His Two-Faced Sexy Bodyguard

Chapter 3 Soaked and Sexy!

Hanson's clothes were just as drenched. He'd casually flung his suit jacket to the poolside before diving in to save her, leaving him in only a dark gray shirt. The rescue had popped a few of its buttons, revealing his solid chest muscles. Water droplets hung from his collarbone, tracing a path down his strong chest with every breath he took, slipping into his shirt.

Ashley's gaze was glued to him until she caught Hanson checking her out. She quickly averted her eyes, her hands instinctively shielding her chest.

Beneath her palms, her heart hammered away like crazy.

The more she dreaded something, the more likely it was to happen!

She couldn't believe that in the span of a single party, she had run into Hanson twice. From the look in Hanson's eyes, it was clear he was suspecting her! No matter what, she couldn't let Hanson recognize her.

Noticing her discomfort, Hanson, ever the gentleman, looked away. He picked up his suit jacket from the ground and draped it over Ashley's shoulders.

Ashley was taken aback at first, but then a wave of warmth surged inside her. The faint scent of cologne on the jacket was the same as what Hanson was wearing, making her feel almost as if she were wrapped in his embrace.

Although she knew she should stay calm, Ashley found herself standing up, ready to bolt. Perhaps it was guilt mingled with embarrassment at play.

As she made to leave, Hanson frowned slightly and instinctively reached out to grab her shoulder. But he accidentally caught a lock of her hair, which had come undone from its updo during the time in the water and now draped over her shoulders.

His sudden move made Ashley panic.

She instinctively cradled her head, and when she looked back at Hanson, she was like a startled bunny; her eyelashes fluttered non-stop as if he were some predatory beast ready to pounce.

For Ashley, keeping her wig securely in place was a must. If it came off, her cover would be blown!

Hanson hadn't meant to tug on her hair, and he quickly let go.

"Sorry, but you might not want to go back to the hall looking like this. It'll save you from some potentially awkward misunderstandings."

Ashley glanced down and realized her clothes were completely soaked, clinging to her frame in a way that left little to the imagination. Her cheeks flared with embarrassment as she hastily wrapped Hanson's suit jacket tighter around herself. Without even a thank you, she turned and fled barefoot...

This time, Hanson didn't try to stop her. Instead, he watched with a hint of amusement as she beat a hasty retreat.

Ashley paused, maybe because she had stepped on a pebble or something, and bent down to check the sole of her foot.

Her foot was slender; her toes were delicate, so tempting it made him want to hold them gently in his hands. As she was checking her foot, her drenched gown clung to her figure, hardly hiding anything. Her well-shaped backside and sleek, well-curved legs were completely on display for Hanson's eyes.

Hanson's eyes darkened for a moment, but he politely looked away.

Unaware of the scene she'd left behind, Ashley shook off the pebble and kept moving in a panic.

When Hanson's gaze landed on her again, he saw her, looking stunning even in disarray with her glam and ritzy gown, sprinting barefoot down the gravel path with zero chill. She was like a gorgeous deer caught off guard, bolting away in a mix of elegance and panic.

A curve tugged at the corners of Hanson's lips. He had initially been mesmerized by her looks, but now he found himself drawn to her personality as well. His interest in her was definitely piqued!

*****

Although Hanson was hoping to bump into Ashley for a third time at the party, Ashley had dashed off so fast that he ended up leaving alone.

Back at his villa, he was greeted by a detailed report from his top assistant, Kasen.

Being Hanson's personal bodyguard meant Ashley's background had to be thoroughly checked. Since the moment Hanson announced Ashley as his personal bodyguard, Kasen had been on the case, digging into her past.

Luckily, with the help of Olivia, Ashley's true gender had been kept under wraps, and Kasen hadn't found out she was masquerading as a man.

Hanson casually flipped through the file Kasen handed him about his new bodyguard, and his brow furrowed deeply.

It showed Ashley's brother lying comatose in the hospital, and their mother was addicted to gambling, racking up a scary amount of debt. Piled-up medical bills and their mom's gambling losses, everything had fallen squarely on Ashley's shoulders. To pay off these debts, Ashley had worked several jobs a day until applying to be his bodyguard a month ago...

Desperate for money, which meant... Ashley could be at risk of being bought off!

Hanson was a guy who trusted his gut, always on the alert for any signs of treachery. Even though Ashley hadn't done anything to betray him yet, just the whiff of risk was enough for him to put the brakes on making her his personal bodyguard full-time.

And just like Hanson had figured, that risk linked with Ashley's "desperate for money" erupted pretty quickly.

One day, while she was visiting Larry in the hospital, she got yet another one of those urgent payment notices from the hospital.

Standing by her brother's frail form on the hospital bed made her clench her fists tight, her mind racing to find a way to come up with the money.

But unlike what Hanson might have expected, Ashley's go-to plan wasn't any shady business. It was to ask Hanson for an advance on her paycheck!