Page 36 of When He Lies
“Focus, Harry!” Ryan snapped.
“I was,” Harry mumbled back.
Oh, the prick had better not be focusing on her legs. Ryan shifted his body, and he grabbed for the fluffy material of her skirt again.
She swatted at his hands. “This is entirely too, um, friendly of you. Stop it. Stop!”
His hand came up, holding his prize. The gleaming egg. He’d known Simone had it as soon as he’d heard the telling clink moments before. “Just retrieving my property.”
Her eyes widened. “Where on earth did that come from?”
His back teeth clenched. “It was in one of the hidden pockets of your dress.” No wonder she loved those damn pockets so much.
“That is crazy. It must have fallen into my pocket when you were lifting me over your shoulder.”
Why the hell did he have to fight a smile at her words? Slowly, deliberately, Ryan shook his head. “No. It did not fall into your pocket. You took it from me.” He wasn’t exactly sure when. Perhaps when they’d been kissing? Riding the horse? Or, hell, could have been when they’d still been in the stables. He remembered her hands sliding over him before they’d ridden out on the stallion. “You are good.”
“Oh, I’ve got it. The egg must have fallen into my dress when we were on the horse together. Bouncing around and all that.” Her eyes were very wide. “Amazing.”
Oh, something was amazing, all right. And it’s her.
“What’s happening back there?” Harry asked.
“Keep your eyes on the road and get us to a safe location.” Ryan inhaled. He also tried to focus on his job. “Am I going to have to search you?”
Her head tilted. “Search me…for what?”
“For whatever else you’re hiding?”
“I’m afraid I have to decline your fun invitation for a search.” A bit colder. Harder. Not nearly as semi-amused as she’d been before. “I do have rights, you understand. Also, Mr. CIA Operative, we are not in the US. You threatened me with arrest, but I don’t recall doing anything other than saving your life again and again.”
“Saving me?”
“Um.” She shoved the skirt completely down over her killer legs. “And seeing as how I apparently just retrieved a very important item for you, I would appreciate some gratitude.”
“That’s the story you’re going with now? That you retrieved it?” He’d bet a million dollars that Simone had been intent on stealing the egg from him.
“It’s kinda what I do.” No blinks. No hesitation. “I’m a retrieval specialist, at your service.”
“Bullshit,” he called. “You’re a thief.”
A gasp. “That’s hurtful.”
Dammit, were those tears welling in her eyes? “Don’t you dare cry.” Because he had a feeling that her tears might break something in him.
I am in trouble.
Her lower lip trembled. “Don’t you know that you should never kiss a woman and then insult her? That’s extremely poor manners.”
“Shit. Company. Incoming. Get down, get down!” Harry yelled.
There was no more room on her side of the vehicle, so Ryan immediately yanked Simone down on top of him, completely flattening her against his body as he slammed against the seat. Every single inch of her…against him.
“The windows are tinted,” she whispered.
Yes, they were.
“If this is an MI6 vehicle, I would think it would at least be bulletproof, too,” she added. Her breath blew lightly against his neck. Her head was nestled between his shoulder and his chin.
