Remember Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #3)(22)

Ryan nodded. “We have a guy that could probably do it.”

I had my doubts. “I hope he’s good. Tony is a straight-up supergenius when it comes to computers. But it’s worth a shot anyway.”

I shouldered the bag and looked to Ryan. “So where are we supposed to meet them?”

Ryan chuckled. “Seriously, Sunshine. Relax. We’ve got time. Go soak in a bath or something. You took on three superthugs today. You’ve earned a rest.”

He had a point. The Magic Tea had done wonders, but I’d still taken a severe physical beating today. Letting my sore muscles and pounding head loosen up in the hot water sounded like heaven. “Yeah, okay, you’re right. A hot shower and a change of clothes does sound nice.”

As I shut the safe and made my way to the stairs, Ryan followed me up and said, “Hey, just in case you didn’t already pack it in your other suitcase and you can’t decide what to wear, I really love the jeans skirt with the sparkly things on the back pockets, and your tall black boots.”

My jaw fell open, and he winked before laughing his way out into the living room to wait for me.

After my shower, I searched through what was left of my wardrobe and kept thinking about the skirt Ryan mentioned. I knew which one he meant, and for some reason it irked me that I’d already packed it. It was one of my favorites, but it was short. Very short. Of course he liked it. Rolling my eyes, I dressed in a pair of jeans and a Punisher T-shirt. Not exactly flirty, but most of my cute clothes were in the truck with the ACEs.

And why was I worried about looking flirty, anyway? How was this Ryan guy already getting under my skin? Super annoying.

Once I was finally ready to leave, I found Ryan outside. My couch was still out in front of the house from where I assume Tony had thrown it trying to fight off the supersoldiers. Ryan had flipped it back upright and was lying on it, staring up at the sky. The sun had just sunk below the horizon, but the sky was still full of color. It made me smile that Ryan had come outside to watch the sun go down. There was nothing greater than a desert sunset.

He looked so content lying there, probably trying to process everything that had happened today, the way I still needed to. I hated to interrupt him, but I was exhausted and just wanted to get someplace where I could sleep off the last of my headache. It was only about seven o’clock, but it felt like three in the morning after the day I’d had.

I cleared my throat, and Ryan climbed to his feet. His smile was still in place, but his eyes were a little droopy now. He was as tired as I was. “You ready?” he asked.

With one last glance back at my destroyed home, I shucked my bag over my shoulder and nodded.

“I called the major a few minutes ago. They just got to the base in Las Vegas and are holding the plane for us.”

“Plane?”

“Yeah. ACE headquarters is in Colorado, and Major Wilks wants you checked out by our doctor and no one else.”

“We have to fly? That’s so slow. Couldn’t we just meet them in Colorado?”

Ryan chuckled. “It’s a short flight. Come on; you can sleep on the plane.”

“All right.” I sighed. “To Las Vegas, then. You ready?” I held out my hand to him. When Ryan frowned at my outstretched hand, I said, “You’ve done this with me before, I assume?”

“Only a couple times. You used to worry pumping me full of mutant energy would hurt me. It took a long time to convince you it was okay.”

“Huh. Weird. I never noticed any side effects with Tony.”

Ryan’s jaw clenched. “You shared your energy with Teddy?”

“Of course. All the time. It was too convenient not to.” I didn’t understand the sudden jealousy. It’s not like a superrun was intimate or anything.

After a deep breath, Ryan shook off his irritation. “You’re right.” I think he was trying to convince himself. “I’m sorry.”

“Okay, then.” I held out my hand to him again. “You ready?”

Ryan’s stress melted away, and he gave me a shiver-inducing look. He took my hand and tugged me to him, slipping his arms around my waist. Laughing at my surprised gasp, he pulled me so close that there were only inches between our faces. His eyes fell to my mouth, making my heart kick into overdrive. “I’ve been ready for this since the second I got you back.”

When he started to lower his lips to mine, I finally snapped out of my shock and pulled my face back. “What are you doing?” I would have screeched the question, but I was too flustered at the moment, and it came out breathless.

Ryan tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and smiled. “Kissing my fiancée,” he said softly.

I almost let him do it. Heaven knows a part of me wanted him to. But he’d called me his fiancée, and it startled me so badly that I lost control of myself and accidentally shocked him. It was a baby zap, really, but it still should have been uncomfortable enough to startle him, or at least make him frown. Instead, after a slight wince, he took one look at the irritation on my face and laughed. “I guess some things never change.”

I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but there was a more pressing question I needed an answer to. “What are you doing? Why did you try to kiss me?”

His brow fell into a frown. “Um…because that’s how you pass your energy.”