Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(83)

"Rome excites me, challenges me. And he might be demanding and arrogant, but he's also protective and loving."

"I can be protective and loving."

"But my heart will always belong to this man." I traced a fingertip along his jawline, the stubble tickling my skin, and glanced at Jean-Luc. "There's someone out there for you. I know it. You just have to find her."

He didn't reply. I looked away, too afraid to watch his expression change from sadness and hope to determination and anger.

"All my life," he finally said, "I've wanted the kind of love my fathers had for each other. I was looking for it, too, before I was captured several years ago. Do you have any idea how hard it is to fall in love with a woman when I can find out every damn thing about her? When I know exactly what she wants to hide from me?"

"Here's a solution. Don't invade their minds. Leave their memories alone. Boom. Done. I'm a miracle-worker."

"And let them betray me? Hardly. That's how I was captured. I trusted a girl, told her what I could do.

She called me crazy, so I proved my ability to her. In return, she told others and they told others and that's when OASS came after me. For my own protection, I have to know the people I'm dealing with, so I have to invade their minds. But with you, I already know and love everything."

"I'm sorry for your past. I am." So very sorry. "But...Jean-Luc...you can't - "

"Memories of you made me laugh and ache and dream again. I had to have them. I can't give them up, Belle. And after everything I endured in captivity, I deserve them." Do not stomp your foot, do not stomp your foot."But they don't belong to you."

"They do!"

"No, they don't. You didn't live them. He did. And just as your will was ignored when you were caged, you have ignored his. You have ignored mine." I forced my balled fists to open and ran them over Rome's face, gentle, tender. He moaned. The sound jolted through me, bringing a wave of excitement, and I straightened.

Jean-Luc was forgotten as I leaned down and kissed Rome's lips. "Wake up, baby. Wake up for me." He gave another moan.

"Belle's here. Show me those beautiful baby blues."

Slowly his eyelashes fluttered open. His lips curled into a frown. "Belle?" This was the third time in our relationship that I'd had to watch him wake up after a life-and-death experience. It hadn't gotten any easier, but neither had my joy lessened upon realizing he was going to be okay. "Right here."

"Where are we?" He scrubbed a hand down his face, then stiffened. "Shit. They got me like I was a damned rookie, tackling me, injecting me with my own night-night cocktail when I tried to use it. They get you, too? Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" The more he spoke, the faster and angrier the words emerged.

"I'm fine. I swear." I showed him my wrists, free of rope. "Just here doing a little rescue and recovery." A moment passed in silence, his body going stiff. Then, "You saved me?"

"Yep." I couldn't help it. I grinned. "The bad guys are deactivated. Or, to use your favorite word, neutralized. Looks like Wonder Girl saved the day, huh?"

"How?"

"Is that important?" I wasn't ready to tell him I'd had help. "We won." His head fell back against the pillow. "Shit, this is embarrassing. And what do you mean, we?" His gaze moved through the room until landing on Jean-Luc, who was glaring at him, murder in his dark eyes.

Oops.

Rome jolted upright.

"He's a good guy," I said, flattening my palms on his chest. For the most part. "And he's a damn good wing man." No question.

"Exactly who is 'he'?"

I purposely didn't answer. A fight would break out, and we didn't have time for that. But what shitty timing. This was the first time the two men had been together since the "incident," and we couldn't go knock-down-drag-out until everything was made right.

"I don't know why you're embarrassed about being captured. You've had to save me a thousand times."

His eyes never left my "helper." "Yeah, but you're the girl. I'm the guy."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"Why? It's true." He reached up and caressed my cheek. I leaned into the touch, eyelids closing. "I'm glad that you're a girl."

"You guys might want to continue the reunion later," Jean-Luc suddenly piped up. He sounded pissed as hell. "Agents will be showing up any moment, and I can't be here when they arrive." The two men shared a look as Rome pushed to his feet. He swayed but managed to remain upright without any help. What kind of silent communication passed between them, I didn't know.

Then, in unison, they said, "Let's do this."

They shared another look, this one surprised, before we all jolted into motion.

"I don't like him ," Rome told me the moment we were alone. We'd rented another motel room, a bigger one but no less run-down, and he paced the length of the shag carpet. "And I sure as hell don't trust him."

Sighing, I tossed my purse on the bed. "Well, he helped me save your life, so I think he's a pretty cool guy." When he wasn't being obstinate. Jean-Luc had come with us to check in, but had left before we actually reached the room. Maybe because he'd seen the way I'd looked at Rome - words he could deny, but a lingering, need-filled gaze, no way - and didn't want to see that again. He'd said only that he needed time to think.