I stopped and whirled. “Back up, sailor. We just had a discussion about personal space.”
Kennedy’s lips twitched. “Oh, is that why you were just tits-to-ribs with me?”
When anger blazed in my face, he lost the smirk and the bravado, and I saw the man from Qatar. “Hang on, Quincy. I just walk to talk. Can you give me five?”
I put my hands on my hips. “What is it?”
He tipped his head, indicating we should walk further away from the house and the possible ears of our teammates. I followed him to the clearing. We were somewhere in the outskirts of Mexico City and would fly back to Montana in the morning.
“Did I do something wrong? I mean, I know I fucked up your date the other night, but I sort of thought I’d made that up to you.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course he’d be proud of himself. Any guy who got around as much as he did had to be built of solid confidence when it came to his skills in bed. “Yes, you did, didn’t you?” My words were as sweet as sugar but as fake as saccharin.
His brow arched, and his gaze roved over my face. “So what’s going on? You’ve acted like you’re allergic to me since the day you arrived. Did I fuck something up? The way I remembered it, you were the one who didn’t want more after Qatar.”
My face heated. Not with embarrassment, with something even deeper. More personal. Kennedy was calling me out on having feelings, and I sure as hell didn’t want to reveal that lunacy.
“No, you’re right.” I tried to play it off, giving his shoulder a slap. “You didn’t fuck anything up. All good, Kennedy.” I tried to make my escape.
He snaked an arm around my waist and tugged my back against his front. “Hang on, Flyer.”
I stiffened in his hold. “You’re two seconds away from me going Kung Fu on your ass. Believe me, when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, I can take down a guy twice my size.”
Kennedy chuckled and released me. “I don’t doubt that.” He held his palms up in surrender. “Listen, I can’t help but feel there’s something huge I’m missing here. If you were only out for sex, why not hit it with me again? I know I satisfied you.”
I let out a light scoff at his arrogance.
“And if you wanted something more–”
“I didn’t,” I cut in quickly. “I told you then, and nothing’s changed. I’m not out looking for a relationship.”
“What are you looking for?”
My breath choked me for a moment, but I managed to shake my head. This was when I could tell him the truth, but it wasn’t going to happen. “Nothing. Nothing from you.”
“What did I do?” he asked again.
There was no smile this time. No dimples. No swagger. Kennedy was letting down his guard and asking for the truth.
Dang it. I owed him that much. He’d done nothing wrong. Not a damn thing, except rock my world and shake my walls to the ground. More than once.
I rubbed my lips together. “Kennedy, I–” I worked to swallow. “Qatar was great. Really. You were there for me when I needed you.” I blinked some more. “But as far as guys go, you’re about as safe as a hand grenade without the pin.”
“What?” Kennedy looked genuinely offended. “You don’t think you’re safe with me? I’dneverhurt you. I might be ruthless with my job, but not with a woman. Not with you.”
I knew what he said was true because when he held me, when he touched me with those lethal hands, I felt safe.
“I just mean you’re a player. You don’t just have a woman in every port, you havemultiplewomen. You’d already slept with half the ladies in my squadron by the time you got to me, and I’m sure you had the other half before you left.” Kennedy was shaking his head, but I plowed on. “Look, I like you, Kennedy. A lot. But I’m not interested in being one of your play things. I mean, it was fun and all but–”
“You weren’t a plaything,” he interrupted. His jaw flexed. “You were never that. I wanted–stillwant–more than that from you.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it, surprised by this revelation.
Kennedy wanted more? From me? I found that…implausible. I knew what we’d shared in Qatar had been special. At least, I’d hoped I was different than his average lay, but it was still a leap to believe Kennedy wanted a lasting relationship with a woman. Especially me.
I shook my head with regret. “We’re on the same team. You know this is a bad idea. Workplace romance is forbidden in most businesses because it’s a match in a powder keg.”
“I’m going to assume you keep using bomb references because I blew your mind with my incredible skills.” The words sounded like Kennedy’s usual light, flirty banter, but the way he studied my face showed something else.