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“It’s only cover,” she said, even as she squeezed his hand. “No need for a battle royale. I assure you whatever Chet had been planning to say wouldn’t have affected me at all. The leash is still firmly on.”
He kind of wished it wasn’t. It would be fun to see the Taggart wolves tear that fucker apart.
“All right, let’s start.” Ian Taggart seemed ready to get down to business. “I’ve spoken to Langley and CSIS and this is how we’ve decided to proceed.”
Taggart talked but Dare couldn’t concentrate on the words. All he could think about was how close she was. How good it felt to have her hand in his.
How they would have to be together for days and days.
How the hell would he keep his hands off her?
It was a question he needed the answer to and quickly.
Chapter Sixteen
Tasha followed Dare into the suite, well aware that the affection of the last hour and a half was about to go away.
He’d been utterly silent in the taxi that had brought them back to the hotel, but when it had stopped, he’d opened her door and helped her out and put an arm around her waist, drawing her close. He’d been stopped by a client, and he’d held her hand while he’d talked to the man. He’d held it in the elevator and as they’d walked down the hall.
He dropped it as the door closed behind them, Nate locking it as he entered last.
“I think I should go to bed and let you two talk,” Nate announced. He’d been quiet as he’d sat in the front seat of the taxi.
There had been something of an argument about Nate’s ongoing job, but she was almost certain she’d convinced Dare there was a threat. Or her father had.
She’d worried about letting her dad talk to Dare alone. He could be a lot, but Dare seemed way more interested in talking to him than her. He seemed to have convinced Dare that everything needed to stay the same, including how affectionate Dare could be.
“There’s nothing to hash out,” Dare replied. “Everything is fine. Good night, Nate. We’ve got three meetings to take and then we’ll head out to Oakley’s place in the Blue Mountains for the weekend. I’ve informed them I’m bringing my bodyguard and my girlfriend. Everything is in place, so you can relax.”
“I don’t think any of us will be relaxing.” Nate stepped away and started for the short hall that led to the small room that served as an office. They’d had a cot moved in when Nate had joined them. “If you need anything, I’ll be right down the hall.”
And then she was alone with the man she loved. The man she was almost certain to lose.
“Dare,” she began.
He shook his head. “I meant what I said. We don’t have anything to talk about, Tasha.”
“I made Coop and Tristan come over and take out all the bugs. All of them.” That had been an argument, but she’d insisted. “No one is listening to us. I promise.”
He nodded as though accepting good news. “Excellent. Then we don’t have to pretend when we’re alone in the suite. I’ll sleep on the couch. You can take the bedroom.”
She hadn’t thought about those ramifications. She’d only cared about him being comfortable and having a safe place. “You’re not sleeping on the couch, Dare.”
“I will do whatever I want.” He shook his head. “That was a stupid thing to say. I obviously don’t ever do what I want. I do what my father wants. I do what you want. Now I do what your father wants, but at least I’ll probably get something out of it.”
“Yes, you’ll get your freedom, and if my team has anything to say about it, everything your father has.” She was all in on the save Dare plan.
“That was a deal I made with your father. Not you. Once we’re done here I do not want you to be the go-between. I’ll take the scary twin if I have to. Honestly, I think she freaks me out less than the huggy one. I liked it better when you had one very quiet sister.”
That stopped her in her tracks. He’d used the plural. And accurately described Kala and Kenzie. “How do you know about my sisters?”
“Well, they threatened me with early graves and weirdly, lessons on hugs.”
What had her sisters done?
Trusted her instincts. Believed in her.
But it was so dangerous. Her father had to have okayed the plan. She was floored by the trust they were placing in Dare. “You can’t…”
“I’m not going to tell anyone. I’m certainly not going to tell Ben he’s trying to court a set of twins. It’ll be way more fun to watch his confusion.” Dare paced the length of the living area, a tiger in a cage. “Your father offered the information as a way to let me know he’s serious about helping me.”
