Page 64 of Being Bold
Selene blinked, taking in her surroundings. “I’ve never been on a private plane before. It’s . . . smaller than I was expecting.” She nibbled her lip in a nervous gesture.
Leaning forward, he squeezed her hand. “As much of a pain in the ass as he is, Duke’s the best pilot I’ve ever flown with. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
She nodded, then startled as the passenger door closed. He gave her hand another reassuring squeeze, and she shook her head at herself.
“This is ridiculous. I fly all the time. Or I used to.” Sadness flickered in her eyes, and she shifted, pulling her hand free. She closed her lids, asking, “Wake me when we get there?”
He grunted a yes but couldn’t help watching her, wondering what she’d been thinking when the sadness clouded her gaze. Was she missing her life before all this? Or was she—like him—sad for the op to end if it meant never seeing each other again?
Mulling it over, he stared out the window while Duke got the plane off the ground. Thirty minutes into the flight, her breathing evened out, her head slumping over. Careful not to wake her, he shifted her body into a reclined position so she wouldn’t end up with a neck ache.
Staring down at her, a part of him wanted to pull her head into his lap and run his fingers through her dark hair. How much more time together did they have? Depending on how things went tomorrow, tonight might be it.
He frowned, worry cramping his stomach. It wasn’t enough. He wanted . . . more.
“Bo!” Hearing Victor call his name, Bo shook himself. This was an op, and he needed to focus on that. Not on whatever might or might not be happening with Selene.
Shoving to his feet, he moved to the front passenger area. Victor gestured to the seat across the tray table from him. When Bo took it, Herc and Romeo moved into the back, rear-facing seats.
Glad he wouldn’t have an audience, Bo cleared his throat. “I was out of line yesterday. I’m sorry.”
The scratch of stubble filled the space between them as Victor scrubbed at his chin. “That was unlike you, frogman.” Bo met Victor’s eyes. They studied him, working on an assessment. “Want to tell me what’s going on between you and Selene?”
He fought a wince that would only make things worse. “I don’t . . .” Bo rubbed the back of his neck. He was sweating.Great.“I can’t stand the thought of her getting hurt.”
Victor’s hazel gaze narrowed. “You going to be able to handle her being bait tomorrow?”
Bo’s hands clenched into fists. “I’m going to be there no matter what.” Reckless as it was, the statement was a promise as much as a threat. He wasn’t standing down even if Victor tookhim off the op. Not when Selene would be vulnerable. To make that point clear, he didn’t drop his leader’s gaze.
“I’d expect nothing less, Bo.” Victor leaned back in his seat, breaking the tension between them. His stare shifted out the window before he said, “If you get a chance at happiness, take it. We both know how short life can be. It’s better to take what good you canwhileyou can. Or else”—his mouth thinned, the corners of his eyes pinching—“you’ll end up living with regrets.”
He knew jack squat about Victor’s personal history, but the man sounded like he spoke from experience. Bo only grunted in response, ready to exit this uncomfortable conversation. He didn’t talk about his personal life to any of his team, least of all his leader.
Even if Victor might have a point, it still didn’t change the fact that Bo didn’t deserve Selene. He had no doubt she would make him happy, but in the long run? He didn’t thinkshe’dbe happy saddled withhim.
I sure as hell wouldn’t be.
Feeling morose, he slumped in his chair and glowered out the window. If he were going to make it through the next twenty-four hours, he couldn’t think about that because what happened after Selene was safe . . . wouldn’t include him.
Victor broke into his thoughts. “Now, tell me what happened inside the stairwell.”
Bo knew why he was asking. There were no cameras inside it. Even though TOP had been able to hear him, they hadn’t seen what went down with Felix or Yumi afterward.
Happy to move the conversation to something that didn’t give him the cold sweats, he laid it out as concisely as possible.
Chapter 18
Selene
The first thing Selene noticed when she walked into the hotel room she’d be sharing with Bo was that it only had one bed. The second thing that struck her as she edged further inside was the huge glass-walled shower mere steps from the bed. The bathroom wasn’t a separate room so much as part of the same cozy space. That was going to be . . . interesting.
Crossing her arms, she leaned out a hip and asked, “Did Duke pick this hotel?”
Bo stepped in behind her, shuffling with their duffels through the narrow hallway that opened into the bedroom where she’d stopped. “Yeah, why’d you as—” She turned in time to see his eyes widen at the setup. His throat sounded hoarse when he said, “There’s supposed to be two queen beds.”
“Uh-huh.” She couldn’t help but smirk at the expression on his face as he stared at the shower. The walls were tinted pink in an ombre fashion, starting at the bottom. If the hue were meant for privacy, it would do little to hide anything, judging by the silhouettes of the brass faucet she could see clearly through the colored glass.
“What the hell?” he muttered.
