Page 26 of The Best Thing He Never Wanted

She looked up over her shoulder at him. “You need to go too?”

“Just playing bodyguard to my star.”

~ ~ ~

The concourse was less crowded now, and there was only a short line for the bathrooms. Blane took up a position near one of the merch stands and folded his arms across his chest while Bea went in.

When she came out, two younger guys—a little worse for wear by the look of them—stepped out of the men’s room just behind her. Blane tensed and was already halfway to them before he registered what was actually happening. She’d dropped something, and one of them was handing it back. By the time he reached them she was smiling, thanking them.

He tried to relax. The two guys shot him wary looks and hurried off. It was only their expressions that made Bea turn around and spot him.

“Oh—hi.” She gave him a small smile. “Is everything all right?”

He nodded, feeling like a damn fool and definitely not wanting to admit what he’d just done—that he’d been on his way over to… to what, he didn’t know. Only that he’d felt the need to get to her.

She glanced back at the departing guys, then at him, and he held his breath. He’d overstepped. He’d already pieced together, from the little she’d told him, that she was building a life of her own—that she’d spent far too many years with a man in control of most of her decisions. He braced for it, not blaming her in the least if she told him to go screw himself.

Instead she smiled, the confusion on her face turning to something warmer. He didn’t have a word for it, but it loosened most of the tension in his shoulders.

“Aw.” She patted his arm. “Were you looking out for me?”

He grunted, not trusting himself to speak in case what came out was a rambling explanation, or an apology.

“You really are very good at your job, aren’t you?” With that, she slipped her arm through his and tugged him back the way they’d come. At the doors he pushed one open for her, and as she ducked under his arm to go inside, she shot him a smile. “Thanks for not taking over.”

All he could do was nod. He should probably admit that he’d have taken over in a heartbeat if things had gone differently. But he didn’t want to say anything that might make her stop smiling at him the way she was right now.

She returned to her seat, and he perched on the stool beside her. His arm found its way along the back of hers again, and when she turned to smile at him, he was grateful he’d allowed instinct to override logic yet again.

As Carson launched into what Blane knew was supposed to be the last song before the encore, he checked his watch. He should say goodbye and make his way backstage, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to this woman. Didn’t want to. And screw it. He didn’t need to be down there right this second. He’d still have time to catch up with the team before they left. They didn’t need him for anything operational. If it weren’t for Cash, they wouldn’t even know he was here. So he watched Bea dance in her seat, her shoulder brushing his arm every now and then. Even if Cash himself had appeared in front of him right now, Blane wasn’t sure the man could have dragged him away.

The song ended, and the crowd roared for more. Bea looked at him hopefully when the band came back out, and Blane settled deeper onto the stool. Of course they were staying for the encore. And then another.

By the time the house lights finally came up, bright enough to wipe out every shadow in the place, there was no putting it off any longer.

Bea looked up at him. “Do you have to go back to work now?”

He nodded reluctantly.

She let out a small sigh. “I was afraid of that. But before you go—thank you. This has been wonderful, Blane.”

He shook his head. He couldn’t say goodbye to her here. Besides, he’d already thought about this. Screw Cash. “I know you said you’d be okay getting back to the hotel, but I don’t want you riding the tube alone. Let me at least get you into a cab.”

She placed her hand in the middle of his chest, and he had to close his eyes for a moment.

“That’s so sweet of you, Blane. But don’t worry— I have a cab all set up. I’m not very good with Uber, so the girls at reception arranged one for me. It should be waiting at the pickup point.” She shrugged. “I’ll be fine. You should go.”

“I’ll walk you to it.”

“Blane, you need to get back to work.”

“Work can wait.”

She saw his expression and laughed softly. “Blane, I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“Good, but I wouldn’t be fine. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t see you safe in a cab and on your way.”

She held his gaze for a moment, then smiled. “All right.”