My ringing cell phone drew me from the bed where Brian slept finally. Grabbing a robe I walked out to the kitchen.
It had been two days since Brian and I had first made love. Since then he had essentially moved into my room with me. We made love as often as possible, but sometimes we just held each other. We were enjoying what time we had, unsure of when or how it would all end. Leighanne was never mentioned nor any future of any kind. All we had were those few moments for as long as they lasted.
I glanced at the clock as I reached for the phone. It was three o’clock in the morning.
“Ryder Taggert,” I answered.
“It’s Mike,” my brother gave as a greeting.
“Hey, Mikey, don’t they sleep where you are?” I teased.
“Only during the day,” he shot back, and I heard the smile in his voice.
“What’s up?”
“I decided to follow a lead to L.A. Guess what I found out.”
“What?”
“Seems Brian’s not the only one having trouble staying faithful,” he answered.
I felt my stomach twist into an unbearable knot as I slipped into a chair. I was tearing myself apart about hurting this woman and my brother was telling me she was cheating on my Brian?
“You want to explain that to me, Michael?” I asked, quietly.
“She’s been seeing some director out here for a few months from what I can gather, Ryder. Real low key, but she’s been spending a number of nights with him at his place.”
“Son of a bitch,” I mumbled.
I had been tearing myself apart with guilt and anger about her getting hurt and her she was having her own affair on the other side of the country.
“Ry, you okay?” Mike asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little upset that I was kicking myself so much over the situation I’m in,” I explained.
“How are things with you two anyway?”
I looked over my shoulder in the direction where I had left Brian sleeping in the bed we shared. Things were much better than okay but I still wasn’t sure they were right.
“Well he’s asleep in my bed naked. How do you think things are?” I teased, smiling at the image of my brother blushing on the other side of the country.
“Oh, jeez! Ryder, too much information,” he complained, but I heard the later in his voice as he teased me.
“Jealous,” I teased.
“Seriously though. Are you sure about this? Whatever happened the line between client and bodyguard you always had?”
“I couldn’t keep myself from crossing it,” I answered softly, remembering my own rule.
“This isn’t like last time though, right?”
“No, Mikey. Brian is no Danny Salvatore. This time the attraction is mutual and he has a heart. One that’s suffered enough to know this whole situation won’t be easy.”
“Be careful, Ryder.”
“Always. Listen, do me a favor. This guy she’s seeing, find out if he’s being threatened or anything like that, will you?” I asked.
“Sure thing. Anything else?”
“No, just get back to me on that. Mike,” I said, before he hung up.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. I know this is more than you’ve ever done for me on a job. I really appreciate it,” I said.
“I know how much this guy means to you without you saying the words, Ryder. Don’t worry about it. Nothing’s going to happen to him with us around,” he promised.
“I hope not, Michael. I hope not.”
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