She shook her head. She had that on her—although he didn’t know about that. Before he could follow up, sheremembered. “My phone! I can’t believe I didn’t check it yet.”
She wasn’t as tied to her phone as some millennials, but after a few days she should be jonesing big-time. After rescuing it from the suitcase John had dragged up the stairs, she had to plug it in for a few minutes to start it. There were three progressively angrier messages from her boss, one from Nancy making sure she was okay, and two from Mac wondering where the hell she was. There was also a message from Mick the hockey player, checking in to make sure they were still on for their rescheduled date tomorrow. She’d called before she’d left for Finland to push their makeup date back a week. Not surprisingly, she’d forgotten all about it.
She didn’t realize John was listening so closely until he said, “Who the hell was that?”
She turned to look at him, hearing the angry edge to his voice. No, “angry” wasn’t quite the right word. “Ice-cold” was a little better. His eyes were positively glacial.
She arched an eyebrow, taking in his reaction. Interesting.Veryinteresting. Mr. Casual wasn’t acting so casual. He was acting jealous.
Deciding to test her theory, she said, “Just a guy I’ve been dating.”
Half a date, but who was counting?
“You’ve been dating someone?” he shouted, looking as if his head were about to explode. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Okay, maybe it was juvenile to be happy when a guy was jealous, but that didn’t stop her. She wanted to grin like a thirteen-year-old.
Instead, she shrugged. “I didn’t think it mattered. It’s not as if you and I are exclusive or anything.”
“Who the fuck said that!”
His shouting was getting louder and angrier. “I just assumed. You aren’t exactly a one-girl type of guy, John.”
His eyes narrowed to slits. “You aren’t dating him.”
“I assume the same goes for you?”
“I won’t date him either.”
She’d walked right into that one. “You know what I mean.”
He finally seemed to realize that she was teasing him, but surprisingly, rather than accuse her of trying to trick him or pin him down, he pulled her into his arms. “Consider this exclusive.”
Brittany tried not to get carried away, but it happened anyway. She knew what a big step it was for him to make that kind of commitment to her, and her heart swelled.
Not even his hastily added “as long as we’re together” could put a rein on her soaring hopes. Especially when he sealed that promise by covering his mouth with hers in a fierce kiss that left no room for argument.
Not that she intended to make one. Exclusive was fine by her. It was more than fine. It was what she’d wanted but hadn’t let herself think about.
Just like she wouldn’t let herself wonder how long “as long as we’re together” would be.
•••
“I won’t be too late,” John said. “There are guys posted at every exit, on the roof, and one in that car over there.” He pointed to the midsized American-made sedan parked across the street with a perfect view to her living room window.
The LC had essentially given them their own private army. The guys—all former operatives—had been sent from the biggest defense contractor in the country. Apparently, the senior chief, Dean Baylor, had hooked up with Steve Marino’s stepdaughter—more than hooked up, according to the LC—and they essentially had carte blanche/no questions asked with his hired men.
John would have to thank Tex later for the fortunatetaste in girlfriends.Afterhe gave him shit for hooking up with a “do-gooder.” The senior chief with an environmental activist? John couldn’t believe it. After all the pinko Berkeley crap John had taken over the years from him, he was looking forward to some payback.
Brittany practically pushed him out the door. “Get out of here. I’ll be fine. It’s like Fort Knox at this place. Besides, your hovering is driving me nuts.”
He frowned. What was she talking about? “I’m not hovering.”
She stared at him, challenging that assessment with crossed arms and a sharply arched eyebrow.
One corner of his mouth lifted, which was about as close to a smile as he’d had since this damned plot had been hatched. “All right, maybe I’ve been hovering a little.”
“You taste-tested my peanut butter and jelly sandwich!”
