The Author and Her Bodyguard

Chapter 8

"Yes, can I get a double-double with cheese?" I shouted into the intercom, half crouched in my seat, a vision of messy yellow fabric as I leaned out the window. I looked at Aiden who sat across from me in the back of the limo. "Want anything?"

He shook his head.

"Oh! With fries and a vanilla shake!" I finished before leaning back inside and settling into my seat, satisfied.

Aiden raised a brow at me. "What?" I asked.

He shrugged, judging me in silence with his stupid face.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't hate. They make good burgers here." I crossed my arms and stared out the window, determined to stay silent. The quiet had another level to it. Aiden wasn't driving the limo that was headed to the movie premiere. And the divider to the driver's side was up.

So now Aiden had nothing else to focus on but me eating a cheeseburger in a fancy dress. I am one classy lady.

Unwrapping the beautiful greasy meal, I took a large bite, ignoring Aiden's look of disapproval. I was halfway through my burger before Aiden seemed ready to jump out of his skin and broke the silence. "Don't they serve food at these things?"

"I thought you weren't talking," I muttered, determined to enjoy my piece of heaven before being thrown in front of hundreds of strangers.

"It's a fair question. You're going to get food all over your dress."

I rolled my eyes and shot him an irritated face. "Don't doubt my eating skills. I am a very graceful eater." And in true me fashion, it was at that moment that a glop of ketchup made a break for it, betraying me as it rolled off the side of my burger and fell towards my dress.

A napkin appeared out of nowhere, catching the ketchup. Aiden was crouched in front of me, saving me from going down the red carpet in a ketchup-stained dress. "Right..." he replied, doubtful. "What was that about being a graceful eater?"

"Shut it," I snapped, shoving a large number of fries into my mouth.

He rolled up the napkin and tossed it into my fast food bag. "I will. But first I should warn you..." He gestured out the window. "We're almost there, you should finish up."

Crap! Crap! Crap! I shoved the rest of the fries into my mouth and sucked down a bunch of the shake, stopping when I got a brain freeze. "Ow! Eat through the pain!" I muttered to myself before sucking down more shake.

A surprised laugh caught me off guard. The rich baritone warmed me like silky sweet honey, working its way into my bones. But before I could even look up at him, Aiden's laugh was gone, his face serious, the light that filled the limo with his laughter seeping away.

The limo stopped and Aiden leaned towards the door. "Ready?"

I quickly wiped my hands and dropped my now empty shake cup into the trash bag with the rest of my fast-food wrappers. I swallowed, suddenly nervous. "As ready as I'll ever be."

We left the car, and I caught a glimpse of the TLC Chinese Theatre before I was blinded by camera flashes. Squinting, I nearly lost my balance, when I misjudged the curb. Aiden's hand was suddenly around my arm, steadying me. "I've got you," Aiden murmured near my ear.

"Thanks," I replied breathlessly as the flashes continued.

"Smile and keep walking. I'll guide you." I plastered on a large smile, focusing on what I had practiced so many times before when I got ready for my book tours. Walking. Just one foot in front of the other.

I tried to ignore the journalists and the flashing cameras as my pulse roared in my ears, my heart hammering wildly. I moved in a near sprint desperate to see, to hear anything other than the excited shouting.