Guarding Her (Traveler x Angel)

Abe slept hard. He felt a kind of grounding that he hadn't felt in... well... in ever. Slowly the sounds of running water and soft footsteps on the floor woke him. He opened his eyes and saw Lana bending over as she reached into her drawers. The towel barely covered her body and it seemed like it would fall right off of her.

He watched her dress in front of him and he felt a little bit guilty about enjoying the way her body looked as she pulled her clothing on. Still... if he said something he might have scared her, so he waited for her to look at him.

Lana quickly slipped on her clothes and hung up her towel before turning to look a Abe. "Hey," She said with a shy smile as she climbed back into her bed and sat next to him. Her wet hair was beginning to soak her t-shirt as she sat with her thigh and shoulder pressed against his. "How did you sleep?" She asked looking a little guilty as she tugged at a loose thread on her running shorts. "were you able to get back to sleep ok?" She asked sounding worried. "I understand if... you don't want to work for me anymore... I've got a lot of baggage." She stopped messing with the thread and looked up at him with her big green eyes.

He smiled back at her and was a little bit surprised when she climbed back into bed and sat next to him. Her warm, firm thigh pressed against his and he felt a warm tingle shoot up his body. He watched her fidgeting with a thread on her shorts and his eyes were drawn along the long line of her legs. She was a combination of sweet and sexy... and despite her background there was an air of innocence to her.

"I'm not leaving you because you have nightmares," he said, smiling and sitting up. They were chest to chest now, his face only a few hand's breath's away from hers.

He reached out and cupped her cheek. "So... let me do a sweep of the house, and then I'll set you up with a taser." He smiled at her and leaned forward slightly. "So I can take a quick shower."

Lana smiled up at him as he reassured her that he would stay. Her cheeks flushed a light pink at his closeness and the feel of his firm chest against hers. She couldn't help but lean into his hand when he cupped her face so gently her big green eyes looking up at him through her lashes. His bright blue eyes drew her in as his soft breath brushed across her face. At the moment she wanted nothing more then to kiss him, but the fear of rejection kept her from leaning forward that last little bit and pressing her lips against his. She didn't know if she could take a rejection from him, he was so perfect, tall, strong, handsome. He was probably just being nice to her, he probably only saw her as a scared little girl.

If she hadn't been his employer he might have leaned in more and kissed her, despite the fact that she had a nightmare about her first rape the prior night. But... she was his employer, and it would be completely inappropriate for him to cross that line with her. So he pulled back slowly and then got out of bed to make sure that the house was still secure, and to show her how to use the taser if anyone came in. It occurred to him that he should teach her more, since she said that she as willing to learn whatever he wanted to teach her.

Those words still sent shivers of possibilities down his spine, but he knew that he could not act upon it. She was his employer... and in a vulnerable place. It would be a breech of trust.

Once she was safe, he took a quick shower and then dressed in a simple jeans and button down shirt combination. He wasn't anticipating any trips with Ms Johnson today. He inspected the scruff of his beard in the mirror and decided that it could go another day before shaving. He pulled the office chair out of her room and then went to find his employer, anticipating that she would be either in the kitchen or at her computer.

Lana felt slightly disappointed when he pulled away, but what had she been expecting, for him to kiss her. She sighed softly as she watched him leave the room to inspect the house. While he did that she quickly cleaned her room and made her bed. Then listened carefully as he showed her how to use the taser.

~

Lana was sitting on the counter in the kitchen, her long tan legs swinging back and forth as she ate one of the apples they had pick up at the store yesterday. She smiled up at him as he walked into the room. "hello!" She chirped as she finished her apple and dramatically tossed it into the trash can, cheering when she made it in. "I thought we could go hiking today, if you think that's okay?" She asked excitedly, "There's this trail behind my house and its such a nice day." She said as she looked longingly out the window at the blue cloudless sky.

Abe couldn't help but smile back at her when she greeted him. She looked so young and vibrant sitting there, her legs swinging back and forth like a school child's. She had good aim with the apple core, though, and he had to nod in admiration when she made the basket.

