“Oh.” He tried not to frown. He really did, but for some reason the idea that she’d sent herself flowers didn’t sit well with him either.
She deserved to have someone do that for her. To think about her. Care for her. And damn it all, why did this fictional person make him jealous?
He had to get his act together and his head out of his ass.
“What’s your deal?” Kelsey asked.
“Hm?” He blinked, refocusing on her face.
Most days Kelsey didn’t bother with make-up. He didn’t think she needed it to be beautiful. But now? Today? Her eyes seemed larger, the browns richer. Her lips were accentuated and glossy. Her cheeks rosy, but not from the crisp breeze.
She tilted her head to one side. “Why are you always riding my case? What did I ever do that makes you think you have to breathe down my neck? You won’t even let me walk to my truck on my own.”
“I’m not—that isn’t...” He opened and closed his mouth. “That’s not it at all.”
“Then what? Because I’m trying to not get pissed off at you and you keep pushing me. I swear, my own mother didn’t hover this much.”
Logan took a step back.
Shit.
“That was not my intention,” he said.
“Then what the hell is going on here, Logan? What did I do wrong? Hm?” Anger flashed in her eyes.
Fuck.
Logan dragged his hand over his face.
This wasn’t like him, but she twisted him up so much he couldn’t stop himself.
“I’m worried, okay?” he said.
“Worried?” Her mouth twisted up. “Bullshit.”
Logan leaned against the truck and pulled the door as close as he could, giving them a little privacy.
What should he say? Where did he start?
“Be honest with me,” Kelsey demanded.
He could. To a point.
“I am.” He stared back at her. “You’re brave. And selfless. You have no fear whatsoever. It’s like you think you’re invincible or whatever. You are great at what you do. But you take risks. Unnecessary risks that could get you hurt. Or killed. And I don’t want that. Ever. Not if I can have your back.”
Kelsey’s eyes widened in shock. Her mouth opened, then shut. For once, her face wasn’t a mask. He watched her emotions play out. Surprise. Stunned silence. A flash of anger. Annoyance.
He’d well and truly caught her off-guard. Normally she was either blowing off steam and charging him head-on or completely controlled. It was refreshing to see her human side. Her real side.
“I do not take unnecessary risks,” she finally snapped back.
“Really? With Abner?”
She glared at him. “Yes, okay? But that risk was something I talked about with my team beforehand. You want to talk about unnecessary risks? Should I point out all the times you’ve used yourself as a human shield for your team? Because I can. Two can play that game. You’re so obsessed with risk assessment sometimes you won’t do a damn thing until it is too late, and then you want to take the bullet for everyone else.”
“It’s my job as Team Leader to take the most risk. I can’t lead my team if I’m not willing to do the hardest parts myself.”
“That’s great. For you. But I don’t work on a team, Logan.”
“But you do now. You are part of this team.”
“So I should just let you take all the risk for me? Is that it?”
Logan’s answer burned his lips. He knew if he said yes that she’d hold it against him. But damn it, he just wanted to protect her, just like he’d do for one of the guys. Probably more.
Kelsey pounded her fists on the seat and made a frustrated growling sound in the back of her throat.
He scowled at her. “I care about what happens to you. Hate me if you want for that, but it’s not going to change. Even if you want to be a brat about it.”
“And you are a pompous asshole.”
“For caring about you?”
“For thinking you’re the only one who gets to take risks for others. Why do you get to care about the team more than anyone else? Hm? Why aren’t you having this conversation with—I don’t know—Diha or Evan or Felecia or—?”
“Because they aren’t you.”
Logan’s eyes bulged, as did Kelsey’s.
He hadn’t meant to say that. Ever. The words had just come out of him. And there was no putting them back.
Kelsey kept staring. She didn’t have a witty come back, no biting statement, just wide-eyed shock.
Logan’s mind spun. How did he back out of this?
“You think I’m that much of a screw-up?” Kelsey asked in a whisper.
“What? No. No, that’s...” Logan closed his eyes. “This conversation shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry. I’m out of line.”
“Don’t you fucking back out of this,” Kelsey snarled. She reached out and grabbed his coat. “We’re settling this right now, Muller.”
“You aren’t a screw-up. You’re capable. You’re better at this undercover stuff than I will ever be. Can we just drop this? Please?” He desperately wanted to put that cat back in the bag. The last thing he wanted was for her to think she was a handicap to the team when she’d been nothing but an asset.
“Then why me? Hm?” She tightened her hold on his coat until her tanned skin went white over her knuckles.
Focusing on her hand was better than her face. The urge to kiss her wasn’t as bad this way, but now he was fascinated by how small her hands were.
“Muller,” she said with a warning tone.
He wanted her to go back to calling him Logan, not Muller.
Maybe if he admitted it and she shot him down he could finally move on? Was that possible? Or would he simply be opening himself up to more trouble?
He should have thought of that before he decided to wait for her outside.
Logan lifted his head, but couldn’t make himself look Kelsey in the eye. Instead, he focused on the fullness of her lower lip. “Because I’m not attracted to Diha or Even or Felecia or anyone else. I wish I could say that didn’t make me an asshole, but in this case it clearly does.”
