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He grinned, which was fortunate. “Our bodyguard business doesn’t even pay for the rent on this place. No, we’re investors.”
I raised an eyebrow at his ambiguity, and he laughed again. “It’s all right, you don’t have to tell me.”
After he finished chewing a piece of cheese he had popped into his mouth, he said, “It’s not a secret. We’ve made some key investments and keep making them. Nothing complicated, just good research and instincts on my brother’s part.”
“Your brother? I thought you only had a sister.”
“Sorry. I often refer to my business partners as my brothers. We were in the military together.”
“Wait.” I had forgotten all about it. “Peacekeeping, right? Sarah mentioned something like that to me.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
He turned around and grabbed two small bottles of sparkling water from the refrigerator.
“I’ll just take tap water. The bubbles don’t sit well with me.”
He smiled. “Sure thing.”
After inhaling a few more crackers and some gulps of water, my body slumped over the counter. “I think I’m going to call it a night.”
He dusted the crumbs from his hands. “Follow me.”
We walked back through the narrow hallway, past the living room to the other side of the penthouse, where I presumed the bedrooms were. “How many bedrooms do you have?”
“Three.”
He opened the first door to the right in this wing of the home and saw a king-sized bed with a white duvet and gray throw pillows. There was a recliner next to the window with a small desk beside it and a chair. An open door exposed a white-marbled bathroom with an enormous tub. It reminded me of the hotel room at The Ritz.
“Um. Thank you,” I said. “Are you sure this one is the guest room?”
He grinned. “I’m sure.”
“If this is the guest room, I can’t wait to see yours.”
He raised his eyebrows, and I covered my mouth. “Shit. I didn’t mean I wanted to be in your bed. Just that I’d love to see the room.” I shook my head, as the explanation didn’t sound any better. “Never mind.”
Jake leaned over and whispered, “If you play your cards right, I just might let you.”
I froze. Did I want to play my cards right?
When he grinned, I smacked his shoulder and realized he was just messing with me. I enjoyed the harmless teasing. Jake had a shot with me at Darlin’ Donut and he had turned it down. I didn’t think he’d want one now.
“Goodnight, Jake.”
He leaned against the doorframe with an arm above his head and smiled. “Goodnight, Nikole.”
***
A ray of sunlight peeked through the blackout blinds and illuminated the back half of the room. I stretched both arms above my head and pushed against the tufted headboard.
“I won’t be long. I just have to get—” a woman’s voice began as she opened my door.
“Ahhhh!” she screamed.
“Gahhhh!” I screamed back, holding the sheets to my neck despite wearing a T-shirt to bed.
“Nikole?!”
