Page 59 of Savage Beauty

“Isn’t there a way we can use a VPN or something so no one can trace us?” If I could get on?—

“I’ll ask the team.”

He disconnects his charging phone and turns it on.

“You charged it down here?”

“This morning when I woke up, it was dead. I got a little distracted last night.”

“We probably shouldn’t have done…you know, what we did last night.”

His attention is on his phone. I’m not sure he even heard me. Or maybe he did, and he agrees. We each live by our own rules.

“Well, look at that,” he says. “Anton Solonov went through Heathrow customs using an alias. Picked him out with photo recognition on a delayed screening.”

“Huh. Where do you think he’s going?”

“Who knows, but he’s no longer here.”

“Maybe they aren’t looking for me after all.”

“Don’t forget what happened in the hospital.” My gaze falls back to my too-long toenail and the tile. His tone feels like a reprimand. “I’m not trying to scare you. But we’ve still got to be smart.” He wipes down the counters with a rag. “I’m gonna go move the car from the empty villa down the street.”

“Do you think we could stop by the market? Buy some stuff for lunch, if we’re still going to be here? We’re out of fruit.” They had stocked the villa with basic nonperishables, most of which I don’t like, but fruit is my favorite. And cheese. And pizza. I feel antsy. What I really want is to get on Dr. Kallio’s laptop. If I can see that data once more, maybe something will jump out at me. “It’s just right down the street.”

“You want to get out of here?” he asks, hands pressed on the counter.

“Some fresh air.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “After my meeting, we’ll ride bikes down to the market together. Or we’ll take a car to a real grocery store to hunt for your favorite foods. Together. We’ll get more cheese.”

“I like pizza.”

“I can work with that. As for now, if you want fresh air, we’ve got a nice stretch of sandy beach right out our back door.”

He’s right. We do. But first, I need sunblock.

CHAPTER19

Max

When I get back from moving the car, Sloane’s gone. Stepping out on the deck, I scan the beach and find her off in the distance. She pulled her dark hair up in a ponytail that sways back and forth with each step. She’s in a clingy long-sleeve shirt, which I’d bet is an SPF shirt, and running shorts that set off those long, lean legs. The woman has one amazing set of legs.

She’s not a heels kind of woman, but damn if she wouldn’t look hot in towering heels and thigh-highs. That vision has me readjusting myself as I step back inside.

But Sloane won’t wear heels. She’s far too practical. Serious. And funny as hell without meaning to be. A guy can never know what’s going to come out of that one’s mouth. And now I’m grinning, just remembering—Do you want to have sex?

Yeah, surprising. If only all women would be so straightforward, the world would be a better place.

My phone buzzes, and it’s a reminder of another reason I steer clear of relationships and why I shouldn’t be standing around the kitchen like a dope thinking about a woman. Her legs? Fine. The behavior fits with any guy on any day. Quirky personality? Nope. That’s sucker land. Thinking about a woman’s personality is a blaring warning sign.

Ginger

I’m all settled in your place. Thank you so much for letting me crash here. Do you think you’ll be back soon?

I choose to ignore the woman who branded me a sucker. Besides, I might not be in the military anymore, but I’m away for work. She’ll assume work is keeping me from responding.

I flip open my laptop and login through our secure VPN. Erik isn’t a fan of video conferences, so it’s a group audio call. I have to say, if a similarity in preferences is any sign, it’s conceivable I’ll be right at home on the tech team. I need more training, but one thing my time in the military taught me, it can all be learned.

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