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“Sach,” he whispered, the air at her back warmer as he settled in behind her. He slid his hands down to rest on her hips, then tugged her to rest against his chest. “He’s a target, I’m your lover. I do know the difference.”
“So, it doesn’t bother you?” It bothered the fuck out of her. She and Tungsten should never have happened. It was against regs, against the best interests of the team, and the greatest threat her heart had ever experienced. Standing thirty feet away from a target and hesitating proved she was right about how wrong they were.
“The idea of that son of a bitch putting his hands on you?” A growl threaded the cool tones of his words. “Makes me want to break every bone in his body, but that’snotthe job.”
Shuddering, she leaned against him and closed her eyes. “It feels like betrayal.”She and Brad dodged labels for their relationship more adroitly than mortar fire, but she’d have to be stupid to not recognize they were in one. When not on assignment, they were in each other’s beds. They ate together, trained together, and played together. Together.
A sigh, then his arms tightened and his hand fisted her hair. Turning her to face him, he brushed his mouth over hers in a whisper of a kiss. “Do you want that guy?”
“Not even a little.”
“If we had any other chance at getting the info we need, do you think we would approach it this way?”
Studying him in the dark, the truth rang with stark clarity inside of her. “No.”
“Then it’s the job. He has something we want. You can get it from him. It’s not betrayal, Sach…” Then his voice lowered, and she felt more than heard the words. “Do the job. Then come back tome.”
Ownership. The feeling of being branded on the inside, of belonging, and of being wanted cascaded over the twisting conflict eating her alive. “I can’t promise to be as understanding if you have to bait a trap to get a woman into your bed.”
A flash of the smile in the dark. “Want a suggestion?”
Amused, she pushed aside the needy woman who wanted to crawl into his lap and stay there forever. “Whatcha got?”
“How much info can you get without ever letting the bastard dip his wick?” He stroked her cheek. “Fuck with his mind, Copper. Make him give you everything while you give up nothing.” His touch vanished, and he faded into the darkness. The advice reverberated through her. Seducing without giving in had become something of a gift. She didn’t fuck another man if she didn’t have to—loyal to the team, loyal to her country, she’d also wanted to stay loyal to Brad.
Then he’d died.
Another shudder jolted through her, and she focused on the restaurant once more. Ice skated over the surface of her skin as though the memory of Brad’s touch, his scent, and his whispers of encouragement were only a breath away instead of a distant memoryyou will never know again.
“I don’t need to be here,” she said aloud, needing to hear the words as much as say them.
“Then why are you?” Gabriel’s voice crashed against her, and she pivoted. How the fuck had he snuck up on her? Heart slamming against her ribs, she faced her one time lover—one time, Copper. Once and final.The stern echo of internal orders had zero effect on the heat unfurling in her middle or the way her nipples went taut and her panties damp.
Red Wolf. Miami. Jennings.Not even listing the reasons why lusting for Gabriel was a bad idea diminished the need threading through her blood.
“I’m not.” She kept her voice cool. Professional. Distant.Yeah, right. Have you ever noticed you shut down when you don’t want me to get close? Locking all the doors just makes me want to batter through them, Sachi.Brad’s playful, seductive taunt echoed in her mind, and she slammed the door to all her regrets and remembrances closed.
“No?” Gabriel wore a nice shirt, suit jacket, and slacks sans tie. With the top two buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of the hot, masculine flesh beneath, she couldn’t stop the itch on her palms. The dress casual suit only emphasized his sex appeal, a pretty package for the hard, corded lean muscles beneath. The man may not be built like a tank, but he had a lethal intensity about him. Closing the distance between them, he brushed a knuckle down her cheek. “Well, if I’m fantasizing, I have to give myself props for realistic integrity. You’re as gorgeous as I remember.”
“Realistic integrity?” The words popped out before she could swallow her curiosity. “Do you make a habit of verifying whether or not your wet dreams and fantasies have integrity?”
“I like to verify my facts.” He curved his finger, then trailed his touch to her other cheek. A part of her wanted to tip her chin, see if he’d continue the caress to her throat. The rest of her seemed to crouch, waiting for the attack. The man was too close—yet, she wanted him closer.
Chuckling, she raised her eyebrows. “What facts are you trying to verify currently?”
He’d showered since their earlier encounter. The scent of soap and hint of aftershave added a bite to his appeal. Did he like hot showers? Was he the kind of guy who shaved while the spray pounded against his skin? The walls of her pussy flexed, and she ached to run her fingers over his jaw. Was it as smooth as it looked?
“If pursuing you is a dream or a trap.” The blunt answer shocked her, but he didn’t allow her time to process it before his mouth slanted over hers. Scorching familiarity awoke in the kiss as his tongue swiped across her lips seeking access, a demand and a request bound in one sensuous act. Rising on her tiptoes, she parted her lips to let their tongues tangle together.
The pressure of his hand in her hair, the way he fisted and tugged the strands, added a hint of pain to the pleasure—fierce, demanding, and giving. The desire to be closer to him invaded every part of her. Flattening her palms to his chest, she became aware of his racing heart, which matched hers pound for pound in its frenetic cadence.
When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he dropped his grip to her ass, then lifted her. The rub of his very stiff erection against her belly ignited a fresh wave of lust, and she peeled her mouth away from his.
“No.” She forced the syllable out on a harsh exhale, and he went completely still against her. Wrapped around him, she was aware of every breath, every tense muscle, and the promising weight of his cock fit snuggly against her sex. If not for their damn clothes, he could be inside her already.Target.
Body and mind were not in agreement, and her heart thudded with the descant pulse of their violent tug of war.
“No?” he asked, the whisper of his breath tickling her lips. The ragged quality of his breathing bolstered her.
