Page 77 of Trapped With the Secret Agent

Georgia smiled and stepped forward to hug her and the other women. “No, Helen. I’m just fine.”

“What—where have you been?”

Georgia’s eyes flashed to Peter’s face. He looked like the poster boy for Secrets-R-Us. She smiled at Helen. “I’ve been trying to help end this nightmare.”

Everyone started talking at once.

“What happened?”

“Where’s Ambassador Mitchell?”

“How many people were killed?”

“Which terrorist group attacked us?

“Has this tunnel always been down here?”

“How soon until we get home?”

Georgia shushed them quickly. “Please, please, you must keep your voices down. We don’t want the terrorists to hear us. I’ll tell you what happened as soon as we’re safe. We’re not out of the woods yet. As soon as everyone is here we’re going to walk to the other end of this tunnel where some helicopters will take us to the US airbase, and from there, home.”

Before they could start jabbering again, she pointed at a spot a few feet farther down the tunnel. “Why don’t you sit down for a few minutes and wait? It will take some time to get everyone gathered together.”

She helped get them settled before walking back to Peter, who kept one eye on the open doorway and one eye on Georgia and the embassy staff.

“I hope what I said to them was all right?” she asked in a whisper.

“Yeah, it was fine, real good. Just keep repeating that they have to stay calm and quiet.” He patted her shoulder. “And we’ll be out of here in no time.”

Georgia smiled. A vision of herself and Peter naked on a bed filled her mind. “I can’t wait.”

* * *

Peter felt Georgia’ssmile hit home deep in his gut.

It wasn’t a smile between friends; it was the look a woman gives a man she wants.

For a fraction of a second he considered kissing her again but figured that might put the hostages watching them into collective shock. So, he settled for taking a step closer to her, leaning his head down, and whispering, “I can’t wait, either,” in her ear. He flared his nostrils and breathed in her scent. Spicy, like pumpkin pie. Definitely good enough to eat.

He was close enough to hear her take a quick breath in, and he grinned.

Noise from the wine cellar alerted him to the impending arrival of more hostages. He stepped away to help them through the doorway.

The SEALs had nine this time, eight women and one man. Peter guided them to the corner where Georgia waited, reminding them to stay as quiet as possible. They hardly looked at him, but followed orders blindly as if half dead, only waking when they spotted Georgia, swarming over her like bees to honey.

Georgia took their friendly onslaught in stride, smiling and whispering to be quiet while she tried to explain in as few words as possible what would be happening next. It only took her a couple of minutes to herd them the few feet to sit with the first group.

Amazed at her patience, warmed by her compassion, and proud of her, Peter folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall to watch her in action.

It wasn’t long before she walked up to him.

“Is something wrong?”

He quirked an eyebrow. “No.”

“Then why are you standing and staring like that?”

He looked down at himself and shrugged. “Like what?”

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