Our lips were centimetres away now, his short breaths stirring the wispy hair around my face. My palm had flown up to rest on his chest as I steadied myself, and his hand had dropped from my arm to grip my hip as I teetered slightly.
I opened my mo...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
///
"Sit down," I murmured, not yet ready to meet his eye. As he rounded the chair and settled into the fabric, I forced my shoulders back and put on my most professional smile despite the circumstances, "Let's discuss what you came for."
He took his time surveying my office, taking in the full bookshelves and pausing briefly at the numerous photo frames dotted around the room.
I cleared my throat loudly, not used to having someone analyse my personal space so blatantly. His eyes snapped to me and hardened slightly before he set the folder down between us and flicked it open.
He took out a sheet of paper, glancing at it before sliding it over to me. I picked it up, recognising my answers from this morning printed out, and raised a brow. Flicking the page, I also saw a screenshot of the creepy Instagram story I'd received yesterday morning.
"It's a little creepy you have this. You not only knew my full name when we met but also my home address and so much more. And still, you didn't say anything." I lifted my hand up in a 'WTF' gesture, but he ignored me and ran a hand through his hair.
"Do you know how the fan from the coffee shop found you yesterday?"
I gave him a puzzled look, before realising either he or Stan must have been informed by Bella. Still, I wasn't ready to move on from my point.
"Why did you even approach me?" I continued, narrowing my eyes as he rolled his slightly.
"Are you always this difficult?"
I refused to respond, sitting back in my chair and carelessly shrugging one shoulder.
Evidently understanding I wasn't going to speak again without a response, he rubbed his beard with the palm of his hand before speaking.
"I didn't have access to your whole file until the morning of the meeting. All I had was your name and photo -" he said quietly, eyes scanning my face, "I didn't plan on approaching you, but Stan knew you were reluctant on security and I thought introducing myself in a casual setting would benefit the situation."
"So flirting with me was a professional move," I said it with no emotion in my voice or face, but I saw the small crinkle of his brows before he glanced away.
Sighing, I rubbed my temples. "How did you even know where we were?" I asked, and his eyes jumped back to me.
"Your friend's Instagram," he murmured, "She posted a photo of you in the club, and you were tagged in the picture."
I nibbled on my lip and nodded. I'd have to speak to the girls, make sure they were aware of how easy it was to find us.
Deciding to offer information in return from his, I looked back at the file on my desk and tapped my finger on the screenshot from the creepy fan.
"I have no idea how this person found me. I didn't post anything yesterday morning, not even my roommates knew where I was going." I bit my thumb gently as I turned to the window, trying to think of an explanation.
Turner nodded in my periphery, his eyebrows drawing together slightly. I turned at the sound of him clearing his throat, and he shifted forwards in his chair slightly, our eyes locking.
"The agency has asked for me to be your bodyguard, temporarily, until we can get someone else in place."
I scoffed, not in surprise but because I somehow knew this would be coming.
"No."
To his credit, he remained calm in the face of my obvious distaste. Sitting back, he quirked an eyebrow at me.
"There's no one else available to take you on so suddenly, and you have a full schedule this week. As soon as one of our other bodyguards becomes available, we'll switch."
The idea that this man would be following me around for any amount of time had me standing abruptly and placing my palms on the desk to lean over.
"No," I repeated slowly, narrowing my eyes. If I was lucky he'd focus on the anger in my voice and not the panicked note I was trying to keep out. How did he keep his face so still, when I struggled to mask even the smallest twinge of emotion? "Anyone but you."
He kept his face blank, but I saw a muscle in his cheek twitch as he cocked his head at me.
"What are you worried about, Elizabeth?"
I avoided his eyes and sank back into my desk chair, nervously pushing my fringe out of my eyes as I tried to figure out my emotions. I found him unbelievably irritating, sure, but it was more than an initial dislike. I was nervous, unsettled - more so than when I'd accepted the idea of having a random bodyguard.
He seemed to be unaffected by the energy I'd felt between us the other night, but I felt it all too keenly - the antagonism, the weird eye contact, the way my body buzzed when he was too close.
I was a grown woman and knew how to recognise attraction when I felt it, but for all I knew it was only me feeling this way, and that both confused and irritated me. Was I worried he would become a distraction from work? Was it the embarrassment of knowing I'd flirted with him when he'd only been doing his job? My emotions were all over the place, and I shook my head softly to try to clear it.
"So it's sorted then. I'll be here at 7 sharp tomorrow morning, ready for the..." he quickly glanced at a page in his file, and I saw his jaw tick again, "...model casting in Knightsbridge."
I kept clutching at straws, determined not to allow this handsome stranger access to my life. "I still don't even know your name," I said desperately, watching as his eyebrows quirked up at the thought of that being the only issue.
"It's Isaac," he rumbled, a rare expression that wasn't boredom or disdain quickly flitting over his face, "But stick to Turner when we're working."
I tilted my head, still annoyed but also intrigued, and he scowled lightly.
"Not everyone wants to have their whole life online as you seem to," he muttered, answering the question in my eyes, "I don't want my name to join yours in the press, and you can't post anything about me to your thousands of followers. It's in the contract."
I sat back slightly, not offended so much as confused at the annoyance in his tone. His eyes held mine and I saw the fierceness in his despite his casual posture. Wanting to ask more but knowing it was a bad idea, we simply stared at each other for a minute, each waiting for the other to back down.
Starting to feel flustered at his close scrutiny, I glanced away and took a deep breath in acceptance of my fate. I was going to be stuck with him for now - might as well make it work for me.
"Fine," I shrugged, and my eyes flitted back to his light brown ones that had relaxed for a second, "but I'm going to have some conditions, too."
///
Happy August my loves ♥️ sorry about not posting yesterday, i've managed to stick to schedule so far but have been sick with a cold this week :(
What do you think of the characters so far? Isaac and Eliza in particular??
