The Bodyguard (Hosie)

Chapter 30

Hours later, Josie was huddled up with Hope on her bed in her bedroom, facing the widescreen propped up on the wall opposite her bed. They had been watching an animated movie and the ending tugged on her heartstrings. Trying her best not to cry, Josie looked at Hope and saw tears rolling down her cheeks. "Are you crying because of the movie or are you in a lot of pain?"

"Movie," Hope whispered.

Josie giggled as she used the towel hanging over Hope's shoulders to dab the woman's tears. "You don't have to hold back around me. Just cry."

"I could say the same to you."

Josie pouted. "Shut up and watch the movie."

Hope turned and smiled at Josie. Lifting a hand without turning her body, Hope used a thumb to wipe a tear that had escaped the dam. "Admit it, you're dying to bawl your eyes out over the boy and dinosaur's friendship."

"It's just so sad that the boy had to leave," Josie sniffed.

"But the friendship they shared will never leave their hearts."

Josie stared at Hope. "You're cheesier than I thought."

Hope grinned. "Which makes me even more attractive in your eyes."

"If you weren't injured, I would smack you for saying that."

"You should stop being in denial about how much you like me."

"Stop it or I'm throwing you out."

"You wouldn't throw out a person who has a broken rib."

"Piss me off and I will."

"Well, glad to know I mean so little to you."

Alarmed by Hope's sudden drop in tone, Josie turned to say she was only joking but then she saw the contorted face of a woman trying to hold in her laughter and she smacked Hope's thigh hard, making her groan. "I hate you."

"You have to give an injured woman more love than this."

"How much love do you need?"

"I want all the love you can give," Hope replied with gleaming eyes. "But not for the next four or five weeks. I'll let you know when my body is ready for it."

Josie bit her lip. Hope could be so shameless sometimes but she was going to let Hope have the last laugh. "Don't take too long. My body is impatient."

Hope's shit-eating grin is almost obnoxious. "I know that. I know that very well."

-----

After dinner, Josie brought Hope back up to her room to do some online shopping. Hope wasn't overly enthusiastic when Josie insisted on buying her new sets of clothes and pajamas.

"I don't need all these things."

"You need them since you're staying here for the next few weeks."

"We could just get my stuff from my place."

"Which means you have to carry heavy stuff. The doctor said you shouldn't do things like that until you're recovered."

"But what will I do with all this new stuff after I recover."

Josie looked Hope straight in her eyes. "You can leave them here. You'll stay over here with me sometimes too, right?"

"I can't let you pay for everything and I'm out of work for the next month so I shouldn't be spending so much."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Dad will continue to pay you for the next month."

"No, no, no. I can't accept it."