Ocean Love

Chapter 7

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the city, I stood up from the bench and dusted off my jeans. “Well, I guess it’s time for me to head home. It’s been… interesting.”

Dylan, still savoring the last bit of his ice cream, looked up at me with a playful grin. “Oh, you’re not done yet.”

I frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You’re supposed to guard me all night,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Even at my place.”

I blinked at him, taken aback. “You want me to follow you home? Seriously?”

Dylan nodded, his lavender eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. “Of course. You can’t just leave me now, can you?”

I crossed my arms, giving him a skeptical look. “I think you can take care of yourself for tonight. Besides, I need to pack my things and get ready for tomorrow.”

He pouted, his expression comically exaggerated. “But what if I get kidnapped or something? You wouldn’t want that on your conscience, would you?”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at his over-the-top dramatics. “You? Get kidnapped? You’re kidding, right? I’m sure you can manage.”

Dylan slumped back against the bench, feigning distress. “You’re so cold, Marlia. Abandoning me in my time of need… I thought we were friends.”

I sighed, trying to suppress a smile. “We’re not friends. I’m just doing my job.”

“Aw, come on!” he whined, drawing out the words like a child denied dessert. “At least help me get home safely. You don’t want to be the reason I get lost, do you?”

I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or just messing with me. But the way his eyes twinkled with amusement told me everything I needed to know. He was playing around, but there was something genuine behind it too.

Finally, I gave in, shaking my head in amusement. “Alright, fine. But if I’m going to stay at your place, I need to go back and pack a few things.”

Dylan’s face lit up with a grin. “Deal! But just so you know, my place isn’t exactly close by. I’ll give you a ride so we can head straight there after you pack.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How far are we talking?”

“Far enough that you’ll be glad you packed for an overnight stay,” he replied with a wink.

I let out a long sigh, realizing I didn’t really have a choice. “Alright, let’s get going then. The sooner I pack, the sooner we can get this over with.”

Dylan jumped up, clapping his hands in mock excitement. “Yes! You’re the best bodyguard ever, Marlia.”

I rolled my eyes again but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s just get this done.”

We walked back to the agency where my car was parked, and I quickly drove home to grab a few essentials.Sarah is nowhere to be found,looks like she's over time. I make sure she knows I will not coming home so I put a sticky note on the fridge saying "i'm not gonna be home tonight". I made sure to pack some comfortable clothes, toiletries, and a few snacks, just in case. And the important things. It felt strange packing for an overnight stay at a client’s place, but then again, nothing about this day had been normal.

When I returned to the agency, Dylan was waiting by his car, looking far too pleased with himself. “Ready to go?”

I nodded, tossing my bag into the back seat. “Lead the way.”