Twisted-Games

and left, but not before shooting me a wink.
I bit back a smile.
“It’s too bad,” Mikaela said, her eyes lingering on his backside a tad
longer than I would’ve liked before the door shut behind him.
“What is?” I absentmindedly shuffled some papers on my desk and tried
to push aside the mental images of what I’d been doing on that exact spot ten
minutes ago.
“That Rhys is a bodyguard.” Mikaela returned her attention to me and
plopped into the chair opposite mine. “He is so gorgeous. I don’t know how
you see him every day without drooling. If he weren’t a commoner…” She
fanned herself. “I would be all over that.”
My entire body stiffened, for multiple reasons.
“Just because he doesn’t have a title doesn’t mean he’s less than anyone
who does have one.”
I should’ve gone along with what she said because Lord knows I didn’t
want to encourage any attraction she had toward Rhys, but I hated the
implication aristocrats were better just because they were lucky enough to be
born into a titled family.
Mikaela blinked in surprise at my sharp tone. “Of course not,” she said.
“But you understand the social dynamics, Bridge. Getting involved with the
staff is so tacky. And I’m the daughter of a baron.” An unusual note of
bitterness punctuated the last sentence. “My social standing isn’t high enough
to survive that kind of scandal.”
The aristocracy had a strict hierarchy, and barons and baronesses sat at
the bottom. I suspected that was part of the reason Mikaela worked so hard at
networking and staying on top of society gossip—to overcome her perceived
lower status, even though her family was still wealthier than the average
Eldorran.
“Like I said, too bad, but at least I can look at him.” Mikaela brightened
again. “You’re so lucky to have a hot bodyguard. Or not, since you can’t
hook up with him.”
She laughed, and I forced myself to join.
“Of course not,” I said. “That would be crazy.”