Code Name: Nanny (SEAL and Code Name #5)(68)

“I’m impressed.”

“You should be.” Gabe heard clothing rustle.

“Except I couldn’t tell you the difference between Palladian furniture and Neoclassical even if you had a hunting knife at my throat.”

Gabe purposely looked away as fabric swished with a sexy whisper. “Hence the cram course.” He opened the file that Izzy had handed him at the airport. “All you have to do is memorize a few key themes. If anyone asks you a question, tell them you suppose that some people may disagree, but you’ve always thought the Spanish Colonial Revival is the most livable aesthetic.”

Summer stuck out her head. “Huh?”

“Repeat after me.” Gabe ran through it again, while Summer dutifully followed suit. “Good. You hate pointless ostentation, but you strongly support a period attention to detail. Your turn.”

Inside the bathroom, silk rustled, and Summer repeated the words mechanically.

“You are also a firm believer in proper proportion and Old World craftsmanship.”

As Summer repeated the line, she pushed open the door.

Gabe swallowed, pretty sure that someone had pulled half the air out of his body. The skirt clung to those long legs, peeking over sexy boots, while the silk blouse hugged high, perfect breasts.

“I don’t like silk,” Summer snapped, fiddling with the back of her blouse. “And this stupid thing buttons all wrong. How am I supposed to—”

“I’ll do it.” Gabe walked behind Summer, who was glaring into a floor-to-ceiling mirror on the closet door. “And you don’t look like an idiot.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not wearing a skirt that may rip if you sit down crooked and a blouse that shows every God-given detail.”

And those God-given details were amazing, Gabe thought. “You look good in Western clothes, so stop fidgeting.” He smoothed the blouse, nudging the first button closed. “You’re perfectly dressed, Mrs. Walker. The general idea is for you to look expensive and feminine, and you do.”

Summer glared at her image in the mirror. “Feminine? I look ridiculous. I’ve never worn a silk blouse like this in my life.”

Gabe’s fingers brushed her warm skin. “Maybe you should start. With your dark hair, this blouse is a knockout.” He realized his hands were tracing small circles on her back, and cleared his throat. “Even if it is a little tight.”

“A little? If I take a real breath, every button will go flying.”

Gabe frowned, realizing she was right. “I must have gotten a size too small. How about we leave a few buttons open until we reach the airplane, and tomorrow we’ll get you something more comfortable. Not that I don’t like how you look in this.”

She stood frozen, staring at him in the mirror while his hands rose slowly along her back, opening on her shoulders. They stood body to body in the twilight, her hair stirred by a warm wind from the nearby window.

“Gabe?” Her voice was low and uncertain.

“Yeah.” He touched one dark strand, uneven where he’d chopped it free of the cactus. Hell, she should have looked awkward and ugly, but somehow the uneven cut only made her look innocent and unforgettable.

“Gabe.” This time there was a hushed certainty in her voice.

“Hell,” he said, not sure why he did it—and then not caring as his lips brushed hers, even though he knew it was unprofessional.

But her mouth was full and soft, warm as if it held the last of the day’s heat, and when he turned her in his arms, she made a small sound that could have been his name. Then she moved in against him, soft as sunlight.

His senses filled with her. He closed his eyes on a curse and drew her closer, nudging her mouth open with his lips until she shivered and her hands slid around his waist, the pressure of her body making his brain fog up.

He’d always enjoyed kissing, and Gabe fell into the sensations now, holding her still for a long, intimate exploration that left them both unsteady.

When he opened his eyes, she was staring over his shoulder, looking confused and flushed and a little stunned. She tried to speak, then drew a raw breath. “What was that about?”

“Hell if I know.” With a surge of possessiveness that shocked him, Gabe drew her back into his arms and ran his hands slowly down the perfect line of her back until they settled against her hips.

Desire hit him, sharp and sudden. It was the same feeling he’d felt too many times to count, except something was different about it this time.

Damned if he could figure out what.

Summer took a jerky step backward. “That was—” She waved a hand. “Something.” She took another breath. “I’m still trying to find the right word.”

“You and me both, honey.” Gabe wanted to stay here all night, tasting the smooth skin of her mouth, listening to the breathless little sounds she made when he bit her bottom lip gently and pulled off her blouse.

Hell.

They had work to do.

“What are you thinking?”

“That I must be losing my mind.” Angry at the lust he was feeling, Gabe released her and grabbed the file he hadn’t remembered dropping. “Let’s get on with the job and go over these notes like nothing happened.”

Summer ran her fingers slowly along her arms. “Did something happen?”