Page 22 of Renegade
“Well, I didn’t imagine him beingthatgood looking,” Sydney whispered.
“Sick, isn’t it?”
“He’snottoo good looking for you though.”
Caroline flicked her long hair back, steeled her spine, and shot her sister a smarmy smile. “No, he’s not.”
“That’s the ‘tude,” Sydney said. “Go talk to him.”
Caroline snuck a peek. Grey was surrounded by all the women, save for her, Sydney, and her friend Jennifer Leigh.
“He ghosted on me,” Caroline whispered. “At least now I know he wasn’t shot down in some shit hole in the middle of fucking nowhere.”
Grey broke from the group of admirers, stood across the table from her, and shot her a smile. “Happy birthday.”
Despite the desire pounding through her, reality had kicked in. Now, her anger was front and center. Instead of saying something that would get them kicked out, she said nothing.
“How’s your dinner?”
She glared at him. How dare he make small talk with her.
“Everything is great,” Sydney replied. “Thanks for checking on us.”
Grey hadn’t taken his eyes off her. “I’ll be back, Austin.” He left the room, taking her butterflies, her pounding heart, and her crushed ego with him.
But not her libido. She still had that… and it was raging.
“He’s not interested,” Caroline whispered.
“Yes, he is,” Sydney said.
Seconds later, he returned. “Can I borrow the birthday girl?”
“Go.” Sydney pinched her arm.
“Ouch.” Caroline stood. “Don’t let them take my plate. I’m not finished.”
She walked right up to him, tilted her face toward his and said, “Looks like you’re not dead.”
His smile slayed her. She melted into a puddle on the floor, her cheeks warmed, her chest heated. For a woman who lived for danger, stayed calm in the midst of chaos, and managed her emotions like a boss, she was unable to regulate her internal thermostat.
She was seconds from self-combusting.
He put his arm around her, covering her shoulder with his large hand. “My office.”
He’d never touched her before, and the jolt of energy raced through her at Mach speed while tingles flitted through her. As he guided her down the hall, she tried to get a hold of herself, but she was on fire for someone she’d been fantasizing about for a long, long time.
He stood in front of the scanner, the light turned green, heopened the door and waited for her to enter. Once inside, he shut the door, gestured to the sofa.
Instead of getting comfortable, she stood, crossed her arms, and glared at him.
“How’ve you been?” he asked.
She’d missed the rasp in his voice. Even when he was running for his life, she could listen to him all day long.
“Seriously, where the hell have you been? I saved your ass—again—you write me a great rec, then you vanish? What the hell, Grey!”
He paused for a brief second before he said, “I heard you kicked ass on assignment.”
