Unexpected

Chapter 13

The other two men were Sam and Collin, and they were all incredibly nice and sweet. They referred to Alex by his first name, which made me wonder why Robert had called him “Your Highness” earlier. I’d have to remember to ask Alex about that, not that it was a big deal one way or the other. We chatted for a while, then Robert and Josh went outside and Sam and Colin went somewhere else in the villa, I guessed to their bedrooms to relax now that they were off duty.

They were totally nice, cool guys, not what I would have imagined people in their line of work to be like, not that I’d thought that much about it before. But the reality of being with someone that required bodyguards was intimidating, on a lot of different levels. That he was famous was obviously something I was coming to grips with, but I hadn’t really thought about what went with that -- that there could be people out there that could hurt him, either accidentally or intentionally.

“I can tell they really liked you, don’t worry,” he said, reading the concern on my face incorrectly. Alex tugged me over to sit by him on the couch.

“‘Worry? Why should I care?’ Sorry, that’s Mayer again. Thanks for the reassurance, they’re really nice guys. By far the nicest body guards I’ve ever met,” I joked.

“That’s the second time you’ve quoted John Mayer to me, do I have something to be concerned about?” he teased.

“Oh definitely, I’m full on obsessed. I love his music and think he’s pretty much brilliant and...”

“Ok, ok, ok, I’m sorry I asked. Now that I know that, absolutely no more Mayer playing when we’re in bed together, do you hear me?” He pulled me close and tickled me.

“Ok, stop, stop!! No more Mayer, I promise!” I yelled and he stopped his torture, but still kept his arms around me. “Strange question, but why did Robert call you by your title earlier today but then now, they all just called you Alex?”

“I imagine he said that earlier as a reflex. They’re very committed to only addressing me formally when we’re in public and I suppose, technically, with you and Maggie there, they felt that was a public enough setting, although I doubt he really thought much about it, thus me calling it a reflex. I’d be fine with them always calling me by my first name but they’re very serious about respecting me and my title. And honestly, that sort of thing is important to my grandmother, in particular. Now, when no one is around, they’re much more like mates than guards, but they take their jobs seriously, which I, of course, appreciate. I imagine that they’re a little cross at me right now for not keeping them informed about what I’ve been doing lately. I spoke to them before we went to dinner that first day and again the next day when I came home and showered, but they’re used to knowing exactly where I’m going, when I’m going, and who I’m going to be with. I didn’t even say a thing to them before I went up and introduced myself, which then led to me disappearing from contact with them for the rest of the day. The could see me, of course, but I’m sure they knew that I’d be furious at them if they came up and interrupted us.”

“Yeah, that would have been hard for you to explain -- you couldn’t have just pretended they were friends of yours after you went into such detail about being there by yourself.”

“I considered telling you I was here with friends that first day, but thought it would look suspicious if I never wanted to be around them. Sort of like with you and Maggie -- I was half convinced you’d made her up until she came by this morning!” I laughed as I could easily see how it might have looked like that.

“Not to completely change the subject, but talking about Maggie and thinking about earlier today just brought something to my mind,” I said.

“What’s that?” Alex pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. I loved that he was always touching me, like he couldn’t not touch me.