Page 83 of The Gift
Without the tension lines around his mouth and the ever-present focus, he looked much younger. His lashes were long, dark fans against his cheeks. A light scruff of beard shadowed his chin. He had one arm curved around her waist. As if, even in sleep, he wanted to keep her close.
A bifold frame sat on the dresser. On one side, a younger Vince posed with a smiling older couple—his parents, from the resemblance. Opposite that, a photo of him at thirty, maybe, with a gap-toothed little girl perched on his shoulders, grinning like she owned the world.
Family. Something else she’d given up on.
The digital clock beside the frame read 11:02.
She blinked to make sure she’d seen it right. She never slept this late.
His breathing changed, and the arm around her curled, bringing her in tighter. “Morning,” he murmured, voice thick with sleep.
“Barely. It’s past eleven.”
His eyes opened, a clear, deep blue, and immediately focused on her. Shadows lingered beneath them; he hadn’t slept much either.
“You stayed with me,” she whispered.
“Where else would I be?”
Her heart skipped a beat. That answer was far too easy to fall for. But it was pure Vince Cooper.
She must have stared too long, definitely tongue-tied, because he asked, “You with me, darlin’?”
“I… uh…” She cleared her throat.
Focus, Erica.
“Gruzinsky?” she said at length. “Did he flip?”
His grin came slowly. “Like a gold medal gymnast.”
She exhaled. It had worked. But the hollow feeling inside her remained.
Of course, he noticed. His hand slid up her spine. “Now answer my question.”
She had to rewind to remember the question. “I’m good. Tired.” She hesitated. “And… a little raw.”
He heard the slight catch. “You scared me last night.”
“It was intense,” she agreed. She’d never touched such darkness.
He shifted closer, his lips against her temple. “You won’t have to do that again.”
She didn’t answer. They both knew that if it became necessary to keep someone alive, she would.
“With everything that’s going on, shouldn’t you be at the station?”
“O’Reilly’s with the feds,” he replied. “My job is to keep our confidential informant safe.”
It took a moment to sink in. “That’s me?”
“That’s you.”
“But your boss—”
“Cap signed off.”
She took a deep breath. “What now?”
