Page 52 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

"IT SMELLS REALLY good in here." Jules pulls in another deep breath as we step into my house. "Where is that coming from?"

I close the door behind us and go to work taking off her coat—my coat. "I asked Vera to make us dinner, so you could eat as soon as we got home." I asked Vera to do a few other things while we were gone too, but she'll discover that soon enough.

Julieanne’s dark eyes stay on my face as I unzip her from the bulky parka. "Will I ever be officially introduced to Vera?"

I know I’m an ass for not introducing them when we first got here, but I didn't want anyone else trying to monopolize Julieanne’s time when she needed to sleep. I'm not sure I want anyone else monopolizing her time when she's awake either. Especially now that we wasted hours at headquarters. But it had to be done. As much as I didn't want to take her there, it was theeasiest and fastest way to get what my team needs to ensure we’re able to hunt down whoever was stupid enough to come after her.

"I'll introduce you to Vera tomorrow." Maybe. Unless I can come up with a way around it.

I peel away the coat and hang it in the closet before turning and going into the open kitchen. I keep my hands at my sides, trying to relax even though all I want to do is grab her. Touch her. Tell her what a good fucking job she did tonight. But once I put my hands on her, I won't be able to stop, and she needs to eat and then she needs to sleep. It’s late and Jules isn’t used to living the way I do, and I'll be damned if I ask her to.

I pull out one of the backed stools at the bar for her, tipping my head at it as I pass. "Sit." I know I'm being short. Abrasive. That's how it has to be. If I give myself an inch with her, I’ll take a mile, and she won't eat or sleep until I've had my fill.

If that’s even possible.

I pull the cast iron pot from the oven and lift the lid. The scent Julieanne appreciated as we walked in becomes heavier as steam rises from the thick beef stew inside.

Julieanne groans, the sound shooting straight to my dick. "That smells divine."

I grunt in acknowledgment and scoop a sizable portion into a shallow bowl before sliding it in front of her and dropping in a spoon. Rolling back the foil covering the pan of fresh-baked rolls, I dig a couple out, sliding them onto a plate before setting them next to the stew Jules is already digging into. Her lips purse as she blows across the steaming spoonful and I try to stealthily adjust myself. It wasn't so long ago those lips were wrapped around me in the best blow job of my life, and I’m havinga hard time keeping the image of her on her knees out of my mind.

I'm too fucking old to be acting like this. Too fucking old to be hard watching a woman eat. But, as with everything else, Julieanne has proven I'm not what I should be.

I dish up some stew of my own, but stay where I am, standing across the island from her, putting myself as far away from temptation as I can make myself get. We eat in silence for a few minutes before Julieanne finally starts in with her questions.

"Do you think they’ll figure out who it was?"

"They'll find out who it was." If for no other reason than they know I'll lose my shit if they don't. Before we left, I made it clear to Elias this is their top priority. Luckily, he’s smart enough not to question me, and simply agreed to shift the team’s focus.

We always have a number of ops in progress at any given time. Some only involve Elias’s team and some involve only Amos’s team. The bulk of them, though, involve both, and I have a feeling Julieanne’s problem will fall under that category.

"What will happen when you figure out who's behind it?" Julieanne's poking at her food now, her attention entirely on me.

And it has me wanting to lie. Wanting to soften the truth of what I'm going to do to the men who were stupid enough to go after her.

I've hidden behind what I am for years. Used it as a shield because I knew it would keep anyone and everyone where I wanted them. But I don't want Julieanne to be afraid of me. In spite of what I once claimed, I don't want her to see me as a monster.

Even if that's what I am.

"I'm not sure." The lie is easy to tell, and she accepts it, nodding before turning back to her dinner.

She's quiet the rest of the meal, and I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Julieanne is rarely quiet, and never misses an opportunity to question me, so I'm going to choose to believe she’s simply exhausted. That's why, as soon as her food is gone, I take her plate and send her to bed. Again, she agrees easily, another indication she's more tired than she lets on. I load the dishwasher and set it to run before packing away the leftovers and handwashing the heavy pot. I know Vera's job is to keep shit clean, but there's no reason to make that harder on her than it has to be.

Once everything is in order, I turn off the lights, intending to go to my office, but my feet move into the bedroom all on their own. The bathroom door is open, so that's where I go, stopping short in the doorway at the sight in front of me.

Julieanne stands at the sink, wrapped in the fluffy robe Vera hung inside. Her new toothbrush is shoved between her lips, and her damp hair hangs around her shoulders. She turns my way, giving me a foamy smile before spitting and rinsing the suds down the drain. "Thank you for getting me a toothbrush." She sets her brush on the tray that matches the one beside the sink I typically use.

"I assumed you wouldn't want to wait for yours to get here." It's a lie. The need to take care of Julieanne is just as strong as the need to protect her. The need to be close to her. The need to have her in my life and in my bed.

And using that damn second sink.

She turns to face me, pulling the plush robe tighter. "Iassumed this was for me too." One hand smooths down the front. "I didn't think pink was your color."

It's not quite as bright as the one she wore at home, but Vera managed to get close. I’ll have to give her a bonus.

Julieanne pinches her lower lip between her teeth. "I didn't see any pajamas though, so..."

I want to tell her I'd prefer she slept naked, but again, I'm trying to give her time to acclimate. To recover from the past few days. But if she wears anything to bed, it'll fucking belong to me. "Take whatever you need from my closet."

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