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Jace guffawed. “That’s the spirit.”
Mac rolled her eyes but smiled. “Thanks.”
Dane put his mug in the sink and then walked over to her. “Do you need a lift to the hotel?”
“Er, Cass is going to drive me.” She glanced up at his face but wouldn’t look him in the eye.
He wasn’t sure what had happened but he was nowpersona non grata. “I see. Okay, then. Don’t forget to grab your cell phone. I think Cain has the box that we stored them in.” Cass had gone to get her backpack. As she walked up, Dane said, “Hey, Cass, if you’re going to the hotel, would you mind grabbing my go bag? I left it in the room.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Thanks.” He gave Mac a terse nod and then headed out the door. He didn’t have time for whatever game she wanted to play. If it was only supposed to be a one-night stand, then he was good with that. Not really, but he’d make himself good with it. Life was too damn short, as he’d learned recently. He was done playing games. He was going home to spend time with his cat.
“Dane,” Mac called. “On second thought, since you have a bag there, would you mind dropping me? Cass has someplace she needs to be.”
He glanced at Cass, but her face was blank. “Sure.”
Ten minutes later, they were on the highway headed back to the hotel. “So, um, you said ‘a new job’ back there. You worried they’re gonna fire you?” Dane kept his eyes on the road. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see Mac’s expression.
“It’s a possibility.”
“But you don’t think so.” He braced himself. This was what he was afraid of. She would leave, not because she had to but because she wanted to. How could she have become so important to him in such a short span of time?
“I think life at the CGIS office will be difficult for me. I didn’t know my boss was crooked, or that my partner was undercover from another law enforcement agency. Neither one looks good for me. The question on everybody’s mind will be is she crooked, too? How could she not know Sinclair was with NCIS? Maybe she did know and just didn’t tell anyone. So either I’m stupid, or I betrayed their trust. I just can’t see an upside.”
“I thought you liked it here. The people at your office will get over it. Don’t let them drive you out.”
“I did like it here. Right up until all this started. It was a fresh start, one I desperately needed. I made a huge mistake in Minneapolis, and I thought being here was wiping the slate clean, but it turns out I made the same mistake.” She shook her head. “I’ll tell you about it later maybe.”
Whatever it was, she wasn’t keen to talk about it. He was going to have to live with that, but he couldn’t live with the thought that she might leave town. He’d just started to get to know her. Leaving wasn’t the answer, at least not as far as he was concerned. He wanted more, but it wasn’t up to him.
They were pulling up at the hotel. Dane parked the SUV and walked with her inside. They got to the room, and she opened the door to the foyer. He followed her in and then went to the room he’d slept in while she went into her room. Grabbing his bag, he glanced around the room to make sure there was nothing else he’d forgotten.
She was waiting in the foyer, leaning against her doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest.
“You gonna be okay?” he asked. “It’s been a hell of a day for you.”
She nodded. “I feel about a million years old.”
“I hear that.”
“Your back. I’m so sorry. You hurt yourself saving me. I feel guilty about it.”
He shook his head. “Please don’t. It was my job to protect you. I did my job. If I can’t make my back function, then I can’t do the job. It’s that simple.” And that scary. He was in pain. All bruised up. At least, he hoped it was just bruised.
Dane shifted his go-bag from one hand to the other. “Well, I’ll leave you unless you need something else.”
She stared at him as if she was making some sort of decision.
He cocked an eyebrow.
“You know what I need?” she said as she straightened.
He tipped his head.
“You. I need you to take me to bed. I just need to lose myself in you. Like we did before. I need to bury myself in your arms where I know I’ll be safe for a while. I’m not asking for any kind of relationship. I just need a distraction. A chance to come down from all the adrenaline of the last few days. In short, Dane Landry, I want to use you for your body and then I want you to go. Can you deal with that?”
Dane stood there, mouth hanging open. No one had ever propositioned him so bluntly before. Did he want what she wanted? No. He wanted more. He wanted to hold her, but not just this once. He wanted her in his bed for the foreseeable future. Her expression was neutral as if his answer didn’t matter, but her hazel eyes told him it did. She needed him, needed comfort, and he was not going to deny her that. Not now. Not ever.
