Pete became irritated. “I thought you made it perfectly clear to this joker the last time that he wasn’t welcome around here, and yet he keeps showing up. Doesn’t the guy know when to quit?”

“Apparently not,” I muttered. “It’s getting a little obsessive, actually. I mean he knows I’m with Ryan. I don’t know why he keeps coming around.

Does he think I’m going to change my mind?”

I wondered for a minute why Kyle was still pursuing me. Why wasn’t I a lost cause in his book?

“Maybe he’s hoping,” Cory replied.

“Well you already have one PFA out on a whacko. You could always get one on him,” Pete suggested.

I thought about how much of a hassle it was to get a protection order and the irony of having to get one against a bodyguard whose job it was to protect people.

“Just leave him go,” I muttered. “I don’t want a scene in my pub tonight. If he shows up again, I’ll tell him to stop.” Even though I said it out loud, I knew I would have a difficult time saying that to Kyle’s face.

“Okay.” Pete nodded. “Your bar, your decision. But say the word and we’ll introduce him to the sidewalk.”

It was late Sunday afternoon when Ryan called. It was also time to tell him about Kyle, so I braced for an argument. Ryan was due to fly home in five days and I was hoping that the battle brewing between the two men could be avoided.

“Kyle has been showing up at the bar,” I informed Ryan. “I’ve been trying to ignore him but…”

Ryan, of course, went ballistic. “Why the hell didn’t you tell him to get lost, or do you like him coming around for you?” he accused, yelling at me in the process.

“No, I don’t like him coming around! But I also own a pub; it’s kind of hard to keep the public out,” I snapped back. “Honey, I got a threatening letter in the mail slot the other day. I’ve been a little scared.”

“I’m getting you a new bodyguard immediately,” Ryan informed.

“Honey,” I groaned.

“And I’m taking care of this Kyle bullshit once and for all,” he said angrily.

Despite Ryan’s attempts at warding off Kyle, two days later Kyle showed up at the bar.

“My company wants to send me to Dallas,” Kyle said somberly. “Some British diplomat needs coverage.”

I tried to look surprised even though I had expected something like this to happen soon. I studied the way his lips curled when he looked at me and I couldn’t help but feel guilty for being the secret cause of his latest assignment.

“Great! At least you’ll be a lot warmer there than here,” I attempted to joke. “It was only thirty six degrees out today.”

“I’m turning it down,” Kyle informed me, looking quite sure of his decision.

“You can’t do that! Can you do that?” Inside I started to panic, envisioning him staying in town and showing up to start something with Ryan again.

“I told you I wouldn’t take any out of town assignments, Taryn,” he reassured me. “I’m staying here to make sure you’re safe and protected.”

I gasped. His original charming personality suddenly turned scary. I asked one of the customers sitting at the bar if they needed a new drink, using it as an excuse to walk away for a moment.

“There’s no one after me. You need to take the assignment.” I faked a smile and looked at him like he was being ridiculous.

“So you mean to tell me out of all those crazy fans of his there isn’t one still scaring or threatening to hurt you? You don’t need to lie to me, Taryn!

I can tell by the way you’ve been so jumpy lately that something is going on.”

My pulse quickened and I froze in place. I was starting to think that the only person I needed to be protected from was Kyle.

“Kyle, Ryan has hired another bodyguard for me. It’s not your job to worry about me.”

Kyle scowled at me. “I don’t know why you felt the need to do that,” he groaned defensively. He apparently didn’t like that piece of news at all.

I swallowed hard and chose my words, almost begging him to understand.

“Kyle, I’m not your concern. I’m not yours to protect. I know you know that.” I hoped he could see the sincerity in my eyes.

Kyle’s demeanor frightened me; it was obvious he was hurt and bordering on anger.

“I have a detective reviewing any letters I get that threaten me,” I lied. “The detective thinks that the latest letters I’ve received are coming from someone who lives here, not someone who has travelled here.”