"A hike sounds good." He picked up an apple and examined it before taking a bite. Unlike Lana he didn't avoid the core, but rather ate through it. He looked at what she was wearing and smiled. "Are we planning a short hike? Say... and hour? Or something more strenuous?" He glanced at his watch. "I'm expecting the locksmiths from the agency here tonight at seven to update your locks and set up lights and cameras."

Lana made a face as she watched him eat through the core but didn't say anything. "Why don't we plan on just an hour, I haven't had any real exercise in three months." She said with a laugh as she hopped off the counter and grabbed her sneakers from a shelf beside the door. After lacing them on she threw her hair into a high ponytail and grabbed a water bottle and bug spray. "We're going to have to put this one, the mosquitoes are really bad back there." She said as grabbed a key from the hook and slipped it into her pocket before sliding open her back door.

Once outside she tossed him the bottle of bug spray, "I'll spray you, you spray me." She offered as she stood with her legs apart and her arms spread out so he coat them with the repellant. "So, do you think they will have everything installed by tonight?" she asked trying to make conversation as she felt the cold substance cover her skin. She felt a bit guilty because she kinda hoped they didn't get it finished. She had slept soundly in Abe's arms, she had felt safe and protected, and didn't want him to go back to sleeping in his own room.

"Mosquitoes... not my favorite pest." he smiled and took the spray, working over her legs and arms and then spraying the back of her. He bot her neck and then sprayed some on his hands to rub into her ears. Then he handed her the bottle to spray him back.

"Well, no... not tonight. They'll take measurements and decide what needs to be done tonight, and tomorrow they can install it." He shut his eyes so she could spray near his face. "Hopefully it won't inconvenience you too much." He smiled. "Did you hike out behind your place a lot? I mean, before the stalking began?" He glanced back at the house and then slid his left hand into hers. It was a nice day, and as far as anyone could tell, they were just two people going on a walk together, not a woman and her bodyguard.

Lana smiled when her got her ears, and thanked him before doing the same from him, making sure to get everything. "Its no big deal, I think last night worked out well. I only woke up once, normally it happens at least twice." she said as she felt his hand slip into hers. She shrugged at his question, "I did it when I could, I'm not very good at it. I'm a bit clumsy, encase you couldn't tell from the hot coffee I spilled all over me yesterday." she said with a light chuckle. "I'm prone to falling and tripping over things, but I still love to do it. It was one of the few happy things I did in my childhood. There was this one house, the parents weren't horrible they just didn't care. So, I pretty much did what I wanted, which included playing in the woods behind the house." She explained as she led him through her yard to a rough looking trail that lead up into a small forest. "So, you know all about my childhood, what about yours?" She asked as she looked out at his blue eyes.

"My life? Well, I suppose it's not as interesting as yours. I, ah, joined the military out of high school, for the GI bill. My parents are still together, and I have a younger sister who is married to an accountant. She teaches at the middle school. Anyway, I stayed in a bit longer than I planned, but I did manage to get my bachelor's during those years, and now I'm just biding my time and waiting for the next phase of life to rear it's ugly head." He smiled back at her, and though his answer was accurate, he kept it pretty vague. He supposed that she did, too. Everyone had secrets it seemed.

"So... you like to hike? It's good that you took that up as a hobby instead of some of the other things you could have done." He shrugged. "There have been too many times I've looked at someone behind bars or in a body bag and realized that the only difference between them and me was one decision. Sometimes it's luck, too, but for the most part, it's one bad decision."

Lana laughed, "Mines not interesting its just sad." She corrected lightly as she smiled up at him nearing tripping over a root. "Sounds like you have a nice family." She said with an approving nod as she followed the path deeper into the woods. Lana nodded at his comment. "I know I was almost to that point, I just got lucky." She shook her head as her eyes traveled up the path. "Oh, you see this is my favorite part." She said excitedly as she pointed up a head. "You see up there, the trees lean over the path and make an arch way. In the mornings the sun hits it just right and if you stand inside all the light has a greenish tint to it. But in the fall, when the leaves change, its this beautiful orange color." She told him excitedly as she walked quicker down the path her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I haven't been able to visit this place since last fall. It was too cold in the winter and the I started getting the note..." She tailed off knowing he knew what happened next. "I've always wanted to sleep out here and watch the sun start to seep through the leaves but I've always been to busy or chickened at the last minute because I'd be doing it alone." She laughed as the walked under her trees.

