Page 78 of Rafe’s Future

“What?”

“This.” Her arms tightened around him.

Rafe pressed a kiss against the top of her head. “Me, too.”

Lena tipped her head back so she could look into his eyes. There was no teasing expression or deception there. Only warmth and something deeper.

Love.

She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t briefly feared he’d changed his mind. But in her bones, Lena knew he’d meant what he’d said the night before⁠—

I love you, too.

“I could get used to this,” she whispered.

He brushed a strand of blown hair away from her eyes. “I was hoping you’d say that. Because I was thinking, once this whole thing is behind us, maybe you could take some time off and come stay with me at the plantation.”

She opened her mouth to let him know she’d love to, when a muffled ringing came from inside.

Lena stiffened. “That’s my phone.”

“You’d better answer it.”

She spun on her bare heels and hurried inside. The phone was still plugged in on the nightstand, where she’d left it shortly after checking into the room. One glance at the screen stopped her cold.

Washington D.C.

It was a CIA number. A landline she recognized immediately.

Her stomach tightened as she answered the call. “This is Director Lena Price.”

There was a slight pause. Then a man’s voice came through the speaker. Deep. Rough. “Do you still remember the color of the sky over Vienna?”

Lena’s pulse steadied. “Only when the rain turns silver.”

Another pause ensued, this one a smidge longer, and then another man took over the call.

“It’s good to hear your voice, Director Price.”

“Director Mercer?”

Daniel Mercer, Director of the CIA.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

Lena glanced toward the bedroom door where Rafe was watching her closely. It was impossible to ignore how damn sexy the former MI6 operative was, but she did her best to put those thoughts on hold.

“What’s happened?” She hoped the man at the top of the CIA food chain would get straight to the point.

He didn’t disappoint.

“A spec ops team is being sent into Turkey, and I want you on the ground with them.”

Me?

Her gaze remained locked with Rafe’s.

“Where in Turkey?”