AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You could start crafting a plan for the Bulgarian raid. I’m sure Marchand will be looking to us to make recommendations regardless of how much or how little coalition and governmental support he can immediately guarantee.”
“Got it. Who’s been working on this?”
“Blackjack, Atticus, Magnet, and Zeppelin. Tank’s efforts have been focused on the Eastern Mediterranean along with Nem, Wilder, and me.”
“You’re going to be short a few while Nem and Wilder are gone.”
“You could give me Magnet and Zep.”
“Done.”
“We’ll work in the solarium if you want to stay in the library,” Wren offered, walking Wilder out.
What I really wanted was a moment alone with Nem before they left, which could be in a few minutes or a few hours.
I went to her bedroom and rapped on the door.
“One second,” I heard her holler. “Hey,” she said, pulling the door open and wheeling her suitcase behind her.
“Can I get that for you?”
“I’ve got it.”
“Let me be the gentleman my mother thinks I am,” I said, winking.
“I thought I’d just leave it in the reception hall for now.”
“Take a walk with me?” I asked when we got near the front door.
“Um, sure.”
I led her outside, across the lawn, and over to a bench that looked out over the terraced hillside.
“It’s really a lovely view. I can’t believe how much pushback I gave you about working here.”
Nem sat beside me, and I stretched my arm across the back of the bench. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to touch her shoulder or brush her hair out of my way so I could trail kisses from below her ear, down her neck.
“I have to ask…”
She turned to me and smiled. “You really do not. In fact, I beg you not to.”
“You’re sure?”
“While I may always consider Emmett Gable a bit of a wanker, he’s a good profiler, and we need him. Not just you, but God, can you imagine if he and Hanadarko can make inroads profiling traffickers? It could make such a tremendous difference.”
“I’m glad you’re looking at it that way.”
“I’m not quite as pathetic as you and Wren seem to think I am.”
I couldn’t resist another second. I put my finger on her chin and turned her head so she faced me. “I don’t think anything of the sort. If you want to know the truth, I think you’re nothing short of amazing.”
Her eyes bored into mine, and when I cupped her cheek with my palm, she leaned into it. I wondered if she even realized she had.
“I wish I could go with you.” Much to my disappointment, speaking broke the spell we’d momentarily been under. I dropped my hand.
“I don’t anticipate this to be much more than a touch and go, to be honest. Your efforts will be put to better use here.”
“Wren suggested I start working on a basic plan for the raid.”
