Page 37 of Close Pursuit

“So he’s back in Russia?”

He nodded. “He’s burned as a spy, of course. His face is too well known. I suppose he could get plastic surgery to change his appearance, but he’s also sixty-four years old. That’s getting up in years to be a field operative.”

Katie looked at him searchingly. “Is this why the CIA could be following you? Do they watch you?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t been free long enough to figure that out.”

“Free?” she echoed.

They hadn’t told her about his prison time? He’d just assumed the people at Doctors Unlimited would have told her. After all, not many women would head out into the wilderness voluntarily and completely alone with an ex-convict. He swore under his breath.Jerks.

Katie pulled back a little in alarm. “What?”

“I’m sorry, Katie. I assumed they told you about me.”

“They who? Told me what?”

“Doctors Unlimited. Told you about my past.”

She frowned. “My brother told me you were really smart and went to college early. That you studied math. But somewhere along the way, you apparently got a medical degree.”

His internal warning antennae wiggled wildly. “Who’s your brother?”

“Ian. Ian McCloud.”

“Who does he work for?” he asked quickly.

“A think tank in Colorado.”

So. Her brother was in the intelligence field. Great. Had her brother sicced her on him? What else didn’t he know about her?

“How did you get this job?” he asked her.

“I was just finishing up my master’s degree in nursing and up to my ears in student loan debt. I was approached by someone from Doctors Unlimited and offered the adventure of a lifetime and a paycheck I couldn’t say no to.”

She was seriously a just a nurse? He’d half-assumed that was just a cover. Lord knew, practically everyone else who crossed his path worked for one spy agency or another. Good God, if she was who she said she was, she had no business running around out here in a war zone with a man like him.

Had she truly come here just looking for adventure? She’d certainly found it. At least he hadn’t completely misread her. The good girl might be looking to climb down off that pedestal of hers, after all?—

--and he was not the man to help her down. She was far too naïve and pure for him. He might have already thrown his own soul away, but he had no right to destroy hers, too.

He sighed and asked, “Are you cold? There ought to be blankets in here, somewhere. Maybe even a bed. After all, the radio operator had to have somewhere to sleep between shifts when this placed was manned full-time.”

At the mention of a bed, Katie’s mobile features exploded in a variety of reactions. So transparent, she was. She was definitely interested in sex with him but also afraid of it. Smart girl.

“You’re very good at distracting me,” she murmured. “Although maybe I could use more distraction. The past few days have freaked me out pretty bad.”

He had to give her credit. When the bullets had been flying overhead, she’d kept her wits about her, followed instructions, and pushed herself well beyond exhaustion without a word of complaint. She was allowed to fall apart a little, now.

Reluctantly, he gathered her close once more and gave her a hug. “You’ve been very brave, Katie. Just hang on a little while longer. We’re almost out of this mess. Focus on the nice hot shower you can have as soon as we get back to civilization.”

She muttered into his shirt, “You sure do know the way to a girl’s heart.”

“I highly doubt that,” he murmured back. “I’ve never been any good at understanding women.”

“I don’t know,” she sighed as she snuggled closer to him. “You’re doing pretty well, so far.”

The strangest sensation coursed through him. Warmth. Affection, even. What the hell was that all about? Katie’s hands slipped around his neck, which had the effect of plastering her breasts against his chest. His abdominal muscles clenched in surprise.

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