“I felt like I was playing make-believe. I really have no business pretending I’m an intelligence agent.”

“I understand and feel that way myself.”

She rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m not going back.”

“Understood.” While I was happy about her decision, I had no idea what Doc intended for the second half of the proposed mission. Would it be delayed or abandoned? Would I continue training either with Sundance or elsewhere?

“Please don’t quit because I am. What you’re learning will help you in your job with K19, won’t it?”

“Very much so.”

Penelope tightened her grip around my waist. “We need to make the most of the time we can spend together.”

I raised her chin again. “Does this mean the friendship pact has come to an end?”

“As long as it’s all right with you.”

My response was in the form of a passionate kiss that continued until we pulled up in front of her town house.

Once inside, I dropped our bags in the foyer and waited for some kind of prompt from Pen. I was ready to race upstairs and spend the rest of what was left of the day, and into the night, naked and in each other’s arms.

She stepped closer. “We’re wearing too many clothes.”

My restraint snapped, and I was all over her. Kissing, touching, pressing my hardness against the place between her legs where I couldn’t wait to be inside.

Her passion matched mine as she deepened the kiss and arched to give me better access.

“We need to go upstairs,” I managed to say. “Either that, or I’m going to fuck you on these stairs.”

Pen’s response was to unfasten her jeans and push them down to the floor. I did the same.

She sat on the carpeted step, took off her remaining clothes, and stared up at me. God, she was beautiful with lips swollen from kissing me, eyes glazed with desire, and perfectly, amazingly naked.

I knelt in front of her, spread her legs, and lowered my mouth for a taste. Pen’s fingers wove in my hair, and when she pulled, my desire flamed. I spread her folds and swirled my tongue around her bundle of nerves.

“Brand, I need you.”

“Tell me, Butterfly.”

“I need you inside me.”

I thrust two fingers into her drenched pussy and pumped them in and out while I continued to strum her clit with my tongue.

“More,” she cried.

“Tell me exactly what you want, my darling. Say the words. Beg me, and I’ll give it to you.”

“Fuck me, Brand. Please.”

Remembering the oversized furniture on the second floor, I gathered her in my arms and carried her up the single flight.

There, I could give her what she wanted without hurting her. Except my condoms were on the fifth floor.

“God, Pen, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Protection.” I practically groaned as I squeezed my cock to mitigate my need to fuck her here and now.