recriminations, sarcastic disbelief. Rick Harden had succeeded in surprising her again. She licked her lips, drawing his attention to them. “I observe what is out of balance and suggest corrections.”
“Is that another way of telling me that Internal Investigations wants to get dirt on me?” Rick sneered.
Oh no. She would not be linked to that kind of underhanded work. Her chin tilted higher. “I’m not Denise Lorens.”
This time she succeeded in surprising him into releasing his viselike hold of her wrists. Unable to keep her balance, perched as she was, she grabbed at the nearest thing. That happened to be Rick Harden. At that moment her towel loosened completely and she went for the ends too, falling forward, sideways, rocking and stumbling, her long hair tangling with everything. Panic filled her. And desperate anger. Why couldn’t she do what she had been trained to do?
Rick was struck with the familiarity of it all—yet, she was just too…soft. Her hair, her body, her smile. Even her struggles. There wasn’t any hard edge to her. He knew, without a doubt, that she had been sent to mess with his mind, but whoever was behind this didn’t know his wife very well.
He gathered the falling woman into his arms, her hands trapped against his chest. She had been willing to land on the floor rather than expose herself. That alone told him more than she had in the last five minutes. The woman was no Denise Lorens. Or any of the types I.I. would engage to send.
She was trembling but she didn’t protest when he stepped away from the bathroom door, with her in his arms. Her eyes shone, even in the semidarkness, and he slowly slid her down the length of his body, feeling her knuckles running down his chest and stomach. She didn’t move away when he put her down, her face buried against his breastbone.
He had not held a trembling woman in his arms since forever. It made him ache inside, and he didn’t like it. It felt like a hairline crack was appearing where he bottled up all his emotions. He smoothed his hand down her long hair and steadied her with gentle arms. His eyes narrowed. No, she was more dangerous than Denise Lorens.
“Go put something on,” he said abruptly. “I don’t hurt injured birds, and you tremble like one.”
Nikki stiffened at his harsh words. For a few moments there, she had been lost in his heat, and his arms around her had made her feel…she took a few steps away from him. She was about to say “safe.” The man attacked her, and she felt safe?
How was that possible? She didn’t like people touching her, and this man had his arms wrapped around her. Her body had slid against his heat and wasn’t repelled at all. And hehadn’t let her embarrass herself when he could have easily just let her fall, just to humiliate her.
He cocked a golden brow. Those green eyes glinted dangerously, as if he were about to change his mind. She blinked hard and swiftly made her escape into the bathroom.
Before the door closed, she heard him say, in that silky velvet voice that reminded her of an arrogant warrior who understood the sharpness of a new blade, “Don’t take too long, Nikki. I don’t like waiting.”
Chapter Five
S he wasn’t the soft one. He was. He had her where he wanted her, but instead had let her go. All because of a pair of pleading eyes and a mouth that he wanted to kiss.
Rick wiped his own with the back of his hand. Where the hell was his control? Nikki Taylor wasn’t what she seemed to be. If she was an I.I. operative, she certainly hadn’t been coached on how to react to men. As she said, she wasn’t Denise Lorens.
He understood women like Denise. Even after he pulled out her classified files and knew what she was up to, he hadn’t backed away from her advances. It was, after all, better to let them see what they wanted to see. And his Task Force Two job was so dishwater dull that he actually enjoyed the danger of the risks he was taking. Why not? A female
“Is that another way of telling me that Internal Investigations wants to get dirt on me?” Rick sneered.
Oh no. She would not be linked to that kind of underhanded work. Her chin tilted higher. “I’m not Denise Lorens.”
This time she succeeded in surprising him into releasing his viselike hold of her wrists. Unable to keep her balance, perched as she was, she grabbed at the nearest thing. That happened to be Rick Harden. At that moment her towel loosened completely and she went for the ends too, falling forward, sideways, rocking and stumbling, her long hair tangling with everything. Panic filled her. And desperate anger. Why couldn’t she do what she had been trained to do?
Rick was struck with the familiarity of it all—yet, she was just too…soft. Her hair, her body, her smile. Even her struggles. There wasn’t any hard edge to her. He knew, without a doubt, that she had been sent to mess with his mind, but whoever was behind this didn’t know his wife very well.
He gathered the falling woman into his arms, her hands trapped against his chest. She had been willing to land on the floor rather than expose herself. That alone told him more than she had in the last five minutes. The woman was no Denise Lorens. Or any of the types I.I. would engage to send.
She was trembling but she didn’t protest when he stepped away from the bathroom door, with her in his arms. Her eyes shone, even in the semidarkness, and he slowly slid her down the length of his body, feeling her knuckles running down his chest and stomach. She didn’t move away when he put her down, her face buried against his breastbone.
He had not held a trembling woman in his arms since forever. It made him ache inside, and he didn’t like it. It felt like a hairline crack was appearing where he bottled up all his emotions. He smoothed his hand down her long hair and steadied her with gentle arms. His eyes narrowed. No, she was more dangerous than Denise Lorens.
“Go put something on,” he said abruptly. “I don’t hurt injured birds, and you tremble like one.”
Nikki stiffened at his harsh words. For a few moments there, she had been lost in his heat, and his arms around her had made her feel…she took a few steps away from him. She was about to say “safe.” The man attacked her, and she felt safe?
How was that possible? She didn’t like people touching her, and this man had his arms wrapped around her. Her body had slid against his heat and wasn’t repelled at all. And hehadn’t let her embarrass herself when he could have easily just let her fall, just to humiliate her.
He cocked a golden brow. Those green eyes glinted dangerously, as if he were about to change his mind. She blinked hard and swiftly made her escape into the bathroom.
Before the door closed, she heard him say, in that silky velvet voice that reminded her of an arrogant warrior who understood the sharpness of a new blade, “Don’t take too long, Nikki. I don’t like waiting.”
Chapter Five
S he wasn’t the soft one. He was. He had her where he wanted her, but instead had let her go. All because of a pair of pleading eyes and a mouth that he wanted to kiss.
Rick wiped his own with the back of his hand. Where the hell was his control? Nikki Taylor wasn’t what she seemed to be. If she was an I.I. operative, she certainly hadn’t been coached on how to react to men. As she said, she wasn’t Denise Lorens.
He understood women like Denise. Even after he pulled out her classified files and knew what she was up to, he hadn’t backed away from her advances. It was, after all, better to let them see what they wanted to see. And his Task Force Two job was so dishwater dull that he actually enjoyed the danger of the risks he was taking. Why not? A female
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