Page 78 of Thirsty Bodyguard Summer

“What if this gets hard?” she asked.

“It will.”

“You answered quickly.”

“We both work too much. I travel. You get called away when people make terrible decisions near large bodies of water.”

“Not every assignment involves water.”

“I’m still learning.”

She slid her hands over my chest.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” I covered one of her hands. “Hard isn’t the same as temporary.”

Her eyes held mine.

“I don’t want to be a secret,” she said. “I’m not asking you to announce anything today, but I don’t want to spend months being the woman who disappears whenever a camera shows up.”

“You won’t.”

“And I don’t want you to feel like being with me means asking permission to live your life.”

“I don’t.”

She released a slow breath.

“That’s the last thing I needed to say.”

“I prepared six more arguments.”

“You don’t need them.”

“That’s disappointing. One included visual aids.”

Cassidy laughed.

I touched the freckles beside her mouth.

“I don’t want to manage you, Cassi.”

“You’ve never tried.”

“I don’t want you managing me either.”

“I won’t.”

“Be beside me when it makes sense, on the phone when it doesn’t, and angry with me in person whenever possible.”

“I can probably provide that.”

“Tell me what your days look like when I’m not the assignment. I’ll send you the recording before anyone else hears it. And someday we’re having breakfast without creating a public incident.”

“That last one may be ambitious.”

“I think we’re worth the work.”