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“I hate it when you put yourself at risk.”

She shook her head. “You needed a break from the admin. You loath it. I sometimes feel like I’ve turned you into a caged animal, stopping you from going on adventures with the rest of the crew because I give you so much work.”

“You don’t hear me complaining. I’m happy with you.” Hunter didn’t miss the faint shake of Cleo’s body as his hand coasted down her arm and back up again. If she didn’t react like this every time they made contact, he really would believe she had no interest in him. But her body betrayed her every time. Cleo desired him. “Besides, what I need is not important. This is about keeping you safe.”

“And you can see, I’m safe. With you as my partner, nothing bad will ever happen to me.” Her words had a faint tremor to them as her gaze settled on his mouth.

“It won’t, so long as we stay on the Apocalypse,” he said. “I should never have suggested we investigate the signal.”

“You’re forgetting who’s in charge around here. If I didn’t want to go, we wouldn’t have gone.” Her dark eyes sparkled with amusement as they slowly lifted away from his mouth.

Hunter knew that wasn’t true. Cleo was the boss, but she wasn’t into rank pulling or talking down to people. She made her decisions based on risk and logic, which was why she always turned him down. He was too much of a gamble for her.

Hunter’s gaze dropped to her mouth, and the shaky sigh that came out of Cleo’s lips made his cock stiffen and throb.

He was done dancing around the truth with this gorgeous woman. She was attracted to him, but was too much of a professional to let her feelings interfere with their work. He wasn’t.

“We should be about to arrive at the Apocalypse.” Cleo’s tongue darted across her bottom lip. “Let’s get the whip fox ready.”

Hunter’s heart clenched, and he hesitated. But if he didn’t do this now, he’d regret it. “Before we do, I need you to know that I’m done waiting.”

Cleo’s eyes widened a fraction. “What are you done waiting for?”

“You.”

She tilted her head. “Meaning?”

“Meaning you’ll be my partner. We’ve worked together for over a year, and I’ve never hidden my feelings from you.”

Cleo pressed a hand against his chest. “Not now. We don’t need to do this.”

“Maybe you don’t, but I do. I want to be with you. Working beside you every day isn’t enough. Not anymore.”

Her gaze dropped. “It has to be. It’s all I can offer you.”

“I don’t believe that, and I know you don’t either. I understand how important this job is to you, and I won’t interfere with that, but you need to know what I have planned.”

Cleo’s gaze flickered over his chest and dropped to the obvious bulge in his pants. “What if I don’t want that?”

“You do. You’re a strong, beautiful woman. You can handle anything. I just wanted you to be ready for when it happens.”

“When what happens?” Her words came out in a whisper.

“When you finally realize we belong to each other.”

Her mouth opened, before closing just as swiftly. Her tempting tongue poked out across her bottom lip again.

Hunter growled softly and caught hold of Cleo’s chin. He was an inch from that delicious mouth, but once he started kissing her, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

He wrapped a hand around her waist and danced his fingers up her spine.

Her body responded with another shudder, and her eyes fluttered closed.

“I want you, Cleo. I’ve been patient and given you time to see how amazing we’d be together, but it seems you need a little nudge. This is your nudge.”

“And if I don’t want that nudge?”

Hunter pulled her closer, and his cock grazed her stomach. “You do.”