Page 29 of Jump or Fall
She handed it over. He plugged in a key, installing the program he’d written to access it remotely. Then, he gave it back.
“I’ll leave the server on. Now you can read as much as you want.”
She looked down at the screen, lips parting slightly.
The urge to kiss her hit him hard—but he didn’t want to scare her away. They were partners on a mission, and he couldn’t fuck it up. Plus, maybe she’d never want another man after everything.
Fuck. What if she didn’t like men to begin with?
Maybe you shouldn’t have made a joke about your dick.
But she’d smiled and bit her lip if that was anything to go off of.
Her eyes met his, and he couldn’t figure out her expression—happy, maybe. Sad?
“How can I possibly match something like this?” she said.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Holy shit.
Gordon froze, heart slamming against his ribs. She was hugging him.
He lightly draped his arms around her, something stirring inside him that he hadn’t felt in so long. The scent of coconut and flowers mingled with her own, filling his senses in an intoxicating blend.
“I didn’t do this to get anything from you,” he said, clearing his throat. “You don’t owe me.”
Her grip tightened for a second before she pulled back. “I’m still going to find something.”
“If you insist,” he murmured, trying to mask how much he wanted her to stay in his arms.
Was it a hug between friends?
Or something more?
Mara checked the time. “I don’t want to go, but I need to. Not sure how I’m supposed to sleep after this.”
He motioned for her to take the lead up the steps. “I’m glad you liked the armor.”
“I liked everything about tonight—except for Kimmie,” she said with a laugh.
“Understandable. She’s rough around the edges, but not a bad person.”
They walked together through the tunnels toward the exit. Gordon stole glances, trying not to read too much into every look she gave him.
He couldn’t help recalling what Mara had said last time.
This was the most normal he’d felt in a long time, too.
Chapter 12
Gordon - Four Years Earlier
They shoved him out of the car onto the rough pavement, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. Blood filled his mouth, suffocating and thick. Every gasping breath sent shards of agony through his ribs where a boot had landed.
I’m going to die.
A hand grabbed his arm, and he flung it away. “Fu–” His curse was cut off by searing pain radiating through his face. Something was wrong—his mouth wouldn’t move right. Like part of his face had become disconnected.
