Page 80 of Between Love and Honor

“It’s just a scrape.”

She arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

“Agent Lockett is assigning one of the tactical team to me,” Ben conceded. “He’ll be aboard as backup.”

“Good. Agent Darby and my detail will make our way to the harbor.” She slipped an earwig into her ear. “I want to be in constant communication.”

Quinn emerged from the bathroom with her hair tucked beneath a Washington Nationals baseball cap. Her denim blouse was tied in a bow at her waist just above a pair of white cut-offs. No doubt her Glock was hidden in the fanny pack at her side, but Ben was more concerned with the attention her endless tanned legs would attract.

There was no way she would be inconspicuous in that outfit.

Griffin handed her a cell phone and a pair of aviator sunglasses. “There’s a camera imbedded in the lens. It will be transmitting back to us in the van. The phone is your comm. With everyone having a cell phone glued to their ear, no one will even suspect.”

“Got it.” After shoving the phone in her back pocket, she carefully adjusted the sunglasses above the bill of the baseball cap and then made her way over to Ben. “Are you sure your shoulder is up to this?” she asked quietly.

“I didn’t hear any complaints about my shoulder a half hour ago,” he murmured.

She blushed. “That’s because I was concentrating on other parts of your physique.”

“Hey, if you two are done whispering over there,” Adam called from across the room. “I’d like to get this show on the road.”

The secretary grabbed her vest. “Get your team in place, Agent Lockett. The rest of us will make our way down to the harbor via different routes.”

Quinn squeezed his hand. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For doing this. For still loving me. For everything.”

“Stay safe,” he managed to grind out through his tight throat.

“Coming, Agent Darby?” the secretary called.

It irked Ben how she made it sound like the two women were going to a day spa rather than a covert op. “Keep her safe, too,” he said, gesturing to his boss.

Quinn nodded. Ignoring the rest of the room, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’ll see you later.”

For the first time since she had catapulted back into this life, Ben watched her leave the room without experiencing an overwhelming premonition he wouldn’t ever see her again. Her promise of the future hung in the air and Ben suddenly couldn’t wait to get this evening over with.

“You’re sure you’re good with this?” Griff asked for what felt like the hundredth time during the ten-minute drive from the White House to Fort McNair.

They were seated in the gray van with the logo from a cable company on the sides disguising a sophisticated command center on the interior. Ben was surprised at just how good he was. He double-checked his weapon and replaced it in its holder. Leaning down, he secured the knife at his ankle.

“Yeah, just make sure nothing happens to Quinn, okay?”

“Something tells me she can take care of herself. I’m really sorry about all that shit that went down yesterday. We just didn’t know what to make of her. She hurt you in the past, yet you seemed very protective of her.”

Was that only yesterday? So much had happened since then. The revelation of her true identity. The fragile restoration of their trust. And the rekindling of their love.

The past seventy-two hours felt surreal. If he was dreaming, he sure as hell didn’t want to wake up. His buddy elbowed him in the ribs. “You’re grinning like an idiot.”

“Sorry.” Ben tried and failed to wipe the smile from his lips. “None of us knew what to make of Quinn when she arrived. Least of all, me. I would have filled you in had I known what to tell you.”

“Just like you filled us in on your alter ego?”

Ben shrugged. “It started out as a lark and then became something challenging and rewarding. I wasn’t sure you guys would understand since most of my captures took place within a computer.”

“I get that. But I still don’t know why you had to keep it so hush-hush. Adam kept his dad a secret all those years and now this. I feel kind of boring having a life that’s an open book.”

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