A Bodyguard For The Princess (A Bad Boy Romance) (44 page)

“Yes. But I wouldn’t be able to have you here for break, and I need to rent out my place in order to cover the costs,” he said, his voice faltering a little.

I took a deep breath. “No problem. I can stay somewhere else. You have to take this opportunity. It’s like a dream come true,” I said, keeping my voice even.

“Thank you, hon. I promise we will spend a lot of time together when I get back.”

“All right! And congrats. We will talk more later. Can’t wait to hear about it,” I said, genuinely happy for him.

“All right! Buh-bye! Love you!”

“Love you too!” I replied, and we hung up. “Shit…”

“What?” Sarah asked.

“I can’t stay with my dad over break,” I said, my heart sinking. Sarah frowned, shaking her head. “You’re going to be gone all month with your parents too, right? On your Alps vacation?”

“Yeah. But you could come,” she said.

“I’m not going to invade your family thing like that. I’ve imposed on them enough. I have no choice but to go to New York for winter break,” I said, my voice shaking nervously.

“But won’t Gary let you use his card for rent?” she asked.

“Yeah, I guess, but it would really hurt his feelings if I didn’t stay there instead.”

“Ugh!” Sarah said. “Are you really going to stay there?”

“I’ll have to. What other choice do I have?” A small part of me was happy—the part of me that wanted to see Ash.

Ashton

“Amy is coming home for break!” Emma said cheerfully.

I nearly spat out my drink. “What?” I asked, disbelief washing over me.

“Her dad has a job in Germany for the next two months, and her friend Sarah is going on some kind of a family trip, so she’s coming here!”

My dad, Emma, and I were hanging out in the den. My dad and I were drinking a beer and watching a game. Emma was knitting, her newest endeavor.

“That’s great,” I said, a mixture of nervousness and excitement in my gut.

I had been looking at Amy’s profile obsessively, seeing her pictures from the dance the night before. It looked like she had a good time, and besides the soccer player putting his arm around her, I didn’t see anything else happen. I wanted to rip his arm off, though.

My phone buzzed.

Jen:
We need to talk, like now.

Ashton:
Okay. About what?

Jen:
You’re not going to want to hear this, but I have to tell you.

I left the room and dialed her.

“What’s up?” I said.

“I’m tired of your bullshit, and someone else wants to date me, so you’re history,” she said, her voice whiney.

I furrowed my brow, taken aback by her immature tone. “Okay? Congrats. I mean, I understand.”

“That’s all you’re going to say? Congrats? What the hell is that? What the hell are we—and who the hell are you?” she yelled. Her voice began to shake like she was crying.

I pulled the phone away from my ear, grimacing. Emma and my dad looked over, confused. I muttered obscenities to myself, running upstairs so I could have some privacy.

“I don’t understand what you want from me. The whole time we’ve both been dating other people, so it’s not like I led you on,” I said. I hadn’t led her on, but I felt bad that I hadn’t stopped the sex when I realized she was developing feelings.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” she said abruptly.

Terror came over me. “What?”

“Your stepsister. Don’t tell me you don’t have the hots for her. I’ve seen the way you look at her, and ever since she left, you’ve been a big fucking baby.” Her voice was tinged with ridicule.

“You’re crazy,” I lied, “that’s not what’s going on at all.”

She laughed spitefully. “I knew you were a fucking loser, but I didn’t realize how much until now. I’m done with you,”
she said. “Oh, and by the way, he’s here now and I’m about to give him a blow job.”

“Fuck you,” I replied. I hung up the phone, all kinds of emotions washing over me, ones I wanted to ignore. I did care about her, but she was right. I still had a thing for Amy, and I was excited she was coming here for break.

I threw my phone on my bed. I cracked open another beer and sat down. I thought love was supposed to be simple. At least, that’s how I always imagined it would be. It turned out to be anything but.

I walked downstairs to join Emma and my dad again. Emma was on the phone, smiling and laughing. She hung up and said, “It’s official. Amy will be here in four weeks!”

I took another swig of my beer.
Oh boy.

Amy

The entire plane ride, my stomach was in knots, and not because of the ride itself. Ash was picking me up at the airport, just like old times. I wasn’t sure if I was prepared to see him, and I wasn’t even sure what that meant. I landed and immediately called him.

He picked up. It was the first time I’d heard his voice in months. “You remembered my number this time.”

“Yeah, I did,” I replied.

“I thought you wouldn’t. I mean, I know people from the west coast are kinda airheaded,”
he joked, repeating our first conversation.

“I thought that people from New York were kinda impatient, but you seem to be good at waiting,” I said, my voice dripping with innuendo.

“I’m at the east gate again. I’ll see you soon.”

We hung up. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I wiped them away. I was so overcome by emotion, and all I cared about was seeing him again. It was like he and I were in a separate universe, and nothing had changed at all since we last saw each other.

I saw him. He wasn’t as tanned, and his hair had grown back. He had a lot of facial stubble. He honestly looked depressed, timid almost. I had never seen him like this. He was still gorgeous, though, and his arms looked a bit more muscular. I knew he had a full-time job, so that was probably the reason. I stopped, watching him. Like there was some crazy pull between us, he looked over and saw me. He smiled his perfect white smile and started walking over to me. I dropped my rolling bag and ran to him. He picked me up, twirling me in his arms. He held me close to him, nearly squishing me in a hug.

“Nice to see you, sis,” he joked.

“Nice to see you too, bro,” I teased back.

One of the security guards strutted over to us impatiently. “You have to get your bag, miss, and then you must both clear the area. You can’t park here this long,” she said.

