“This is gonna be some vacation.” He could hear her smile.
“Surrounded by the guys.”
“Your team.”
He nodded. And pressed his forehead against hers. “But we might be able to sneak in some time, for other things.”
“I think we should.”
He laughed. And she stepped away. “Tomorrow?”
“Yes, we’ll take my jet.”
“You sure…Oh right. It’s probably more secure.”
“I don’t know if more. You’ve got excellent measures and after today honestly the place is foolproof, but it helps to disappear. And we have jets not attached to any royal crest.”
“Got it”
He could hear her mind spinning with questions. He stood. “Until tomorrow?”
“Until tomorrow.” He let her hands slip out of his slowly while he stepped away, trying not to think of the woman he left behind in the dark.
“Thanks for telling me, Brooks.”
‘I’m glad you know.” And he was. Was it selfish to want to share his burden, knowing what the knowledge would bring? Perhaps. But it felt nice, and his job felt a little lighter.
His job. Get a grip, man. She’s the job. The last thing his training had taught him was to never personalize the job. Every course he’d had warned against what was happening with him and Skye, but this had already been personal. There was nothing he could do about that. Except amp up the intensity of just how personal it had become. He closed her door softly behind him and came face to face with Chase.
The man tried to tower above Brooks. He saw his shoulders drop and his head raised, but they stood eye to eye. “What are you doing here, Chase?”
“I’m on duty.”
‘Here?”
“Right here.”
“As in,outsidethis door.” Brooks drew an imaginary line.
“Got it, boss.”
Brooks eyed him, but the man’s face was expressionless. Lucan trusted him. Brooks had always thought he was a good trainee. So he nodded. Then turned down the hallway, knowing he’d get very little sleep tonight.
8
Skye climbed on board the jet, surrounded by men. They were on an airstrip out in the middle of her county. She wasn’t sure how they could take off and land from here without airport clearance, but she supposed her parents, and those in charge of security in her country made exceptions for situations like theirs. She wondered how many more scenarios like this one Brooks had been a part of.
He stepped in after her. “You’re wondering if I do this all the time.”
‘Yes.” She turned to him, enjoying the twinkle in his eyes. “Am I your one and only?”
His eyes darkened and she drank in their gaze. Both stopped in the aisle. “You are.”
What did he mean? Did he mean what she thought he meant? Searching his face gave no more clues, but she turned back around, and they sat in a pair of chairs at the rear of the small jet. The others took their seats. There were five on the jet.
She leaned closer to Brooks. “Is that…”
“Chase.”