challenging. “You’re the boss.”
Addison
decided to ignore the comment for now. He listened to and watched everyone as
the conversation turned toward The Madeline Project, the Tommy Twister virus,
and what weather data the Storm Troopers had been able to collect so far.
Nadine asked questions of Merrill and Alesia, and it was clear that Dixon had
taught her more than she likely realized. She understood so much about what
they did.
What
the hell was she doing working in an office for a high school? Not that it
wasn’t honest work, but there was talent and passion deep inside this girl. He
longed to reach in and find it, then nurture it. At the same time, from the way
Lee kept cutting his gaze from her to Addison, he also realized his
long-standing desire for Nadine would have to wait for now.
This
wasn’t the time or place to do anything about it. It was his own damn fault for
waiting so long, but he’d just have to deal with it now. They were here to find
her father, and he couldn’t let his hormones get in the way of that. Backing
off before that earlier near-kiss went any further was the right thing to do.
Chapter
Six
Nadine
was grateful for the questions about her father, but when the conversation
steered toward the job she’d held for almost seven years, she gave
non-committal answers in the hope they’d all change the subject. She couldn’t
help noticing that Addison watched her closely. Was that because he was curious
about what she needed to tell him, or was there another reason?
What
he’d said to her earlier reverberated in her mind, setting off alarm bells and
sending her arousal to heights it hadn’t gone near in over four years. How
could one man cause such a dichotomy within a person’s brain? She was both
attracted to him and fearful of allowing that attraction to take root.
Would
telling him her secret help, or would she soon wish she’d stayed behind
underground, safe in the cocoon she’d built? No. It would have killed her to
wait for news of her father. But how was this any better? She was stuck in this
bunker for a few days with not only Addison, but the creepy Lee who had caught
Addison about to kiss her.
Lee’s
stupid grin taunted her, but she wasn’t afraid of him. Rather, he reminded her
of a teen who lived to tease everyone because he didn’t know how else to
interact with people. She noticed that the others didn’t include him in
conversation as much, and she caught Addison giving him guarded looks more than
once. Addison had hand-picked this team, or so he’d said, so he must trust Lee.
When
they all finished lunch, she was ready to volunteer to help clean up, but
Addison pulled her aside. “Let’s talk now.” He looked more anxious than she
felt. The poor guy must have been wondering what she wanted to tell him all
during the meal.
He
took her into one of the bedrooms near the back of the complex where it looked
as though he’d already stashed his gear. “This is the room I use when we come
here. Have you chosen one yet?”
She
shook her head. All her things were still in a pile in the main room, along
with the things everyone else had simply dumped there.
“ The ones back here are the quietest.”
“ Thanks for the heads-up.” She glanced around. At least
this one had a chair to sit on, but Addison chose it before she could, so she
took a seat on the bed and faced him. “I guess I need to just get this out.”
She was suddenly nauseous, but she forced that away. This had to be done.
“ Is it really that difficult to tell me?”
“ Yes. I’ve never told anyone. Not even my father
knows.” Not quite true. She’d told Brenda and countless police officers, plus
the DA and a couple of her assistants. But she’d never told other coworkers,
friends, or family.
He
leaned forward slightly. “This sounds serious.”
Where
should she even start? Nadine took several deep breaths and let her mind wander
back. She could do this. “They hired a new
Addison
decided to ignore the comment for now. He listened to and watched everyone as
the conversation turned toward The Madeline Project, the Tommy Twister virus,
and what weather data the Storm Troopers had been able to collect so far.
Nadine asked questions of Merrill and Alesia, and it was clear that Dixon had
taught her more than she likely realized. She understood so much about what
they did.
What
the hell was she doing working in an office for a high school? Not that it
wasn’t honest work, but there was talent and passion deep inside this girl. He
longed to reach in and find it, then nurture it. At the same time, from the way
Lee kept cutting his gaze from her to Addison, he also realized his
long-standing desire for Nadine would have to wait for now.
This
wasn’t the time or place to do anything about it. It was his own damn fault for
waiting so long, but he’d just have to deal with it now. They were here to find
her father, and he couldn’t let his hormones get in the way of that. Backing
off before that earlier near-kiss went any further was the right thing to do.
Chapter
Six
Nadine
was grateful for the questions about her father, but when the conversation
steered toward the job she’d held for almost seven years, she gave
non-committal answers in the hope they’d all change the subject. She couldn’t
help noticing that Addison watched her closely. Was that because he was curious
about what she needed to tell him, or was there another reason?
What
he’d said to her earlier reverberated in her mind, setting off alarm bells and
sending her arousal to heights it hadn’t gone near in over four years. How
could one man cause such a dichotomy within a person’s brain? She was both
attracted to him and fearful of allowing that attraction to take root.
Would
telling him her secret help, or would she soon wish she’d stayed behind
underground, safe in the cocoon she’d built? No. It would have killed her to
wait for news of her father. But how was this any better? She was stuck in this
bunker for a few days with not only Addison, but the creepy Lee who had caught
Addison about to kiss her.
Lee’s
stupid grin taunted her, but she wasn’t afraid of him. Rather, he reminded her
of a teen who lived to tease everyone because he didn’t know how else to
interact with people. She noticed that the others didn’t include him in
conversation as much, and she caught Addison giving him guarded looks more than
once. Addison had hand-picked this team, or so he’d said, so he must trust Lee.
When
they all finished lunch, she was ready to volunteer to help clean up, but
Addison pulled her aside. “Let’s talk now.” He looked more anxious than she
felt. The poor guy must have been wondering what she wanted to tell him all
during the meal.
He
took her into one of the bedrooms near the back of the complex where it looked
as though he’d already stashed his gear. “This is the room I use when we come
here. Have you chosen one yet?”
She
shook her head. All her things were still in a pile in the main room, along
with the things everyone else had simply dumped there.
“ The ones back here are the quietest.”
“ Thanks for the heads-up.” She glanced around. At least
this one had a chair to sit on, but Addison chose it before she could, so she
took a seat on the bed and faced him. “I guess I need to just get this out.”
She was suddenly nauseous, but she forced that away. This had to be done.
“ Is it really that difficult to tell me?”
“ Yes. I’ve never told anyone. Not even my father
knows.” Not quite true. She’d told Brenda and countless police officers, plus
the DA and a couple of her assistants. But she’d never told other coworkers,
friends, or family.
He
leaned forward slightly. “This sounds serious.”
Where
should she even start? Nadine took several deep breaths and let her mind wander
back. She could do this. “They hired a new
Similar Books
