Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 128307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Stepping back, I put space between us, even though it feels like I’m tearing off a piece of my skin.
Macy’s eyes show a mix of disappointment and unease, yet they’re hidden by determination.
Nodding as if she hears my silent bidding for her to make a move, she bridges the gap I placed between us, bringing us chest to chest, stomach to stomach.
We stand in silence for the next several minutes, the air thick with everything unsaid but with a hint of playfulness from the excessive movements of her stomach. I want to tell her that tonight wasn’t the first time I’ve thought about her while bringing myself to climax, and that earlier this week wasn’t either. How her laugh is the only thing that’s made me feel alive in years, and that only her touch can calm the furious storm inside me. Her hooded glances both condemn and absolve me, but instead of telling her any of those things, I bite my tongue, afraid that if I start spilling secrets, I won’t stop.
As the tension reaches its boiling point, a sharp knock hits the door, shattering what should be an unbreakable bond.
I don’t take my eyes off Macy until our caller knocks again, louder this time.
Cursing under my breath, I cross the room to answer the wordless demand for assistance. With her legs bare and her eyes wary, Macy retreats to the kitchen. She wraps her arms around herself as if suddenly self-conscious and once again chews nervously on her lower lip.
Upon opening the door, I find Agent Cartwright on the stoop. A bulky satchel dwarfs her petite frame, and a determined scowl sets her jaw in a hard, firm line.
“Hey…” Her eyes dance as the suspicion in them grows with each passing second. “Sorry to interrupt. I was just emailed a revised itinerary for the stings tomorrow, and I thought you’d want to be updated ASAP.”
Adeline enters the apartment, not waiting for an invitation. Macy forces a smile before asking her if she would like a coffee.
When Adeline’s eyes gleam, I shoot Macy a warning stare. She glances upward, a subtle, restrained smile forming at the edges of her mouth. “Coffee first. Then my backside won’t leave the couch until either I’m going to bed or you are. Scout’s honor.”
Adeline’s smile announces she loves Macy’s sass as much as I do when Macy rolls her eyes again before she flicks her amused gaze up to me. “We don’t have to do this now. If you’ve got more important matters to attend to, we can go over it in the morning.”
I nearly accept her offer, but then recall how imperative tomorrow’s stings are to bringing home women like Cameron and Kendall. Instead of walking Agent Cartwright to the door, I gesture to the couch, inviting her into my office slash bedroom.
After dumping a stack of files on the coffee table, she sinks into an armchair opposite my “bed.” Once Macy joins us with a freshly brewed pot of coffee and three mugs, Adeline begins an in-depth briefing. Her update provides a distraction from the electricity still hissing between Macy and me, but it does nothing to weaken the ferocious bolts.
I concentrate on the details, on the case, on anything but the memory of Macy’s moans and the scent of lavender lingering in the air, but even as I listen, my mind drifts. Never have I been more distracted, and Macy and Adeline showcase precisely how bad it is when they stare at me, awaiting a reply.
I missed everything Adeline said after Macy joined me on the couch and her knee brushed my thigh.
I scan the files Adeline concealed Cameron’s file with, seeking evidence of what we’ve been discussing, when Macy saves the day. “It shouldn’t be too much of an issue to add a handful more locations to tomorrow’s timetable.” She pulls up a list showing the location and time of each Lamaze class tomorrow. “We just need to shuffle around a few lunch breaks.”
While she works on that, I ask, “How were these classes missed?”
“They weren’t missed exactly,” Adeline starts. “I broadened the net when a quick scan of a local mommy-to-be Reddit page added half a dozen more classes to the itinerary. Here, San Diego is more than just San Diego. It includes the suburbs surrounding it as well.” When I nod, happy that she doesn’t immediately clock out after her shift, she slings her eyes to Macy. “With a handful of adjustments, we can attend almost all the Lamaze classes—”
“Except one,” Macy intuits.
Again, Adeline takes the lead. “Yeah. There are agents in this area, but not in the age frame we’re seeking, and even after bumping a handful of agents onto earlier flights, they’ll never arrive on time.” When Macy and I remain quiet, she murmurs, “We could miss it and attend it next month.”