Ugley Business by Kate Johnson Page B

it? The total and utter lack of emotional commitment?
    Yeah. That was it. We had sex, and we had fun. There wasn’t even the thought of “I love you” hanging around to frighten us. I didn’t know where the relationship was going. Should I? Would that spoil it?
    We wandered over to the domestic satellite where everything was utterly silent. There are no overnight domestic flights, in or outbound, and Angel said to me, “This is nap-time.”
    “It’s what?”
    “You didn’t think we were going to stay up all night, did you?”
    The thought had crossed my mind. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
    “Pick a seat,” she gestured to the rows of hard blue chairs, “and take a nap. The Fuerteventura is delayed so it’ll be in around three. Jo’s going to ring me when it’s approaching.” She held up her phone. Jo was in Ops and very helpful. “Sweet dreams.”
    I lay awake on the uncomfortable chairs for what felt like hours after Angel had dropped off into instant, picturesque sleep. I thought about Angel and her parents, about the person who had flashed a camera through the window last night, about Karen Hanson and her new steel rule, and about Luke.
    And then I must have fallen off to sleep, because I was suddenly woken up by a voice in my ear, “So this is what you get paid for.”
    My eyes jolted open and I found myself staring at a pair of very amused baby blues.
    “Luke?” I croaked. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’ve been thinking.” He was hunkered down in front of the row of chairs, his face level with mine.
    “About?”
    He brushed a strand of hair back from my face. “This isn’t going to work.”
    Now I was fully awake. “What?” I said in alarm. Was he breaking up with me?
    “This. You working nights. Me working days.”
    Oh God, he was breaking up with me. Except that you had to have a relationship to break up. He was cutting me off .
    “What are you saying?” I squeaked, trying to keep my voice down so Angel wouldn’t wake up. It was still only just past one in the morning.
    “That something has to change. Either you stop shadowing Angel, or I do.”
    I stared. He wasn’t breaking up with me. He was mutinying for me!
    “But we can’t,” I said. “We can’t let her out of our sight.”
    “I spoke to Karen,” Luke said. “She’s willing to employ outside agents.”
    I frowned. “Meaning?”
    “Meaning, sweetheart,” Luke smiled, “we can get someone else in. And I know someone.”
    Harvey! He already had a thing for Angel. He’d stick to her like Bostick. I opened my mouth to suggest it, but Luke had other ideas. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me.
    “Mmm,” I said. “So who’s this ‘outside agent’?”
    “Just someone I know. Very trustworthy. I’ll call him in the morning.”
    I nodded. That sounded like a plan to me. “Have you found out any more about—” I began, but Luke put a finger over my lips, and then he slipped it into my mouth, and then he was kissing me again and then somehow my shirt came undone and I pushed Luke away.
    “Not here,” I gasped, “not now.”
    “Why not?”
    “Angel,” I jerked my head at her. She was still sleeping peacefully.
    “She won’t—”
    “She might,” I said firmly. “And I’m not big on discovery fantasies.”
    Luke sighed and looked around for inspiration. “The bathroom,” he said, and before I could protest, he dragged me to my cramped feet and pulled me into the ladies. He pushed me back against the bank of sinks and started kissing me again, working on getting more than my shirt undone. And I, uncomplaining, happily joined in, popping all the buttons on his shirt and running my hands over all those lovely muscles. And then running my hands over—never mind. Luke found the handcuffs and got pretty excited, locking my wrists behind his neck.
    We were getting along very well, in fact, until we heard the scream.
    “ Angel ,” I said, and Luke pulled his jeans back up, grabbed the