The Bodyguard's Catch

Chapter 5

Had she really just said that? How could she be so stupid? Remo could not have power over her anymore. His kisses shouldn't have her melting at his feet, willing to do anything to keep him kissing her. She was over him.

"I'm hanging by a thread, Jordyn. Please don't tempt me." He blew out a breath. "Well, I guess we know the chemistry between us hasn't changed, even if everything else has."

"Yeah, well, you tempted me first and my resistance is nil. Hardly seems fair. The least you could do is finish what you started."

"What, so you can answer all the questions you have from the past?"

"It's the only one left now. But I guess it's fair that I answer any unanswered questions you might have of me."

"You think I never realized what I meant to you? You told me everything, Jordyn. Everything that popped in your head, frivolous or otherwise. It ripped my heart out to leave you because you had your hands on my heart so tight, the only way I could go was to leave my heart behind. But that's neither here nor there. I can never be the kind of man you need, you deserve. So, now that you know why I left, my only desire is for you move on, to find someone who deserves you and truly appreciates what they have."

How did he even know what kind of man she needed? Wanted? And why the hell did he think he didn't measure up? Did he have her on some kind of pedestal that put her out of his reach? Or had more happened the night he left that made him feel he wasn't worthy of her? Whichever one it was, it didn't matter to her. So what if she was raised with money and he wasn't? So what if he couldn't provide the standard of living her father had.

"In case you're operating under the delusion that I was young and had no idea what life was really like, I still believe people are more important than things. I don't need to have the same standard of living my father provided for me to be happy. Who I'm with is more important than what I have."

"I know you believe that Jordyn, and that material things aren't important to you, but try living the way I grew up, never having enough money to pay the bills, so tired from trying to make ends meet all your frustrations get taken out on the person you're supposed to love more than anyone. You try living with nothing and see how much more important money and things become."

"What are you saying, Remo? That once I've lived the way you did, you'll consider a relationship with me? Once I know what it's like to have nothing, to see things from your perspective, you'll believe me when I say people are what matter? That being with you is what I wanted more than anything my father could buy me?"

"Hell, Jordyn, when did this become a discussion about us being together?"

"When you kissed me and we both knew our hearts' desire hadn't changed the whole time we've been apart."

"You're one sexy lady, Jordyn, and I am a man, after all. Just because I'm hot for you like I was then, doesn't mean I'm still in love with you."

"Liar."

Her eyes burned and her chest bubbled with all the emotions swirling inside her, including fear that he no longer cared, but it wasn't going to stop her from taking the opportunity to fight for what they'd had. To at least give these feelings a chance to be explored as adults. The chance to fight for their relationship which she'd been denied because he left and took the decision out of her hands. When he ran a hand around the back of his neck and looked down at his feet for a moment before looking at her, she knew she was right. He did still care.

"Okay, so what if I am lying? It doesn't change the fact I'm not the man for you. I'm not long-term-relationship material. I may be making good money right now, but this job is not the kind of job a man can do for a lifetime. Max isn't going to be a famous musician forever and he's not offering me a retirement plan. I'm not always going to be in the kind of physical shape it takes to be a bodyguard. And this kind of work certainly isn't a job someone who wants a family does. What happens when, fifteen years from now we have children depending on us and I have no marketable skills to provide for my family. The stress of that kind of responsibility, and all the unknowns, changes how you see people. Besides, I don't want that kind of life for you. I want you to have better. Better materially and certainly a better man than me."