“I…I know you didn’t,” she whispered. He’d done it forher.Because he had a thing for her, a carnal,complicatedthing—though she suspected the “carnal” part was something they shared while the “complicated” part was hers alone. That two-eternity hour had given her a lot of time to think, to delve into the depths of her feelings for him.
And what had she found down there, do you suppose? Well, none other than…love.An ocean of the stuff, deep and warm and endless. How she could have missed it all these months was beyond her. But it probably had something to do with the fact that she hadn’t felt the emotion for anyone since her mother died, and had never felt romantic love at all, so it’d been hard to recognize. Also, if she was being completely honest, for a year and a half she’d studiously kept herself from looking too hard at her feelings regarding Leo. Scared shitless of what she’d find.
But now that shehadlooked? Well, there was noun-looking. So, yeah. She loved him. Like a magnet loves metal. Like a flower loves the sun. Like fish love the sea, and any and all other applicable comparisons. Intrinsically. Unquestionably.
Whowouldn’t?There wasn’t a man alive who was as brave or loyal orsexyas Leo. As funny or as kind. In short, the guy was lovable. That’s all there was to it.
Fatlotofgooditdoesme.
Because, just like Bran said, there was no future for them. There might have been a chance once. Before Syria. Before she lied to him about…well…everything. And before her deception forced her to make a decision that ultimately got his friend killed. But not now.
“Anyway,” she went on, disguising the lump in her throat by blowing out an exaggerated breath, “he said the A-Team wasn’t able to fix their propeller, and they’re having to limp our way on one engine. They should be here pretty soon, though.”
“Uncle John would say they’re like a blister,” Leo said, and she cocked her head. “They don’t show up until the work’s all done.”
“Oh yeah. Right.” She glanced out at the softly rolling sea. He’d made a joke, but she couldn’t even fake a laugh. She was going to disappoint him. Maybe even piss him off. But there was no way around it. At least none that she could see.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Of course,” she lied. Again. “My boss, he, uh, he hopes they can fix the issue once they’re here and have the proper tools to work with. Then he wants us to give the package to them. With two engines at full speed, they can make it back to Key West in a few hours. He’s itching to get the package secured as quickly as possible.”
“Makes sense,” Leo agreed, eyes narrowing. He could tell, either by her tone or her expression, that there was more to the story. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His gaze narrowed further, as if he knew it was sign of nervousness.
She quickly dropped her hand. “He wants me to follow the A-Team back to Key West with the crew of theBlackGold. Once we dock, he and I will debrief them, gather the evidence, do the cleanup, and send them on their way to Houston.”
Leo was no dummy, easily catching her use of the singular pronouns. “And me and the guys? What arewesupposed to do?”
“He put in a call to Romeo and Doc,” she told him. “After they load up on fuel, they’ll fly the Otter out to pick you up and take you back home.”
For a second he said nothing, just stood there blinking at her. She would swear the air around her dropped ten degrees. Goose bumps peppered her skin. “Just like that, huh?” he finally said. “Thanks, but our services are no longer needed?”
She swallowed, unable to meet the molten heat in his gaze. “It’s not my call, Leo,” she whispered.
“I know that,” he said, then blurted, “I could come with you to Key West. After you finish with everything, we could—”
“I’m needed back in DC,” she interrupted, trying not to wince when yetanotherlie sliced into her tongue like an old, rusty cutlass. It was one thing to contemplate spending the night wrapped in his strong arms when mutual lust with a nice side of mutuallikewere the only two things on the menu. But add in a heaping helping of love? Yeah, buddy. That changed everything.
Shecouldn’tsleep with him now. Give herself to him mind and body,heartandsoul. If she did, she’d have to spend the rest of her life knowing what that was like, the glory of it, the absolute wonder of being with the man she loved. Which would make all the long, lonely nights that stretched out in front of her that much more impossible to bear.No. It’s better not to know.
“We still have to find…” She trailed off because there were civilian ears listening in. “There are things we still have to deal with. As you know.”
“And how about after you deal with those things?” he demanded. The man was relentless. Was he going to make her spell it out for him?
“I’m sorry, Leo.” She shook her head, her eyes pleading for him to understand, though she knew he wouldn’t. How could he? He had no idea she’d been bowled over by a grand epiphany. And she sure as shit wasn’t going totellhim. Though, maybe she should. Dropping theL-bomb might guarantee he ran screaming in the opposite direction.
“Yeah,” he sighed, nodding. “I’m sorry too, Olivia.” The frustration and confusion in his voice were palpable.
* * *
5:59 p.m.…
She liked him.
He knew she liked him.
And, more than that, she washotfor him. There was no mistaking the way her skin flushed when he got close to her, the way her mouth opened eagerly to the press of his tongue, or the way her sweet center went soft and wet when he touched her, licked her. The memories of her smell, her taste, her unabashed release had his blood running hot, heavy. He was hard. Again. Or maybe he’d neverstoppedbeing hard.
Sowhythehellisshewillin’ to leave it at that?
