Page 22 of Iron Shield
Soft. Silky, even.
She didn’t move.
“I’m taking the hood off.”
“About damn time.”
When he yanked it off her, green-gold eyes fixed straight ahead like she was picturing herself anywhere else.
“Nice place you have here.”
He snorted and took off down the dimly lit tunnel. His fingers didn’t stop tingling from the feel of her hair, and he made a fist to erase it.
He made it five steps before he heard her follow behind him. The minute they popped out into the rear hallway of the base, Jolie was there.
The instant Stina’s gaze locked on Jolie, relief flooded her face so fast, Rome almost looked away.
She pushed past him right into Jolie’s arms. The women hugged hard.
Rome left them to it. When the ladies drew apart, Stina sent him a glare that suggested she was planning his murder.
Jolie followed her gaze. “What did you do to her?” she asked him.
“Nothing.”
Stina issued a strangled sound.
Jolie narrowed her eyes. “That was definitely not a nothing sound.”
“She’s alive. That’s the important part.”
“He put a bag over my head.” Stina smoothed her palms over her curls, and he clenched his fingers into a fist again.
What made him touch her hair?
“It was a hood, and it’s protocol.”
Jolie issued a soothing noise and took Stina by the hand. “The hood is horrible, but it’s over now.”
Rome pointed at Stina. “She needs food, clothes and somewhere to calm down.”
“I donotneed to calm down.” She did that hip-cocked-out thing again, and his mind overflowed with images of her in his shirt.
The round curve of her ass.
The shadow between.
Fuck.
Jolie tugged on Stina’s hand. “Come with me. You can tell me everything.”
“Anything to get away fromhim.”
Rome watched them go, telling himself that he’d completed the mission and now he was rid of the woman. She was safe. That was the only thing that mattered. She could hate him all she wanted.
He scrubbed his fingers over his thigh but still felt the silky softness of her hair branded on his fingerprints.
“I’ll leave you two to reconnect,” he called at their backs.
