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“That’s what I figured,” Cleo said. “We’ll look around the key locations, gather as much information as possible, and then plan our next move.”

“Avoid contact with the Siblet if you can,” Commissioner Viewick said.

Hunter grunted out his frustration. He wasn’t knowing for being discreet when engaging with any enemy. Apexians were more fists first than measured confrontation and negotiation. But he’d learned a few tricks since partnering with Cleo. And sometimes, the stealth approach worked. It also meant Cleo would be less vulnerable if they could avoid conflict.

“That’s the plan,” she said.

“We won’t make direct contact unless they force us to,” Hunter said.

“Just get us what we need.”

“We won’t let you down.” Cleo rolled her shoulders as the conversation ended, and they said their goodbyes. She turned to him. “The mission is on. We go in tonight.”

Hunter’s gut tightened. He glanced at the closed door. “ELVIS, enable privacy mode.”

“Privacy mode confirmed,” ELVIS said.

Cleo’s head shot up. “What are you doing?”

“We could die on this mission.” Hunter walked around the table and caught hold of her shoulders.

She looked at him, and her cheeks flushed. “There’s always a risk of death on the missions I send the crew on. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do them.”

“I don’t disagree with you. The rewards are always worth the risk. But if there is a chance we could die, I’d better make my move, so I don’t miss my chance.”

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “Your... move?”

Hunter stroked the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. “You should never die with regrets. Do you have any regrets? Anything you need to do, in case you never get the chance again?”

Cleo’s tongue swiped across her lip, brushing his thumb and sending a spark of heat through his palm. “We have work to do. We don’t have time for this.”

“Yes, we do.” Her sweet, feminine scent filled his nose, and he drew her slowly closer, edging those lips nearer to his, until their breaths mingled.

“Hunter! We have prep to do before we leave the Apocalypse.”

“We can do that in our sleep and in thirty minutes. Stop finding excuses to stay away from me.”

“I’m not. Although I should. You’re not good for me.”

“How can you be so sure? I’m what you need. You just don’t want to admit it.”

Cleo’s heart was an erratic drumbeat under the soft spot on her neck as he stroked his fingers down her throat to her collarbone.

“I’ve been warned to watch out for Apexian cockiness,” she said. “This is the first time I’ve seen yours so on display.”

“It’s not cockiness, it’s certainty. We’re right for each other. You’re a fighter, and you won’t be easily defeated, but the battle will end, eventually. And do you know who the winner will be?”

“Me?” The word barely whispered out of her lips.

“You will win. Because you’ll have me, and I’ll have you.” Hunter’s mouth descended on hers just as Cleo yanked him those final few inches closer.

He shuddered, and a half-moan came from the back of his throat at the first touch of her soft lips against his.

It hadn’t been his plan to seduce Cleo, but Hunter was done waiting for her. He had to act now, before it was too late.

***

Pleasure and shockblazed through Cleo as Hunter deepened the kiss, and her lips parted just as her brain stopped working properly. She pressed against his hard, tight body, his warmth flooding over her as her nose filled with his delicious male scent.