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Authors: Dixie Lee Brown
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decision, or we don’t agree on what should be done, then we’ll do things my way.”
Alex rolled her eyes.
“Only because I’ve got experience in these kinds of operations. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you or that kid. But I need your assurance that, if it comes to it, you’ll trust me enough to follow my lead . . . for the sake of the mission. If that’s not possible, say so now.”
Damn, she was beautiful with that blaze of fury in her eyes, but Nate got the message loud and clear. She wasn’t used to being pushed and didn’t like it one bit. It didn’t matter. He would have his way on this issue, and he wasn’t exactly fond of being pushed either. Maybe this partnership wasn’t the best idea Joe ever had.
Alex glared at him for what seemed like several minutes before she dropped her gaze, and the tension in her body lessened. When next she looked at him, a wisp of a smile graced her lips.
“Touching . . . kissing . . . follow your lead. Got it. I can handle it. I wonder if you can.” She raised an eyebrow and studied him doubtfully.
He threw back his head and laughed. She never gave in. He might as well forget about ever getting the last word with her. Amazingly, that was okay. It was one of the many things he’d come to admire about her the last time they’d been forced into each other’s company. In spite of the adversity that marred her life, she had a good head on her shoulders, and she was probably pretty close to right—she wasn’t afraid of anything.
Alex was striving to hide her own smile and not succeeding entirely. The desire to kiss those soft, full lips came over him suddenly and with an urgency that couldn’t be ignored. In spite of the absolute knowledge that it was a boneheaded thing to do, he leaned closer and stroked her cheek lightly with his fingers.
Alex trembled but didn’t pull away as he lowered his mouth toward hers.
“Nate? Alex? You guys need a hand?” Rayna hollered from the front of the garage.
Alex’s hands came up and pushed him back as she scrambled to her feet.
Disappointment and frustration flooded Nate in equal measures. He wrapped his hand around her ankle as she stepped by him. She looked over her shoulder curiously, but he detected none of the need or the regret at being interrupted that he was struggling with. He didn’t stop to analyze why that annoyed him so badly.
“Don’t forget where we were,” he growled.
Her eyes hardened and filled with renewed distrust before darting away from him to the door and then back to skewer him with something very close to scorn. “Is that an order, boss ?”
“There you are. Everything okay?” Rayna’s cheerful voice filled the silence as she appeared in the open doorway.
Nate released Alex’s ankle and shoved to his feet. “Everything’s fine. Just finishing up.” Nate hung the first aid kit back on the wall and picked up the two tackle boxes and the sleeping bags.
Alex strode by Rayna without a word. Rayna watched her go and then turned back to him, her brows pulled together with concern. “She’s not as strong as she acts, you know. Be careful, Nate.”
Her words were laced with steel and there was no mistaking her intent. Nate didn’t doubt for a second that the warning went for everyone on Joe’s team.
Was he pushing too hard—expecting too much from Alex? Would treating her like a desirable young woman be such a bad thing? He was well aware that she was extraordinarily troubled, but why she mattered so much to him was a mystery. She tugged at something deep inside him that hadn’t been heard from in a very long time. The woman needed someone, whether she knew it or not. Apparently, sometime after she’d reappeared in his life last night, he’d appointed himself her defender. Helping her deal with her past was second only to rescuing Marco. The enormity of the task didn’t sway him.
He grabbed the fishing rods and balanced them on top of his load before starting
Alex rolled her eyes.
“Only because I’ve got experience in these kinds of operations. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you or that kid. But I need your assurance that, if it comes to it, you’ll trust me enough to follow my lead . . . for the sake of the mission. If that’s not possible, say so now.”
Damn, she was beautiful with that blaze of fury in her eyes, but Nate got the message loud and clear. She wasn’t used to being pushed and didn’t like it one bit. It didn’t matter. He would have his way on this issue, and he wasn’t exactly fond of being pushed either. Maybe this partnership wasn’t the best idea Joe ever had.
Alex glared at him for what seemed like several minutes before she dropped her gaze, and the tension in her body lessened. When next she looked at him, a wisp of a smile graced her lips.
“Touching . . . kissing . . . follow your lead. Got it. I can handle it. I wonder if you can.” She raised an eyebrow and studied him doubtfully.
He threw back his head and laughed. She never gave in. He might as well forget about ever getting the last word with her. Amazingly, that was okay. It was one of the many things he’d come to admire about her the last time they’d been forced into each other’s company. In spite of the adversity that marred her life, she had a good head on her shoulders, and she was probably pretty close to right—she wasn’t afraid of anything.
Alex was striving to hide her own smile and not succeeding entirely. The desire to kiss those soft, full lips came over him suddenly and with an urgency that couldn’t be ignored. In spite of the absolute knowledge that it was a boneheaded thing to do, he leaned closer and stroked her cheek lightly with his fingers.
Alex trembled but didn’t pull away as he lowered his mouth toward hers.
“Nate? Alex? You guys need a hand?” Rayna hollered from the front of the garage.
Alex’s hands came up and pushed him back as she scrambled to her feet.
Disappointment and frustration flooded Nate in equal measures. He wrapped his hand around her ankle as she stepped by him. She looked over her shoulder curiously, but he detected none of the need or the regret at being interrupted that he was struggling with. He didn’t stop to analyze why that annoyed him so badly.
“Don’t forget where we were,” he growled.
Her eyes hardened and filled with renewed distrust before darting away from him to the door and then back to skewer him with something very close to scorn. “Is that an order, boss ?”
“There you are. Everything okay?” Rayna’s cheerful voice filled the silence as she appeared in the open doorway.
Nate released Alex’s ankle and shoved to his feet. “Everything’s fine. Just finishing up.” Nate hung the first aid kit back on the wall and picked up the two tackle boxes and the sleeping bags.
Alex strode by Rayna without a word. Rayna watched her go and then turned back to him, her brows pulled together with concern. “She’s not as strong as she acts, you know. Be careful, Nate.”
Her words were laced with steel and there was no mistaking her intent. Nate didn’t doubt for a second that the warning went for everyone on Joe’s team.
Was he pushing too hard—expecting too much from Alex? Would treating her like a desirable young woman be such a bad thing? He was well aware that she was extraordinarily troubled, but why she mattered so much to him was a mystery. She tugged at something deep inside him that hadn’t been heard from in a very long time. The woman needed someone, whether she knew it or not. Apparently, sometime after she’d reappeared in his life last night, he’d appointed himself her defender. Helping her deal with her past was second only to rescuing Marco. The enormity of the task didn’t sway him.
He grabbed the fishing rods and balanced them on top of his load before starting
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