Bennett: an m/m bodyguard romance (Hunter Security), page 5
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Aria coos at me as I sit up and stretch my arms above my head, letting out a big yawn.
“Are you hungry?” Bennett asks, startling me a little.
I almost forgot he was still here. Or maybe I expected him to leave while I was napping. I’m not sure, but either way, his presence is a bit of a surprise.
Turning my head, I smile at my handsome bodyguard. “I’m starving, but I can get my own food.”
“I’ve already made you a plate,” he says, holding up a dish. Aria clears her throat, and a sheepish expression crosses his face. “Correction, Aria cooked, and I dished up your plate.”
I chuckle and stand so I can make my way over to them. “I appreciate it,” I tell them both. “How long was I out for?”
“A while,” Bennett says. “You sleep like the dead.”
“I’m pretty sure a tornado could rip through this house, and he wouldn’t wake up,” Aria remarks, and I shrug, picking up the chicken ranch wrap to take a bite. She’s not wrong.
My taste buds explode as the food hits my tongue, and I consciously make sure I don’t moan. Aria isn’t a fancy cook, but whatever she makes always tastes amazing.
“What should I expect from this band meeting?” Bennett asks as I eat.
Aria is the best person to fill him in on that kind of information, so I let her answer.
“We’re just going over schedules mostly, and I’ve got a few requests from the record label that I need to go over with everyone. Other than that, the guys might sit around and write a little, but it all depends on whether the music is flowing through them,” she explains.
“Did you record that tune you were humming this morning?” Bennett asks.
I shake my head, but the melody pops back to mind at the mention, and I grab my phone to make a voice message. I’m used to recording music ideas like this, but having Bennett watch me so intently with admiration makes me nervous, which is weird. I’m never nervous about music.
“That’s fun,” Aria says once I’m done. “Got any lyric ideas yet?”
“A couple,” I tell her, but don’t divulge more. She doesn’t need to know the lyric ideas are mushy and about brown soulful eyes I met only yesterday.
“Don’t forget to write them down,” my sister reminds me.
“I won’t,” I assure her.
It would be impossible to forget these lyrics as long as Bennett is around. Honestly, the more time I spend with him, the more lyrics pop into my head. How would he feel knowing I’m mentally writing a song about him?
A knock comes from the front door before Joseph walks in, happy as always. “Howdy folks, how’s it going?” he greets us.
“Just recording a new melody,” I tell him with a grin.
“Oh, I can’t wait to hear it. I’ve got a couple of ideas floating around in my brain too.”
It looks like we will be doing some writing once the meeting is over, after all. But how do I spit out the lyrics when Bennett is hanging around? I’ve never written a song about anyone while they’ve been there, and I’ve also never written a song about someone I’m into. Maybe Joseph’s ideas will fit with my melody, and I can save my lyrics for another day. That would be ideal.
Landon and Brando show up a few minutes later, and we all head to the studio.
“This place is impressive,” Bennett notes, taking in our special space.
The walls are a warm gray, and the floors are dark brown hardwood. We have black leather furniture arranged in a semicircle in front of the recording booth, and guitars hang all over the walls. A row of shelves run around on each wall, fairly high up, that house all of the awards we’ve won over the years, with plenty of room for more. Off to the side is a wet bar with a coffee station that gets used a lot when we have late-night writing sessions.
“What’s that?” I ask Aria as she moves things around on the counter.
“It’s a new coffee machine that a fan sent. It has all your cover albums and pictures from a few concerts all around it.”
I take a step closer to examine it. It’s beautiful. I’m often in awe of the talent some of our fans have, and I am positive I couldn’t make something like this.
“That’s so cool,” Landon states, and I nod.
“Okay, enough oohing and awing over the new coffee machine. We have business we need to discuss,” Aria shouts, clapping her hands to get our attention.
We grumble like it’s some sort of chore, but there are smirks on our faces. We like giving Aria a hard time. She might be my sister by blood, but the whole band is like a family, so she’s their sister by choice.
Aria talks, but I’m barely paying attention to what she’s saying. I’m too busy casting glances at Bennett. I need to talk to him about our two almost kisses, but I’m terrified to do so. It’s one thing to let my body take control and go with what feels good, but it is something entirely different to voice my feelings, especially when I’m not even that sure what they are.
I’m attracted to Bennett, and from what little I know about him, I like. If this were a different situation, I’d probably ask him out, but he’s my bodyguard, and this is a sticky matter. But I am friends with my exes, so what’s to say that couldn’t be the same for Bennett and me? We could try something, and it wouldn’t be a big deal if it didn’t work out. We’d simply go back to how we were before.
“That all sound good?” Aria asks, and my eyebrows shoot up.
Shit, I wasn’t paying attention to a thing she said.
When the rest of the guys nod, I join in, but Aria is looking at me with an expression that tells me she knows I wasn’t listening.
“Okay, with that settled, why don’t you guys get to writing?” she says but tilts her head at me before she walks outside.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell the guys.
“I’ll get the coffee started,” Brando states as I leave to find my sister.
