Read Online Covert Intents: A Branson Family Novella by Janie Crouch - Free Book Online
Authors: Janie Crouch
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job.”
“But you can’t tell me who with.”
A thought struck him. “Are you concerned I’m not who I say I am?” It would not be an unreasonable fear for someone in her position.
“No, I believe you’re law enforcement. I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before.”
He took the bag that held a change of clothes for her and a few toiletries. They’d barely been able to salvage that from her bedroom and bathroom. He put the bag on his kitchen table.
“Oh yeah?” Seth wondered what had given him away.
She shrugged. “You were always too aware of what was going on around you. Too… I’m not sure what the word is. Forceful, maybe?”
“That’s not good in term of me blending in. I was trying not to draw anyone’s attention. My undercover skills must be rusty.” Which could get him killed if he wasn’t careful.
“I don’t think it was obvious to anyone else. I was just more in tuned with you than most people, I think.” Her face flooded a bright red before she looked down and away, her face covered by her long brown hair.
He reached out and touched her arm. “Rachel…”
She didn’t look at him. “No, it’s fine, Seth. I understand. I was part of some undercover work. A job. Whatever happened last night with that kiss was just part of your cover.”
“It wasn’t.”
Rachel shook her head, and peeked up at him with those gorgeous brown eyes, obviously not believing him. “Seth, I get it. Really I do. I may have my nose in a book most of the time, but I know how the world works. Someone like you would not be interested in someone like me under normal circumstances.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed and he felt his body tense. He slipped off his jacket and hung it over the kitchen chair, trying to give himself time to recover. To back down from what he knew he was on the verge of doing.
Proving to Rachel Branson how wrong she really was.
Damn it, he should walk away. Make a joke. Ease her down gently about how the job really was important. Seth was good with people. Good with words. He should be able to do this.
But he couldn’t. Not this time. He wanted Rachel too badly. Had for two months.
“You know you’re an incredibly smart woman,” he said gently, softly, giving away none of the predatory instincts coursing through him except to take a slight step toward her.
But she could feel the danger instinctively. Not that he would hurt her, but that he was coming for her. She backed up a step.
“It doesn’t take a genius to know that you and I are on two different playing fields, Seth. Look at me.”
“Oh, I am, Rachel.” He took another step toward her. A sexual wariness flashed in her eyes. She couldn’t figure out what was happening. Poor sweetheart. “But you didn’t let me finish. You’re an incredibly smart woman to say something so dumb.”
“What?” She took another step back and ended up against his refrigerator.
“You think you don’t have much to offer a man, but you couldn’t be more wrong.”
“What?” she parroted again.
He took another step closer to her. “I have been keeping away from you, for many reasons. I am on an undercover mission. I didn’t want to bring any danger your way, although it seems to have found you anyway.”
He’d stayed away for other reasons too —like her cousins pounding him into the ground if they knew what he was about to do her— but he didn’t mention that since she didn’t know they worked in law enforcement. And because it wasn’t enough to keep him away anyway.
Nothing was.
Another step. He was right in front of her now. “But none of the reasons I’ve kept my hands off you for the last two months have anything to do with me not being attracted to you.”
“It doesn’t?” Her statement was barely a whisper.
He eased himself against her body, trapping her between himself and the fridge. He reached down and trailed his fingers from her hands all the way up her arms to her shoulders until he was framing
“But you can’t tell me who with.”
A thought struck him. “Are you concerned I’m not who I say I am?” It would not be an unreasonable fear for someone in her position.
“No, I believe you’re law enforcement. I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before.”
He took the bag that held a change of clothes for her and a few toiletries. They’d barely been able to salvage that from her bedroom and bathroom. He put the bag on his kitchen table.
“Oh yeah?” Seth wondered what had given him away.
She shrugged. “You were always too aware of what was going on around you. Too… I’m not sure what the word is. Forceful, maybe?”
“That’s not good in term of me blending in. I was trying not to draw anyone’s attention. My undercover skills must be rusty.” Which could get him killed if he wasn’t careful.
“I don’t think it was obvious to anyone else. I was just more in tuned with you than most people, I think.” Her face flooded a bright red before she looked down and away, her face covered by her long brown hair.
He reached out and touched her arm. “Rachel…”
She didn’t look at him. “No, it’s fine, Seth. I understand. I was part of some undercover work. A job. Whatever happened last night with that kiss was just part of your cover.”
“It wasn’t.”
Rachel shook her head, and peeked up at him with those gorgeous brown eyes, obviously not believing him. “Seth, I get it. Really I do. I may have my nose in a book most of the time, but I know how the world works. Someone like you would not be interested in someone like me under normal circumstances.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed and he felt his body tense. He slipped off his jacket and hung it over the kitchen chair, trying to give himself time to recover. To back down from what he knew he was on the verge of doing.
Proving to Rachel Branson how wrong she really was.
Damn it, he should walk away. Make a joke. Ease her down gently about how the job really was important. Seth was good with people. Good with words. He should be able to do this.
But he couldn’t. Not this time. He wanted Rachel too badly. Had for two months.
“You know you’re an incredibly smart woman,” he said gently, softly, giving away none of the predatory instincts coursing through him except to take a slight step toward her.
But she could feel the danger instinctively. Not that he would hurt her, but that he was coming for her. She backed up a step.
“It doesn’t take a genius to know that you and I are on two different playing fields, Seth. Look at me.”
“Oh, I am, Rachel.” He took another step toward her. A sexual wariness flashed in her eyes. She couldn’t figure out what was happening. Poor sweetheart. “But you didn’t let me finish. You’re an incredibly smart woman to say something so dumb.”
“What?” She took another step back and ended up against his refrigerator.
“You think you don’t have much to offer a man, but you couldn’t be more wrong.”
“What?” she parroted again.
He took another step closer to her. “I have been keeping away from you, for many reasons. I am on an undercover mission. I didn’t want to bring any danger your way, although it seems to have found you anyway.”
He’d stayed away for other reasons too —like her cousins pounding him into the ground if they knew what he was about to do her— but he didn’t mention that since she didn’t know they worked in law enforcement. And because it wasn’t enough to keep him away anyway.
Nothing was.
Another step. He was right in front of her now. “But none of the reasons I’ve kept my hands off you for the last two months have anything to do with me not being attracted to you.”
“It doesn’t?” Her statement was barely a whisper.
He eased himself against her body, trapping her between himself and the fridge. He reached down and trailed his fingers from her hands all the way up her arms to her shoulders until he was framing
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