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

Chapter Eighteen

Mara sat at the table of the small diner with her attention looking out the window.

Her fingers were wrapped lightly around the white stout mug of hot chocolate in front of her. It had cooled enough to not burn her fingertips, yet could still feel its warmth.

It felt nice to be out of the car. She'd been in the car for two days straight, with the only breaks being when she had to use the restroom or the car needed a new tank fill.

Aside, however, from the long two day drive so far, Mara enjoyed the company with her.

The tall, handsome man she felt completely giddy around twenty-four seven was always there with her. He made sure to keep his eyes and ears open for anything suspicious, but Mara would blush deeply when those green eyes of his would spare time to just want to stare at her alone.

Mara bit her lip, smiling to herself thinking about the times they would pull to the side of the road just so that Nathan could give in to his desire to kiss her, which always lead to more.
What would start out as sweet kisses, turned hungry and aggressively pleasurable. They'd peel their clothing away and entangle their bodies in the backseat until one would remind the other about their time schedule.

Yes, Mara enjoyed every single moment, every single kiss, and every single touch of his fingertips on her. And she never knew this side to romance before Nathan.

For her, romance was always kept so simple and in story books because she was isolated all her life. Only Rory would kiss her cheek and forehead every now and then, but it was all innocent.

With Nathan, it was lust, desire... love.

Well... love for Mara, anyway.

She wasn't sure if Nathan loved her. She never heard him say it. She'd said it plenty of times when they were kissing, making love, or at any time for that matter. But it didn't really bother her that much.

After all, Mara truly felt that he did with how he was with her. He'd be so gentle and protective of her, Mara could think nothing other than that being his way of loving her.

"Just a few more hours and we should be with the others."

Mara broke away from her thoughts and looked up at Nathan as he was sliding into the booth across from her. He tucked his phone into his jacket pocket, glancing up. Mara smiled lovingly at him, her head leaning a little to the side.

Nathan lowered a brow and grinned. He narrowed his eyes and turned his head away from her slightly; eyeing her.

"What?"

Mara looked down, shaking her head and pulled the mug closer to her. She smiled, biting her lip and looked up at him through her lashes. He was still looking at her and raised a brow, waiting.

Mara sat up straight and leaned over her mug towards him, "It's just---"

She stopped, staring at him. Nathan blinked; his face expressionless.

Mara continued, "I was just thinking... if there was a chance... a chance that you might feel about me... the way I feel about you?"

Nathan blinked again a few times, glancing off to the side.

Mara could see the confusion all over his face and she opened her mouth to explain, but their waitress, Anna, clearly had bad timing.

"Alright, so I have a triple banana cake stack with two links, two strips, hash browns, and eggs sunny-side up---," she looked up from the plate in her left hand at the couple and Nathan raised a hand carelessly, "That'd be me."