She tried to appear cool and calm as he quietly studied her for a moment. These small silences he took were unnerving, especially with those eyes which seemed to see too much.
He cocked his head a fraction. “Well?”
“Well, what?” she asked, a frown forming.
“The emergency, Agent Roston.”
She shook her head. “It’s private, Agent McNeil,” she said, and instantly regretted it.
A hint of amusement entered those glacial eyes. He retraced his footsteps until he stood in front of her.
“It’s aprivateemergency?” His low raspy voice made the question sound even more intimate. “Is this private enough?”
He wasn’t standing too close but something about him made Helen feel as if every male inch of him was pressed against her. She almost leaned closer, to see whether she was imagining the heat emanating from his body, but resisted the temptation just in time.
She stared at the black fabric spanning his chest and wondered at the solid strength it projected. What would it be like to smooth her hands over it? Immediately the palms of her hands started itching.
What the hell was the matter with her?She mentally slapped herself, lifting her gaze off his body to his face. The amusement was palpable now, even though his expression remained unreadable. She hoped he couldn’t sense the highly agitated emotions that were swirling inside her.
“No,” she said.
“No?” One eyebrow raised.
The other two operatives looked on with interest as Helen struggled with unfamiliar frustration. On one hand, she wanted Jed alone so she could confront him. On the other hand, she wanted to call his bluff. She had a feeling, though, that it wouldn’t be an easy task to ruffle Jed McNeil.
But she wasn’t nicknamed Hell for nothing. Time to be brash.
She gave him her best innocuous smile. “It isn’t exactly an emergency, but it has to be now, while I’m still suff...under the effects of the serum. Since the commandos will be going on my missions, I thought I’d better test each of you for physical prowess,” she drawled, “you know, see whether any of you can keep up.”
She kept the smile on her face, as if she hadn’t just pulled a tiger’s tail. He didn’t move, yet she could feel the subtle change in the air. He was holding back; she was sure of it. Besides, judging from the amused looks on the other two men, there was no way the man would back off from that kind of challenge.
“SYMBIOS 2 locks exhaustion and pain,” Jed said politely. “Do you want me to exhaust you or cause you discomfort?”
“Perhaps SYMBIOS 2 will outlast your efforts and you’ll be the one left exhausted and in discomfort,” she pointed out softly.
The corners of his lips quirked in that mocking way that both fascinated and irritated her. “I have three meetings today, back-to-back. I’m at your disposal any time after that.” His gaze traveled down her body. “Stay comfortable, Agent Roston. All the commandos wouldn’t want you suffering from the effects of the serum now, would we?”
He didn’t wait for an answer, turning back to his waiting men and walking off. Helen stared after his retreating back, not at all sure who had won that round. Damn. He’d distracted her so that she hadn’t asked how to get hold of him and when exactly that last meeting would end.
TO HER RELIEF, DR.Kirkland’s door was open and he was alone. Right now, she didn’t want his assistant or any other Medic listening in.
“Helen,” he greeted her warmly. “Come on in. Close the door behind you and have a seat.”
“Are we alone?” Helen asked. “No cameras, no recorders, no hidden robot under your desk?”
He smiled, shaking his head. “No, not even a robot under my desk. This will be just a doctor-patient confidential session.”
“Good.” Helen sat down. “It’s very uncomfortable for me talking about my current problem.”
“You explained it quite well when we talked the last time. The SYMBIOS serum was meant to deflect your pain receptors as well as limit certain chemicals in your brain so you could function at one hundred percent immediately after remote viewing. It certainly makes sense that as the serum wears off, your body compensates the chemicals it’d been tricked into thinking your system lacked. Hence,the over-compensating problem since they had been present all along, camouflaged from your brain.”
Helen pursed her lips. Everything sounded so nicely scientific and ridiculously logical when someone in a white coat explained it. She wondered how Jed McNeil would explain it.
“Armando told me he doesn’t get this feeling,” she said. That was another commando she had to see soon.
“Agent Chang says he’s probably had more intimate partners than you in the past two years,” Dr. Kirkland pointed out.
Oh, that was just great. Her love life was the subject of conversation among them all. “Armando talked to you about me?”
