Guarded Hearts

Chapter 5

Steve couldn't sleep. He was too focused on the fact that Phillipa was sleeping in the other room.

Phillipa Anne Soo.

The woman who had somehow wormed her way into his mind without even trying.

He had almost kissed her. He would've kissed her.

And he was a fool.

How could he do that? He had successfully managed to bury his feelings for her for the last 9 months. Why did he have to go and do that now?

She pushed him away. She obviously didn't want him.

And why would she? She was the most beautiful, talented woman on the planet. She could have whoever she wanted. He was nobody. Why would she ever want him?

Steve barely slept that night. Instead, he tossed and turned, trying to put Pippa out of his mind. It was a very difficult task, considering her proximity.

When the sun was fully up, Steve got out of bed and went to take a shower. He let the hot water wash over him, trying to pound the thoughts out of his brain.

He had to talk to her. He had to know what she was thinking. He couldn't keep on like this, constantly wondering. At least if she flat out rejected him, he could start trying to get over her.

Ha, yeah right. Like that's ever gonna happen.

As he was getting dressed, something gleaming in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

Pippa's earrings from the day before sat on the counter. She must have forgotten them there after her shower. Well, he supposed bringing them to her was a good a way to wake her up as any.

As much as he would like to let her sleep, they had plans that needed to be made. God knows she could use the rest.

He knocked on the door, earrings in hand. No answer. He knocked again.

"Pippa?"

Nothing.

"Pippa. We need to talk. About what we're doing today?"

Radio silence.

"Pippa, I'm coming in, okay?"

He slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open. She was laying sprawled out on the bed, buried under the comforter and her oversized clothes.

His clothes, he remembered with an emotional punch to the gut.

She looked so peaceful. He knew the last 24 hours had been hell for her. He hated the thought of waking her up and making her face whatever that day had planned for her.

He couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to yank her out of her bliss. He quietly set her earrings on the bedside table and turned to leave.

"Steve?"

He turned, halfway to the door, when he heard her soft voice behind him. She was blinking hard, her eyes trying to adjust to the light.

He went and sat on the edge of the bed. He shushed her.

"Go back to sleep, Pip. It's okay. Get all the rest you need," he murmured, stroking her hair.

She shifted, groaning as she forced her stiff muscles to move. Then, she sighed happily as she curled up on her side. She looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

His hair was still damp from his shower. She had never noticed how wavy his hair was before. It was cute in a way, how the little curls fell over his ears.

She wanted to run her fingers through it. It looked so soft. She just wanted to touch it.

In her half-awake state, Pippa had lost her usual inhibitions. She wanted to touch Steve's hair. So she did.

She reached up and ran her hand through his damp, wavy hair. She played with the little curls over his ears and above his neck. She liked the way they bounced back into place when she gently pulled them straight and let go.

Steve let her. He watched her face as she became fascinated by- of all things- his hair. He watched her giggle when his curls bounced back. She had become almost...childlike, wide-eyed and full of joy. She was so cute. He had never seen her like that. Now that he had, it was going to make it even harder to ignore his growing affection for her.

After she had soothed herself back to exhaustion, she let her hand fall, landing on his neck, then sliding down to his shoulder. He took her hand, kissed it, and set it next to her. Then he stood slowly, desperately not wanting to disturb her, and tugged the covers back up under her chin from where they'd shifted when she moved.

He smoothed her hair back one last time and quietly walked out, closing the door silently behind him.

Dear god.

He leaned against the wall, cursing himself.

Why did he do that? Why did he sit next to her? Why did he let her play with his hair? Why did he kiss her hand? Was he trying to fall even more in love with her?

In love. Fuck, he was. He was falling in love with her. Hard. God, he was such a cliché. The bodyguard who falls for the gorgeous actress he works for. Good lord.

How could he not, though? The way her eyes lit up when she laughed. How she was always so kind to everyone, no matter how many people treated her like shit. Her passion for her work, her love for her friends and family. Her smile.

God, her loved her smile. It could light up a room.

He loved her freckles. Her wispy baby hairs you could only see when she wore a ponytail. Her eyes that looked like honey in the sunlight.

He loved how she loved food so much. How happy she always was when she ate. Her little happy wiggle that she did if it was really good.

Breakfast. He would make breakfast. That would distract him.

Of course, he would have to deal with the aforementioned cuteness when he brought Pippa breakfast in bed. But that was a problem for later. She would probably feel like shit when she woke up. Food was the best thing he had to combat that.

A/N: Sorry, this feels like a weird chapter. It's kind of a filler I guess. Hope you like it. I'll try to write the next chapter soon ❤️