Page 4 of Saved By the SEAL

Us. That’s the part that’s going to get me. I don’t know if there is enough room for us both to live here for the time being. I know that this is Michelle’s home and she can choose wherever she wants, but it doesn’t seem big enough for two people to coexist within. Maybe a couple, sure, but we aren’t actually a couple. There is only one bedroom, and not much maneuverability, but I suppose I’ll just have to go along with whatever she wants. I’m just the accessory here.

“Great, I’ll call Max and then we can sort out the paperwork.” I force myself to smile. “Sound good?”

“I can get the paperwork done while you make your call,” she reassures me. “I’ll put your name on the lease for now, and then at some point, we can maybe break up, which is the moment that you’ll move out. Whenever that time comes.”

Thank goodness the guy who was giving us a tour has already gone back down the stairs. I wouldn’t want anyone to hear a comment like that or they might get the wrong idea. Well, the right idea, since we’re clearly planning a breakup, but all of that is meant to be discrete. I don’t know how much Michelle understands that. Perhaps when we have all of this in place, wewill have to hold a crisis meeting and get everything sorted out. Boundaries will help us both.

“Sure, whatever you want. Thanks, Michelle. You go and get all of this squared away.”

I can’t seem to stop myself from admiring the curve of her ass as she walks away from me. Iknowthat I shouldn’t, but the rational side of my brain is completely overshadowed by the side of me that just wants toseeher. She’s so deliciously curvy, it’s impossible. And the sexy, short dress that she has on today is unbearable. I hope she doesn’t always intend to be so revealing because she’ll draw a whole heap of unnecessary attention her way. She needs to fly under the radar as much as she can.

Once she’s out of sight, I sigh heavily to myself and head over to the window to take a look out at the view while I call Max. Actually, while this apartment might be a lot smaller than mine, it’s got a nice view out the window. I could look at it for a long time… or is that Michelle? Much as I keep trying to get away from it, she’s the one I can’t stop thinking of.

I grab out my cellphone and call Max, needing to speak to him before I go too far down that rabbit hole.

“Hi, Jordan.” He sounds pleased to hear from me, which gives me confidence once more. “How’s it going?”

“Michelle has picked an apartment. I just wanted to let you know to cancel all the other appointments.”

“Good, great…” He pauses thoughtfully for a second. “And things are okay with the two of you? I know you had doubts…”

I still do. They aren’t going to shift, but I fear for anyone else being put on this job. I think my suspicion of Michelle is whatwill allow me to keep on top of things. I won’t fall for her seduction no matter what she tries.

“Yeah, things are fine,” I tell him in the end. “I can make this work. I don’t have any worries. There have been no signs of danger so far, but Michelle is definitely very worried about being outside, so I’ll have to help her work on that.”

“Right, exactly. That’s good. If she wants to have some kind of real life here, then she’ll have to find a way to get out into the world and to do it safely. With you working with her, I know she’ll be able to achieve that.”

I hope he’s right. If Michelle is who she pretends to be, anyway. I guess I’ll find out…

4

MICHELLE

“That’s all you have?” Jordan looks at my packed bags, which I can basically carry with one hand, in surprise. “I thought that you’d have moved here with all kinds of stuff. You haven’t bought anything while you were in the safehouse?”

“I don’t like going out,” I shoot back instantly. “It makes me really anxious. I haven’t had a chance to go to the shops. All I have is what the Russians sent me with. It’s all crazy, sexy stuff because they wanted me to seduce people.”

Again, Jordan blushes, and I feel a heat rushing through my body too. I probably shouldn’t have said that. My God, when did I get so used to talking about this kind of stuff that I forgot about boundaries? I need to remember how to behave in the real world. Especially if I’m going to try and slot into American life. I shove my suitcase into the bedroom, never to mention it again.

“Well, I can always take you shopping,” he tells me awkwardly. “I guess that’s going to be a big part of changing your look, isn’t it? And if the clothing you have is all sexy, then it won’t help you with getting a job and things, will it?”

“Right.” I don’t know what job I’ll be any good at, but honestly, I’m willing to throw myself at anything. “I can do that.”

“And Max mentioned coloring your hair, didn’t he?” Immediately, I touch my blonde locks, knowing that I’m going to miss them like crazy. “So, that’s something we’re going to have to look into too. As soon as possible. You need to look different.”

It’s a gut punch, having to change everything about myself because of this, because I truly don’t think I deserve it, but I really do just have to go along with it. I need a new identity to help get me through this. Who knows? I might even like it. I suppose I’ve always been trapped in a little box and I haven’t been outside it, so I need to just try. See what works for me.

“What I’ve heard from Max,” Jordan continues, not seeing the internal battle I’m having, “Is that he’s getting your papers worked out so as soon as he’s got it all in place, we can move in the right direction. We can set your life up as you want it.”

“Do you know what sort of clothes I should get?” I ask him curiously, hoping that it’ll be a million times better than the thigh-skimming dresses and skirts and the low-cut tops which I don’t like one bit. “For work and everything like that?”

“I don’t know,” he admits cautiously. “But I’ll sort it out with you. I think together, we can make it work. You aren’t one of those people who loves shopping, then? I was hoping that you might have some idea of what you want.”

I let out a little laugh. “Sorry, that’s never really been me. Maybe that side of me will unleash in the store.”

“Are you hungry?” The sudden change of subject throws me off guard. “We don’t have any food in the fridge yet, so I wanted toknow if you want to go out? We could get out the house for a bit and fill our stomachs. How does that sound?”

I have a feeling that the awkwardness is getting a little too much for him and he wants to get out of these four walls so he can breathe a little easier, but unfortunately, I don’t know ifIcan stand it out there. For me, being locked away is so much better. I absolutely love it. I know that none of the Russian agents can get me here, least of all Alexander, the asshole boss of the whole spy operation in this area who will be the one to tear me apart if he finds me. I can only assume by now that Alexander has tracked down the cellphone I dumped in the trashcan, however far away I did it, so he knows I’m off the grid. He’ll destroy me.

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