“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Us.”
I blink. “Us?”
“Whether we find your stalker.” He trails his knuckles along my cheek. “Whether you’re still in danger.” He drags them down along my throat, letting them linger there lightly. “And whether or not we decide there’s more to us than just a few innocent kisses.”
It’s time to bite the bullet, no matter how far out of my comfort zone it is. “We both know there’s more to us than that.”
“Yes, but is it enough?”
“For what?”
“To upend both of our lives? To make short-term plans that are going to have long-term ramifications.”
“You think the possibility of us being together, as a couple, is going to have something you would label ‘long-term ramifications?’” I arch my brows at him. “That sounds more like a business deal than a relationship.”
“I just meant there are a lot of things to consider. My job, your job, the fact that we live in different countries, whether or not we want the same things… This could get hella complicated.”
“I disagree.” I take his hand in both of mine and gently splay his fingers. His hands are big and a little rough, as though he uses them for his work. I assume he has fighting and weapons skills, but I don’t want to think about that.
Instead, I think about how it feels when he uses those hands to touch me. How it will feel when his touch becomes more intimate than handholding and stroking my cheek.
“Shannon?”
I’ve been quiet too long, so I bring his hand back to my cheek. “I love the way it feels when you touch me,” I say after a moment. “I love your hands. I know it’s dumb, but just looking at them makes me feel safe.”
I’m dying inside, unsure how to talk like this to a man, especially one as exciting and powerful as this one. But I refuse to stop.
“I didn’t know you ten years ago, but my father did. For him to invite you to be my date that night, there had to be something special about you. Obviously, he was right, because the chemistry between us ignited immediately and has remained a gently simmering fire despite the fact that we’ve had no contact in years. And both of us have had the same memories, the same longings, the same—albeit I’m sure very different in detail—fantasies. That isn’t a coincidence or something we should take lightly. I can’t let you go again without at least trying.”
“I’m thinking the same thing,” he whispers, leaning in to kiss me. Just as his lips find mine, we hear the sound of the sliding glass doors and suddenly there’s noise and a rush of people. The other cruisers are back from their excursion into Cologne and we’re no longer alone.
“Shit,” I mutter against his mouth.
He chuckles. “Don’t worry. We can go back to?—”
“Ace? That you, buddy?”
Chapter 15
Ace
Who the fuck knows me on a fucking cruise ship on the Rhine fucking River in fucking Germany? As a spy, I’m prepared for almost anything, but not for being recognized here on this damn boat. I get to my feet, instinctively blocking Shannon from view. The face in front of me is one I haven’t seen in a while, and probably the last one I expected to see here.
“Chris?” I probably look like a deer in the headlights staring at him, but he doesn’t have any such qualms and reaches out a hand.
“Good to see you! Been a long time.” His blue eyes twinkle with unspoken humor at running into each other considering our history, but the attractive woman beside him doesn’t seem at all suspicious.
“It has been.” I nod as I shake his hand.
“This is my girlfriend, Aubrey.” He slides an arm around the auburn-haired woman’s waist.
“Nice to meet you.” I shake Aubrey’s hand and then reach for Shannon’s, hoping she’ll fall into the role of girlfriend. And of course she does, because she’s Shannon and we know each other far too well for two people who’ve only been together a week. “This is my girlfriend, Shannon. Shannon, this is Chris Brenner and his girlfriend, Aubrey.”
“Hi.” Shannon smiles, shaking their hands.
