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Mya went over to the bed and dumped the first bag, then the second. “I never thought I’d see the day that man falls all over himself about a woman. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”
I blinked, replayed her words, then did the only thing I could think of and grinned.
She lifted a box of condoms. “I couldn’t resist buying a few extra things for you.”
I stared at the letters XXL on the box, and my heart broke free from its cage in jealousy. “How do you know that?”
Mya dropped the box and waved her hands in the air as if pushing away whatever ideas were now in my head. “Not what you might be thinking. We were undercover for a dating game show not that long ago. Carter had to strip, and well, let’s just say when they offered him a leaf for coverage . . .” She started chuckling, her cheeks going red. “I didn’t see him, no worries. But the implication he’d be in need of something bigger than they’d planned to provide was obvious.”
I couldn’t begin to imagine Carter holding a leaf over his crotch. Or consider any leaf, for that matter, doing the trick at covering him up. “I guess at some point I’ll need to hear that story in full.”
“Absolutely.” She tapped her nails on the condom box before tossing it aside. “But anyway, I just thought maybe you’d need some protection.”
“You’re probably the only one here who thinks we should use any. I mean, no, the team didn’t have a group meeting and decide Carter should screw me bare. Although, the idea is nice. Not the team meeting, the other part.” Mya’s smile brightened, and it dawned on me none of that had stayed trapped in my head. I’d expressed what was supposed to be an internal rambly monologue.
“I like you,” she said with a nod, ending the discussion instead of making me recant my words, or at the least, explain them.
I rubbed the sides of my arms, trying to chase away the goose bumps beneath my sweater my awkwardness had inspired. “Carter thinks we should behave during the mission and refrain from being together. I guess Griffin got into his head, but I suppose he’s right.”
This was a conversation I could see myself having with Sierra, not someone I barely knew. Then again, considering her husband had planted the idea in her head that Carter was evil, Sierra would hate that I was with Carter at all.
Sierra was on vacation right now, or she’d be panicking as to why she hadn’t heard from me in days. She always went technology-free when she traveled, wanting to disconnect and truly relax. She wasn’t an Instagram girl, so she never posted about her trips. Probably her paranoid husband’s doing. Now, I was thankful for that. I didn’t want her knowing what was going on, or worse, getting dragged into danger.
“Let me get this straight, you’re saying Carter is heeding advice from Griffin about abstaining because of a mission? That’s rich.” Mya tsked. “Griffin’s no one to talk. I wasn’t working with him on the mission related to his now-wife, but suffice it to say, I heard Griffin was incapable of abstaining himself.”
“Was the fate of the world on the line? Could our country explode into civil war if we had a nation-wide blackout on our hands that could last years?”
Mya closed one eye and tipped her head side to side for a beat. “Not quite this Armageddon-like, but no picnic either.”
Unsure what to make of her words, I went ahead and sat on the bed next to her, combing through the clothes and other items she’d purchased.
“Just so you know, though, none of the guys, nor Sydney, ‘behaved’ when missions brought them to their loved ones.” Her use of air quotes was somehow as comforting as was her implied message not to feel bad for desiring Carter at a time like this. “If Griffin’s giving Carter shit, it’s because he’s a nervous father now, and he’s not used to seeing Carter operate at less than a hundred percent. I guarantee, if a lecture did happen, those were even the words he used.” Before I could share my concerns about distracting Carter, she read my mind and waved her hand again. “Don’t think that. The man’s going to be a little less focused regardless because he’s got feelings for you. That’s clear. Sex won’t change a thing.”
“I mean, true. And considering a kiss just inspired my idea as to how to stop an EMP weapon. . .” I had no plans to finish that thought out loud this time.
“Well, there you go. If I were you, I’d relieve tension in your off time. Not like you can work twenty-four seven. Your mega brain will need a break.” She gave me a small smile as I picked up an eyeshadow palette. “Oliver and I were at the pharmacy, and I know this is probably the last thing on your mind, but I couldn’t resist the makeup aisle. If you can’t tell, I’m a makeup girl, and something about a smokey eye, blush, and lipstick make me feel a bit more alive and fresh. In case you’re the same, I grabbed a few things for you, too.”
“I could hug you right now, and the dark circles beneath my eyes are already thanking you.” I traded the eyeshadow for the travel-sized bottle of perfume. “You thought of everything.” Surely Carter would appreciate me smelling like more than just plain soap. Then again, it might be a bad idea to intoxicate his senses when we’re already struggling to refrain from touching one another.
“I couldn’t find anything decent I liked at the store, and Oliver rushed me—such a pain in the ass—so that’s one of my travel-sized ones.”
Kilian? I hadn’t heard of that brand. I read the label out loud: “I don’t need a prince by my side to be a princess.”
“From the sounds of it, you found your king.”
Touché. Carter was certainly that. “And have you found your king yet?”
Mya’s eyes shot to the door, and I wondered if Oliver was out in the hall. “I’m beginning to wonder if he’ll ever make a move. He’s stuck in his own head, and I haven’t made it easy on him. Surely you noticed.” She patted the bed at her sides, then abruptly stood. “Well, I should go talk to Sydney about the plan. Play the phone-a-friend game and call Gwen. It’s nice we have one of the world’s best hackers on our side. Maybe we’ll also track down the elite hacker who’s working for the enemy, too. That’d be another win.”
“What about Camila? Is she tech or science savvy?” I slipped on the gold-framed glasses to test them out next. They were nearly perfect for me, which was probably thanks to Carter.
“Camila’s decent at tech stuff, but she’s more like Carter. Go undercover. Kick ass. Take names. Basically, a female version of him. It shocks me they’re not actually blood related. I mean, sometimes I wonder.” She folded her arms, continuing her train of thought out loud, and I wondered if she had the same issues keeping some thoughts in her head, too. “Camila’s mother went to school with Carter’s dad in Brazil, and they dated back then. Camila doesn’t know who her father is, but Carter’s dad and her mom stayed friends after they broke up.” She rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. “Shit, I’m not trying to be the girl who starts rumors. I have no idea why I just said that to you. I didn’t mean to imply Carter’s dad cheated on his mother.” Hand back at her side, she cringed as if she’d eaten a habanero pepper or something sour. “Must be the former reporter in me coupled with exhaustion causing me to open my mouth like that. I’m sure Carter’s told you all about Camila by now.”
I let go of the perfume, feeling an achy pain in my stomach at the idea I barely knew a thing about him outside of our limited time together. I didn’t want to translate that to meaning what we felt for each other was only lust. Sure, it was combustible what happened when we shared the same air, but still. “Carter’s dad’s Brazilian? My mother never told me.”
Mya sat alongside me again, nudging me lightly with her elbow. “You’ve been busy. I’m sure he’ll get around to telling you everything about himself. Don’t overthink this.”
“Okay.” Real convincing.
