When the others began to crowd around, reaching for their own snack, I stepped back, pulling my luggage with me to make room for everybody else. “I’ll be waiting in the van,” I called out softly, then turned around and headed back towards the door. I knew that the turn of events was my fault since I had practically begged to join the team at the last minute. The accommodations were what they were, especially since the original team was only supposed to be the four of them.
I stepped out into the sunlight and walked back to the van that I had arrived in. After stowing my luggage in the back of the van, I climbed in and finally bit into the still warm chocolate chip cookie that was nearly as big as my hand. Warm sweetness flowed over my tongue along with the rich chocolate that she had used. The woman was a talented baker. I was already in love. The woman could open a shop and get rich by selling nothing but cookies.
Chapter 5
Parker
Before I knew it, I devoured the entire thing, then brushed the crumbs off my hands before wiping them on my pants. Checking for any remaining traces of melted chocolate, I noticed the small cuts I had made in my palms earlier and grimaced. They would heal quickly, but in the meantime, a small amount of dried blood remained. I fished around in my satchel looking for a bottle of hand sanitizer that I always kept there. I flipped open the cap and squirted a small bit into my palm, already hissing at the stinging. I closed the lid and dropped it in my lap. “Ow, ow ow,” I chanted under my breath as I rubbed my hands together. It stung like a bitch. Once I had ensured that I had thoroughly doused my wounds with the hand sanitizer, I shook my hands in the air to dry them. I blew on the cuts in an attempt to soothe the stinging away.
I only waited for a couple more minutes until the front door opened again, and all my coworkers stepped outside. When the door to the van opened, I glanced over, expecting to see Monique. Instead, SSA Walker climbed into the seat next tomine. He gave me a nod, then called out to the driver. “We’re ready to head to the police station.”
With a nod in acknowledgment, the driver started the vehicle and pulled out onto the road. Somehow, I had forgotten that he was even there; he had been so quiet. As we began moving through town, I turned to look at my team leader, expecting that he probably had something to say since he’d chosen to ride with me instead of the other van that he had originally been in. “I’m sorry about the bed-and-breakfast,” he began. “I wasn’t aware that there were only four rooms when I agreed to let you come.”
“It’s fine, really,” I reassured quietly. “I understand that I was a last-minute addition.”
He cleared his throat. “About that,” he began, “I did you a favor by allowing you to come. I understand how fucked up the rules can be when it comes to needing experience to join a field team, while at the same time being unable to join in order to gain that experience.”
I nodded my head. It was like that with many different types of jobs. “There is one thing I need from you,” he continued, and I felt my posture stiffening at his words. “Relax,” he gave a little chuckle. “While you’re a beautiful woman, I don’t take advantage of my subordinates.”
Though the way he eyed me up and down would suggest otherwise, making me instinctively lean back, trying to put distance between us. “I wouldn’t be opposed to a mutual relationship.”
He left the words hanging heavy in the air between us. I fought to keep my reaction hidden. I understood the male ego. If I outright rejected him or indicated that he was never someone that I could be physically attracted to, I didn’t want to face any backlash. He literally held my career in the palm of his hand. One word from him and I could spend the next 20 years doing a desk job or in some remote field office doing grunt work anddealing with petty crime cases instead of my dream of putting serial killers behind bars. I needed to hunt them down like the monsters they were.
I did my best to keep the grimace out of my smile and kept the grip I had on my thighs loose, even though I instinctively wanted to clench my fists. It would be a disaster if my supervisor were able to read the disgust and anger I was trying to hide.
“Thank you, sir,” I said softly. “That’s very kind of you. I think at this time I’d like to concentrate on my career since it’s barely getting started. This job is very important to me.” I looked him in the eye, knowing that he’d be able to see the sincerity about my career goals, even if I was lying through my teeth about being flattered. “Though I do appreciate the offer. I’ll certainly keep it in mind.”No, I would not.I stressed in my mind. I planned on staying single for a very long time. He gave a thoughtful nod as he seemed to be cataloging all my microexpressions.
As a profiler who had a decade on the job, the man was experienced enough to see reactions that a person believed they had hidden successfully. All I could do was hope that with my training, I wasn’t giving away anything but what I wanted him to see.
“All right, Special Agent Parker,” he finally said. “I can certainly understand and admire your position. As I said, I don’t take advantage of my subordinates.” I gave him a nod and what I hoped appeared to be a grateful smile. “But if you ever change your mind…” he trailed off.
“Yes, sir,” I answered quietly, struggling to hold back the eye roll that threatened to break free. “And,” he continued, making me want to heave in exasperation that he wasn’t dropping the fucking subject already. “Everybody has needs,” he said suggestively. “If you need to have that itch scratched, just know that I’m here.”
I deserved a medal for the restraint I was exhibiting.
It took every ounce of self-control that I possessed to not punch him in the throat. His words felt almost dirty against my skin. I’d never felt the need to scratch any itches, and I wasn’t about to start now. Not with him, that was damn sure.
“I appreciate that, sir. Thank you for the offer.” I couldn’t bring myself to smile at him again. It was one thing to let him down easy when speaking about a relationship, but being offered sex and being treated as if I was a hole he’d be willing to fill as a favor had rage flowing through my veins. “Okay, enough of that for now.” His tone changed to one I was more used to hearing from him, and I knew he’d switched back into supervisory mode. I felt some of the tension start to ease out of my stiff muscles. “I expect you to be at the station every morning. You will not leave until you’re dismissed in the evenings.”
I readily agreed because I had common sense.
“I will be checking out this Detective Nakamura,” he said. “I don’t want one of my agents put into a harmful situation.”
“I understand, sir,” I agreed.
“I feel responsible for you,” his tone went soft again, making me want to growl in frustration.
I answered just as softly. “I get that, sir. I do. You’re my supervisor. But,” I stressed, “just know that I have the same training as the rest of you. I am capable of protecting myself.”
SSA Walker didn’t answer. He just kept eyeing me until the van came to a stop and the driver called out from the front seat.
“We’re here, sir.”
After giving me one more long look, Supervisory Special Agent Walker opened the door and stepped out into the sunshine. When he closed the door behind him, I expelled a gust of airfrom my lungs, thankful that the tense and awkward confrontation was over with. I had a feeling that he was not going to let the subject of a sexual relationship go easily. We would eventually circle back around to it, I was certain. Fromwhat I had observed about the man, he was very hardheaded and determined, which made him good at his job, but did not bode well for my continued rejection.
After unclipping my seatbelt and grabbing up my satchel, I opened the door and stepped out to join the rest of the team. We headed inside and stopped at the front desk to sign in as was customary. Before SSA Walker could introduce himself, the officer manning the desk stood up and stuck out his hand. “Supervisory Special Agent Walker?”
My team leader nodded, then reached out his own hand, giving the other man a firm handshake. “Yes, that’s me.” He waved with his other hand to the rest of us standing behind him. “This is my team.”
