Page 55 of Covert Vengeance

One side of Bautista’s hard mouth lifted. “Yeah. And that’s every bit as hot as it sounds.”

Jesse laughed. “I can see the appeal.” Although to him a certain brunette, kickass assassin who also just happened to be one of the best hackers in the world was hotter.

They were nearing the garage now. Ty and Marcus were inside, bent over the engine of a classic Aston Martin as they talked, while Karas lay curled up at her master’s feet.

“Hey, man, I don’t know your situation with Amber,” Bautista began, “but here’s a word of advice from a guy who’s spent the last three years living with a Valkyrie.” He paused, gave Jesse a pointed look. “These women?” He shook his head. “Don’t ever—and I meanever—get in her way or try to control her. Just don’t.”

“Yeah, I can imagine. Thanks.” He thumped Bautista on the back, grateful for the reprieve when they stepped into the garage. He wasn’t sure yet what would happen between him and Amber, but whatever it turned out to be, it was private.

She’d…changed him somehow. He hadn’t been looking for a relationship. It hadn’t even been on his radar. Yet his feelings for her were growing daily, along with the strange sense of possessiveness where she was concerned. That last part didn’t bode well for him given what Bautista had just said, but Jesse couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there.

He and Bautista joined the other two men at the classic car and talked like a bunch of gearheads for the next few minutes until footsteps crunched on the gravel path outside. Megan appeared with Georgia, Amber behind them.

Jesse straightened, his entire body on instant alert, unable to take his eyes off her. She had on dark, snug jeans that hugged every curve of her hips and thighs, and a light green sweater he’d love to shove up so he could bury his face between her breasts.

“You guys about done in here?” Megan asked as she sidled up to Ty and wound an arm around his waist. “We need to talk to you about something.”

“Something important,” Georgia clarified, stepping into Bautista’s side and leaning her blond head on his shoulder as his arm came around her.

“About Stanislav?” Ty asked.

“Yes. Come back to the house,” Megan said. “You too, Marcus.”

Jesse stayed where he was, watching Amber. She paused near the door, waited for the others to leave and shut it, leaving them alone with about a million’s worth of vintage cars. His heart kicked hard against his chest, his blood heating at the weight of her prolonged stare. She watched him as though she couldn’t look away from him.

“How was the tour?”

The mere sound of her voice made his cock swell. “Tour was good. It’s a gorgeous place.” He leaned back against the Aston Martin and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting. “You want to talk to me too?”

“Maybe.” She pushed away from the door and started toward him in a walk that could only be called a prowl, her eyes on his.

Damn, she was sexy. All confident, female power. She knew who she was, and what she wanted. Hot. “I’m all ears.”

She walked up and stopped a mere foot from him. “We got the green light to go after Stanislav. We’ve done the initial mission planning, but there are a lot of details still needing to be worked out.”

“Such as?”

“Do you want in?”

The look in her eyes made it clear she didn’t mean just for the op, and it sent most of the blood in his brain surging to his groin.Oh, baby, you know I do. All the way in, until you cry out my name and clench around me while you come.

And after that, he wanted in even deeper. In her life, and in her heart.

“Doyouwant me in?” he countered. He needed her to want him just as badly as he wanted her.

She lifted an eyebrow. “And if I did?”

“I might be willing to help you out.”

“Hmmm. The offer’s so tempting.”

“But?” Jesus, she smelled good. He wanted to bury his face in her neck, nibble his way up to her jaw, across to her mouth and work his way down to the secret place between her thighs. He was dying to taste her there. Find out what made her gasp and moan. What it took to make her come. What it took to rip down her protective shields and get into her heart.

“But I don’t like strings.”

He reined in the immediate impulse to argue. Damn, she wasn’t making this any easier for him. “No? What about restraints?”

Her lips curved, mischief sparking in her gaze. “You got a kinky side, Cordova?”

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