The moment drew out. Maybe it was in his head? But it felt as though that moment took a lifetime. He braced himself for her laugh and sharp tongue. Instead her lips parted, and no sound came out.
Damn him. He was going to think about her lips later, and now he had them burned into his mind.
Kelsey yanked on his coat. He wasn’t prepared for that. He lurched forward, into the tight space between the door and her. Her knees parted and suddenly her lips were on his. Shocked, Logan froze.
Had he...?
Her lips moved on his, and a hundred fantasies played out in the span of seconds in his mind. He groaned and tilted his head, pushing back against her slight form stretched toward him. He cupped the back of her head, running his fingers through the short hair like he’d wanted to do a hundred times. Kelsey’s lips parted, and took that opportunity to deepen the kiss, tasting her for the first time.
Logan leaned against the truck. Kelsey’s thighs squeezed his hips as if she wanted to hold him there. He had half a mind to pick her up right there and—
A car honked loudly, startling them both.
Logan glanced over his shoulder at the altercation in the parking lot, assessing the threat and finding none.
He blew out a breath that turned into a cloud of fog and his shoulders relaxed for the first time in months.
That was when Kelsey squeaked. There was no other word for the sound that came out of her mouth. Two small hands planted themselves on his chest. He whipped his head back around to look at her, right as she shoved him backward. He staggered and the truck door slammed practically in his face.
“Kelsey,” he growled.
The truck roared to life.
He grabbed the handle, but it was locked and the little imp inside wasn’t looking at him.
“Open the door,” he said.
H
e wasn’t done with that kiss yet, damn it.
Instead the truck accelerated. He stepped back, flattening himself against the sedan in the next spot and watched the dark blue truck make a very quick exit.
What the hell just happened? And just where did she think she was going, anyway? Her apartment was in the same building as his.
Logan wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew one thing for certain. A single taste wasn’t enough, and he wasn’t the only one who’d been hiding a secret.
If there was one thing Logan knew how to be it was patient.
6.
Thursday. Kelsey’s Apartment. Washington, DC.
Kelsey slammed the front door to her apartment shut and locked the door. No doubt Logan was hot on her heels.
Damn.
She should have gone somewhere, but autopilot had kicked on and she’d rushed straight home.
Her heel caught on the doormat and she stumbled, almost headlong into the bar. She caught herself and with a growl kicked one shoe off, then the other. She straightened and pressed her hands to her eyes, blocking out all the light.
Immediately her mind supplied the memory of Logan’s stubble scraping her chin and cheek. Next came the firm press of his mouth.
“Shit,” she croaked and dropped her hands.
What had gotten into her? What had she done?
Kelsey yanked at the bow under her chin. The damn thing was strangling her. And why was the apartment so hot?
She stalked to the hall and eyed the thermostat as she attacked the buttons on her blouse.
The thermostat was as it should be. Squarely on seventy.
She turned and walked into the bedroom, stripping out of the rest of her work clothes.
This was a disaster. An utter disaster. Just what had gotten into her?
Logan had said words and things, and then she’d kissed him.
She’d. Kissed. Him.
Kelsey stripped out of her shirt and dropped it on the floor of her bedroom. She covered her face with both hands and groaned again.
The one thing she couldn’t do, and she’d gone and done it. Enthusiastically at that.
He’d kissed her back.
Someone knocked at her front door.
Kelsey whirled, wide-eyed, and stared at the wall.
Was it him? Had he followed her home? To—what?
Another knock.
She grabbed a sweatshirt off the hamper of clean clothes, pulled it on, shimmied out of her slacks and yanked on a pair of leggings. There was no way she was facing that man.
Dressed, she tip-toed to the front door and peered through the peephole.
Diha stared back at her. She had a scarf wrapped over her head and was bundled up.
“Oh thank goodness,” Kelsey muttered.
She unlocked the door and took a step back. Diha hustled inside, carrying the vase of flowers Kelsey had gotten at work.
“Well, how’d it go?” she asked. “These were outside.”
“Crap, I must have put them down. Thank you.” Kelsey accepted the flowers and bumped the door shut. She lost no time twisting the lock. “How’d what go?”
“Today.”
“Fine. I mean, on my end. Logan said it was a shit show here.” Kelsey placed the flowers on the kitchen counter.
Diha shrugged out of her coat. “Who got you flowers?”
“I got them for myself. Cover story stuff.”
“Darn.”
“Darn?” Kelsey glanced at Diha, one brow arched.
Diha held her hands up. “I’m just the messenger.”
“What? What now?” Kelsey demanded.
“Felecia and Cat have been talking about you and Logan, and they’re convinced there’s something there. There. I said it. I told them I couldn’t keep secrets.”
Kelsey’s cheeks burned. “I thought I made it clear that wasn’t a thing?”
“Either I let them talk about you, or they start trying to plan my wedding.” Diha shook her head and laughed. “It’s self-preservation.”
“At least there’s a good chance you are getting married.” Kelsey stuck her tongue out. “How is Miles? You on the way to his place?”
“Maybe,” Diha said slowly.
Kelsey grinned and waved her friend toward the futon that was the only piece of furniture in the living room besides a TV.
