He's My Protector.

Kegan is really quiet right now. Was it the kiss? Did I have bad breath? Oh my gosh! I did, his was so sweet while mine probably tasted like gross toothpaste. We, well, Kegan finished making the bread and frosting it already past my time with my mom so that means Kegan had to take me to my dad's organization.

I'm kind of nervous, I mean the guys there have been in jail, and some are still in a juvenile center. My dad tells stories about how of them are nice and really are hoping for a second chance, but there are others that just don't care about others and my dad's charity helps them get out of jail quicker.

Kegan walks out of my mom's bakery with no word, while I give my mom a kiss on the cheek and started to walk away.

"Annette, don't push Kegan away like that, honey." My mom says putting frosting over her cupcakes.

"Mo-"

"You have to go." Mom smiles at me and nudged her head at Kegan.

"Talk to him." She advises then continues to put frosting on her cupcakes. I look at her confused, did she see us kiss?! If she did then why isn't she talking about how unprofessional that is? Does she accept Kegan and I being together?

After I walked out of the bakery, I found Kegan leaning on the car's hood, waiting for me, probably because I have the keys and the car is locked. I wish he was waiting for me just because he wanted to. But the kiss changed any friendship we ever had yesterday, all because of a stupid kiss.

"Here, the place is about ten blocks from here." I state tossing the keys to Kegan after I unlocked the doors and slid into the car. Kegan turned on the car and started to drive, the only thing was hear was the car's engine and Kegan's random deep breaths. It was really quiet when we hit the first red light.

God, was this awkward. I caught a sight of Kegan's hands clenching onto the steering wheel, like he was angry.

Oh no, it wasn't my bad breath, it was my kissing skill!

"Was it really that bad?" I ask to myself but noticed I already said it aloud. Shit! I avoided Kegan's eyes before we met eyes and I would be even more embarrassed. The light turned green and I'm pretty sure Kegan will not be answering my question, so it's good.

"No." Kegan's short answer made me jump, it made me feel humiliated but I turned to him.

"Then why are you ignoring me?" I snap, my sudden outburst made Kegan take in a deep breath.

"Because It's unprofessional." Kegan says it like it's the most simplest thing but how his body is handling it he looks extremely pissed.

"Understood." I mock Kegan's 'professional' tone and look out the windshield.

"I need you to stay by me the whole time we're there, your father called me to warn me that there are more dangerous guys there today than usual, so if you need to go to the bathroom now, tell me, or if you're hungry now, tell me because I will not let you go when we're there." I turn to him like he's joking.

"So you ignore me, and then expect me to obey you like I am supposed to?" I ask

"No, I'm going to go to the bathroom, whenever, I'm going to eat, whenever, and I am going to do what ever I want, whenever I want." I snap.

Kegan actually thinks that I am going to listen to him. Shit, he's lucky I'm even talking to him.

Don't push him away, Annette.

I shook away my thought and glare at him, I can tell Kegan is holding himself back.

"You have to listen to me-"

"Or what?!" I ask shocked

"Or something bad will happen to you." Kegan says through his teeth, clenching harder onto the steering wheel.

"So you're now threatening me?"

"No-"

"Then what?" I snap, Then that was it, Kegan pulls over so quickly the car behind us almost hits us.

"Annette, I know guys like that! You think the kids at school are bad, those guys are worse, they will do anything-And I mean anything, to get laid. And a beautiful girl like you they will try anything, even if it gets them back to jail!" Kegan yelled at me, then takes in a deep breath to calm himself down.

"I didn't mean to yell at you, but you need to know that I have to protect you, and if you don't listen to me then you will get hurt without me knowing." He says again.

I don't know what's more shocking, how Kegan yelled at me or how easily he called me beautiful. Most guys have a serious problem at calling a girl beautiful, but, since Kegan has the balls to yell at me, even though it would risk his job, he isn't like most guys. He never was like most guys. I look at him and nod.

"I'm hungry." I state simply, smiling at Kegan as he softly does the same and continues to drive.

[******}

"Daddy!" I call out, causing a bunch of eyes on me as I run and hug my dad.