"Camping can be fun," he agreed. "Maybe once this is all over we can camp out here, if it's not too cold by then." He saw that someone had carved a heart on one of the trees and looked closer. It was a heart all right, and in the center was the inscription "LJ 4EVER"

"Did you see that?" he asked, looking at her. "It looks rather fresh, like maybe a month or two old." His finger traced the carving and then he looked around from where he was standing. If he craned slightly he could see the back windows of her house from there. Abe frowned. "I think one of those surveillance pictures were taken from here," he mused. Then he frowned and looked like he was thoughtful for a moment. "He was probably carving this while he waited to photograph you."

Abe shook his head and slid an arm around her waist. "Well, we're taking back your life. All he'll ever be is someone who got to see it from the outside."

Lana raised her eyebrows in surprise, "really?" She asked excitedly as she unknowingly gripped his hand tighter. "That would be incredible!" She sounded excited before he pointed out the carving in the tree then her whole demeanor changed. Her shoulders slumped and her face paled a bit as she took a few steps closer to him. When he wrapped his arm around her waist Lana couldn't help but wrap both her arms around him and press her cheek against his chest. "For a second there I had forgotten all about him." She muttered quietly before slowly loosening her arms, she was sure he probably felt awkward with her hugging him like a scared little girl. However, she couldn't help but stay close enough that her shoulder was pressed against his side and his arm was still around her waist. She really hoped he wouldn't let go. "So, what do we do about this, or is there anything that can be done?" She asked quietly as she turned them around and started heading back to the house.

"Wait, you want to go back to the house? Already?" Abe took her hand and pulled her back gently. "We've barely started our hike." He smiled at her and shook his head. "Don't let him take away your joy, Ms Jo - Lana. This is your forest path, not his."

Abe drew her closer to himself and pretended to hug her so that he could whisper in her ear. "Besides, how can we draw him out and make him jealous if he doesn't think that we're really an item?" He smiled at her and tried to reassure her with his eyes. Lowering his voice he continued. "We have to make it look real, Lana, if you want to get rid of him once and for all. Are you okay?"

Lana nodded her understanding at what he told her. "I'm just scared, is all." She said as she shrugged her shoulders, but really she didn't want to be out here anymore, this place had now been poisoned, touched and tainted, with out Abe's arms around her she would be sprinting back to her house. But instead she gently pressed a hand against his chest while tilting her head slightly so as to looked up at this face. "but... I can do that." She said as she reached up on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek before blushing slightly and pulling back. Her hand slipped down his arm and entwined her hand with his by slipping her fingers in the spaces between his. This was the most she could do for now because as well as she would write about relationships, she had only been in one of her own, and that hadn't gone well. Since then she was written off men for the most part.

But Abe seemed different and this was just pretend... right? She knew he would never force her to do something she wasn't comfortable with. This fact put her at ease. "I noticed you've been calling me Ms and I've been meaning to tell you to just call me Lana." her voice was soft but firm, she wanted to talk about something else, anything but that man and what he was doing to her life. But she felt her attempt was awkward as well as abrupt but she didn't know what else to say.

"Lana... Okay. I'll call you Lana then." He smiled at her and looked down into her sweet face. Her palm pressed up against his chest felt nice, and he liked the way she had kissed his cheek. "But... if we're going to pretend to be dating, to fool people, you should kiss me more believably than that."

Abe turned towards her. His fingers were laced with hers, and he brought them to his chest. His other hand ran along the side of her waist as he inclined his head towards her. His heart was beating rapidly as he looked at her. True, they were pretending, but there was no denying that he was very attracted to her, and his desire to be a protector enhanced that attraction. Plus, he thought that her sweet, chaste kiss was more of a 'tester' on her part; she had taken the step to cross the line of merely a bodyguard and employee with that kiss... and he had held her the previous night.

And, if Abe were to be very truthful to himself, he was looking forward to holding her again tonight. He wanted to know what it felt like to kiss her and to have her look at him with approval. What would it mean to her? Would a kiss be just a prop to convince her stalker that she was dating someone?

