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“Oh.” He cleared his throat and stepped back. I watched his thick, meaty arm rise as he scratched the back of his neck. “Umm…” His once pale face started to fill with color.
“Are you blushing?” I asked with a giggle, trying to hide the way his reaction made me feel.
“Bug,” he warned, but I couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off my face. Red Bridges had not only printed a picture of us but had framed it and put it on display.
“When?” I asked. His arm dropped to his side.
“Probably about a day or two after you sent it to me.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“And?”
“And you’ve had it framed all this time?” I asked. “I never saw it in your apartment back in Beech Grove,” I observed. His bearded jaw clenched.
“So? Doesn’t mean I didn’t have it.” The tinge of pink deepened at the small amount of exposed skin below his eyes and above his beard. He was actually blushing. We’d become a thing over a month ago, yet life still felt surreal.
“Do you have more pictures of us?” His body went rock solid. Something changed in the air between us. “Red,” I called his name, not sure what I was asking anymore.
“Why?”
“Red—"
“I told you I’ve had feelings for you for a long time,” he pointed out, but I couldn’t help but wonder why he was defensive about it.
“Red. Breathe.” My hands moved to stroke his chest. “I was just curious. That’s all. I like that you have pictures of us.”
“You do?” His gaze intensified as he stared down at me. There was something going on behind his eyes, but I couldn’t get a grasp on what he was thinking.
“Yeah, of course I do.” I smiled. “I just can’t believe I’ve been here for a week and didn't notice the frame. It makes me wonder what other things I’ve missed being stuck in my head about…” I shivered at the reminder of why I was hiding out.
Someone has been inside my place. Watching me for god only knew how long. I shivered again, and his hands moved to my shoulders. With a gentle squeeze, he silently made me look up at him.
“Hey, look at me,” he demanded tenderly, and I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Ladybug.”
“I am,” I mumbled, but he was already shaking his head.
“No, you’re not. You’re thinking about those cameras.” He scowled.
“I mean… of course I am, Red!” I clipped. “I love being here with you, but it doesn’t take away the why I’m here. As much as I would like to pretend I’m just here on vacation, we both know that’s not true. Whoever was watching me…” My voice cracked. My eyes dropped to his broad chest. “It freaked me out.”
“My buddy said there were no other cameras in your place,” Red reminded me, and I nodded.
He had a friend in the police department. After I talked to my boss, he got on the phone and talked to his friend. Taking care of everything for me like he always did. This relationship might be new, but if I thought about it honestly, only the sexual aspect of it was.
Regardless of what he said about how I had been there for him after his knee, Redford Bridges had been taking care of me since we’d met.
“Everything is going to be okay.” I knew it wasn’t that easy, but just hearing him say it made me feel better. “I promise. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He kissed the top of my head, and I sunk into his arms.
“What if they know about you?” I asked quietly, finally putting my biggest fear out there.
“What?” He pulled away and leaned closer, so we were at eye level. “What did you say?”
“What if whoever was watching me… what if they know about you and… they try to hurt you?” Red’s lips might have twitched, but to his credit, he didn’t laugh like I knew he wanted to.
“Babe,” he muttered. “You see me? I can take on whoever I need to, to keep you safe.”
“I get that you're big, Red.” My face flushed because even though it’d been a little over a month since I had become familiar with just how big he was all over, I still surprised me. “But someone could.” He shook his head and lifted me up. My legs automatically wrapped around his waist.
