Big Easy Temptation (The Perfect Gentlemen #3)(73)

She shook her head. “No. I’ve received no notification of that. That lie won’t work, Dax.”

Her cell phone started to vibrate on the bar, the sound jarring.

Dax strolled into her kitchen, helping himself to a glass and pouring a couple of fingers of whiskey. “You should get that. It’s important and he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

She looked down at the number. UNKNOWN.

With trembling fingers, she pressed the button to answer the phone. What had Dax done to her now? “This is Special Agent Kirk.”

“Please hold for the president of the United States,” a competent female voice said.

Shit.

Dax gave her a grin and poured her a glass of wine. “You’re going to need this.”

Yes. Yes, she was.





TWELVE




Sometimes having the president of the United States on his side was a definite advantage.

Dax watched as Holland brought out a set of sheets and what looked to be her lumpiest pillow. The blanket she’d brought him was superthin and she seemed to have turned the air conditioner to an arctic setting.

She dumped it all on the couch, then turned to him, her glance challenging him to say a word. Yes, that was one pissed-off female.

Since the moment Zack had explained that she was now on special assignment and under the charge of Captain Dax Spencer, Holland had frozen up. She’d downed a glass of wine, but then corked the bottle, claiming she didn’t drink on the job.

When he’d explained they didn’t have to be on the clock tonight, she’d pointed to the door. Dax had promptly gone back on the clock. Luckily for him, he didn’t have her very prim views about imbibing while working, because he’d definitely needed that whiskey.

She’d fought like hell, even calling her supervisor, who explained that yes, indeed, the president could in fact do this to her and the only way to refuse the assignment was to quit NCIS.

He had her backed in a corner and she was furious about it.

He’d rather go back to that moment when she’d held on to him like he was a life raft. For just a moment, he felt as if they had reconnected. And Dax had recalled all over again what he’d truly missed during this dark period. It hadn’t been support, because he’d always had that from his friends and family.

He’d missed her. So very badly.

All the anger he’d carried like a weight on his chest was gone. She’d truly believed she had done the right thing. He would likely have made the same choice in her shoes. She was a warrior, his woman. She didn’t back down from a fight and she protected the people she loved.

She’d loved him. She’d sacrificed for him. Could she ever forgive him?

One thing he knew for sure, she wasn’t ready to forgive him tonight.

He also wasn’t giving her any reason to kick him out. He was exactly where he needed to be. “Why yes, Holland, I’ll make up the couch myself. I know just how I like it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “There is zero reason for you to sleep here tonight.”

He bit back a groan because they’d already been over this a few times. “There’s every reason and you know it. They’ll have had someone watching you. Even after all this time, the Russian mob knows what you’re doing. They’ll know you saw me today. Hell, they may even know I’m here now. There’s no reason to believe they won’t come after you again.”

“That’s where your logic sucks, Spencer. They didn’t come after me in the first place. They came after you. You’re endangering me by being here. Don’t you have a megamansion in the Garden District to go home to?” She gasped. “Your mother. Dax, your mother is there all alone.”

Before she could start for the door, he stood. “No, my mother is being protected by two bodyguards, and I’m fairly certain one of them moonlights as a male model. She and the housekeeper are also taking turns in sniper positions around the house. God save me from Southern women.”

Holland calmed a bit. “Good. Gus is being protected at the White House?”

“Yes, she’s got Secret Service and security around her pretty much twenty-four seven. I’m not worried about Gus.” Roman had promised he would watch over her. He’d also had to promise that their mother would mind the guards or Gus would have been on the first plane back, cracking open the gun case alongside their momma.

“But you haven’t explained why you think I’m a target and in need of protection,” she replied. “Like I said, they were after you and the people you love.”

“Oh, that’s an easy one, but you’re not at all ready to hear the answer, sweetheart.” He’d never loved anyone the way he loved Holland. The deep, sure feeling had flooded back the minute he had realized she’d lied to him three years ago. Even when he’d been at his most angry and disillusioned, his devotion had never really gone away. He’d just done his stubborn best to banish it.

She shook her head, her mouth a flat line. “Don’t even say it. I told you. I’ll talk about the case. I’ll talk about what’s going on with your friends. Hell, I’ll talk about the weather if you want me to, boss. But the minute you try to make this personal, I’ll complain to anyone who will listen to me. The White House doesn’t want a sexual harassment complaint.”