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Chapter 20
By the time Sunday afternoon arrived, Spence was ready to climb the walls. He and Zoe had stayed in the condo all weekend, and her constant presence had him ready to chew nails. They’d mostly stayed in the living room, either watching television, reading or working. But every time she shifted on the couch as they watched TV, her spicy scent had drifted past him. Every time she’d crossed her legs, he flashed back to how they’d felt, twined with his legs or wrapped around his ass.
Every time she’d cleared her throat, it reminded him of the sexy moans she made in bed. Or the way she screamed when she came.
Hell, she could sit on the couch beside him reading, and just the heat emanating from her skin would make him hard.
The atmosphere between them was charged with a combination of yearning, need and resistance. They’d wasted two whole days dancing around each other, when they could have been playing games instead.
And he really, really wanted to play those games with Zoe. And judging by the flush on her face when he got too close, she wanted to play games, too.
As much as his body begged him to reach for Zoe, to drag her into his arms, he curled his fingers into his palms to stop himself from touching her.
No, he didn’t think Ethan could get to them in her condo. His picture was displayed on the doorman’s desk, with a warning not to allow him into an elevator. And an order to call the police immediately if they spotted him.
Even the tiny coffee shop in the lobby had pictures of Ethan behind the counter with instructions to call the police if he came in.
Ethan hadn’t shown up all weekend. If he did, he’d be stopped immediately.
Spence had been confident Ethan wouldn’t try to get into her building. Spence was pretty sure that however much Ethan was obsessed with Zoe, no matter how much he’d built up their relationship in his head, he was too smart to walk into her condo building and expect to be allowed up to her apartment. Or in any of the elevators.
He was either waiting for the conference to make his move, or he’d try to grab her in one of the parking garages.
Spence had spent the weekend re-reading stalking reports from Blackhawk Security, studying the details and memorizing all the ways that stalkers had attempted to grab their targets. Assessments by the agents involved about what was effective in stopping them and what didn’t work.
He’d skimmed them before he’d gotten the job with Zoe, but he needed to study them diligently. Look for any helpful nuggets that would apply to Zoe’s case. And combine that information with the knowledge he’d gained while he’d been a SEAL.
He slapped the papers on his leg and tossed them onto the end table. The top several slid to the floor, and he huffed out his irritation as he stooped to pick them up.
“You learn anything from all those reports?” Zoe asked when he stood up with the papers and clicked them into a neat pile.
He set the papers down on the couch beside him and edged sideways, putting a little more space between them. Her subtle scent was too distracting. Her red hair was tousled, as if she’d run her fingers through it, and he wanted to smooth it out.
“Every report I’ve read was submitted by a Blackhawk security agent during a stalking or attempted kidnapping case. And every one of them clarified that it’s essential to be alert and prepared every single minute. Because the assholes who stalk people and try to either grab them or assault them don’t hesitate. If they see an opening, however small, they take it. Sometimes they manufacture an opening. Create a disturbance, something to distract the agent so they can get to their target.
“Thank God none of our agents has lost a principal. But that’s only because they were hyperaware and very, very careful.” He shook his head slowly, dread coiling in his gut. “Sooner or later, we’ll lose a client. It happens to every security agency. Usually it’s because the client won’t follow directions. Sometimes it’s just pure bad luck.”
It wouldn’t be Zoe. He’d already decided that. If anyone was going to die on this op, it would be him.
He shook his head and stared at her, his eyes hard. “That night we went to the pub? You and I were incredibly lucky. It could have ended very badly.”
“In our defense, you were really careful,” Zoe pointed out. “You did everything by the book.”
Spence scowled. “How would you even know what ‘the book’ said?”
She smiled and leaned into the cushion. “I do a lot of reading, and I especially like romantic suspense. Most of the authors I read do their homework. They know what an agent is supposed to do. So I have a good sense of best practices. And you’ve been following them.”
Spence rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of her statement. “That’s fiction, Zoe. Real life is a lot different.”
He leaned closer, holding her gaze. “It’s four days until your conference, and we have to be very, very careful. I’ve been operating under the assumption that Davies will try to grab you at the conference. But what if he tries to get a ticket to that reception the first night and realizes there’s no way for him to get in? Maybe that throws him off enough that he’ll try to get to you another way.
“I have no way of knowing what’s in his head. What he has planned. So I also have to plan for the possibility that he might try to grab you before the conference even begins.”
“I wish there was more I could do to help you.” She jumped up and began pacing the living room. “But I have no idea how to do that.”
“You’ll help me a lot when it comes to strategizing about the conference,” he said, setting the papers aside. “You know the facility. You know how the conference is set up. I’ll rely on you for that information, since I can’t take you there to check it out.”
It was easier when they were at her office. It was a business environment. Janet could come in anytime. So could other people.
