A Covert Affair (Deadly Ops #5)(42)

Blinking, he looked at her, as if truly surprised. “I don’t have time, but thanks.” He sounded grateful too, which was kind of odd.

“Has no woman ever cooked for you?” She inwardly winced. Why the heck had she asked him that when she so totally didn’t want to know? He’d told her that he wasn’t seeing anyone, and that was enough for her. Liar, liar, her inner voice shouted. She wanted to know everything about this man, but she was too damn chicken to ask him. Because the more she learned, the more she got tangled in his web—and the harder it would be if things went south with them. And sweet Lord, how could things ever work out with them? He was going to be angry that she’d basically lied to him. That nasty, self-conscious inner voice that told her she’d never be good enough for someone like Nathan reared its ugly head. She squashed it.

“No. Well, except you and my abuela.” His expression turned nostalgic as he tugged on his shirt. “Will you cook for me again sometime? It’s been a long time.” The question surprised her as much as the serious note to his voice.

Without hesitation, she nodded. “You know I will.” A smile teased her lips. “I’m so thankful to Benita for all those lessons she gave me.” They had literally changed her life. She’d found something she loved, something she could do well, thanks to a sweet neighbor who hadn’t needed to look after a lost, mixed-up teenage girl.

“She’d be happy with all you’ve accomplished.” He slid his boots on now, completely dressed, including a shoulder holster with two guns in it.

She shouldn’t find the sight so sexy. Just as quickly as heat bloomed inside her, a pang slid through her chest. She understood that he had to go, but that didn’t make it any easier. Especially after last night. She’d hoped they’d have more time together this morning. “I’ll walk you down.” She slipped on the thin cotton robe draped on her chaise, smiling as he watched her with all the subtlety of a hungry lion. He looked as if he was about to pounce. “Don’t look at me like that,” she murmured.

“Can’t help it.” His words were raspy, unsteady.

At least he sounded as affected as she was. “Will I see you tonight?”

“I don’t know. I don’t. Hell, I don’t even know when I’ll be able to contact you.” He scrubbed a hand over his face as they left her room.

“Something bad’s happened?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry about whatever it is. I know you can’t tell me, but is it about Mercado?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe, maybe not. Don’t know enough at this point.”

“If he calls me what should I say?” she asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Call me, Elliott, or Cade. I don’t know what the status with him is right now, but I don’t want you meeting with Mercado alone. Promise me.” His expression was hard as they faced each other in her foyer.

“Okay, I promise.” During one of their lulls in sex last night, Nathan had told her that Elliott hadn’t gotten past all the encryption of Mercado’s system. He was pretty sure he could, but she might have to get inside his house again. Not something she was looking forward to, but if it helped find Danita and all those other missing women, she’d do it. “Hey, how are you even going to leave? Do you need my car?” she asked as she typed the code into the wall panel to disarm her security system.

“No. Cade’s picking me up now, gave me the all-clear in his text. Mercado’s not watching your house.” He glanced out one of the small stained-glass windows next to her front door. “I see an SUV pulling down the street. Listen, I’ll call as soon as—”

“It’s fine. Seriously. And . . . I know you have a dangerous job.” She wasn’t even sure what she was trying to say, knew it would be impossible to completely convey her worry for him. “Be careful today,” she whispered. She hated that she knew so little about what he did, that he could be running right into danger this morning and she’d have no idea.

“You too.” He gave her a fierce, knee-weakening kiss. But he was out the door before she could think, let alone draw in a full breath.

The knowledge that he could have been injured or killed over the years, especially with the career path he’d taken, gave her chills as she locked the door behind him. If he’d died, she wouldn’t have known about it. Not unless it ended up on the news. The thought of a world without Nathan in it was almost too much to bear. She shoved away from the door and for once she couldn’t compartmentalize her emotions.

Nathan had slammed right back into her tidy world like a tornado, and now . . . she couldn’t imagine him not in it. No matter what, as soon as she saw him next, she was coming clean about everything. If he hated her afterward, well, it would likely destroy her, but she had to do it.





Chapter 11


PADI: stands for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. It is the world’s largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization.





“How are the locals handling our involvement?” Nathan asked Cade as he steered down the long dirt road. After Cade had picked him up from Amelia’s, they left straight to this meeting point. He didn’t know much about where they were headed other than it was a private lake with a lot of surrounding property. Karen or Elliott was trying to locate the owner, but Nathan wasn’t sure what the status was on that end.