...JONATHAN...
...A maid pointed me to a garden...
...in the backvard where I would...
...find Rosalie William...
...the...
...spoiled heiress that I had just...
...been hired to protect....
...As I exited through the door...
...that led outside into the garden,...
...I had an image of what I...
...thought Rosalie would look...
...like: my exes, dressed in the...
...latest fashion with tons of...
...makeup and extremely high...
...maintenance....
...The walkway, lined with...
...colorful flowers of different...
...kinds on each side, directed me...
...toward a big tree with a swing....
...Immediately, my eyes zoomed...
...in on the person sitting in it....
...A young girl in a simple white...
...summer dress was oscillating...
...back and forth, her skirt rising...
...up every time it went against...
...the wind. A breeze blew her...
...long brown hair back, revealing...
...a beautiful, smiling face....
...She was not what I had...
...expected. She had a look of...
...simplicity, elegance and low....
...maintenance...
...the complete...
...opposite of my previous...
...girlfriends, even though they...
...all came from wealthy families....
...She seemed oblivious to my...
...presence as she kept soaring...
...higher and higher. I stopped...
...walking when I was a few feet...
...away from her and just enjoyed...
...the scene in front of me....
...The previous image of Rosalie...
...in my head dissolved into the...
...background as this new vision...
...replaced it....
...Suddenly, as if she had finally...
...detected my presence, she...
...looked over and almost fell out...
...of the swing due to the surprise....
...I laughed as she awkwardly...
...stopped the swing and tried to...
...balance herself. her hands...
...gripping tightly onto the ropes...
...on both sides. I would've...
...helped, but it had happened so...
...fast that I couldn't react in time....
...Once she had gotten her footing...
...balanced against the ground,...
...her hand went to her chest as...
...she exhaled. "You scared the...
...heck out of me."...
..."Sorry, I didn't mean to scare...
...you," I said, still laughing. I...
...walked up to her, putting out...
...my hand....
...«I'm Jonathan, your...
...new bodyguard."...
...She stood up from her seat as...
...she lifted her face to look at me....
...She blushed as she took my...
...hand, as if seeing me for the...
...first time....
...Y-you don't look...
...like a bodyguard."...
..."What is a bodyguard supposed...
...to look like?" I teased as she...
...turned another shade redder...
...while trying to take her hand...
...back. I held her soft hand a...
...second longer before releasing...
...it....
..."Um... well, you don't look like...
...the bodyguards around my...
...father,...
..." she answered timidly as...
...she averted her gaze to my...
...chest-...
...right at her eye level....
...«You still didn't answer my...
...question," I said unrelentingly...
...and playfully....
..."Well... you're a lot younger...
...than they are and you don't...
...look the part."...
..." And what part is that?'...
...You're not stiff and serious,...
...she said thoughtfully....
...«YOu...
...seem more relaxed and laid....
...back.and you just don't seem...
...like the type to protect...
...someone." She looked back up...
...at me as she said the last part....
..."And somehow I still got the...
...job." I shrugged with a smirk...
...on my lips....
..."How did you get the job?" she...
...asked curiously....
..."Easy. After your father saw my...
...shooting skills and how I...
...managed to easily take down...
...two of his guards, he...
...immediately offered me the...
...job," I said casually....
..."He even said he needed...
...someone young like me so I...
...can blend in with you at school....
...He didn't want the usual type of...
...bodyguard, who would stand...
...out like a sore thumb...
...older,...
...more serious, and rigid like a...
...block of wood."...
...She giggled at the last part....
..."That's because they all have a...
...military background."...
..."Apparently, I don't need to...
...have a military background to...
...qualify for this job, just my...
...hobbies.»...
..."Hobbies?'...
..."Yeah. Guns and martial arts,...
...jujitsu specifically." At her...
...frown, I continued. "Don't...
...worry, I have a lot of other...
...hobbies, not just those two."...
...Like dating women, I wanted to...
...add. But I decided to keep that...
...snippet of information to...
...myself....
...After eyeing her, I said, "You're...
...a short little thing, aren't you?"...
...She was probably five foot one...
...or five foot two, to my six foot...
...two....
..."I'm not short. You're just tall,"...
...she said defiantly while pouting...
...adorably....
..."I am tall, but you are short,...
...princess." I chuckled....
..."Don't call me that; I have a...
...name. It's Rosalie, but you can...
...call me Rose for short."...
..."What's wrong with calling you...
...princess? I thought all girls...
...love being princesses....
