Rocky Mountain Rescue, Elle James [rooftoppers .TXT] 📗

just to put enough money in their accounts to pay the rent and put food on the table, which made JoJo a latchkey child.

She’d learned to cook meals at the age of nine, and she’d taken care of all the household chores, including washing dishes, laundry and mopping floors. But when her chores were done, she was allowed to escape to RJ’s house, where she, too, was a latchkey child when Gunny had to work long hours.

They’d formed a special bond during their teenage years. JoJo valued her friendship with RJ, and she loved that Gunny had taken her in when her own mother had died in a car wreck coming back from her second job, right before their high school graduation. Gunny and RJ had seen her through some of the worst days of her life with the sudden passing of her mother. She didn’t know what she would’ve done if she hadn’t had them to hold her up. And once again, they were holding her up.

RJ sat next to Jake on one of the other leather sofas.

Jake sipped on his hot cocoa and looked over the top of his mug at Max. “I called Hank and let him know what was going on. He said that if you really think that someone is out to harm JoJo, she should be your first assignment.”

Max’s hand tightened on JoJo’s. “What do you mean?”

JoJo frowned. “Yeah, what do you mean?”

Jake stared across the room at JoJo, his expression serious. “The purpose of the Brotherhood Protectors is to do just that…to protect.”

“Kind of figured that, based on the name,” JoJo said. “But why me? I’m not a paying customer. There’s no way I can afford a bodyguard, no matter how reasonable he might be.”

“When I came on board just a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t know what to expect. Hank had sent one of his guys, Kujo, out to recruit and to set up shop here in Colorado. When Kujo came knocking at my door I didn’t know what to think. I wasn’t sure exactly what they had in mind for me, and since I didn’t have any other job offers lined up for a one-legged man, I thought, what the heck? When RJ was targeted, Kujo and Hank decided that I needed to prove my salt with RJ. My job was to protect her.” A grin spread across his face, and he turned to RJ.

RJ returned his smile with one of her own. “I probably wouldn’t be alive today if it hadn’t been for Hank and Kujo assigning Jake to protect me.” She glanced across at JoJo and Max. “I think it’s a great idea that Max’s first assignment is to protect JoJo.”

JoJo pulled her hand free of Max’s and frowned. “I don’t think I like the idea of being someone’s assignment.”

“If you’re being targeted,” RJ said, “you need somebody to watch your back. I was like you. I thought I could take care of myself. I didn’t think I needed Jake to keep me safe. I was proven wrong. It really does help to have somebody else have your back,” RJ said. “Let Max help you.”

JoJo wasn’t sure she liked the idea of Max being her assigned bodyguard. He’d pretty much been protecting her since the beginning, but that had been out of the goodness of his own heart, not as his assignment. How would he feel about her if she was only his assignment? And why did she care? He had already proven resourceful while protecting her. Then again, somebody seemed to be out to get her. She needed someone to help keep her safe.

Max glanced her way. “What do you say?”

JoJo shrugged. “Whatever.”

Jake clapped his hands together. “Good. Then it’s settled. Max will be JoJo’s security.”

JoJo pushed to her feet. “Well then, let me make it easy on you, I’m going to bed. You can have the night off.” She carried her mug into the kitchen and rinsed it out in the sink. The swinging door squeaked on its hinges, indicating somebody had come into the kitchen behind her. She turned to find Max carrying his mug in as well. He rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher.

“You don’t have to call it a night on my account,” JoJo said.

Max shook his head. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. It’s not every day that you get blown up.” He gave her twisted grin. “How are you feeling?”

“I have a little bit of a headache,” she admitted. “And my tailbone is a little bit sore from landing on it. Other than that, I’m all right. What about you?” she asked, her brow furrowing. “You were closer to the explosion than I was.”

Max pressed his palm to his left ear. “Still have a little ringing in my ear. And everybody seems to be talking as if from the far end of a tunnel, but I’m okay.”

She nodded. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt any worse than that. That explosion could’ve ended much worse for both of us.”

He held out his hand. “Ready to call it a night?”

JoJo laid her hand in his, liking the way it felt. “Past ready.”

They left the kitchen and walked back through the great room.

The others were gathering up the items from the hot cocoa bar.

“Goodnight,” RJ called out as they passed by.

“Buenos Noches,” JoJo said and started up the stairs with Max beside her.

When they reached her room, Max’s grip on her hand tightened. “JoJo.”

She stopped with her free hand reaching for the door, her heart fluttering in her chest. He’d kissed her forehead earlier; would he do it again? Did she want him to? Or did she want him to kiss her lips? “Yes, Max?”

“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, but I’d feel a whole lot better if you left the connecting door between our rooms opened or unlocked.

“You think somebody will attack me here?”

“After what happened today, I don’t want to risk it. Look, you don’t have to,” he