The scent of strawberries lingered in her path, and Slade hated how much he was coming to love the fruity, sweet scent.
Bones picked up one of the remaining sandwiches before sitting in the chair closest to where he stood. “Our pleasure.” He began to unwrap his selection.
“We also figured y’all might be getting a little stir-crazy.” Falcon chose the chair across from where Slade sat. “Thought you could use a change in company for a couple of hours.”
“Why would you think that?” Shadow looked to him before shrugging a shoulder with an overzealous smile. “We’ve been getting along splendidly. Haven’t we, Digger?”
Digger.
She’d only referred to him as that since the night they’d almost crossed the line between co-workers and lovers. And though he’d been the one keeping her at arm’s length ever since, Slade would give anything to hear his given name fall from her lips again.
“Yep.”
He took a big bite of his sandwich, chewing and swallowing his food completely before opening the water Falcon had just slid his way. As he tilted his head back to accommodate a long, big gulp, he did everything in his power not to look the sexy blonde’s way.
Slade wasn’t trying to be an asshole, but he also couldn’t afford to let himself become lost in her gaze. Because if their eyes met for more than a few seconds at a time, he feared he’d never again be able to look away.
“Okay, then,” Bones responded as his attention bounced back and forth between Shadow and Slade. “That’s…good. Great. Glad to hear it.”
The other man’s words and tone were both hesitant in nature, as if he didn’t quit believe their corroborating claims.
“Did you guys just come here for lunch and conversation, or did you find out something new we can use to take down Senator Stanton?” Shadow asked.
“We’re still working on it,” Falcon told her.
The disappointment Slade caught from the corner of his eye reached into his chest and grabbed hold of his tightly guarded heart.
“So that would be a no,” she guessed.
Bones’ empathetic eyes softened at her obvious frustration. “Don’t worry, Shadow. Trust me, I get how hard the waiting can be.” He looked over at Falcon who was nodding his head. “We both do. But if we’re going to go after the bastard, we have to be patient and smart.”
“He’s right,” Slade supported his teammate, forcing himself to look Shadow’s way. “If we want to take him down, we have to do it the right way.”
“It’s been twenty-six years,” the brilliant woman bit back. “I think I’ve been patient long enough.”
“You only just figured out it was him a few weeks ago,” he quickly argued her point.
Totally misunderstanding the meaning behind his words, she abandoned her sandwich and rose to her feet.
“Right. Because if I’d remembered sooner, maybe he wouldn’t be walking around a free man. Is that it?”
What?
“No.” Slade gave a vehement shake of his head. “That’s not at all what I was trying to?—”
“Thanks for the food you guys.” She turned her troubled gaze first to Bones and then to Falcon as she gave a quick lick of her lips. “But I’m not really all that hungry anymore.”
“Ah, come on, Shadow.” Bones did his best to appease her. “Don’t be like that.”
“I’m not trying to be like anything. I just…” She gave a quick shake of her head. “I didn’t sleep all that well last night, and I think a nap would do me some good.”
Shadow’s claim of being tired was just an excuse to put some distance between herself and him. Slade knew this to the depth of his bones, and yet when the clearly frustrated woman left the table and started making her way back up the stairs, he didn’t say or do a single thing to stop her.
“Well, then.” Bones fell back in his chair. “That didn’t exactly go as planned.”
“She’s just stressed.” Slade heard himself making an excuse for a woman who’d rather hide away in her room rather than stay in the same room as him.
“Can’t say that I blame her,” Falcon muttered low. “Poor woman loses her mom as a kid and nearly three decades later discovers the man who killed her might be our country’s next leader. That would be a tough pill for anyone to stomach.”
