“Are you kidding? We love days like this.”
“She’s right.” Ro nodded. “It gives us an excuse to hang out, gossip…eat yummy food. And of course, there’s always the wine.”
The three women laughed softly together as Natalia shot a quick glance in the teams’ direction.
“They look pretty involved in whatever it is they’re talking about.” She turned back to Megan. “Will you do me a favor, and tell Christian I’ll text him later with the time for tomorrow’s meet-up?”
“Absolutely.” Megan nodded.
“It was great meeting you, Talia.” Ro shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. “Hopefully we can hang out again soon. You know, after you and the boys do…whatever it is you’re planning to do tomorrow night.”
“I’d like that.” Natalia was surprised by how truthful that statement turned out to be.
In another life, perhaps, she could almost see herself and the other women as honest to goodness friends.
With a small wave goodbye—and a silent prayer that she could escape without anyone else being the wiser—Natalia bid Megan and Ro a final farewell. She waited until she was closing the front door behind her to shove her hand into her pocket and dig out the fob to her rental car.
A short moment later, she was reaching for the driver’s door of her car when she heard a deep, familiar voice rumble low from somewhere close behind.
“Leavin’ without tellin’ your partner goodbye?”
Jagger. Of course.
Her lids fell shut. She dropped her outstretched hand back down to her side. She was close. So freakingcloseto making a clean getaway.
But now…
Natalia pulled in a long, cleansing breath. Blowing it out slowly, she turned to face him, doing her best to hide the rising annoyance this man always seemed to cause.
Not his fault you find him sexy as sin.
“You and the others seemed pretty involved in whatever it was you were discussing,” she blurted a little too roughly. “And since we just spent the last two days together…and we’ll be seeing each other again during the final procedural review before tomorrow’s op…I didn’t feel as though an interruption was warranted simply so I could tell you goodbye.”
“You ‘didn’t feel as though an interruption was warranted’?” Jagger’s handsome face twisted. “Is that actually how you talk? Like…normally?” A shimmer of moonlight glinted in his eyes. “Wait, I know. You were saving all that fancy speak especially for me, weren’t you? You know. ’Cause I’m your partner and all.”
How was it possible for a man to be so irritating and so damn handsome all at the same time?
“Was there actually something you needed, or did you just come out here to bust my balls?”
The man’s eyebrows rose even higher. His focus shifted lower. Straight to her zipper.
“Balls, huh?” That heated gaze of his found its way back to hers. “Damn. Never would’ve guessed that. Of course, these days, it’s sometimes impossible to?—”
“Jagger!”
Hard. Sharp. A crystal-clear warning.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” The smartass lifted his hands as a show of peace. “I actually just came out to say good job today. You’re a natural leader. I can see why Ryker chose you as his successor.”
The unexpected compliment left her blinking.
When Jason Ryker stepped down from playing such an active role in the specialized Homeland unit he’d created, no one had been more surprised than Natalia when he’d named her as his replacement.
“Thanks.” She rewarded him with a small smile. “You looked pretty sharp out there, yourself.”
Sharp. Hot. Sarcastic and cocky as hell. And though Natalia would never, ever admit it to him or anyone else…
I want him.
