Nice. That was him. He brushed her hair out of the way and leaned over to kiss the nape of her neck. “I just want you ready for round two.” By the end of the night, there’d be no question that she belonged to him.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Dana couldn’t think of another argument to change Wolfe’s mind as she sat in the Deep Ops office after several hours of mission planning, the afternoon heat heavy in the room. Or rather, of listening to several hours of mission planning. He was in control and definitely sexy as he outlined the mission parameters, but man, she didn’t want him to go.
“This sounds really dangerous.” She looked at the map in front of the conference room, her body nicely sore from the previous night.
Jethro looked over from the end of the table, where he was poring over some documents. “It’ll be fine. Wolfe and I have both done this before.”
Wolfe nodded, studying satellite images of the hills he planned to parachute into from way too high.
Jethro stood. “We need to leave in five minutes to catch the military transport.” With a nod to her, he exited the conference room, shutting the door and leaving them alone.
“Please be careful and promise you’ll come back,” Dana said.
Wolfe put the papers down and reached for her, settling her on his lap with an easy strength that zinged butterflies through her abdomen. “I promise I’ll be careful and will return.”
She played with his dark shirt. “I understand how you’ll get into the hills, but I didn’t quite catch how you were gonna get out.”
“Well, if all goes well, a friend of Jethro’s in a helicopter is going to get us out of there.”
She bit her lip, searching for the right words. “I trust you to come back.”
He tugged her ponytail back and kissed her neck. Then he lifted his head, his dark gaze serious. “The second Gary gets wind that we’ve blown up his heroin, he’s gonna be out for blood. So I need you to stay with my team and Roscoe until I get back. Promise me.”
“I promise.” She kissed him, marveling at the firmness of his mouth. “I’ll miss you.” His plan was to return to D.C., and then go to the cabin he’d rented to wait for Gary to show. In other words, he would use himself as bait and keep her safely away from danger. “This plan had better work.”
“It will.” Wolfe kissed her, going deep and taking possession. Then he stood and placed her on her feet. “Try not to do anything dangerous until I get back.” He kissed her again and then turned, striding out of the room and heading straight for the elevator with Jethro. Seconds later, they were gone.
She pressed her lips together to keep from calling him back. They could never live normal lives with Gary out there waiting to strike, so she understood Wolfe’s need to get this mission behind them. Roscoe padded in as if sensing she needed support, and she dropped to the chair to hug him, burying her face in his fur.
Pippa came in afterward with a tray of cupcakes. “I bake when I get nervous, and so, here.” She slid the tray across the table.
Dana straightened her back. Enough wallowing and giving in to fear. Sugar was another matter. She took a cupcake and bit into it, smiling at the delicious blend of vanilla and nutmeg. “This is amazing,” she said around a mouthful.
“Thanks.” Pippa took a vacated seat, today wearing skinny jeans and marvelous brown boots. Her mahogany hair tumbled down her back, and her pretty eyes were relaxed but concerned. “How are you doing?”
Dana gulped down the rest of the cupcake. “I’m eating my feelings.”
Pippa laughed and reached for a white frosted cupcake. “I’ll eat some feelings, too.”
Roscoe yipped.
“No,” Dana said. “No more sugar for you.” He’d snuck two cookies earlier in the day and then had danced spastically for about fifteen minutes before dropping into a loud snooze. She played with a pen on the table to keep from reaching for another treat. “How are you and Malcolm doing?” she asked.
“Fantastic, although he’s a little on edge with this op. Like the rest of us.” Pippa finished her cupcake and brushed crumbs off her jeans. She stood. “I have to get some stuff finished, so I’ll let you get back to work. We need a spa day when this is all over, and I’ll look for a good one and make the arrangements.” She patted Dana’s shoulder and left.
Dana smiled. “Thanks.” Pippa was one of the nicest people she’d ever met. Drawing her laptop across the table, she started typing her article, beginning with Candy’s disappearance. She was freelance now, and she wouldn’t sell the story until Wolfe was safe and it was over, but she could start now. It’d probably be a three-part article when she was finished, and she’d put Candy’s byline first.
She got lost in writing, taking her time, petting the dog every once in a while.
When the elevator dinged outside, she grew still, her hands halting on the keyboard. What time was it, anyway? Her stomach growled. Must be around supper time.
Nari soon entered with Dr. Georgetown in tow. “Look who we have.” She winked at Dana and then gracefully exited, shutting the door behind herself.
Heat climbed into Dana’s face. “Oh. I totally forgot about the follow-up blood tests. Wolfe isn’t here right now.”
Today the doctor wore red plaid shorts and a bright blue shirt with a peacock above the left pocket. “I was golfing today, so it was no problem to stop by.” He dropped his worn doctor’s bag on the table and drew out a syringe still hygienically sealed and wrapped in a container. “How are you feeling?”
