“Okay,” he finally said. “Let’s work on a few contingency plans in case the van’s location is compromised, then call it a night.”
* * * * *
“Thanks for not making a fuss about Katrina and me being in the surveillance van,” Talia said as the two of them finished breaking down the empty pizza boxes so they’d fit in the trash can. “I know you’d rather that both of us were tucked away someplace safe and sound for this, but I can’t do that. Anna is a friend. I have to do something to help.”
Everyone else had left about fifteen minutes ago but at Katrina’s not-so-subtle urging, Talia had offered to stay and help clean up. Lennox certainly wasn’t complaining. He’d take as much time with her as he could get and had no problem driving her home later.
“I know,” he said. “And on some level, I can even admire you for being so committed to your friend that you’re willing to risk your life. But at the same time, the thought of you being in danger twists up my insides.”
By admitting how worried he was about her safety, Lennox realized he’d inadvertently revealed he cared for her—that he was already falling for her—more than she probably suspectedconsidering they’d been on one date. But the words were out and not only was there nothing he could do about it, he didn’t regret it.
“I’m not going to be in any danger,” Talia said, crushing up the last pizza box. “Katrina and I will be in the van blocks away from anything that happens. It should be me that’s worried, since you and the other guys will be much closer to any danger.”
Lennox couldn’t deny that. Even though this was supposed to be a surveillance op, he and his Teammates had decided they wanted to be close enough to act if this meeting turned into something unexpected—such as somebody’s execution. They wouldn’t stand back and let that happen.
“I’m trained for this kind of stuff,” he said, trying to be reasonable. “And it’s my job. So me being in danger is completely different.”
Talia looked at him. “There’s no difference to me. You hate the idea of me being in danger. Well, I hate the idea of you being in danger too. It doesn’t matter that you’re a trained Navy SEAL. I still worry. Fear doesn’t care about competency. It can’t be reasoned with.”
He frowned. “I guess I’ve never thought about it that way. So, consider this my apology for trying to sideline you, and a promise to be careful if you promise the same?”
“Deal,” she said. “Pinkie swear on it?”
Talia held out her tiny little finger for him to hook his much bigger finger onto. He did it, feeling completely ridiculous. Though he had to admit, she had the nicest hands ever.
“Sorry about that,” she said sheepishly after they sealed the deal with their pinkie swear. “The hazards of spending most of your day surrounded by little kids. But thanks for promising.”
He chuckled. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Okay. I probably shouldn’t be drinking coffee this late at night, but something tells me I won’t be getting to sleep any time soon as it is.”
He glanced at her as he put two scoops of coffee into the filter and added water. His machine wasn’t nearly as fancy as the one Talia had but it made a pretty good cup. “Why do you think you won’t be able to sleep?”
“I’m too excited about the surveillance op,” she said, the words coming out so fast that he could practically hear the adrenaline coursing through her veins. “I don’t how you handle doing this for a living. I’d be bouncing off the walls all the time.”
He laughed again as he poured coffee into mugs then added sweetener to his while she did the same to hers then topped it off with cream.
“The human body is amazing that way.” Well, in a lot of ways, he supposed, carrying his coffee into the living room with her. “If you move to a place that’s hot or cold, your body will become acclimatized to the conditions in an amazingly short period of time. If you’re low on food, your body becomes extremely efficient at processing whatever you can find. And if you’re constantly exposed to situations that flood your body with adrenaline, it’ll become immune to the effects.”
Talia let out a little shudder and sipped her coffee. “Well, I hope I never have to get that used to these situations. In fact, I’ll be thrilled if this is the one and only time I ever have to do something like this.”
“That’s something we can both agree on,” he said. “Just because it’s possible to get used to anything, it doesn’t mean you should.”
“Speaking of getting used to something,” she said casually. “Have you ever dated a woman long enough for her to get used to the life you lead?”
The question caught him off guard. “Okay, while that came out of left field, I’ll be honest enough to admit that I’ve never gotten far enough with any woman for it to matter.”
She chewed on her lip, studying him thoughtfully. “Because you haven’t found the right person yet or because you haven’t been looking?”
He considered that. “Probably more of the first than the second. I’ve always been open to the possibility of a serious relationship, though I’ve never been sure I’d find the right person for me. Worse, I was afraid I’d find her and then not recognize it until it was too late. But to answer your original question, I don’t think any of the women I’ve dated would ever have been able to get used to the life I lead. Maybe that’s because I wasn’t with the right kind of woman.”
“And you think I’m the right kind of woman?”
“I think you are,” he said softly, gaze coming up lock on hers. “Ihopeyou are.”
Talia didn’t say anything for a long time. Instead, she sat there cupping her mug in both hands, regarding him with an unreadable expression. After a moment, she set her coffee on the table.
“I hope so too,” she said.
