Page 92 of Operation Heartbeat

He had no idea what he even meant by that. He could get her settled in one of the spare rooms with a computer system and a cot for her to sleep on. He could settle her in his room, but question was, who got the top bunk?

He could settle her on his cock.

At the thought, his dick started to swell behind his fly. Not the time, he told it. A lot of good it did trying to reprimand his own body reacting to thoughts of slipping between Sophie’s soft thighs and driving into her sweet, tight pussy.

If he didn’t halt this train of thinking now, he’d end up putting her back in that SUV and driving them to the nearest motel so he could make her scream his name without his men overhearing.

By the time they walked in, one of the guys had music blasting in the kitchen as they got busy fixing a meal. Everyone else seemed to vanish to their respective quarters to kick back after the op.

Con was never out of his element, but right now, he didn’t know up from down. He only wanted Sophie.

He stopped in the middle of the grand foyer. Surrounded by ornate moldings decorating the walls and running along the top of the high ceiling, Sophie didn’t even look out of place.

She smiled up at him. The cuts and bruises on her face seemed softened in the light of the chandelier that some designer had probably chosen for the sole purpose of making the woman of the house look good.

“Show me to your room?”

He gave her a jerky nod and strode to the expansive staircase leading to the second level where he slept. He didn’t dare touch her. If he felt her skin, he couldn’t promise that they’d end up in bed together. Ever since he confessed that he loved her, his body wanted nothing more than to seal that declaration by joining with hers, and making her cry out on orgasm after orgasm.

He should try to distance himself from her, but damn if he could. He took her hand and led the way to his quarters. As he pushed open the door and faced the stark space, he sighed.

“After our luxury hotel room, this place is depressing as hell.”

With her fingers still meshed with his, she looked around. One window, a door, four walls, a set of military-issue bunk beds and a footlocker against one wall.

From outside came the rumble of an engine. He released her hand to look at what was going on. Two of the guys got into the SUV and drove away.

“They must be going for supplies,” he commented.

She came to stand next to him, staring out at the grounds below. Walkways connected a covered patio to a fountain nestled in the center of flowerbeds that overflowed with blooms in the summertime.

“Sophie.”

She pivoted to face him. “Before you say anything, I need to say what’s on my mind.”

Oh god. This was where they decided they should go their separate ways. That their lives were far too different. Hell, they might as well live on different planets.

He swallowed against the dry lump in his throat and had to try twice to force it down enough to speak. “I’m listening.”

“I’ve made a decision.” Her deep brown eyes rested on his. No sign of worry or pain filled the depths, which had him wondering just what this decision could be.

“About?”

“Your job offer.” She inched a step closer, bringing her lush curves closer too.

“No, no. That’s off the table. I can’t have you placed in danger like that ever again.”

“No. You need me. Charlie needs me.”

“We’ll find someone else.”

She went on tiptoe, looping her arms around his neck and leaning into him. Her soft breasts pressed into his chest and ignited the passion that was never far away when she was near.

“You need me, Ryan. You never could have gotten this far without me.”

“We still don’t have eyes on that shipment.”

“We know it’s going to Missouri, but we don’t know where it is currently. The bomb squad’s already on standby at the base.”

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