He smiled at her and then lowered his face to hers so that he could brush her lips with his own, before pausing and kissing her slowly. His mouth was first gentle, then he felt himself parting her lips with his tongue and he pulled at her bottom lip with his own before running the tip of his tongue across the top of her lips and then finishing the kiss with a full, soft press, that ended in a slight tug at her mouth. Abe didn't pull away very far, but instead whispered to her while they were still only an inch apart, "That should convince anyone watching that we're truly dating," he predicted.

Heck, it nearly convinced himself!

Lana's eyes grew wide as she was pulled against him, her hand interlocking with his as she let out a small gasp at the feel of his hand moving along her waist. Her eyes locked on to his as he leaned in. She shivered as his lips brushed against her own, her eyes slipped closed while he lips taunted hers with little tugs and licks that held a gentleness that made her knees go weak and her body melt against his. Her hand slipped up against his chest and wrapped around his neck fingering his hair. However as he pulled away the spell was broken with the words that left his mouth. Her eyes flew open looking wide with shock. In the few moments that his lips were pressed against hers she had forgotten that it was just a game, an act, it meant nothing.

Slowly she pulled way giving them a few inches between their faces, her heart was pounding against her chest so loudly that she would be surprised if he didn't hear it. "Yeah, good." She said with a distracted nod as she pulled her hand away from his hair and took a step away from him. She left their fingers entwined to the sake of the show but kept her eyes on the ground. lifting her free hand up she brushed her fingers across her bottom lip as she processed what had just happened. Slowly a smile began pushing its way onto her face. So it was just an act, but she was going to get to make out with a very very attractive man for who knows how long, she might as well enjoy it. A giggle slipped through her lips as a light blush touched her cheeks. Lifting her eyes up to meet his she smiled cheekily at him, "it was very convincing." She affirmed as she squeezed his hand and began walking up the trail, pulling at his hand playfully to get him to follow her. "Come on, if you don't mind spending the day out here I know of this little water fall, its pretty far back but its worth it. The water is crystal clear, great for swimming." She suggested eagerly hoping her wouldn't say no.

"I don't mind spending the day out, as long as I'm with you," Abe replied, following the gentle tug of her hand as she led him up the trail. He liked the way her hips swayed as she walked slightly in front of him, and for a moment he thought about the clear water and the fact that they didn't bring bathing suits, and it stirred a bit of his blood up to the possibilities. "So, this place? This water fall... is it someplace you swam in before?"

He was actually looking forward to a bit of a dip, if she was up to it. He caught up to her and walked alongside her for a while as she led them both into the woods. "I... hope that I didn't misstep with you, Lana. I want to keep you safe, but I know that kissing wasn't ever in the contract." His eyes flicked to her face as he tried to gauge how she might feel about it. "I have to tell you, though-- you kiss well. It was nice."

Lana smiled and nodded, "I used to spend all day there, swimming and writing, I love the quietness. You're the first person I've ever brought back here, so consider yourself lucky." She said with a teasing smile as she pushed through the trees until she could start to hear the sound of water against rocks. Her smiled grew with her excitement it had been a while since she had come here and she couldn't wait to jump in.

Turning her head she looked sweetly up at him. "It may not have been in the contract but protecting me was and this is a way of doing it." She said with a shrug before giving him a cheeky smile, "it was just nice?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow. "That is definitely not how I would describe it. But maybe I just lack experience in that area." She said with a shrug, attempting to pass it off a no big deal. She should know better, of course a handsome man like that would have been with a number of women, where she had only kissed one other man. She lacked experience so of course he would find her kiss just... nice.

"That kiss was more than nice," Abe confessed, "but it's not my place to..." he looked down at her as she said that she wouldn't describe it that way. Was that an invitation? Or was she just playing with him, knowing how men might react when a pretty girl told them that she liked his kiss. He assumed that a girl as lovely as she would have had a few lovers... maybe several at once. After all, she was pretty, creative, and very friendly. It might have been why she had a stalker.

He followed her to the waterfall, gasping in surprise and delight at the secret little jewel she had discovered. "This is a great place," he said, his voice full of wonder. Abe looked at her and smiled. "Thank you... I do consider myself lucky to have shared this with you." He smiled and looked at the pool, then with her. "Do you, hmm... do you want to swim today? I'll keep watch if you'd like; you can relax and enjoy this private spot again."

