Chapter 27
“Did you get what you needed?”Mac asked the next morning.They had gotten so preoccupied with making up for lost time, she had forgotten about the purpose of his dinner with Annabelle and had promptly fallen asleep.Now it was a new day, and she was wide awake.
Barry was too, though his eyes were closed.He stroked his fingers down the side of her arm.Neither were in a rush to get up.It was earlier than she normally got up, so she wasn’t motivated to move yet.
“I did.I’ll go through the data later today.”
“Hopefully the answers we need are on it.”
“I hope so too.”Barry opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her.“Did you learn anything from Miles?”
“Other than he’s an egotistical prick?No.”Last night’s conversation came back to her.“Though I may have ruined our spying a bit.”
“You both looked angry.What did you say to him?”
Mac sat up, propping her head on her hand.“Why do you think I said something?Couldn’t it have been him saying something?”
Barry raised an eyebrow.Mac winced and laid back down on his chest.
“I accused him of being responsible for the disappearance of the sharks.”
“Mac,” he said in a chiding tone.
Mac sat up fully.“He provoked me,” she defended.“He was talking about how rich he was and how he wanted to make this a metropolis city.I asked about the cove, and he went on about potential in that area for something other than the sharks, and I snapped.”
Mac wouldn’t meet Barry’s gaze.She knew she’d messed up.She should have just walked away from Miles instead of engaging him with conversation.“Don’t say I told you so; I already know.I’m sorry I probably blew the mission.”
Barry reached up and pulled her back to his chest.He planted a soft kiss on the top of her head.Not the reaction she’d expected.“Are you mad at me?”she asked for clarification.
“No, a little disappointed, but you’re a passionate woman who will defend sharks until your last breath.”It was true.“I’d expect nothing less from you for standing up to the bully.”
Mac lifted her head to look up at him.“But he’s going to be even more guarded now.”
Barry leaned forward and kissed her forehead again.“We’ll figure it out.I’ll go through the data and see if we can catch him before he comes after you.”
Mac shifted to her stomach to look at him.“You’re not going to suggest I hide here?”
Barry raised an eyebrow at her suggestion.“Would you if I did?”
“No.”
“So why waste my breath?”
Mac leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his lips.“Smart man.”
“Hmm,” Barry murmured, pulling her in for a deeper kiss.
Mac started to sink into the kiss before pulling back and scrambling out of the bed.
“Where are you going?”Barry reached for her, but she stayed out his long reach.
“I have to get ready for work.”
“Are you ever going to take me out on your boat?”Barry asked, lying back on the bed.
She hadn’t planned on it.“Why?”
“I want to see what you do.”