..."Maybe they do, but I don't. I...
...feel like you're calling me a...
...spoiled brat."...
..."I did picture you like that at...
...first, but not anymore," I said...
...honestly....
...She made a face at my...
...statement....
...Well, you're not...
...exactly how I pictured either."...
..."I think we already established...
...that.??...
...ROSALIE...
...I opened my mouth, about to...
...bicker further on the topic, but...
...his phone rang....
...He took it out. "Sorry, do you...
...mind if I take this?''...
...I shook my head, telling him...
...no....
...He walked a few steps away...
...and picked up the call. I sat...
...down on a bench nearby as I...
...silently and shamelessly...
...eavesdropped on his...
...conversation....
...Usually, I would have more...
...manners than this and would...
...not listen in on someone's...
...private chat. However, I...
...couldn't help myself because I...
...wanted to know more about...
...him...
...he intrigued me....
...I observed his tall, lean figure...
...as he stood facing away from...
...me, with one hand holding the...
...phone while the other was...
...stuffed in his pants pocket....
...His dark chocolate brown hair...
...was thick and shiny. The suit he...
...wore fitted him perfectly, and...
...the watch glinting against the...
...sunlight on his wrist looked...
...expensive....
...He reminded me of the guys I...
...met at my father's company...
...parties-...
...arrogant and...
...confident, as if they knew they...
...were a good catch....
...However, there were a few...
...things that were different. He...
...was more easygoing, like he...
...would still have a smile on his...
...face even if he were buried...
...deep in a bad situation....
...And he was extraordinarily...
...charming...
...-not to mention...
...exceedingly attractive...
...as if it...
...was effortless for him to be so....
...He could probably charm his...
...way out of a speeding ticket;...
...probably he charmed himself...
...into this job....
..."Hey, baby, what's up?.....
...Where?..No, I won't be able to...
...pick you up from now on since...
...my father froze my assets and...
...took away all my cars ...
...luuk away all y vals.....
...So that's why he took this job....
..."Tonight?... Sure, I'm up for...
...it.....
..." he said into the phone....
...Suddenly he turned to look at...
...me. I blushed and immediately...
...turned my head in the opposite...
...direction....
...Oh my gosh. He saw me. He...
...probably figured out that I was...
...eavesdropping. My face got...
...hotter the more I thought about...
...it. Crap! This is so...
...embarrassing....
...Finally, he spoke again into the...
...phone, and I turned around to...
...gaze at his back, feeling sure...
...that I was safe to eavesdrop one...
...more time....
..."Actually, I have plans tonight....
...I'll talk to you some other...
...time." With that, he hung up...
...and put his phone away....
...Before he turned in my...
...direction, I had already twisted...
...around, pretending to focus my...
...attention on something else....
..."Hey," he said, sitting down...
...next to me....
..."I know we're not...
...supposed to move into the...
...apartment until next week, but...
...do you mind if I move in...
...tonight?...
..."I can't stand staying with my...
...buddy for another night. His...
...place is a pigsty, and he brings...
...a new girl home every night....
...I'm getting pretty sick of it...
...99...
...I could feel red coloring my...
...cheeks as I realized the...
...implication....
..."Um...actually, all my stuff has...
...been moved in. The only reason...
...I'm still here is because my...
...father wanted to have a...
...bodyguard for me before I...
...moved in by myself."...
..."Great!' he said...
...enthusiastically as he stood up....
..."Let's go then."...
..."Okay. Let me ask my father...
...for permission to move in...
...tonight." I got up, and we...
...walked toward the back...
...entrance of my parents...
...mansion....
..."Do you have a car?" he asked...
..."No, since I don't know how to...
...drive," I said....
...He looked at me shocked, like...
...it was the craziest thing he had...
...ever heard....
..."But my father will provide us...
...with a car."...
...You're nineteen! How can you...
...not know how to drive a car?''...
..."There are a lot of things I...
...don't know how to do," I...
...admitted with embarrassment...
...my voice low and my head...
...down....
..."But that's why I'mmoving out, to learn those...
...things and be independent."...
...ROSALIE...
...Oh my gosh! I can't believe...
...my parents agreed to let me...
...leave tonight. How did you do...
...that? My mom is easy to...
...persuade, but my dad?"...
...I looked over at Jonathan, who...
...still wore a smug look on his...
...face....
..."It's like he trusts you," I...
...whispered in amazement....
...We were walking toward my...
...parents' giant garage to grab...
...one of their cars....
