The Bodyguard (Book 1 in the Original BOC Series) ✔

Chapter Seventeen

The ringtone sounded much louder than usual, and was interrupting long earned sleep.

Nathan's hand slowly crept out from under the covers to pat around the carpet for the stupid phone without having to open his eyes. When that didn't work, his eyes snapped open and groaned in frustration. Leaning his torso over the edge, squinting, he found the loud ringing and vibrating smart phone under the dresser.

His squint turned into a narrowed gaze recognizing the name on the screen and cleared his throat as he answered, "What."

"What the HELL man? I've been texting you all night! Ben's been trying to get a hold of you, too, for the address you are at."

Nathan was half asleep so he wasn't really comprehending what was being said.

"Wha---?"

Adam laughed loudly, making the sleep interrupted agent pull the phone away from his ear, and scowl at it. He was feeling close to have had a hangover.

Putting the phone back to his ear, Nathan shook his head, "Why does he want the address?"

"Uh..." came a droll tone, and Nathan could see Adam rolling his eyes upward, "because you and I are supposed to switch places? Did you forget? I'm going to be with Mara."

Now he was wide-awake.

Nathan growled into the phone, "No, you are not. I told Ben that last night. And that I'd call him when we were closer to meeting up with you guys. He's just being a pain in the ass."

The person on the other line was quiet for a moment, before Nathan could hear the idiot grinning when he chuckled, "Ooooooh, I see what you are doing! You are trying to piss off Mara. You know she hates you, so you decide to make her life hell by sticking around her."

Nathan rolled his eyes.

After his chuckling simmering, Adam grew quiet again.

"But seriously speaking, dude. I think I should really be with Mara."

Nathan growled again, "Why?"

And again, he could hear Adam smiling. "I think I can really charm her. I mean... I made her giggle a few times, imagine how easy that'd be now to get her in be---"

"You're not getting her!" Nathan spoke harshly, though it was close to a whisper. "She's off-limits! I told you that!"

"For now," the other laughed, adding to the sleepy agent's irritation. It was too damn early in the morning for him to be so upset already. "But once we get Jane to her fiancé everything will fall into place. YOU will get Jane, and then I can officially take Mara for myself."

Nathan covered his eyes with his hand, trying to calm himself down. He didn't move as he asked, "Why do you want her so bad?"

There was a pause. He heard muffled movement on the other line before Adam finally spoke in that rare serious tone Nathan wasn't used to.

"I really think she's it, Nate. Mare could probably tie me down. There's no one else like her."

Nathan knew the feeling.

He sighed heavily and lowered his hand from shielding his eyes and tried to think of what to say to his friend, all while not crushing Adam's dream of being with Mara. Yet.

"Just---sigh, dammit. Tell Ben that we are going to be on the road in a few hours, and I'll talk to him then."

"In a few hours...? It's one fifteen!"