Page 37 of Stars in Umbra
‘Doing good?
‘I won’t lie about trying to call you,’ he growled. ‘Because I didn’t. Life got busy, but I was also aware you’d be coming in this week, so I thought it better to catch you in person.’
‘I appreciate the honesty.’
She liked that he didn’t try to play games or make up excuses.
Their eyes locked, as raw desire flared, and Rina had to lock her knees to stop from swaying into his arms.
He crossed his arms over his massive chest. ‘How was the morning after the reception? I missed the breakfast.’
Most of Ki’Remi and Issa’s close friends had stayed overnight in a cute little hotel at the foot of the mountains.
The next forenoon, they’d joined the happy couple for a wedding brunch.
‘It was a blur of a fry-up we all fought over and mimosas poured with the kind of fierce dedication reserved for battlefield triage. I’d rather have been negotiating with escaped war criminals than navigating a bottomless champagne banquet with that crowd of hungover lovebirds.’
He chuckled, a hoarse rumble that sent chills through her. ‘How were Ki’Remi and Issa? All loved up?’
‘Nada, they appeared half-dead when they showed up. He couldn’t keep his head up, and she threatened to throttle anyone who offered her caffeine.’
Mo’s lips twitched. ‘Not a bad start, all things considered.’
‘Maybe,’ she allowed, though her tone was distracted, her thoughts crowded with the matters she had to deal with, pressing on her mind.
He tilted his head, eyes raking her face. ‘Heavy workload?’
She shrugged, forcing levity into her voice that didn’t quite land. ‘Appears the Peace Corps doesn’t run itself. Turns out evil doesn’t take days off.’
He studied her a beat longer, his stillness saying more than words.
‘You gonna breathe today, Colonel?’ he rasped.
She blinked at his unexpected concern. ‘Tomorrow. Maybe.’
She tried to offer him another smile, but it came out thin, brittle.
This time, it was she who needed to leave, not because she wanted to, but because duty was calling and dragging her by the throat.
She adjusted her jacket, already stepping back, trying to keep her face neutral, but Mo wasn’t blind.
He tilted his head, reading her in that quiet, unsettling way of his.
‘Let me guess? Kainan is riding your ass sideways?’
She gave a slight shrug, non-committal, not wanting to badmouth their boss.
He smirked. ‘He does the same to me. If you need anything, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, Colonel, call me.’
His voice deepened a fraction lower, more hoarse and laced with a sultry lure.
‘Better yet, if you’re desperate for a drink, I’ll make you one.The Osirianhas got every libation this side of Pegasi. Tis the best damn bar in the system.’
She smiled, lips softening just enough. ‘Sounds tempting. I might take you up on it.’
Their eyes locked, and there it was.
That hit of heat as desire snapped between them like a live wire stretched too tight.
