Page 10 of Operation Heartbeat

Soon he learned that the person who was detained at JFK airport had to be released according to the law—but he didn’t have his phone. Con was still in possession of it.

They discussed getting the person of suspicion back in the country, even as Con knew how impossible it would be. Outside of US jurisdiction, the man was untouchable. Still, they had to try.

When his commander’s assistant answered the call, Con stifled a groan, already knowing Barrett was out of the office and he wouldn’t be getting the answers he needed now.

“Commander Barrett isn’t available at the moment,” came the reply.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Requesting a call back from him.”

“I’ll make a note.”

As he ended the call, he pushed a sigh through his nostrils. When he inhaled again, he smelled spicy tacos. He hoped the professor liked tacos, but he didn’t see her eating anything that messy.

Sophie was refined and serious in the way scholars tended to be. But several times now he’d spotted excited, childlike wonder in her eyes, like when she looked at the tall bookcases in the study he’d claimed as his office.

When he walked into the hall, the clink of someone moving around in the kitchen reached him. A loud clatter of a pan hitting the floor made him cringe.

Mason.

Whether or not the food would be edible was anyone’s guess. Last time his brother-in-arms cooked, the chicken was raw in the middle.

Con returned to his office to find Sophie standing at the tall window, looking out at the dark landscape of the expansive grounds surrounding the base.

At his entrance, she turned from the window to look at him. “I’m surprised I didn’t have to be blindfolded for you to bring me here.”

“You didn’t have to be blindfolded because it was almost dark. I didn’t think you’d be able to find the base again.”

Amusement lit her eyes. When he first saw her, he noticed how deep and dark they were. His were equally as dark, a throwback from some Spaniard in his bloodline. But his were dark and hard, while Sophie’s were as warm and inviting as hot chocolate.

What the hell? Why was he thinking about her eyes? Or comparing them to sweet drinks he didn’t even like?

She moved to lean against the desk, resting her backside on the side and gripping the edge. Until now, he’d hardly noticed her body. Her position accentuated the way her trousers hugged across her hips but flowed down her legs to the sensible brown boots she wore. Her chest was also pushed outward, allowing him to trace the curve of her full breasts with his eyes.

Realizing he was staring at her breasts, he whipped his gaze up to her throat. But that little frilly bit of lace around her neck only made him wonder what she wore next to her skin.

Luckily, her question broke his focus on her body. “How do we get the guy who had this cryptogram in his cloud back for questioning?”

“I have a call in to my commander, but that’s out of my hands for the time being. We know he’s on a flight to Turkey. You should prepare. We’ll likely be flying to Turkey very soon.”

She tucked the dainty point of her chin to her chest in a jerk of surprise. “This was a mistake. I can’t go to Turkey. Dean McCall didn’t grant me that much time off.”

“He gave you the time you need to do the job.”

“But I don’t have my passport.”

“You don’t need a passport. You’re with me.”

Silence fogged the air, a thick wall that he was having trouble navigating and she didn’t seem to know how to scale.

“You have that kind of pull.” It wasn’t a question.

He gave her a single nod in answer.

Through the door he’d left open a crack came a shout. “Come and get it!”

Sophie pushed off the desk and straightened to her full height. She wasn’t tall, but she wasn’t petite either. If he stepped up to her, he could easily tuck her head beneath his chin.

“What does that mean? Come and get what?” Concern sounded as a breathless puff in her tone.

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