Page 97 of When He Lies
“Do tell me more.” Logan kept leaning forward, his expression intent.
“Well, the first instance occurred when I was kidnapped. I did tell him to run but…”
Ryan turned his head and found her gaze on him.
“He didn’t,” she concluded. “He got taken with me. That would be when he got this lovely shiner, by the way. Trying to help me.” A soft sigh. “I may have gotten knocked out during an unfortunate van ride.”
There was no may about it.
“When I woke,” Simone continued her tale, “Ryan and I were both tied up, and we had a mercenary intent on torture parading around with his knife.” Her gaze darted toward Logan. “Spoiler, he wanted to slice off my fingers. You know how attached I am to my fingers.”
“Sticky fingers,” he groused, but his expression had sharpened with rage. “The mercenary is dead.” A promise.
Ryan nodded. “Yes. He is. I took care of the situation.”
He caught Logan’s flash of surprise.
“Then there was the waiter…” Simone picked up her story. “You expect a delivery of a delectable chocolate mousse, and instead, you get a guy with a gun hidden underneath a shiny, silver dish. So disappointing.” Her head tilted as she seemed to consider the matter. “Know what, though? I think I saved you then, Ryan. I’m the one who threw the lamp.”
“A save for a save.” As if he’d ever forget her rushing in with that lamp.
She sent him one of her slow smiles.
“Fuck.” From Logan.
They both looked his way.
“I knew it would happen eventually,” Logan lamented. “Not like guys could ever help themselves from falling at your feet. But to see you fall, Simone? And for a spy? What kind of life is that going to be for you? I wanted you to stop retrieving so you’d be safe. I didn’t want you jumping right into the fire over and over again!”
“I haven’t fallen anywhere.” She sniffed.
“Bullshit.” A hard return from Logan. “Tell me you don’t love him. Go on, do it. I dare you. Look me straight in the eyes and tell me that you have not given your heart to the spy right beside you.”
She tried to pull her hand away from Ryan’s hold.
He didn’t let go. Instead, his head turned right back to her. “Go ahead,” he forced out the words. “You can tell him. You can let him know that everything going on between us is just a cover.”
“A cover doesn’t involve you two actually getting naked together,” Logan pointed out. “And that is how I found you. Naked. Cuddled together. A vision that will scar me for life.”
Ryan ignored him and held Simone’s gaze. “Tell him,” he said. “Better yet, tell me. Tell me how you feel.” He held his breath.
Her stare seemed to search his.
Say something, Simone. Tell me?—
She glanced back at Logan. “You can climb back through the air duct at any point. I’m not going with you. I have a meeting to keep.” She pointed toward a metal grate near the ceiling. “Has to be a tight fit. I am most impressed with your skills in shimmying in and out of tight situations. Personally, I’d be horrified to find myself stuffed in a place like that. Talk about a nightmare come true.”
Ryan took his gaze off her and discovered that Logan was watching her with the intensity of a snake ready to strike. “You actually love the damn spy, don’t you?” Logan asked.
Ryan was still holding his damn breath. Good thing he could hold his breath for an incredibly long time.
Simone let out a long suffering sigh. “I do.”
Fuck. Yes. Fuck.
A smile tugged at her lips as her focus shifted to Ryan. “I’m also pretty sure that I’ve slipped up and told you that I love you before so no need for you to look so incredibly shocked. Like, I literally slipped up and said it just a few minutes ago.”
His heart slammed into his chest. Hard. Then the drumming, too fast racing echoed in his ears. Ryan shook his head.