“Are you staying over yet?” she asked.
“No.” Diha shook her head vehemently.
Kelsey paused. “Do your parents think you’re still a virgin?”
“If they don’t, they probably want to pretend I still am.” Diha’s cheeks flushed.
Kelsey grinned. She hadn’t known what to make of Diha when they’d met initially. Most days Diha looked like a modern, stylish Indian woman with her tunic tops, leggings and long braid. Kelsey’s initial assumption was that Diha had to be conservative, mild mannered and meek. While Diha was a quieter soul, she certainly had strong ideals about who she was and what she wanted to do. In short, Kelsey was glad they’d struck up a friendship. And she was even happier when Diha took the chance and put herself in the path of her crush, a British intelligence officer named Miles Green.
“How was it today? Really?” Kelsey curled her feet under her.
Diha grimaced. “Not good. I’m really only going over to Miles’ place for a few hours, then back into the office. Cat, Felecia and I are going to do rotating shifts so someone is always in the lab. I just don’t know what’s happening.”
Kelsey bit her lip and thought better of her questions.
The truth was, they should start being a lot more careful about what they said, where and to whom. For all she knew, the mole had accessed her apartment and was listening now. Logan might have toys at his place to prevent that, but Kelsey didn’t. Just a security camera and some old tricks.
Kelsey reached over and took Diha’s hand. “About the wedding?
“Not you, too,” she wailed.
Kelsey grinned. “What? You two are so painfully perfect together it’s a little sickening. Okay, a lot sickening.”
“Would you like to hear about all of Cat and Felecia’s theories about you and Logan?” Diha countered.
Kelsey shrugged, though she was beginning to sweat a bit. When the girls had brought up the idea that the clashing happening between Kelsey and Logan was due to attraction, she’d thought they were nuts. Sure, she liked Logan but hadn’t dreamt he’d be attracted to her. Now? After that kiss? She feared they might very well be right.
What had happened back there in the parking lot?
Honestly, it had started the moment she saw him on the sidewalk. The train ride with him hovering behind her, jostling her occasionally, had only made her acutely aware of him and his strength. Throw in their heated back and forth? She wasn’t entirely surprised she’d snapped.
“Hello?” Diha tilted her head to the side.
Kelsey shook her head. “Sorry, I spaced out.”
“I can see that. Daydreaming about Logan Muller?”
“He answered the door the other day in a towel,” she blurted.
“What?” Diha’s eye went wide.
Kelsey laughed. “He answered the door in nothing more than a towel the other day. I swear to God, if you tell Cat and Felecia that I will register you for every wedding magazine on the planet and have them shipped to the office.”
“A towel? That’s it? Logan?”
“Yup.” Kelsey nodded. “I might not like the man, but I will admit it wasn’t a bad show.”
Liar. Liar. Pants on Fire.
That was Kelsey’s problem. She liked Logan. Plenty. His body was smoking hot. He had this natural smoldering look that heightened his appeal. She admired his work ethic and morals. But the simple fact was that she couldn’t allow herself to fall for a man that didn’t believe she was on equal footing with him. And that was where no amount of chemistry or desire could compensate for the hard fact that she and Logan were oil and water. They wouldn’t—couldn’t—mix.
Diha’s phone beeped. She pulled it out of a hidden pocket on today’s tunic top and smiled.
“Miles?” Kelsey asked.
“Yes. He’s wrapping up at his desk and is going to pull the car around to pick me up.”
“How is it working with him around?” Kelsey asked.
Miles had relocated to work with the Task Force on a temporary basis. An arrangement that allowed the budding relationship time to put down roots and grow without an ocean between them.
“He stays at his desk and I stay at mine.” Diha pushed up. “He’s too distracting. I had to ban him from the lab.”
Kelsey grinned while inside she was green with jealousy. Diha deserved to be happy. And Miles was a great guy. It was too bad Kelsey couldn’t find something like that for herself. Someday.
FRIDAY. SENATOR DIXON’S Home. Annapolis, Maryland.
As if this job wasn’t tricky enough, now Kelsey was avoiding Logan as well.
She peered around the rear entry to the large home. Never in her life had she imagine there would be house help here. Just a housekeeper and someone tidying up, but still.
No Logan.
At least, not yet.
She’d lain awake far too long last night, missed her window to get on the train in time, and had decided to just splurge on a cab ride. She was glad that she had. Her driver had been a sweet older man who didn’t mind the silence. She’d used that time to center herself and get her head in the game.
Now if only she could keep her head there and not stray back to Logan.
She’d lasted all of two minutes upon arriving, stressing over where he might be.
He hadn’t come to her door last night. There’d been no text or follow-up about carpooling. Just silence. Which struck her as strange.
Maybe he recalled yesterday differently? Had he reached for her? Was it possible he was avoiding her because he was ashamed or something?
“Kelsey?” Robert Brown barked.
She started a bit.
Shit.
Pasting on a smile, she turned to face her boss. “Yes, sir?”
“With me,” he said.
The only thing missing was a snap of the fingers and a command to heel.
She instead screwed her smile on tighter and followed along behind the man.
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