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He shook his head. If he remembered correctly, there was a different ornament in the box he wanted to find. He dug through the bubble-wrapped pile and spotted a bundle that was the right size and shape.
He pulled the glass globe the size of a tennis ball from the wrapping and held it up to the light. The fake green leaves and red berries sparkled with glitter. When he was in third grade, he’d spent his allowance on this gift for his mom, not knowing what the plant inside symbolized. He just knew she loved gardening and would think it was the most beautiful ornament ever. This ornament had come his way after his mom had passed three years ago. She always swore it was her favorite.
Now he lifted it over his head and waited for Diana to turn around.
He wasn’t disappointed by her smile when she did.
“Mistletoe?”
“You know what to do.”
She laughed and took a step toward him. “Do I ever.”
She paused before him, and he continued holding the glass ball over his head like a fool. But he didn’t feel even a little bit foolish seeing the look on her face.
He moved his arm, so now the ornament hung over her head, and with his free hand, he touched her cheek, then slid his fingers through her hair to cup the back of her head as his mouth found hers.
She kissed him back, all in, mouth open, tongue stroking. He set the ornament on the pile of bubble wrap, freeing his arm to circle her waist and pull her flush against him.
They stood like that for a long interval. Kissing deep. She tasted like eggnog and chocolate, and he was hungry for more.
He’d promised himself he wouldn’t seduce her today. Not when her life was in scary upheaval, but as she kissed him with the same hunger, he found it hard to remember his resolve.
In the end, it was the buzz of his cell phone on the coffee table that pushed them apart. The call could be important.
He raised his head, but didn’t let her go. He stared into her eyes, seeing a reflection of the same arousal and desire that coursed through him. He was at a loss for words. He didn’t want to promise restraint, but he knew he should set a boundary, if only to keep himself in line.
Instead, he dipped his head and kissed her neck. “God, how I want to fuck you.”
She let out a choked laugh. “Same.”
He released her and picked up his phone, which had stopped buzzing.
Missed call from Xavier.
He hit the callback button, watching Diana as she took the ornament from the top of the box and hung it on the tree.
“Xave,” he said into the phone. “Sorry I didn’t pick up. My hands were full.”
Diana let out a soft laugh.
Xavier got right to the point. “You want to talk to Luke?”
“Yeah. I remember him saying something about him and his wife being friends with the former attorney general and the senator from Maryland who owns Raptor?”
“Yeah. Undine worked for NHHC for Mara Garrett—the former AG’s wife. Luke has assisted Raptor a few times.”
“Do you know if he’s met an operative named Boyd?”
“Ian? Yeah. They’re friends. Ian and Cressida came to visit in October to meet Undine and Luke’s baby girl. We all got together for dinner one night when they were here.”
“So they’re close friends.” This was better than Chris had dared to hope. “You’ve met him. What’s your take?”
“Good guy. Dangerously good at poker. Speaks a gazillion languages. Doesn’t miss the CIA. Why so interested in Ian?”
“He’s working for the wrong team on something, and I need to know if we can trust him.”
“I don’t know him well enough to vouch for him. But Luke trusts him. They had each other’s back when there was an incident in Palau several years ago. Who is he working for that’s causing you to question?”
