Read Online Hot Ice (A Hostile Operations Team Novel - Book 7) by Lynn Raye Harris - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynn Raye Harris
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handsome and dangerous it made her heart skip a beat. He straightened and came toward her, his brows drawing low.
“Everything all right?”
“Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shrugged. “No reason. You ready to go back in there? Face the vampires again?”
She snorted a laugh in spite of herself. “An apt way to describe some of them.” She pulled in a deep breath. “Yes, I’m ready.”
He searched her gaze. “Another hour and you can have that pizza you wanted.”
It shouldn’t mean a thing that he remembered, but it did. “Lead on, vampire slayer, and then let’s get the hell out of here.”
He grinned, and her heart flipped. “You’re funnier than I gave you credit for.”
Funny . Just what a girl wanted to hear when she’d been kissed within an inch of her life. Kissed so hot and sexy that she’d seriously thought of having a naughty one-night stand for the first time ever.
“Thank you,” she said because she couldn’t think of any other response.
He studied her for a long moment, and she thought he might say something else. But he took her arm, tucked it into his, and escorted her back inside the lion’s den.
Game on.
* * *
He shouldn’t have kissed her. That was pretty much a boneheaded move, and he’d be paying for it later when he remembered how she’d lit up like a flame, how he’d wanted to sink into her and drown. He’d be paying because he’d be hard and aching—and alone in his bed with nothing but his fist for company.
Garrett kept his eyes on the crowd, scanning for any trouble, but everything was as ordinary as he supposed a Washington power event should be. He let his gaze drift to Grace, and his gut felt like he’d been kicked by a horse.
She was talking to her father and another man, her elegant fingers gripping the stem of her wineglass, her lips turned up in a polite smile. He’d stepped away to give her space, but he remained close if she needed him.
He’d kissed Grace because he’d felt sorry for her, because she’d looked so hurt and panicked when she’d been worried about her ex finding her, and because he’d wanted to make it better.
But kissing Grace Campbell was rather like deciding to step into the kiddie pool just to cool off—and finding out you’d actually stepped off the deep end instead. The serious scientist who hated crowds, who would rather hide in her room with a pizza and a book—or a movie—burned hotter than a lightning strike.
And he wanted to burn with her, which was a most definite nonstarter. He had his orders, and he wasn’t about to defy them. No screwing the protectee, even if his dick was harder than it had ever been in his life with the thought of doing just that.
Another man walked over to Grace and her father, and Garrett did a double take. The man was tall, dark-haired, and all smiles as he shook Senator Campbell’s hand and then Grace’s.
Garrett hadn’t seen Ian Black since that night in Ras al-Dura when they’d swept him up along with everyone who’d been trying to leave the Russian consulate after Victoria Royal and Brandy had killed the rogue scientist Igor Chernovsky. Black had walked away after a few hours, however, when the order came down from above to let him go.
Garrett watched Black carefully. He didn’t seem overly familiar with Grace or her father, but he definitely knew them. Garrett was torn between watching or returning to Grace’s side. Black probably wouldn’t recognize him considering he’d been wearing an assault suit and had his face covered in greasepaint, but there was always the chance.
Did he care? Did it matter?
Black had disappeared after that mission, yet here he was, in the middle of DC and hobnobbing with the power brokers. Obviously, Garrett would be reporting this to Mendez later. But right now he had a woman to protect and a reason to be at her side.
He strode toward the little group. Black looked up first. If he recognized Garrett, he didn’t betray
“Everything all right?”
“Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shrugged. “No reason. You ready to go back in there? Face the vampires again?”
She snorted a laugh in spite of herself. “An apt way to describe some of them.” She pulled in a deep breath. “Yes, I’m ready.”
He searched her gaze. “Another hour and you can have that pizza you wanted.”
It shouldn’t mean a thing that he remembered, but it did. “Lead on, vampire slayer, and then let’s get the hell out of here.”
He grinned, and her heart flipped. “You’re funnier than I gave you credit for.”
Funny . Just what a girl wanted to hear when she’d been kissed within an inch of her life. Kissed so hot and sexy that she’d seriously thought of having a naughty one-night stand for the first time ever.
“Thank you,” she said because she couldn’t think of any other response.
He studied her for a long moment, and she thought he might say something else. But he took her arm, tucked it into his, and escorted her back inside the lion’s den.
Game on.
* * *
He shouldn’t have kissed her. That was pretty much a boneheaded move, and he’d be paying for it later when he remembered how she’d lit up like a flame, how he’d wanted to sink into her and drown. He’d be paying because he’d be hard and aching—and alone in his bed with nothing but his fist for company.
Garrett kept his eyes on the crowd, scanning for any trouble, but everything was as ordinary as he supposed a Washington power event should be. He let his gaze drift to Grace, and his gut felt like he’d been kicked by a horse.
She was talking to her father and another man, her elegant fingers gripping the stem of her wineglass, her lips turned up in a polite smile. He’d stepped away to give her space, but he remained close if she needed him.
He’d kissed Grace because he’d felt sorry for her, because she’d looked so hurt and panicked when she’d been worried about her ex finding her, and because he’d wanted to make it better.
But kissing Grace Campbell was rather like deciding to step into the kiddie pool just to cool off—and finding out you’d actually stepped off the deep end instead. The serious scientist who hated crowds, who would rather hide in her room with a pizza and a book—or a movie—burned hotter than a lightning strike.
And he wanted to burn with her, which was a most definite nonstarter. He had his orders, and he wasn’t about to defy them. No screwing the protectee, even if his dick was harder than it had ever been in his life with the thought of doing just that.
Another man walked over to Grace and her father, and Garrett did a double take. The man was tall, dark-haired, and all smiles as he shook Senator Campbell’s hand and then Grace’s.
Garrett hadn’t seen Ian Black since that night in Ras al-Dura when they’d swept him up along with everyone who’d been trying to leave the Russian consulate after Victoria Royal and Brandy had killed the rogue scientist Igor Chernovsky. Black had walked away after a few hours, however, when the order came down from above to let him go.
Garrett watched Black carefully. He didn’t seem overly familiar with Grace or her father, but he definitely knew them. Garrett was torn between watching or returning to Grace’s side. Black probably wouldn’t recognize him considering he’d been wearing an assault suit and had his face covered in greasepaint, but there was always the chance.
Did he care? Did it matter?
Black had disappeared after that mission, yet here he was, in the middle of DC and hobnobbing with the power brokers. Obviously, Garrett would be reporting this to Mendez later. But right now he had a woman to protect and a reason to be at her side.
He strode toward the little group. Black looked up first. If he recognized Garrett, he didn’t betray
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