Ultimate Courage (True Heroes #2)(40)

Glad to know he wasn’t the only one grasping for what to say. “So.”

“There’s more.” Her voice came out low, almost a whisper.

“It’s okay. You can tell me.” Alex stood waiting, tried not to press in on her or add pressure.

“Joseph designed programs to integrate with weapons systems and he was planning to sell the code instead of securing it for the US government. It wasn’t right.” Once she got started, she kept talking in a hushed stream of strained words. “He…he had it all on a laptop, locked up in his research facility. But he always took me with him. I was his key, he said. The security system required my fingerprints and my retina imprint to pass through.”

Son of a bitch. Well, this explained the added effort to get a hold of her. This ex of hers was a special kind of obsessed.

Elisa stood there, shoulders hunched and head down. A tear fell and hit the carpet.

“Hey.” He bent to one side and craned his neck, trying to get into her line of sight without crowding her. “Elisa, it’s good you told me. It’s going to be okay.”

Her eyes met his and she hiccupped, straightening suddenly and wiping away her tears with her palms. He wanted to be the one to help her brush away her tears.

“Anyway, I hated being any part of that. But it is probably important to know.”

Alex nodded. “It is. And you should know, you didn’t do anything wrong based on what you told me. You know that, right?”

She swallowed hard. “At first, I was excited to see where he worked and have access to the restricted areas. He’d told me his work would have a far-reaching impact. And it could, but not in a positive way. I didn’t learn about that until later. Going into that research center was all I did. I just opened the access points. I wasn’t a participant. I was just a key.”

Alex couldn’t think of what to say, so he just held out his hand, palm up.

She hesitated, then placed her hand in his and let him curl his fingers around her palm. He gave her a brief squeeze. Her hand was so small in his and yet her return grip was strong.

A minute later, she’d reassembled her calm.

“What time do you need me at work tomorrow?” She pulled out her phone and started to set an alarm.

“There’s a morning training session here tomorrow at oh-seven-hundred.” Easy answer. “I’ll come by to train and then take you back with me. Sophie’s bringing a bunch of baked goods to try on us for breakfast. I hope you like sweet things.”

Elisa visibly brightened. “I’ll look forward to it and to meeting Sophie. She seems to be around a lot. Finances for the kennels. Getting you all new shirts.”

Danger. Red flags popped up inside his head. This was the sort of moment where his late wife would have been poised to jump all over him for mentioning another woman.

“Yeah. She and Forte go back a long way. They grew up together. There’s a thing between them, but they’re pretending there isn’t.” It was nice when the truth got him so neatly out from under a metaphorical bus.

“Ah.” A spark of mischief entered her gaze, and her voice held a touch of anticipation. “Then I’ll really look forward to meeting her. I like her taste.”

“I think she’ll like you, too. She’s been on us to get someone to organize our front desk forever and she’ll love the rest of the stuff you’re doing.” Actually, Rojas wondered if he’d sidestepped one minefield for another. Once Sophie met Elisa, Sophie was sure to subject him to a serious interrogation.

He really didn’t want to think too hard about the sorts of questions Sophie would ask about Elisa yet. Mostly because he was still feeling things out. Thinking too hard made things complicated.

It was simpler to act. Like he had earlier. And he’d very much enjoyed the kiss that had come out of it.

“So, tomorrow at seven, then.” Elisa hesitated, then turned to put her phone on the bedside table.

“Elisa.” He waited until she looked up at him. He dropped Souze’s leash and took a few steps to cover the distance between them and stopped.

After a moment’s hesitation, Elisa took the final step to close the space, putting her within easy arm’s reach.

Warmth rushed through him at the sign of trust, acceptance. It was getting hotter in the room. Or maybe that was just him.

He looked deeply into her expectant gaze.

No. Not only him.

He leaned forward and kissed her. Her lips were soft, brushing against his first before pressing in for real contact. Then she opened for him and he tasted her. She was honey sweet and hungry. She only let him tease her with a few flicks of his tongue before she nipped at the corner of his mouth and claimed a deeper kiss all on her own.

Enjoying himself, and her, he raised his hands to cup her face, and she gasped.

Freezing, he opened his eyes. “Is this okay?”

Her eyes fluttered open—dizzy, and with a slight hint of panic. “Yes.”

It wasn’t quite the truth. Maybe not a lie, either, but he eased back anyway.

“Don’t.” Elisa lifted her own hands and gripped the front of his tee. “You’re not scaring me. I might be scaring myself, but it’s not you.”

“And that’s all right.” He dropped his hands to her shoulders without pushing her away. “There’s a lot going on, fast. And this, this isn’t anything we need to rush.”