Ha. Me leaving someone that looks like him breathless. That's laughable.
"What did he do?" I ask again, crossing my arms over my chest since he can't seem to stop staring.
He snaps his eyes up to meet mine as a grin grows on his face.
"How did you know who I am?"
"You wreak of FBI. Call it a gift."
He tilts his head as a challenge streams across his deep brown eyes. "Should we be watching you, Ms. Capperton? You're a little too good at spotting agents, considering I'm in street clothes"
His street clothes are very... aesthetically pleasing to say the least; a tight black shirt tucked into a pair of jeans. His black belt is simple but sleek.
"You can watch me if you want to be bored to death."
"Something tells me I'd never be bored," he says under his breath, making my cheeks flush. "Ray sent me. I have a gift for you. Can I come in?"
I step aside to show him in, and then I push the door shut behind him as he wanders into the elegant living room. He looks around, seeming to gauge my very lavish surroundings. Crap. It probably looks like I'm running a con. How else would a girl from the trailer park end up in such a snazzy home.
"They bulldozed my house," I blurt out, needing to explain myself. That sounded so random.
"Ray told me," he says, grinning as he continues to look around. He lets out a low whistle when he sees the numerous works of priceless art hanging proudly in various places. "Don't invite Ray over."
I chuckle, but then I tilt my head. "Are you Agent Sparks? His handler?"
He finally meets my eyes again as his beautiful smile stays fresh. He's almost as tall as Kade, just not quite. If this is Brody, he's not at all what I was expecting. He can't be older than twenty-three, twenty-four.
"Just call me Brody."
Well I'll be damned.
"Mmkay, so, what's going on?"
He tugs a folded envelope from his back pocket and hands it to me. Warily, I accept it and open it up. A loud gasp falls through my lips when I see at least three thousand dollars tucked inside.
"You're supposed to be FBI," I whisper, feeling as though now I'm actually being watched and listened in on.
"I am," he whispers back teasingly. Bastard. He laughs and then continues, "Ray said you didn't believe the money was clean. In fact, he said you wouldn't believe it unless he sent someone you knew for a fact couldn't hand it over to you without definitively disputing how very untainted it is. So here I am; delivering this money I can assure you has not been acquired by any illegal means."
I smile down at the envelope that holds more meaning than the dollar amount. My father cares. Really cares. He's been trying, and I've been refusing.
"Thank you," I murmur softly.
"Anytime. I have to say... Ray never mentioned how... grown up you are. I was almost expecting a child to answer the door."
I chuckle and then shake my head. "I was just a kid when he was locked up. He's still catching up. I go to see him at least once a month, but it isn't enough to let his mind wrap around the fact I'm an adult."
"He'll have time to adjust soon. Are you going to move in with him?"
"I don't know yet. I'm actually-"
The door opens before I can finish that sentence, and I hear Kade's voice filling the foyer on his way toward us.
"Raya? You home? I went and got everything we need for tomorrow..." His voice trails off as he rounds the corner to join us in the living room.
He eyes Brody for a minute, probably wondering what some strange guy is doing in his house. When he looks back to me, his jaw is tense.
"Raya? Care to introduce me to your... friend?" he asks, sounding a little irritated.