“Want me to stay here?” Bennett asks when I get to the door.
“If you wouldn’t mind. I’m not going far, but I’m pretty sure my sister is about to rip me a new one, and I’d prefer that to happen without witnesses.”
He smiles with a dip of his chin. “I understand. I’ll be here if you need anything.”
“What’s got your head in the clouds?” Aria asks the moment I’m outside. “You had a nap, so don’t try to lie and tell me you’re tired when I know you’re not.”
“I’m distracted,” I admit.
Aria scoffs. “Obviously, but are you going to tell me why?”
“Bennett and I almost kissed twice, but you blocked it both times,” I grumble.
My twin squeals and claps her hands. “That’s amazing. You totally need to fuck him or let him fuck you. Whatever floats your boat.”
With a glare, I hiss, “Could you keep it down?” Then I grab her hand so we aren’t as close to the door Bennett is standing by. “I have no idea what I want to do. I’m sure sex with him would be great, but he’s a permanent fixture in our lives right now. You’re not supposed to shit where you eat.”
She twists her mouth as she thinks about that. “I guess you’re right. I’m just sick of seeing you lonely,” she whispers.
“I’m not lonely,” I argue.
It’s not exactly a lie, but it doesn’t feel like the whole truth, either. I’m not lonely because I have amazing friends and family surrounding me constantly, but at the same time, I would like to wrap myself around someone at the end of a long day. It would be different if I was only interested in sex. Sex is easy and mess-free, emotionally anyway. But I don’t only want sex. I want a partner, and I’m not sure pursuing that with my bodyguard is a good idea. I don’t even know if Bennett wants that at all. Maybe he simply wants a good time.
Why do things have to be so complicated?
“If you don’t want to date your bodyguard, could I set you up with someone?” she asks.
I shake my head, glaring at her. “Hell no. I can find a date on my own.”
“Why don’t you, then?” she counters.
I sigh. It’s stupidly hard to argue with someone who knows you so well.
“We’ve been busy. The band and music are my life right now. I don’t have the time right now to put forth the effort relationships require.”
She presses her lips together and huffs out a breath through her nose before finally conceding. I know she wants to say more, but I’m grateful she’s dropping it for now.
“Want to give me the quick rundown of what I missed in there?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Honestly, it wasn’t much. The label wants to add a few more dates to the upcoming tour so it will last until the end of the year instead of ending in October, and they also want you to release a new album at the beginning of next year. All stuff we already expected.”
“Sounds good to me. We already have a lot of songs written and clearly more on the way. We’ll just have to find time to record throughout the tour, which might be tricky.”
“I’m already working on fitting that into your already busy schedule,” she tells me with a smile.
“You’re the best manager a band could ask for,” I reply, offering her a toothy grin.
She giggles, pushing my shoulder. “I know,” she sings, then skips back toward the studio.
I follow at a slower pace as a new melody pops into my head. It’s not as fast as the one I was humming this morning. This one feels more romantic and actually suits the lyrics I’ve been thinking about.
I grab my phone and make a voice memo before joining the band.
For now, I think I’ll keep this new song to myself.
Chapter Nine
Bennett
My heart is racing, my breathing is heavy, and I’m covered in sweat by the time Archer and I get back to his house. I’ve always loved running, but I’ve been pushing my body harder than I usually do the past two mornings so I can keep up with the country singer, who is in better shape than I figured.
We still haven’t talked about our two near kisses, and I don’t want to be the one to bring it up. I have no idea what to say to him, even after thinking about it all night.
“Thanks for running with me,” Archer tells me with a smile when we get to his front door.
“Any time,” I respond. “Do you have any other plans for the day?”
He shakes his head. “Today is my day off, and I plan on relaxing. Maybe work on a few songs.”
“Sounds like a decent day. I’m meeting with your sister and my team this afternoon to go over our plan for the upcoming tour.”
“She told me about that. Maybe if I’m bored, I’ll join,” he says with a smirk.
I nod, not sure what else to say. The air is thick with an awkwardness I want to break but have no idea how to. Instead, I stand there like an idiot.
“I should go shower,” Archer states, breaking the silence.
“Yeah, I should get going too,” I reply, but neither of us moves.
Archer pulls his lower lip between his teeth, and all I want to do is kiss him, but we have to talk before I do that. Using all the resolve I have, I turn on my heels and head to my car without another word.
As I pull out of the driveway, I glance at Archer in my rearview mirror, still standing on his doorstep, staring at my car.
Should I have said goodbye? Does he think I’m an asshole for walking away like that? Am I overthinking everything?
I shake my head and focus on the road.
Dammit. I need to get my shit together.
My smile is fake as I wave goodbye to my team, and they shuffle out of the boardroom.
I hate to say I was disappointed Archer didn’t show up, but I was. He had no reason or need to attend this meeting, but a small part of me wanted to see him again, even though I saw him this morning.
Yes, I know that’s pathetic, but the feelings remain all the same.
“You’re not very good at acting,” Aria murmurs as she puts her laptop and tablet into a messenger bag.
“Um… what are you talking about?” I ask, blinking a few times, trying to make sense of her words.
