Page 30 of Honor Code

"Oh, yeah?" He stood at the end of her mat, large hands holding his weapon, broad shoulders relaxed but straining against the dark long-sleeved shirt he wore under his tactical vest. Even in the dim light, the defined muscles of his arms, honed from years of intense training and combat were visible. "What did he say?"

"He's going to try to use the college link to access the feed."

"Good. Will that give you the information you need?"

"It will, yes. I can compare it with the survey report and make sure everything's above board."

"You didn't tell anyone what you were doing?"

"No, I called when Suzi was out, so nobody knows."

"Excellent. Good job. Keep me posted."

"I will."

He gestured to the yoga mat. "I'll let you get back to your routine."

Ellie hesitated. He hadn't moved away. Did that mean he was going to watch? His intense blue gaze roamed over her for a moment, and she felt the familiar swirling in her stomach.

As if catching himself, he muttered, "Sorry, I'm going now," and continued his patrol around the deck, disappearing behind a mesh of pylons.

Exhaling, she tried to focus her attention on the moves and not the lingering image of him checking her out. His appraisal had left her feeling self-conscious and exposed, but at the same time hot and bothered. Part of her wanted to cross her arms in front of her body and hide, while another, wilder part wanted to rip off her clothes and press his big, strong hands against her skin.

Her pulse raced again. Hardly the calm workout she'd envisioned.

Still, Ellie gritted her teeth and went through the motions, determined not to give in to the raw, unbridled desire that consumed her whenever Phoenix was nearby.

She had to exercise some control over her emotions. She was a scientist, for Pete’s sake. Logic ruled her head, not passion. She couldn't remember ever feeling this way about a guy before. Not even Jeremy Johnson, her first crush in high school.

That had been a hurried kiss behind the grandstands, followed by a disappointing prom night where they'd only gotten to first base. She'd had a couple of boyfriends in college, nobody memorable. Then came three dry years in Saudi, followed by Rafael. He’d been her first real boyfriend. And her last.

Ellie bit her lip. Now all she did was run away from men. From danger. From freaking everything. It was dismal. She was too scared to live in case something bad might happen.

A harsh laugh escaped her.

Phoenix was danger. He'd been a Navy SEAL, trained to be a lethal weapon, where his job was running headfirst into the most perilous situations imaginable. Now he was a private security contractor—not much better. Look what had happened the night Billy had fallen into the ocean. It was Phoenix and Boomer who'd gone after him without hesitation, risking their own lives in the process.

Holy hell. She needed her head read.

What was she doing lusting after a man like him? A man who embodied the very things that terrified her.

Surely he would only add more danger to her life. More risk. More fear.

Ellie exhaled, returning to the start position, her hands pressed together in front of her, but she felt anything but calm.

To still her beating heart, she remembered how Phoenix had held her during her panic attack. His strong arms enveloping her, making her feel safe and protected. How he'd soothed her with his hands, surprisingly gentle despite the calluses earned from years of handling weapons and engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat. How he'd whispered to her, his deep voice soft and reassuring, telling her everything was going to be all right.

And it had worked.

She'd believed him.

For some strange reason, this hardened warrior, this man who was never far from his semi-automatic rifle and had faced death countless times, had been able to stop her anxiety in its tracks with a simple touch and a few comforting words.

It defied logic. The irony was almost laughable.

CHAPTER 14

Goddammit.

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