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“I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Duchess. I was worried when you didn’t show for the funeral. No one knew where to find you.” His shoulders slumped. “I felt so helpless. I wanted to find you, to let you know I was here for you, but at the time—with all the accusations about me and the team—I wasn’t sure if you even wanted to see me or if you believed all the lies.”
“For the record, I never believed that you had anything to do with Nick’s death. Never.”
He met her gaze, and something silent and strong pulsed between them.
Forgiveness.
Kyle looked away first, coughing. “Thanks for that.”
“Of course.” Her instincts said to hug him tight, but considering they were working a mission together, that wouldn’t be wise, given the wildfire attraction that always seemed to be simmering just below the surface with them. So Natalie continued with her story. “The Agency couldn’t have cared less about the quality of the book. All they wanted was to control what was going to Coran Williams. He edited my books personally, so I had to make sure the content met his specifications for the information while still serving the Agency’s goals.”
She gave a sad little snort. “Most authors are thrilled to see their name on the cover of a book, but all I felt was dread. I knew there was going to be a firestorm if word about those codes ever got out, but it was the only way we could think of to expose Williams and his illegal activities. It worked, too…but too late for Nick.”
Kyle was silent for a long moment before he seemed to shake off the somberness that always surrounded mentions of Nick. “Well, at least Williams is singing like a canary now.”
“Yep.” She smiled. Despite her own grief over Nick, sitting here with Kyle, spending a quiet evening alone, felt good.
Too good.
Flustered, Natalie refocused. “Did you mean what you said?”
“What?” He gave her a wary look.
“When you complimented me for having finished a novel. Are you really impressed by that?”
Kyle nodded, then grinned, slow and sexy. “I know I’ve gotten upset with you in the past, but I’ve always been proud of your accomplishments, Duchess. Even when you write porn.”
“I donotwrite porn.” She tossed one of the throw pillows beside her at his head. “I write romance. There’s a big difference.”
“Hey!” He caught the pillow easily and hugged it to his chest. Natalie had never wished to be a pillow more in her life. “I was teasing. The fact you wrote a book and had it published is pretty damned remarkable.”
“Thanks.” Heat prickled up her cheeks at his sincere tone.
“You’re welcome.” He leaned forward in his seat.
“So, um, where am I sleeping tonight?” She lowered her feet to the floor and straightened, scooting to the edge of her seat. Only a few inches separated them now. If she sat forward just a bit more, her lips would meet his. Pulse fluttering in her chest, Natalie swallowed hard. Kissing Kyle right now would be wrong, and not only because of Nick’s specter hanging over them. Her attraction to him was too strong, too intense. It made her feel out of control—and she wasn’t sure she was okay with that. The last thing she wanted was to get wrapped up in someone who would be out of her life again as soon as the case was over.
Kyle’s gaze remained steadfast on her lips. Then he blinked, apparently as dazed as she was by the connection between them.
Natalie closed her eyes, praying for strength, praying for wisdom, praying he’d kiss her already and put her out of her misery.
“I’ll, uh…” Kyle shook his head, then scowled. “I’ll set something up for you.”
He got up and walked away, and Natalie watched him go, yearning swelling inside her. It was a struggle not to chase after him—a struggle that she won. For now, at least.
6
“What exit am I looking for again?” Kyle asked the next day, nose wrinkled.
“I-65 South,” Natalie replied, glancing at him. “Explain to me again why we didn’t fly?”
“Because the FAA and I don’t think it’s a good idea to fly straight into the thunderstorm front hanging out over the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport, and because we’re more mobile this way. If we’re stuck at thirty-five thousand feet when Arrieta busts a move, we’d have no way of knowing. This way we can drive straight through and hopefully beat him to the punch.”
Kyle signaled and veered their rental sedan into the passing lane, then jammed on the brakes.Damn road construction. Okay, maybe “mobile” wasn’t the best description of their situation, considering the traffic jam ahead. Still, at least in a car, he had options. They could always take their chances on the secondary roads. In fact, that might be a better choice than this gridlock. “Change of plans. I’m getting off at the next exit.”
“Why? Are we stopping?” Natalie glanced up at him from the tabloid rag she’d been reading nonstop since they’d left DC about an hour prior. “Because I could use a coffee.”
“Again?” He gave a pointed look at her venti iced cappuccino in the cup holder between them. “Aren’t you caffeinated enough already?”