She looks up at me, smirking. “That smile you’ve plastered on is the fakest one I have ever seen. Aren’t bodyguards supposed to be a little less transparent?”
“I’m not transparent,” I argue, but that makes Aria giggle and pat my shoulder.
“Whatever you need to tell yourself,” she patronizes.
“If I’m so transparent, what do you think I’m hiding?” I question, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the wall.
Aria’s eyes light up, and I have a sinking suspicion I’m not going to like her response. “Disappointment about what I haven’t completely figured out yet, but if I was to put my money on anything, it would be that my brother isn’t here.”
Damn, she hit that right on the head. How the hell did she do it?
I don’t respond immediately. Instead, I lift a shoulder, trying my hardest not to show my surprise at her accuracy.
“I’m not an idiot, Bennett. I’m actually very intuitive,” she continues. “It’s blatantly obvious that you’re into my brother. He feels the same. What I don’t understand is why both of you aren’t acting on your feelings.”
“It’s complicated,” I grumble.
Aria beams at me, and I want to kick myself for confirming her suspicions.
“You’re worse than my meddling mother, you know that?”
Aria laughs and shrugs. “I don’t care. I just want my brother to be happy. So, what’s your game plan? Are you going to ask him out?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, sensing a migraine coming on. I thought that by moving away from my family, I wouldn’t have to worry about the meddling as much. Aria clearly hasn’t heard about boundaries, or maybe she simply doesn’t care because she is acting as if she’s my sister. I pray no one at the office catches a whiff of this conversation because then the meddling will become a million times worse, along with a lot of jokes and some gloating.
My friend and coworker, Knox, was teased a lot about his complicated relationship when it started, and I may or may not have joined in on that. He even told me he hoped my next relationship was complicated so I could feel what he was going through. I was, of course, cocky, saying I’m not a relationship kind of guy. Looks like that is coming back to bite me in the ass. Who knew wishes like that came true? Not that what I have with Archer is a relationship.
“I don’t have a game plan,” I mutter after Aria pushes my shoulder and gives me a come on look. “We’ll figure it out as we go, but I promise this won’t affect how I do my job.”
Aria sighs. “I’m sorry for being pushy. I only want to see my brother happy. I know that might not be you, but hopefully, someone will come along soon and sweep him off his feet. He deserves it.”
She waves at me as she exits the boardroom, and a weight sits heavy in the pit of my stomach. Why does mentioning Archer with someone else make me want to throw up? I’ve known the guy for such a short time, and I’m already jealous at the mere idea of him being with someone else. That’s not normal, is it?
If I continue to let these feelings fester without talking with Archer, I’m afraid it’s going to affect how I do my job. So, with shaky fingers, I pull my phone out and text the man I can’t stop thinking about.
Me: You around? I’d like to talk.
Archer: Was thinking about going for a swim. Care to join me?
My skin heats, and my cock chubs at the thought of Archer in only a pair of trunks, his body wet and glistening. Seeing him like that is going to make talking hard, but I can be strong. At least that’s what I tell myself.
Me: I’ll be there in thirty.
Archer: I’ll be waiting.
With that, I clean up the boardroom and head to my house to grab swim trunks. Hopefully, by the time I get to Archer’s house, I will have come up with an idea on how to have this conversation.
Chapter Ten
Archer
The water is cool and refreshing as I dive under, plunging to the bottom of the pool and gliding across the length to the other side. When I come up for air, Bennett is standing there in a pair of trunks that are bright blue with black stripes. His deep golden brown washboard abs are on full display, and my tongue salivates, wanting to lick them.
His bright smile lights up his face, and I suddenly find it hard to talk. “Hi,” I manage to get out eventually, my voice shaking a little.
Bennett chuckles and waves his hand as I pull myself out of the water to sit on the pool’s edge and kick my feet. Bennett lowers himself beside me and puts his feet in the water.
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask after a moment of contented silence.
“Yesterday,” he replies, staring out into my yard.
“About us almost kissing… twice?” I check, and he nods. “I wanted to bring it up this morning, but I didn’t know what to say.”
He chuckles. “Same. I want to start by saying I’m attracted to you, and just the little I know about you so far, I like… a lot.” His words have me grinning, but I don’t interrupt him. “I’m drawn to you in a way I’ve never been to anyone else, but I’m not sure I’m the right guy for you. I’m shit at relationships and haven’t been in one in a long time. I don’t want to be the guy who breaks your heart.”
“I like you too, and I’m sure you’re well aware of how hot you are,” I say, gently pushing my shoulder into his, and the way he beams at me has my heart racing. “I feel the connection, the same as you do. As I told you yesterday, I’m a relationship guy, but I get that not everyone is. I want to note that just because you weren’t good at relationships in the past doesn’t mean you’ll be doomed at them forever,” I say, offering comfort and reassurance.
“I get that, but getting to know you yesterday was eye-opening. You’re like this giant ray of sunshine, and if I ever dulled that, I’d hate myself,” Bennett shares, his words like a blanket of warmth and comfort wrapping around me.
