurred when Alex nicked himself on something sharp at one of the booths. The cut was deep enough that blood welled and streaked down his finger.
โItโs fine,โ he said. โItโs just a scratch.โ
โYouโre bleeding.โ I planted my hands on my hips. โWe have to clean and bandage it. Letโs go.โ My tone brooked no opposition.
No way in hell was he walking around with blood dripping down his hand. What if it got infected?
Alexโs mouth quirked up. โYes, maโam.โ
I huffed at his amusementโhe wasย bleedingโand dragged him to the campus health center, where the bored- looking student assistant supplied us with a gauze pad and Band-Aid.
I rinsed the cut under running tap water in the bathroom and dabbed at it with the gauze. โHold still.โ I tossed the gauze in the trash and peeled open the Band- Aid. โYou shouldโve been more careful,โ I grumbled. โYouโre lucky you werenโt seriously hurt. What the hell were you thinking?โ
I looked up and found Alex staring at me with a small smile.
โWhat?โ
โYouโre cute when youโre worried.โ
I pressed my lips together, struggling to contain my smile. โDonโt try to act all sweet so you can get out of trouble.โ
โAm I in trouble?โ he drawled. He kicked the door shut with his foot and locked it with his free hand.
My pulse ratcheted up a notch. โYes.โ โYou think Iโm acting sweet?โ
I gave a tiny nod.
Alex hefted me up onto the sink. โWe better remedy both those things, shouldnโt we?โ
My teeth dug into my bottom lip as he shoved my dress up over my chest and grazed his teeth over my nipples through the thin lace of my bra.
โAlex, weโre in the student health center,โ I squeaked, wanting him to both stop and keep going. Everyone was at Fall Fest so the center wasnโt busy, but the receptionist sat a few feet away outside the door and the flimsy walls were anythingย butย soundproof.
โIโm aware.โ He pulled my bra aside with his teeth and lavished attention on my breasts while his non-bandaged hand found the sweet spot between my legs. I was already soaked for him, my thighs slick with my juices as he drove me crazy with his mouth and fingers. His erection pressed against my leg, thick and hard as a steel pipe, but when I reached for it, he batted my hand away.
โI hope youโre not attached to your underwear,โ he said.
My brows drew together. โWhaโโ The sound of fabric tearing answered my incomplete question.
Alexโs mouth curled into a sly grin at my shocked expression. โSince weโve established that youโre a screamer,โ he said. โOpen your mouth.โ
My resistance collapsed.
I opened my mouth, and he shoved my underwear in, mu๏ฌing my moan. I shivered when I tasted the slickness of my arousal.
I was throbbing now, so turned on I couldnโt see straight. There was something so freakinโ erotic about knowing someone could catch us any minute.
Alex returned his attention to my breasts while he slid one finger, then two, into my slippery folds. I gripped his
hair, tugging so hard it mustโve hurt as he worked me into a frenzy, but if it did, he didnโt show it.
He lifted his head from my chest and watched me with smoldering eyes. โThatโs it, Sunshine,โ he murmured, his muscles taut as he finger fucked me harder. He was knuckles deep inside me now, the obscene sounds of him sliding in and out of my drenched core creating a dirty symphony that intensified my arousal. I rode his hand shamelessly, drool leaking from the corners of my mouth as I screamed around my makeshift gag. โCome for me like a little slut.โ
I did. Hard, fast, and endlessly, flying high in an explosion of starry bliss.
When I finally came down, I saw that he had unbuttoned his pants and was fisting his cock. It didnโt take long before he erupted, spurting thick, hot jets all over my thighs.
โNo,โ he said when I reached to clean myself. He pulled my shredded panties out of my mouth and pocketed them, his movements crisp and precise. โI want you to walk around with my cum on you so you know exactly who you belong to.โ
Heat blistered my cheeks. โAlex,โ I hissed. โI canโt walk out there with no underwear andโฆandโโ
โYou can, and you will.โ His fingers brushed my thighs, where the cum was already drying. โThe faster you obey, the faster we can leave and go home, where you can shower. With help,โ he added with a wicked smile.
โYouโre crazy.โ But I did as he asked, pulling my sweater dress down and fixing my hair. I couldnโt look the receptionist in the eye as we walked out. She probably knew what weโd done, because it didnโt takeย thatย long to bandage a wound.
The wind brushed against my bareness as we rejoined our friends and I jumped, earning myself a smirk from Alex and strange looks from everyone else.
โAre you okay?โ Stella asked. โYou look flushed.โ
โYes,โ I squeaked. โJust, ah, a bit chilly.โ While the others got distracted by the start of the pie-eating contest, I slapped Alexโs arm. โYouโll pay for this.โ
โLooking forward to it.โ
I rolled my eyes, but I couldnโt stay mad at him, especially since part of me loved how dirty I felt walking around like this.
โI have a serious question,โ I said as we watched two seniors destroy their pumpkin pies. โWhat are you doing for Thanksgiving?โ
โI imagine Iโll be eating turkey somewhere,โ he said casually.
โDo youโฆwant to come to my place for the weekend? Since your uncle doesnโt celebrate and all. Not that you have to,โ I added quickly.
โSunshine, Iโve spent every Thanksgiving with your family for the past eight years.โ
โI know, but Josh isnโt here this year, and I didnโt want to assume. I mean, meeting the dadโฆโ
Alexโs eyes gleamed with laughter. โIโve already met your dad.โ
โRight. Butโฆโ I faltered. โI guess it doesnโt matter. We canโt tell him weโre dating until we tell Josh, but would it be suspicious if we show up together? Parents have a weird lie-detecting radar. What if heโโ
โAva.โ He placed his hands on my shoulders. โDo you want me to spend Thanksgiving with you?โ
I nodded.
โThen thatโs what Iโm doing. Donโt overthink it.โ
โSays the King of Overthinking,โ I muttered, but I was smiling.
