His Reluctant Bodyguard Read Online Free Page B
Author: Loucinda McGary
the ship." The ladies told him, when the tournament ended an hour later.
Avery had just finished packing up the bingo cart when she caught a glimpse of Ginger walking in the main entrance. "Quick! Out the side door." She hissed at Rip.
While the AV tech unhooked the cords, the two of them dashed out into the hall just as an elevator arrived. From there, they went up to the spa so that Rip could swim in the lap pool. Being a concierge level guest meant no one batted at eyelash at anything he did, including asking for the tags to be removed from his brand new swim trunks.
However, when he emerged from the dressing room clad in only the trunks and a towel around his neck, every woman in the place gave him a long look. One of the young Asian cleaning staff actually gasped aloud, then ducked behind the juice bar with a nervous giggle. Avery could understand why. The man looked every bit as good as he had back in his football days. Not an ounce of fat anywhere she could see, just lots of muscles rippling under his beautiful bronze skin.
Holy moly , she was glad she'd declined joining him in the pool! She doubted she could compare with how she'd looked ten years ago.
"What?" Rip demanded, and Avery realized she’d been chewing her bottom lip in concentration.
She tossed her head so that her ponytail swirled across her cheek while she settled on a diversion. "Since when did you get a tatoo ?"
He glanced at the ornate fleur de lis on his left shoulder and shrugged. "In the NFL. They were practically a requirement, and I did play that one season for New Orleans."
"Oh, I just knew you were a football player!" cooed a middle-aged woman in a leopard print bikini who sidled up to Rip.
"Nope, sorry. I own a sports bar in LA." Then he tossed his towel to Avery. "Tell me when a half-hour is up." And he jumped into the pool.
Though he had easily brushed the woman aside, Avery didn't get so lucky.
"I'm sure I've seen him before," the woman insisted in a conspiratorial whisper. Avery noted that she'd obviously had quite a bit of work done on her face and body to try and look under forty. She should have saved her money .
"What did you say his name was?" The woman persisted.
"James Brown," Avery replied, then turned and walked to the other end of the pool.
Rip swam steadily for the entire half-hour, pausing just long enough to switch swim strokes. Fortunately, Ms. Leopard Bikini gave up after a few minutes and went elsewhere. When Avery signaled him that time was done, he crawled out, dried off, and asked if they could just chill for awhile. They found a pair of chaise lounges in a secluded corner, and Rip pulled out his new sunglasses before he laid back to relax.
Avery asked him about the sports bar and discovered that he and his two partners actually owned three of them in the Los Angeles area. That led to a foray down memory lane and they bought up some of the places they used to frequent when they were college students.
Finally Rip stretched his arms and gave an exaggerated sigh. "Guess I really should get back to W-- Mr. Smith. What time is dinner?"
"Holy moly !" Avery glanced at her watch and leaped to her feet. "I have to get ready for the first show in the main theater!"
"You're performing?" Rip's tone sounded eager. "I'll wait for dinner."
She helped him gather up his bags of clothes while she explained. "Not exactly, I'm more of the emcee, and there are two shows, so you really shouldn't wait. Plus, Smith won't want you out of his sight."
"Let me worry about Smith," he said, his hand covering hers as he took both bags. "Same dining room as lunch? Will you be done by ten?"
"I--" She meant to tell him no, but the warmth of his touch sent a sizzle of awareness right up her arm. "Ten-thirty is better, and I'll come up to your suite."
He pulled the tag off one of the T-shirts and slipped it over his head. "Go ahead. Don't worry, I can find my way back."
Feeling a tug of reluctance at leaving him, Avery turned and
Avery had just finished packing up the bingo cart when she caught a glimpse of Ginger walking in the main entrance. "Quick! Out the side door." She hissed at Rip.
While the AV tech unhooked the cords, the two of them dashed out into the hall just as an elevator arrived. From there, they went up to the spa so that Rip could swim in the lap pool. Being a concierge level guest meant no one batted at eyelash at anything he did, including asking for the tags to be removed from his brand new swim trunks.
However, when he emerged from the dressing room clad in only the trunks and a towel around his neck, every woman in the place gave him a long look. One of the young Asian cleaning staff actually gasped aloud, then ducked behind the juice bar with a nervous giggle. Avery could understand why. The man looked every bit as good as he had back in his football days. Not an ounce of fat anywhere she could see, just lots of muscles rippling under his beautiful bronze skin.
Holy moly , she was glad she'd declined joining him in the pool! She doubted she could compare with how she'd looked ten years ago.
"What?" Rip demanded, and Avery realized she’d been chewing her bottom lip in concentration.
She tossed her head so that her ponytail swirled across her cheek while she settled on a diversion. "Since when did you get a tatoo ?"
He glanced at the ornate fleur de lis on his left shoulder and shrugged. "In the NFL. They were practically a requirement, and I did play that one season for New Orleans."
"Oh, I just knew you were a football player!" cooed a middle-aged woman in a leopard print bikini who sidled up to Rip.
"Nope, sorry. I own a sports bar in LA." Then he tossed his towel to Avery. "Tell me when a half-hour is up." And he jumped into the pool.
Though he had easily brushed the woman aside, Avery didn't get so lucky.
"I'm sure I've seen him before," the woman insisted in a conspiratorial whisper. Avery noted that she'd obviously had quite a bit of work done on her face and body to try and look under forty. She should have saved her money .
"What did you say his name was?" The woman persisted.
"James Brown," Avery replied, then turned and walked to the other end of the pool.
Rip swam steadily for the entire half-hour, pausing just long enough to switch swim strokes. Fortunately, Ms. Leopard Bikini gave up after a few minutes and went elsewhere. When Avery signaled him that time was done, he crawled out, dried off, and asked if they could just chill for awhile. They found a pair of chaise lounges in a secluded corner, and Rip pulled out his new sunglasses before he laid back to relax.
Avery asked him about the sports bar and discovered that he and his two partners actually owned three of them in the Los Angeles area. That led to a foray down memory lane and they bought up some of the places they used to frequent when they were college students.
Finally Rip stretched his arms and gave an exaggerated sigh. "Guess I really should get back to W-- Mr. Smith. What time is dinner?"
"Holy moly !" Avery glanced at her watch and leaped to her feet. "I have to get ready for the first show in the main theater!"
"You're performing?" Rip's tone sounded eager. "I'll wait for dinner."
She helped him gather up his bags of clothes while she explained. "Not exactly, I'm more of the emcee, and there are two shows, so you really shouldn't wait. Plus, Smith won't want you out of his sight."
"Let me worry about Smith," he said, his hand covering hers as he took both bags. "Same dining room as lunch? Will you be done by ten?"
"I--" She meant to tell him no, but the warmth of his touch sent a sizzle of awareness right up her arm. "Ten-thirty is better, and I'll come up to your suite."
He pulled the tag off one of the T-shirts and slipped it over his head. "Go ahead. Don't worry, I can find my way back."
Feeling a tug of reluctance at leaving him, Avery turned and
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