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“It’s you,” I say, still locked onto his stunning eyes. His dark brows pull together, and his mouth is set in a straight line. His jawline is a work of art. He’s even hotter up close. Broodier, but hotter. “I mean, I recognize you. You run by my house every day. I’m Jane.” He moves us so I’m standing on my own two feet instead of swooning in his arms, steadies me and then steps away. “Careful where you’re walking, Jane.”
It’s only when Cam’s blurry body in front of me is pushed out of the way that I notice the dark head approaching me. I blink back what I now realize are tears in time to see my mystery guy reach up and grab me around the waist. I freeze under his touch, but then his voice is reassuring me as his big hands span out around my middle. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
I watch Jane’s expression morph from terror to confusion to shock to anger to betrayal in the span of a few minutes. I had two orders: keep Jane safe and be discreet. I’ve failed at both.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Arch nudges him, and his lips pull into a small, knowing smile. “She thought he was into her and when she found out who he was, she realized she was just a job.” “She wasn’t just a job.” The words are out before I can pull them back. Arch’s smile just gets bigger. Fucker.
“Favorite color?” He doesn’t answer right away, and I assume he’s not going to. He’s such a stickler. But just as a test paper is handed back to me, his voice is back in my ear. “Green.”
“And also,” he says, voice low. “Even if it wasn’t my job, I’d do whatever I could to keep you safe.”
Hendrick is hanging back with Felix. Dahlia grins at me. “I think my boyfriend has a dude crush on Hendrick.”
“I said I was your boyfriend because I wanted them to know that you’re mine. Bodyguard, boyfriend, friend, whatever you want to call me is up to you. I’m yours and that’s all that matters. But to everyone else, I want them to know that I’m the guy they have to answer to if they hurt you.”
“I guess that makes me your bodyguard too, then.” One brow lifts. “Oh yeah?” “Yes. If anyone touches you, I’ll claw their eyes out.”
“But boyfriend has a better ring to it, so I think I’ll call you that. Hi, boyfriend.” His lips pull into a real, honest to God smile. “Hi, girlfriend.”
“The key to this place. I’m returning it to your family.”
A few weeks later, four wallflowers gather in the living room of their off-campus house. It’s just a house, yet it’s so much more. It’s the place where we became friends, where each of us fell in love, where we watched Jane Austen more times than I can count, studied together, drank wine, played dress up, cried, and laughed. Years from now when we’ve all graduated and started our lives, we’ll look back at this moment and remember that what we shared was special. A once in a lifetime kind of friendship. Or in my case, thrice in a lifetime.
