“Well. Very handy.”
Finley licked her lips as she slid the weapon back into the holster strapped against her thigh. “Why did you contract us for this job? I mean, I know we’re the best, but any number of the other top teams could have done this job with their eyes closed. Then you wouldn’t have to put yourself through the torture of facing Roland again.”
Korene joined Finley on the bed, arranging her skirt around her legs. “I wanted people who have their eyes wide open. Who weren’t afraid to do what needs to be done to get the job done.” She waved her hands at nothing in particular. “What he’s done with the setup here is exactly why I chose to contract his company.”
“What you’ve done says a lot about your character.”
Her muscles tightened as her spine straightened. The hard ridge of her short nails dug into her palms. “What do you mean?”
Finley huffed out a laugh. “I simply meant that you’re willing to face someone who walked out of your life in order to do a job. You obviously want the best for those people despite the fact it causes you to face your worst memories.”
“You’re very observant.”
Finley stood, shucking her vest and shirt. “I don’t think a single mission I worked with Roland goes by without some kind of mention about you or your time together. The fact he does it without realizing it either just makes it all the more charming.”
“Yes, well, I haven’t thought about him at all.”
“Liar.” Those unique blue-brown eyes flashed as she pulled off her pants and tossed them near the foot of the bed. “Just remember to be careful, all right? I’m going to get a few hours of sleep, since I’m due back for the breakfast shift. I’m, uh, a pretty deep sleeper when we’re not in the crosshairs. So if something happens and you can’t wake me, don’t worry too much about it. Just don’t want you to think I’m dead or something.”
“Oh. Okay.” Korene eyed the woman as she flopped down on the right side of the bed, crossed her legs at the ankle and closed her eyes. “Goodnight.”
“Night.”
* * * * *
Korene woke the next day to find she’d slept nearly fourteen hours. Finley was nowhere to be found. Probably for the best. She didn’t want to become attached to the woman, because of her association with Roland. The more distance between her and the other members of the team, the better.
A small blinking light across the room caught her attention.
Roland’s handsome face filled the plasma screen as she depressed the indicator. Despite her anger with him, she smiled as she settled back into the pile of pillows.
“Hey, gorgeous. You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to disturb you. So take your time, order yourself some room service. I made dinner reservations for us tonight, so I’ll swing by the suite to pick you up around five for a show first.”
Even though she knew he was simply keeping up appearances should someone intercept the transmission, it sounded good to hear him sound so loving. It was a facet of their relationship she missed—the way he seemed to always want to take care of her. Knowing it wasn’t time to reminisce, she threw back the sheets to set about getting ready for their date.
No, not date. She couldn’t think of it as a date. Just work. A contractual arrangement she needed to see through, regardless of her painful past with her former Dom. She was strong enough to do this without further incident. Her employees being held hostage deserved that much.
Roland knocked on the door promptly at five o’clock. The cranberry-colored garment she’d selected flowed around her legs as she stepped out of the room. He looked cool and casual in the clothes he’d picked. “I’d forgotten you clean up nicely.”
“As do you.” After he brushed a soft kiss to her cheek, she noticed his soft-blue shirt deepened the color of his eyes. That same shirt clung to his heavily muscled chest in all the right places,
Finley licked her lips as she slid the weapon back into the holster strapped against her thigh. “Why did you contract us for this job? I mean, I know we’re the best, but any number of the other top teams could have done this job with their eyes closed. Then you wouldn’t have to put yourself through the torture of facing Roland again.”
Korene joined Finley on the bed, arranging her skirt around her legs. “I wanted people who have their eyes wide open. Who weren’t afraid to do what needs to be done to get the job done.” She waved her hands at nothing in particular. “What he’s done with the setup here is exactly why I chose to contract his company.”
“What you’ve done says a lot about your character.”
Her muscles tightened as her spine straightened. The hard ridge of her short nails dug into her palms. “What do you mean?”
Finley huffed out a laugh. “I simply meant that you’re willing to face someone who walked out of your life in order to do a job. You obviously want the best for those people despite the fact it causes you to face your worst memories.”
“You’re very observant.”
Finley stood, shucking her vest and shirt. “I don’t think a single mission I worked with Roland goes by without some kind of mention about you or your time together. The fact he does it without realizing it either just makes it all the more charming.”
“Yes, well, I haven’t thought about him at all.”
“Liar.” Those unique blue-brown eyes flashed as she pulled off her pants and tossed them near the foot of the bed. “Just remember to be careful, all right? I’m going to get a few hours of sleep, since I’m due back for the breakfast shift. I’m, uh, a pretty deep sleeper when we’re not in the crosshairs. So if something happens and you can’t wake me, don’t worry too much about it. Just don’t want you to think I’m dead or something.”
“Oh. Okay.” Korene eyed the woman as she flopped down on the right side of the bed, crossed her legs at the ankle and closed her eyes. “Goodnight.”
“Night.”
* * * * *
Korene woke the next day to find she’d slept nearly fourteen hours. Finley was nowhere to be found. Probably for the best. She didn’t want to become attached to the woman, because of her association with Roland. The more distance between her and the other members of the team, the better.
A small blinking light across the room caught her attention.
Roland’s handsome face filled the plasma screen as she depressed the indicator. Despite her anger with him, she smiled as she settled back into the pile of pillows.
“Hey, gorgeous. You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to disturb you. So take your time, order yourself some room service. I made dinner reservations for us tonight, so I’ll swing by the suite to pick you up around five for a show first.”
Even though she knew he was simply keeping up appearances should someone intercept the transmission, it sounded good to hear him sound so loving. It was a facet of their relationship she missed—the way he seemed to always want to take care of her. Knowing it wasn’t time to reminisce, she threw back the sheets to set about getting ready for their date.
No, not date. She couldn’t think of it as a date. Just work. A contractual arrangement she needed to see through, regardless of her painful past with her former Dom. She was strong enough to do this without further incident. Her employees being held hostage deserved that much.
Roland knocked on the door promptly at five o’clock. The cranberry-colored garment she’d selected flowed around her legs as she stepped out of the room. He looked cool and casual in the clothes he’d picked. “I’d forgotten you clean up nicely.”
“As do you.” After he brushed a soft kiss to her cheek, she noticed his soft-blue shirt deepened the color of his eyes. That same shirt clung to his heavily muscled chest in all the right places,
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