“I don’t care,” he said, and would have buried his face in her neck if the pounding hadn’t come again.“Christ,” he growled, frustration rearing its ugly head.
“Shhh,” she soothed.“We have time.”
He didn’t have time.He was a dying man, and he wanted her.“Rowan…” It was all the pleading he could muster.
“Not right now.Let’s find out what the emergency is.Later.I promise.”
“Promise?”His mouth found the corner of hers again, teasing, tempting.She kissed him, and his mouth explored that wonder while her gift ran through him again, leaving a different sort of tension in its wake.
“You’re so different,” she said wonderingly, when he finally released her.
“Christ,” he said, shaking, as whoever it was rang the doorbell again.“This had better be good.”
Then the door-comm crackled.“Delgado!Get your ass out here!”
It was Henderson.
“Oh, Christ,” Delgado groaned with feeling.“Just a minute.Let me get rid of him.”
Rowan tried to straighten her clothing while Delgado ran his fingers back through his hair and stalked for the door.“Open,” he said, and the door slid aside.
“About damn time.”Henderson was pale, the white patch over his temple glaring.“We need you.Get ready for jumpoff ASAP.”
Something cracked inside Delgado’s head.The switch flipped, and his shoulders relaxed.Nothing he could do about it now.“What’s the brief?”His tone went hard, and cold.Rowan went still, her attention filling the room.He barely noticed, just marked where she was and scanned to make sure nothing dangerous was in the room.
Nothing except himself.
“They’ve found Morgan and Sheila.We need an extraction.Saddle up.Is she coming?”
Delgado didn’t even think about it.“No.She’s not ready.”
“Hurry up.You’ve already wasted time.”Henderson saluted Rowan briefly.“Miss Price.We need to go quickly; you’ll be with Kenwood in Command.He’s our liaison.”
“Wait a minute.”Rowan was suddenly at Delgado’s shoulder.“I want to help.”
“No.”Delgado crossed to the closet, took his harness down from the hook and buckled it on.Then he put his bag on, tightening the strap across his body, shrugged into his coat.He had his boots on already, thank God.“I suppose Brew has ammo?”
“Of course.Come on.”
Rowan caught Delgado’s arm.“Someone’s in trouble, and you’re all going somewhere.What do I do?”
“Kenwood will keep you up to date.”He didn’t have time.Every moment he delayed, Morgan or Sheila might be sitting in a blank room, looking at an IV while Zed dripped into their veins.“Be safe, Rowan.We’re not finished.”
“Ma’am,” Henderson said, and turned on his heel.He expected Delgado to follow.
“I’ll be back,” he said quietly.“We’ve got to talk.”
She looked stunned.Her lips were flushed and ripe, almost bruised, and he’d mussed her damp beautiful hair.His entire body rose at the memory.He wanted to stay, heneededto stay.
He had to go.
“I’ll be back,” he repeated, took her shoulders.
It was a quick, hard kiss, and she still looked stunned when he let her go.“I promise.I’m coming back.Be safe.”
Then he left, before he could give in to the temptation to stay.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
