Page 60 of Direct Action

I heard Gavin chuckle.

Chloe shot him a filthy look, then transferred her stare to me and scowled.

Those pretty eyes flashed with fury, taking Chloe from her normal beautiful to straight-up gorgeous. And that had nothing to do with the deadness I witnessed yesterday.

That was just her.

I beat back the fear that was threatening to encroach. Fear that was on some level irrational, on another completely justified.

The team and I had been out on countless missions. We were well trained and excellent at what we did. Yet there was still that kernel of anxiety that was aggressively fighting its way to the surface.

When I had the disquiet shoved back into the box that I knew wouldn’t hold it back for long, I told Chloe, “I hope you know, the only thing you scowling at me does is make me want to kiss the frown off your beautiful face.”

The fury was smothered out by something far sweeter, and she couldn’t hold the frown when her mouth dropped open.

“I think I missed more than something,” Poppy muttered.

Chloe jolted.

But she did so with her eyes locked onto mine.

And that worry came back full force.

Chapter Twenty

“We’ve got shit to plan,” Pete rejoined. “And Beck has someplace he needs to be.”

“We’ll brief Poppy and Chloe in the dining room,” Cat offered and stood. As soon as she was on her feet, Jack tagged her hand and waited for Chloe and Poppy to follow.

“I’m out of here. I’ll check in later,” Beck announced.

Poppy glanced at Beckett, looking like she wanted to say something, but quickly reconsidered and looked at her feet. Chloe just looked eager to flee.

So much for unfucking my fuckup.

“Chloe will be there in a second,” I told Cat.

I saw Chloe clench her jaw, then she turned to look at me and tracked my movements as I made my way across the living room.

Yep, still totally jacking this up.

“Can we do whatever this is later?”

And now I was going to fuck this more.

“No. We need to do this now.”

“As decreed by Mr. Bossypants,” she mumbled and followed me into the kitchen.

“You know, if you want me to believe you’re pissed at me, you really need to come up with better insults, baby. Mr. Bossypants?”

“Is there a reason you ordered me to the kitchen, or do you just find it amusing to push my buttons.”

I stepped closer, ignored the way her body got tight, and hooked her around the back of the neck. Her hand came out and landed on my chest, and she tipped her head back.

“Are you okay?”

Chloe’s head twitched, her lips turned down, and at last her brows pinched together.