Taylor

Oh my!

Hot didn't even begin to describe my new bodyguard who'd just arrived at the new place we'd just moved into. It had been a couple of days since my brother had showed up at Sin's house to pick me up.

"Matthew Weiss, this is my sister, Taylor," my brother introduced. "And this is Jordan."

I was still trying to recover from the shock so I gave him a brief nod instead of trying to greet him with words that I couldn't seem to find. He wasn't what I'd expected. Jordan, who'd been sitting down on the sofa watching TV, stood up.

"Hi," she greeted.

Matthew gave her a brief nod and a smile. I swear I saw her swoon. I'd been expecting someone big and bulky, and, well...mean looking. The type of guy who could kill with one evil look or the type of guy you wouldn't want to meet alone in a dark alley. The only thing that this guy could do with one look was make panties disappear.

He didn't look like the lethal bodyguard my brother had assured me he was, but I knew that there was no way my brother would leave me without the best protection he could buy. He was tall and lean. His hair reached past his ears. It was a sandy brown color with streaks of blond. His eyes were a beautiful dark green. Long, dark eyelashes emphasized his striking eyes.

"Hi," he greeted us with a relaxed smile, which spread wider and showed off his dimples.

More bloody dimples.

He was dressed in black trousers and a plain button-up white shirt. The collar was undone and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He set his luggage down where he stood.

"Here is a folder that has all the information that you'll need," Connor told him as he handed him a blue folder. My brother and his stupid folders. Matthew opened the folder briefly and his eyes scanned a couple of the pages before closing it again.

"If you need any more information, call me," my brother instructed.

"I will," he assured Connor. The easy smile was gone and he was all business. It was the first glimpse I got of Matthew the Bodyguard.

My brother turned to face me.

"I need to get back for a very important meeting," Connor said. He looked anxious even though he knew that he was leaving me in very capable hands.

"I'll be fine," I assured him as I embraced him and gave him a squeeze.

"I love you," he whispered to me softly as he kissed my cheek. He gave me one last squeeze before he released me.

"I love you too," I said softly.

"I'll call you when I get to the airport," he said, picking up his suitcase.

"Sure," I said as I walked him to the door. I loved my brother, but I was glad he was going. He'd been suffocating me the last couple of days while he'd sorted out the rental and bodyguard. The perks were that the apartment was nicer than staying at the dorm.

Connor gave me one last quick hug before he left.

"Which room is mine?" asked Matthew, looking at me expectedly.

I pointed at the only empty room left that was next to mine. The other room, which was occupied by Jordan, was on the opposite side. When it had come time for Jordan and me to choose rooms, my brother had insisted that the bodyguard sleep in the room next to mine. I'd asked why and he'd said he would feel better knowing the bodyguard was close to me. I shook my head at the memory. If you looked up the word overprotective in the dictionary, I swear there would be a picture of my brother under the description.

"I'm just going to unpack my stuff," he told us and then he disappeared into the bedroom with his luggage.

Jordan's eyes met mine.

"See, I told you he'd be hot," she whispered to me as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. There was no disputing it, he was. I shook my head at her as I smiled.

It didn't matter how hot he was, I wanted Sin. I hadn't heard from him since my brother had arrived. I rubbed my forehead as a slight headache began to develop. It wasn't like I'd expected him to call, but the fact that he hadn't even sent me a text message did hurt. It shouldn't surprise me because he'd made it very clear when I'd left that what we had was over.

"I'm going to lie down," I said, wanting some space so I could wallow in my hurt without having to pretend I was fine. Her eyes narrowed at me for a moment before she said, "Okay."

There was no pretending with her. I'd told her what happened with Sin and me. She'd been sympathetic and supportive. I was glad she hadn't told me 'I told you so.' Let's face it, everything that had happened with him she'd warned me about and I hadn't listened. But as crappy as I felt emotionally, I still couldn't bring myself to wish I'd ever met him or experienced the few moments he'd given me.

It was early evening and tomorrow would be my first day back at school since the attack. I was nervous, but having Matthew around would make me feel safer. It had taken my brother two days to get the best bodyguard who was young enough to pass for a college student. My brother had insisted that the bodyguard blend in with students so it wasn't too obvious who he was. He thought it would help the bodyguard protect me better if he was in all the same classes as me, which made sense. Connor had organized it with the college. The police had no leads on who my attacker was. The college had tightened up security and everyone—especially the girls—was told to be careful.

The fact that the bodyguard was going to be around me so much, my brother said it would be easier to tell people he was a friend of the family's then to try to explain who he really was. Jordan had also agreed not to reveal who Matthew really was. I'd agreed to it. I wasn't going to fight my brother on any of it. After our initial heated argument, he'd agreed to stop fighting with me about staying as long as I agreed to the measures he put into place to keep me safe. One was the new flat, two was the bodyguard and three was the daily phone calls that he would be making to make sure I was okay.

I went into my room. I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Sin's face the last time I saw him. He'd been so indifferent that it had hurt. It was like the connection we'd made by being physically closer was gone. I didn't feel anger toward him. He'd been clear when we'd started the arrangement that when we were finished we walked away without any feelings and carried on.

The problem was I'd developed feelings. I still felt badly that he'd opened up to me and I hadn't been able to do the same. Even now, given a second chance, I still wouldn't tell him anything.

My headache got worse so I got up and went looking for headache tablets in the kitchen. The aroma that hit me when I stepped out of my room made my stomach grumble. I hadn't been eating much, but at that moment I was ravenous.

Jordan was talking to Matthew while he cooked.

"Was that part of the requirement?" I asked as I joined them. Matthew turned to flash that deadly smile at me as he switched off the stove.

"No, it's a perk," he quipped then he turned to place the steaks on three plates.

"Good, because the two of us are pretty useless in the kitchen," Jordan said as she began to dish up a salad onto the plates.

"Then I'll be the one cooking," he stated. Some people would say it was relaxing and that they enjoyed it, but I hated it so it wasn't surprising I couldn't cook much.

"It smells good," I said as I reached in the cupboard for the headache tablets.

"I promise it will taste better," he assured me.

I'd had my reservations about the bodyguard staying in the apartment with us, but Matthew seemed to fit in well.