Page 28 of Sly Like a Fox
“That was a complete success,” Jenna says as we walk to the parking garage.“Did you see how Judge Morrison reacted when I mentioned your work with database security?She practically invited us to her dinner party next weekend.”
“I noticed.You were brilliant in there.”
The compliment makes her glow with pleasure, and I enjoy seeing her succeed.Not just because it advances our mission but because she deserves to feel confident and appreciated for her considerable skills.
Back at my apartment, we review the evening’s intelligence over wine and takeout from her favorite Thai restaurant.Jenna has traded her elegant cocktail dress for comfortable clothes, but she’s still wearing the necklace and earrings I bought for her cover wardrobe.
“We should practice our engagement story,” she says, checking items off our preparation list.“People will expect details if we’re going to maintain this cover long term.”
“Good point.How did I propose?”
She considers the question with serious attention.“Somewhere meaningful but not overly romantic.We don’t want to seem like we’re trying too hard to be the perfect couple.”
“The art gallery where we had our third date?I could have arranged a private viewing and proposed in front of your favorite piece.”
“That’s good.Personal but not publicly dramatic.”She makes a note on her tablet.“What kind of ring?”
I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the small velvet box I’ve been carrying since this morning.“This kind.”
Her eyes widen as I open the box to reveal a platinum band with a classic round diamond, elegant but not ostentatious.It’s the ring Fenton Nielsen would choose for a woman he truly loved.
“Fenton, this is...”She trails off, staring at the ring with an expression I can’t quite read.
“It’s part of our cover,” I say quickly, though the words feel inadequate.“We need it to be convincing, and people will expect to see an actual ring if we’re claiming to be engaged.”
“Of course.For the cover.”She looks briefly troubled before her expression morphs back to a small smile.
I lift the ring from the box, noting how my hands are slightly unsteady.“May I?”
She extends her left hand, and I slide the ring onto her finger.It fits perfectly, which shouldn’t surprise me since I had it sized based on the jewelry she already wears, but seeing it there, catching the light, makes something tighten in my chest.
“How does it look?”she asks, holding her hand up to examine the ring.
“Perfect.Completely convincing.”
We’re sitting close together on my couch, her hand still extended between us, and the intimacy of the moment feels both planned and spontaneous.She’s looking at the ring, but I’m looking at her face and noting the way her expression softens when she thinks I’m not watching.
“We should probably practice the proposal story,” she says, though her voice is quieter than before.
“Probably.”
Neither of us moves to create more space.Instead, she shifts slightly closer until I can smell her perfume mixed with the subtle scent that’s uniquely hers.
“For authenticity,” she murmurs, though I’m not sure what she’s referring to.
“For the cover,” I agree, though my voice sounds rough.
She looks up at me, and suddenly, the space between us seems charged with possibilities that go far beyond professional necessity.Her lips part slightly, and I lean toward her without conscious decision.
The kiss starts as practice, a technical exercise in maintaining our cover story, but within seconds, it becomes something much more intense and real.Her free hand tangles in my hair, pulling me closer, and I respond by deepening the kiss with an urgency that has nothing to do with operational requirements.
We finally break apart, breathing hard and staring at each other with new awareness.The engagement ring on her finger is a visible reminder of the elaborate deception we’re constructing, but the way she’s looking at me feels entirely genuine.
“That was...”she starts but then stops, seeming uncertain how to finish the sentence.
“Convincing,” I say, though the word feels inadequate for what just happened.
“Very convincing.”
