“Yes, but you wouldn’t listen when I wanted to talk about Nepal.”
He stood and put his hands on her arms, staring down into that exquisite face of hers. “I want to move on. I don’t want to argue. I want some peace between us.”
She stepped back. “Then you’ve probably got the wrong girl and we’re in the wrong line of work. You know I’ve considered it from time to time. I’ve considered quitting and seeing if that helped. I decided my job is nonnegotiable. I’ll step down at some point, but not now.”
“I never asked you to quit.”
“What if I asked you to,” she began.
“Why would you want that?”
“Because I worry this obsession with Dr. Huisman will kill you, and that will kill me, too.”
He sighed and moved into her space again. He could save this. “I’ll be fine because we’re going to take him down together. I’ve got a whole plan laid out with the new intel we have from Nepal. I’mpresenting it to your father tomorrow. We’re going to deal with the situation and then we can talk about how to proceed. I will consider moving here, but I’m not quitting until Manny’s in jail. Kenz, if you want me to tell you I’m mad at you, I am, but I’ll get over it, and I’ll get over it a hell of a lot faster if you kiss me. Way faster if you take off your clothes and let me spank your pretty ass.”
She stared at him for a moment as though contemplating her next move.
Or trying to figure out if he was worth the risk.
“I’m going to need help with the corset.” She turned and offered him her back.
“Just like that?” he parroted back to her.
Her shoulders shrugged. “Not really. I’m making a calculated move since I’m worried you’re viewing this as a chess match rather than seeing if a relationship between us can work. I think you decided collaborating with my team is the best way to get Huisman, and we all know you’ll do anything to achieve that particular goal.”
He put his hands on her shoulders. Soft, warm skin. He loved touching her. He felt better when he had a hand on her. “Can’t I do both? Can’t I want you and want justice?”
She leaned back against him. “You can, but I worry if you’re put in a position where you have to make a choice, it won’t be me. But I suppose every woman has to take that chance. Not having sex with you won’t make me happier, and it won’t increase the chance that you might be able to love me. So I’m going to go with it for now, but I know you didn’t just come here for me.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist. “Then pretend. Pretend the only thing I think about is you.” He breathed her in, loving the way she smelled, how she fit into his arms. “Pretend we met some other way. Pretend I saw you and couldn’t stand the thought of not having you. You know I thought you were gorgeous, but what you don’t know is I came onto you…your sister that first night in Sydney because I was worried Dare would get distracted by her.”
Kenzie chuckled. “Well, he got distracted all right, but not by Kala. She wouldn’t have gone for him, by the way. Kala never does the close work.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Flirting. Working a target who’s male. It’s all me, so even if wehad been targeting Dare that night, he would have been safe.”
He gently gripped her elbow and turned her around. “Your father sends you out on honey pot ops?”
Her lips curled up slightly, like she knew he was being a jealous ass and kind of liked it. “Not at all. He’s against it, but you know how our business goes. Why fight for intel when I can seduce it out of a man?”
Yep. Volcanic rage. “I’m having a long talk with your father tomorrow.”
“That should be interesting. Tell me something, Ben. Have you ever slept with a target for information? Or is it different because you’re a man?”
He had, of course. He’d worked a target, but the idea of another man’s hands on her…
This woman could drive him insane if he let her. He turned her around again and started unlacing the corset. “Well, I won’t be doing it again. I can assure you of that. This isn’t casual sex, Kenzie.”
Her palms found the door, the position so submissive it nearly made him lose it. “My dad has sent my mom in to work a target before. I mean he’s always watching so he can step in if she gets in trouble. She only flirts, but she says the sex afterward is incredible. Apparently my dad is better in bed when he’s super jealous.”
He managed to unlace the corset and get it over her head. She turned around and leaned back against the door. If she was concerned with the fact that she was half undressed and he was completely clothed, she didn’t show it. This woman was comfortable with herself and her sexuality. “I am deeply disturbed that you know so much about your parents’ sex life. Take off the skirt. I’m putting ‘no fucking around even if it’s for national security’ in our contract. Am I going to have to run our contract by him?”
“Why, Benjamin, I had no idea you were in the lifestyle,” she said as she slid the skirt off her hips and his jaw nearly dropped.
“You’re not wearing underwear.” Her gorgeous pussy was right there. He hadn’t had a chance to really look at her before. They’d been far too emotional and hurried. He was taking his time now.
“Well, I was hoping to get lucky tonight. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, so I find ways to ease my loneliness.” There was a sparkle in her eyes. No one ever teased him the way she did. “I go to alot of weddings these days.”
