Page 53 of Fox in Plain Sight

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After arriving at the safe house, they’d analyzed the files Nick had copied, which turned out to be a veritable treasure trove of information. The files identified over thirty Stargate agents. Mostly code names, real names, and pictures were there, but the files didn’t contain any mention of relatives or where the agents were from. However, there were other useful tidbits: hobbies, special skills, as well as the professions the agents had previously held. It would help Nick and his new friend in their search for the others.

Several hours after rescuing Michelle from the assassin and analyzing the files in the safe house, Nick kicked his apartment door shut with the heel of his boot and trained his eyes on Michelle who’d entered ahead of him.

She walked toward the sofa, sashaying her sweet ass for his benefit, making it hard for him to concentrate on what he had to get off his chest. When she turned and let herself sink into the cushions, resting her head against the backrest and blowing out a breath, Nick marched toward her.

His heart was still pounding out of control at the recollection of what had happened this morning. It had been close. Too damn close. And it had made him realize one thing: that he didn’t want to lose Michelle. Which was why it was so hard to do what he’d promised her. To help her get away. But a promise was a promise. She’d upheld her part of the bargain, and he had to uphold his.

She smiled at him, clearly oblivious to the turmoil raging inside him. And how should she know? He hadn’t told her even once what he’d started feeling.

“Something wrong?” she murmured, reaching for him.

Nick remained standing in front of her, searching for the right words. “I don’t think I’m able to uphold my end of the bargain about getting you out of the country.”

She shifted on the sofa. “But you promised to give me a new identity.”

“I did. But I can’t help you disappear.” He shook his head. “Not the way you were hoping to anyway. Smith has you in his crosshairs. And knowing what I know now, that one of our own turned bad and worked for our enemies, I have to assume that Echo wasn’t the only one. Smith might have other Stargate agents on their side.”

“But what’s that got to do with you giving me a new identity?”

“Everything. Any of those Stargate agents who’ve gone bad can have a premonition about you, where you are, what you’re doing. If I send you away to South America on your own, you’ll be without protection if one of them comes after you.”

“But the chances of that happening—”

“—are real,” he cut her off. And that made his blood curdle.

“But if I stay here as myself, he’ll get me, too.”

“If you stay here, I’ll be able to watch out for you. To protect you.”

To be close to you, he wanted to add, but didn’t.

He could see how the wheels in Michelle’s brain turned feverishly. Hesitantly, he said, “You’ll get a new identity, but you’d be staying close… close to me.”

Her eyelashes lifted, almost hitting her brows. Blue eyes stared at him with an intensity that almost knocked him off his feet.

Slowly, her lips parted, curving into a tentative smile. “So that’s what this is about.”

“What’s what about?”

“You actually want to go out with me. You want to be my boyfriend.”

“It’s just so I can keep an eye on you,” Nick said quickly.

Shit, he wasn’t good at talking about stuff like this. He’d much rather discuss some software code with Michelle than confess what he was feeling. Besides, what if she didn’t feel the same? After all, she barely knew him, he’d lied to her for half of the time they’d known each other, and he’d put her in mortal danger. Not exactly a good place to start from when applying for the position as lover and boyfriend. How was he ever going to overcome that kind of handicap?

She rose from the couch. “What exactly do you want to keep an eye on?” She unexpectedly pulled her black T-shirt over her head and tossed it on the sofa, casting him a saucy look. “My boobs?”

Nick’s breath caught as he stared at her black bra. Was she going to strip in front of him?

She kicked off her shoes, then opened the button of her jeans and pulled the zipper down. “Or are you more interested in my ass and legs?”

Before she could push her jeans down, he imprisoned her hands, stopping her.

“This isn’t about sex, Michelle.”

She lifted her chin. “Then what is it about, Nick? What is it that you want? Because unless you tell me, I’m not gonna know what you really want.”