Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“But won’t he know that we know about it when he finds the women missing? He can place me there.”
“True,” he said, then went to take eggs out of the fridge. “If we destroy it, then it will confirm that we know. By not destroying it, he may think you still don’t know about it.”
I bobbed my head.
He turned back around to gather what he needed to cook while I planted myself on a barstool and watched. As I stared at his bare back, I noticed little scars here and there. A part of me wanted to ask what marred his beautiful skin. Instead, I closed my mouth. I didn’t want to spoil what had been a beautiful evening and what was shaping up as a glorious morning.
“Last night was the first time I’ve slept so good in a long while,” I admitted while admonishing myself for the admission. I’d gone from being committed to silence to being vulnerable. Who was I?
When he glanced my way, his smile lit up the room. “Oh really?”
I nodded like a bobblehead. Seriously, when had I become that girl? So I went and spoiled it. “Yeah. Even after everything, I had nightmares…” He stiffened, and I trailed off because I’d gone and stuck my foot in my mouth. “I mean, it was great. I—uh—It was really great.”
Quiet landed like a solid wall between us. I scrubbed my hand over my face, grateful that he wasn’t facing me. I forced myself to stay seated. He wasn’t allowed to get weird about my situation. I wasn’t great, but I was good. And last night had been amazing.
“I don’t know if I ever properly thanked you. So thank you for everything. If you hadn’t come, I might still be bound to him.”
When he shifted toward me with two plates in his hand, I couldn’t read his expression.
“The first or second time?” he said.
Feeling like a fish out of water, I opened and closed my mouth a few times as a smirk grew on his face. Tongue in cheek, I said, “Both.”
“Eat,” he said in response and handed me a fork.
So I did, and it was glorious. Not to boast about his ego any further, I kept it to myself. Though my huge grin probably gave it away.
When I put my fork down, he asked, “More?”
I playfully narrowed my eyes. “Are you fishing for compliments?”
“Don’t have to. The satisfaction is right there on your face. Though I admit, I’m not sure what you prefer.”
My response was to lift a questioning brow.
“You have that post-orgasm glow. Now I’m not sure if you prefer my dick or my cooking.”
My smile turned flirty as I got off the stool and said, “Maybe you should find out.”
He bit his lower lip, and I was sunk. Damn if the sound of his phone vibrating on the counter didn’t spoil the mood.
“I have to take this,” he said. I moved to grab the dishes. He shook his head. “I’ve got this. You go ahead.” He waved me off.
I might have challenged him because he had done all the cooking. The least I could do was clean up. Instead, I assumed he wanted privacy and acquiesced. Funny how, a second ago, I thought we would grab a shower together. Instead, I was in the room I should have slept in, using the private bathroom alone.
Was it just me, or was he giving me hot and cold? What would I say to him, or should I say, especially if he said nothing? It wasn’t like we were in a relationship. Still, whatever there was between us, communication would be best.
As I ducked into the shower, having removed his shirt, I wondered if he would join me.
19
MATT
“Finally answering your phone,” the voice on the other line said.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. We sent you on an op and you disappeared. You didn’t go with the subject to the hotel we arranged.”
My jaw was tight as I held back all the things I wanted to say. “Why are we having this conversation over the phone?”
“I don’t know. Because you aren’t returning my messages and, like you don’t seem to remember, I have people to answer to.”
I glanced at the closed door down the hall. “I don’t know. After three months of no communication, I assumed I didn’t answer to anyone anymore.”
“Don’t be a baby.”
“Fine, here’s your report. Everything is A-Fucking-OK,” I gritted out.
“Don’t hang up. We have intel—”
But I hung up. Though I hadn’t quite decided what to do about my position with the FBI, I might have sealed my fate. Like Tayla, I had my own nightmares about the last few months I couldn’t forget. The bureau’s little lesson about staying in line had stolen several parts of my soul I feared I wouldn’t get back.