Page 106 of Her Selfless Warrior (Omega Sky)
Kostya laughed. “Serves you right for making fun of my age so damned often.”
“How old are you?” Lark asked.
“He’s thirty-seven,” Kostya answered for Gideon.
“So, I’m thirty-one. There are ten years between the two of us,” Lark said, tipping her head toward Kostya. “There’d only be thirteen years between you and Jada. What’s the big deal?”
“Think it through, Lark. Think about what you’ve accomplished in those seven years between twenty-four and thirty-one.” Gideon rubbed the top of his head.
“What about your feelings?” she asked.
“Feelings?” he asked.
Kostya snorted. Yep, that was his man, the techno geek.
“Yeah, emotions. You know,les passions,” she said the last two words with a French accent.
“Those are overrated. Well, maybe not the passion part. But she’s too young to toy with. What’s more, she’s Sebastian’s wife’s best friend.”
“What went on between you two at their wedding?” Kostya asked. He had a pretty good idea, but he needed to know to get the full picture.
Gideon glared at him. “It doesn’t matter. Look, this is a stupid conversation. Just let it go, okay?”
Kostya held up his hands, palms out. “You got it.”
“So what are we going to do about Lark’s little problem?”
“I’ll call Ryker tonight, then when we fly in tomorrow morning we can circle up. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Gideon said as he waved down the waitress.
Yep, the man sure did like his waffles.
* * *
Ryker was waitingfor them at baggage claim. “I took the liberty of bringing your SUV, Lieutenant.”
Kostya scowled. “And how did you manage that?”
“I hot-wired it,” Ryker grinned.
“Dammit, that’s not good for the engine. I’ve told all of you to quit doing that.”
“The others don’t know how to do it right,” Ryker said as he led them toward the parking garage. “I have a light touch.”
“And here I was nice enough to put your Harley away before our mission. Last time I do you a favor,” Kostya grumbled. “Give me my keys,” he demanded as they walked up to his Bronco.
“I hot-wired it, remember?”
“For the love of God.” Kostya fished his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out a spare key, and glared at Ryker who now had his arm around Lark’s shoulders.
“How are you doing, beautiful?” Ryker asked Lark. “Are you going to make stripping your second career?”
“No, she’s not,” Kostya bit out. “And get your hands off of her.”
Ryker and Gideon laughed. Kostya took Lark’s elbow in a gentle hold and guided her to the front passenger seat.
“I can sit in the back, I have shorter legs.”
