Our kind of love, p.1
Our Kind of Love, page 1
OUR KIND OF LOVE
HUNTER J. KEANE
CONTENTS
1. Jack
2. Skylar
3. Jack
4. Skylar
5. Jack
6. Skylar
7. Jack
8. Skylar
9. Jack
10. Skylar
11. Jack
12. Skylar
13. Jack
14. Skylar
15. Jack
16. Skylar
17. Jack
18. Skylar
19. Jack
20. Skylar
21. Jack
22. Skylar
23. Jack
24. Skylar
25. Jack
26. Skylar
27. Jack
28. Skylar
29. Jack
30. Skylar
31. Jack
32. Skylar
Epilogue
Epilogue
About the Author
Copyright © 2023 by Hunter J. Keane
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
License Notes
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1
JACK
The diner smelled like burnt coffee and bacon grease. My stomach rumbled, but not from hunger. I spotted a familiar scowl across the room and made my way to the table.
“You made it.” Ellison Parker cocked one skeptical eyebrow at me.
“I said I would be here,” I grumbled as I folded my body into the small chair across from him. Actually, the chair was a normal size. All chairs seemed small compared to my 6’5” frame.
“You look like shit.” Ellison raised a hand to flag down the waitress.
“It’s good to see you, too.” After ten years, I was used to Ellison being a blunt asshole. “Can we make this quick?”
The waitress approached and took Ellison’s order. When he finished, after ordering enough food for a small army, he nodded toward me.
“Coffee,” I said flatly. The waitress hurried away from us.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Stone,” Ellison intoned mockingly.
“I’m not staying long enough to eat.”
“Still have that sunny disposition, I see.” He paused while the waitress placed two steaming mugs of coffee in front of us. “King told me you are looking for work.”
I shrugged. “If the right thing comes along.”
“I’ve got something for you. Ever heard of Skylar Hart?”
“No.”
Ellison chuckled. “Of course not. Why would Jack Stone recognize the name of the girl everyone in the whole damn world is obsessing over?”
“I’ve been a little too busy to worry about some girl I’ve never met. Who is she?”
“Famous singer. Does some acting and modeling, too, from what I understand. Made about 100 million bucks last year.”
“100 million?” That got my attention. “For singing? Is she naked while she sings?”
Ellison laughed again. “Sadly, no. She’s a gorgeous girl, but her shtick is mostly clean. Lots of moms and young girls in her fanbase.”
“I’m failing to understand how this has anything to do with me then.”
“She’s been getting some aggressive threats from a stalker and she’s about to go on tour. My team has been her primary security for the last couple of years and we’ve never seen anything like the kind of stuff that’s been coming in over the last few months.” Ellison took a long pull from his coffee. “Skylar leaves for her tour next month and I’m worried about the possibilities that is going to create.”
“Tell her not to do it,” I said.
“And give back the 500 million in ticket sales?” Ellison smirked at me. “Her people would never let that happen.”
“Again, what does this have to do with me?”
“I want to hire you to be her bodyguard.” He held up a hand to stop my protest before I could even open my mouth. “I have other guys, yes, but you’re the best in the business. I know you’re trying to get out of the personal security side of the business and I can respect that decision, but Sky isn’t like those other rich assholes you’ve guarded in the past. She’s sweet and way too vulnerable. If you just meet her, you’ll want to help her.”
“I’m not interested in babysitting.” I picked up my coffee while frowning.
“She’s not a child, Stone. She’s 24 and acts like she’s about 80. She doesn’t like to go out partying or engage in ridiculous shopping trips. Sky is completely focused on her career and follows instructions from the team.” Ellison gave me a pointed look. “I know how you love bossing people around and she’ll let you do it while giving you a sweet smile.”
“If you love this girl so much, why don’t you take the job?”
“It needs to be someone closer to her age. You’ll need to pass as her boyfriend.”
“What the fuck?” I knew there had to be some catch to his proposition, but that was just ridiculous.
Ellison leaned over the table, his face perfectly calm and serious. “I need someone who can be intimately close to her. Someone who can walk right next to her on red carpets and sleep in her tour bus. Skylar doesn’t want someone walking around in a security uniform who will scare away her fans. She wants it to look natural from the outside.”
“So this was her idea?” I scoffed. “No wonder it’s so bad.”
“It’s the best option we have.” Ellison leaned back and rubbed the back of his neck while grimacing. “She trusts me to protect her and I trust you. I wouldn’t ask you if there was anyone else on my team who I thought could pull this off.”
While I glared at him, he pulled out his phone and tapped the screen before sliding it across the table. “That’s Sky.”
