Page 85 of Hidden Agendas (Tempting SEALs 4)

His glance slid along her body, touched on her rounded little belly, and his heart did that melting thing in his chest again. Where it got hot. Where it raced. Where it clenched with emotions he suddenly found himself unable to deal with. Emotions that had torn through his soul the minute he had pumped his seed inside her.

She was unprotected. The chances of getting her pregnant would only grow if he continued with that madness. He couldn’t allow it to happen again. He couldn’t take the chance. God help him if the pregnancy test he intended to get for her before that damned party came back positive. Because he didn’t know if he could go through with it. If he could let her risk her life and their child’s life, no matter the situation.

Now, he watched her as she moved back into the living room with Kira. The sight of her lying back on that bed, giggling with the other woman, had filled his guts with irrational jealousy.

He wanted to be lying there with her. He wanted to hear her laughter, feel the warmth that was so much a part of her, that heated the icy reaches of his spirit that had so long been alone.

And yet, it was his own fault he hadn’t been there beside her. The need to defend against what could happen was ripping his insides apart. He had to push it back. He had to control it or he would forever destroy whatever fragile feelings she was developing for him now.

He needed her love. He was certain he had been winning it until this morning. Until he forced back the emotions pushing at his soul in order to do the job he knew he had to do.

He had to let his woman aid in her own defense. The very thing he had been so certain he needed in a woman. Her ability to face adversity. To help him protect her. To be strong enough to stay alive if he wasn’t with her. Because there would be times he wasn’t with her. Times when he would be doing his job. She would have to do hers. Protect herself and their children.

God, what the hell had he been thinking?

His fists clenched at his side at the insanity of having a woman as frighteningly independent as this one. She was never going to stand behind him. She would always stand beside him as he fought to keep her from stepping in front of him.

“Ian,” Kira drawled when neither he nor Ian spoke.

The other man lounged against the bar separating the living room from the kitchen. His elbows were braced on the bar behind him, his tall, leanly muscled body appearing relaxed. But like Kell, he had been anything but relaxed once Kira stepped into the room.

“Kira.” Ian nodded, his expression faintly mocking. “I like the black hair. It suits you better than the other colors I’ve seen you wearing.”

She grimaced and rolled her eyes as Emily watched with interest.

“So, what do you two big strong boys have planned?” Kira asked as she stepped past Ian into the kitchen and moved to the refrigerator.

She pulled a bottle of beer from inside, twisted off the cap, and brought it to her lips as Ian turned to watch her.

“A steel cage, whips, and velvet restraints,” Ian drawled, surprising Kell with the fact that Ian was dead-stone serious.

“For us, I imagine.” Kira smirked. “Keep wishing, sailor, and you might get as close as a dream.”

Ian snorted.

Emily shook her head as she moved to the couch and curled into the corner.

She was tired. He could see it in her face, the shadows beneath her eyes, the paleness of her skin. He had kept her up long into the night. Though he had forgotten the condom only once, he had been by no means sated.

He still wasn’t sated.

“The Andover party takes place in less than three days,” Kell reminded them all. “We’re all together and we know who is who and what is what.” He looked between Kira and Emily. “We can’t leave anything to chance. This is Emily’s last party of the season and it’s a big one. Our contact says Fuentes won’t wait any longer. It’s a definite that the man he sent to do the kidnapping will be there.”

He watched as Emily’s face seemed to pale further, but she lifted her chin defiantly as her gaze glittered back in anger.

“Jansen Clay and his wife, Elaine, will be there. Their daughter was one of the girls kidnapped the last time as well. Has Dad let him know what’s going on?”

Jansen was one of her father’s friends from his SEAL days and once a part of the elite covert operations team the senator had led.

“We’re not informing anyone.” Kell shook his head firmly. “The only thing anyone knows outside the team, your father, and the admiral, is that you’re going to be at the party. Period.”

Emily nodded. It had been years since she had seen Jansen. He was several years younger than her father, and very influential within D.C. and the Pentagon. His work with the CIA and Homeland Security also made him a very good friend to have. He would be hurt when he learned her father was conducting an operation without him. But then again, so would the rest of her father’s team who were still alive.

She watched Kell, letting her gaze be caught by his as he continued to stare at her. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her since she had returned to the living room.

“Ian, return Miss Porter to her condo and bring her up to speed on where we are now. Get your information together and we’ll meet back here tomorrow evening to figure this out. Emily’s too tired for this.”

Too tired, her rear. He was horny, that was why he was sending Ian and Kira away. He obviously thought she cared about that steel-and-iron rod he was carrying around in his jeans.

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