AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Except not totally. Even as she walked away, she carried the smell of him. Coconut oil, musk—man. Even in her inexperienced state she knew the scent well.
Max Keagan oozed charisma.
She needed to control her world, and Max flipped her emotions until she found herself longing to take risks far scarier than plunging into combat. Never again did she want to experience the total loss of emotional control she’d felt during her kidnapping. So she’d always chosen safe relationships that she could manage.
No risk. No danger. No chance of being hurt. The revelation startled her. She didn’t like what that said about her lack of courage. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from running tonight.
Darcy spun away to join the safety of her crewdog buds, who never shot sleepy lidded looks her way, making her question things about herself she wasn’t ready to answer.
* * *
Max watched the gentle sway of Darcy’s hips as she sprinted across the sand to the remains of the supper spread. She snagged a handful of chips and melded into the circle of flyers listening to the guitar-strumming lieutenant.
Where she belonged.
Her edginess crackled through the air. When had he become so in tune to this woman’s moods? The notion rocked him. He didn’t want this connection with her, but it was there all the same.
Darcy seemed content to let him sit on the outskirts as he preferred. Sure, she’d pushed for him to attend, but respected his boundaries. She had military regimentation and team play down to an art form, yet still accepted their differences.
So, what would happen if he gave her a call once he wrapped up unfinished business in Guam? He would only see her twice a year at best. Because he wasn’t giving up his career and she wasn’t budging on hers, either.
Then, there was that little matter of emotions. His were limited these days, and he knew better than to expect a miraculous personality conversion once he laid his past to rest. He’d always been a loner, even before Eva. Darcy’s emotions flowed in abundance. She would grow dissatisfied with his “grumpiness.”
But, man, it would be one incredible ride in the meantime. If only she wouldn’t be hurt in the end.
Max could almost hear Darcy’s snort of disdain.Egotistical as well asantisocial, huh, chump?
Sit tight. Keep distance and keep quiet.
The bonfire light blotted with a blocking body just before Crusty dropped down beside him, a bag of pretzels clutched in his hand.
“How’s it going?” asked one of the least silent people Max had ever met.
“It’s all there for you to read in the mandatory reports,” Max answered absently, deciding he would keep his answers short and maybe the guy would move on.
He didn’t want to discuss work. Not tonight. He wanted to stare at Darcy and tell himself there was a way he could bring her to his bed without bringing chaos to her life.
Crust tipped his head toward Max. “It appears you’re making progress.”
“What?” Was the guy a mind reader?
“With yoursearch,” Crusty answered vaguely, his meaning clear all the same.
“If you call ruling out negatives progress.”
“I do.” Yeah, he wanted this case behind him. Had wanted justice—even revenge —since the day Eva had died. Wanted it for every one of these crewdogs who could be flying over Cantou soon. Except he’d never before thought about afterward. Darcy made him consider tomorrow when yesterday still consumed him.
Being in Guam again held a time warp quality. It could have been eight years ago when he and Perry had first arrived. Grad students and new CIA recruits before they’d each chosen different paths—Perry opting for low-level agent status to accommodate family life until they’d been paired again for this mission.
“Drinks, gentlemen?”
Max startled back to the present, looking up at the muumuu-clad waitress, their Army CID contact working undercover as a caterer on base with herson,in reality a fellow operative of no relation. Nobody would guess Vinnie with his dreadlocks was actually a civilian employee with Army CID, even given that all branches of the military had a large percentage of civilian employees in counterintelligence.
Lieutenant Colonel Kat Lowry held out the tray. “Mai tai?”
“No, thanks.” Max lifted his bottled water. “I’m fine.”
“Yes, you are, young man.” She passed Crusty a coconut cup and a grin as she angled closer to Max. “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. Nice reports. You’re shaping up, sweetie.”
