“I’m just very adamant about getting what I want. Call it a character flaw. And a sandwich during daylight hours isn’t a properdate.”
I nibbled on the edge of the turkey poking out of the flakey crust as he watched me. With him here, I didn’t know if I could sit and eat. I wasn’t bad at putting food in my mouth, but there really wasn’t an elegant way to eat a sandwich the size of yourface.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll read until you finish.” He picked up the book and slid his fingers into the gap made by his bookmark at the top. Bonus points for not bending thecorners.
I quickly chewed and swallowed. “Wait. I do have a question foryou.”
He froze and closed the book again. Instead of asking, he sat patiently waiting. I didn't know how to say what I needed to say without offending him. Not that it usually stopped me, but he was sort of paying me, and I needed my job to stay inParis.
I took a deep breath and decided to just ask. “What do you want withme?”
I almost expected him to play the question off like a joke, or make up some excuse as to why he’d been following me. Part of me wanted him to do that, give me a normal rational explanation as to why he, of all people, would be interested inme.
Instead of making light of my question, he shuffled his book and my plate toward the middle of the table and grabbed the edge of my chair just outside my thighs. The pressure of his thumbs against my knees was intense, and it felt almost like he’d placed his entire hand on me. I swallowed against the sparks prickling up my skin from the contact. It was too familiar. His touch was too familiar. The look he was leveling me with was too familiar. And damn him to hell, I wantedmore.
He slid the chair, loudly and obnoxiously, across the pitted ground toward him until my knees sat closed on the inside of his, spread wider. He was either about to give me the best kiss of my life or scold me, and I didn’t know which I wantedmore.
“I’m only going to say this once.” His tone was hard edged like the rough concrete he’d just pulled me across. “I like you, Isobel. I want to be more than friends with you. I don’t care if I’m technically your boss and you’re technically myemployee.”
Each word made those sparks move faster until my skin felt like it was vibrating under his scrutiny. I realized if I lightened the mood now, it would likely offendhim.
“Mr. Gray,” Ibegan.
He shook his head. “Dorian,please.”
I stopped and stared at him. “Your name is Dorian Gray? Why didn’t I notice thatbefore?”
He met my eyes, and I realized I had done exactly what I’d just instructed myself not to—made light of the moment between us. Anger simmered in his eyes, and I pushed myself back on track. “We’ll ignore that for now, Dorian. What I want to know is why you’ve been following me. I’ve noticed for weeks. Not exactly a good way to win adate.”
His hands tightened on the edge of the chair, and it caused his thumbs to flick alongside my knee caps. I didn’t think he realized he was doing it, but the movement still ignited my skin there. Who knew knees could be sosensitive?
“I don’t want to worry you. But someonehasbeen following you. Someone who isn’t me. I’ve been following you both to make sure you staysafe.”
Alarm wrenched through me. I knew that someone was following me, but I’d always assumed it was just him, I’d never considered it could be someone else. Then realization dawned. I was in a foreign country, away from anyone I knew back at home. There was only one person who would have the balls to put a guard onme.
I leaned back and held up a finger to stop anything else he was about to say. He sat back and froze. “What isit?”
“May I borrow your cellphone?”
He didn’t ask questions, something I liked in a man, and reached into the jacket hanging off his chair. He handed me his phone, open to the dial screen. I wondered what would be in his textmessages.
I hit the number I had been forced to learn by heart and waited for it to ring. It took three rings for a click, and I spoke clearly into the line. “Juliet Alpha Kilo Echo.” Then I hungup.
Gray sat back in his chair now with his hands crossed over his flat belly. “Dare Iask?”
Exactly ten seconds passed, and the phone rang in my hand. I answered with: “Jake, I’m going to killyou.”
“Now, is that anyway to greet yourbrother?”
“My brother who is about to be ball-less. Call off your guard, or I’ll come up with some scheme like I did in Budapest, and then you’ll have to explain it to yoursuperiors.”
His warm familiar laugh came down the line, and even though I was pissed at him, I reveled in that sound. His being a Navy SEAL meant I never got to see him. I missed him, even when I wanted to throw something at hishead.
“I only did it for yourprotection.”
“I can protect myself. Call him off, or you will regretit.”
Some shuffling came through the line. “I love you, Sis. Gottago.”
