“I’m not sure, but Dean probably has a live feed he could pull up at any moment.”
Her jaw set, and he could see the tension simmering, but then she laughed.Grace tipped her head back and cried, “Come on.Do you know how long I’ve wanted this guy?”
Wanting to pull his hair out, he had to laugh, too.
“I’m being serious,” she managed.
“Believe me, you’re not alone in that frustration.”
“The cameras can’t beeverywhere, can they?The bathroom?”
He liked the way her mind worked.“I’ll find out.”
The oven timer beeped.
“Okay, come on, universe,” she called.
“Sit still a minute.”He pulled the pot pie out of the oven so they wouldn’t forget and burn the safe house down, then turned toward the garage.There had to be tools in there.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting what I need to clear the security cameras from inside this house.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ashiverofexpectationrolled over Grace.She wasn’t hungry for dinner and watched Callum work his way through the living room like a predator stalking his prey.His eyes swept the corners and shelves; he inspected the knickknacks and the stuffed fish that were hung on the wall.He unscrewed air vents and electrical outlet covers.Every now and then, he tossed a dish towel over a fish head, a bookend, and what had to be a security camera.
“Can they hear us?”she asked.
“Maybe.They’re probably watching right now and having a hell of a good laugh.”
“Are you going to get in trouble?”
“I didn’t permanently dismantle anything.”He checked the base of a bear-shaped lamp, crouched low to feel along the underside of a mounted deer’s head, and then pulled a knife out of his pocket to pry loose a vent cover painted to the wall.
He moved with practiced efficiency, as if he were actually at work, searching for trouble.Every move was calculated.Controlled.Sexy as hell.And raising her level of anticipation by a mile.“Why are there so many cameras?”
“In case of a breach.Different angles give different intel.”
Her stomach dropped.He’s sworn the safe house was the best place for them and that his work associates wouldn’t turn her over to Dominic.But the cameras supported her hypothesis.Anyone could be bought.Dominic could easily find her just as he had flipped witnesses.
“Don’t overthink the cameras,” Callum called.
“You don’t know what I’m thinking.”
He shot her a look over his shoulder.“Think about what I was going to do to you on that couch instead.”
Her stomach flipped.Oh.Hell.She twisted the bracelet on her wrist.“I’ll put dinner in the fridge.”
He stopped and stared at her.
Grace pretended not to notice her heart tripping.“I mean, ifthatis what we’re doing instead of eating.God, don’t look at me like that, Callum.If you can tear the house apart, I can put dinner up.”
But she suddenly understood the difference.Clearing the cameras meant they could get naked whenever.Putting the food up meantnow.Nowwas written all over his face.The air squeezed out of her lungs.She was drowning, and he was the oxygen that could save her.
“One more minute.”He charged toward the bedroom like a man on a mission to save humanity.Callum Hale wasn’t trying to seduce her with sweet talk or touches.He was giving her privacy, offering her safety, and being up front and clear on what he wanted.Her.
She put the food they’d worked hard on into the refrigerator.Her heart galloped at the sound of his footsteps returning toward the kitchen—and he didn’t stop until she was backed against the wall.His forearm pressed over her head, and his body caged her in place.
