The Bodyguard (Hosie)

Chapter 26

The tour of Hope's apartment went really well. Well, meaning Josie got to know Hope's couch thoroughly, lengthwise and corners. From the right seat to the left to the point where Hope was lying on top of her, spanning the length of the couch, Josie definitely got in touch with every part of the couch. She had also decided on her favorite cuddling position on the couch in the duration of the tour. It required Hope to have her back wedged into the corner, leaning against the armrest, hugging Josie from behind.

Tried and tested, it was the position they were in while watching few episodes of The Vampire Diaries, a drama series they played on Netflix. Josie poked fun at Hope, comparing her to a character in the show. And when, Damon and Elena sharing a smoking hot kiss in the motel scene came, Hope did the same to her too. Only, their kiss was hotter and lasted way longer, and involved some hands going places.

It wasn't until Josie got into her own bed later that night, that she realized she hadn't actually seen Hope's bedroom at all. Damn it. Feeling miffed, she turned to the candle standing by her bedside and lit it. The fragrant scent of flowers that drifted to her nose made her smile. This was the candle Hope bought her back in Japan.

Her mobile phone rang while she was staring at the flickering flame. Answering the call, she smiled at the sound of Hope's voice.

"Hey boo."

"Hey baby, are you in bed now?"

"Yeah. Your timing is always so good. It's almost as though you know what I'm doing."

Hope chuckled. "Who knows? Maybe I have spies sending me information about you."

"Are you serious?"

"Maybe."

"Hope! Stop joking around."

"Funny baby, don't be mad. You'll get bad dreams if you're mad before sleeping."

"You made me mad."

A chuckle came through the line. "Okay, it's my fault. I'm sorry."

"You're doing this on purpose again."

"You're too easy, that's why."

Josie huffed. "Do you torture all your girlfriends like this?"

"I wouldn't know. My last relationship was with Maya and I was pretty much a follower."

Josie gasped. "What? You haven't had a girlfriend since Maya?"

"Not unless you count the girlfriends I had in juvenile training."

"What about after you got out of there?"

A sigh was heard. "I wasn't kidding when I told you that you're the first and only ex-client I've ever dated in the past six years."

"But I assumed you dated outside of you job."

"In that case, let me rephrase that." Hope made a show of clearing her throat. "Josie Saltzman, you are the first person I've dated properly in six years."

"What do you mean by 'properly'?"

"There are 'girlfriend's, and then there are 'girlfriends'."

"Are you telling me you've been having flings for the past six years?"

"Not so much a fling as a casual, more like open kind of relationship."

"Your past is so complicated."

"Am I too complicated for you?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

Hope chuckled. "What about you? How long ago was your last relationship?"

Josie turned red. "Six... months ago."

"Really? Your father didn't mention it in the list of people you are in contact with."

"My father doesn't know about my relationships."

"I see. So he doesn't know... at all?"

"Mmm, he knows. But he tends to ask too many questions when he knows I'm dating someone so I try not to let him know."

"He asks because he cares for you."

"If he asks because he cares for me, aren't you going to ask me about my ex girlfriends?"

A long chuckle later, Hope asks, "So, your last relationship. How long did it last?"

"Three months."

"Okay."

Josie waited, but Hope didn't ask any more. "That's all?"

"What?"

"You don't sound interested in my love life."

"Oh, trust me. I'm very interested in your love life. Now and the future. Not the past."

"Why not the past?"

"Because I wasn't part of it."

Josie was silenced for a few seconds. "Wow. Wow." Another pause. "Is that narcissism or something else? I can't tell."

A short bark of laugh came through. "Maybe it's narcissism. Maybe it's pragmatism."

"Maybe you're too pragmatic."

"I can't help it. Going through what I did... being pragmatic helps me to look ahead. With a past like mine, the future is the most important to me."

"Do you really hate your past that much?"

Hope sighed. "I don't hate it. But I regret many things. So if I don't look forward, the regrets will bury me alive."

"I want to know more about your past."

"Why?"

"I want to know everything about you."

"We can play that game we played at the gala."

Images of guns and scary men jumped in Josie's mind and she trembled. "I'd rather play another game," she said, wanting to have nothing to do with that game and memory anymore.

"A new game? Yeah, I'm up for it. But for now, I have to go. Work is starting soon."

"I wish you didn't have to work. I wish we could talk like this all night."

"Once this job is completed, I'll talk to you all night as you wish."

Josie shook her head even though Hope had no way of seeing her. "No, no, no. if you're not working, I won't want to talk to you on the phone. I want to see you. I want to be able to touch you when I want to."

"Now who's the pervert here?" Hope laughed. "Okay, I really have to go now. Have a good sleep. I'll talk to you again in the morning."

"Okay. Good night, boo."

"Good night, baby."

Josie blew a kiss again and smiled when Hope obligingly blew one back. With this on her mind, she hoped the bad dreams will stay away tonight.

'Please.' she thought.