I suppressed a giggle. “Got it.”
“When we’re out in public, you have to remain ahead of me at all times.”
“So you can keep an eye on me?”
“Precisely. The only exception is when we’re entering or exiting a room. I’m always first through the door.”
“What happened to ladies first?”
“It’s so I can take a bullet for you.” He said it so bluntly that it took me by surprise.
“You’d really take a bullet for me?”
“Yes,” he answered in a heartbeat.
“But why? You don’t even know me?”
“That’s the job.”
I squirmed in my seat, unsure why my heart was racing. The AC was on, but my skin was on fire. What was I expecting? Of course that was his answer. I just didn’t expect him to be so clinical about it. In fact, Jesse made the whole notion of being a bodyguard sound rather boring. Mundane. Like taking a bullet was as easy as clocking in to work in the mornings.
“Have you ever been shot at before?” I asked.
“You’re a morbidly curious little thing, aren’t you?”
My face pooled with heat. “Maybe.”
“Yes,” he said, flicking the turn signal before pulling left. “I’ve been shot at a few times, actually. A couple of close calls while I was serving overseas, but I’ve been lucky enough not to be hit.”
“Was it scary?”
“The first few times.” He shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. You get desensitized to that sort of stuff really quickly. It doesn’t serve me to be scared.”
“So you’re never scared?”
“Nope.”
I thought I saw him grin, but then we pulled up to the curb just outside my apartment building. Jesse killed the engine but didn’t unlock the door.
“One more thing,” he said. “When I give you an order, you obey it. When I tell you to run, you run. When I tell you to duck, you duck. When I tell you to stay, you stay. Do you understand?”
“The world’s strictest game of Jesse Says? Got it.”
“I’m being serious, Vivian. You shouldn’t make light of the matter.”
“I know, I know.” I sighed heavily. “I’m just… This is a lot to deal with. I’m really worried about Molly. I’m scared. And I guess the way I deal with it is by making jokes. I’m sorry. I swear I’m paying attention.”
Much to my surprise, Jesse reached over the center console and placed his hand on the back of mine. His was massive in comparison, his palm and fingers blanketing mine. I held my breath, startled by the thrill that shot through my veins. Jesse was warm, and he smelled utterly delectable. It was the first time all day that I felt even remotely close to alright.
“Don’t be scared,” he said gently, holding my eyes. “I’ll protect you. You just have to promise that you’ll do as I say.”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Jesse pulled away and cleared his throat. I could have sworn I saw redness creeping up the back of his neck, but he got out of the car before I could tell. He circled around front and opened the passenger-side door for me, looking left and right in search of danger.
“Fifteen minutes,” he said gruffly. “Pack your things in fifteen minutes or less.”
I wasn’t about to argue. I wanted to get the hell out of there just as much as he did.