Reluctantly, I looked down. The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen smiled back at me from Ellison’s phone. Her eyes were blue like the ocean, her lips plump and pink. Luscious blond hair hanging in perfect waves past her chest, lightly hugging her ample breasts. Something stirred below my belt and I forced back a groan.
“You fucker,” I said, scowling at Ellison. He knew that I was going to say yes. I loved nothing more than to help a damsel in distress and Skylar Hart was the prettiest fucking damsel either of us had ever seen.
His cocky smile returned. “You start on Monday.”
2
SKYLAR
“We really need to start talking about the European leg of the tour. Ideally, we’d want to make that announcement during your Entertainment Now interview.”
I nodded, only partially listening to my manager. Scott Morelli was always talking about what he wanted me to do, even when the plans he was making were more than a year into the future. I barely had time to worry about what I was doing that day, let alone my five-year plan.
“I need at least six weeks off between the tours,” I said as firmly as possible.
“Six weeks?” Scott frowned. “We’ll do our best, but that may not be possible based on venue availability.
The doorbell rang and I was grateful for the interruption. I wasn’t in the mood to fight with Scott so early in the morning. I had three men assigned to full-time security and whoever was at the door would’ve had to have been vetted at the main gate. There were no spontaneous visitors for a celebrity of my notoriety.
“Are we expecting someone?” I asked the woman sitting next to me on the couch. Alina Ford had been my personal assistant since the beginning of my career and I trusted her with everything, including my schedule.
“Security meeting,” Alina confirmed. She was balancing a tablet on her leg and a phone in her hand. “The new bodyguard starts today.”
I nodded and took a sip of my iced coffee. When Ellison and I had started discussing how to ramp up my security for the tour, he had promised that he knew the perfect guy for the job. Given our plan for the bodyguard to pull double-duty as my pretend boyfriend, I hoped he was at least mildly charming and able to carry a conversation. It would be an added bonus if he was at least moderately attractive.
My main security guard came into the room wearing a scowl. “The new bodyguard is here,” Pete said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder. “You ready to meet with him, Miss Hart?”
I nodded. “Yes, please. Send him in.”
Pete left and a moment later another man appeared. He strolled into the room with a perfected rigidity, like he expected to be attacked from all sides. I pressed my lips together to keep from letting my jaw drop. The new bodyguard wasn’t moderately attractive. He was panty-dropping gorgeous.
His steely gray eyes immediately caught my attention, followed quickly by lips that practically begged to be kissed and dark hair that desperately needed me to run my hands through it.
“Jack Stone,” he said curtly, nodding his head at me.
I put down my drink and stood, hoping my legs wouldn’t tremble like the rest of me. Jack was tall. I was tall myself and appreciated his extra inches. At least I wouldn’t be towering over my bodyguard.
“Skylar Hart,” I said, taking three slow steps across the room and holdi ng out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Stone.”
“Pleasure.” His hand was warm and strong as it engulfed mine. My traitorous brain immediately wondered if the rumor about hand size was true and it took a lot of willpower not to glance down.
“We were just about to discuss the security plans for the tour,” I gestured toward the seating area. “Please, have a seat.”
We settled into seats across from each other and I turned my attention to Alina when all I really wanted to do was stare at Jack.
“Ellison said that he would update you on what we have planned so far.” Alina waited for Jack to confirm with a nod of his head. “The only details we are still formalizing are those that will pertain to you, Mr. Stone. I take it that Ellison explained the uniqueness of our request for your services?”
“I presume you are referencing the part where I am to pretend to be dating Miss Hart?” Jack asked.
Alina nodded. “Yes, exactly. We would want you to move into the house for the next month until the tour begins. At which point you will be staying on the same tour bus as Skylar. I will send you a calendar of all important dates, but you should expect to be available to Skylar exclusively for the next nine months.”
“That won’t be a problem.” Jack had a deep, rugged voice that was beyond sexy.
My cheeks flushed at that thought and I reached for my iced coffee again. “I’ve asked to have a bedroom set up for you. When we are done here, I will give you a tour of the house.”
“You live here alone?” Jack asked.
I nodded. “Most of the time. There is full-time security and I have a team that handles the household during the day, but I’m the only one sleeping here at night.”
Jack’s eyebrows lifted slightly and I winced slightly at how pathetic that made me seem. World-famous celebrity sleeping alone every night.
“You have rehearsals this afternoon, Sky,” Alina gently reminded me. “But you can take this morning to acquaint yourself with Mr. Stone and give him some time to settle in.”
“No need,” Jack said. “I’ve already taken the time to memorize Miss Hart’s file.”
“My file?” I glared at him. “And that told you everything you need to know about me?”
He stared right back at me. “Everything important.”
