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“I can’t sleep. There’s too much churning in my head.” She walked over, took the glass out of my hands, and took a huge swallow. Then she set it down on the side table. “Kavner?”

“Yes.”

“Will you hold me?”

I pulled her onto my lap, and she made a small sound.

“For however long you need, my darling agent.”

She let out a shuddering breath and turned her face into my neck.

She smelled like soap, and I breathed her in. I’d never done this with another woman. Dinners, parties, and sex, I knew. Holding a hurting woman, wanting to shield her and fight her battles, this was new.

I pressed my face to her hair, and had to admit, holding a soft, warm woman in my arms was nice.

“Rest now. I’ve got you.”

27

LONDON

Iwoke and blinked my eyes.

Instantly, I knew where I was—on Kavner’s very comfortable couch.

Morning light streamed through the windows. We’d fallen asleep on the couch, and I had vague recollections of him holding me, and pulling a throw blanket over the both of us.

He’d held me all night.

I swallowed. Several aches and pains were making themselves known. I gingerly touched my face. It didn’t feel quite as bad as I’d feared.

Then I remembered Keegan’s visit. Despair pooled in my stomach, then a shot of anger blasted through my veins.

Fuck that. Someone was framing me. I wasn’t a traitor, and I was damn good at my job.

I wasn’t going down without a fight.

I sat up, the blanket slipping off me. For now, I didn’t want to think about it. The fact was, without my job, I wasn’t sure who I was.

That was…concerning. I’d let my job consume me. Lexxie had warned me about that very thing.

I bit my lip. There had been one constant the last few days. One thing I could trust.

Kavner.

He’d stood by me. Supported me. Been there for me, and cared for me.

I pressed a hand to my belly. God.

Such a short time ago, I’d considered him my enemy.

Now…

Now, I wanted more. And dammit, I wasn’t letting my own rules, ideas, and fears hold me back.

I swiveled on the couch, and saw him.

He was in the kitchen behind the huge island. He was shirtless, cooking something at the stove.