Todd smirked. “Or his world-famous abs, more likely.” Jason had been a football player and model in college—before joining the Air Force—and there were people who still remembered him from a long-running underwear ad at least a decade old.
“He’s also wondering why his best friend hasn’t contacted him once.”
Fuck. Todd should be the one learning to walk again. “I sent flowers.”
Kurt wielded the silence like a blade.
“Just tell him I asked, would you? I had some shit to work through even before everything went cattywampus yesterday, but I’m coming back.”
“Valerie mentioned that she’d tracked Pete Lassiter to Montana.”
Todd sighed. He couldn’t even be mad at her for spilling the beans. “And I think he and Megan might be in the same place.”
“Christ. You’re going in with a civilian, without backup. Are you sure that’s wise?”
Definitely not, and they both knew it. Unwise, ill-advised, certainly risky, and the only plan he could come up with that had a chance of finding Megan alive. “Last time I took a backup, I nearly got him killed.”
“And yet he’d do it again. Just like you would for him,” Kurt said, his voice hard and uncompromising. “Would you wanthimto go off half-cocked on his own like this?”
Shame scorched Todd’s chest. “No.”
To his left, Lindsey emerged from the hallway that led to the little shopping center’s public restroom in new tan pants, a long-sleeved black tee, and hiking boots that actually fit. Tension tightened her mouth, but her stride remained casual. As nervous and upset as she was, she hid it pretty well. If he wasn’t so experienced at reading people—and so attuned to her—he probably wouldn’t have noticed. Unfortunately, he couldn’tnotnotice her. It was like a little kick to the chest every time.
And if he’d had any doubts about going with her, they fled the minute she emerged into the golden evening sunlight, fresh and beautiful and in need.
“Look,” Todd said, unwilling to get his boss more entrenched in his foolhardy scheme, “I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you when I can. Thanks for your help.”
“Of course.” Kurt almost sounded offended that he might expect anything less. “Take care of yourself, Brennan.”
“Always.”
“Good luck.”
Todd’s heart knocked against his ribs as Lindsey reached his table. “Yeah.” He sure as hell hoped there was some of that famed “luck of the Irish” in his blood, because they were damn sure going to need it.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LINDSEY HELD HER breath as she exited the building, but the sheriff’s car had moved on. Still on alert, she approached Todd and tried to decipher his facial expressions as he spoke on the phone. Mostly he looked worried and sad as he ended the call and put the cell into his pants pocket.
“Everything okay?” she asked when she reached the picnic table.
He nodded. “Sure. Kurt’s going to find someone to negotiate for us when the time comes. And he’s going to have Valerie look into JJ.”
“That’s awesome. Thank you.”
Todd shrugged. “I wish I had more to offer.”
Seriously? “If you had more to offer, you’d be Superman.” Or her lover.
Not that she had time to deal withthosethoughts right now. And yet, she didn’t have it in her to say no to his kisses, even to protect herself from the inevitable pain when they parted ways.
He was like the super plush blanket you couldn’t stop stroking, the scented candle you couldn’t get enough of, the perfect combination of sunshine and cool ocean breezes that made you want to stay outside all day. Irresistible.
His expression turned hard, his voice flat. “I’m no superhero.”
“No, you’re a flesh-and-blood man who risked his life to save a strange woman despite the danger to yourself. That makes you pretty super, and definitely a hero. At least to me.”
She could feel all of his focus shift to her, sending tingles of awareness and anticipation across her skin.
