Mitch crossed the room to stand toe-to-toe with him. “Well, the second either one of you want to bail, there’s the damn door. Don’t let it hit you on—”
“Mitch,” Josh warned. “Crank it back.”
Reese didn’t move away from the counter, but he did cross his arms over his chest, clearly fighting the impulse to punch back with his words or his fists. Instead, his nostrils flared, but he never looked away from the confrontation.
This was exactly what Mitch had worried might happen if he let his feelings for Liz materialize. And, if places were reversed, he’d be the first one standing in Reese’s position, laying everything out plain and simple. Still, Mitch wouldn’t back down.
“What’s going on?” Liz’s voice, coming from the living room, made the two men blink.
“Nothing.” Mitch stepped away, more than glad she’d slipped on a cover-up.
“There must be something going on”—she slid onto one of the stools at the counter—”because you two look like you’re about to explode.”
“Just two guys and a bunch of bull.” Reese winked at her, then unfolded his arms from over his chest and headed toward the door.
Mitch swallowed hard. Instead of playing everything cool, he’d let his ego make the play. Neither one of his teammates had deserved that. “Reese.”
Reese stopped, glanced over his shoulder.
“Agreed,” Mitch said.
“Thanks. I’ll unhook the PWC trailer before I head out to see what’s going on around here. Call if you need anything.”
“Do you need some help with the trailer?” Mitch asked.
“No, I got it.” Reese stepped out the door, closing it behind him.
“I better get out of here, too,” Josh called from the computer.
Liz sucked in a breath then leaned across to see the screen. “I didn’t know you were there, Josh.”
He nodded. “I’m here. But I need to get some work done on this end before we talk again later.”
“Let’s hope we hear something definitive by twenty-one hundred.” Mitch clicked off the computer.
“Hear about what?” she asked.
“CT might have eyes on us.”
“Here? At the house.”
“Maybe. We’re confirming our info. But rest assured, this place is wired with the latest in security and surveillance.” He made sure his tone was confident enough to ease any doubt she might have.
Until Drake had Russ in hand, Mitch wasn’t going to give Liz any hope by telling her bits and pieces. He still needed her to work on everything she could remember about the publisher. Giving her hope might subconsciously cause her to hold things back.
…
Liz had no idea what she’d walked in on in the kitchen, and she could tell none of the men planned to make her any the wiser. That could mean only one of two things. Either there was really bad news. Or, the conversation had been about her. Bad news could always wait.
“I think I’ll go clean up and start on that info you asked me to compile about my former boss,” she said.
“Sounds good. There are pens and paper and sticky notes in the media room. A whiteboard if you work better that way.” Mitch walked over and looped his arm across her shoulder. “Want me to get those for you?”
“Thanks, but I’ll get what I need.” He was being nice with the offer, but she needed to face her demons head on. After all, what was walking into a windowless room compared to making love to a man she had no chance of holding forever? “You guys were arguing, right?”
Moving to the other side of the counter, he braced his hands on the granite. “Difference of opinion, that’s all. Don’t let it worry you. Doesn’t worry me.”
She couldn’t quite seem to make her gaze meet his, never mind fidgeting her fingers like a child caught in the cookie jar. Except in this case, the cookie jar had been a big, round chaise lounge. And, the cookie was the blue-eyed, sexy man standing in front of her. The one who’d caressed her with every breath he took as he stroked her body. That had probably been a mistake on both their parts, but she didn’t care.