..."What can I say? I've got...
...skills." He held out his handlike a gun and pretended to...
...shoot. Then he blew on the...
...invisible smoke coming from...
...his pointer finger....
...I laughed, rolling my eyes....
..."Fine. I guess you do if you can...
...get my dad to trust you. He...
...tends to be a little paranoid due...
...to his line of work."...
..."Let me guess, he's the chief...
...security officer at some big...
...company," he said...
...nonchalantly....
..."Yes! How did you know?' I...
...was impressed with his guess....
...Not a lot of people knew what...
...my father did....
..."I noticed the security guards...
...and how your mansion was...
...more like a safe house than a...
...normal, regular house."...
...Not only is he charming, but he...
...is also observant....
...We arrived at the garage door. I...
...seized the handle and opened it....
...and we entered the enormous...
...space....
..."Damn!" Jonathan exclaimed.looking disappointed....
..."What? What's wrong?'...
..."I was excited when your father...
...said I could pick any car I...
...wanted. I was hoping for a...
...cool-looking sports car, but...
...they're all black Audis."...
...I laughed and rolled my eyes....
..."Geez. And here I thought it...
...was something serious. Of...
...course they're all black. My...
...father prefers to be...
...inconspicuous and not attract...
...attention...
...again, due to his line...
...of work. You understand."...
...We took one of the keys...
...hanging on the wall next to thedoor and got in one of the...
...Audis. We drove out of the long...
...driveway and onto the main...
...road...
..."We're going to my buddy's...
...place first to get my stuff, and...
...then we'll go to your...
...apartment."...
...It took us an hour to retrieve his...
...stuff, and then I showed him...
...the address to the apartment on...
...my phone....
...On our way to my new place,...
...Jonathan randomly blurted out,...
..."Remind me to teach you how...
...to drive in the future."...
..."Really? You'd do that?' I...
...excitedly twisted in my seat to...
...fully look at him. That was the...
...nicest offer anybody had ever...
...given me. I was really touched....
...He nodded....
..."Can you teach me how to use...
...a gun and…and ju-jujitsu?" I...
...asked, overly enthusiastic as I...
...couldn't contain my...
...excitement....
..."Hold your horses, princess,"...
...he said indifferently....
..."Let's try...
...driving first and see how you...
...do before I teach you anything...
...else."...
...I twisted back and looked...
...straight ahead, slightlydispirited. "Fine."...
..."Are you pouting like a five-...
...year-old over there?" He...
...laughed and gave me a brief...
...glance over....
..."Maybe I am,...
..." I answered with...
...the same dispirited tone....
..."I didn't say I wouldn't teach...
...you. I only said to focus on...
...driving first," he said gently,...
...like he was trying to soothe me....
...Before I could reply, something...
...on the road caught my eye and I...
...gasped....
...What's that over there? Can...
...we please check it out? Please,...
...I begged as he looked in the...
...direction of where I was...
...pointing....
..."Oh, that's just a food truck....
...There's nothing interesting...
...about that."...
..."Can we please check it out?" I...
...begged again....
..."I've never had...
...food from a food truck. And...
...from the long line, it must be...
...good. And it's 5:30 already and...
...I'm hungry."...
...I sounded like a whiny baby,...
...but I didn't care....
...He sighed and pulled over,parking in one of the open...
...spaces. I immediately ran out...
...the moment the car stopped and...
...got in line....
...Jonathan came up next to me a...
...minute later and warned....
..."Next...
...time, wait for me. Don't run...
...ahead. I can't protect you that...
...way if something were to...
...happen."...
..."Oh." I had completely...
...forgotten that he was my...
...bodyguard. It had only been...
...half a day, and I was already so...
...used to him, like a comforting...
...shadow....
...As more people got in line,Jonathan was pushed right up...
...against my back. His intriguing...
...scent wafted by my nose, and I...
...automatically turned toward...
...him to take in another breath....
..."What cologne do you use?...
...You smell amazing,...
...» I blurted...
...out without thinking,...
...immediately wanting to slap...
...myself....
..."I don't know," he said with...
...mirth....
..."I have a lot of them and...
...they're mostly gifts."...
...From ex-girlfriends, I bet....
...Suddenly, someone bumped...
...into Jonathan from behind....
...which made his chest push...
...against my face. His arms...
...instinctivelv went un andwrapped around my back as he...
...said...
..."Sorry about that. Are you...
...okay?"...
...My heart skipped a beat and my...
...stomach felt weird. What's this?...