Lana smiled and nodded letting go of his hand she took a few steps away from him. Turning so her back was towards him she grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head before tossing it to the side. Then bending at the waist she shimmied out of her running shorts, leaving in only her sports bra and underwear. Lana turned back around once she had finished stripping and took his hand once again. "You're not going to swim with me?" She asked as she gently tugged at his hand as she backed up towards the water.

The little haven was beautiful with rocks perfect for laying out and sun bathing and more than deep enough water to swim in. Pulling him over to a ledge big enough for the both of them to sit on she dangled her legs over the edge before lifting a foot up one at a time and pulling off her socks and shoes. Setting them aside she laced her fingers with his and hesitantly kissed his jaw near his ear before whispering, "It will be much more believable if you come and swim with me." She said as she gently pressed her lips against his ear.

She was so alluring... her little unintentional pout as she asked if he would swim with her, the way her eyes sparkled when she said that it would be more believable if he swam as well... completely captivating! Abe glanced around for places where he could store his things, unwilling to allow himself to remain vulnerable while watching over her.

He slid an arm around her waist and felt himself tingle at her kiss and whisper. They were just pretending to be lovers, but his reaction was completely honest and real - she was someone who he could really become attached to, if they had only met in different circumstances. He turned his head into her ear, to make it look like he was nuzzling her. "It's just that... my gun's not waterproof." He smiled. "But okay. Let me find a way to conceal it near the water."

He found a place to sit near her, on the rock, where some larger boulders protected his right side. He was able to slip off his t-shirt, revealing his well-defined abs and arms. He slid his pistol into the shirt, then tucked them both where he could reach them from the water. Then he removed his socks and shoes and set them nearby before standing up. As his hands went to his belt he hesitated and looked over at Lana. What was he doing? It felt... he mentally shook his head. He wasn't sure what it felt like, but it wasn't like any job he had ever had.

After a slight hesitation he slid off his jeans and pulled them off revealing black boxer briefs that accentuated his fit torso. "Alright," he said, glancing at Lana, "let's christen your secret waterfall."

A shiver ran through her as his breath brushed against her ear and neck but a smile worked its way onto her face as she realized he was agreeing to swim with her. However once he started pulling off his shirt her cheeks reddened and her eyes dropped down to her lap she felt childish looking way like this but she also felt it would be more awkward if she were to blatantly stare at him as he undressed. Her head jerked up as he spoke and her eyes widened at the sight of his naked chest. "Shit" She mumbled under her breath as her eyes trailed up his wash board abs, her own stomach twisting into knots at the sight. Forcing her eyes up to his face she struggled to keep her attention there.

Pushing herself up to her feet she automatically slipped her hand into his and led him down to where the water was shallow and you could walk in. She shivered as the cold water splashed up against her toes. Smiling brightly she looked back at Abe as she reached up behind her head and pulled out her pony tail, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders. "Its always a bit colder after it rains." She told him as she shook out her hair and ran a hand through it. By now the water was up to her waist and goose bumps were visible on her arms. Releasing his hand, she let herself fall back into the water before coming back up. Rubbing the water out of her eyes she grinned up at Abe once against wrapping her fingers around his, "Come on. It feels great!" She laughed as she tugged him deeper into the pool. "Its not so cool once you go under." She assured him as she brushed her wet hair away from her face.

He really liked the way her hand continually returned to his. It was reaffirming, somehow... that she needed and wanted him there. He followed her to the shallow beach, and they walked in, hand in hand. What he wasn't expecting was to see her take her pony tail out of it's holder; she was stunning... and more so because she seemed to be oblivious of it. "It feels cold, is what it feels," he laughed back at her. But she let herself fall in, so he figured that he couldn't be a wuss. Abe ducked under the water and swam under Lana, then came up on the other side of her. He shook his head like a dog and sprayed water all over her.

He grinned at her, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes. "You're right, once I went under you it got warmer." He moved up to her and took her in his arms, as if they had been dating a long time. It was hard to ignore the heat of her body separate from the cool water, and the way her pert nipples seemed to peak underneath the sports bra. Abe almost chuckled at the irony of it; cold water made girls' nipples hard and it made mens' peckers shrivel up. It was like some cosmic joke was being played on them all.