“I think I’ll take off now,” Scott said, standing in a hurry. “Hart, start thinking about whether you want to add an Australia leg to the tour.”
“I’ll walk out with you,” Alina said, jumping up. “I have some errands to run, Sky, but I’ll be back before you leave for rehearsals.”
I fought the urge to beg her to stay. I wasn’t ready to be left alone with the strange man sitting across from me, but I didn’t have a choice. Jack and I were going to be spending a lot of time alone over the next few months.
“So…tell me about yourself, Mr. Stone.” I forced a smile.
“I will tell you what you need to know about me and right now, that’s nothing.” He looked miserable perched on the edge of his chair. “You are my protectee, not my girlfriend.”
“And you are my bodyguard and also an asshole,” I replied.
His cheek twitched. “You promised me a tour of the house.”
“Fine.” I got to my feet and noticed Jack’s annoyed expression slipping for the first time. His eyes just briefly grazed my legs. It was hot in California in the middle of summer and the tiny shorts I had put on after my shower had seemed appropriate at the time. I cleared my throat and Jack’s eyes snapped to my face.
He was the one who had been caught checking me out and yet I was the one who blushed. “Tour?” I said weakly.
Jack nodded and when he stood, I swallowed hard. I had been so distracted by his beautiful face earlier that I hadn’t noticed the rest of him. And there was a lot of him. Broad shoulders and firm biceps under a fitted t-shirt. A waist that narrowed with purpose. I wouldn’t let myself look any lower than that.
“This is the living room. I mostly only use this room to meet with the people who work for me.” It was my least favorite room in the house. When I started out of the room, Jack was close behind me. “That room over there is the family room. About once a year I have a friend or two over and we hang out in there.” I was only partially kidding.
“Ellison didn’t tell me that you are such a social butterfly.”
My head whipped toward him. “Was that a joke, Mr. Stone?”
He lifted a shoulder. “It happens occasionally.”
“Ellison didn’t tell me that you are such a comedian.” I started down the hallway. “Powder room on the left, stairs to the basement on the right. That’s where my recording studio is. No one goes down there unless they are working with me on something.”
When we stepped into the kitchen, I waved a hand. “This is self-explanatory. The fridge is always kept stocked, so help yourself. I don’t have a lot of time to cook, so I have a chef who preps meals for me whenever I’m in town. They are mostly healthy and also delicious.” I pointed to my favorite thing in the room. “That is my pride and joy. Makes the best coffee I’ve ever had outside of Italy. If you break it, I will break you.”
His lips twitched just a tiny bit like he was thinking about smiling but decided against it. “Then I guess you’ll need to make my coffee in the mornings.”
“You wish.” I brushed my hair over my shoulder and headed through the kitchen. “There’s a study down this hall that I never use and a gym to the right. You’re welcome to use that as well, unless that physique of yours is God-given.”
“You’ve noticed my physique?”
I rolled my eyes. “A man doesn’t wear a shirt like that if he doesn’t want to be noticed.”
“You shouldn’t blame the victim.” Jack still wasn’t smiling, but there was a flicker of humor in his eyes.
“I doubt you’ve ever been a victim.” I stopped in front of an arched doorway. “This is my library. If you know how to read, you are welcome to borrow anything you want.”
Jack stuck his head into the room and whistled appreciatively. “You weren’t kidding. That’s a lot of books, Miss Hart.”
“I spend a lot of time alone on tour and do a lot of reading to pass the time.” I shrugged. “There are worse ways to spend time.”
“And also much more scandalous ways,” Jack said.
“Not for me.” I turned and headed back the way we came. “The bedrooms are all upstairs. There are six of them, but the only one that gets used is mine. I asked the staff to set you up in the second biggest one. It has a nice view.” My feet were already scaling the winding staircase.
“I’m sure it’s fine.” There was a strange catch in Jack’s voice.
Shit. My ass was directly in front of him. There was nothing I could do about it, so I just hoped he wasn’t close enough to see any cellulite.
“Did Ellison set you up with a key to the house?” I asked.
“Yes. As well as the alarm codes.” His voice was back to normal. “We’ll have to talk about the current security setup. I believe there are some glaring holes.”
“I’m open to your suggestions.” There was a reason I hired out all matters regarding security. I trusted the experts. “The other guest rooms are that way. We’ll be over here.”
“We?”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Your room will be next to mine. Is that a problem?”
“No. That’s preferable, actually.” Jack’s eyes scanned every inch of the hallway. I was just relieved he was no longer staring at my ass.
“That’s my room down there,” I said, waving toward the closed door. “This is yours.” I pushed open the door in front of us and stepped inside. “My interior designer didn’t account for a man moving in, but hopefully you aren’t too offended by the décor.”
