Page 10 of Protecting Her

"North-facing windows have clear sight lines from at least three buildings," she noted into her comm, watching Kate mark the coordinates. "I want surveillance on all of them."

"Already running facial recognition on the occupants," David's voice crackled back. "Three law firms, two tech companies, and a lot of recently rented office space."

Sarah appeared in the doorway of what would be Carmen's bedroom, her expression grim. "Local security cameras are compromised. Someone's tapped into the feeds."

"Switch to our system." Jude moved to inspect the connecting door between her room and Carmen's, testing its reinforced locks. "I want our people monitoring every angle."

The door represented both tactical necessity and personal temptation. Having direct access to Carmen's room wasessential for protection, but Jude couldn't quite ignore how the proximity would affect her already fragile professional distance.

Soft footsteps in the hallway made her turn. Carmen entered with her usual quiet grace, trailed by hotel staff carrying her luggage. Even after the long flight and tense drive, she maintained that diplomat's gift for making every movement look effortless.

"The staff has been cleared?" Carmen asked, though Jude suspected she already knew the answer.

"Thoroughly. Though I'd prefer you let us unpack?—"

"That won't be necessary, Captain." Carmen's smile held gentle amusement. "Some things should remain private, don't you think?"

The suggestion in her tone made Jude's collar feel too tight. She focused on checking window seals while Carmen directed the staff, hyperaware of how the other woman moved through the space. Each brush past felt deliberate, every shared glance carrying weight.

"Communications are up," Marcus reported, drawing Jude's attention back to security. "Encrypted channels confirmed secure."

She nodded, moving to inspect the bathroom's ventilation system. "I want thermal imaging on adjacent rooms and?—"

The words died on her tongue. Carmen stood in the bathroom doorway wearing only a silk robe, hair damp from a shower Jude hadn't even heard running. Water droplets traced paths down her neck, disappearing beneath deep blue silk, and Jude's carefully maintained control cracked.

"Sorry, Captain." Carmen's voice carried a hint of something that wasn't quite innocence. "I thought you'd finished in here."

Jude forced her eyes up, maintaining professional eye contact through sheer will. "Just checking the ventilation access points, ma'am. I'll give you privacy."

"Always so proper." Carmen's smile held heat that had nothing to do with her shower. She moved past Jude in the narrow doorway, close enough that damp silk brushed against tactical gear. "Though I wonder if that's getting harder to maintain."

The scent of Carmen's shower products—something expensive and subtle—filled Jude's senses. She stepped back quickly, nearly colliding with Sarah who'd appeared with security updates.

"Ma'am," Jude managed, her voice remarkably steady considering how her pulse raced. "We'll finish the security sweep and let you settle in."

Carmen's knowing look suggested she hadn't missed Jude's reaction. "Of course, Captain. Though do remember that connecting door works both ways. You know, in case of an emergency."

The reminder of their shared access hung between them, loaded with implications beyond just security protocols. Jude retreated to her own room, directing her team to finish setting up surveillance while trying to forget how Carmen's robe had clung to shower-warm skin.

Later, alone in her room, Jude stared at the connecting door. She could hear Carmen moving around next door, taking calls with that diplomatic voice that somehow managed to be both authoritative and intimate. The sounds felt too close, too personal, like classified information Jude shouldn't have access to.

She touched the door's handle, telling herself she was just checking the lock again. But she knew the real danger wasn't what might come through the door.

It was how much she wanted to open it herself.

Her secure phone buzzed, breaking the moment. She expected a security update, but Carmen's name lit up the display instead.

"Captain." Carmen's voice through the phone carried that particular warmth that made Jude's pulse quicken. "Could you join me to review tomorrow's security protocols?"

"Of course, ma'am." Jude was already moving, her professional mask firmly in place. "Give me two minutes to coordinate with the team."

She updated Sarah about the change in position, checked her weapon, and tried to ignore how eager she felt to cross the space between their rooms. The connecting door clicked open with careful precision.

Carmen's suite glowed amber in the evening light streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. The diplomat stood at her desk, still elegant despite the long day, and Jude noticed how Carmen’s silver-streaked hair caught the sunset. She'd changed from her blue silk robe into something even softer—a cream silk blouse and tailored slacks that made Jude intensely aware of still being in her work clothes.

"Drink?" Carmen gestured to the bar cart by the window. "I think we've earned one after today's excitement."

Jude hesitated. "Ma'am, I'm still on duty."

---