Page 48 of Dangerous Devotion

He picked up a bag and dumped the contents on the bed. A few travel-size toiletries fell out, along with a box.

May gaped at the box. “Did you take that from my bag?”

His brow hiked upward. “Take what?”

“The condoms.” She felt heat slowly creeping into her cheeks and hated how the flush made her look so childish.

“I bought those.” He took in her blush and erupted in a low rumble of a laugh. “You bought some too?”

She nodded.

His eyelids hooded. “Guess we’re set in that department.” He rooted around the items he’d just dumped out of the bag. “Aha!”

He picked up a small package.

“Handwarmers?”

With a distracted nod, he set those aside and grabbed a small white container. May inched closer to the bed to study the items he arranged in a line.

“Pool shock packets, handwarmers.” Realization scudded through her as she put two and two together. “A metal thermos, an aluminum pie plate, string lights and a nine-volt battery.” Shegave him an astounded look. “You already knew you’d have to blow that door to reach the bomb.”

He didn’t grace her with a direct look or an answer. “I left everything I carry with me back in that hotel in DC. I like being prepared.”

She looked him over. The fact that her partner knew what household items to pick up at a department store to create an explosive was kind of hot in a dark and bad-boy way.

Illegal too, in the wrong hands.

She caught herself staring at AJ’s long fingers as he began to pack the items into a cheap bag intended for toiletries. Those hands were capable of delivering the most mind-blowing pleasure…and they could kill.

A jagged scar down the back of one hand had drawn her notice before. Now she wondered just how he got it.

He glanced up at her and caught her staring too. “Con’s going to call in a minute. We have a lot to discuss.”

Her nerves kicked in again, and she set off pacing back to the table and fiddled with the little coffeemaker. Caffeine would only amplify her jitters, but she needed something to keep her hands busy for sixty seconds while she waited for Con’s call.

It didn’t even take that long. AJ’s phone barely got out a full buzz before he snatched it off the bed and swiped the screen to accept the call.

“Tell me you had a better day than I did.” Con’s voice was tight.

AJ’s spine snapped straight. “What happened?”

“Let’s just say New Mexico has been a bust.”

AJ started to ask another question, but Con cut him off. “We’ll fill you in later when we’re all back at base. Talk to me, Chickie. What did you find?”

“We got it. The bomb is in the hangar.”

A beat of silence followed. “Where in the hangar? What’s surrounding the explosive?”

They all knew that mattered—a lot. Just as with the items AJ placed in the travel bag, things inside that hangar could mix with the ones in the crate to create a massive explosion with the potential to kill more than just the men on base.

“Are we talking jet fuel or—”

May spoke up. “We don’t know, Con. The major general wouldn’t take us in there during our tour.”

AJ gave her a steady look. “Which suggests he knows exactly what’s in there.”

“Major General Simpson?” came Con’s next question.

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