"Annette, I've got a lot of things for you to do here." My dad kisses my forehead and pulls out of the hug then shakes Kegan's hand.

"What do you need us to do, Sir?" Kegan asks putting his hand lightly on my lower back.

"Well, I have job applications to give out, and tests for you guys to correct." I nod and smile, trying to take this as simple as possible, but I wish I can text and facebook right now.

"Where are the tests?" I ask, looking into my dad's shocked eyes.

"what ever you did to her, I thank you." My dad says at Kegan but i roll my eyes with a laugh.

"Dad." I whine.

"Okay, it's in my office the second to last drawer on my desk on the right side." My dad says then turns around to talk to a security guard.

Kegan presses onto my back to trail me to my dad's office, noticing the glances and decides to wrap his arm around my waist I return the favor. I turn to look at my dad, hoping he doesn't notice, but he does and instead of marching up to us, he smiles and nods.

Wait, did he just accept it? No, he's my dad, he has to come up to us and yell. I turn back to look up at Kegan, his jaw is clenched, from down here he looks....good. Kegan doesn't notice me staring, and I didn't until now when we walk into the office and let go of our embrace.

"So we're gunna work here?" Kegan asks with his southern accent.

"Yes, my dad keeps the red pens around here." I walk over to a tall metal organization drawer and stand on the tips of my toes, lift up my arm to grab the pen holder. I can hear Kegan laugh behind me, that causes me to lose track of my balance on my toes and fall back, hitting the floor.

"You are so short." Kegan comments using his hand to help me up.

"Why thank you, big foot, I always love it when people point out my height." I sarcastically say with a smile.

"I'll get the pens, you can just sit down." Kegan flicks his wrist at me jokingly and then grabs the pens without standing on the tips of his toes or rarely even reaching up to get the pens.

"Show off." I scuff
[****]

"I'm tired of correcting papers, it's been two hours, and I have to pee." I whined while drawing a small heart on my wrist before slamming the pen down and looked at Kegan, he looked at peace while he was correcting, he ignored me. I mean I have been whining for the past half an hour. Kegan bites on the end of the pen, thinking, then looks at me. Noticing that I've been staring, I look away instantly.

"I'm stuck on this question." Kegan points to the one that asks, 'How many times have you been put to jail?' the guy answers/

"I ain't no sumtin lake twnty?" I ask Kegan the guy writes.

"Cross it out, and let's get out!" I say crossing out the problem myself then held his wrist to drag him up. Kegan stands up with his own streangth and stands still, causing me to run in place for a while hoping Kegan would start walking.

"Kegan!" I whined. crossing my arms and pout at him.

"You promise to stay by me the whole time we're out?" Kegan kind of treated me like a six year old.

"Yes, please the walls are closing!" I joke before grabbing his wrist and pulled him out. He stops again so I let his wrist go.

"Why are you so crazy about me going out there? My dad is the boss and I have you to scare them off, just please, let me get out of there." Kegan held my elbow before i could walk away then wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Does this really have to be happening? Most of the guys there are scared of you." I point out wrapping my arm around his waist and start walking.

"well, this gives the other guys who aren't scared of me the point that they can't go near you." Kegan says pulling out his southern accent again. His accent fits him, I mean sometimes it gets annoying but others it so...hot.

"You know I'm kind of questioning our relationship, myself." I joke Kegan looks at me confused.

"We have a relationship?"

"I was joking, I meant we act like a couple a lot."

"Well, I don't mind it, at least your safe."

"Yea but most of the time we act like a couple, was for you." I look up at him and continue waling pass the guys, not even caring if they saw us. Hell, I don't even care is my dad saw us now, it was nice to have his arm around me.

"Okay, so this is the only time we've acted like a couple for you, but i had my reasons."

"The Horny country girl?" I ask laughing.

"That chick was sexu-"

"Runt? AYE Runt!" A voice caused Kegan to freeze.

"What? that guy is just calling another gu-"

"Annette, go to the bathroom, now." Kegan demands looking at me with his blue eyes and nudges me out of his arm and onto the trail to the bathroom. I look at him like he's crazy then walk, but not after I see Keagan with one of my dad's business men. Who the hell is he?