Page 94 of Dash

“I get we’re talking about a lot of money,” Thena said, toopatiently to be the real me.

I couldn’t hear Monique’s return, but it made Thena snap her back straight in a way that pissed me off. Did brick-faced Monique realize that pissing me off was never a good idea?

“I’mnotbeing reckless.” Thena’s eyes gleamed like steel. “Please do as I say.” Whatever Monique retorted, Thena liked it even less. She squeezed the stress ball until her knuckles whitened. “I’mnotRichard fucking Astor. From now on, we’re doing thingsmyway.”

Holy shit. I might’ve said that the same if I’d been having this conversation. And yet this was also pure Thena, taking charge, redirecting her business into the kind of organization she envisioned, and ensuring her family’s legacy.

She clicked off the call and, with a huff, released the stress ball and slumped back on her chair. The little ball almost rolled off the table, but I came up behind Thena, caught it, and kissed the side of her neck.

“You okay?” I murmured in her ear. “Is Dragon Lady an insubordinate hothead? I’m happy to fire her on the spot, if you want. Or else we can send her on assignment to clean chickenshit in Katmandu.”

“Katmandu won’t be necessary,” she said, giggling. “I can handle Monique.”

She turned her face and met my eyes. She’d been miffed a second ago, but now her sexy-as-sin smile wrecked whatever traces of self-discipline I had left. Adoration swelled in my chest, denying me the ability to draw oxygen. How could one man love one woman so much, so hard, so completely?

She cupped my cheek and brushed her lips against mine. “Mmm.” The sexy sound stiffened me to pain. “I needed that. Thanks.”

“We’re not done.” Turning the swivel chair so that she faced me, I seized her lips and kissed her. Our mouths fused ina drive to make one creature out of two. I was aware of the wolf whistles and the catcalls echoing in the library, but I didn’t give a fuck. I kissed Thena until we both ran out of air.

“Dash,” she breathed. “The things you do to me.”

I glanced at the point of her nipples, poking through her jersey, and had to force my hand into a fist. I wanted to carry her off to her tower, rip off her clothes, and bury myself in her. I could kiss her all day, but unfortunately, her cell rang, and I had an operation to plan.

“Raincheck?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Count on it.” I caressed the side of her face. “If the business gets to be too much, stop. Remember. Low stress, the doctor said.”

“I’m fine.” She gripped the neck of my T-shirt and planted a quick peck on my mouth before she gave me a rueful smile, clicked on the call, and hardened her voice. “Dagger here.”

Her tone was a good imitation of mine. Leaving her to conduct business, I forced myself to walk away, still savoring her kisses. I fought the smile curving up my lips, knowing that it made me look like a damn fool. It wasn’t my smile that had the guys in full tease mode.

“There are no indications of it on the radar,” Guzman announced, sporting a smirk. “But I just caught a glimpse of the Goodyear blimp coming at us.”

“Mind your damn business.” I nipped the ribbing in the bud and took in the men sitting at the table. To my right, Bozeman, King, and Ferranti sat together. Guzman, Cooper, and Shaw sat to my left. Fucking great. No team integration as of yet.

“Are you people done combing through the intel?” I eased down on my chair. “Or do I need to come up with the preschool version ofThe Fool’s Guide to Our Next Op?”

“We got the gist of it,” King volunteered.

“Indeed,” Bozeman agreed with a formal chin dip.

“I guess that breaking and entering is no longer illegal in the civilian world,” Guzman groused.

“You wouldn’t know,” Ferranti teased. “You were in jail so long the laws changed.”

“I was only in jail for a week,” Guzman retorted, his face flushing.

“That was a whole week longer than the rest of us,” Ferranti quipped, earning another glower from Guzman.

“No worries, brother, breaking and entering is still illegal as fuck.” Cooper patted Guzman’s back before he rubbed his hands together and flashed his teeth. “My rifle’s getting rusty. At last, we’re gonna have some fun.”

“Bottom line,” I said. “Infil, search, exfil.”

Guzman lifted his eyes from his screen and wrinkled his nose. “How are we gonna get in and out of these highly secured buildings with our targets buzzing around?”

“Excellent question.” I had ideas, but as a team building exercise, I wanted to get the guys to brainstorm together. “Suggestions?”

“I know Rivera,” Bozeman said. “I can take him out for drinks. Maybe King and Ferranti can search his place while I entertain Rivera.”

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