He saw her lip twitch like she was trying to smile. “I didn’t do anything except call the police. You did all the work.” There was his fiery woman. Maybe she wouldn’t get the adrenaline crash like he feared. “That was pretty impressive for a guy who spends his days behind a desk.”
Mike shook his head. This woman could try the patience of a saint. She practically knew what he did without him saying anything. He never denied it, but he wasn’t supposed to tell her either. Would it make a difference at this point telling her? She already knew. Well, not that he was a Delta, but she knew he did more than he let on. But it was fun to keep her guessing. “I was taught by Tibetan monks.”
“Tibetan monks are peace-loving.” She pouted, but there was no censure in her tone. She dealt with classified information all day. She knew what it was like having to keep secrets. Destiny didn’t press him for answers, for which he was thankful. It was more becoming a long-standing joke between them.
“I peacefully took him to the ground.” Mike just smiled and kissed her on the top of her head.
“If that was peaceful, I’d hate to see you angry.” Destiny wrapped her arm around Mike’s waist shaking her head and they all but ran to her door. She took out her key to unlock the door but that’s when he noticed the change he had been waiting for. Her hand started shaking and she couldn’t get the key in the hole.
“Let me.”
“Thanks,” she smiled gratefully. “I’m going to get something to drink, do you want anything?”
Not ready to call it yet a night, Mike nodded.
“I’ll be right back.” Mike watched her head for the kitchen and his gaze instantly dropped to her ass as her hips swayed. He was tempted to follow her in the kitchen and see about picking up where they left off, but he decided to hold back. Wait and see how she was feeling after getting a drink.
After five minutes and she hadn’t come back out, Mike began to worry. He found her in the kitchen standing at the sink, her back to him, looking out the window. The lights were still off. The only light source coming the living room. She didn’t seem to hear him as he came into the kitchen.
“Destiny?” She didn’t give any reaction to hearing her name. He stepped up beside her. He could now see she wasn’t looking out the window but staring down into the sink. Her hands braced on the counter. Her knuckles white as they griped the counter in a death grip. The sink was turned on and a glass sat on the bottom being overfilled.
“Des, you okay?” He gingerly touched her back hoping not to spook her.
“Yeah,” she looked over at him and smiled like she didn’t have a care in the world. “Just getting a drink of water.”
Mike glanced down at the water glass then back at her. Destiny’s gaze followed and quickly shut off the water. “Oops.”
“Des, if you’re upset about the mugger, it’s okay. We can talk about it.”
“There isn’t much to say.” She shrugged, keeping herself busy dumping half the water out of the glass and taking a sip.
He hated how she was shutting him out. “You don’t have to put on a brave face for me.”
“I’m not.” Destiny dumped out the rest of the water and went back into the living room, Mike hot on her trail.
“Everyone reacts to fear—”
“Stop,” she interrupted him never raising her voice as she whirled back around to face him. “I wasn’t scared for me.”
“But?” He felt there was more to that statement.
The veil finally pulled from her face and Mike saw raw emotion. She did look scared but not huddle-in-the-corner, everyone-leave-her-alone scared. It was fear for another.
“I know you refuse to tell me what you do, and that’s fine,” she quickly rushed out. “You have your secrets and I have mine. But for a moment, I feared when I saw you stand up to that guy with a knife what would happen if something happened to you. All the what-ifs and so many regrets.” She shook her head sadly. Mike wanted to ask her what her regrets were, but she kept talking.
“I know you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself. But accidents happen to everyone, even trained soldiers.” Destiny took a shuddering breath and stepped closer to him. Her hands glided up his chest to his shoulders. Her breasts crushed against his chest as her arms wrapped around his neck. The heels placed the top of her lips at the same level as his.
“We were never in any danger.” He would never let anything happen to her. Ever.
“But if he’d had another knife, or a sidekick, or—”
Mike didn’t let her finish her tirade. There was no use wondering all the what-if’s so he kissed her to silence her fears. He’d been trained for years to handle situations like the one they’d been in. The mugger wasn’t very skilled with a knife. He appeared more like he hoped a scare tactic would get him what he wanted and no one would stand up to him.
He had been in much deadlier situations than they had been in and came out on top. He couldn’t say unscathed, but that was the downsize to his build. He made for an easier target.
Mike gently explored her mouth, keeping the kiss light and playful, hoping to get her off this conversation. He didn’t want her focusing on the negative but only the fact it was over and done and he would always keep her safe. It irked a little that she doubted his skills. Assuming even the best could be taken down by a mugger. It wasn’t unheard of, but to question a man like that pricked his pride.
“Ninja school taught me how to defend myself against a knife attack,” he joked, but Destiny didn’t look amused. She looked concerned. For him. No one had ever worried about him before. True, his teammates got worried every time he got hit by a stray bullet, but they laughed when it was just a graze. None of his injuries so far had been life-threatening and now it was an anomaly if he didn’t get hurt on a mission.
