Page 107 of Stealth Mission

“What? You can’t say you weren’t shocked as shit when she did that.”

“Oh I was. Gotta say, Marianna, I like you more all the time. First you kick this slack-ass out of your hospital room. Then you give the police chief the metaphorical middle finger by getting the cell key out from under his desk.”

Scout glances in the rearview before he continues. “In my book, you got a set of balls on ya.”

“I guess,” Marianna replies with a small laugh. “I just don’t like being pushed around. My grandfather taught me that when I was just a kid. The boys that came to the farm to work withtheir fathers were a bunch of bullies… and I was the smallest and youngest.”

Hate a damned bully. I was that kid that they pushed around. A long time ago.

“Those guys still around town?” I ask as I spin in my seat to look at her.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Scout and I will pay them a visit. Right, Scout? You got my six, man.”

Eyes widening, Marianna hides her smile behind her hand. “As much as I like the idea, you don’t need to. I grew up and got a pair of cowboy boots. Cowgirl boots.Their shins paid dearly. Everyone stayed far away then.”

I’m looking at her, soaking in the way her eyes are dancing, when Scout takes a hard turn and slings me against the door.

“Seriously?”

Hanging one hand over the steering wheel, he shrugs the shoulders that take up more than half of the Jeep’s front. Crowded as hell in here with the two of us.

He rumbles, “I like testing the limits of this thing.”

The Jeep rocks hard when we make a left onto Marianna’s lane. Gravel spits from beneath the tires. A plume of dust rises around us.

“Drive it like you stole it…” Marianna laughs as she bounces around in the back seat.

I love the sound so much I don’t care how Scout is driving.

“It sure isn’t a Humvee.” I toss the broken handle on the floor. “Thank god, I had enough of that for a lifetime.”

“Not me. I loved those things.”

That’s not the only topic Scout and I differ on.

Scout’s silent beside me as he drives, following the long driveway over a couple of small hills and up the last climb to theranch house. When I glance over, he’s wearing the classic Scout scowl. Never called it that to his face. Yet, anyway.

Out of our Agile Security work team, Scout seems to be having the hardest time adjusting to civilian life.

Me? I don’t know how I feel anymore. I missed it before. Now, all I can think about is…

I glance back, Marianna’s head is dipped as she looks inside her purse for something. The soft curve of her upper lip has my abs tightening.

Scout better not fucking hang around.

The instant the vehicle stops, I’m out. When I open her door, Marianna looks surprised.

“Let me help you.”

Scout slides out of the driver’s seat and stretches. He looks around. “Damn, nice pad, Marianna. I’ve never been to an agave farm before. I’d like a tour when you’ve got time.”

“Which is not now.” I drop her hand, spin around and slam my palm against his chest. “You shouldn’t be late for check-in at the hotel. Appreciate the lift, man.”

He gives me a flat-eye stare. Then he speaks around me. “Marianna, you good? I can call the hotel and beg off of the reservation if you want me to play cock-block for you.”

I swear. My fist is already celebrating how it feels to smash that expression right off his damned face.

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