We were so excited to see each other that I’m not sure either of us even really heard her. He helped me with my bag and put it in the trunk. I got in the passenger side of his car, knowing very well to strap myself in securely.

“So,” he began.

“So,” I finished.

“Who’s the soccer guy?” he asked.

“Someone I briefly dated. Nothing major.”

He looked relieved. “Good.”

“Are you still with Jen?”

“We were never really officially together or anything, but she’s with this other dude,” he said.

“Nice.”

He began driving, and we were silent. It wasn’t an awkward silence. It was a natural one.

“I heard you’re working full time,” I said.

“Yeah. I’m about to graduate from an apprenticeship program, and then the world is my oyster.”

“I only have a half a year left after this. I’ve taken most of the classes I need to graduate.”

“Nice.”

“How’s my mom been?”

“She loves married life, and she’s been cooking up a storm. She’s really happy you’re coming for break.”

“I was nervous. I’m not going to lie. I’m glad you don’t hate me.”

“I think missing someone a lot softens any blow.”

“Very true,” I agreed.

He put on some music, and we hummed along to the tune. Everything felt so natural between us, and the relief of seeing him made me feel a bit less hurt about Jen. I didn’t realize how much I missed him until I was finally in his presence.

“How’s Sarah been?” he asked.

“She’s good. Her soccer coach is super strict, though, so it’s hard for us to have a lot of fun.”

“He sounds like a tool,” Ash said.

I laughed. “I almost forgot about your blunt honesty. I missed that, too.”

We pulled up to the house, too quickly as usual. “I don’t think I missed your driving though,” I said with a sheepish smile.

The front of the house was decorated with Christmas lights and decorations. My heart sank, because it reminded me of the way our old house was when my mom and dad were still together. She’d decorated it the same way.

“I’ll get your bag. Go see your mom.” I was impressed. He seemed a lot more mature than when I last saw him.

My mom wore an elf hat and a red apron, very into the holiday season as always. “Hello, sweetie!” she said, giving me a warm hug.

“Hi, Mom.”

Gary was in the den, sipping some eggnog. He waved to me with a warm smile. “Welcome home, Amy.”

I really liked Gary. He was great to my mom and always really supportive. I felt lucky. It would suck to hate your own stepdad. I wished my relationship with Ash could be as simple. Maybe then we could enjoy a drama-free holiday.

“I’ll take your stuff to your room,” Ash said.

“Thanks!” I responded, flashing him a big smile.

“How was your trip?” Mom asked.

“It was a lot easier to fly this time. I think my body is getting used to it, finally.”

“And you’re twenty-one now, so you can have some eggnog!” she said cheerfully, clasping her hands together. “Let me get you some.”

I sat on the sofa across from Gary, who was enjoying his eggnog. “How’s business going, Gary?”

“Our stock company is dominating, as usual,” he answered proudly.

Ash came down the stairs. He sat next to me on the sofa, careful to leave enough room. My mom came back out and handed me eggnog. Ash had set his down on the coffee table, and he scooped it up, taking a sip.

Even though I was twenty-one, I couldn’t get used to drinking. Maybe I didn’t even really like it all that much. I took a sip, clearly tasting the bitterness of the alcohol. I hadn’t developed a taste for it like everyone told me I would.

It began to snow outside, the freezing wind making sad, moaning noises. It made me crave the warmth of my shower upstairs. I wanted to get cozy and take a shower and sleep some of the excitement of the day away.

“I’m heading upstairs and going to bed early,” I said.

“Good, because we’re going snow tubing!” Mom announced.

I sighed. My mom was always planning crazy adventures. I went upstairs, hearing Gary and Ash having some kind of a debate over the legalization of marijuana. I smiled to myself, glad to be there. There was something so safe and promising about this new life. It was like the pieces of the puzzle I’d been carrying fit together perfectly.

My room was dark and a bit cold. I turned up the heat and closed the door, locking it behind me. The bathroom wasn’t as formidable as before. I was so used to sharing it with Ash now that it didn’t really bother me that he could walk in at any moment.

I stripped my clothes off and turned the water on. I rubbed Ash’s soap all over my body, wanting to smell like him, feeling comforted by the scent and sensation. A couple of minutes passed, and I heard the door to the bathroom creak slowly open.

Ashton

Seeing her at the airport melted most of the jealousy and hurt I’d been carrying. When she was in my arms and everything felt so right. I drove carefully, more than I normally would. She was precious cargo, after all. She was family.

I took her bag up to her room, plopping it safely on her bed. The room had been a sore spot for me all fall. Every time I walked by it to go down the stairs, I was reminded she wasn’t there. Now, I was filled with happiness. She was here, and no matter what happened, that room would be filled, and so would the place in my heart.

I made sure there were enough extra towels in our bathroom, and I went back downstairs to join everyone. Amy chatted happily with her mother, who looked so happy that she was there.

“Everyone in my office gets high all the time. I just don’t get it,” my dad said, shaking his head.

“They will legalize the stuff soon enough, so get used to it,” I replied.

“They shouldn’t. Not that it will stop anyone from doing it if they don’t, but people are not as productive when they smoke,” my dad argued.

“I think it depends on the person. I’m productive.”

“Don’t remind me that you smoke. It’s a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell thing,’ remember?”

Amy stood up and said something about taking a shower. My thoughts immediately fell on her naked body and all the things I’d wanted to do to her for so long. I took another sip of my eggnog, trying to relax.

A good ten minutes went by, and I figured it would be safe to go up to my room. I would try to be good and ignore the fact that she was naked. It would be a piece of cake. I excused myself.