Mission: Impossible to Protect (The Impossible Mission Romantic Suspense Series Book 6), стр. 34
“You lied to me. You let me believe that I was returning to Seattle.”
“I’ve never lied to you.” He held back information only to save her from worrying when she was injured and needed time to recover.
“Are you denying that you didn’t say ‘We’re going to New York?’ Or ‘Gee, Danni, wouldn’t you like to escape LA and head to New York with me?’”
“I didn’t get the time to tell you. We kind of got busy.” He expected her to laugh, but her lips were locked into a disapproving grimace.
She tightened the blanket around her shoulders.
“Was any of last night true?”
Her glare reflected nothing of last night’s soft and responsive woman. Or the woman of logic he had just been admiring.
“Why would you ever ask such a thing?”
“The tale about what a sensitive boy you were…Was that your usual seduction technique, or did I get special treatment as a close friend of Jordan and Sophie and your brothers?”
Lars exploded off the bed, attempting to gain control of himself as hurt and anger molded like a C4 explosive ready to detonate. Lars couldn’t believe how she twisted last night, giving it the worst spin. He had never told anyone about his writing or his search to have a father. And she was throwing his confession back at him as if it were a ploy to get her in the sack.
He stood at the end of the bed, unable to move away, hoping to rekindle last night’s intimacy. He was now afraid. The highly decorated marine was afraid of the power he allowed this woman to wield over him.
“Believe it or not, honey, I usually don’t have to work that hard.”
“You insufferable ass.”
“You really do have a low opinion of me.” He ran his hand through his hair to stop himself from reaching for her and kissing her to prove that last night’s connection wasn’t a lie. He had never felt closer to a woman after the time they spent together. They had both seen each other at their worst—injured and vulnerable. After Carmen, he never let anyone get that close.
“It felt pretty mutual to me.”
She snorted. “Right.”
Her hair was tangled around her shoulders, her black eyes were pronounced, and the abrasion on her face was a motley mess. This wasn’t the time to hash out last night. They’d have plenty of time on the plane.
“Fine, if you want to believe that I made up stories to have my wicked way with you, go ahead.”
“I thought last night was the only night we’d have together before we went our separate ways. I never…”
She was back to shaking her head at him.
“You were to go to New York and then back to Camp Pendleton, and I was headed thousands of miles away to Seattle, or I would never had…if you had been straight up with me.” She swiped her arm to the bed. “I just wouldn’t… It was supposed to be one night.”
“One night?”
“Yes. One night. No strings…”
He couldn’t believe how much it stung to hear her repeat the lines he had said to so many women. It was what he wanted. He vowed never to be involved—to always be the one leaving. Never the one left alone. Good to know upfront before getting involved any further with Danni. Who was he kidding? He was involved, or it wouldn’t hurt so badly.
“No problem, baby. You’ve taken a page right out of my game plan.”
Danni straightened the blanket around her shoulder, avoiding any eye contact. “Exactly.”
He could feel how tightly he was clenching his jaw to remain silent. She had always been clear that she only wanted sex. Why did it bother him to hear her say exactly what he wanted? He didn’t want a long-term relationship with a woman like Danni Knorr. She’d always be in his face, pushing him, twisting him in knots like she was doing now. When he decided to give a relationship a try, it wouldn’t be with a stubborn know-it-all who liked to play head games with men. He bet she had Alex Hardy on a leash too.
“You’re right. Last night was a mistake since we’re going to be together for a while. I was wrong to sleep with you. I’m here to protect you. Allowing emotions to get in the way could get us both killed. From here on out, I’m a bodyguard in charge of your protection detail. And I’m here to help you vanish—to hide from Miro until he gives up looking for you or until the DEA nails him.”
He retrieved the box that was on the floor near the closet where he’d left it last night. He carried the large box containing her disguise and placed it on the end of the bed. “Change into these clothes. We need to get to the airport.”
“Why won’t Miro find me in New York? You said he had a big reach.”
He stood over the bed. The crumpled sheets and scent of sex still lingering in the air reminded him of the night before. When he woke, he had been in heaven with Danni nestled against him. He thought they had pushed past a lot of misunderstandings between them. Evidently not, judging by the pissed off woman frowning at him with her swollen, contorted face.
“You’re going in disguise. In the box, there is a red wig and glasses—clothes that will not attract attention.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“No thigh-high skirts and high-heeled boots that say to every male over the age of twelve…” He stopped himself from hurling any more insults at her, even though he wanted to hurt her the way she just had hurt him with her one-night limit.
“That young?” She flicked her hair over her shoulder with her casted hand. “Wow. Maybe someone should report me to Child Protective Services. I’ll go to New York only because I don’t have another plan…yet.