...What's this feeling? I stood...
...frozen at the odd sensations in...
...my stomach....
...At my silence, he grabbed my...
...shoulders and pushed me out at...
...arm's length to have a better...
...look. "Hello? Earth to...
...Rosalie?'...
...He didn't wait for my response...
...as he cupped my face and liftedit up to look at me....
..."Are you...
...okay?" he asked, bringing his...
...face closer to mine until it was...
...only a couple of inches away....
...My cheeks instantly turned...
...scarlet and my hands flew up to...
...cover my embarrassed...
...countenance....
...«I'm fine,...
...97...
...mumbled through my fingers...
...and twisted around. out of his...
...grasp....
..."Oh, it's our turn to...
...order."...
...I was thankful for the...
...distraction. All was forgotten as...
...I ordered from the menu. It was...
...a sandwich truck, and I ended...
...up choosing a banh mi....
...We stood to one side of thetruck as we ate....
...«This is delicious!" I marveled...
...between bites....
..."Yeah, it is. And it's actually...
...really common around here....
...I'm surprised you haven't had...
...it,...
..."° Jonathan said as he finished...
...his last bite....
..."I'm sure there are...
...a few places that sell these...
...around your school."...
..."Really? I already know where...
...I want to go for lunch...
...tomorrow....
..." I said greedily....
..."You're eating right now and...
...you're already thinking about...
...tomorrow's lunch?" He laughedwhile shaking his head, like he...
...just couldn't believe it....
...I finished my sandwich and...
...threw the wrapper into the trash...
...bin nearby....
..."Come on, princess. Let's go."...
...He grabbed my arm and led me...
...through the small crowd toward...
...our car....
...By the time we arrived at the...
...apartment, it was almost eight...
...o'clock. Jonathan ended up in...
...the second bedroom since my...
...stuff was already in the first....
...Each of our rooms had its own...
...bathroom, which was super...
...convenient....
...Our rooms were the same size,so it wasn't like I took the...
...bigger bedroom. Mine was next...
...to the living room, while his...
...was farther away....
...After my nightly routine, I...
...came out of my room to say...
...goodnight to Jonathan. I...
...stopped behind a corner the...
...moment I heard his voice....
...He was on the phone with...
...someone, and I found myself...
...eavesdropping again. I had...
...started to develop a very bad...
...habit....
..."No, I won't do that... You can...
...keep your damn money....
...You...
...figure it out yourself!"The conversation got more...
...heated as it went....
...You got yourself into this...
...mess, you get yourself out of...
...it!...
.... **** that! I'm not doing...
...shit!...
...Why the **** would I...
...help you? My mother's the one...
...who was hurt."...
...Oh, no. His mother is involved....
..."She's a big girl, she knows...
...what she's doing. I'm not...
...getting involved…. You and...
...your damn mistress can stay...
...unmarried for all I care....
..."Don't fucking call me again...
...because I'm done talking about...
...this! he snapped into the phone before hanging up....
...Was that his father on the...
...phone? Should I ask? Do I even...
...have the right to ask?...
...We have only known each other...
...for a day, after all. I stood...
...rooted to the floor while I heard...
...him plop down loudly onto the...
...sofa....
...As I internally battled myself...
...about what to do next. I didn't...
...notice he had gotten up and was...
...walking toward me....
...Instead of accusing me of...
...listening in, he only said, "I'm...
...going out." His tone was...
...indifferent, his easygoing...
...attitude from earlier gone....
...Instead of nodding, I found...
...myself asking,...
...«Can I come...
...with you?"...
...At his blank stare, I...
...immediately felt self-conscious...
...and said the first thing that...
...came to mind....
..."You're my...
...bodyguard. You're supposed to...
...be by my side at all times."...
...God, did I really just say that?...
...That was the lamest thing I had...
...ever said. I wanted to crawl into...
...a hole at that moment....
...I felt like I was shrinking...
...smaller and smaller as he...
...continued to eye me. Finally, he...
...raised his brows and asked,...
..."You're going in that?'...
...I looked down at my white...
...nightshirt and blushed +311...
...change." I ran back into my...
...room and put on another white...
...summer dress. I came back out...
...only to have him eye me again....
..."Do you own anything else...
...that's not white?"' like white,...
...»' I answered...
...easily, as if that completely...
...explained everything....
..."Alright. Let's go." Hemotioned his head toward the...
...door....
..."Where are we going?" I asked...
...as he ushered me out....
..."A drive."...
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