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Buck leaned forward and rested his arms on top of the table. He solemnly studied her for a second, then, confidence in his voice, said, “We’re wasting precious time here, darlin’. You have a perfectly good, private room, and you leave tomorrow. Wouldn’t you like to see an iconic cowboy up close and personal?”
She smiled softly, her cheeks flushing and her eyes flashing, her gaze never leaving his. “You are quite the gentleman charmer.”
“Once that door closes behind us, I’ll show you how charming I can be. Are you interested in that kind of rodeo?”
She released a soft breath as if she couldn’t seem to get enough air. “What kind of rodeo did you have in mind?”
“Oh, the bucking bronc kind.” He rose and after slipping on her heel, she took his hand as he led her toward the elevators.
The doors opened and they went inside. The moment the doors slid closed, she plastered herself to him. She leaned toward him and nipped gently at his bottom lip, teasing him with the promise of something hotter and deeper, sweeter.
“Kiss me, Buck,” she breathed against the corner of his mouth while she brazenly tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his pants so she could slip her hands beneath the warm, soft cotton material.
She splayed her palms on his rock-hard stomach and flipped them upward. He slipped his hands into her hair and in the next moment he crushed his mouth to hers. When the doors opened, he barely registered it, but got them out. They kissed and touched all the way down the hall until they reached her room.
She opened the door, but before she pulled him in, Dr. Charles Wharton came out of his room with an ice bucket. Buck nodded to him as she dragged him inside.
He laughed silently at the man’s shocked face, then turned his starving, sexual needs loose as he pushed the delectable Chiara toward the bed, catching the door with his heel and slamming it in his envious face.
* * *
Harley satin the conference room waiting for word about the op. Her hands were in her lap and the tension in the room was heavy. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing at Aleksei every so often. He looked haggard, worried, working at keeping his impeccable composure. Her eyes caressed his handsome face, the memory of her loss of control in this very room.
Isabelle leaned over and said, “Could I speak to you alone?”
Harley rose and followed Isabelle out. Aleksei tracked her with his dark, tormented eyes. She gave him an encouraging expression and a smile. He relaxed a little.
She entered Izzy’s office, but she wasn’t behind her desk. She was seated on the sofa. Her coworker was also warring against her own concerns about this mission, not only because Gator was involved, but Bree and Blitz had gone on her recommendation.
“Come sit down,” Izzy said.
Harley walked over and folded down into a comfortable chair. “What is this about?”
“Aleksei,” she said.
She half-rose. “No—” but Izzy caught her wrist and brought her back down.
Looking down at the table, Izzy leaned forward, her brow furrowed. Harley didn’t want to hear what she had to say. She went to go again. There was a brief silence, then she said, exasperation in her voice, “Will you just sit down.”
Harley relented with a sigh and sat across from her again. “This had better not be a lecture.”
She looked up and met her gaze, a glint of humor in her eyes. “Maybe a little.”
Harley didn’t say anything as she held Izzy’s gaze, then sighing heavily, she again relented. “All right. What do you want to say?”
Izzy silently considered what she wanted to say. Finally, she looked at Harley. “I should explain some things to you about Aleksei.”
“What things?”
“He and I had an intimate relationship when we were both at Oxford. I have a close and continuous contact filed with the agency.”
“You did?”
“Yes, but the romantic part of our relationship soon ended because I was going into public service, and he was…well Russian and slated for public service as well. I gave him up more easily than I had thought I would. Now I see I was always meant for Gator.” She shook her head as if to clear it. “I wanted you to take this job of turning him because I know how badass you can be and your formidable ability for getting a grip on things, for managing the unmanageable. For my own peace of mind, I wanted someone I could trust with him. He is such a good man and a close friend.”
“Okay, so what is the problem?”
“There is a stronger attachment to him in you, than there ever was in me. It’s not that it didn’t cross my mind he would be a temptation, but I thought you would be immune to his charms.”
