Page 37 of Brooks

“Rumor has it, she flat out laughed in his face and turned him down. He worked at it. Took him months after they got back stateside to get her to agree to go out for drinks. Then months after that to nail her down and get her to commit. And when I say worked at it, he pulled out all the stops. He may be an asshat, lying scumbag, but he knew how to turn on the charm and wear her down. Around the CIA she was known as the Ice Queen. No one got close. So this, what’s going on between the two of you, the fact she’s let you in, both literally and figuratively. No matter how small.” He smirked and went on. “Is not her normal MO. So when you say you’re handling her with care, I hope you mean with kid gloves.”

I thought about what he said. He was wrong, not that I would correct him. Tatiana didn’t need kid gloves, she’d see right through that play and it’d piss her off. She needed honesty.

“I have it under control.”

Dec sighed and shook his head. “I hope so. That woman has a short temper and the potential to decimate you.”

“Me?”

“You’re not real good at hiding your shit, brother. When Zane told me what happened to her, your earlier shit hemorrhage made sense. You saw her scars.”

I was going to deny that I’d had a shit hemorrhage but I couldn’t. His description was better than me telling him I wanted to commit murder.

“I’d have that reaction with anyone.”

“Bull-fucking-shit. You’ve seen my scars. You didn’t look like you were ready to punch a wall. You’ve seen Zane’s. You’ve seen the bullet holes in Max’s chest. None of those times upon seeing the marks or hearing the story did you look like you were on the war path.”

Shit. Goddamn, he was right. Time to move on.

“I got my shit sorted. I’m callin’ it a night.”

“Sleep well.” He chuckled.

I flipped him the middle finger over my shoulder, not bothering to look back as I made my way to the bedroom. The room I was now sharing with Tatiana. I may’ve told her I’d take the couch, but shit had changed. Time to adapt and shift.

I gently closed the door behind me, not wanting to wake her. My efforts were for naught. Tatiana sat up in bed and even though it was dark in the room, I could feel her eyes on me.

“What are you doing?”

“Hittin’ the sack. I’m fuckin’ beat.”

“In here? I thought you were taking the couch.”

Knowing she couldn’t see me, I smiled and dropped my pants, kicking them to the side. I yanked off my tee and tossed that, too. I knew she’d be pissed I was joining her and I was looking forward to her sassy mouth telling me all the reasons I needed to get out of her bed.

I crawled in, leaving her no option to move over.

“Brooks,” she hissed.

“There’s more than enough room in here.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Then what is?”

I tucked a pillow under my head, turned to the side, tagged her around her waist, and pulled her back to my front. When she struggled, I tightened my hold and curved my body around hers.

“You can’t sleep in here.”

“Why not?”

“It’s totally inappropriate.”

“And me fucking you in the shower wasn’t?”

“Brooks,” she hissed again, making me smile some more.

I kissed the top of her head and told her, “You don’t strike me as the type of woman who gives a shit what anyone else thinks. I sure as fuck don’t. So why start now?”