Code Conspiracy. Carol Ericson

“You surprise me, Jerrica West.”

      “Why?” She slid her hands from the table and tucked them between her bouncing knees. Had she revealed how crazy attracted she still was to him?

      “You remembered my Delta Force commander’s name. I guess you were listening to me.” He brushed his fingers together over his plate, a smug little smile playing about his lips.

      Listening? She’d hung on to every word out of his mouth, never quite believing he was truly hers or would stick around. And she’d been right.

      “You had some interesting stories, yourself.”

      “I thought…” He shrugged his broad shoulders, and a tide of color rushed into his face.

      She narrowed her eyes. “You thought what?”

      “Once I learned about your line of work, I thought your interest in me had more to do with what I could reveal about our defense than me personally.” He thumped his fist against his chest.

      “You said something like that before and it’s idiotic.” She grabbed her purse and shot up from her chair. “Let’s go.”

      He followed her toward the door so closely she could feel his warm breath stirring her hair. For a good-looking guy, Gray had a surprising number of insecurities. His well-connected family had mega bucks, and she’d figured it always had him wondering if women wanted him or his family’s wealth and connections.

      With her own stash of cash in the bank from the settlement and the modest way she lived, he’d never been able to accuse her of going for the gold, so he’d made up another reason that she’d be interested in him.

      She tossed her head and flicked her gaze at the many women tracking his progress out of the coffeehouse. Did the man have a mirror?

      When they hit the sidewalk, she took his arm. “I’m worried about Amit. We have to find him before they hurt him.”

      “Or break him.”

      “That’s not going to happen.” She pulled him toward the subway station. “Olaf’s army is loyal. We don’t break.”

      “You may not break under the gentle, monitored, legal questioning of the government, but that’s not what we’re dealing with here. If these are government agents, they’re not your mother’s government agents.”

      She tripped to a stop at the top of the stairs leading to the platform. “Your mother’s, maybe. They’re exactly my mother’s and my father’s.”

      As she trotted downstairs, tears blurred her eyes and Gray put a steadying hand on her back.

      He ducked his head to hers. “Sorry. Stupid thing to say.”

      When they boarded the train, she gripped the pole and swayed toward him as the car moved forward, her eyes locking onto his dark blue ones.

      She shuffled closer to Gray, almost whispering in his ear. “Amit’s in danger, isn’t he?”

      “You’re both in danger.”

      “I have to tell Olaf. Maybe we should go to the Dreadworm offices now.” She chewed on her bottom lip, all the sweetness of the lemon cake gone.

      “And get followed? Not a good idea.” He pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Stop doing that. You’ll make it bleed.”

      “You’re right. Now is not the time to go running off to Dreadworm. That’s what they’d expect.” She slid a gaze to the side. “Someone could be on our tail now.”

      The train squealed as it rolled into their stop and the force threw her against Gray’s chest. She rested there for a few seconds, long enough for Gray to balance his chin on top of her head.

      “We’ll figure this out. We’ll find Amit.”

      As she pulled away from him, strands of her hair clung to the scruff on his jaw, connecting them for seconds longer, seconds she needed to collect herself.

      They hustled down the sidewalk, shoulders bumping, and she’d never felt so safe—except for the last time Gray had been with her in New York—before he found out what she did.

      When they reached her building, one of the other residents pushed through the door and held it open for them, nodding at Jerrica. She gave him a hard stare.

      The door closed behind them and Gray watched her curiously. “You don’t know him?”

      “I do, but he’s never seen you before in his life. How’d he know you were with me?”

      Gray raised his hand clasping hers. “Maybe this is a hint.”

      “You never know. I could be your captive.” She studied Gray’s face, but he didn’t even roll one eye. That attack had scared him as much as it had her.

      They clumped up the stairs, their boots filling the staircase with noise. Jerrica placed her hand against her door and turned the first lock.

      She froze as icy fingers played up her spine. Then she hissed between her teeth. “Someone’s been here.”