She perched herself on the stool at the counter, seated near Izzie. She emitted a soft sigh before meeting my gaze.
I measured the pancake mix, pouring it into the bowl and then measured out the water.
“Sure,” she said, making herself comfortable. When I didn’t press about last night and her curled up in the shower, she seemed to relax.
Yanking the drawer open, I fished out a spoon and placed it on the counter. “I spoke with the guys last night.” I had technically spoken with Mason and Lincoln had responded on behalf of the team, but I didn’t feel the need to elaborate.
“Oh?” She wiped her palms on her bare legs.
My tee shirt swept down to her knees much like a night gown. She swam in my shirt and realizing there were no panties underneath made my heart race. The kitchen seemed warmer than usual. I had Ariella to thank for that, my body responded to her sexiness and all she did was sit there innocently on the stool, listening to me.
“Yes. We’d like to invite you to work for Eagle Tactical,” I said.
Ariella’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yes.”
Isabella snatched the spoon from my grasp before I could stir the ingredients. She wanted to help.
“There are a few things we need to discuss though, regarding your employment.” I let Izzie keep the spoon and pushed the bowl toward her. If she wanted to help, so be it. I could use all the help I could get, my stomach tensed. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding against my ribcage. Is that what Ariella felt every single day?
Her tongue swiped her top lip, and she rolled her lips tight between her mouth. “Yes?” The softest most timid sound came from her mouth. Ariella sounded angelic and while I recognized that she had been with the C.I.A., I also understood she wasn’t a field agent. Her responsibility with our team would be in the office, where she would be safe.
“I would like you to stay here, under my roof, at least until you get things settled.” I didn’t want her thinking that I was kicking her out or making her feel unwelcome with what I had to say next.
Her gaze went from me to Izzie. “Okay.” After a beat she glanced back at me. “Is that it?”
I wished that was all I had to say but the guys were right. In order to protect Ariella, I had to put her first. “We need to keep things platonic between us. I’ll be your boss at Eagle Tactical.”
A rush of air expelled from her lips. Her face went ghostly pale. “Oh.” She smiled, her lips tight, her eyes narrow. “Of course. That’s fine. I wouldn’t expect special treatment. It wouldn’t be fair to your other employees.” She pushed herself off the stool and ran a hand through her unkempt hair. “I should probably find something to wear. It’s not appropriate for me to only be wearing a tee in front of my boss.”
I didn’t mind it, in fact I liked it a lot, but I had to let her go. “Feel free to borrow whatever you need from my dresser. We can go into town later today and go shopping for new clothes.”
She rubbed her eyes.
I prayed she wasn’t about to cry.
Shuffling her feet, she pointed behind her at the stairs where she’d come down from minutes earlier. “I’ll grab something from your dresser and then get out of your hair.” Ariella spun around to run away from me, but I wouldn’t have it.
I stepped away from the counter and grabbed her by the waist. Turning her around to face me, one hand poised on her hip the other in her hair. I wanted to kiss her, to pull her body tight against mine and slide my knee between her thighs. Staring into her eyes, our breathing matched, heavy and deep.
“I thought we were going to keep things professional?” Ariella whispered, breathless.
I hated the guys. How easily I let them come between the woman I yearned for and my job. They were doing this to protect all of us, but why did it feel like hell? Why did I have to choose? I could have both, just not in the way I desired.
Need poured through me, overtook every ounce of power inside of me. I leaned down demanding one last taste, a kiss, a rough fuck if she let me have her.
Ariella guided a hand to my chest. My heart pounded against her palm. “We can’t do this. I need the job, I want to work for Eagle Tactical,” she said staring up at me with those powerful olive eyes. “It’s a dream come true.”
I wanted to be part of her dreams, the dirty kind that involved having my way with her on my desk. “You’re always the sensible one,” I said, unable to break my gaze away from her. Somewhere between finding her on the road and saving her life, I’d fallen for her, hard.
* * *