Free Fall (Elite Force #4)(26)
Author: Catherine Mann

“I know I need to clear my head, but walking away from work is easier said than done.” A trio of jet planes split the clouds overhead, leaving contrail to fade in their wakes.

“No offense, Stella, but have you looked in the mirror today?”

His leg brushed against hers, his lean strength as familiar to her as her own skin. How strange to feel stirred in the middle of utter exhaustion. Especially when he’d just told her she looked like crap.

Ouch. “I’ve avoided mirrors.” She stopped at a corner, waiting for a line of camouflage trucks to roll past. “It’s been a rough few days.”

“Exactly why you need to forget about everything for a while.”

“Easier said than done right after hearing there’s a group planning some kind of massacre.” God, she felt like she was running in circles, a futile and exhausting endeavor.

“The kid also said the plan was tied into the vice president’s wife’s visit.” He gave her a reassuring squeeze. “So we have a couple of days. You can take this time to recharge—really recharge—while Mr. Smith and Mr. Brown and however many more Jones and Johnson buddies of his can help out doing their jobs.”

“Why have you assigned yourself to be my babysitter?”

“Honestly, I don’t trust anyone else. You’re mighty damn good at maneuvering people.” He guided her past a long open-air building with a metal dome roof. “I care about you, and I understand you.”

That’s what made this all hurt so much, knowing he still cared. “Thank you for being here, for being so damn good at what you do.”

For caring.

He stopped outside a two-story concrete building, steps leading up to the second floor. She stared up into his eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable jolt of awareness, the delicious shimmer that ignited her nerve endings with the promise of pleasure. An intense pleasure unique to being with Jose.

“Jose?” Was that whispery voice really hers?

“I know.” He cupped her shoulder. “Not easy to just pretend everything’s okay between us.”

Her skin flamed to life, pushing aside the fog of exhaustion. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this, for hauling out all our past baggage again.”

“You did what had to be done. You’re damn good at your job too.” His hand fell away. “My room’s down the hall. Since your gear is all back at the hostel where you were undercover as a student, I rounded up some essentials for you while you were watching the questioning of Ajaya. I put the stuff in my room.”

Her eyebrows shot up.

He raised a hand. “Before you get riled, I’m not suggesting we sleep together, and if you insist, I’ll find another place to bunk. But I gotta confess the past couple of days really screwed with my head. I need to know you’re okay, or I’m not going to be able to close my eyes.”

“So you’re saying this isn’t just about making sure I sleep? It’s about helping you too?” A smile tugged at her mouth as well as her heart. “That I need to stay stapled to your side like a teddy bear in order for you to get any rest.”

“Yep…” He nodded. “I guess that pretty much covers it.”

Not too long ago, she would have done anything to be with him. And now? She didn’t know where they stood, and she was too tired to breathe, much less sort through her personal or professional tangles. Which made her answer a helluva lot easier to justify.

“I’m honest to God too exhausted to argue with you. Let’s watch out for each other, and we’ll deal with everything else later.”

She started climbing the steps to do the one thing she’d never expected ever to do again.

Sleep with Jose.

***

Jose sat in the uncomfortable-as-hell armchair and watched Stella sleep as the clock ticked away the hours into the middle of the night.

Once they’d stepped into the small barracks room, she’d washed up while he ate, then eaten while he showered. By the time he’d joined her, she’d been passed out asleep in the double bed tucked in a corner. He should stay in this chair.

Should.

But what the f**k?

He’d slept with her before, and it wasn’t like they were going to have sex again. Even though that kiss earlier had damn near sent him to his knees.

He shoved up out of the chair, his body groaning from the past twenty-four hours of surviving. He needed to recharge too if he expected to be one hundred percent for Stella. Settling onto the bed, he eased his legs up, careful not to jostle her. His head sank back into the piled pillows—he’d bought extra when he got her some clothes since he knew how she loved fat, fluffy pillows under her head and to hug. He tucked his hand behind his bed and stared at the ceiling, keeping a couple of inches between him and the woman of his dreams sleeping next to him.

Life was a bitch sometimes.

But at least Stella was safe. He would worry about the possible doomsday message woven into that cloth later. For now, he had solid military-issue walls surrounding her.

With concrete walls and industrial bedding, it wasn’t much in the way of accommodations, but the mattress was decent. The halfway-functioning air conditioner unit in the window gushed air that was cooler than anything outside. He’d stayed in worse. Still he wished he could offer her better.

But he had to accept he’d done all he could for her here. Sleep would do the rest, a deep slumber. Her catnap last night out in the wilds had been far from restful. Now she slept hard. Her red hair fanned out on the pillow, dry and carrying the scent of him since apparently she’d used his shampoo. Her eyelids twitched with deep REMs. A lightweight robe covered her whole body but clung to damp curves.

Sighing, she rolled over and looped her arm over his stomach. His abs contracted at the warmth of her, her slim, toned arm so damn familiar. As if the shower fresh scent of her wasn’t already driving him nuts. Damn good thing he wore camo pants and a T-shirt. Although full-out body armor wouldn’t be enough of a barrier between them.

His arm rested along the dip of her waist. Her curves fit to his side, the give of her soft br**sts searing him, making him ache to cradle the weight in his hands. He knew every inch of her body. They’d been good together, beyond good, better than anything he’d had with any other woman. Hell, when he was with her he couldn’t think of anyone but her. Still couldn’t even though they were no longer a couple.

Would she be in his system like this for the rest of his life?