“A safe house, and you’re headed to one too. Along with Agent Malone.”
“Sir, we can’t work the case—”
“It’s not permanent. Just until we come up with a security protocol. Someone’s picking us off, and I’m done losing people.”
“Can’t I stay here with Gil?”
“Not overnight, but you’re going to have to sit tight while we work out the details on where to send you. For now, stay put. Stay sharp.” Jacob’s growled words left no room for argument.
The call disconnected, and Luke returned the phone to Faith. “My boss is freaking out.”
“Mine too.” She stood and handed him a cup of coffee, then took a long drink from the Cherry Coke the nurse must have brought while he was in the shower. She tilted the half-empty bottle in his direction. “Thank you for this. I needed it.”
“Not much of a coffee drinker, are you?” He took a tentative sip of the brew, then another. It wasn’t the worst he’d had.
“Not a coffee drinker at all.” She shuddered in feigned horror. “Why would anyone want to drink bean water?”
“As opposed to chemical-laden liquid sugar bombs?” He countered with a pointed look at her Cherry Coke.
And she laughed. A real laugh that lit her up and drew his attention to her lips. It wasn’t like he’d never noticed them before. The rose of them against her skin. The perfect proportion of the top to the bottom. They would be soft. He knew it.
And he knew he was in big, big trouble.
12
FAITH FINISHED OFFher Cherry Coke and reached for her bag. She retrieved her iPad and pencil and curled up as best she could in the hard pleather chair in the corner of the room.
The fact that the chair was also the farthest she could get from Luke was an added bonus ... or unfortunate circumstance? She met his gaze and couldn’t stop the heat that flooded her cheeks as she caught him staring.
In what universe did she fall apart ... and fall into a man’s arms?
She’d decided a long time ago that men were unreliable and untrustworthy. Eventually, things would get tough, and they would leave.
But Luke didn’t leave. When Gil fell, Luke stayed. He’d risked everything to save his friend. And then when she gave him the chance to go inside, he’d refused to leave her alone.
Maybe he was an exception to the rule, but she didn’t have the time, energy, or desire to explore that possibility. She had a job to do, and she intended to do it to the best of her ability. She tapped the iPad and brought it to life. Back to business.
“Faith?”
She focused on the screen in front of her. “Yes?”
The bed creaked as he climbed onto it. “Is it safe for me to assume you no longer suspect any of us for these attacks?” The motor engaged as he adjusted the angle of the head of the bed.
The teasing in his voice gave her hope that maybe they could forget the tension and attraction the events of the afternoon had unearthed. She risked a glance and found him smiling, relaxed. Friendly.
Friendly was good.
“I never thought it was any of you,” she said. “But I’ve learned not to trust my instincts.”
Luke coughed. “After what I saw today, I’d say your instincts work fine. You were amazing.”
She couldn’t stop the bloom of delight from his compliment, but she didn’t let it distract her. “I trust them in tense situations, but when it comes to investigations, I leave room for the unexpected. I don’t assume anyone is innocent. Or guilty. Good or bad.”
“Most people are both.” He made the statement in an obvious attempt to provoke her.
“Are you always so argumentative?”
“Who, me?”
