Then he jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the wall of his office, which adjoined with James’s. “James is sending the details of the locations, timing, and the transports along with maps, pictures of the targets, weather reports, and whatever other intel we can gather. But you’ve got plenty of time to spare while in transit. So I recommend you take a couple hours to rest and…recover…before you study the dossier.”
Aarav heard what his boss hadn’t said loud and clear. It was going to take every ounce of their abilities to pull this off and ensure neither of them was caught. Every last wrinkle he’d caused between them had to be ironed out before they attempted this assassination.
From the background, Ruby was studying them. She flicked her gaze from Sola to Aarav, then bit her lip. “See you both back home tomorrow.”
Could everyone read them that easily? Having friends who were super spies made it difficult to hide personal drama.
“Yes, we will.” Jordan stared at each of them for a few seconds before nodding, then ending the call. The screen turned black.
“Well, shit.” Sola stood and wandered toward the cabin at the rear. Her stilettos sank into the light carpet, making it appear as though she were stabbing a cloud as she walked. Uncertain, as he had been for months, about how to bring up the tension fizzling between them, Aarav pursued her where he’d often gone the opposite direction in the past.
When she stepped inside the doorway, they both froze as if they hadn’t shared this same space any number of times before when exhausted after an assignment.
“We could take turns.” Aarav kicked himself for the croak his suggestion made as it tumbled from his throat.
“You know sleeping, especially in shifts, isn’t what Jordan had in mind, right?” Sola rolled her eyes at Aarav over her bare shoulder. “And I’m not worried about lying next to you on a ginormous mattress. I’m more concerned that I could hop on there naked and you’d still pretend like you don’t notice the desire that’s only getting stronger between us no matter how much you continually piss me off.”
“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I get that.” He stepped closer even though he should have marched out and taken the seat farthest away from her before concentrating on studying the intricacies of the mission no matter what anyone else recommended.
“Yet you still plan to do exactly nothing about it, right?” Sola kicked off her shoes more forcefully than required. She dropped a few inches in height yet still had one or maybe two on him.
He didn’t answer her question, because he was afraid he might cave to instinct and confirm her suspicions. Instead he closed the gap between them and slipped her hair over her shoulders to her front. His fingers trembled as he reached for the zipper of her dress between her shoulder blades. She’d been heading for the elevators to their neighboring apartments when they’d gotten word the chopper was in sight of the building and diverted to the roof for pickup instead.
“I’m glad you didn’t have time to change.”
“Yeah, this outfit will work nicely for the grand opening of some fancy private casino.” She sighed. “Maybe someone there will appreciate me.”
“Fuck the assignment.” Aarav figured if she was already going to be irritated with him, he might as well say what he was thinking. He knew he was playing with fire when he leaned in and murmured in her ear, “I meant because you’re gorgeous. In this dress, and out of it.”
To his surprise, she didn’t whack him with her clutch or stab him with one of her discarded stilettos. She paused, her breath hitching, as he slid the zipper down to the small of her back. Only when it was fully open—the gorgeous curves and dips of her body fully exposed—did she turn, incredibly slowly, toward him. Her hands crossed over her chest to keep the satin from baring her breasts since he’d seen for himself she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“You think so?” Her mascaraed lashes cast dark shadows on her pale cheeks as she glanced down when she asked.
He’d never seen her timid before, not even when facing some of the most evil elements of humanity hand-to-hand. This is what he’d done to her and he hated it.
“I always have.” He stepped even closer, until there wasn’t any space left between them and she had to have been able to feel the proof of his arousal beneath his suit. His hands cupped her shoulders.
“It sure hasn’t seemed like it.” She looked up then and swallowed. “I’m not used to being desperate and I don’t fucking care for it either.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” He could apologize a million times and the words alone wouldn’t mean anything to her. He had to stand by them and act accordingly. He’d never been so scared in his entire life. Not even when one of their targets had slipped around behind them and missed blowing Aarav’s head off by less than six inches.
If Sola hadn’t been there that day, he wouldn’t be standing in front of her now.
He owed it to her to be brave and to make this leap that the rest of their friends kept encouraging him to take.
“Do you trust Jordan? And the whole team?” Aarav blew out a sigh. “And me even though I haven’t given you much reason to lately?”
“Yes.” She answered before he’d even finished asking.
“Then let’s do it. What they’re all thinking we should. Let’s get this out of our systems and keep it from fucking up our jobs.” Aarav didn’t think that’s how it would work or he’d have done it months ago. He wasn’t like the rest of the Shields or their Powertools friends in Middletown. Sex wasn’t something he took lightly or indulged in casually. In fact…
“I thought you’d never ask.” Sola grinned slowly, licking her lips as she leaned into him, letting go of her dress to wrap her arms around his neck instead. They were so warm and soft, he nearly melted. “I mean literally I thought you’d never ask.”
Aarav grimaced. There were so many reasons he’d held back. Their careers. The complexity it was going to add to their lives. Oh yeah, and a severe lack of experience. Vanity had played a part.
“There’s something you should know first.” He cleared his throat. Maybe she would change her mind when he admitted the truth. Maybe she wouldn’t want him after all.
“What?” She smirked. “We’re both healthy. At least I’ve had clear reports from Kennedy every time and I assume you have too.”