“Oh, come on, you two. Seriously? She’s embarrassed. Maybe even crossing into mortified territory, and it’s eating her up.”
Sam exchanged a look with Joe, but he looked just as confused.
Graham picked up another sandwich. “Tansy’s pretty much the smartest person in any room she’s in. She’s used to being smart. Probably takes it for granted if she even wastes time thinking about it.”
They all knew that. “So what?”
Graham finished chewing before he answered. “So, James Stephens made her feel like a fool. He used her from the beginning. Got her to talk about her hush-hush project enough that he found it was a money-maker. I’m assuming he slept with her. Then she finds out he had no use for her. Not her as a person, anyway.”
“But that shit’s all on him.” Sam’s anger rushed up again. The jerk deserved to pay.
“That’s what most people are going to think. But I’m pretty sure that’s not how Tansy’s feeling.”
Was Graham right?
Before they could discuss it any more, Tansy reappeared with her backpack. She headed to the door to switch out her moccasins and he realized she was planning on going alone.
“Wait up. I just need a second.”
She turned at his voice and frowned. “I don’t need an escort.”
He closed his eyes briefly. “You’re getting one, anyway. I’ll just grab my stuff.”
Tansy sighed but nodded.
Sam rushed up the stairs, relieved when she was still there when he returned. Graham passed him a container. “In case anyone gets hungry.”
Good plan. She needed to eat.
And then they were jogging through the woods. Well, running. Tansy had excess energy to burn and Sam didn’t waste any on words. Maybe if she got some of the nerves out, she’d be ready to listen to him.
That didn’t turn out to be the case. Once they were in the cabin, she pulled on noise-cancelling headphones and told him to feel free to make noise. She needed to focus on the hologram.
Sam checked the area, and the cabin, but nothing appeared touched.
He called Joe and Graham. They brainstormed ideas for her protection and for their business.
Midnight Security was going to be a reality soon.
Joe had put in calls to his office and to the terrorism group of the FBI as well. They were in wait mode until they had more information.
Sam called Marcus Ramirez and updated him, sending him the okay to update Troy Phail as well. Ramirez had heard of Howard and assured him they’d be on standby for assistance.
Graham and Joe were doing a recon of the property while Sam stayed with Tansy.
It was hours later when Tansy suddenly stood from her chair, took off her headphones, and stretched. She’d been immobile for most of the time, except for her fingers flying over the keyboard.
She blinked and looked around, smiling when she saw him. That changed almost instantly as reality dropped into her headspace.
Her shoulders slumped and her eyes went carefully blank. Unable to stay in his chair, Sam crossed the room in three strides and pulled her in for a hug.
She stiffened for a moment, but he continued to hold her. With a big sigh, she softened against him and leaned in.
Nothing felt better.
Not even sex, and that was saying a lot. Sex with Tansy was sublime, but this intimacy was better. She was showing she trusted him enough to let down the façade she often showed the world.
She was letting him in her fort with her.