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We sat down beside each other and waited for the metal door to click closed behind the team.
Now that we were alone, I turned to face him. “TJ, I’m sorry. You have every right to be angry with me.”
“I do, and I am,” he said in a calm, matter-of-fact tone that annoyed the hell out of me. “You could have gotten caught, then you might have been hurt, taken hostage, or both. It’s the only thing that could have made this shitshow worse.”
“But none of those things happened.” I leaned back in my chair, putting space between us. “And it might be nice if you remembered that I got the information HEAT didn’t, and my recording and my story are going to blow a hole in the Carbonados syndicate and—”
In one swift move, he pulled my chair against his and pressed his lips to mine, cutting off my words with a kiss. It was hard and hot and passionate. Despite wanting to argue with him, I couldn’t help kissing him back. Our desperate claiming of each other’s mouths gave way to slow, soft exploration. A minute later, he pulled away from me, and I leaned forward, trying to reclaim the connection.
“I’m sorry we don’t have more time,” he said as he traced a fingertip down the side of my throat and rested it on my galloping pulse. “But you have to see Jensen about placing the call to your editor, and we need to have a discussion first.”
“I see your bossiness has returned,” I whispered in his ear, then nibbled his neck.
He groaned and placed his hands on my shoulders. He held me in place for a minute as I trailed kisses and bites up the side of his throat. Then he pulled away slowly, his breath hitching.
“Talk,” he said. He released me and backed his chair a few inches away from mine. “There are three rules you will abide by during this operation. And yes, I know I’m being bossy, and I do not need you to say it again in that sexy voice of yours.” His hooded eyes dropped to my lips, and he frowned. It was obvious that he wanted to play as much as I did, but we both knew this wasn’t the time nor the place for it.
I straightened in my chair. “I’m listening.”
“Thank you. Rule one, you’ll give Jensen a list of everyone you and your editor need to bring in to help on the story. Before you argue with me, we’ll only run background checks to detect any suspicious financial activity or connections to our bad guys.”
I sighed. It skated dangerously close to governmental interference, but I understood the importance of protecting the story and the team. “I can live with that.”
He grinned. “Gee, thanks. Rule number two, we’ll give you a secure cell phone that you’ll keep on you at all times. If it rings, it will mean there’s an emergency. You’ll pick it up, and you’ll do exactly what I say, no questions asked.”
For once, I didn’t make a joke about his ordering me around. This could literally mean life or death. I nodded soberly. “And the third rule?”
“Rule three.” He leaned close and gave me a sweet kiss on the lips. “When this is over, we’ll have a much longer talk.”
I grimaced. “I thought we agreed to let that go, seeing how I’m almost single-handedly bringing down Calder.”
“We didn’t agree, but that’s not the topic of the conversation we need to have.” He stood and walked to the door, which he held open as he waited for me to join him. “Jensen will be ready for you,” he said as we stepped into the hallway. “I’ll join you shortly. I just need to check in with Bond.”
We went a few steps in opposite directions, him toward the medical bay and me toward the stairwell. “Hey, TJ?” I called. We both stopped and turned. “What do you want to talk about when this is over?”
“That off-the-record conversation we started last weekend.” He turned and left.
I mulled over his words as I headed for the IT room. I was halfway down the stairs when I realized he meant the phone call where he’d told me he was falling for me.
“Fuck me,” I muttered, realizing I was looking forward to our conversation, which could only mean one thing. He wasn’t alone in his feelings. I was falling for him, too.
18
Ashlee
By early Sunday evening, twenty-six hours into writing the article that would expose a diplomat’s husband, an international crime syndicate, and a sitting US senator, I stepped into Jayna’s office, closed the door behind me, and sank into a chair.
“What the hell am I doing?” I asked.
She was already pouring something into a clean, white mug. She slid it across the desk at me.
I picked it up. “What is this?” I sniffed it, then blinked as it cleared my sinuses.
“Rum. Really good stuff. I keep it locked in a drawer for emergencies, and if you report me to HR, I’ll never share it with you again.”
I set down the cup and stretched my arms over my head. “I need to keep a clear head.”
She pushed the rum back in my direction. “What you need is a few hours of sleep. This will help you wind down. Don’t shake your head at me, and don’t argue. Everyone else has napped at least once.”
