Hostile Home Front [Black Ops Brotherhood 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Bella Juarez

frowned.
    “What’s wrong?” Lynn asked.
    “Nothing,” Amy said, continuing to log in to her computer.
    “No, girlfriend, something is wrong,” Lynn insisted as she sat down in front of Amy’s desk.
    “No, really, it’s nothing,” Amy said as noncommittally as she could.
    “Amy, did he call and cancel?” Lynn asked.
    “No. Would you please log the computers in up front?” Amy asked Lynn politely.
    The library closed at 5:00 p.m. tonight. Fridays were usually slow days, and the clerk was still sick, so it was just Amy and Lynn. Lynn went about her routine, logging in the computers. They unlocked the doors and had their usual slow flow of patrons. There was a homeschool group that came in every Friday and checked out and returned their books. Most were using the public computers that the library housed. Some were book patrons, not in any hurry.
    They had a lot of downtime on Friday. They did the usual chores, and at two o’clock, when the library was virtually empty, Amy walked to her office. She had been working up the nerve to call Gavin. She was almost there when Lynn hounded her again.
    “What’s up? You don’t seem excited about this date with this hot guy at all,” Lynn said.
    “I’m not going.”
    “What? Why not?”
    Amy turned away and started arranging books on the cart behind them. The library page would be in tomorrow to shelve them.
    “Amy, why not?” Lynn asked again.
    “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Amy said quietly.
    “What? Don’t you dare do this!” Lynn exclaimed.
    “Do what?”
    “Chicken out!”
    “I’m not,” Amy said defensively.
    “Then why is this not a good idea?” Lynn demanded.
    “I don’t want to talk about it,” Amy said, turning away and gathering the books that had been dropped in the circulation desk book drop.
    Amy started to check in the books when Lynn grabbed them and slammed them down on the desk. She grabbed Amy and pulled her into her tiny office behind the circulation desk.
    “Oh, hell no, Amy! You’re not doing this! You need to go out with this guy at least once. You said you had fun with him the other night. What happened?”
    “I don’t want to go now. I’ve changed my mind.”
    “Why?” Lynn demanded and answered for Amy. “Because you’re scared.”
    Amy started to walk out but Lynn blocked her way.
    “This guy is something else, Amy. I saw him, remember? You can’t do this!”
    “Look, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
    “Amy, not every guy is like Tim. And a guy like the one you’re seeing tonight isn’t desperate for women. So obviously there’s some chemistry there, otherwise he wouldn’t have asked to see you again,” Lynn said calmly.
    Amy said nothing. She knew Lynn was right. There had been some chemistry. She felt it the night he had come to her door. Amy felt it the night he sat with her at the gala and later at dinner. Those feelings were driven home when she closed her eyes and saw Gavin in her dreams. It wasn’t just a little chemistry. This reaction was on the verge of being explosive. She felt it when she looked into those steel-gray eyes. She had seen something in Gavin’s eyes she had never seen in any man, desire . This man was doing things to her she had only read about in sappy novels. She didn’t want to get her hopes up only to get hurt again.
    “Amy, one date, it doesn’t mean you have to marry the guy. And this time you call the shots. If you don’t like him then don’t see him again.” Lynn checked in the books from the book drop.
    Amy let out an exasperated sigh, her resolve now shattered. She said nothing as she turned and went back to her office. Lynn was right. It was only one date.
     
    * * * *
     
    Gavin set up the surveillance schedule and briefed the team on what they were dealing with. He knew at some point they would have to raid wherever this guy decided to set up shop. He hoped it wasn’t at Rivera’s mother’s house, but these guys never seemed to be concerned