Actual Stop (Agent O’Connor #1)(57)

“You pick,” I told him.

Rico grinned evilly, and Paige let out a low groan. “We’re going to end up with Wild Turkey now.”

I grimaced. “No way. Pick something else.”

Rico ordered Paige and me kamikaze shots instead, in deference to what he called our “girly-ness,” and we downed them after a sloppy toast. He signaled Sean to set us up with another round, and I made a mental note to myself to be careful. Despite my earlier vow, I’d concluded nothing good could come of me getting smashed.

I glanced around to see where Allison had gotten to. She met my stare and favored me with her heart-stopping smile. I smiled back and silently motioned to her drink. She nodded.

I placed the order with Sean, adding another glass of water for her, and turned back around to find Paige eyeing me.

“Who’s your friend?” She lifted her chin and cut a pointed glance toward Allison, who was now laughing at something one of the guys was saying to her. Of course, she was absolutely stunning, and for a long moment, I forgot how to breathe.

“She’s the PPD lead. She was my counterpart for the visit.”

“Oh.” She continued to size up Allison. “She’s pretty.”

“Mm-hmm.” No way I was going there. Not even with Paige.

“Will she get jealous if you dance with me?”

“I can promise you she won’t care.”

“Good. I’m going to go pick some songs.” Paige abruptly released her hold on me and began weaving unsteadily toward the digital jukebox that hung on the wall.

“You did a good job today, Ryan,” Rico told me seriously after his wife had wandered away.

“Thanks. Like I said, it was no big deal. You know how it is. I didn’t really do anything other than be Allison’s bitch. She did most of the work.”

Rico held out a newly filled shot glass to me and clinked his against it when I’d finally taken possession. “Well, here’s to your bitchiness, then. Who knew you’d be so good at it?”

I made a face at him and downed my shot. “I seem to recall you complaining about that particular character trait at least once a day when we worked together.”

“Shows how much you know. It was more than that. I just did it behind your back most of the time.” He grinned at me.

“Coward.”

Rico just laughed off the insult and handed me another glass. He lifted his in salute. “We have something else to toast, you know.”

“We do?”

“Yup. They moved me back to Counterfeit.” His dark eyes sparkled with pride.

I couldn’t restrain my grin, and I answered his proposed toast with a lift of my glass. “No way. Really? That’s great, Rico.”

He nodded and slammed his shot in one quick gulp. “Yeah, I’m the new backup.”

I finished off my own drink and gave him a big celebratory hug. “Congratulations. You’re going to be a great re-addition to that squad. You were always fantastic at counterfeit. The newer guys will learn a lot from you.”

Rico grinned at me. “Thanks. You really think so?”

“Totally. In fact, I may be hitting you up for some assistance soon.”

Though we hadn’t worked closely together in quite some time, I knew I could trust Rico with any secret. I’d never have to worry about him ratting me out to the bosses for conducting investigations outside my current purview. He could be counted on to do what needed to be done and still protect me—and by extension my friend Sarah—in the process. His transfer back to Counterfeit, as the backup no less, couldn’t have come at a better time.

Rico’s humorous expression turned immediately serious, and he studied me with concerned eyes. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just got something dropped in my lap the other day that looks like it might be bigger than the one-note pass we originally thought. I don’t want to get into it now, but I may be coming to you soon looking to pick that devious brain of yours.”

“Well, my devious brain and I are always here for you, whatever you need.”

“I know. And I appreciate it.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Paige exclaimed as she stumbled back over to us. Her blue eyes were narrowed, and she shifted her gaze from Rico to me and then back. “What’s with all the hugging? You can’t hug her without me. You know that.”

Rico lifted both his hands. “I just told her about my backup slot, and she started mauling me. You know she can’t be controlled.”

Paige shot me a conspiratorial little grin, the pride for her hubby’s accomplishment shining in her eyes. “Just how out of control are you?”

“Very,” I told her, flashing a smile.

In unspoken agreement, Paige and I both pounced on Rico, trapping him rather violently in the middle of an extremely vigorous hug. Rico made a big show of protesting and trying to break loose, but Paige and I held on tight for another long moment before we freed him.

I was laughing—really laughing—for what felt like the first time in days, and I had a lightness in my soul I desperately needed. Automatically, my eyes swept the room, searching out Allison as if to include her in my joy. I caught her watching me from a few feet away. Her eyes were hard and slightly narrowed as she took in the tableau Rico, Paige, and I presented, but when I winked at her, the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile.